PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital today announced that it has added ISDB-Tb capability for its StreamScope MT-70 MPEG analyzer platform. Designed specifically for Brazilian broadcasters, the solution provides comprehensive monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities for ISDB-Tb services while supporting the country’s transition to TV 3.0 (also known as DTV+), according to the company.

Triveni will showcase StreamScope MT-70 with support for ISDB-tb and TV 3.0 at the 2026 NAB Show, April 19-22, in Las Vegas in ATSC booth C1655.

In 2025, Brazil announced adoption of the physical layer of the ATSC 3.0 protocol for TV 3.0, its next generation broadcast standard.

“As Brazil transitions to TV 3.0, broadcasters need reliable, end-to-end visibility across both legacy and next-generation broadcast television services,” said Mark Simpson, president and CEO at Triveni Digital. “With StreamScope MT-70 ISDB-Tb, we’re extending our proven monitoring and analysis capabilities and empowering Brazilian broadcasters to deliver exceptional quality, quickly resolve issues, and confidently manage the complexities of operating in a dual-standard environment.”

The new version of StreamScope MT-70 seamlessly integrates with Triveni’s StreamScope Enterprise centralized quality assurance system, enabling broadcasters to monitor and analyze quality across their entire broadcast operation—from ISDB-Tb to TV 3.0 services. This unified approach is critical as Brazil enters a lengthy simulcast period where both standards will coexist on air, Triveni said.

Built with Brazil-specific support for SBTVD ABNT NBR 15603 tables and descriptors, StreamScope MT-70 ensures accurate validation and deep visibility into regional broadcast requirements. The solution is available in multiple deployment options, including rack-mount systems, software, and in the cloud, giving broadcasters the flexibility to deploy it based on their operational needs.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital will feature its comprehensive portfolio of NextGen TV and TV 3.0 solutions, demonstrating how broadcasters can operationalize ATSC 3.0 to unlock new revenue-generating services, during the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Triveni Digital offers solutions that allow broadcasters to deliver advanced NextGen TV applications, ranging from emergency communications to dynamic advertising, enabling them to turn 3.0 into a revenue-generating platform for long-term growth.

“As the broadcast industry prepares for the next phase of growth, ATSC 3.0 is laying the foundation for new business models that will shape its future, and Brazil’s adoption of the standard is pushing the boundaries of technical and business innovation even further,” said Mark Simpson, president and CEO at Triveni Digital.

“At the 2026 NAB Show, we’ll demonstrate how our complete portfolio of ATSC 1.0, ATSC 3.0, ISDB-Tb and TV 3.0 solutions — backed by world-class local support — help broadcasters transition to NextGen TV seamlessly and unlock additional revenue.”

At the show, Triveni will highlight expanded support for Brazil’s TV 3.0 standard, also referred to as DTV+, within its StreamScope analyzer and GuideBuilder XM platform. Triveni products fully support the TV 3.0 variation of ATSC 3.0, ensuring broadcasters can efficiently validate and manage advanced DTV+ services. Triveni will also showcase an ISDB-Tb variant for its StreamScope MPEG analyzer, providing Brazilian broadcasters with a comprehensive quality assurance solution for both legacy and new over-the-air delivery standards during the transition. The company will demonstrate its end-to-end, highly integrated and fully redundant NextGen TV solution for the U.S. broadcast market, featuring its broadcast chain products. Triveni’s offering includes GuideBuilder XM for signaling, the StreamScope XM analyzer for QoS and monetization, Broadcast Gateway for scheduling and STLP generation, and Station Manager for managing and coordinating complex configuration changes across ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 services, including third-party ecosystem equipment.

As ATSC 3.0 becomes a central component of broadcasters’ business strategies, the complexity of delivering advanced services continues to grow. Triveni’s NextGen TV solutions simplify deployments and ongoing operations, enabling broadcasters to manage ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 services while laying the foundation for new applications and revenue streams.

At the 2026 NAB Show, Triveni will showcase its advanced ATSC 3.0 emergency communications portfolio, including its SkyScraper XM data broadcasting system. Triveni is partnering with Digital Alert Systems and Device Solutions to enable robust emergency paging and public warning capabilities leveraging broadcast infrastructure. The company’s approach supports ATSC 1.0 and is fully ATSC 3.0-ready, allowing broadcasters and public agencies to deploy resilient, future-proof emergency communication systems.

In collaboration with Brazilian technology provider Mirakulo, Triveni will demonstrate a joint dynamic advertising delivery platform for ATSC 3.0 and Brazil’s TV 3.0 over-the-air ecosystems. The system enables targeted ad selection and playback at the TV receiver based on criteria, such as viewer location and viewing habits. The solution is a significant advancement in broadcast advertising. Mirakulo’s AstroTV NEXT platform powers the solution, which enables addressable advertising through dynamic ad insertion delivered via broadband connectivity, allowing personalized ads to be seamlessly delivered to compatible receivers.

Triveni Digital senior vice president of emergent technology development Mark Corl will participate in the “Broadcast Positioning System: Experts Gather to Discuss Current State” BEIT session, Sunday, April 18, at 4 p.m.

See Triveni Digital at the 2026 NAB Show ATSC booth, C1655

PRINCETON, N.J.—The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a new patent (patent number US 12,464,196 B2) to Triveni Digital and Device Solutions for ATSC 3.0 receivers.

The patent demonstrates how the ATSC 3.0 receiver can be used for emergency alerts, thereby improving timeliness and availability of potentially lifesaving information, the companies said.

The patent receiver:

• Analyzes the contents of a custom-defined emergency paging dispatch channel within the ATSC 3.0 broadcast signal.
• Filters data specific to the intended receiver.
• Extends battery life.

The technology leverages ATSC 3.0 infrastructure to distribute dispatch data to first responders, sidestepping the problems associated with transmitting to today’s emergency pagers. The ATSC 3.0-based approach extends coverage, increases reliability and improves latency, they said.

“Together with key partners Triveni Digital (Mark Corl), PBS-NC (Chris Pandich and Fred Engel) and the First Responder Emerging Technologies Program at the North Carolina Department of Information Technology (Red Grasso), we have demonstrated that ATSC 3.0 datacasting can provide first responders with a secure and effective secondary communication channel,” said Tony Sammarco, director, product technology strategy for Device Solutions.

“Supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), live tests with firefighters proved the technology increases situational awareness. The system transmits critical emergency paging data over a secure ATSC 3.0 channel, which does not interfere with HD video broadcasts. Our paging receivers and smartphone applications then alert the appropriate responders, complementing their existing radio and cellular technologies.”

Saying the patented technology demonstrates how Triveni Digital’s 3.0 expertise combined with the “specialized knowledge” of its partners can “achieve breakthrough, mission-critical applications” with the broadcast standard, Mark Simpson, company president and CEO, called the achievement “another powerful demonstration of how ATSC 3.0 technology and our nation’s resilient broadcast infrastructure can deliver real-world improvements for emergency and first responder communications.”

Review the patent online.

More information is available on the Triveni Digital and Device Solutions websites.

CINCINNATI—Oklahoma Community Television (OCT) has selected GatesAir and Triveni Digital as key technology partners in an ATSC 3.0 deployment that establishes a cost-efficient networking model for low-power transmission sites through a convergence of RF and IP technology.

The successful proof-of-concept offers a basis for developing future means for a translator transition to ATSC 3.0, the companies said.

Developed by Jack Mills, general manager of OCT, a division of broadcast group Griffin Media, the networking innovation brings the SRT protocol directly into the RF infrastructure featuring GatesAir transmitters though interoperability with advanced signaling technology from Triveni Digital.

Commonly deployed in live production scenarios, SRT ensures secure and reliable transport of video and audio content with very low latency, with built-in protections to maintain performance across unpredictable IP networks. Broadcasters often deploy SRT over managed fiber connections to maintain broadcast-quality standards. For very distant locations lacking fiber connections, the expense of running lines is often cost-prohibitive.

Mills faced this challenge with at least one OCT translator and inspired him to engineer a solution. Following a thorough testing phase, Mills successfully deployed ATSC 3.0 services to two new GatesAir Maxiva UAXTE-100 translators installed in August. The first stage carries the NextGen TV broadcasts of five Oklahoma City network affiliates over a 90-mile distance.

