In today’s data-based, IP broadcast world, the days of technicians in white coats bench-testing cameras and microphones using specialized test and measurement (T&M) devices such as oscilloscopes, signal generators and spectrum analyzers would appear to be very much in the past. This is increasingly the case due to a major adoption of software for both setting up and troubleshooting equipment and, perhaps more significantly, monitoring channel output for quality control (QC) and regulatory compliance.

The two areas remain very distinct but not entirely separate, with T&M playing a role in compliance through specific test equipment and techniques. “As broadcasters migrate to IP-based environments, HDR workflows, UHD/8K and cloud operations, packet loss, jitter and PTP [precision time protocol] timing become both a T&M and a QC concern,” says Kevin Salvidge, sales engineering and technical marketing manager at Leader Electronics of Europe.

“Software-based solutions are establishing themselves in cloud-native QC platforms and are widely used in file-based and OTT workflows,” he says. “The adoption of ST 2110 has seen the introduction of software-based waveform and vectorscope monitors, but there are still a number of features only hardware solutions can provide, including latency and PTP timing. Because of this, most broadcasters today are looking for a hybrid approach.”

Achieving the Same Goal Regardless
Even though software is offering new ways of doing established jobs, it is not changing how broadcasters approach T&M and QC, as Matthew Driscoll, vice president of product management at Telestream, observes: “The team looking at camera shading and SRT [Secure Reliable Transport]/Zixi delivery to a cloud workflow are very different than the folks doing the QC on what is streamed to a subscriber. The fact that things are migrating to software, the cloud or hybrid workflows doesn’t matter in the sense that you’re doing the same jobs, just in a different location.”

Driscoll’s colleague Ravi McArthur, product manager for Telestream’s Qualify automated QC-in-the-cloud system, says the aim is to allow users to work where they want to be, rather than dictating how to use the technology. This has resulted in Qualify now being made available for on-prem operation.

“In the cloud, you effectively get infinite horizontal scaling, which is a big bonus for people with vast and wide media supply chains,” he says. “But sometimes, depending on the kind of resolutions and bit rates people are dealing with, they want their software on-prem near high-speed storage so they can process files as quickly as possible.”

In the view of Ashish Basu, executive vice president of worldwide sales and business development at Interra Systems, the situation has “changed for good,” with software and cloud now “almost everywhere” in T&M and QC.

“Broadcasters are saying they’re increasing the level of automation in checking audio-video quality as much as they can,” he says. “But that is not necessarily aligned with the compliance side. Some of the most advanced broadcasting organizations may have no interest in looking at captioning QC because it’s not mandated in their specific geographic region. We see that variation, but otherwise broadcasters are still interested in delivering pristine content.”

Increasing Complexity
What is clear is that the way broadcasters are approaching T&M and QC is driven by new distribution and platform technologies, Triveni Digital President and CEO Mark Simpson says.

“A key trend is the increasing diversity and complexity of the service being delivered,” he says. “ATSC 3.0 is a more complex standard than what came before, not only in the technical underpinnings but also because more services are being deployed. It is something we feel should have a more integrated, comprehensive approach rather than a lot of different subsystems.”

On the compliance side, Mediaproxy has been completely software-based since it was founded in 2001. “There are virtually no hardware solutions used for QC and compliance anymore,” CEO Erik Otto says. “There’s probably still a lot of hardware involved in T&M, but I’m sure they will have to change as well.”

Even so, Otto adds, there may still be a requirement for dedicated physical devices when it comes to detecting faults such as jitter. “When you deal with packets of data, you need to detect jitter properly for correct synchronization of audio and video streams,” he explains. “To do that you need a clock, so technically, a piece of hardware to give the necessary accuracy.”

The Impact of AI
While a physical timepiece might appear to be irreplaceable, even this area could eventually follow the software trend due to that inevitable game-changer, artificial intelligence (AI). “With AI being everywhere, we are putting it throughout many of our products where the idea of a clock seems like a skeuomorphism,” Telestream’s McArthur says. “We’re very focused on practical AI and are responding to customer requests for features including clock and slate reading, contextual analysis and object detection.”

Interra has been working with AI and machine learning for three to four years, says Ashish Basu, and has incorporated both into many of its products. “We use them in areas like video signal quality or degradation measurements,” he says. “However, we do not say we are an AI company or that we produce AI products. But there is space where AI can make a significant difference for our customers.”

Triveni has had early versions of AI in its products from the beginning because they were rules-based, Simpson says: “AI is a kind of rules-driven technology and it’s getting more sophisticated. Over time, we’ll see an increasing use of AI techniques—for example, our monitoring system with quality scoring for the feeds based on a number of observations.”

Otto has a different take on how AI could possibly change T&M, or, ultimately, the need for it: “Problems with satellite links, 4/5G, internet connections with terrestrial transmitters and networks in general can’t be controlled or predicted,” he says. “Technically, everything else—software and hardware—is in everyone’s control. Because AI is probably better at producing better code and outcomes, it could, in the long term, shrink the need for T&M.”

THATCHAM, U.K.—Leader Electronics of Europe will highlight its ability to provide test and measurement equipment regardless of format, application or market during IBC2025, Sept. 12-15, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center.

Leader will showcase solutions from its PHABRIX and LeaderPhabrix brands, including the LPX500 multichannel 4K waveform monitor and the ZEN-W Series advanced analyzers for the production market. It also will show the LT4670 sync pulse generation and NDI Checker, an NDI signal troubleshooting and monitoring software solution, the company said.

The LPX500 is a four-simultaneous-input waveform monitor with 100G-IP and 12G-SDI toolsets. Its feature set includes: simultaneous display of four 4K inputs, 4K and 2K inputs, HDR and SDR inputs, or SDI and IP inputs; optional extended 8-inch touchscreen; multiple screen layouts; and advanced an SDI Physical Layer Analysis (Eye and Jitter) option with support for SD/HD/3G/6G/12G-SDI.

Its new V1.1 software release will be demonstrated on the stand, adding 10G/25G/100G IP interfaces with SMPTE 2022-6, SMPTE ST 2110-10/20/20/31/40 with ST 2022-7, and AMWA NMOS. Optional software licenses are available supporting UHD/4K, HDR, 25G IP, 100G IP, EUHD (47.95-60p RGB YCbCr 444 formats) and SDI/IP AV test signal generation, it said.

The ZEN-W Series of advanced analyzers incorporates the Real-Time Communications (WebRTC) interface, enabling secure remote control and monitoring from a web-connected desktop or laptop computer. The series consists of two products: the LV5600W waveform monitor, which is a 3U high half-rack-width unit with an integral 7-inch touchscreen; and the LV7600W rasterizer, occupying a compact 1U and providing SDI as well as TMDS monitor outputs, Leader said.

The company will also show its LT4760 sync-pulse generator for broadcast applications. The unit is suitable for the full spectrum of SDI, IP and hybrid workflow requirements. The 1-rack-unit, full-rack synchronous signal generator is compatible with Black Burst/tri-level sync/PTP signals for both SDI and IP systems. It outputs PTP, GNSS, 4K/HD IP, 4K 12G, 3G/HD/SD SDI, analog synchronous signals, AES/EBU, audio word clock and LTC synchronized to analog video sync signals, it said.

Leader’s NDI Checker signal software is designed to troubleshoot and monitor NDI signals. It enables complete visibility across NDI networks. Visualization tools and diagnostic capabilities allow for the detection of issues before they become problems and for the maintenance of optimal signal quality and flawless production delivery, the company said.

