Welcome < Features < EAS - Emergency Alert System

EAS - Emergency Alert System

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) providers, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers to provide the communications capability to the President to address the American public during a national emergency. The system also may be used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to specific areas.

DASDEC is a Digital Alert System for playing EAS warnings. The DASDEC interface supports up to 5 stations per I/O Board. The EAS audio is sent to an FTP server where the computer can then access this file and play it On-Air, thus supporting multiple playbacks at any given time. Zetta then sends a message back to the DASDEC box that the EAS alert has been played. An EAS Pending Input will need to be configured for each station using the bit position to designate which channel on the DASDEC is for each station. The weekly EAS Test alerts must be fired manually or wired externally to the to the DASDEC box. The FTP location that the DASDEC-II EAS box sends the audio to must be mapped on each stations Sequencer computer. The Audio file must be in PCM format to prevent issues with playback.

Zetta has the ability to receive these warnings and place them in the log. Zetta can be configured to accept EAS warnings from a DASDEC-II box and send a visual warning to the On-Air Module. In Live Assist mode the user will see the warning at the top of the On-Air window. By clicking this alert the Alert window will show allowing the use to add it to the log. In Auto mode the warning will be automatically placed in the log as the next event to play.  In Network or Splits mode the warning will be automatically placed in the log at the end of the next available spot block.

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DASDEC IP/Network Setup

1. Refer to the Digital Alert Systems PDF at http://www.digitalalertsystems.com/pdf/apndas-0125.pdf or contact RCS Support
2. Perform Step #1 of the pdf to change the IP address. 

1. • The current address of the box might not be the 192.168.0.200 as mentioned in the PDF. After turning the DASDEC on the current IP address will scroll across the front display screen.
   • In Step 1.7 of the pdf to set the Server Name.
   • In Step 1.8 of the pdf to set the Server Network Hostname.

3. Perform Step #2 of the pdf to set the time.
   • The sample IP address of 64.113.32.5 can be used as the NTP Server

4. Next complete Steps #3 - #8 as needed for the station.

DASDEC Encoder Setup

1. Select the Setup tab
2. Select the Encoder radio button
   
3. Select Station 1 from the Select Station Configuration Interface drop-down. After the station name is changed, the combo box will reflect the name of the station rather than the default value of Station 1
4. Check the ENABLE Station Interface check box
5. In the Station Configuration Interface Name field, change the name of the station to a value of “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, or “5”. This number will be used by Zetta as the bit position when an EAS notification is received (base 1). This number can be followed by a space and then any text desired. RCS suggests this text reflect the station that will mapped to the configured GPI in Zetta.
   • Example: 1 Hits Factory means this will map to GPI bit position 1, and within Zetta GPI 1 maps to station Hits Factory.  2 Chillout Lounge means this will map to GPI bit position 2, and within Zetta GPI 2 maps to station Chillout Lounge.
6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for the remainder of the stations to be mapped. The numeric value in step 5 must be unique for each station.
7. Once each station is configured select *Base Station Info from the Select Station Configuration Interface drop-down.
   
8. In the Configure Available EAS Types for Encoder Alert Origination Interfaces section, add the desired EAS Codes or use the Add buttons to add specific types of emergencies.
9. In the Configure Available FIPS for Encoder Alert Origination Interfaces section, remove the default if not needed, then choose the desired FIPS State / County combinations desired

DASDEC Net Alerts Setup

Prior to setting up the Net Alerts, setup an FTP Server and configure it with a username and password to provide to the DASDEC box.

1. Select the Setup tab
2. Select the Net Alerts radio button

3. Check the Encoder Originated Alerts Sent to EAS_NET devices check box
   
4. In the Remote EAS NET Host IP Address, enter the IP Address of the Zetta machine that will be responsible for monitoring the DASDEC
5. In the EAS_NET Event Transfer Protocol, select RCS NexGen
6. Make note of the Remote EAS NET Host Port, this should be 64333
7. In the EAS_NET Host Data File IP Address, enter the IP Address of the FTP Server where the audio files are to be sent
8. In the EAS_NET Host Data Port, enter the port of the FTP Server where the audio files are to be sent
9. In the EAS_NET User and Password fields, enter the User Id and Password that will be used to access the FTP Server by the DASDEC device when sending the audio files. This cannot be left blank, a user with a password must be used.
   
10. Click the Accept Changes button at the bottom of the screen.

DASDEC Zetta Configuration

1. On the Sequencer computer for the station receiving the EAS alert, using windows explorer, map a drive to the FTP location where the EAS alert audio file is being placed. If there is more than one sequencer computer configured in the DASDEC box, the mapped drive letter must be the same on each station sequencer computer (each DASDEC box supports up to 5 sequencer stations).
2. Click the GPIO/Routes tab in Configuration | Computers
3. Click the Add New GPIO Device  button.
4. Select Enabled to enable the device for use.
5. Select the DASDEC option as the Device type.
6. Enter the Name of the GPIO / Route Configuration, the default is the name of the device selected.
7. Optionally, enter a Description for the GPIO device.
8. Optionally, enter the number of seconds to ignore a GPI event following a GPO event using the Ignore GPI after GPO for X seconds field. If an input is received with X seconds of an output event then the input will be ignored.
9. Optionally, enter the number of seconds to not generate a GPO event following a GPI event using the Do not send GPO after GPI for X seconds field. If an output is received with X seconds of an input event then output event will not be sent.
10. Select the Settings button.
    
