Bridge Technologies has launched its new VB252 RF interface, a complete RF monitoring and analysis solution for DVB-T/T2 broadcasters.
The modular design allows mixing of inputs to suit a variety of network configurations. Where satellite distribution to transmission sites is combined with IP distribution, DVB-T and DVB-T2 monitoring can be coupled with satellite monitoring in the same chassis using a VB270 module. High-density ASI monitoring can be combined with DVB-T/T2 monitoring by adding a VB242 module to the chassis. The combination of the VB252 with VideoBRIDGE probes such as the VB120 or VB220 lets broadcasters easily monitor the entire signal chain end-to-end, with the VB220/VB252 pairing capable of monitoring up to 260 IP multicasts for complete analysis of the IP network as well as the DVB-T/T2 transmissions.
The VB220/VB252 combination is also the industry's first monitoring tool to offer full support for DVB-T2 MI protocol with full analysis, and has been designed to provide powerful capabilities in a convenient, easy-to-deploy package. The package will be invaluable to broadcasters as they develop new DVB-T and DVB-T2 infrastructure against a backdrop of greater competition, reduced staffing levels, and deskilling.
The VB252's RF monitoring capabilities, which spun off from development by the Bridge Technologies R&D team on the VB262 project, give broadcasters access to a quality of RF analysis surpassed only by high-end laboratory equipment. The VB252's advanced RF parameters, support for GPS synchronization, and dual-interface high performance give broadcasters the means to achieve long-term trending analysis with very accurate measurements over any time period, and generate analytics to support some calibration tasks — all of which greatly increase the range of in-the-field uses for the probe.
The VB252 can be used to monitor the availability of main transmitters and subtransmitters, together with the availability of multiplexes, programs, individual components, and video bandwidth (capacity) for each service in three classes. For DVB-T/T2 monitoring, probes are typically sited between the MPEG-2 multiplexer and DVB-T2 gateway; after the gateway; at the ingress to the antenna site; after the DVB-T/T2 modulator; and at any monitoring point in the fringe area.
The VB252 is available from Bridge Technologies and its network of business partners. More information about this and any other Bridge Technologies product is available at www.bridgetech.tv.