“The extent to which broadcast is now a truly hybrid workplace in terms of its core technologies was underlined throughout last year’s IBC,” Leader CEO Hiroshi Kajita said. “With migration towards IP continuing to accelerate as we head toward IBC 2025, we look forward to presenting a range of T&M products that exemplifies our ability to support customers regardless of their current workflow needs or stage of business transformation.”

See Leader Electronics of Europe in IBC 2025 Stand 10.C01.

More information is available on the company’s website.

MONT-SAINT-GUIBERT, Belgium—Telestream has integrated intoPIX’s JPEG XS technology into Telestream’s PRISM waveform monitors, which Telestream says will enhance real-time monitoring for ST 2110-22 IP workflows, enabling broadcasters and production studios to transition smoothly from SDI to IP while maintaining pristine image quality and low latency.

The integration allows engineers to inspect and verify video signals with unprecedented precision, ensuring flawless video signal integrity in hybrid SDI/IP environments.

As broadcasters and production teams transition to IP-based workflows, Telestream says JPEG XS provides the ideal solution for compressing high-quality video without compromising real-time performance or image fidelity. By integrating JPEG XS into PRISM, Telestream enables professionals to monitor and analyze ST 2110-22 streams seamlessly, ensuring efficient, low-latency, and visually lossless video transport across IP infrastructures.

• Ensuring Interoperability: PRISM’s real-time analysis of JPEG XS (ST 2110-22) streams ensures seamless compatibility across hybrid SDI/IP environments, making it easier for engineers to manage complex workflows.
• Ultra-Low Latency & High-Quality Compression: JPEG XS allows 10:1 to 20:1 compression with near-zero latency, providing a high-quality, bandwidth-efficient solution for IP video transport.
• Hybrid Workflow Flexibility: The MULTI Input feature of PRISM supporting simultaneous monitoring of up to four inputs of any mix of SDI, ST 2110-20, and ST 2110-22, and the GEN test signal generator feature empowered by JPEG XS technologygive broadcasters ultimate flexibility when working with mixed SDI and IP workflows.

“Integrating JPEG XS into Telestream PRISM elevates real-time IP monitoring, providing broadcasters and production teams with an essential tool for maintaining high-quality, low-latency IP workflows,” said Jean-Baptiste Lorent, Head of Media, Entertainment & ProAV Group at intoPIX.

“The integration of the intoPIX technology into PRISM allows our users to take advantage of this cutting-edge technology within their IP workflows while ensuring precise video signal analysis,” said Tsuyoshi Kitagawa, Senior Product Manager at Telestream.

Telestream will showcase the integration at its Booth W1501 in the West Hall of the LVCC during the 2025 NAB Show, April 6-9 in Las Vegas.

NEVADA City, Calif.—Telestream announced new product enhancements to its Vantage server platform as well as upgraded test and measurement tools for content creation and delivery at the 2025 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 6-9.

Enhancements to Vantage include upgraded compliance, quality control, MAM, and archive workflows; next-generation ingest, media processing, and playout servers, and advanced AI and cloud-native developments, bringing speed, intelligence, and flexibility to the media operation, the company said.

"As new business opportunities emerge, and economic pressures intensify, customers are increasingly driven to expand their content operations, adopt new standards and formats like IP and UHD, and find efficiencies in the cloud. While these transitions move them forward, they do so with new challenges in terms of complexity, cost management, and operational scalability," says Benjamin Desbois, Chief Growth and Strategy Officer, Telestream. "Vantage empowers customers to strategically navigate these challenges with a flexible platform that optimizes both infrastructure and workflows—on-premise, hybrid, and in the cloud—to achieve maximum performance, scalability, cost-efficiency, and monetization."

Vantage simplifies complex media workflows for broadcast, post, sports, and corporate, through smart automation and seamless integrations.m the company said. New high-impact workflow updates include:

• Streamlined QC Workflows On-premise, Hybrid, & Cloud: Qualify Action QC supports on-premise, hybrid and cloud deployments. It seamlessly integrates the capabilities of both Aurora and Vidchecker to enable the full range of quality, compliance and integrity capabilities as a single Vantage action.
• Intelligent Automation for Captions/Subtitles, Metadata, and Content Summaries: New AI capabilities automate high-quality speech-to-text for rapid, professional quality captioning and subtitle workflows. Vantage also automates time-based metadata and summary extracts which add significant value to any content search and retrieve.
• Tighter integration between Vantage and DIVA: New integration between DIVA and Vantage streamlines archive and discovery processes. Create and act on DIVA archive objects through Vantage workflows. Additional features will support content scalability and media orchestration excellence.
• Leverage Cost-Efficient, Modern MAMs: Seamless integration between Vantage and powerful next-generation cloud-centric MAM solutions like iconik enables customers to bring the latest MAM functionality to their content repository, enhancing accessibility, collaboration, and monetization.

Technology advancements and additions for ingest, media processing and playout include:

• Advanced GRID processing: Split complex transcodes across Vantage nodes, enabling outputs to be processed up to 1/n the time. Faster task completion reduces time-to-delivery while simultaneously boosting operational capacity.
• Next-generation Lightspeed Live Servers for Capture: The new Lightspeed Live Servers for Capture double the recording capacity of previous models within the same 1RU configuration. New support for UHD formats and higher frame rates that were previously not possible. Local RAID storage is now expandable up to 30TB—a significant upgrade from the prior 7TB limit. Configuration options include SDI (3G/12G) and ST2110 (10/25G SR/LR). Comes standard with 2x800GB NVMe SSDs in RAID1 for OS.
• Higher performance Vantage Lightspeed Servers: The latest Vantage Lightspeed Servers deliver up to a 30% performance boost in media processing over the previous generation. Standard features include dual 800GB NVMe SSDs in RAID1 for the OS and dual 1.92TB SSDs for media storage—in a compact 1RU form factor.
• NEW! Lightspeed Live Servers for Play: (Coming June 2025) Purpose-built for live production, these new servers support SDI (3G/12G) and ST2110 (10/25G, SR/LR), offering configurations of up to 8 channels in HD and 4 channels in UHD in a 1RU form factor. Feature highlights include playout of any format back to back, AMP protocol support for std control, customizable APIs for advanced integration and a 15TB-30TB SSD storage range.

Test & Measurement
Enhancements to Telestream’s PRISM waveform monitors, SPG9000 sync pulse and test signal generators, and ARGUS centralized video monitoring systems—which already support SMPTE 2110 and UHD—will help creators transition to mainstream HDR production and allow service providers to expand their reach, the company said.

“The new PRISM, SPG9000, and ARGUS capabilities we are introducing at NAB Show 2025 are the direct result of close customer partnerships and the need for practical solutions to today’s challenges delivering high quality media,” said Matthew Driscoll, VP Product Management, Telestream. “As our customers move new technologies into mainstream deployments, we are adapting the tools they require to be successful.”

