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Author Topic: Emergency Alert System  (Read 2456 times)

Offline kswx29

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Emergency Alert System
« on: September 13, 2010, 03:00:33 AM »
I have a small interest in the EAS and thought I would post a topic asking some questions.  If you have Cable or Sattelite (or any other TV service besides antenna) do they have an EAS system? If so what does it look like and what do they activate it for?

We recently switched TV service from Cox Cable to AT&T U-Verse.  With Cox it was a plain black screen with white text stating what was going on, with voice heard.  They activated it for Tests, Amber Alerts, Tornado Warnings and I assume would for national emergencies.  Thats it.
Videos:
Tornado Warning

Required Monthly Test (The video's owner prevents external embedding)

With AT&T U-Verse, theirs is a small banner across the bottom of the screen with a EAS Tone heard, and you can dismiss the alert by pressing the Exit button on your remote.  I think this it pretty useful becasue during a Tornado Warning, I would rather listen to the weather people on a local news station than the EAS. 
AT&T Activates the EAS for:
(as far as I know) Just about everything including watches!!
Video:
Tornado Watch


Since we have had their service (about a week) it has been activated for a weekly test and a Tornado Watch!! Never seen an EAS activated for a Watch but theirs did.  I don't care though since Im a EAS fan.

But I'm just curious to see what other cable provider's EAS looks like and what they activate it for.
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Offline jtmal0723

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Re: Emergency Alert System
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2010, 04:03:40 AM »
I could have sworn an EAS topic already existed, however I cannot find it, so I will reply here....

In my area, on Comcast, the way the EAS comes through differs if you're on a cablebox or direct cable or CableCARD...

If you're on a CableCARD, such as myself, then you will see a scroll. The TiVo throws you back to live tv, if you're watching a recording, and it will throw up a scroll that you are NOT able to exit out of, and no button presses will work. The issue with this is that once the scroll disappears, the CableCARD has to retune to the channel, thus affects some of my recordings if both tuners are in use.... There is no audible tone that comes from Comcast if you are using a CableCARD in my area (with the exception of if a local station chooses to do so, that will come through directly from themselves).

If you are on a cable box in my area, you will hear the EAS tones, and a scroll will also appear at the top of whatever channel you are on. Again, you cannot exit out of the scroll, but you can still use your guide and what not, including changing the channel, and you will still see the scroll going through. Same local station exceptions apply.

If you are on a direct cable feed, you will hear the EAS tones, and you will hear a message saying to tune to channel 2 for emergency information, whether it be a test or an actual warning. Same local station exceptions apply. Channel 2 is our local organization channel for county wide stuff, like events and such. We do have channel 19, but Comcast does not control that channel, thus nothing usually goes through there except local community and school stuff.

Offline Mike M

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Re: Emergency Alert System
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2010, 01:14:21 PM »
I NEVER see EAS scrolls anymore, other than tests. But the routine here is the same as Jesse's (since we're in the same market).

Offline TWCmatthew

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Re: Emergency Alert System
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2010, 04:04:12 PM »
Monroe, MI Charter does not have an EAS system.  :(
 Monroe, MI Comcast does. It has a blue background with red scroll and white text.

Offline Bryan

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Re: Emergency Alert System
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2010, 04:26:06 PM »
Monroe, MI Charter does not have an EAS system.  :(
 Monroe, MI Comcast does. It has a blue background with red scroll and white text.
Charter sucks.  What can you say?

Offline Zach

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Re: Emergency Alert System
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2010, 04:27:01 PM »
Monroe, MI Charter does not have an EAS system.  :(
 Monroe, MI Comcast does. It has a blue background with red scroll and white text.
Charter sucks.  What can you say?
I can say theyre better than Bright house  :biggrin:
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Offline Bryan

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Re: Emergency Alert System
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2010, 04:30:48 PM »
Monroe, MI Charter does not have an EAS system.  :(
 Monroe, MI Comcast does. It has a blue background with red scroll and white text.
Charter sucks.  What can you say?
I can say theyre better than Bright house  :biggrin:
Bright House, that doesn't even sound like a cable company name. :lol:

Offline Mike M

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Re: Emergency Alert System
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2010, 04:33:42 PM »
I can say theyre better than Bright house  :biggrin:
Aka Dim House. :)

Offline kswx29

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Re: Emergency Alert System
« Reply #8 on: September 14, 2010, 03:45:01 AM »
Monroe, MI Charter does not have an EAS system.  :(

Is this a Cable System??  I believe all Cable Systems, regardless of size are required by law to have some sort of EAS.

You can file a report at: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/eas.html
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Offline texasstooge

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Re: Emergency Alert System
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2010, 12:05:55 PM »
Time Warner Cable has an Emergency Alert System and the set-up looks like the first video posted here.