Ascent Media Group ~ Digital Signage Service, Architecture for Distributed Service

AMG Networks Services Confidential page 1 of 13

Ascent Media’s Captive Audience Networks

Technical Requirements forCostco Stores, Canada

Simultaneous HD & SD Video Display

Proposed Rollout Completion Date: TBD

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Vers. Date: Name Description 1 6/6/05 Author: LClemons HD Scoping Draft 2 6/10/05 “ Release for Input 3 6/20/05 “ Costco Requirements Assumptions for

Feedback4 7/13/05 “ Requirements whereas HD to SD down-

conversion remains open issue.5 &5.a

7/15/05 & 7/18/05

“ Intention to scale HD to SD using video display card.

6 7/18/05 “ Includes High-level Schedule w 10/3/05 Internal Rollout Date

7 9/26-10/04/05 Final HD/SD Requirements

Technical Requirements forCostco Stores, Canada

Supporting Simultaneous HD & SD Video Display

Sections:

Architectural Design Overviews

High-Level Project Schedule

Client & Store Known Requirements

Assumptions on TV Displays and Input Formats

Content Assumptions

Support for Simultaneous HD and SD Display

Project Requirements & Service Assumptions

CAN Equipment at Client Store Sites

Outdoor/Indoor Connectivity Path

Store Site -Back of Store Rack

SD/HD Video Signal Routing HW and Cabling Path

Network Monitoring & Operations Applications & Processes

Installation Logistics Assumptions

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Architectural Design Overviews *

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High-Level Project Schedule*:

* Dates subject to change based on agreement date. + Some durations and dependencies may be altered in final draft of plan, causing timing of certain tasks to change. + Final draft of plan to be reviewed and approved with a high level with client.

Costco Deal Signed (If estimated for 10/11) 0d Tue 10/11/05 Tue 10/11/05AMG Finalize ALL BOM HW/SW Product, Support Terms and Pricing 2d Wed 10/12/05 Thu 10/13/05Issue PO on all HW/SW 0d Thu 10/13/05 Thu 10/13/05HW/SW Procurement Phase 17.5d Tue 10/18/05 Fri 11/11/05

Content:Determine Ad Agency & Content Line up 10d Wed 10/12/05 Tue 10/25/05Content Production Phase -Branding & Style Guide 15d Wed 10/26/05 Wed 11/16/05Generate Pilot Test Content 10d Thu 11/17/05 Fri 12/2/05Content Production Phase - Finalize Content 3d Mon 12/5/05 Wed 12/7/05Receive Content from External Vendors 5d Thu 12/1/05 Wed 12/7/05Generate CAN Costco Production Ready Content 8d Thu 12/8/05 Mon 12/19/05

Satellite Uplink Configuration -2way:Configure Kencast Fazzt SW/HW Picther at Spacenet 3d Thu 10/27/05 Mon 10/31/05Perform Spacenet NOC Transmission Tests 2.25d Tue 11/1/05 Thu 11/3/05

Testing:Receive ALL HW/SW for Initial Systems Test 0d Mon 11/28/05 Mon 11/28/05Receive Pilot Test Content 0d Fri 12/2/05 Fri 12/2/05Perform Initial End-to-End Systems Testing 5d Wed 12/7/05 Tue 12/13/05Continued End to End Systems Testing 28d Mon 12/19/05 Thu 2/9/06Receive ALL HW/SW for Final Store Install Systems Test 0d Thu 1/5/06 Thu 1/5/06

Proposed Installation Tasks Equipment Arrives @Central Warehouse, CN -for Rack Config. & Test 15d Fri 11/11/05 Tue 12/6/05Installation of 65~ Stores 5w Fri 1/6/06 Thu 2/9/06 Perform Systems Test (For 65~ Stores) 4.6w Tue 1/10/06 Thu 2/9/06Costco HD Service Rolled Out 0d Thu 2/9/06 Thu 2/9/06

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Client & Store Known Requirements

To provide digital signage/CAN content service to 66 Costco, Canada, stores. Objectives are:

o Increase sales of HD and SD TV’s on display on the Costco warehouse floor by providing quality signage content.

o Enhance its Members’ retail experience o Communicate and drive take-up of Costco brand initiatives (e.g. Costco Card benefits) o Give its Suppliers a dynamic advertising medium to promote their productso Generate incremental media revenues

Known as Costco TV”, the service will launch with a discrete “HD Channel” content stream: Featuring HD content in education, entertainment, promotion, the HD content will be

converted to SD to play out on all TV displays (HD &SD) on the warehouse sales floor area; with simultaneous picture and audio synchronization.

Costco will use the LCD and plasma screens in the consumer electronics area –these screens to be included.

TBD: Supported by a single large screen (back projection?) TV image at the high level to act as an attractor / merchandiser for the channel.

