EAS During Idol FINALE in RCN http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r22419952 en Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:02:52 EDT Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:02:52 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22434239 Rucker : I'm with RCN in the Lehigh Valley and my cablecard Tivos didn't get the EAS. I know the Tivos comply with EAS requirements, but I don't know whether the EAS wasn't done in my area or if the Tivos realized I wasn't watching TV at the time and ignored it.

Anyway, about preemption, I believe the FCC has chosen not to preempt EAS requirements in local franchise agreements. But I don't feel like looking for a reference. The FCC selectively asserts preemption as they like.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22434239 Sat, 23 May 2009 18:34:36 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22426431 alanisrox69 : I'm pretty sure Federal trumps local rulings any day.

-Derek-]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22426431 Fri, 22 May 2009 02:25:29 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22426201 cypherstream : It's a fault of the Motorola platform though. Tan TV-Guide, I-Guide and Passport DCT all have the same behavior.

FCC may state that it's voluntary to comply, but local governments and townships may state that it's mandatory at each franchise renewal hearing.

What I would like to see in the future is a triggered EBIF application that displays the EAS alert in an overlay (like a widget or dialog box). This way it would be generated by the software, so the tuners can remain where they are. The EBIF could be triggered by the same OOB EAS Clamping signal that currently does the force tune today. Just some programming changes in the firmware and client os. Thing is that it has to be guaranteed to work 100% and certified by the FCC and local agencies.

EBIF application may be able to run on Tru2Way for support for Tru2Way TV's and DVR's. This could be a convincing factor as Government could "reach out" to more than just cable issued set top boxes. Again developers are going to prefer the simpler method for that 100% success rate, vs. an application that could potentially fail. We'll have to wait and see where developers take this, if anything.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22426201 Fri, 22 May 2009 00:44:29 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425712 alanisrox69 :
said by mjr See Profile :

Look guys.. They adopt it, or they don't.. I'm sure they don't get an EAS bulletin, and decide whether to put it on the air or not... They set their systems up to broadcast bulletins that they receive. I don't imagine the system is set up to rely on someone in an RCN control room at 10:04PM to decide whether the EAS bulletin should be aired or not.

Idol is over. The EAS came and went.. And yeah, it was untimely, and irrelevant for some of us given the location of the amber alert, but this isn't really an RCN issue. Take the issue up with your local government/law enforcement agency. (By the way... Good luck with that.)
There are a few resolutions I was hoping for when I made this post.

1) Make the Motorola box only use ONE tuner for the EAS alert. NOT cancel all current recordings to show it. Seems super silly that an EAS does this now.

2) Put a menu feature in the Moto box to Turn On or Off EAS alerts. It appears from the FCC reg above, they are not mandatory.

-Derek-
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425712 Thu, 21 May 2009 22:50:37 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425665 mjr : Look guys.. They adopt it, or they don't.. I'm sure they don't get an EAS bulletin, and decide whether to put it on the air or not... They set their systems up to broadcast bulletins that they receive. I don't imagine the system is set up to rely on someone in an RCN control room at 10:04PM to decide whether the EAS bulletin should be aired or not.

Idol is over. The EAS came and went.. And yeah, it was untimely, and irrelevant for some of us given the location of the amber alert, but this isn't really an RCN issue. Take the issue up with your local government/law enforcement agency. (By the way... Good luck with that.)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425665 Thu, 21 May 2009 22:41:38 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425540 alanisrox69 :
said by rcnman See Profile :

All,

I will look into this, but I'm pretty confident we don't have choice with regards to pass-thru on EAS signals. By guidelines we must pass thru the EAS signals. I'm sure everyone ran that EAS signals to include TV / RADIO stations.

Jason Nealis
RCN
Look at this!

quote:
CABLE OPERATORS - While there is no good reason not to be involved, your participation
in state and local EAS is strictly VOLUNTARY. Participation in this plan shall not be deemed as
a relinquishment of program control and shall not prohibit broadcast licensees from exercising
independent discretion and responsibility in any given situation. Cable systems transmitting EAS
emergency communications shall be deemed to have conferred rebroadcast authority.
Management of each cable system may exercise discretion regarding the broadcast of emergency
information and instructions to the general public. [FCC 11.55(a)]


-Derek-
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425540 Thu, 21 May 2009 22:18:22 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425536 alanisrox69 : I reported that above....same crap happened here, at 1047pm

-Derek-
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425536 Thu, 21 May 2009 22:17:28 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425520 cypherstream : Actually it's a local government agency who broadcasts the alerts. By FCC regulation all cable companies must comply with the alert signal. Comcast, RCN, and maybe even Service Electric recieved this signal and their EAS gear did what it was designed to do.

Sad to say Motorola gear is more intrusive than SA gear, but it's what our providers in these general area's choose as their CPE and Headend equipment.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22425520 Thu, 21 May 2009 22:15:52 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22424850 alanisrox69 :
said by cypherstream See Profile :

I am also curious why as far west at Reading and north as Allentown, did the federal agencies issue EAS for something that happened in South Jersey.
This was my issue. It should not have been set off in the Lehigh Valley area.

