The papers in the 2024 NAB Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology (BEIT) Conference Proceedings offered here were presented at the 2024 BEIT Conference at NAB Show. The program was developed by the NAB Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology Conference Committee, a rotating group of senior technologists from NAB members and partner organizations.
The content available in the 2024 BEIT Conference Proceedings is covered under copyright provisions.
2024 Proceedings Topics
- Application of 5G in Broadcasting
- Application of LLMs in Media
- Applications of ATSC 3.0 Technology
- BPS as the Complementary Solution
- Broadcast Facility Design
- Content Creation and Delivery Technology
- Cybersecurity for Broadcasters
- Data Delivery
- Digital Online Operations
- Emerging Technologies in Media Delivery
- Generative AI for Media
- Generative AI Uses and Video Transcodeing
- Quantifying Quality in Video Technology
- Radio Topics
- SCTE
- Striving for Efficiency in Video Technology
- The NMCS Concept
- Timing Solutions for Broadcasters
- Video Encoding and Codecs
- Video Technology
Previous Proceedings
Television Viewership Reimagined Through Generative AI - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, Application of Large Language Model (LLM) in MediaThe word television viewership measurement, employing a variety of media metrics, has long been an established practice. It has evolved from methods like people meters to sweep surveys, marking substantial progress in media measurement technology. Nevertheless, the landscape of television and OTT (Over-the-Top) platforms has grown increasingly complex over the last decade. While traditional media measurement can address ‘what’ and ‘when’ questions, it falls short in answering ‘why’ inquiries. For example, it cannot explain why a show like ‘XYZ’ has experienced a consistent decline in TRP ratings in all target metropolitan markets over the past week.
Several intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence the success of a television show or consumer behavior. These factors may include, but are not limited to, the launch of a similar show on a competing network with a nearly identical storyline, the introduction of a popular reality show, live events, socio-economic conditions, sudden plot twists, social media sentiment, cyclical events like summer holidays or parliamentary elections, and more.
In this paper, we introduce a multi-dimensional Question-Answer (QnA) interface employing Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and large language models (LLM), such as Anthropic Claude v2. The use of RAG in LLM-powered QnA bots is common practice to provide additional context and reduce hallucinations. We begin by defining a graph to query the show’s dependence on various factors and their relative significance. Each node within the graph represents a RAG source, providing contextual information about a specific show. When inquiring about the reasons behind a show’s poor TRP ratings based on viewership data, we gather contextual information from multiple sources, including social media, competitor data, machine learning-based content analysis, and socio-economic conditions. All this information is provided to the LLM as context, and it is tasked with reasoning. The LLM can then provide the most plausible reason or causality for the underperformance. Furthermore, we can engage in chain-of-thought questioning to delve deeper into follow-up inquiries.
Punyabrota D | AWS India | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Maheshwaran G | AWS India | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
The Convergence Opportunity for ATSC 3.0 and 5G NR Multicast Broadcast Service - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, Application of 5G in BroadcastingThis paper will introduce a new service called “Direct 2 Everything” (D2X). This service takes advantage of both ATSC 3.0 and 5G NR capabilities to provide a combined service offering. The D2X system leverages the strengths of each individual standard to provide a converged system with improved overall performance in terms of spectrum utilization. In order to allow for a harmonized service offering, we propose to extend the ATSC 3.0 physical layer standards to better align with the 5G system architecture and be complimentary to the 5G New Radio (NR) Multicast Broadcast System (MBS) standard. There are no modifications to the ATSC 3.0 standards other than the extensions which allow the current system to continue without disruption. To design a combined system, the 5G standards were first studied to identify the key harmonization points. The ATSC 3.0 physical layer standards were then used as a baseline and extended to allow for interworking with 5G NR (MBS).
Louis Libin | One Media Technologies | Cockeysville, Md., United States
Mike Simon | One Media Technologies | Cockeysville, Md., United States
The Hierarchy of Latency - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, Radio Topics“Low Latency” is an overused term and hides important technology design concerns and constraints. To bring clarity to the design of modern digital audio, audio networks, and cloud computing, this paper defines and describes multiple aspects of the meaning of latency in the context of modern audio production, with example numerical values. A one-page chart is presented, visualizing the range and meaning of the Hierarch of Latency.