The five-station feed originates from Nexstar Media Group-owned KAUT-TV’s ATSC 3.0 Lighthouse site to OCT’s translator site in Strong City, Okla., leveraging SRT transport over existing fiber and IP connections. The SRT signal is processed through equipment from DTV Innovations and transmitted locally through the UAXTE-100 on Channel 29.

The much greater challenge was preparing those same services for a second translator site in Elk City, Okla., with no existing microwave, fiber or wired connectivity. Mills favored an off-air RF hop from the Strong City site, which required a solution to regenerate ATSC 3.0 signals for broadcast over a different RF channel.

He ultimately found the Triveni ATSC 3.0 Translator to be a reliable, cost-efficient solution to decode and regenerate the signal for broadcast on Channel 26, reducing equipment costs. The ATSC 3.0 Translator receives and regenerates the signal, applies a unique DRM signature for legal broadcast rights management and hands it off to the GatesAir translator in Elk City, which delivers the ATSC 3.0 feed at 120 W.

“The United States has a very large installed base of approximately 5,000 LPTV and translators operating today. The recent interest in mandating ATSC 3.0 will force many broadcasters to make decisions with their translators: find an affordable way for translators to transmit in ATSC 3.0, or eventually go dark,” said Mills, who is also president of the National Television Association.

“In addition to the transmission, translator operators use microwave systems, some form of IP, fiber and OTA over mountainous terrain and very long distances to reach their translator sites. Our approach proves that affordable IP solutions and OTA can reliably feed ATSC 3.0 signals.”

Triveni ATSC 3.0 Translator integrates seamlessly with OCT’s existing filters, antennas and lines, Mills added, requiring no changes or additional investments in the RF infrastructure. Mills said he is actively exploring the deployment of auxiliary ATSC 3.0-ready services over the same two hops, including a Broadcast Positioning System (BPS) implementation for accuracy and timing.

More information is on the GatesAir and Triveni Digital websites.

BEAVERTON, Ore.—The ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (A3SA) plays a unique and essential role in the NextGen TV ecosystem. As the organization responsible for provisioning security credentials to broadcasters and device manufacturers, A3SA ensures ATSC 3.0 transmissions originate from trusted, Federal Communications Commission-licensed broadcasters and that receivers behave correctly when processing protected content.

To support this mission, A3SA developed a conformance program that allows manufacturers to test their devices against a reference implementation of the ATSC 3.0 security layer. That program relies heavily on Triveni Digital’s GuideBuilder XM, Broadcast Gateway and StreamScope XM Analyzer deployed in a cloud-based environment.

Cloud-Based Certification
Fully cloud-based, the A3SA certification platform is designed to generate and stream ATSC 3.0-compliant signals with precise timing and configuration. Device manufacturers use these streams to validate receiver behavior against A3SA’s specifications. Timing is especially critical in security contexts, where livestreaming is often required to match the device’s internal clock.

After evaluating multiple vendors, we selected Triveni Digital for its expertise in ATSC 3.0, comprehensive product feature set and readiness to support cloud deployment. GuideBuilder XM provides metadata management and transport encoding, enabling us to generate signaling metadata and encode IP streams in compliance with ATSC 3.0 standards. Broadcast Gateway, Triveni’s robust scheduler and signal generator for STLTP transmission, ingests IP streams and outputs STLTP signals to TV 3.0 exciters, supporting multisubframe delivery and real-time bit-rate monitoring.

To ensure the accuracy of ATSC 3.0 streams, we use Triveni’s StreamScope XM Analyzer in the cloud to inspect signaling tables, credentials and timing. StreamScope XM excels at verifying the presence and correctness of critical elements like signing certificates as well as CDT, SMT and CMS signatures.

We are leveraging StreamScope XM as the final checkpoint before test streams are released for conformance testing. In effect, this solution serves as the “truth” for A3SA conformance, helping us troubleshoot issues and validate configurations with precision.

The broadcast streams generated using Triveni’s ATSC 3.0 solutions also inform how the A3SA proxy system should best respond to requests from devices and broadcast gear. This proxy system handles provisioning of keys and licenses in the field, making the accuracy of the broadcast configuration essential to the proper functioning of the entire security infrastructure.

As the primary organization deeply focused on the ATSC 3.0 security layer, A3SA continuously defines new requirements and use cases that push the boundaries of existing tools. Triveni’s team has been highly responsive and agile in delivering patches and enhancements that support our evolving needs.

This iterative process benefits both organizations. Our findings influence Triveni’s product development, while Triveni’s expertise helps us implement new features and refine our certification program. We’re at the tip of the spear—defining requirements, implementing them and completing the ecosystem using Triveni equipment. Together, we’re shaping the future of secure ATSC 3.0 broadcasting.

NextGen TV Lessons
One key takeaway from our experience is the importance of trusted, conformant streams. In broadcasting, once a signal is sent, there is limited opportunity for correction. Without a robust conformance program, device behavior in the field would be unpredictable.

Triveni’s ATSC 3.0 solutions have been essential in establishing that baseline of trust. Their technology enables A3SA to deliver reference streams that ensure consistent performance across devices, ultimately improving the viewing experience for consumers.

The collaboration between A3SA and Triveni Digital continues to evolve, driving innovation and reliability across the ATSC 3.0 ecosystem. As more NextGen TV deployments roll out, the experience gained through this partnership will benefit broadcasters, manufacturers, and viewers alike.

More information is available at www.trivenidigital.com.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital has launched its NextGen TV Innovation Partnership Program, an initiative to support public broadcasters in their transition to ATSC 3.0.

The new program provides access to advanced ATSC 3.0 solutions, fosters collaboration and empowers stations to leverage the full benefits of NextGen TV, including enhanced video and audio capabilities, public safety communication, smart city applications and the Broadcast Positioning System (BPS).

“The ATSC 3.0 transition is imminent, and with unprecedented attacks on federal funding for public broadcasting, securing resources for this transition will be a significant challenge,” Triveni Digital CEO Mark Simpson said.

“At the same time, the new technology offers a tremendous opportunity to enhance services for public broadcasters,” he said. “This initiative is designed to address both the financial challenges and the opportunities presented by the new standard. By providing a collaborative forum for public broadcasters to share perspectives, deployment plans and technical strategies, we can build the critical mass needed to advance the industry ecosystem in support of the sector. By working together, stations can fully leverage this powerful technology upgrade and adopt ATSC 3.0 advancements that benefit their local communities.”

Triveni Digital developed this program to help public broadcasters drive innovation and overcome funding constraints. Participating stations will gain access to Triveni Digital’s full ATSC 3.0 software solutions suite, including GuideBuilder XM ATSC 3.0 transport encoder, StreamScope XM analyzer and monitor, ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway and Station Manager management system—as well as membership on the company’s newly formed NextGen TV Innovation Board.

The Innovation Board will serve as a forum where public media stakeholders can collaborate, share best practices and influence future technology development. During regular meetings, board members will discuss deployment plans, explore use cases and coordinate efforts to accelerate NextGen TV capabilities for education, emergency alerts and community engagement.

The program is open to public broadcasters nationwide and offers special incentives for early adopters. Founding members will receive voting rights on the Innovation Board to help shape the future of the company’s ATSC 3.0 development roadmap for public broadcasters.

“Triveni Digital’s new initiative meets a critical need in the public broadcast space,” said Fred Engel, principal at Fred Engel Technology Consulting, former CTO at PBS North Carolina, and member of the board of the Advanced Television Systems Committee. “This program not only lowers the barriers to entry for ATSC 3.0 but also fosters much-needed collaboration and strategic alignment across the public media sector. It’s exactly the kind of leadership and support our industry needs right now.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital and Brazilian technology provider Mirakulo are collaborating on developing a dynamic ad insertion delivery system for the ATSC 3.0 and Brazilian TV 3.0 (DTV+) over-the-air platforms.

The system enables the selection and playback of ads in TV receivers based on criteria such as viewer location and habits, marking a significant advancement in broadcast advertising technology, Triveni Digital said.