PRISM, Software-Defined Waveform Monitors include configurable and remotely accessible software that performs within any content creation chain in both SDI and IP installations. Key enhancements to the PRISM platform include:

• Complete support for ST 2110-22 using JPEG XS compression: With up to 4 simultaneous ST 2110-22 streams, the JPEG XS compression allows an approximate bit rate reduction of 10X, significantly reducing the cost of network infrastructure by eliminating the need for manual configurations and simplifying workflows. PRISM now supports a test-signal out in the same format to provide valuable comparisons to a known good signal.
• User Configurable 3D LUT: Integrated 3D LUT allows camera operators to shade HDR cameras by monitoring down-mapped SDR signals and compare HDR/SDR signals side-by-side, eliminating the need for conversion boxes offers a more cost-effective approach, streamlined workflow, and increased reliability in live productions.
• Enhanced HDR production tools: Enhanced Telestream CIE chart includes the ability to narrow the range of the Luma to focus on specific regions of interest. In addition to the false color mode for showing BT.709 and P3, regions are now ‘banded’ to indicate how far out of the gamut they are to help colorists more easily map into these color spaces for increased flexibility.

Telestream has now added more resiliency configurations and troubleshooting tools to its SPG9000, Software-Defined Sync Pulse and Test Signal Generator. The SPG9000 is an all-in-one synch reference and signal source for ST 2110 installations that require a PTP source and in hybrid environments where Analog reference is derived from PTP. Highlights for the latest release of the SPG9000 include:

• PTP Capture: For debugging difficult PTP configuration issues, now capture network traffic (both Rx and Tx) on the media interfaces to download and open in Wireshark on your PC. This dramatically reduces the time it takes to capture the network traffic on another device, filter out the PTP messages, and then open in Wireshark.
• Secondary Reference: Add a precision secondary reference clock (e.g., Rubidium) to guard against loss of Satellite for PTP grandmaster applications and provide an additional failover option for added flexibility.

ARGUS, a centralized video monitoring solution for video distribution networks, now includes enhanced tools that allow operations teams to identify faults faster. Integrating probe data from entry to exit, ARGUS converts mounds of data into valuable and actionable information. Key enhancements to ARGUS are:

• Expedited troubleshooting with new Monitoring Groups: Instantly identify the location of faults using Monitoring Groups to accelerate troubleshooting by quickly diagnosing and suggesting solutions.
• Live video, audio, and caption monitoring for faulty signals: Jump directly from an alarm or customer complaint to viewing content from the monitoring point of interest. Instead of looking at hundreds of live pictures on a video wall, point directly to the problem by focusing attention on the few critical signals experiencing issues.

Telestream will be in Booth W1501 in the West Hall of the LVCC.

OSLO, Norway—At the 2025 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 6-9, Bridge Technologies says it will launch its new AV synchronization solution for its VB440 monitoring platform, ensuring that live broadcasts, especially those distributed across multiple networks from a centralized OB production point, maintain seamless, frame-perfect alignment of audio and video.

The issue of AV synchronization has long plagued digital broadcasting—both through the process of de-embedding and re-embedding when using SDI, and through the separation of audio and video essences inherent in ST 2110 transport. Traditional approaches rely on manual cues or packet transport timestamps, both of which lack a content-driven methodology.

While the VB440 has for many years closely monitored and regulated packet-related sync issues, it now introduces a “first-line” defense by embedding synchronization data within the physical content itself, allowing for both intuitive manual alignment and UI client-driven correction.

With the addition of Bridge’s APIs to allow third-party access to the technology, Bridge’s AV Sync Generator represents an advancement which introduces the potential for automated correction in the future, allowing other platforms to leverage this embedded sync data to power their own sync-capable tools.

The VB440’s AV Sync Generator features an on-screen rolling shutter with early and late zones, accompanied by a visual and auditory signal (‘blink and beep’) to facilitate manual synchronization. It also displays a range of different color bar types and allows for the insertion of broadcaster logos on the sync screen.

However, Bridge says its most significant advancement is in its visualization of synchronization. A built-in sync client in the VB440 displays, in real-time, the all-time deltas between video and individual audio channels or groups with high precision, enabling speedy correction of sync issues.

With the ability to see up to 64 individual channels in a stream, and with stream groups which include immersive audio and even multiple streams, this means that there is no practical channel limit to resynchronization of audio. In this way, rather than relying on packet-based timestamps, the VB440 embeds machine-readable electronic markers directly into the audio signals and uses a client to read the synchronization points of the video, thus enabling real-time detection and correction, and ensuring frame-accurate synchronization with minimal intervention.

“This content-based approach to AV sync is a true innovation, particularly in light of its precision and usability,” said Chairman of Bridge Technologies Simen Frostad. “The VB440 comes with an exhaustive list of tools and functionalities, all of which allow production professionals from a wide range backgrounds and job roles to work collaboratively on remote and distributed production tasks—from camera shading to audio mixing. whilst almost completely eliminating the need for additional hardware, complex cabling, and excessive power consumption. It allows production teams to do more with less—with higher precision, quality and creativity, in a shorter time frame, and with significantly reduced complexity and environmental impact.”

“By embedding synchronization directly into the content, Bridge Technologies is setting a new standard in live production workflows, ensuring that broadcasters can deliver perfectly synchronized audio and video without guesswork or compromise,” Frostad added.

Bridge will demo this new capability at Booth N315 in the North Hall of the LVCC.

THATHAM, U.K.—Test and measurement specialist Leader Electronics of Europe will make the European debut of its ZEN-W Series of advanced analyzers at IBC 2024, Sept. 13-16, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center.

Consisting of the LV5600W waveform monitor and LV7600W rasterizer, the series offers many new features as well as a WebRTC interface that enables secure remote control and monitoring from a web-connected desktop or laptop computer, the company said.

Developed based on the company’s LV5600W and LV7600W, the ZEN-W Series is designed to meet the needs of media companies transitioning from SDI to IP, HD to UHD and Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) to High Dynamic Range (HDR), it said.

The LV5600W is a 3U-high, half-rack-wide unit with an integral 7-inch touchscreen display. The LV7600W is a compact 1U unit and offers SDI and TMDS monitor outputs. The series supports all of the T&M tools and options available with the original ZEN Series, including traditional picture, waveform, vectorscope and ancillary data display, IP traffic analysis and JPEG-XS analysis. The series also provides all of the support required to monitor 4K, UHD, 2K, HD, SD SDI as well as video-over-IP signals, the company said.

The ZEN-W Series includes several new production and post-production capabilities, such as: full range SDR of black error, CIE, gamut error, histogram, level error, audio/video timing offset, noise level, test signals as well as vector and waveform, it said.

Supporting full range SDR are CINELITE and CINEZONE, including five-bar, frame capture and image quality adjustment. CINEZONE is further enhanced with new presets specifically for ARRI and RED camera users, it said.

The new range also includes bi-directional HDR/SDR conversion with the ability to import 3D color lookup tables (LUTs) via a plug-in USB memory, thus enabling HDR content to be viewed in SDR and vice versa. This feature simplifies live production, on-set production and post-production workflows, it said.

New audio features include an audio mapping capability that simplifies the task of checking the level of IP audio streams. The audio level display can be flexibly configured for easy supervision, while both instruments also gain support for multilingual closed captions in the CC608, CC708 and OP47 categories, collectively covering most European languages.

See Leader Electronics of Europe at IBC 2024 Stand 10.C01.

More information is on the company’s website.

YOKOHAMA, Japan—Leader Electronics has expanded the capabilities of its LVB440 IP Analyzer with extended support for the latest standards relating to object-based audio metadata.

