6
Connecting an IconMaster to an
EAS Device
103
Overview
The federal Emergency Alert System (EAS) enables broadcasters, cable providers, and emergency managers to receive, store, forward, and originate emergency alert messages as required by the Federal Communications Commission. EAS allows broadcast stations, cable systems, participating satellite companies, and emergency managers, and other services to send and receive emergency information quickly and automatically, even if these facilities are unattended. Specially equipped devices decode EAS messages for distribution.
The IconMaster can be connected directly to an EAS encoder/decoder or character generator, thus enabling you to insert emergency notification messages directly into the broadcast stream as a regular scrolling text crawl.
An external EAS receiver is required to allow this feature to become operational.
Communication Protocols
The IconLogo currently supports three communication protocols employed by EAS devices:
TFT
1
, Sage
2
, and Gorman-Redlich (GR)
3
.
RS-232 Connection
The EAS device is connected to the RS-232-D port on the IconMaster ICONM-BO-V breakout module. See
Table 2-8
on page 38 for pinout details. If the IconMaster ICONM-BO-V
breakout module is not being used, the EAS device must be wired directly to the
Multi-Function I/O connector on the MKE-3901-BM (see
Figure 2-25
on page 27). Pins 57
(RS-232-D-RX) and 58 (RS-232-D-TX) are reserved for this purpose. See
Table 2-3
on page 28. (One ground connection is also required.)
Configuring the EAS
Device
EAS devices need to be set to 9600 baud and Standard or Generic CG protocol in order to work correctly with IconMaster.
For basic configurations and preparations please see the specific EAS device user manual. No additional special settings are needed to communicate with an IconMaster. The standard signal will be taken out from the EAS device’s serial port.
1
“TFT” is a trademark of TFT Inc., San Jose, California.
2
“Sage” systems are products of Sage Alerting Systems, Rye Brook, New York.
3
Gorman-Redlich Manufacturing Co., Athens, Ohio.
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6
Connecting an IconMaster to an EAS Device
IconMaster can be configured two different ways when using IconMaster's Audio Over to insert the EAS audio message into the program stream.
An important consideration is that the EAS audio message is not always the same duration as the EAS logo message.
Method 1 (preferred): IconMaster controls EAS logo insertion and EAS audio insertion separately.
1
Configure the EAS receiver to output a GPI output for the duration of the audio message.
2
Connect this GPI output to an IconMaster GPI input, and configure IconMaster to use this
GPI input as Key to Air (as in
Figure 6-1
) so that the EAS Box can hold the Audio Over
active for the duration of the EAS audio message.
Figure 6-1 GPI Settings for EAS Logo Insertion
3
Ensure that the EAS Audio setting in the System Configuration menu is set to NONE.
Figure 6-2 EAS Audio Settings in the System Configuration Menu
With these settings, IconMaster will enable the selected Audio Over whenever the GPI input is triggered, and for as long as the GPI input is triggered. The duration of the Audio Over key is independent of the duration of the EAS message.
Method 2: IconMaster controls EAS logo and audio together.
IconMaster can be configured to automatically enable an Audio Over when an EAS message is received.
The following menu can be found in the ICU System Configuration screen, and shows that Audio Over 1 will automatically be keyed into PGM video when an EAS message is received, and only for the duration of the EAS message.
IconMaster
Installation and Configuration Manual
105
Figure 6-3 EAS Audio Settings in the System Configuration Menu
Creating an EAS Text Crawl
The following steps are involved in setting up EAS.
1
Create fonts using Content Editor.
See
Using the Font Utility
on page 159.
2
Create a Text Crawl in Logo Soft Panel.
See
Configuring a Text Crawl or Text Titling
on page 107.
3
Create a Quick Select logo.
See
Logo Number
on page 88.
4
Select Eng > More > EAS Logo, enter the number of the text crawl logo you created (in
Step 2) in the TextLogo field, and then press QuickSelect.
See
EAS Logos1
on page 127.
5
Select Eng > More > EAS Protocol and choose the EAS protocol your system uses.
6
(Optional) Configure EAS audio on the System Config screen in the IconMaster
Configuration Utility (in the section of the screen labeled EAS Audio).
If you want audio triggered by GPI from the EAS receiver (so it does not get cut off if it is longer than the text crawl), select None and then configure a GPI as follows.
a
On the IconMaster Configuration Utility, select GPI, and then click Add GPI.
b
Select the number of the GPI you want to configure, and make the following settings:
Assignment—A/O to Air
Polarity—Open
Trigger—Level
c
Save the configuration and download it to the frame.
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6
Connecting an IconMaster to an EAS Device