“Our partnership with Triveni Digital represents a significant step forward in broadcast advertising technology,” said David Britto, CEO of Mirakulo. “By combining our expertise in ATSC 3.0 and TV 3.0, we're opening new doors for broadcasters to enhance their revenue streams while delivering more relevant content to viewers.”

The new dynamic ad insertion delivery system provides broadcasters with a capability previously limited to streaming platforms. The end-to-end solution enables broadcasters to reach viewers with highly targeted and personalized ads over the air for selection and presentation in the receiver, the company said.

Compatible with both ATSC 3.0 and Brazil's TV 3.0 standards, the system integrates seamlessly with Triveni Digital's broadcast chain products, including GuideBuilder XM and ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway.

What sets the solution apart is Triveni Digital's expertise in broadcast technology solutions and Mirakulo's deployment footprint and relationships with TV receiver manufacturers in Brazil. This combination paves the way for broadcasters to increase revenue substantially for each ad slot. It also will streamline future implementations in other markets, Triveni Digital said.

“Mirakulo has successfully solved the technical and business issues associated with building a commercially viable dynamic ad insertion delivery system on prior generation TV delivery platforms,” said Mark Simpson, president and CEO of Triveni Digital. “We are excited to combine our expertise to shape the future of broadcasting and anticipate continued collaboration in Brazil, with the potential to impact other markets such as the U.S.”

More information is available on the Triveni Digital website.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital will unveil its StreamScope MT-70 MPEG analyzer offering an advanced web browser for remote access and control during the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The StreamScope MT-70, which eliminates dependence on Java and simplifies compliance with corporate security requirements, offers integrated SCTE-35 logging and Continuous Transport Stream recording to enhance MPEG transport stream troubleshooting, the company said.

Remote video and audio viewing capabilities simplify ease of use for TV station and cable operator engineering teams. Using StreamScope MT-70, TV providers can ensure that DTV services meet all of the latest performance, compliance and quality-of-service standards. Triveni will also offer a StreamScope XM ATSC 3.0 analyzer option, it said.

The company will feature its Station Manager management system that provides broadcasters with a broadcast chain orchestration system for configuration, control and monitoring of ATSC 3.0 and 1.0 chain components. Station Manager also offers an interface to broadcast core networks, managing broadcast jobs such as automated dynamic reconfigurations to optimize service delivery, it said.

In addition, the company will show enhancements to its emergency communications product suite. Triveni Digital will feature its solutions for data broadcast relaying CAP message delivery in collaboration with Digital Alert Systems, along with implementation of ATSC 3.0’s AEI standard. It also will show the latest advancements in its first responder technology, developed in collaboration with Device Solutions and PBS North Carolina, it said.

Company senior vice president of emergent technology Mark Corl will speak April 6 at 11 a.m. in Room W220-221. His presentation, “BPS Mesh Network – Initial Deployment Report,” given during the Broadcast Engineering and IT Conference, will examine actual system deployment.

See Triveni Digital at 2025 NAB Show booth W3067.

More information is available on the company’s website.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Fred Engel, principal of Fred Engel Technology Consulting and an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) board member, has joined Triveni Digital as a strategic consultant.

Engel, who retired in August from PBS North Carolina after eight years as chief technology officer, comes to Triveni Digital after leading the public broadcaster’s efforts to use NextGen TV-based datacasting. His skills and experience will help the company expand its presence in public media and shape solutions for commercial broadcasters, Triveni Digital said.

“Fred is a well-known leader in the broadcast industry,” Triveni Digital President and CEO Mark Simpson said. “We’ve had the privilege of collaborating with him in his previous roles, where we exploited the unique attributes of broadcast technology—including reach, resiliency and system cost—to bring advanced new communications solutions to market. Given his extensive career in public broadcasting, Fred’s talents will be helpful in our outreach to the public media sector, and his insights will be instrumental as we develop new solutions.”

Engel’s career in broadcasting spans 46 years. While at PBS North Carolina, he led a team that collaborated with Triveni Digital, Device Solutions and the Wireless Research Center of North Carolina to develop a system that leverages ATSC 3.0 to enhance notifications for first responders. He also led efforts to bring remote learning applications via ATSC 3.0 to students in homes with limited or no broadband connectivity, the company said.

“I am thrilled to be supporting the efforts of Triveni Digital,” Engel said. “They played a pivotal role in developing the ATSC 3.0 standard and were influential in helping PBS North Carolina create a digital paging system for first responders. Triveni Digital is a smart, savvy organization with unparalleled experience in ATSC 1.0 and NextGen TV, having served the broadcast industry for over 25 years. I look forward to assisting them in driving new growth going forward."

See Triveni Digital at 2024 NAB Show New York booth 1219.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Of all the new technologies offered to film and TV production in the last decade or two, HDR probably received the warmest immediate reception. While single-camera production has been an early adopter, the demands of producing legacy formats side by side—and in real time—has made HDR slower to grow into multicamera work.

Kevin Salvidge, Sales Engineering and Technical Marketing Manager at Leader/Phabrix referred to a recent EBU session on the subject, noting the complexities involved. “They are concerned that this is appearing too complicated, and that’s preventing HDR [from] becoming mainstream—the knowledge and the power is in the hands of a few people,” he said. “If you’ve got one of those people on your production, bingo, the world’s your oyster. If not, how do you do this?”

The answer, Salvidge goes on, will involve both new equipment and new techniques, but decisions made now are likely to be foundational. “We are currently defining the workflows for the next twenty years,” he said. “The workflows that now seem to be universally adopted are a single master production. The vision mixer is cutting UHD, wide color gamut HDR, so any sources that are not 4K, wide color gamut, high dynamic range are upconverted. That’s close to the workflow the BBC used for the coronation.”

Little Room for Error
As a supplier of test-and-measurement equipment, Phabrix might not ordinarily expect to be involved in that sort of signal processing. Salvidge describes a process of convergence: “The HDR supervisor is the only person who sees HDR Images, and is having to compare both of them. The camera will also output HDR and this is normally where a conversion product sits. And if you’ve got a production, let’s say the FIFA world cup final, with 42 cameras, that’s a lot of kit, a lot of potential to go wrong.”

With Leader and Phabrix now under the same umbrella, some efficiencies have been realized, Salvidge adds. “What we’ve done with the Leader product is the ability for a LUT to be loaded into the waveform monitor, so now you remove that conversion product,” Salvidge says. “You switch on the LUT and you can see the picture, waveform, vectorscope, and the CIE color chart, and the beauty of that is the same LUT is being applied on the output of the truck as well.”

That kind of technical consolidation helps everyone, though Salvidge tells us that the concerns of vision engineering for HDR has also provoked some changes in tools, too.

“The Leader and Phabrix products, in the old days, used to display one analysis tool, or a quad split with four of them,” Salvidge says. “If you’re doing HDR, you need the picture, the waveform, the vector, the CIE chart, and you may be monitoring other parameters as well. You need to have more than four tools.

“So now you’ve got this customizable layout, on both products, which allows you to save it for a particular operation you’re doing,” he added. “We have a lot of freelance people who walk around with their setup on a flash key.”

There will, however, always be considerations which are creative, and harder to characterize on a test-and-measurement display, as Salvidge points out. “They’ve changed the way they shoot. Originally they’d focus on, say, a skier. You have very skilled camera operators, three or 4 km away. They’ll pick up a stick man doing almost 100 kph and they’d have a fairly wide shot. The guys who did the HDR testing said 90% of the screen was white, but you now see them frame the shot so you get the forest in the side… it changed the way they thought about the production, how they framed the shot.”

‘We’re the Plumbers’
With HDR likely to coexist with conventional pictures for the foreseeable future, trucks will be producing two separate outputs—but production has long demanded different outputs for different distributors.

Ralph Bachofen, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Triveni says his company deals less with the picture content and more with the way it’s moved around.

“I’ll differentiate between quality of service and quality of experience,” Bachofen begins. “We’re focussing on the transport layer. We do monitor the experience, we look at black frames, but… we’re focussing on the signaling aspects of it. We’re the plumbers.”