Software release 6.0.3, now available for download, includes support for decoding Serial ADM in SMPTE ST 2110-31 data channels as defined in ST 2116. These encompass the rendering of Serial ADM presentations and displaying audio bed-channels and object-channels from the related metadata. Experimental support is added for decoding Serial ADM data items sent using ST 2110-41 as well as ST 2127-2 Fast metadata. Newly added support for ST 2110-41 Fast metadata streams includes a feature flag to toggle whether application/ST2110-41 is listed as a capability for NMOS receivers. 

A new video facility provided within software release 6.0.3 for the Leader LVB440 uses deep color drawing buffers when available, supported by Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge 122 browsers and later on suitable hardware. Also new is Canvas which enables simultaneous viewing of video images, waveforms, chromas vectors and audio signal levels from up to four separate services in a user-configurable layout.

Housed in a compact 1 U, the LVB440 allows efficient analysis of SD, HD, HD HDR, 4K and 4K HDR data flow over media networks of any size, the company said. Designed to monitor and analyze high-bitrate media traffic in broadcast production studios, OB vehicles, master control facilities and transmission networks, the analyzer supports data rates of 10, 25, 40 and 50 gigabit/s, extending up to 100 gigabit/s via dual interfaces. The core processor is more than capable of handling the 48 gigabit/s data rate required for full bandwidth source 8K, according to Leader.

The Leader LVB440 is controlled via an HTML-5 browser and provides full support for up to eight local or remote users, allowing production teams to perform real-time checks on large numbers of streams and multiple resolutions in parallel at multiple locations. Operators can survey multiple media transport layers of an IP network simultaneously, allowing issues to be rectified before they impact the quality of service experienced by program viewers.

When connected to primary and secondary networks, the LVB440 can monitor and analyze redundancy within the SMTPE ST 2022-7 standard which is used to ensure seamless protection switching. Tools are also provided for PTP clock analysis, including clock source detection, timing accuracy and individual flow path latency. SMPTE ST 2110, ST 2022-6, and ST 2059-2 PTP standards as well as Networked Media Open Specifications are also supported.

Intuitive packet display analytics including single or multiple stream correlation allow errors to be identified quickly and easily. Media metadata and deep packet analytics can be displayed. Also provided are traditional colorimetry measurement tools, including a vectorscope with ITU Rec. 601, 709 and 2020 compatibility, for checking chroma saturation issues that can arise in mixed standard and HDR environments.

ONTARIO—As the world of video content delivery has expanded from broadcast and cable into OTT and mobile streaming, so too has the need for advanced test & measurement equipment to keep these content streams optimized and robust. 

Here are some of the trends driving T&M equipment development today and into the future.

IP is Key
With IP becoming more dominant in production and distribution, vendors have had to respond to this trend by supporting IP-based content management through every aspect of the media supply chain. 

For example, “on set production, post-production and distribution centres now need test and measurement products that can support the analysis and monitoring of these advanced standards,” said Kevin Salvidge, European regional development manager for Leader. “Rapid growth in the migration of outside broadcast truck and production facilities from SDI video to IP is also evident, based on the SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards. IP analysis and monitoring are completely different from traditional SDI analysis.”

Advanced T&M equipment is also in high demand for ATSC 3.0 transmission facilities, but this demand comes with a catch: These T&M equipment also has to analyse existing ATSC 1.0 plants that are paying broadcasters’ bills (see related coverage, p. XX).

“Ultimately, broadcasters need to ensure that both their ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 services are delivered with pristine quality,” said Ralph Bachofen, vice president of sales and marketing for Triveni Digital. “Having a solution that supports both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 is key to complying with the FCC mandate to broadcast both standards during the transition.”

Finally, there is the need to optimize OTT video quality, which uses a data-centric IP architecture that was never designed to support continuous video. Fortunately, today’s T&M equipment has matured to support wide-scale video streaming, according Matthew Driscoll, director of product management for OTT monitoring & service correlation for Telestream. 

But there’s still more change to keep up with: “In the live uncompressed video space, most of the content workflow is moving from SDI to IP based transport,” Driscoll said. “This shift is mainly due to the large cost-saving opportunities enabled by IP-based facilities.”

Even with this migration to IP, it’s clear that SDI will remain viable for many years. “Since SDI is not going away anytime soon, it’s critical to supply hybrid test and measurement equipment that supports both SDI and IP video workflows equally well," added Driscoll. 

With all this technological evolution is occurring, broadcast/OTT engineers need effective T&M equipment more than ever before. “They now have many different requirements as their systems fragment," said Prinyar Boon, product manager for Phabrix. "This means that there is no one-size-fits-all solution possible. To address this, we've developed a range of equipment that can address these different applications—but they all have a common look and feel for operators and API for automation."

New and Different Tasks 
The move to IP-based infrastructures has generated a new set of test and measurement parameters for broadcast engineers. To do their jobs today, they have to use a range of IP physical layer T&M tools to manage digital elements such as Transport Format, IP Source and Destination Addresses, Packet Interval Arrival Time, Packet Loss, Packet Delay, RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) Alignment, and PTP (Precision Time Protocol) Offset and Delay.

The deployment of High Dynamic Range has also expanded the number of T&M parameters, with new requirements to be managed such as MaxFALL (Maximum Frame Average Light Level) and MaxCLL(Maximum Content Light Level). 

Add to that “multiple transfer characteristics including Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), Perceptual Quantizer (PQ) and manufacturer-specific characteristics like S-Log3 (Sony), C-Log (Canon) and Log-C (Arri), along with increased luminance levels that significantly exceed the 100 nits to which traditional broadcast images have been mastered,” said Salvidge, and there’s no doubt that yesterday’s T&M equipment was never designed for this job.  

Monitoring the Network
The move to IP video is just one trend being addressed by T&M equipment manufacturers on behalf of their clients. “As new technologies emerge, such as ATSC 3.0, there are additional intricacies that broadcasters have to manage,” Bachofen said. “Our goal is to continue making quality service assurance solutions that are easy to use and that simplify the delivery of NextGen TV applications.” 

Meanwhile, the trend to either centralize or regionalize TV station groups is also driving T&M equipment innovation. In response, “we are implementing video quality assurance solutions that provide a good view of the entire network, not of just one monitoring point of the infrastructure,” said Bachofen. “By monitoring all of the demarcation points in the network, broadcasters can more quickly pinpoint what the issue is, and where it is happening, to ensure an exceptional quality of service for their viewers.”

The Herculean task of constantly monitoring numerous program streams is also being automated. In the past, keeping an eye on signal and picture quality was a human engineer’s duty—but that was when each TV station only had one real-time broadcast feed to contend with. 

“As competition between services has increased by new market entrants and a shift in how viewers consume video, test and measurement has become critical to monitoring and responding to user experience issues,” said Driscoll. As a result, performance metrics previously only used by operations and engineering teams are now reviewed by top TV executives, including those in the newly-minted position of “Chief Experience Officer.”

“Test and measurement is now a critical path to customer satisfaction, maintaining viewership and retaining subscribers in an era of near zero switching costs and increasing product substitutes,” Driscoll added.

Future Trends
T&M equipment has evolved from standalone physical devices of exclusive interest to TV engineers to sophisticated IP-based solutions that command the attention of top management. 

As for future trends? “Test and measurement will evolve hand-in-hand with the services we monitor,” predicted Driscoll. This evolution includes “an increase, and eventually an acceleration, of organizations shifting service to cloud workflows.”

