SCTE Approves Ad Insertion, Coax Standards

The SCTE has approved three standards on ad insertion and three on drop cables.SCTE 118-1 2012, "Program-Specific Ad Insertion - Data Field Definitions, Functional Overview and Application Guidelines," defines the functionality associated with program-specific ad insertion. Program-specific ad insertion is the scheduling and insertion of a spot into a digital broadcast program based on the program identifier passed in the SCTE 35 cue message.SCTE 118-2 2012, "Program-Specific Ad Insertion - Content Provider to Traffic Communication Applications Data Model," describes the information that is required to communicate the program and avail structure from a network to an affiliate's SCTE 35 compliant traffic system.SCTE 118-3 2012, "Program-Specific Ad Insertion - Traffic System to Ad Insertion System File Format Specification," defines the information that shall be passed from an affiliate's traffic system to an affiliate's ad insertion system for communications of ad insertion schedules, including unique program identifiers where specified. It specifies the required data for multi-tiered, program-specific insertion, as well as the file format for the data communications.SCTE 51 2012, "Test Method for Determining Drop Cable Braid Coverage," is intended to provide instruction on the calculation of braid coverage for braided coaxial drop cables. Braid coverage is expressed as a percentage of optical coverage of the underlying core by the braid wires.SCTE 59 2012, "Test Method for Center Conductor Bond to Dielectric," is intended to determine the amount of bond between the center conductor wire to the dielectric (by measuring the force in pounds required to break the bond) for specified flexible RF coaxial drop cables at room temperature.SCTE 61 2012, "Test Method for Jacket Web Separation," is intended to provide a test method for measuring the force required to separate webbed or "figure-eight" coaxial cable constructions. These designs are commonly referred to as messenger, dual, or Siamese cables for the two members that are joined by a web and common overall outer jacket.All six standards are available at http://www.scte.org/standards/Standards_Available.aspx.