Distribution to vastly different platforms can make things even more complicated, as Bachofen explains. “A lot of people do a number of streams or production environments for different formats. You have very country-specific encoding requirements. How do I hand off these requirements to my main broadcast? How do I hand it off to my channel partners? You see a lot of encoding going on, a lot of activity in this field.”

The move toward IP, Bachofen reflects, makes for a lot of rationalization, with entirely new features as well as new maintenance demands.

“Can you make a box that does all of it?” Bachofen muses. “The answer’s yes—our StreamScopes handle multiple simultaneous stream inputs. You don’t want a box per stream, you want a single box that does multiple ingest.

“We have a large engineering staff who work on these requirements, and it’s not just video,” he adds. “There’s the vast requirement you get for security patches on the OS. The minute you put a device on an intranet, their IT departments require you to have the latest and greatest security patches.”

That unity of purpose can stretch the definition of test and measurement to provide an overview of an entire operation, a market need Triveni addressed at the 2024 NAB Show with the launch of Station Manager.

“Say, at 3 a.m., you want to do some datacasting… you add this in the Station Manager and you want to push this down to individual devices,” Bachofen said. “We look at whether this is a valid configuration. We help the engineering staff in each station to ensure they have valid configurations of the whole broadcast chain.”

Customer Feedback
Interra Systems is another QA provider that focuses on monitoring the entire production chain as well. The range of issues that can arise are more numerous than ever, particularly when it comes to HDR.

“Working with UHD, HDR files involves managing multiple aspects, including resolution, wide color gamut, high dynamic range, and frame rates,” the company wrote in a recent blog. “Each of these factors can contribute to different quality issues. Potential problems could manifest as blurriness, digital ghosting, color banding, and tone mapping. These issues may arise from mishandling wide color gamut, HDR metadata, or improper frame rate adjustments. It is crucial to adopt tools to address these conditions and ensure a smooth transition between HD and UHD content.

Many media workflows involve up-converting 1080p HD content to 4K UHD and processing both standard dynamic range (SDR) and HDR outputs. However, mix-and-match scenarios introduce their own set of problems,” the company said. “Upscaling the resolution can introduce artifacts like blurriness, digital ghosting, etc. Likewise, frame rate up-conversion can lead to temporal artifacts for e.g., motion jerks. Upscaling the dynamic range and color can lead to color banding.

Most of these new features are already part of Interra’s BATON file QC solution, according to Interra.

“First and foremost, we have ensured that we have complete format support right from capture to delivery. This includes capture and distribution formats like TIFF, SonyRaw, DPX, ProRES, AVC, HEVC etc. On the QC side, we have already added support for Color Banding, Digital Ghosting, Aliasing, Motion Jerk, measurement of Light Levels for HDR and more. Feedback from the customers is key here.”

The technology for supplying that chain with HDR material, meanwhile, requires technology which is still growing in maturity. Charlie Dunn, senior vice president and general manager of Test & Measurement at Telestream, describes some new solutions to the vision engineering challenges of HDR.

As Dunn puts it, “a vectorscope in HDR space isn’t that useful. What’s more useful is a CIE chart [color space], but that’s a 1930s thing, and it’s not that great for determining if you're out of bounds. We’ve made a number of innovations—we’ve pitched a couple of papers at SMPTE, and we’re working on that toolset.”

Bringing the long-established competence of experienced people into such a new discipline requires some lateral thinking Dunn adds.

“People are so used to looking at a waveform and vectorscope to shade the camera. So, we’ve given them additional tools—one of them is a false color map. You can look at the greens on the pitch, the white lines, the reds of a jersey, so you can make sure they’re in bounds. If they’re not, they turn to a cyan or some unnatural color, so the operator can check the colors are right.”

The complexities of HDR have sometimes led to a degree of engineering conservatism, often with the result that color is limited to a range that’s actually somewhat less than could ideally be achieved.

“People are really interested in whether the CIE chart is going outside the P3 color space,” Dunn muses. “But that’s based on displays of 10 years ago. I have a feeling that’ll go by the wayside. I don’t see a lot of people doing that—I think it’s a problem they currently have and is not something they’ll constrain themselves to going forward.”

With that in mind, Dunn says, Telestream has sought advice from people who do this on a daily basis.

“Someone like Sky has some tremendous engineers, and we’ve worked really closely with them on adjusting our tools,” Dunn said. “They have a really long roadmap for us of things they’d like to see. They're looking at it from the point of view of how can I make things easy for the operator. That’s how false color came about, that’s how the luma-qualified CIE charts came about. I’d say on a scale of 1-10, we’re probably at a three. There’s a lot of ground for us to cover.”

The transition that’s in progress, Dunn says, is not quite like those which have come before.

“A lot of people are doing things in different ways. In the transition to UHD, nobody really had to do anything differently. Going to HDR, especially for people using test and measurement gear, I think over the next five years the best methodologies will find their way to the top. How people build their facilities, what they make remote, what they decide to put in the cloud, on the basis of having experience. We worry about the screen area which is ten inches across—we worry about how much information we can display in a small space!”

“But it’s good for us,” Dunn concludes. “It means they need more test equipment!”

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital has announced that Capitol Broadcasting Company—the owner and operator of WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, WILM-TV, and WNGT-TV in North Carolina—has selected Triveni Digital's award-winning Station Manager to simplify the operation and delivery of NextGen TV and ATSC 1.0 services. 

Capitol Broadcasting Company will deploy the industry-first Station Manager solution across its stations, setting up a foundation for efficient management of ATSC 3.0 operations, the companies said. 

"We are excited to renew our collaboration with Triveni Digital, a trusted technology partner and longstanding advisor for NextGen TV," said Peter Sockett, director of engineering and operations at Capitol Broadcasting Company. "Deploying Triveni Digital's Station Manager was a strategic decision that will streamline our ASTC 3.0 and ATSC 1.0 operations, saving us both time and money on a corporate-wide level."

Triveni Digital's Station Manager will provide Capitol Broadcasting Company with a single interface for configuration, control, and monitoring of ATSC 3.0, ATSC 1.0, and virtual channels broadcast chains. The Station Manager offers control over every step of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast chain, including encoding, ROUTE/MMTP server, gateway, statmux, usage metering, delivery, and service availability. Using the Station Manager, Capitol Broadcasting Company will save time by not having to separately configure and manage NextGen TV equipment, the companies reported. 

"By adopting our industry-first, state-of-the-art management system, Capitol Broadcasting Company is lighting the path toward more efficient ATSC 3.0 and 1.0 operations," said Ralph Bachofen, vice president of sales and marketing at Triveni Digital. "The Station Manager will provide Capitol Broadcasting Company with a single, easy-to-use interface for controlling NextGen TV services, which is ideal for a broadcasting entity overseeing multiple stations."

Triveni Digital will showcase the Station Manager at the 2024 ATSC NextGen Broadcast Conference, June 12-14, in Washington, D.C. More information about Triveni Digital products is available at www.TriveniDigital.com.

This month I’ll focus on what I saw on the exhibit floor at NAB Show. This isn’t a comprehensive overview of all the RF and transmission exhibits and show news—other articles in TV Tech do that well. Instead, I’ll be looking at a few exhibits I found interesting. Next month I’ll discuss other RF technology topics from the show, including BPS and 5G Broadcast.

Rohde & Schwarz
Many broadcasters purchased Rohde & Schwarz THU-9 transmitters during and after the repack, so I wasn’t surprised that Rohde’s unveiling of its new UHF TV transmitter, the TE1, attracted a large crowd Monday afternoon despite its location in the South Hall, far away from other transmitter and distribution exhibits.

Some of the changes are apparent looking at the transmitter. Unlike the THU9, which was designed for worldwide use, the TE1 was designed specifically for the U.S. market where higher power transmitters are required. The exciters mount horizontally in the rack, allowing up to 14 amplifiers per cabinet and increasing the per-cabinet output power to 24.5 kW. Looking at the back of the transmitter, you can see the changes in the combiner output and load. 

Also, the power input is now at the top of the cabinet, cleaning up the wiring on the right side (from the rear) power distribution panel. (The colorful LED cabinet lighting in the photo is not available as an option.) 