"We are transitioning from a hardware SDI-centric to a software IP network-centric world," observed Boon. "This trend will continue for many years."

T&M will also play a key role in assuring a stable, financially viable transition to ATSC 3.0, according to Bachofen’s own forecast. “The more ATSC 3.0 services are deployed, the more ad revenues will flow,” he said. “During this stage it is very important to have 24/7 monitoring solution with network-wide capabilities to make sure ads are being delivered correctly.”

Finally, T&M equipment will keep pace with the deployment of higher resolution video by broadcasters and OTT providers. “The Leader LVB440 IP analyser is already capable of supporting 8K resolution,” said Salvidge. “With SMPTE expected to publish new 2110 standards in due course, the broadcast test and measurement landscape is guaranteed to continue to change.” 

OTTAWA—Even before COVID-19 compelled our industry to work from home, the companies who make TV test and measurement equipment were seeing an increased demand for remote access testing. The products they have brought to market are responding to this trend, plus the need to support ATSC 3.0 broadcast/transmission chains and OTT video streaming. 

SPEED OF TRANSITION

COVID-19 not only accelerated the trend from hands-on to remote testing and measurement that was already underway, it increased the speed of this transition considerably.

“Engineers stuck at home have been calling us up asking, ‘can I get some remotely accessible test and measurement equipment that is either cloud-based or works in a virtualized environment,” said Ralph Bachofen, Triveni Digital’s vice president of sales and marketing for Triveni Digital in Princeton, NJ. “They didn’t have access to their at-work me- ters and spectrum analyzers anymore, but they had some kinds of issues that they had to monitor/analyze nevertheless.”

The demand is not just coming from at-home engineers. “NEP’s production trucks have returned to live sports coverage using more remote broadcasting and fewer staff,” said Dan Murray, Telestream’s director of product marketing. (Telestream acquired Tektronix’s video division in 2019). “One way they are doing this safely is by increased use of remotely accessible testing and measurement equipment.”

Making this all possible is the broadcast industry’s across-the-board migration from SDI to IP; from content acquisition and transport to editing/production, storage, and service to multiple viewing platforms (broadcast and OTT). Yet because this is a transition, broadcasters are looking for remotely accessible test and measurement equipment that can work with both SDI and IP infrastructures; to the extent that this is technically possible.

To address this need, Telestream is offering a range of software-based products such as the PRISM SDI/IP Waveform Monitor and Inspect 2110 for monitoring ST 2110 IP video networks. “Using these two products, engineers can make deep dives into their IP-based systems to perform a full range of end-to-end tests and stay on top of things,” said Murray.

ATSC 3.0 AND OTT

While Triveni Digital is focused on remotely accessible testing and monitoring, it’s also targeting ATSC 3.0, aka NextGen TV. This includes launching Triveni Digital’s new ATSC 3.0 Cloud platform to let broadcasters create and spin up NextGen TV content delivery from the web, and providing educational support to broadcasters transitioning to NextGen TV.

“The big challenge for many U.S. broadcasters is their need to maintain ATSC 1.0 broadcasts while deploying ATSC 3.0, in order to sustain their advertising revenues,” Bachofen said. “To support testing and measurement on both systems, Triveni Digital is offering StreamScope XM, which is our ATSC 3.0 and ATSC 1.0 combo analyzer. This is the only stream analyzer that can work in both domains; making it an essential piece of equipment for broadcasters moving into ATSC 3.0.”

With NexGen TV already being deployed in the U.S. Triveni has announced several deals, including one with Meredith’s Portland, Ore. TV stations KPDX (MNT) and KPTV (Fox). Both are using Triveni Digital’s ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway scheduler, GuideBuilder XM ATSC 3.0 transport encoder, StreamScope XM ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 combo analyzer and StreamScope XM Verifier software application to ensure quality of service for viewers who are watching ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 streams.

The explosion of OTT has opened up new opportunities for broadcasters, and headaches as well. Compared to operating single channel linear TV transmissions, OTT is forcing broadcasters to become multichannel video programming distributors, just like cable TV and satellite service providers.

Monitoring a portfolio of OTT services is precisely what Telestream’s IQ Solutions including cloud-based Live ABR Monitor is designed to do. Using 70 monitoring locations around the globe, Live ABR Monitor lets broadcasters/OTT providers check the quality and performance of their video streams, plus see how their content is being prepped, packaged and delivered by distributors.

“Telestream’s IQ Solutions gives OTT providers the ability to see the state of their whole network from end to end,” said Murray. “We call this a ‘single pane of glass’ approach to OTT testing and monitoring.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

The 2020 lockdowns caused by COVID-19 have proven the value of remote testing and monitoring to such an extent, that this trend has become an unstoppable global phenomenon, Bachofen said.

“Although we expect to still sell locally-used scopes and analysers, there is no doubt that remote access is the way to go,” said Bachofen. To aid this trend, Triveni Digital is offering StreamScope Enterprise, which networks together StreamScope RM remote monitors to enable centralized management of video, audio, and captioning services across DTV networks.

Meanwhile, Telestream’s Murray is looking ahead to the future of remote testing and measurement. In this vein, “we’re continuing to see an increasing deployment of automation and machine learning to make this technology do more for broadcasters,” he said. “This should significantly reduce the workload on engineers.”

These developments illustrate how test and measurement is moving away from its locally based, manually controlled and “one function at a time” roots to become a remote multisite technology capable of testing many functions on many points simultaneously. We’re not at the point of being able to voice-command a network to perform a complete self-diagnostic, but we’re getting there.

The IP era in broadcasting is upon us, and there was plenty to see in this area at the 2018 NAB Show. Television is also beginning to move into its next stage of advancement—ultra high definition, high dynamic range, extended color gamut and higher frame rates.

However, whether its IP, SDI or analog signals flowing through the equipment racks, one thing is inevitable, and that’s the need for monitoring, signal processing, and test and measurement gear. There was plenty to see along these lines at the NAB Show this year.

EAS/CAP

DIGITAL ALERT SYSTEMS showcased its EAS-NET Advanced Emergency Alerting (AEA) upgrade for their DASDEC product. It facilitates urgent communications between broadcasters and their audiences via text graphics and audio, and provides a more interactive way to convey emergency messages.

GORMAN REDLICH demonstrated their Capwatch system for sending weather alerts received from NOAA weather service servers via digital signage, email, public address systems and other methods of dissemination.

NVERZION showed off their NFinity Plus package for the company’s automation system. It includes an EAS interface, an enhanced graphics package and more.

CLOSED CAPTIONING

AJA introduced v2.1 firmware update for its Helo streaming platform with support for closed captioning streaming from SDI input.

COMPROMPTER premiered Caption Central Multi—Gen 2, an enhanced version of the company’s captioning systems. It accommodates the voices of as many as eight speakers, sending the name/title of each along with the speech-to-text conversion.

EEG ENTERPRISES highlighted the latest enhancements to the company’s Lexi automatic captioning “Topic Model” technology that recognizes topics and context for higher accuracy in speech-to-text conversion.

ENCO premiered updates to its enCaption4 automated captioning system which provide both higher processing speed and greater accuracy. The speed enhancement brings the system’s caption processing/delivery time performance close to what can be achieved with a human captioner. The updates also bring the accuracy up to 90 percent or better.

LINK ELECTRONICS took the wraps off their ACE-2200 automated captioning engine for converting speech into data for encoding via a TS-232 port or TCP/IP.

