Digital TV brings hundreds of channels into viewers’ homes. But to fully enjoy this viewing freedom, consumers need a quick and easy way to find the programmes  they like. That’s why accurate electronic programme guides (EPGs) are vital for the success of DTV services and products such as personal video recorders.

 

DTV operators typically gather EPG data from many different content providers, who may be in different countries and use different file formats. Creating up-to-date, easy-to-use EPGs can be a big challenge. A challenge STAGIS helps you meet. 

 

Our schedule management system STAGIS collects EPG data, parses the files, checks them for consistency and converts them into a standard format. Then it packages the schedules and distributes them in a timely manner to downstream systems such as CASIS, and a variety of middleware application servers.
 

As well as the standard output for downstream systems, STAGIS lets you implement additional customised file formats in the output stage. This allows you to provide schedules that meet the requirements of third-party schedule publishers such as TV listings web sites. 

 

STAGIS is configured for 24/7 unattended operation. Its operational status can be ensured using the SPECTRIS  monitoring system. It also features a convenient web front-end for schedule viewing. 
 

STAGIS is available in two convenient editions to better suit your specific needs. The Standard edition features a cost-effective and fully featured schedule pre-processor for ‘off-the-shelf’ applications. The Enterprise edition is a stand-alone, content metadata management system that can be customised to integrate seamlessly into your operation. Please consult your SeaChange Account Representative or designated partner to explore the feature sets available for your application.

 

Key Features 

 

By installing STAGIS in your firewall’s ‘de-militarised zone’ (DMZ), you get the optimal blend of convenience and security.

 

STAGIS operators can monitor the schedules at any time and from any location by connecting to the web front-end. Using the web page is simplicity itself. A calendar and channel selection area lets you quickly access the services you want to check. The main display then shows the selected day and the one following, so you can see transitions across midnight. Any gaps or overlaps in the schedule are highlighted, and you just point at an event for more details. 

 

Also, remote information providers can connect without compromising your in-house security. Although they are sending in data that ends up ‘on-air’, these parties have no access to any ‘on-air’ systems. The connections between STAGIS, the application server and CASIS are safely located behind the firewall, and they are therefore neither visible nor accessible to the outside world. 

 

STAGIS also provides a synchronisation mechanism for deployment in fully-redundant systems, particularly chain-redundancy. In such deployments any ‘hot-standby’ STAGIS instance is automatically synchronised by its ’hot’ STAGIS instance, allowing easy fault management and maintenance procedures for channel-line-up changes.