The exciter includes the ATSC 3.0 modulator—a separate SDE-900 unit is not required. Reflecting the TE1 North American market focus, the specifications show ATSC and ATSC 3.0 as the only supported standards. The product brochure says it is “Prepared for 5G Broadcast.” 

End-to-End ATSC 3.0 Transmission System
Anywave showed a complete ATSC 3.0 signal chain that will make it easy for broadcasters, particularly LPTVs, to switch to ATSC 3.0. It includes the encoder, gateway and scheduler, and exciter. 

A key feature of the gateway/scheduler is a custom design using FPGAs rather than software running on a server. This enables a complete ATSC 3.0 encoder, gateway/scheduler and exciter in three rack units of space to consume a fraction of the power required for a server-based system. 

Their AW9200 Exciter+ can be configured for use as a translator for ATSC 3.0 with a gateway option that allows modification of signaling at the translator site without additional gateways.

Smart Dummy Load
As transmitters become more efficient, engineers are taking a closer look at the power consumed by dummy loads in systems with multiple transmitter cabinets. When one of the cabinets shuts down, the combiner becomes unbalanced. 

In a two-cabinet system, this results in half the remaining power going into a reject load. This doesn’t happen that often, so any power used to cool the dummy load while both cabinets are operating normally is wasted. 

Dielectric’s solution is the “OptiLoad,” which turns on the cooling pumps only when required. This is more complicated than it sounds. If the reject load fails, it will shut down the entire transmitter. Worse, if it fails to shut down the transmitter and a cabinet fails, the coolant pressure and steam generated by the load can cause a mess before the reflected power takes down the transmitter. The OptiLoad includes RF sensors and other features designed to prevent such disasters. 

Simplifying ATSC 3.0 Station Configuration
Most ATSC 3.0 stations set their modulation and coding and PLP configura-tions once and don’t change them. Triveni showed its “Station Manager,” which makes setting, storing and restoring ATSC 3.0 configurations easier. 

Anyone who has looked at the ATSC 3.0 standard knows there are an almost infinite number of configurations available. Changing one parameter can require changing another parameter to maintain a legal ATSC 3.0 stream. The Station Manager interface makes this easier. 

I can also see how Station Manager could become an important part of the broadcast core network, which will allow broadcasters to offer excess data capacity for other uses, such is IoT. This will likely require participating broadcasters to change their transmission parameters to accommodate demand for data delivery with different bandwidth and robustness requirements. 

Broadcast Positioning Service Solution
Many engineers see the ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Positioning Service (BPS) as a key driver of ATSC 3.0 support from the government and perhaps device manufacturers as well. I’ve discussed BPS before and will have more on it next month, but wanted to highlight one product that will make it easier for broadcasters to add BPS capability to their transmission systems. Stations that want to transmit BPS signals will need to precisely time the transmission of the ATSC 3.0 bootstrap. 

The Avateq AVQ-1050 consists of a BPS receiver and a BPS synchronizer, which together compare the received signal with a reference clock and adjust the transmission time to make it a stable, precise time source. It can directly control the transmission time from a Rohde & Schwarz exciter without connection to the gateway and scheduler, which may not be located at the transmitter site. 

ATSC 3.0 for Legacy Cable Systems
As the transition to ATSC 3.0 progresses, there will be a need for cable companies to receive ATSC 3.0 signals. While the ideal scenario would be for the cable companies to deliver a stream that enables most of the ATSC 3.0 features, during the transition, they will need to convert the ATSC 3.0 to a form that will work with their existing set-top boxes. 

To that end, the Sencore TXS3800 ATSC 3.0 to ATSC 1.0 transcoder can provide decryption and transcode video and audio from ATSC 3.0 to ATSC 1.0 formats in an ATSC 1.0 transport stream. 

NextGen-Compliant Dongles
I was happy to see several low-cost set-top box devices displayed in the ATSC booth that support A3SA content protection. However, I’m still looking for an ATSC 3.0 NextGen-compliant tuner I can plug into a USB port of my laptop to view ATSC 3.0 protected content on the road.

Dongles have been available for a few years, but none made it to the consumer market and none I’ve found support A3SA content protection. It doesn’t appear that will happen soon, but after seeing compliant set-top boxes based on Android TV, perhaps it will be possible to create an ATSC 3.0 dongle that will work with Widevine-enabled Android tablets. ATSC 3.0 has many advantages when it comes to mobility so I expect there would be demand for portable ATSC 3.0 receivers, especially in areas prone to hurricanes and other natural disasters. l

As always, your comments and questions are welcome. Email me at dlung@transmitter.com. 

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital has launched GuideBuilder XM Guest Station Edition, which the company will show with other ATSC 3.0 innovations at the 2024 NAB Show, April 13-17, in Las Vegas.

GuideBuilder XM Guest Station Edition is a management solution for broadcasters in an ATSC 3.0 channel-sharing environment that offers 3.0 guest stations full control over their allotted NextGen TV bandwidth independent from the host station, the company said.

It enables stations to optimize video quality, digital rights management and delivery of revenue-generating services, such as datacasting, Triveni Digital said.

"Prior to this version of GuideBuilder, guest stations had to work directly with the host station to configure their ATSC 3.0 services, which was more time-consuming," said Ralph Bachofen, vice president of sales and marketing at Triveni Digital. "With the guest station edition of GuideBuilder XM, we're drastically simplifying ATSC 3.0 operations, enabling NextGen TV guest stations to have total control over their own destiny within a channel sharing ecosystem."

The solution gives guest stations the ability to manage input listing services and outputs via a direct Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) of a Data Source Transport Protocol (DSTP) link to the host station's Triveni Digital Broadcast Gateway or third-party scheduler. It offers guest stations in an ATSC 3.0 ecosystem greater autonomy and control over broadcast operations while ensuring compatibility and coordination with the primary lighthouse station's infrastructure, it said.

GuideBuilder XM Guest Station Edition provides a seamless migration path and is a simple, cost-effective solution for station management. It allows guest stations to make an easy upgrade to a full GuideBuilder XM during their transition to ATSC 3.0. 

See Triveni Digital in NAB Show booth W3051.

More information is available on the company’s website.

We asked broadcast equipment suppliers their predictions for the broadcast industry in 2024. Ralph Bachofen with Triveni Digital weighs in...

In 2024, we envision that broadcasters will start to operationalize NextGen TV, progressing from the trial phase of ATSC 3.0 delivery and exploring its monetization opportunities. For example, with NextGen TV, operators can lease out excess broadcast spectrum for data services.

 This year, we also predict that broadcasters will leverage ATSC 3.0 to drive new revenue through targeted advertising, connected cars and autonomous vehicles, gaming, advanced emergency alerts, IoT, and datacasting.

However, to successfully support new business models such as datacasting services and targeted advertising, it will be critical for broadcasters to have redundancy mechanisms in place — such as an automatic switch-over system or a dual broadcast chain. 

The backup broadcast chain should include all of the components necessary to deliver ATSC 3.0, including encoders, monitoring systems, broadcast gateways, transmission paths, and more.

As momentum for ATSC 3.0 continues to grow, we anticipate that broadcasters — particularly in public state-wide networks — will look for ways to efficiently repeat or translate their existing ATSC 3.0 signal to other areas.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital has announced that the company's vice president of sales and marketing, Ralph Bachofen, will share strategies for efficiently delivering NextGen TV aka ATSC 3.0 at the 2023 Broadcasters Clinic organized by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association. 

During the presentation, "How to Deliver NextGen TV With Minimal Costs, Equipment, and Power Usage," Bachofen will discuss innovative technologies that can significantly reduce the cost of ATSC 3.0 service delivery.

"As ATSC 3.0 deployments accelerate across the United States, it is critical for broadcasters to rapidly and cost-effectively launch NextGen TV services," said Bachofen. "My session at the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association clinic will touch on how broadcasters can achieve greater efficiency when launching and operating NextGen TV, enabling more interactive TV experiences for viewers."

Bachofen's session will highlight how broadcasters can repeat or translate their existing ATSC 3.0 signal to other areas without the need for an entire broadcast chain, thereby minimizing costs, equipment, and power usage. This innovation is ideal for broadcasters working in both public statewide networks and private cloud-based environments, the company said. 

