GTP USP PRODUCTS STREAMLINE DIGITAL PROGRAM INSERTION AT CABLE NEWS CHANNEL
Northridge, Calif. (June 2016): DNF Controls – the award-winning and acknowledged leader in Human-to-Machine and Machine-to-Machine interfaces – today announced a successful deployment of the company’s USP3-16 Universal Switch Panel, and GTP-32 Control Processor at News 12, a Long Island, New York-based 24/7 news channel serving subscribers of Cablevision and affiliated systems around the region.
“It was a pleasure helping News 12 transition their spot insertion from analog cue tones to state-of-the-art SCTE-35 technology,” said Dan Fogel, chief technical officer of DNF Controls. “They provide an invaluable source of local information to viewers within heavily populated service areas; we’re proud to have a hand in helping News 12 manage complexity.”
News 12 head-ends had been inserting spots using old-style DTMF cue tones generated by automation. When head-end program feeds were converted to IP, cue tones were rendered obsolete, along with the ability to manual override commercials for breaking news coverage. GPI triggers to automation produced SCTE-35 “splice” commands for commercial insertion, but couldn’t replicate the old system’s manual stop and skip commands. Enter DNF’s GTP control processor with pre-defined SCTE-104 Digital Program Insertion (DPI) messages, as well as the ability to create custom messages. Combined with DNF’s USP control panel, it becomes a flexible and highly configurable DPI control center.
“Installation was straightforward and simple; just LAN and GPI connections … DNF was outstanding during testing, configuring and training with webinars, white papers, tutorials and helpful phone support.” said Chris Bacon, manager of RF engineering for News 12 Networks. “It was extremely easy for our master control operators to use; it logs and records every command received, whether from
GPI or the switch panel, along with an acknowledgement that the DPI message was successfully sent … anyone who deals with commercials and automation knows how important accurate records are
when the boss calls to say a commercial didn’t run.”
DNF’s GTP-32 Control Processor supports SCTE-104 used by cable operators and internet streamers for digital program and spot insertion, as well as to block and replace digital rights-managed content. DNF’s widely-used Universal Switch Panel (USP) is Ethernet, RS232/422 serial and GPI/O-capable. Both offer a streamlined user interface and browser-based, programmer-free configuration.
About News 12
News 12 was the first 24/7 local news network on cable. It has five bureaus serving Brooklyn, the Bronx, Long Island, southern Connecticut, New Jersey, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. News 12, a service of Cablevision, is carried throughout the company’s footprint, as well as on several affiliate cable systems in adjoining areas. For additional information, please visit News12.com
