Voltair® 2.0
The Revolution Begins
Since the quiet rollout of Voltair to approximately 300 stations back in late 2014, Voltair has taken the broadcast industry by storm. For the first time, broadcasters had some insight into the “black box” of watermark-based ratings measurement. Not only could they now process audio specifically for this watermark chain, but they now had a dedicated tool to monitor and give them confidence that their audio was encoding in such a way that it could actually be decoded in the field.
Voltair 2.0: Analytics Like Never Before
The entire ratings measurement process generates a tremendous amount of data—but not all of that data is immediately visible to broadcasters. Now that broadcasters have a tool to gain some additional data points on their end of the chain, the team at 25-Seven® asked how that tool could be further refined. Voltair 2.0 contains a comprehensive new set of enhanced data analysis tools that allow downloading spreadsheets containing historical confidence data at intervals as small as 4.8 seconds (a single "message"). The raw data is also available to external systems so that groups can integrate it into their own analysis infrastructure at the enterprise level to inform large scale programming decisions. Historical data for one and fifteen minute intervals going back to the original date of installation will be IMMEDIATELY available after installing version 2.0 and applying your confidence data extraction license key (sold seperately). Confidence data at the 4.8 second interval will be available starting from the moment version 2.0 is installed after applying an enhanced confidence data extraction license key. Voltair is configured at the factory to securely calculate and store this confidence data internally whenever it is in operation. Your data never leaves your hands.
Other Enhancements in Voltair 2.0
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Features such as “Standard” or “Enhanced” Confidence Data Extraction are managed via a new licensing mechanism. Activating a license requires a browser with access to the Internet, but no continuous Internet connectivity to Voltair is required once the license is activated.
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The entire web GUI has been completely re-written. System maintenance tasks (including full IP-based monitoring of system health) are now much easier and cleaner. The updated GUI features a number of additional new tools as well.
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A new “Test Enhancement Switching” tool allows automatic internal switching between two or three different enhancement levels on a timed interval to test how they impact your ratings. Enhancement level switching can also be done via GPIO from external systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a charge for Voltair 2.0?
A: No—This is a free upgrade for all existing Voltair customers.
How far into the past will we be able to go when retrieving confidence data with the Voltair 2.0 firmware?
A: The accessible data includes ALL periods starting on the date Voltair was installed, as all Voltairs came from the factory internally (and securely) saving their calculated confidence values. The sole exception is the every-4.8-second confidence data, which will have only been available since the unit started running version 2.0 or later.
Will installing Voltair 2.0 affect my current configuration?
A: It shouldn’t, but you may still need to re-calibrate to your encoder if any other changes have been made in the process.
How do I obtain Voltair 2.0?
A: First, you must fill out the request form, at which point you will be redirected to a download link.
Where can I find installation instructions?
A: Installation instructions as well as a completely new manual will be available via the download link provided after filling out the request form.
Do I need a Data Export License for my Voltair to function?
No, the data export license is only required if you want to make use of certain analytic tools and capabilities of your Voltair. All other functions will continue to work without interruption.
I never knew Voltair had data export capability in the first place. What is it? What can it do?
Since Voltair Version 2.0 was released last fall, users have been able to export and analyze the same data used to build Voltair's one-hour confidence display using an optional Data Export License. This capability lets you download historic confidence data to a spreadsheet, or make your own custom scripts for analyzing encoding strength on minute-by-minute and 15-minute intervals. Learn more about Capturing Confidence Data here.
Right now, I’m monitoring my Voltair over IP for things like its bypass state and encoding settings. Will these features keep working if my data license expires?
Yes. Basic “heartbeat” monitor features are part of the base system software, and will continue to function whether you have a data license or not.
How do I obtain my DEL?
Simply fill out this form, and our team will be in touch with you to process your payment and give you your unique license code(s).
How do I install my DEL?
To install the license, you simply log into your Voltair's web user interface, click on the "Licenses" tab, enter the license code into the field, and press "Submit." You'll be up and running in minutes.