TELESTREAM spotlighted their new “one box solution” for closed-caption encoding requirements that’s part of the company’s latest version of Lightspeed Live Stream live encoding and packaging system. It handles 608/708 insertions and allows simultaneous captioning of multiple streams.

VOICEINTERACTION demonstrated a range of new multilanguage features for their Audimus.Media live real-time automated closed captioning software. Features include an automatic live translation module that provides a subtitle stream in a different language than being delivered by the speaker and a live dubbing module that creates an audio track with a synthesized foreign voice.

ENCODERS/DECODERS

APPEAR TV debuted a range of codec encoders spanning the bitrate and latency gamut, and all designed for use in the company’s X10/20 platform. Models included an updated low-latency model that handles TICO JPEG 2000 and HEVC applications all within a single unit.

BULEFISH444 demonstrated their Kronos product lineup, which provides multi-channel 4K, high dynamic range, high frame rate SDI and SMPTE 2011 support for video-over-IP workflows.

COBALT DIGITAL premiered their OG-PC-x86 PC-on-an-openGear circuit board. While not strictly an encoding/decoding product, it could prove to be a good tool for monitoring such operations.

FOR-A displayed their FRC-9100 frame rate converter that provides high-quality conversion and is ideally suited for live transmission applications.

HITACHI-COMARK demonstrated their future-proof Titan software-based encoding technology that supports all resolutions from SD to 4K, as well as just about any codec, including MPEG-2, H.264, and HEVC. It’s slotted for replacing ATSC 1.0 transmission encoding systems, in preparation for 3.0 broadcasting. The company also announced a partnership agreement with Ateme Corp. for ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 encoding solutions.

VITEC VIDEO INNOVATIONS demonstrated the all-new MGW Diamond Touch military-grade HEVC and H.264 four-channel unit that delivers IP video from SDI sources. It provides HEVC encoding from a very small and compact package, and its low power consumption makes it ideal for mobile applications.

PROCESSING

AJA took the wraps off a new firmware for its FS-HDR converter/frame synchronizer. The enhancement provides users with several new and expanded capabilities including Colorfront Engine support for ITU BT.2408-0 Operational Practices in HDR Television Production, support for simultaneous 4K and 2K output modes with independent SDR and HDR control, local monitoring via HDR-capable displays, standardized HDR test patterns and more.

APERI exhibited the V-Stack third-generation virtualization product with expanded functionality in handling multiple processes, including logging and monitoring. Booth visitors also viewed the company’s new TICO 4K compression app.

APPEAR TV featured their Live OTT Transcoder software product which allows broadcasters to deliver high-quality multiscreen content with commercial off-the-shelf hardware, and features frame rate conversion, de-interlacing, logo insertion, and adjustment of delivery speed versus quality level.

ATEME demonstrated their Titan codec product with support for AV1, as well as CMAF (fMP4) on Apple devices.

AXEL TECHNOLOGY featured their PC-based multiple channel Multi Cross Converter that simultaneously inputs and outputs SDI, NDI or IP with selectable output resolutions and frame rates.

CRYSTAL VISION showed off their Marble-V1 hardware media processor for video-over-IP applications. It features powerful CPU/GPU processing capability, and includes six bidirectional SDI I/O ports, four 10G Ethernet ports and eight AES audio ports.

EVERTZ rolled out their Scorpion Smart Media Aggregation platform for dark fiber and managed IP networks. The device supports industry IP standards and interfacing of broadcast signals with IP networks. Various signal types are accommodated via mini-modules that allow users to custom tailor the system for their individual requirements. Evertz also got showed its Render-X high-speed transcoding solution, as well as the 570iTXE video delivery platform that handles receiving/decoding of content, as well as normalizing and multiple encoding duties.

GRASS VALLEY spotlighted their IQUCP25/50 universal computer processor, a configurable hardware platform for IP processing and interfacing applications. It handles essence, network and signal processing requirements, and is optimized for broadcast applications and is designed for scalability and flexibility.

HARMONIC featured their VOS Software SW Cluster media processing technology that provides encoding, playout, packaging for multiple deployments, including private and public cloud.

MAGEWELL ELECTRONICS demonstrated a number of PCIe-slot signal processing cards, including the Pro Capture Dual HDMI 4K Plus/Pro Capture Dual SDI 4K Plus with two independent 4K/60fps channels. The SDI version supports 12G single-link, 6G dual-link, or 3G quad-link operations

NEVION touted the latest updates for its Virtuoso software-defined media node, which includes support for both UHD/4K TICO and JPEG 2000 encoding.

TELESTREAM featured its Vantage Platform which supports UHD, HDR and IMF, and handles ingestion, editing, transcoding, and packaging functions.

CONVERSION

AJA introduced four new converters: the OG-UDC 3G-SDI Up, Down, Cross-Converter; OG-4K2HD 4K/UltraHD-SDI to 3G-SDI Down-Converter; OG-Hi5-4K-Plus 4K/Ultra 3G-SDI to HDMI 2.0 Converter; and the OG-HA5-4K HDMI to 4K/Ultra 3G-SDI Converter.

BLACKMAGIC DESIGN debuted the Black-magic Mini Converter UpDownCross HD, a new broadcast quality standards converter that lets customers convert any SD or HD video format to any other SD or HD video format via SDI and HDMI input and output connections. In addition, customers also get automatic scaling of computer resolutions to standard broadcast formats.

COBALT DIGITAL spotlighted their 9904-UDX-4K 12G-SDI UHD up/down/cross converter that provides quad 3G-SDI and 12G-SDI I/O, along with SDI muxing/de-muxing.

FOR-A introduced the USF-106UDC-12G 4K up/down converter. It provides conversion to and from a range of signals ranging from SD to UHD and offers interlaced or progressive scan outputs, frame synchronization, audio/SDI error correction, browser-based control via a built-in web server, and more.

MULTIVIEWERS

APANTAC debuted the TX #, part of its TAHOMA Series of multiviewers. The modular TX # features 64x64 router outputs, 16 unique fully featured, assignable and independent multiviewers.

APERI showed an IP multiviewer app with capability for monitoring hundreds of IP inputs and five fully-independent outputs in IP, SDI or HDMI.

BLACKMAGIC DESIGN debuted the Black-magic MultiView 4 HD, a new multi-viewer that lets customers monitor 4 completely independent SDI video sources on a single display. Customers can monitor any combination of SD and HD formats and frame rates at the same time.

CINEGY highlighted its multiviewer product which receives RTP/UDP streams via Ethernet and features analysis and alerting capabilities for instantly detecting signal problems and more.

DVEO demonstrated their DVB-ASI O Mon HD ASI/4 quad display and transport stream analyzer. It displays four streams simultaneously and also provides signal analysis and alarms.

LAWO launched the vm_dmv64-4, calling it “the world’s first infinitely expandable true IP multiviewer.” Complementing Lawo’s existing vm_mv16-4 and vm_mv24-4 multiviewer line-up, the new virtual module (VM) vm_dmv64-4 for Lawo’s V__matrix IP Routing, Processing & Multiviewing Platform provides unlimited inputs and heads, as well as full support of IP and SDI sources in 4K/UHD, 3G, HD and SD.

UTAH SCIENTIFIC demonstrated their SynView 4k and IP multiviewer for Utah 400 Series hybrid routers. Its SynView technology from Axon features single field latency and external looping for accommodating multiple inputs.