11. Enter the Network Adapter number that Zetta will use to communicate with the DASDEC device; typically this is 0 unless there is more than one Ethernet card in the computer.
12. Enter the Local Port to use as defined on the DASDEC under Remote EAS NET Host Port, the default is 64333.
13. Enter the FTP File Path mapped in step 1. This must be the same path for all Sequencer computers.
14. Click OK
15. Select the GPIs (Inputs) tab to configure the Inputs.
16. Select the Create All Inputs button and Zetta will create 5 inputs.
17. The Name field can be renamed to the station name to give it more meaning when selected elsewhere in the system. GPI #1 will be triggered when a notification is received by the DASDEC whose DASDEC Station Configuration Interface Name begins with 1, GPI #2 will be triggered when a notification is received by the DASDEC whose DASDEC Station Configuration Interface Name begins with 2 and so on
18. Select the GPOs (Outputs) tab to configure the Outputs.
19. Select the Create All Outputs button and Zetta will create 5 outputs
20. The Name field can be renamed to the station that will issue the EAS Confirmation to the DASDEC.
21. Click Save button to save the GPIO / Routes settings for the selected computer.
22. Go to Configure | System, then Select the Command Mappings tab for the System Configuration window
23. Click Add GPIO Event Mapping option from the Add new mapping drop-down button.
24. Enter a Name for the GPIO Mapping (default is New Mapping GPIO).
25. Enter a Description for the GPIO Mapping (optional)
26. Using the Processed By drop-down select the computer responsible for communicating with the DASDEC.
27. Select the Input Trigger Mapping tab
28. Click the Add New Mapping button
29. Select Enabled to enable the GPI mapping
30. Enter a Name for the mapping
31. In the GPI Trigger column, use the drop-down to select the first Input created.
32. Select the Execute Command field to show the properties pane.
33. Select EAS.Notification as the Task Type in the Properties pane
34. Select the Station that matches the station input defined.
35. Repeat for each station until all configured inputs are defined.
    

35. Select the Output Event Mapping tab
36. Click the Add New Trigger GPO Mapping button
37. Select Enabled to enable the GPO mapping
38. Enter a Name for the mapping
39. Select the Output Event field
40. Select EAS.Confirmation as the Task Type in the Properties pane.
41. Select the Station that matches the station defined.
42. Select the Execute Command field to show the properties pane. The Task Type Gpio.TriggerGpo is selected by default.
43. Select the GPO to select the first Output created.
44. Repeat for each station until all configured Outputs are defined.
    
45. Click Save to save the mappings.

Test the EAS Configuration

1. In the DASDEC utility, go to the Encoder tab
2. Select the Send Alert radio button
3. Select the desired test in the Alert EAS Code drop-down
   
4. Remove / Add the desired locations in the Set Location(s) section
   
5. If desired, select any Optional Pre-Alert Audio Announcement and/or Optional Post-Alert Audio Announcement
6. Click the Send Alert button for the desired station
   
7. Click the Yes, Send Alert! button.
   
8. The Active Alerts page should be displayed the alert should sound on the DASDEC box
   
9. Go to Zetta and open the On-Air window; Note the “EAS Alert (1)” in the title header at the top
   
10. Depending on the current mode of the station, the alert may or may not be added to the log. If it is in Auto Mode, it will be added as the next item to play. If it is in Network or Splits mode, it will be added at the end of the next spot block to play. If it is in Live Assist of Manual mode, it will not be added to the log. If the alert is not scheduled, the alert icon in the On-Air title header should flash. If it is scheduled, the alert icon should not flash.
11. Click on the EAS Alert in the title header of the On-Air window, the EAS Alert control will be displayed. This window can be docked if desired.
    
12. If the alert is not scheduled, the alert icon will be shown, otherwise, it will be hidden.
13. Select the alert and listen to it via the audition button.
14. Select the alert and drag/drop the same as any other asset.
15. Select the alert and click the plus icon. The selected alert will be inserted into the log as the next item to play. When the sequencer plays the alert. The alert will be removed from the EAS Alerts window and the EAS Alert (#) in the On-Air control will be removed.
16. Optionally, play the alert from either the Hot Keys control or Stack Player control.
17. There will be a new Alerts tab displayed in the Library window. If it does not show, try restarting Zetta and the Startup Manager. A new alert asset will be shown for each alert received but only for the station which the alert was originated.
    
18. Open up the asset
19. Go to the Extra tab. The Kill Date is 1 week from the creation date
20. Open the Station Specific tab. The End Date / Hour will be the end date / time of the alert, The alert should only be Active for the station that the alert was created
21. Open the Script tab. To view the alert text. The text is read-only so that the user cannot modify the alert message.
    
22. Open the Log Window.
23. Locate the Alert.
24. Click on the White Note icon in the Alert to view the script in the Preview window.
    
25. After Zetta plays the alert, a notification is sent to the DASDEC using the configured GPO. To verify this notification is received, see the OpLog found in the DASDEC interface.
    

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