[EAS] CAP, Text to Speech, and April 23

[Dave Turnmire]

On 4/11/2012 11:39 AM, Mike McCarthy wrote:
> It's not that simple. If the release involves a compulsory issue such as
> suspending TTS, then it's a required update and the box needs to be
> updated.
...  But... the regulatory issues aren't the vendor's fault.  And to be 
fair, the FCC hasn't changed the rules in ways that affect our boxes all 
that often and have generally been pretty flexible about 
implementation.  For instance, when they added event codes like CAE, 
they didn't REQUIRE us to implement those.  CAP, for all of its virtues, 
adds a lot of technical complexity.  And once you get software and 
network security issues involved, you tend to get not only nifty new 
abilities and flexibility... but also bugs that require software 
updates.  Time will tell what issues CAP introduces along that road.  At 
least we don't have to swap out firmware chips anymore...

What you MAY be able to fault vendors for in some cases is not including 
sufficient flexibility up front.  Like not providing an on/off switch 
for the TTS option.  If you have the on/off switch, then if the FCC 
changes its mind AGAIN... it can be enabled.  MAYBE.... depending on the 
nature of staffing at a remote site... you can talk someone through 
enabling it over the phone, without making a site visit (IF it is a 
manned site...).

Dave