Volicon and Triveni Digital have integrated their broadcast monitoring technologies to provide better analysis of digital video streams. The combination of the Volicon Observer RPM multichannel signal monitoring system and Triveni Digital StreamScope RM-40 remote monitoring and analysis solution allows cable operators to establish previously undetected correlations between problems in the MPEG transport stream and impairments in video delivered to viewers.
The StreamScope RM-40 system remotely monitors, measures, records, and analyzes DTV streams to ensure compliance with standards. The Observer RPM enables cable operators to monitor the signal quality for hundreds of channels at both central and remote headend facilities automatically and around-the-clock. The system can monitor and log the audio and video of more than 500 channels simultaneously. When faults are detected, the system generates an alert and records the problematic channel for closer analysis.
“The Observer system helps cable operators achieve a better visual understanding of how select types of MPEG problems detected by our StreamScope RM-40 monitoring and analysis system affect the viewer experience,” said Ralph Bachofen, director of product management and marketing at Triveni Digital. “This helps operators determine what kinds of problems are likely to result in complaint calls.”
The companies said integrating the functionalities of the StreamScope RM-40 with the Observer RPM gives operators a better understanding of the impact of MPEG stream impairments on the viewer experience. When the StreamScope RM-40 detects transport problems that could affect the decoding of content, it triggers the Observer RPM to record a clip of the problematic channel, using receivers typical for that delivery system. Correlation between stream impairments and viewing quality allows the system operator to streamline operations by prioritizing focus on issues that affect the viewer.