Proposed Content Assumptions are 35 minute total content loop including:o 3 x 2 min HD Benefits info-spots o 4 x 1.5 min HD Product info-spots o 8 x 1.5 min HD Content Info-spots (featuring Rogers cable deals)o 8 x 30 sec Costco Services promoso 5 x 5 and 10 sec “Costco TV” branding spotso 3 x 15 sec Kirkland Signature spotso 14 x 15 sec Passport and/or promotional spots o Inserts updated on a monthly basiso Content at warehouse floor for HD and SD TV displays may include sports footage.

Audio requirement is to provide basic analog stereo audio path to all displays.o Key business objective is to sell a better audio experience by viewing HD television. Thus,

the audio on all source CAN signage media would be encoded at, at least 384kbps providing a higher quality audio listening experience…pending the TV displays are configured to play audio.

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Assumptions on TV Displays and Input Formats:

C. Costco Warehouse Floor TV Displays: TV displays are sold at the stores in the following assorted formats listed below. There is not

a specific display size, but many.HD (1080i, 1080p, 720p) SD (4x3, 4x3 Letterbox) & (Anamorphic 16x9)

Video Inputs to Displays: HD Component (HD Displays)RF {SD, (4x3) & (16x9) Displays}

Audio Inputs to Displays: Composite RCA Stereo Input Content Source on Displays: 1080i, MPEG-2, high-definition, (16x9) audio/

Scaled and simultaneously displayed on all SD TV displays HD to SD Conversion to Displays: Conversion utilizes TVOne box –exact unit to be specified. RS-232 on Displays: No requirement for RS-232 control

Content Assumptions:

A. Full screen playback only on Audio/Video, Graphics or Flash content. No templated or zoned/framed content play lists for launch of service. Most A/V content is edited commercial advertising or video source. HD content to be provided on HDD5 or HDCAM tape format. SD content to be provided on Digitbeta tape format.

B. Aspect ratios, technical formatting will be finalized in content formatting test phase but follow:1. MPEG-2 encoded audio/video:

HD = 1920x1080, 1080i, 15 mbps bit rate, audio at 192-512 kbps* 2. Graphics: To be specified*3. Flash: To be specified*4. Metadata / Text: To be specified* by HUB and CMS* users.

* = Items to be tested/finalized in July ’05.

C. Content Durations: 10 second to 2 minute advertisements. See measures listed under Client In-Store Known Requirements (above)

D. POS (point of Sale) Pricing, Tracking & Metadata POS Integration in process of development. Not determined yet if to be available at time of launch of service.

Support for Simultaneous HD and SD Display:

For the process of feeding same HD (1080i) content to all HD and SD displays simultaneously on warehouse sales floor:

(1) N-VIDIA Video Card w/ DIN Output Port : DIN port connects to $30 BOB (breakout box) providing an HD component, 1920x1080i image.Stereo Audio path is connected from built-in mini output off audio card, routed to dual RCA stereo RCA’s.

(2) TVOne Unit #see BOM: TVOne Unit supports HD component input and provides simultaneous HD component & S-video output w/ stereo audio: supporting Balanced or Unbalanced formats.

Continued….

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(3) Audio Authority Units -#see BOM: Two separate units carry the stereo audio and either HD component or S-video signals. (S-video is converted on the unit to Coaxial -if required.)

Project Requirements & Service Assumptions:

A. AMG CAN Operations Facilities

1) Ad Sales, Content Prep, Media Management, CAN Scheduling ServicesLocation: Burbank, CAa) As part of the CAN service for Costco stores, Ascent Media can provide the management of

ad sales tracking, client approvals, content (media) preparation, audio/video editing, tape, file and asset management, satellite media and/or data delivery and a 24x7 dedicated network operations center.

2) Digital Asset Management & Remote Client Access; Location, Hollywood DMDC, CA: a) Remote access for clients & ad agencies to view and approve CAN Costco advertising using

HUB –prior to play out on the network: i) AMNS Firewall allows gateway for remote access via web interface allowing client proxy

and content approvals as well as supporting external content uploads to HUB. b) Process: Costco CAN content uploaded into Ascent Media’s CAN HUB (digital asset

management system), then transmitted into Broadsign’s DMLS application for network scheduling, file delivery and back-end content reporting.

3) Content Hosting, Satellite Uplink, Network Operations Center Monitoring:Locations: Burbank, CA for one-way VSAT OR provided by vendor, Spacenet, VI for 2-way VSATa) Hosting and uplink services managed by the Ascent Media CAN Operations team.b) Uplink: Data is delivered over Satellite transponder IA-6, using Kencast Enterprise Server

Application, transmitting files, IP over Satellite to targeted Costco Canada store locations.c) IA-6 Satellite:

i) Data is transmitted KU band over AMG-provided, IA-6 Satellite transponder under bandwidth specified below.