-Derek-
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22424850 Thu, 21 May 2009 20:04:04 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22423357 cdr1000 : You hit the nail on this one.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22423357 Thu, 21 May 2009 15:11:39 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22423254 cypherstream : To confirm, down in Reading PA, we got the second notice around the 10:47 time frame with Comcast. The first notice happend AFTER the idol performance, which was adjusted to 10:07 by our guide vendor to aid in DVR users from loosing "the ending".

I would estimate the first notice came in around 10:10 or shortly thereafter.

On the I-Guide / Motorola platform, EAS is sent from a federal agency into an EAS 1U rackmount device in the headend. It generates the signal on a pilot channel (Here it's channel 18 "MIND"). It also keys up the RADD (the device that talks to the boxes via the OOB channel) to clamp the EAS tune signal to all Moto set tops in the field. The Moto set tops tune to channel 18 (ADS in our area) which about the same time you see the "Mind" channel flash into a black background with crawling text and poor audio. If your using a ClearQAM tuner, or analog tuner you would be unaffected, as they are not addressable devices on the cable plant.

In SA/Cisco environment, EAS can be configured to simply scroll across the screen, generated from the box itself. It's a much more elegant solution, as it does not force tune the box and eliminate DVR recordings. I've ALWAYS preferred SA boxes with Passport vs. Motorola set tops. But in life, you learn to live with the cards that are dealt to you.

I am also curious why as far west at Reading and north as Allentown, did the federal agencies issue EAS for something that happened in South Jersey.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22423254 Thu, 21 May 2009 14:54:26 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22422583 mjr : All recording stopped for me too during the message (I had both tuners going). It picked back up on it's own about 2 minutes after the EAS was through.

Can't blame RCN for it, though... Even so, if it was my kid that was swiped, I wouldn't have wanted the message to be delayed for any reason.

Yeah, I was annoyed by it too, but it is what it is.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22422583 Thu, 21 May 2009 12:56:41 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22421869 rcnman : All,

I will look into this, but I'm pretty confident we don't have choice with regards to pass-thru on EAS signals. By guidelines we must pass thru the EAS signals. I'm sure everyone ran that EAS signals to include TV / RADIO stations.

Jason Nealis
RCN
--
Jason Nealis,
Sr. Director, Video Product and Video Operations]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22421869 Thu, 21 May 2009 10:47:45 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22421422 lilhurricane :
said by shadyman777 See Profile :

What does "-EAS" mean anyway?
Emergency Alert System

..although frustrating it is required participation
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Alert_System
--
~Safe Hex~ Team Discovery ~ Project Hope ~ Like A Hurricane~]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22421422 Thu, 21 May 2009 09:10:49 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22421331 shadyman777 : Kinda curious what that EAS thing on my screen was. I lost my whole 10-11PM timeframe of DVR material. I wish they would send a message on my box before they decide to mess with our boxes. I lost two shows I watch when I get home from work, I thought my box broke at first cause I've never seen that before. Oh well.

What does "-EAS" mean anyway?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22421331 Thu, 21 May 2009 08:48:36 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420626 alanisrox69 : I know, but here, can't get these channels OTA unless you have a huge antenna, and even then it's iffy.
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420626 Thu, 21 May 2009 00:46:05 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420205 tigrzeye : Nope got the DCH3416]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420205 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:49:16 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420202 alanisrox69 : 1047pm, just as Fox29 was talking to Danny Gokey live on the red carpet, they decided to throw ANOTHER EAS up letting us know that the NJ Police Dept Cancelled the Amber Alert.

-Derek-
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420202 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:48:43 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420155 alanisrox69 : Darn ok.

It's weird your box didn't get hit...do you have the new DCX?
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420155 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:39:44 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420148 tigrzeye : yeah I did as my girlfriend usually doesn't make it past 9 without falling asleep..(she does get up at 4:45am though) .. but she actually made it through the whole show tonight so I deleted it.
--
If you don't know ask. I ask a lot, know a little.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420148 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:38:33 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420107 alanisrox69 : GRR!

Did you record it on your DVR?

-Derek-]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420107 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:31:07 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420103 tigrzeye : Guess I was not worthy of the EAS notice, LOL

Didn't happen here !! Thankfully !!
--
If you don't know ask. I ask a lot, know a little.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420103 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:30:32 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420091 alanisrox69 : All the boxes in my house, HD and SD went to EAS channel.

-Derek-
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420091 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:29:17 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420073 tigrzeye : mmmm... didnt' see that and watched the show to the end..
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If you don't know ask. I ask a lot, know a little.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420073 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:27:19 EDT Re: EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420012 alanisrox69 : Fox29 News just bashed Comcast for cutting the Idol due to the Amber Alert.

They MAY be replaying the end segment.

This is absurd. You don't do an Amber Alert in PA for something that happened in NJ.
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22420012 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:20:28 EDT EAS During Idol FINALE http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22419952 alanisrox69 : ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????

Right during the winner's performance, RCN decides to do an EAS for Child Abduction, FREAKING KIDDING ME?
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22419952 Wed, 20 May 2009 22:08:29 EDT