COLOR CORRECTION

AJA spotlighted a new software release—v2.0—for its FS-HDR processor, which provides users with 12 new controls for color correction,

CRYSTAL VISION spotlighted their Safire 3 real-time SDI chromakeyer product that includes color correction along with lighting compensation, internal frame synchronization, and more.

TEST & MEASUREMENT-VIDEO & AUDIO

AJA offered a tech preview of its new HDR Image Analyzer it has developed in partnership with Colorfront. The 1RU product feature waveform, histogram, vectorscope and Nit level HDR monitoring.

MARSHALL ELECTRONICS introduced the AR-DM61-BT, a multichannel digital audio monitor with preview screen. The audio/video QC solution which features a 10-inch LCD intuitive touchscreen panel and displays up to 64 channels vertical or two detailed channels horizontal with LKFS bars and peak indicators.

QLIGENT introduced Match, the latest software addition to its flagship Vision platform. Match delivers real-time detection of programmatic and playout errors across multiple content delivery platforms. An automated solution that monitors by exception, Vision Match can mine, compare, and analyze a tremendous amount of data and relay just the most meaningful information.

ROHDE & SCHWARZ introduced new features to its ETL TV analyser, including support for HEVC and UHD. It combines video and MPEG transport stream TS analysis, and serves as a spectrum analyser.

OMNITEK featured its Ultra 4K Tool Box that provides conversion, generation and analysis of TV and digital cinema signals in formats up to 4096 x 2160/60. It performs format conversion and includes SDI eye and jitter analysis.

PHABRIX introduced SMPTE ST 2110 and 2022-6 support for its Qx Series analysis and monitoring platform and its Sx Series portable analyzers. Also new for Qx is Packet Profile Generator (PPG), an advanced toolset for stress testing video networks, and Packet Interval Timing (PIT) analysis for rapid diagnosis of issues such as packet congestion.

TEKTRONIX introduced new features for its Aurora file-based QC system, which supports the latest IMF standards, has expanded AWS workflow compatibility and S3 storage support, and can validate 4K-HDR content.

STREAMING

INTERRA SYSTEMS spotlighted their Baton quality control platform for checking formats and detecting video artifacts and baseband issues in video streams.

LAWO introduced the smartSCOPE Deep Packet Inspection & Network Analyzer, a media-agnostic, high-density 24/7 analysis platform for IP flows in live production and delivery networks. The company also debuted smartDASH System Monitoring and Realtime Telemetry, a vendor-agnostic enterprise software suite designed to provide full network and media visibility across an all-IP, all-SDI or hybrid WAN/LAN broadcast infrastructure

NEVION demonstrated its Virtuoso TNS4200 hardware tool for continuous monitoring of broadcast streams on IP/Ethernet and DVB-ASI. It enables fast fault detection and diagnostics with an easy-to-use user interface.

SENCORE introduced its VB440 100G SMPTE 2110 Analyzer that monitors multiple SMPTE 2110 HD/3G/4K signals in real time.

TEKTRONIX showed off its PRISM real-time streaming analyzer for hybrid IP/SDI facility operations and maintenance. It can be used for 4K with wide color gamut and high dynamic range evaluations, and monitors IP formats including ST2022-6/-7, ST2110 and ST2059-2.

TELESTREAM debuted a new open API that can be used for configuration, control and data extraction for its Inspector LIVE and Surveyor ABR Active systems The company also demonstrated an upgrade to its multiscreen end-to-end monitoring and analytics solution that includes new versions of its Surveyor ABR and Inspector Live systems.

RF AND MPEG

SENCORE launched the latest version of its VideoBRIDGE Nomad-Pro portable probe that provides simultaneous IP, RF, Sat, ASI and OTT monitoring, now with 8VSB/QAM-B RF input.

TRIVENI DIGITAL launched StreamScope Portal II analyzer, designed for ATSC 1.0 and 3.0. It features a two-in-one hardware platform design, high-res touchscreen interface, advanced RF spectrum analysis capabilities, rules-based troubleshooting, and ultra-portability factor. StreamScope Portal II handles a variety of input options (i.e., Ethernet, ASI, and basic or advanced RF).

HITACHI-COMARK demonstrated the QoS-1000 and QoS-1000RT ATSC monitoring systems for determining transmitter or repeater site ATSC 1.0 performance and are ATSC 3.0 upgradable.

VIDEO MONITORS

IKEGAMI debuted the HQLM-3120W, a 31-inch 4K monitor with full 4096 x 2160 resolution, 10-bit processing, and a 178-degree viewing angle.

JVCKENWOOD spotlighted their DT-U 4K HDR monitor series that feature 20-bit color depth and are available in 28-inch (DT-U28U) and 31.5-inch (DTU31U screen sizes. Both models offer native 3840 x 2160 resolution, LED backlighting along with wide color gamut and HLG/PQ HDR compatibility. The DT-Us offer quad-split display capability with SDI inputs, multiple 4K input ports, and are available with an optional SFP adapter. The company also showed its DT-G monitor series that also offer 4K signal support, 10-bit color processing and a 1000:1 contrast ratio.

SMALLHD showed several new additions to its FOCUS series, including the 5-inch HDMI 1920 x 1080 OLED touchscreen model with a Micro HDMI input; the OLED SDI, which is identical to the HDMI, but with an SDI input port; the Bolt TX, with a 5-inch LCD touchscreen and a built-in Teradek transmitter with a 500-foot range; the Bolt RX, also with a 5-inch LCD touchscreen, and compatible with the Bolt TX; and the 703 Bolt Wireless Director’s Monitor a 7-inch, full HD monitor with built-in wireless Teradek receiver.

SONY’S big spotlight was trained on the BVM-X300 V2 30-inch Trimaster EL OLED 4K critical reference monitor which features a very high standard of color reproduction and offers a very wide viewing angle. Exhibit visitors also got to view the 55-inch 4K PVMZ550 Trimaster EL OLED high-grade monitor, as well as the company’s Crystal LED modular display technology that features a borderless panel design that allows the creation of displays of virtually any dimension and with any desired aspect ratio.

TV LOGIC launched four new 4K models: the LEM-550R, a 55-inch OLED model engineered for critical viewing applications and with 12G-SDI and HDM v2.0 input ports; the LUM-313G (350-nit brightness) and the LUM-318G (850-nit output 31.1-inch displays; and a 43-inch version accepting both quad 3G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 sources. Also featured were two new HD models, the LVM-1715 (17-inches and 1920 x 1080 resolution) and the LVM-241S (24-inches and 1920 x 1200 resolution). Both offer wide color gamut capability.

WOHLER demonstrated a newly-upgraded iAM-VIDEO-2 monitor. The unit now sports a more user-friendly touchscreen and 3G-SDI support, as well as MPEG-2 and MPEG-4/H.264 AVC via IP or ASI connectivity, allowing users to monitor both pre-and post-encoded signals.

Broadcast test gear has traditionally been discrete devices, such as waveform monitors, vectorscopes, spectrum analyzers and field-strength meters. However, these functions—and many more—have for some time been migrating to the IP world, where discrete devices are replaced by probes and software.

With broadcast signals themselves shifting from dedicated SDI feeds to IP streams, there’s less need for probes and more reliance on the capabilities of the software. There is still the need for discrete test devices, but the 2017 NAB Show continued the trend to software-defined test & measurement.