Bachofen is an expert on the role of metadata in the effective provision and monitoring of DTV services in ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 infrastructures. With more than 30 years of experience in ATSC and IP technologies, he will bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to this session, Triveni noted. 

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association session will take place on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 12:45 p.m. Central Daylight Time. More information about the event is available here.

More information about Triveni Digital products is available at www.TriveniDigital.com. 

ATSC 3.0 deployments are booming in the U.S. and evolving past the trial phase onto the monetization stage. While the benefits of NextGen TV have been explored extensively, the broadcast community needs a better understanding of ATSC 3.0 business continuity and post-transition strategies. 

To successfully support new business models such as datacasting services and targeted advertising after migrating to ATSC 3.0, it is important to implement redundancy mechanisms, deliver both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 services, and deploy an overarching orchestration system integrated with the billing environment.

Why Reliability is Critical Post-Transition
According to Pearl TV, the broadcaster group promoting the NextGen TV standard, 75 % of U.S households will have access to ATSC 3.0 by the end of 2023. One of the primary reasons why U.S. broadcasters have deployed NextGen TV is to deliver superior audio and video to viewers, while also enabling better TV reception.

With many stations now in the post-transition phase of ATSC 3.0,  it’s time for broadcasters to start tapping into the new business models enabled by NextGen TV. Leveraging a combination of over-the-air and broadband delivery systems, broadcasters can offer interactive content, innovative service guides, targeted advertising, datacasting services, and more. However, the successful delivery of these advanced TV offerings hinges on quality of service and reliability.

Executing Redundancy Strategies in the 3.0 Environment
Deploying an automatic switch-over system is a simple way that broadcasters can minimize service outages, reduce ad revenue losses, and keep broadcasts running smoothly. Moreover, implementing a dual broadcast chain with all of the necessary ATSC 3.0 delivery components, including encoders, monitoring systems, broadcast gateways, transmission paths, and more,  will guarantee uptime. 

In addition, monitoring NextGen TV streams in real time is vital to assuring a high quality of service. With a state-of-the-art monitoring solution, broadcasters can analyze multiple delivery points to assure a high quality of service for NextGen TV, while increasing operational efficiencies. 

Real-time monitoring systems allow broadcasters to keep an eye on ATSC 3.0 streams and create rules-based notifications to pinpoint and rapidly troubleshoot NextGen TV service quality issues for optimal viewing experiences. It’s important to choose a monitoring solution that supports both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0, as broadcasters will be delivering both services for the foreseeable future.

It is also recommended that broadcasters adopt an orchestration system to oversee the entire ATSC 3.0 broadcast chain. The purpose of the orchestration system is to simplify network operations and management through orchestration, automation, and analytics. An orchestrator also accelerates the process of configuring and monitoring different systems in the broadcast chain through a single interface. 

For example, if an ATSC 3.0 monitoring system detects an issue with the NextGen TV broadcast, it will notify the orchestration system. The orchestration system will then decide whether to switch over from the primary ATSC 3.0 to the backup. Orchestrators essentially automate the entire broadcast environment and minimize human interference in the event of a failure to reduce downtime and lost revenue.

Broadcasters have multiple redundancy deployment options. A backup broadcast system can run on-premises or in the cloud as a SaaS. Both deployment possibilities provide distinct advantages. With an on-site redundancy system, broadcasters gain additional control, while cloud implementations are faster to set up. 

Real-World Success 
ARK Multicasting is a prime example of a nationwide data delivery provider that has seen monetary success leveraging ATSC 3.0. The company has approximately 300 low-power television (LPTV) licenses throughout the United States, putting it in the ideal position to offer datacasting services to millions of households. 

ARK Multicasting’s LPTV stations offer advanced datacasting services, supporting categories such as remote learning, connected car and autonomous vehicles, cloud services and consumer edge data centers, streaming OTT providers, internet service providers, the gaming industry, and more. ARK Multicasting has been able to reliably deliver datacasting services thanks to its fully redundant system that includes a NextGen TV broadcast chain, ATSC 3.0 monitor, and orchestrator. 

To reap the most revenues in a post-ATSC 3.0 deployment environment, broadcasters must have a redundancy plan in place, including automatic switch-over systems, dual broadcast chains, an orchestrator, and state-of-the-art monitoring. By delivering reliable ATSC 3.0 services, stations can ensure an outstanding quality of service for NextGen TV and maximize monetization.

A leader in ATSC 3.0 solutions, education, standardization, and implementation, Triveni Digital is leading the charge for delivering revenue-generating, advanced ATSC 3.0 services. The company’s end-to-end ATSC 3.0 offering is fully redundant and integrated with one of the world’s leading orchestration systems, empowering today’s broadcasters as they operationalize NextGen TV.

Over the years, the cost of good television equipment has bucked the general inflationary trend. For example, you can buy a camera and lens today that is far better than a camera and lens from 20 years ago, and today’s gear will cost just 50% or less of what the camera would have cost you in 2003.

When using that camera back in the day, you probably wanted to view its output on a waveform monitor to get the exposure right. Today’s camera is likely to have a waveform display capability built in that can be called up anytime to check the exposure. So today’s production equipment not only often costs less than ever, it does more than ever.

Of course, video networks are far more complex today, and this complexity means that test and measurement/quality control equipment today has to do much more at the network level than was needed for the simpler networks two decades ago. Much of today’s network-level test gear is evolving with new measurement and analysis techniques, as the video streaming environment gets more complicated and demanding over time.

“As delivery systems have become more complex, the demand for versatile and advanced digital monitoring and analysis solutions has increased,” said Anupama Anantharaman, vice president for product management at Interra Systems. “As a result, single-purpose monitoring gear has taken a backseat to more adaptable multifunctional tools. These tools leverage the power of new content creation and delivery standards—and computer networks—to provide comprehensive monitoring capabilities that cover various aspects of stream analysis and signal evaluation.”

The Impact of ST 2110
Signals that conform to the SMPTE ST 2110 standard have multiple components (video, audio and ancillary data) each transmitted as separate streams. An IP-based stream monitor can analyze, evaluate and route these streams and extract the metadata based on the user’s workflow, providing full flexibility.

“Software-based tools used on an IP network can efficiently extract and analyze this metadata, allowing broadcasters to monitor and verify critical information such as format, timing and identification,” Anantharaman said. “In the context of video, waveform monitors can sometimes fail to detect problems due to human error. However, by using IP-based probes, operators can automate the process of stream verification for today’s vast amount of content.”

Human error notwithstanding, standalone testing and QC devices still have value in many operations and workflows.

“Although the underlying infrastructure of how media is transported has changed, the overall tasks that need to be accomplished by operators and engineers are still fundamentally the same,” said Don Kianian, solutions marketing manager for Telestream. “The workload has increased and the need to manage these workflows efficiently is paramount. 

“Traditional, familiar waveform monitoring tools are still extremely useful to monitor and measure video and audio signals,” he added. “They may also be complemented by other software tools (such as quality control solutions) that can automatically QC content and alert users to media that does not meet spec.”

Telestream serves both OTT and broadcasters, and Kianian said the company is seeing a shift in how the two are evolving.

“We’re certainly seeing OTA adopting more and more OTT technologies and solutions [e.g., cloud workflows, remote collaboration, AI/ML] as part of a broadcaster/content provider’s overall strategy to reach broader audiences and go toe-to-toe with the increasing number of content providers in the market,” he said. “I expect this tug-of-war to continue well into this year and beyond.”

Upgrade to ATSC 3.0
Traditional broadcasters are in the early phases of a soft transition to the ATSC 3.0 standard, which is much more IP-friendly than the outgoing ATSC 1.0. What does this mean with respect to test and measurement equipment, and what lies ahead?

“As the transition to ATSC 3.0 heats up in the United States, we are seeing increased interest in test and measurement equipment,” said Ralph Bachofen, vice president of sales and marketing at Triveni Digital. “The transition to ATSC 3.0 is an opportunity for broadcasters to upgrade their T&M suite.

“With the latest T&M equipment, broadcasters can ensure outstanding-quality NextGen TV services, better understand the new standard, and simultaneously deliver ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 transmissions during the simulcast phase.”

