Triveni Digital has upgraded its GuideBuilder™ family of PSIP generation systems to support the distribution of SCTE 35 digital cue tones and network program information. Both of these time and cost saving features allow networks and their affiliates to synchronize splicing between local and national programming while delivering the most up-to-date information about those programs. GuideBuilder metadata management systems allow broadcasters to comply with the ATSC PSIP standard, retain and enhance their market branding, and protect their channel identities in on-screen Electronic Program Guides (EPGs). The enhanced system family will be demonstrated at NAB2004 in Triveni Digital’s booth #SU11936.

To support digital program insertion, the GuideBuilder system inserts SCTE 35 cue tones into the network feed. Whether the feed is high-definition (HD) or standard-definition (SD), these cue tones give affiliates the ability to switch between local and network content accurately and efficiently. The cue tones may also trigger overlay graphics, such as logos, to be locally inserted and properly synchronized directly into the compressed digital broadcast stream avoiding the quality loss of decoding of the MPEG stream to baseband and then re-encoding it with the new information inserted.

Network Distributed PSIP Provides Timely and Accurate Information for Viewers
GuideBuilder systems are designed to ensure consistent PSIP data generation and continuous playout of data. The systems may be used in the uplink to distribute the program information in the network feed. At the affiliate site, a new transport stream input interface within the local GuideBuilder imports program information from the PSIP in an incoming stream, combines it with local station information and seamlessly distributes the modified PSIP tables into the outgoing transport stream.

By allowing a network to insert national programming descriptions and schedules at the central point of distribution, GuideBuilder saves the local affiliates the effort of entering and maintaining the national information. This "network-distributed PSIP" provides the network with control over the descriptions associated with its programming. It also allows the network to update changes to the national schedule quickly and reliably, insuring accuracy in the network programming information displayed in viewer’s program guides.

"The proliferation of on-screen programming guides, PVRs and other emerging devices has accelerated the demand for standards-based metadata within the DTV stream," said Mark Simpson, President and CEO of Triveni Digital. "The GuideBuilder family is by far the market leader with a robust set of options that allow broadcasters to provide their viewers with all the metadata they can use, at a level that fits broadcasters’ budgets."

GuideBuilder’s remote operation and distributed control features make it ideal for centralcasting. The systems support multiple channels (transports) and virtual channels (services) where there will be multiple outputs that each carry localized PSIP metadata. Remote user interfaces provide distributed control by placing the user interfaces where the tasks are physically located.

GuideBuilder systems collect, translate, manage, and generate metadata compliant with the ATSC/A65 PSIP, SCTE-SI or DVB-SI standards. The systems are compatible with all leading MPEG-2 encoders and multiplexers. GuideBuilder systems support the Broadcast Flag, closed captioning descriptors, and program rating systems for a variety of countries. Using a wide range of interfaces, GuideBuilder systems can import data from a large number of sources including ATSC PMCP, Broadview, DecisionMark, Encoda Systems, ProTrack, Scout, Storer, streaming PSIP input, Tribune Media Services, and other file or message based interfaces.

About Triveni Digital
Triveni Digital, Inc., a subsidiary of LG Electronics, develops solutions that provide for the management and distribution of data and metadata in digital television systems. Triveni Digital's products for ATSC PSIP, DVB SI, data broadcasting, stream analysis and monitoring are renowned for their ease of use and innovative features. Working with leading industry partners, Triveni Digital employs an open and standards-compliant approach to the digital television market.

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