IPTV AND TRANSPORT STREAM
AXON DIGITAL showcased the latest version of its Cerebrum control and monitoring software now with support for products from Evertz, AJA Video, Axia, Allen & Heath, Panasonic, Ross Video, Yamaha, Rohde & Schwartz, Quintech and Blackmagic Design.

DEKTEC highlighted StreamXpert 2.1, which features off-line analysis of files that include HEVC, Dolby AC3 and AC4. StreamXpert 2.1 can be combined with a DekTek DTU-245 USB plug-in and a notebook to create a portable transport-stream analyzer.

INTERRA SYSTEMS showcased Baton , a hybrid QC solution for file-based workflows that checks content for quality throughout a plant. The company also featured Orion- OTT, a software-based OTT monitoring solution for delivery of live and VOD streaming content.

NEVION showed the latest update to its Virtuoso software that adds support for JPEG2000 encoding of UHD/4K video, 2K resolution format for film production, audio embedding and de-embedding, frame synchronization, audio processing and PTP synchronization. Virtuoso also monitors SMPTE 2022-6, JPEG2000 and SD/HD/3GSDI and AES encryption.

Qligent Vision-ATSC-3

QLIGENT unveiled Vision-ATSC-3, which provides broadcasters with an easy-to-use workflow to correlate and analyze multilayer data from nine points along a signal path. Since Vision-ATSC3 is software-based, it can be deployed now for ATSC 1.0 performance, and provide oversight during the migration to ATSC 3.0.

SENCORE featured its CMA 1820 compressed media analyzer that supports HEVC/H.265, H.264, MPEG2 and VC-1 video, along with AC-3, AAC and MPEG audio.

Ralph Bachofen (L) of Triveni Digital describes the performance of the company’s StreamScope XM MT broadcast stream analyzer to Patrik Lannto of Wisi Norden in Sweden.

TORQUE VIDEO SYSTEMS debuted Incremental File Transfer for DVStor, for compliance recording, disaster-recovery and playout applications. It targets news organizations that monitor overseas news broadcasts and want full-resolution clips back at their home studios, as DVStor can remotely acquire full-resolution content and efficiently transfer it to a central “catcherˮ machine.

TRIVENI DIGITAL demonstrated its ATSC 3.0 “Starter Kit,” which includes the company’s Stream- Scope XM MT, without any physical inputs, for file-based analysis. A step-up version of the starter kit adds the company’s GuideBuilder XM, ROUTE/MMTP encoder, and a live source simulator.

Blackmagic Design SmartScope Duo 4K with measurement features

VIDEO & AUDIO
BLACKMAGIC DESIGN announced new scopes operating on the Blackmagic Video Assist 4K model, including waveform, RGB parade, vectorscope and histogram that can be viewed full-screen for evaluating video signals in up to 4K resolution. They will be available in June as a free software update for Blackmagic Video Assist 4K customers.

HENRY ENGINEERING demonstrated its Systems Alert Monitor (SAM), which monitors the systems of a typical broadcast facility and provides visual, audible and email indication if anything goes wrong or needs attention.

IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS showed its Videotek MSA-100 multisource analyzer that couples confidence monitoring with testing of compressed video conformance, audio level, data services and ETR-290 on any terrestrial broadcast, cable headend, satellite or telco network.

Marshall Electronics OR-185-3GSDI master confidence monitor

LEADER INSTRUMENTS introduced updates to its LV5490 test set, which now offers 4K, UHD, 3G, HD and SD test and measurement features. Waveform, vector, five-bar and picture display can all be viewed at the same time on the LV5490’s 9-inch LCD monitor.

MARSHALL ELECTRONICS introduced its OR-185-3GSDI master confidence monitor that includes a range of professional production and analysis tools in an 18.5-inch IPS panel. The monitor includes built-in waveform, vectorscope, histogram, and 3D monitoring functions along with robust audio analysis tools.

OMNITEK showcased its Ultra TQ waveform monitor, which features a range of displays such as picture, waveform monitor, vectorscope, video status, video timing, audio meters, audio status, timecode logging and line pattern generator.

PHABRIX rolled out the Qx 12G test set that performs signal generation, analysis and monitoring across SMPTE 2022-6 IP and HD, 3G, 6G and 12G-SDI formats. For HDR/WCG applications, the Qx 12G provides new generator patterns plus a CIE 1931 X-Y chart with Rec.709 and Rec.2020 overlays for measuring chromaticity.

ROHDE & SCHWARZ highlighted the Prismon, a monitoring and multiviewer system designed to support present and future content transport and media format standards. In addition to supporting classic and IP-based SDI signals, it also offers a comprehensive set of protocols for OTT/streaming scenarios.

Tektronix Sentry ABR

TEKTRONIX featured its Sentry ABR test system that works with adaptive bit-rate streams and measures perceptual video quality (PVQ). In addition to providing PVQ measurements, Tektronix’ Sentry ABR also gives an end-to-end view of the Quality of Experience (QoE) for all profiles by decrypting and decoding the live video and audio from the origin or caching servers for both encrypted and unencrypted content.

TELESTREAM spotlighted Vidchecker, an automated quality control software package that the company acquired last year. Vidchecker is optimized for checking file-based video before and after distribution, and for use by broadcasters for checking files received from post-production and content distributors to ensure that file, video and audio parameters and levels are ready for broadcast.

VIDEO CLARITY debuted the ClearView IP system that allows users to play, record and test quality of video that travels over IP networks using the latest video-transport standards.

RF
AVATEQ featured its AVQ1020-ActiveCore RF layer monitoring receiver and signal analyzer that works with all major digital broadcasting standards, including proprietary modulation schemes.

HITACHI-COMARK showed its QoS-1000 RF layer monitoring receiver with the latest ATSC 3.0 software. The QoS-1000 is a quality-of-service tool for transmitter RF signals, and provides near-real-time user metrics including symbol and constellation diagrams as well as RF spectrum, RF shoulders, MER/SNR, and frequency response/group delay.

MUNICH, GERMANY—Rohde & Schwarz said it has created field and coverage measurement technology for 5G services at 28 GHz, which it “recently presented... to key customers.” The Federal Communications Commission recently opened up higher frequencies for development of fifth-generation, or “5G” wireless cellular technologies. (See “FCC Opens Higher Frequencies to Phone Companies,” July 14, 2016)Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler referred to 5G as a “national priority,”

Rohde & Schwarz anticipate that the first 5G deployments will be in the 28 GHz band in the United States and South Korea, based on research in both countries.

“Given the jump in frequency, bandwidth and complexity–for example, beam-forming of the next-generation radio-access network–testing its performance in the field will be critical to allow the progression of the technology, ” R&S said. “A new 5G coverage measurement demonstrator solution from Rohde & Schwarz mobile network testing now makes this possible.”

Based on 5G technical specifications published under the Verizon 5G Technical Forum, R&S said the new technology makes use of the R&S TSME ultracompact drive test scanner and R&S ROMES drive test software to enable over-the-air characterization of 5G network coverage. In addition, data gathered on the propagation of signals at 28 GHz can be used to determine optimum receiver positioning, and also to validate and improve network planning tools.

Hanspeter Bobst, vice president of Rohde & Schwarz mobile network testing and CEO of SwissQual AG, a Rohde & Schwarz company, said “ With operators starting to firm up their applications, timelines and 5G implementations, we are seeing demand to verify the performance of early 5G networks.”