4) Call Center, Support Assumptions:a) Coxcom, in Central Canada location would provide Audio, Video and Hardware Support to

the Costco Canada Stores CAN Service.b) Test facility with spare HP xw4300 configured edge and basic players to be configured at

Coxcom as part of testing and support assumptions.

5) Bandwidth Requirements:a) Forward bandwidth estimated at 5-6 MHzb) Back-channel/return data bandwidth to be 32-56K.

6) Installation Services Program Management: a) TBD –Systems Technology Unit

B. Bandwidth Requirements: CAN VSAT

(1) Forward bandwidth estimated at 5-6 MHz(2) Back-channel/return data bandwidth to be 32-56K.

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C. Store Site: Satellite and Rack Cabinet Equipment: Each store to be provided with the following hardware and software:

1) Satellite Outdoor/Indoor Connectivity Path Equipment: 1 -Satellite Antenna Package:

Includes: (1) 1.2 or 1.8 dish –depending on store location in Canada, (1) 2-way VSAT with 2 watt Buck, and IRD -(1) ODU, (1) IDU.

2) Rack Cabinet Equipment & High Definition Player:Hardware located in rack-mounted, secure, IT rack tower. Racks could be securely mounted on upper warehouse steel racks to avoid interference with warehouse display configuration changes.

Rack:1 –Rack Cabinet 36x24x24 –proposed

Player:1 -Edge server/power player: HW:

HP xw4300 WorkstationN-Vidia Quadro 540 card

-Video card output: DVI-i, VGA and DIN PNY Breakout Box

-DIN to HD Component Configured with Two Mirrored 40 GB ATA Internal Drives

-ensures redundancy in case of SW/HW failures160 ATA Added Hard Disc Partition

-ensures allocation of space for high-bitrate, high-definition contentBuilt-in Audio

SW/OS: Windows XP Pro (Embedded Image Developed by Broadsign)Broadsign DMLS Edge Server SWBroadsign Player SWKencast Client SW application

Video & Audio Routing: 2 – 9861 Interconnect Audio Authority Hardware Units

3 – 9868 Interconnect Audio Authority Hardware Units

1 – 9869 Interconnect Audio Authority Hardware Unit

Misc.: Cable and Connectors

Local Area Network:1 -Ethernet Switcher/Router

(a) Local LAN connectivity.(b) Supports back-channel data reporting from player(s) over 2-way VSAT connection.

Power:Surge-protective power strips.No UPS.

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D. SD/HD Video Signal Routing HW & Cabling Path:

Cabling and hardware for, to be finalized by Coxcom, for most –cost effective solution to port HD and SD signals across warehouse to TV display devices.

The option below proposes the VGA card off the PC scales the HD signal to a SD signal.

Proposed HD Transport & Converted to SD Video:DIN output from N-vidia Quadro 540 video card DIN to HD Component on PNY Breakout BoxHD Component Input to TVOne Box

Audio:Mini Stereo Audio off Built In Audio CardMini to Dual RCA Connection Input into TVOne Box

Conversion from HD to SD:TVOne Outputs Simultaneous HD Component and S-video Output with Dual RCA Stereo HD

Routing to Displays:Component, S-video and synced Dual RCA Stereo are Input into Audio Authority Units Audio Authority Units output RJ-45 to CAT-5 cabling across storeCAT-5 cabling, connects to RJ-34, connecting to Audio Authority Units at Displays side.Audio Authority Units carry HD-component video with Dual RCA Stereo audio to HD DisplaysAudio Authority Units carry Coaxial video with Dual RCA Stereo audio to SSD displays

Network Monitoring & Operations Applications & Escalations Processes (per page 5)

A. Broadsign DMLS SW application monitors the network by way of:1. Content reporting and health monitoring of player workstations. 2. DMLS back-channel player reporting process described:

a. Basic players report playback and heath status information into parent/edge server player.

b. Edge Server performs automated or on-demand dial-out reporting function back into central host server via 2-way VSAT, DSL or dial-out options.

c. Host Server CMS/Broadsign application tracks reporting of content reports for Ad Sales information; and tracks health status for NOC operations.

3. RS-232 control over front of store CAN display on/off status, etc.

B. Kencast distribution application provides additional monitoring capabilities.

C. Call Center process in finalization by AMG.

D. Escalations procedure process in finalization by AMG.

E. Gold disc and XP embedded image processing in development finalization by Broadsign and AMG.

F. Hardware support vendors in process of determination by AMG.

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Program Management and Installation Logistics

1. Program management provided by AMG Systems Integration Team, Palm Bay, FL

2. Installation Provider:a. Installation services, logistics and processes are responsibility of Coxcom.

3. XP-Embedded image:a. XP-Embedded Image/Gold Disc to be designed by Broadsign –per discussion on

6/23/05.

4. Player Workstations Pre-Configuration and Installation: a. AMG may hire HP to configure and test workstations w/ third party HW, and Xp-

embedded image gold disc.

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