Digital Alert Systems (DAS), a division of Monroe Electronics and a developer of Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and Emergency Alert Systems (EAS), announced that Fusion Communications, a centralcasting master control and production company, is deploying the DASDEC-II emergency messaging platform with EAS-Net and DASDEC-IR intelligent remotes to provide automatic, seamless emergency alerts for 20 remote TV stations located throughout the United States.
Headquartered in Davenport, IA, Fusion Communications' centralcasting and control services allow its contract stations to have a fully produced TV station with minimal investment in staff and equipment. To meet EAS/CAP compliance for each station, and to provide notifications quickly, Fusion required an emergency messaging platform that could automatically communicate local alert data to the company's Davenport facility, where it could be immediately sent out on air.
Fusion has installed a DASDEC-IR unit in each remote station. The DASDEC-IR units automatically communicate EAS data via an IP network to the central DASDEC-II hosts at the Davenport facility via Digital Alert Systems' EAS-NET communications protocol software. Each DASDEC in Davenport can handle up to five DASDEC-IR units by utilizing the Digital Alert Systems' MultiStation-5 software. From Davenport, Fusion can use DASDEC's Web-based user interface to monitor all messages and alerts for all 20 stations.
The DASDEC-II provides core EAS and CAP functionality in a small single-box design. It is available with integrated receivers; advanced hardware interfaces for easy adaptability to ever-evolving technology changes; simple software upgrades that don't require un-cabling, unracking, opening the case, removing parts and reassembling the system; and a network-centric perspective using common Web browsers and leveraging common information exchange protocols. The system meets all FCC Part 11 rules and conforms to FEMA CAP V1.2 and IPAWS 1.0 standards, allowing broadcasters to reduce headaches and substantially improve operational efficiency for just a little more than adding a CAP converter to their legacy EAS equipment.
