# Configuring Alternate content sources

Blackout and alternate content switching is managed using ESAM (standard) communication interface. As an example, below
is the response TS Splicer receives from a POIS (either in an out-of-band fashion, or following the SCTE-35 submission):

```xml
<esam:SignalProcessingNotification
    xmlns:common="urn:cablelabs:iptvservices:esam:xsd:common:1"
    xmIns:esam="urn:cablelabs:iptvservices:esam:xsd:signal:1"
    xmIns:md="urn:cablelabs:md:sd:signaling:3.0"
    signalProcessingIdentity="">
  <common:StatusCode classCode="0"/>
  <sesam:ResponseSignal acquisitionPointIdentity="GAMEHD0100_Z1"
                        acquisitionSignalID="70a20£66-bc00-405-a77b-944ee9£3b6b8"
                        signalPointID="" action="create">
    <md:UTCPoint utcPoint="2020-03-11T23:17:08.600Z"/>
    <esam:AlternateContent altContentIdentity="ECE-SLATE" zoneIdentity="zonel"/>
  </esam:Responsesignal>
</esam:SignalProcessingNotification>
```

This response from the POIS instructs TS Splicer to switch to an alternate content which ID is ECE-SLATE. This content ID shall be mapped to a physical content.

To configure such alternate source content mapping:

- Select **Settings** from the left-side menu panel and display menu options.
- Select **Alternate content sources.**
- Source collection can be exported or imported using Import or Export button. When adding a collection the field **Name** will be populated automatically.
- To add a new alternate source, click the **+Add** button.
- **Alternate Content ID**: ID of the source, for instance: ECE-SLATE (based on previous SPN response)
- **Type**: Select the type of alternate content source:
  - MPGE2 TS/UDP: Alternate content source is a multicast feed for which stream address, Port and Program ID (optional) must be configured.
  - File: Alternate content source is mapped to a file (Transport Stream) which should be aligned with the underlying live programming.
  - HLS: Alternate content source is an HLS for which the URL to manifest must be configured.

![ESAM SPN](/_machine-assets/c6390628049eb31edfef93de989c07342b7fb35e1c6bcaa8cb871bdfd295d425.png)