Bridge Technologies makes home IPTV monitoring easy

At the upcoming IBC conference in September, Bridge Technologies, based in Oslo, Norway, will show its new microVB miniaturized remote monitoring and analysis unit for multichannel IPTV applications. With the microVB system, IPTV operators can gather complete and accurate data about the performance at the viewer's set-top box, using a cost-effective user-installed monitoring device.

The microVB is robust and small enough to be delivered to the customer by mail, enabling deep packet inspection without requiring a technician to visit the customer's home. Once installed, the microVB automatically locates an appropriate server and starts monitoring the quality of the signal received by the set-top box. The microVB reports the QoE parameters, allowing remote monitoring and analytics for advanced troubleshooting. Potential savings to the IPTV operator in transport and technician costs are significant.

The company will also spotlight the release of its latest software for VideoBRIDGE (v4.2), which offers new capabilities for fault-tracking, a revised and improved interface, and increased integration between microVB systems deployed at subscriber premises and the server network.

VideoBRIDGE v4.2 software features a streamlined user interface that brings together the major physical functions for ready access and faster system diagnosis. The new software also offers extended TR 101 290 analysis capability and searchable table decoding of all tables that are transmitted with the signal — including channel names, conditional access and program guide. Users can search by service name or program ID and show all the tables that correspond. Increased MPTS thumbnail functionality and VBC server support for control of the microVB devices add to the integration of VideoBRIDGE’s end-to-end monitoring and analysis capability.