Greg Shay | The Telos Alliance | Cleveland, Ohio, United States
The NMCS Concept: Network Management and Administration in the Ever-Changing World of Technology - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, The NMCS ConceptA Network Management Control System (NMCS or NMS) is defined as “an application or set of applications that lets network administrators manage a network’s independent components inside a bigger network management framework.” An NMCS may be used to monitor and control both software and hardware components in a network. The key benefit to a NMCS is that it permits users to monitor or manage their entire operations using a central computer, it also saves money, saves time, and increases productivity.
Nebraska Public Media developed a phased approach for installation, integration, and implementation of such products and/or systems, which would meet or exceed the NMCS requirements. Nebraska Public Media has been working with MNC Software Inc. to select, choose, combine, alter, or split proposed phases for the phased approach that best fit the Nebraska Public Media organizational strategy, annual budget and equipment refreshment needs.
This paper will explore and explain the NMCS concept, and the processes Nebraska Public Media has taken to get where they are today, in spite of and because of changes in technology, the pandemic, and other factors, which we all have to deal with. We will also discuss the current status of the project and the forecast for the future. We will talk about the past, present and future of the project and what it took to get to this point; the risk, the rewards, the pitfalls, and the lessons learned, or The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Network Management and Administration in the ever-changing world of technology.
James Bloomfield | MNC Software Inc. | San Diego, Calif., United States
David Stewart| Nebraska Public Media | Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Ling Ling Sun | Nebraska Public Media | Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
The Power of Generative AI for Personalizing Video Content - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, Generative AI Uses and Video TranscodingIn today’s rapidly evolving landscape of content creation, a brave new world is emerging; video service providers can utilize AI-assisted pipelines to streamline the content creation process. As technology advances, large language model (LLM)-powered tools are ushering in a new era for content personalization and targeting. This paper presents an architecture blueprint to boost the effectiveness of targeted ads by developing tailored messages for specific consumer segments focusing on their core values and beliefs. Central to this are three pillars: automated audience segmentation and identifying deep seated core values, GenAI-aided message crafting aligned with segment values and beliefs, and a closed-loop system for continuous improvement through automated A/B testing. This paper calls for a holistic approach to video personalization that considers the enforcement of ethical — particularly privacy-related — standards and appropriate advertisers’ guardrails, as well as the prevention of biases. By leveraging data-driven insights and continuous feedback, we aim to refine marketing strategies, ensuring messages effectively resonate with targeted groups.
Ofer Weintraub | Viaccess-Orca | Raanana, Israel
Alice Wittenberg | Viaccess-Orca | Raanana, Israel
Alain Nochimowski | Viaccess-Orca | Raanana, Israel
The Rise of Private 5G: A Challenger to Wi-Fi and Public 5G - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, Emerging Technologies in Media DeliveryWi-Fi and public 5G are what most of us use for video streaming and wireless connectivity. But often, standard Wi-Fi isn’t available. Wi-Fi and public 5G get too congested to work as needed — especially in outdoor areas and large, open-air environments. Wi-Fi was never engineered for those spaces. At a time of increasing demand for high-speed, reliable internet for video streaming and wireless connectivity, private 5G networks are poised to challenge the dominance of both traditional Wi-Fi and public 5G networks. Private 5G fills a void where those traditional networks fall short. This paper explains private 5G networks, how they operate within organization-specific infrastructure, and why more and more organizations are adopting them. The author also offers application examples, considerations for implementation, and an outlook on the future.