Bachofen explained that single-purpose test gear is still in use, but it has an easily understood limiting factor.

“Single-purpose gear is still in use, especially in the RF realm,” he said. “The trend is to adopt multipurpose systems for service quality assurance and enterprise-wide monitoring. Single-purpose gear is much more expensive than having a solution from one vendor that can monitor multiple demarcation points at the same time.”

The sheer volume of production today means that more test, measurement and quality control gear than ever is needed. And yes, that means devices such as waveform monitors.

“The demands of operational television businesses are largely unchanged in that content has to meet in-house delivery standards as well as regulatory requirements,” said Prinyar Boon, product manager at Phabrix. “This remains the case regardless of how it’s been carried: file, streamed, broadcast, compressed, uncompressed, SDI, IP, MT2TS and so on.”

New Signal Types
Although production facilities need to measure and confirm the quality of signals, the relatively recent (and ongoing) industry transition from SDI to ST 2110 means new test gear is needed for the new signal types, according to Boon.

“To complicate the picture, many of these facilities will use both SDI- and IP-based systems,” Boon said. “We’ve been deeply involved for many years with the development of workflows for live HDR production, and measurement tools for ST 2110 systems using precision time protocol (PTP), while also retaining traditional SDI-based toolsets. 

“So yes, we’d agree very much that the era of standalone gear is over, and without doubt the long-term trend is to have operational and production tools evolve into on-prem and off-prem cloud-based systems.”

In the days when broadcast OTA was the only game in town, broadcasters could rely on knowing that the signal was properly received on a monitor TV in the studio. If the picture/sound were good on that TV, then all viewers were receiving a quality signal.

In the OTT world, it is much more difficult for a program provider to check what the user experience is—especially when dozens of network operators (Comcast, Verizon, Cox, etc.) actually take the signal from the program provider and deliver it to the customer. Ensuring a quality experience in this environment is complicated… but not impossible.

“Because of the user-centric technology in modern video streaming, measuring the quality of the video transmission sent out doesn’t necessarily offer insight into the quality of the video received by the customer,” said Mathieu Planche, CEO of Witbe. “Furthermore, true video service performance is now defined by many more elements than just the image quality alone. User-centric video services need to be tested with user-centric monitoring technology.”

Location, Location, Location
In other words, sensors from the test system must be placed as close to the user as possible to make sure the network delivers the expected quality to the customer.

“Checking that a FAST channel is available on Comcast NOW TV cannot be verified through simple packet loss,” Planche said. “It involves complex interactions between backend systems, cloud-to-cloud integration, device operating systems, content providers, ad providers and various DRM stacks. OTT providers need user-centric monitoring technology to understand the true quality delivered to their end-users.”

This is where artificial intelligence (AI) could play an important role in monitoring networks and responding to failures faster than a human can react. In the meantime, change and growth is constant in the program delivery process.

“As the weight shifts further to online content and live streaming, having a solid grip on the entire chain becomes more important,” said Rajesh Patel, vice president for sales & solutions EMEA at Mediaproxy. “With an ever-increasing scale of sources, using software-based tools and APIs to optimize monitoring workflows will help reduce overall cost and enhance quality-of-service. 

“Teaming up with partners with solutions that straddle multiple disciplines is something to look at as old equipment becomes obsolete,” he continued. “This also includes shifting the thinking towards what the cloud can offer to handle specific pressure points.”

Patel sees that there is still a need for hardware-specific test equipment, even as change is coming.

“Despite the ever-growing availability of software-based tools, traditional hardware-based monitoring equipment is certainly still relevant in today’s monitoring chain,” he said. “This is especially still true for ST 2022-2 as well as for the emerging SDI replacement, ST 2110.” 

LAS VEGAS—Triveni Digital, the ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (A3SA), and Pearl TV today announced that Triveni's StreamScope XM Analyzer and Monitor are the industry's first test and measurement products to support NextGen TV decryption protocols.

Using the new decryption functionality on StreamScope XM, broadcasters can transmit encrypted content in the ATSC 3.0 environment to better understand who their subscribers are and monetize NextGen TV services, while ensuring outstanding content integrity, Triveni said. The effort is part of Pearl's FastTrack to NextGen TV program, to accelerate and streamline the path for adoption of NextGen TV technology. In addition, Triveni Digital and the A3SA security authority have agreed to a multi-year deal to enable the use of Triveni Digital's GuideBuilder XM broadcast chain and StreamScope XM products in their testing and certification services.

"Encryption is a key requirement for delivering ATSC 3.0 services," said Mark Simpson, president and CEO at Triveni Digital. "After a long collaboration with the A3SA security authority and under Pearl's FastTrack umbrella, we are excited to bring this important capability to the broadcast television market. Triveni Digital is a leader in the development and deployment of NextGen TV technology, and adding broadcast decryption to our industry-leading StreamScope XM product line will help to accelerate the monetization of ATSC 3.0 services. We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with Pearl TV to develop leading-edge NextGen TV technology for broadcasters."

Triveni Digital's StreamScope XM offers a comprehensive suite of products for monitoring, analysis, and troubleshooting complex DTV content, now with broadcast decryption and continuous transport stream recording capabilities available. Triveni's GuideBuilder XM and Broadcast Gateway broadcast chain products are powering many NextGen TV deployments in the U.S. and internationally. Pearl has helped to create the security authority to develop protocols for securing ATSC 3.0 broadcast services leveraging the same tools that web-based content services use (i.e., IP-based encryption protocols, device certificates, and rights management technology) in conformance with the ATSC Security Standard for NextGen TV.

"As NextGen TV deployments grow in the U.S., protecting high-value television content is essential," said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV. "We're excited to join forces with Triveni Digital and help to ensure that ATSC 3.0 content, services, and information is well protected and secure."

Triveni Digital is demonstrating its StreamScope XM Analyzer and Monitor at the 2023 NAB Show, April 16-19 in Las Vegas at booth W3251 in the West Hall of the LVCC.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital has announced an expanded partnership with Thomson Broadcast to streamline NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 service delivery by integrating Triveni Digital's StreamScope XM Analyzer and Monitor with Thomson Broadcast's Channel in the Cloud solution.

The integration enables broadcasters to deliver outstanding-quality NextGen TV services and build robust, intelligent Network Operation Centers (NOC).

"As we move past the initial deployment phase of ATSC 3.0 to monetization, assuring broadcast service quality is critical for continued business success," said Mark Simpson, president and CEO of Triveni Digital. "Integrating our StreamScope XM with Thomson Broadcast's Channel in the Cloud enables broadcasters to quickly pinpoint the quality of service issues so that they can deliver a high-quality, engaging, and interactive NextGen TV experience to viewers."

Expanded integration between ATSC 3.0 solutions from Triveni Digital and Thomson Broadcast provides broadcasters with a single point of view for managing the broadcast chain. Leveraging Triveni Digital's StreamScope XM, broadcasters can perform complete real-time analysis of ROUTE, MMTP, and STLTP streams from RF, Ethernet, and file inputs at multiple delivery points, the companies reported. 

In addition, they can perform advanced, real-time monitoring of ATSC 3.0 streams and create rules-based notifications to pinpoint and rapidly troubleshoot NextGen TV service quality issues. Triveni Digital's ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway, GuideBuilder XM Transport Encoder, and GuideBuilder Cloud SaaS are also integrated with Thomson Broadcast's Channel in a Cloud solution, they explained. 

Thomson Broadcast's cloud solution enables broadcasters to create, manage, monetize, and deliver broadcast signals, including over the air (OTA) and OTT, through an innovative and robust channel in the cloud application. The Channel in the Cloud solution comprises ATSC 3.0 playout to signal encoding and distribution, bringing a more interactive and immersive experience to viewers, Thomson said. 

"We are excited to expand our partnership with Triveni Digital and be at the forefront of ATSC 3.0 deployments," said Aby Alexander, president of Thomson Broadcast, USA. "Quality assurance is a critical requirement for monetizing ATSC 3.0 services. By joining forces with Triveni Digital, we can ensure exceptional NextGen TV NOCs for broadcasters, streamlining their ability to monitor and deliver ATSC 3.0 offerings."

