Validating and calibrating splice points in interstitial content

A method, comprising:

• in a television playout system that is configured to handle playout of a channel:
• receiving a video feed of the channel, wherein the video feed comprises programming data, a plurality of interstitial content items, and a playout schedule of the channel;
• inserting metadata at a first insertion point of a first interstitial content item of the plurality of interstitial content items,
• wherein the metadata is inserted based on the received playout schedule,
• wherein the received playout schedule indicates a splice point related to the first interstitial content item, and
• wherein the metadata comprises a pre-roll value;
• detecting an offset based on the first insertion point of the metadata in the video feed, the pre-roll value, and a time-code (TC) jump associated with a second interstitial content item of the plurality of interstitial content items,
• wherein the offset indicates an error in the first insertion point of the metadata,
• wherein the TC jump is further associated with a transition between the plurality of interstitial content items, and
• wherein the second interstitial content item begins in the video feed based on the pre-roll value;
• calibrating at least one control parameter associated with the insertion of the metadata, wherein the at least one control parameter is calibrated based on the detected offset;
• and
• aligning the splice point related to the first interstitial content item in the video feed with the TC jump associated with a second interstitial content item, wherein the splice point is aligned based on the calibration.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer readable instructions executable by one or more processors that cause a television playout system to execute operations, comprising:

• receiving a video feed of the channel, wherein the video feed comprises programming data, a plurality of interstitial content items, and a playout schedule of the channel;
• inserting metadata at a first insertion point of a first interstitial content item of the plurality of interstitial content items,
• wherein the metadata is inserted based on the received playout schedule,
• wherein the received playout schedule indicates a splice point related to the first interstitial content item, and
• wherein the metadata comprises a pre-roll value;
• detecting an offset based on the first insertion point of the metadata in the video feed, the pre-roll value, and a time-code (TC) jump associated with a second interstitial content item of the plurality of interstitial content items,
• wherein the offset indicates an error in the first insertion point of the metadata,
• wherein the TC jump is further associated with a transition between the plurality of interstitial content items, and
• wherein the second interstitial content item begins in the video feed based on the pre-roll value;
• calibrating at least one control parameter associated with the insertion of the metadata, wherein the at least one control parameter is calibrated based on the detected offset;
• and
• aligning the splice point related to the first interstitial content item in the video feed with the TC jump associated with a second interstitial content item, wherein the splice point is aligned based on the calibration.