Jim Jachetta | VidOvation | Anaheim, Calif., United States
Translators for ATSC 3.0 - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, Applications of ATSC 3.0 TechnologyThere are over 3000 TV translators presently licensed in the US. Translators, by definition, rebroadcast the signals of one or more originating stations on a different channel. As the ATSC 3.0 transition rolls on, these translator stations are faced with the need to retransmit the programs and advanced services that may be available from originating stations that have converted to 3.0. An ATSC 1.0 translator is comparatively a simple product – it typically consists of an 8-VSB receiver/demodulator, then an 8-VSB modulator/exciter, often with the ability to modify the PSIP information to be appropriate for the translator. An ATSC 3.0 translator brings a much higher level of complexity. Many of the functions of a broadcast gateway/scheduler must be included with the 3.0 translator, as it provides parameter information and baseband signal formatting for the exciter. While some translators use off-air RF input from an antenna, others use some terrestrial links (fiber, microwave, etc.) to deliver the program signals to the translator. These sources bring additional variations to the equipment required. Beyond that, a translator may choose to rebroadcast the program signals from multiple originating stations, so some multiplexing and signal grooming may be needed. Furthermore, a translator station may wish to continue to broadcast in the ATSC 1.0 format, while its originating station converts to ATSC 3.0, which creates other challenges. And there remains the issue of modifying the signaling information to be appropriate for the translator’s broadcast. This paper will examine these different operating situations and explain what is needed to afford the broadcaster the ability to take advantage of ATSC 3.0’s capabilities, while providing the required services to their viewers.
David Neff | Anywave Communication Technologies, Inc. | Vernon Hills, Illinois, United States
Ted Karam | Anywave Communication Technologies, Inc. | Vernon Hills, Illinois, United States
Yingying Fan | Anywave Communication Technologies, Inc. | Vernon Hills, Illinois, United States
Transmitting Time and Frequency Data by Using Broadcast TV Signals Observed in Common-View - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, BPS as the Complementary PNT SolutionWe will study the possibility of transmitting time and frequency data by using broadcast TV signals observed in common-view, in which two sites receive the transmissions from a single transmitter. The statistical characteristics of the path delay will make an important contribution to the error budget of the method, so that an evaluation of the path delay is an important first step in deciding whether to implement it. The variation in the path delay will be evaluated by receiving the signal at two sites and where the times of the clocks at both sites are known from other, independent methods. The advantages of the common-view method will be discussed; the method does not require any modifications to the transmitting equipment and is independent of the accuracy and stability of the transmitter time and frequency reference. In addition, the method cancels or attenuates the contribution of the path delay that is common to the paths to the two receiving stations that will participate in the test. The uncertainty in the coordinates of the transmitter and the receiving stations would be important in limiting the accuracy of a time service based on these transmissions, but the actual locations introduce only a constant bias into the delay and are not important for an evaluation of the stability of the method.
Judah Levine | Time and Frequency Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology | Boulder, Colorado, United States
Christine Hackman | Advanced Space PNT Branch, Naval Research Laboratory | Washington D.C., United States
Understanding Digital FM Asymmetric Operation - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, Radio TopicsThe FCC is considering a rule change that will make it easier for FM-band HD Radio™ broadcasters to operate with asymmetric digital sidebands. Doing so gives broadcasters the opportunity to increase digital power on one sideband only, providing improved coverage while mitigating interference to adjacent-channel stations. This paper includes background information on asymmetric sideband operation, and its application to broadcast stations. A shift to asymmetric power levels will require broadcast engineers to change how they describe and employ digital sideband levels on a station.
Alan Jurison | iHeartMedia | Syracuse, N.Y., United States
Unlocking Even Better Efficiency and Budget Savings with Enhanced Encoding - $15
Date: April 3, 2024Topics: 2024 BEITC Proceedings, Striving for Efficiency in Video TechnologyVideo codecs are an important component of any video workflow. Although the most popular codecs are created through a stringent standardization process, this does not mean that the resulting software options are identical. While open-source codecs are typically available as is (or with community support), commercial codecs generally offer improvements in performance along with added features. This paper opens with a synopsis of the standardization landscape for the various use-cases in TV broadcast and OTT streaming. It then discusses five features that have been implemented in commercial codecs and how they can benefit the typical video workflow.
Thomas Kramer, Frank Schönberger, Geoff Gordon | MainConcept GmbH |
San Diego, Calif., United States; Aachen, Germany