Both companies will demonstrate their solutions at the 2023 NAB Show, April 16-19 in Las Vegas at the Thomson Broadcast (W2933) and Triveni Digital (W3251) booths More information about Triveni Digital products is available at www.TriveniDigital.com.

DETROIT—New testing of ATSC 3.0 to determine if the NextGen TV standard is robust enough to hold up to the rigors of video streaming and secure broadband file delivery to moving vehicles has revealed that the standard is indeed up to the challenge.

A field test conducted by the Pearl TV coalition with Auton at the Motown 3.0 Open Test Track here showed how robust the transport layer and software applications of ATSC 3.0 are in delivering non-real-time data. The results of the test along with those conducted earlier demonstrate 3.0’s relevance as a viable, data delivery alternative to reach vehicles, Pearl TV said.

“The Motown Test Track continues to be a lead research and development environment for service providers, like Auton, automakers, OEM vendors, media distributors and internet service providers of all types to convene and foster new application development,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV.

“The innovation from the broadcast industry behind the NextGen TV standard is unbound and is reflective of its commitment to enabling a national wireless data distribution fabric for the automotive industry, which it needs to deliver mobile video, audio and digital content to the on-the-move public," she added. 

Testing was done in concert with the E.W. Scripps Company WMYD 3.0 lighthouse station and was powered by the Triveni Digital Broadcast Chain. Test results proved the ability of the standard to deliver files in a wide range of environments, including urban, suburban and exurban settings, the broadcast coalition said.

“Auton continues to lead the way in developing an ATSC 3.0 mobility platform that is effective, secure and more cost-effective for delivery of essential software updates and infotainment to the connected and autonomous vehicle market,” said Auton CEO Robert Foster. “By pioneering the use of NextGen TV technology, we’re able to satisfy the growing demands of the automotive industry with the ultimate integration that will enhance access to mobile broadband services for consumers, enterprises, fleets and public transportation and personal portable devices.”

The Triveni Digital Broadcast Chain offers a variety of tools to optimize data delivery from the physical layer with the help of forward error correction (FEC) and ModCod settings available via mechanisms like statistical multiplexing and opportunistic data insertion, said Ralph Bachofen, company vice president of sale and marketing. 

“These tools can be applied together or separately on each of the data services according to the business needs and use cases,” said Bachofen.

More information is available on the Pearl TV and Triveni Digital websites.

Part 1 of 2
After three years it was great to get back together with fellow engineers and exhibitors at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. Official attendance was more than 50,000 people but with the new LVCC West Hall and spread-out exhibits with plenty of meeting spaces, it was busy but not crowded. 

Like many attendees I spent time catching up with old friends. With the repack over, the focus shifted to launching ATSC 3.0 and that will be the main topic of my convention review, specifically analysis of ATSC 3.0 signals. 

Saankhya Labs
I looked for low-cost ATSC 3.0 receive devices such as USB tuners, excluding complete TV sets. New at the NAB Show were devices from Saankhya Labs in India. They are using a chip developed with Coherent Logic that can decode all DTV formats, including ATSC 3.0. 

The company does not sell directly to consumers but was showing a smartphone with a built-in ATSC 3.0 receiver as well as a dongle that will work with a smartphone with a USB port. (Fig. 1 shows the dongle in use receiving an ATSC 3.0 broadcast from Saankhya Labs’ low-power transmitter that will be offered for use as a low-power ATSC 3.0 booster.) Tolka also showed a dongle it plans to offer for sale to broadcasters. 

Airwavz
There were several products on display for analyzing ATSC 3.0 signals. The lowest cost options, both from Airwavz, remain the RedZone Receiver Plus (RZR-1400) and new TVXplorer 2.0 software, which was released at the show. TVXplorer 2.0 now includes the ability to decode and analyze Dolby AC4 audio as well as providing thumbnails of all the video streams with up to four concurrent PLPs. With the new version, the price increased to $2,595. The RZR-1400, which uses the Sony receiver chip, is $900. 

I think I was the first person to buy TVXplorer 2.0. I didn’t get it installed in my Windows 10 VM until after the NAB Show but had a chance to test it in Los Angeles. It worked fine, with both video and audio playing along with full details on all the tables and a service guide. 

The software comes with a lifetime license and development is continuing. I was told an update might support the Silicon Dust tuner, which would dramatically lower the cost of the package and help keep it competitive with the alternatives. The dongle and software are available on-line at https://redzonereceiver.tv/ or from Comark or Unisoft. 

Dektec
Dektec showed a new USB DTV tuner that is SDR-based, so it can handle multiple standards and looks like the Dektec USB universal DTV modulator. The device comes with basic software to decode ATSC 3.0 tables, but for a complete analysis, it needs to be paired with software like Triveni’s StreamScope XM or Stream Verifier. 

The software does not currently include a spectrum analyzer but since the receiver is SDR-based it shouldn’t be too difficult to add that in the future. The cost is under $4,000. 

ENENSYS
I knew ENENSYS was one of the leaders in developing ATSC 3.0 scheduler and gateway products but didn’t learn about their range of ATSC 3.0 monitoring equipment until I visited their booth at the show. Their “REFEREE3,” introduced at the last NAB Show in 2019, provides ATSC 3.0 signal characteristic measurements (useful for field tests) as well as stream analysis down to the frame level. 

For more detailed measurements at a fixed location, they have the “Edge Probe.” I don’t have room to list all the features here. See www.test-tree.com/product/atsc-advanced-monitoring-probe/ for details on it and other ENENSYS monitoring products. 

IPguard
Another item that caught my attention was the IPguard, which can monitor ATSC 3.0 STL-TP streams and switch to a backup in case of a failure. The switch depends on a flag inserted in the stream, which I hope will be supported by other scheduler/gateway vendors. 

Promax
All the portable measurement devices I’ve described so far require a laptop or computer for operation. Promax was showing a new standalone portable in their Ranger line that offers ATSC 3.0 reception, including video and RF constellation displays and a spectrum analyzer. With tabs on the display, you can view table content and signal characteristics. 

I was told it will support LDM, which could come in handy for field measurements. It also includes an Ethernet port for monitoring IP streams and logging data on a laptop. Pricing had not been set but was expected to be slightly above the price of their other Ranger units, which would put it in the $10,000 range. As of May 1, no data on this unit was available on the company’s website (promaxelectronics.com).

Triveni Digital
Most readers are familiar with the Triveni StreamScope XM ATSC 3.0, which has become the standard for detailed ATSC 3.0 signal analysis. 

They now offer a lower-cost product, the Stream Verifier, for around $4,000, which provides basic data on the ATSC 3.0 stream and a quick check on the quality and compliance of the stream. It needs to be paired with a compatible ATSC 3.0 receiver such as their dongle, one of the Dektec receivers or the Avateq receiver. 

Avateq
Avateq had their line of ATSC1.0 and ATSC 3.0 monitoring receivers on display, including the AVQ-200. Avateq is now offering STL-TP analysis in their products. 

One thing to keep in mind when considering ATSC 3.0 monitoring is whether the device or software will continue to be able to display video and audio after broadcasters begin encrypting streams. While all the tables and signal characteristics should remain available (unless the device has a key from A3SA, the ATSC 3.0 security authority), they will not be able to display encrypted content. 

Tablo
Preparation for encryption caused Tablo to delay the release of their ATSC 3.0 gateway and DVR product until they could modify the hardware to support the keys. Since the key has to be in secure storage it could not be offered as a firmware update. 

The introduction of digital rights management should not be an issue for most if it can be handled the same way NetFlix, Hulu and other streaming services protect their content. If implementation is more onerous, then it could slow the adoption of ATSC 3.0 by limiting the development of new ATSC 3.0 devices and the options viewers have to receive ATSC 3.0 broadcasts. 

In Part 2, I’ll have more on my experiences with the TvxPlorer 2.0 program, using the HDHomeRun ATSC 3.0 gateway in a portable configuration; a description of the NAB session dealing with drone measurement of antenna patterns and RF system heating; and some transmitter- and antenna-related NAB Show news I didn’t have room to include here. 

As always, I welcome comments and questions. