sIX Distributor Interface - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

       1.  What are the key program containers that get populated in the sIX System?

            There are two key program containers that get populated in the sIX system by the Distributor Interface product.

1. The Standard container which stores series, season, episode and manifiest entities.
2. The One-Time-Only (OTO) container which stores epidode and manifest entities.
   

      2.  How does the distributor Interface Product accomplish connectivity to the sIX system ?

Distributor Interface product uses REpresentational State Transfer (REST) Application Programming Interface(API)  to provide interoperable information exchange between distributors and member stations via the sIX System. Various REST API operations are utilized to create, update, remove and retrieve resources that are stored in the sIX system over the internet.

3. What are the core components of the Distributor Interface product?

      Distributor Interface Product is comprised of five core components. For more information,  please see

      http://support.pbs.org/solution/articles/9000144739--distributor-interface-core-components

     4. How does the Distributor Interface Product accomplish connectivity to the sIX system ?

Distributor Interface uses REpresentational State Transfer (REST) architecture and Application programming interface(API) to provide information exchange between distributors and member stations via the sIX System.  A set of interface operations are utilized to create, update, remove and retrieve resources that are stored in the sIX system over the internet.

      5. What type of errors do you look for to ensure metadata accuracy?

      There are various types of metadata issues that are being detected . Major categories include:

• Missing key information such as season
• Invalid Information such as Invalid package type
• Usage window errors such as Usage for the program was expired
• Inactive packages such as Package was canceled by the distributor.
  

      6. How does metadata accuracy and associated reporting is accomplished within the context of the sIX System? 

     Metadata Accuracy and associated reporting is accomplished in two major ways.

• Daily comprehensive metadata reports that are sent at 8 am every morning to the distributor business units.
• Near real time specific notifications of metadata issues that get sent to the distributor.

       7. How does rapid file delivery is accomplished within the context of the sIX System?

A file detection and transfer process is constantly running in the background looking for file availability for the programs that appear in sIX schedule.Once a file is available, typically within two hours, the content gets transferred to the sIX System and the metadata is updated accordingly to reflect the file availability and transfer.

8. How fast does it take metadata updates and file transfers to reach the sIX System?

    Both metadata updates and file transfers typically take less than two hours to be fully updated and transferred to the sIX System.

     9. What are the TOS compliance checks performed by the sIX System?

    There are total sIX checks including four Video checks and two Audio checks perfomed by the sIX System.

10.  When can a member station download a file from the sIX System?

      The member station can download the file when the download window is open. Download window is set by the distributor.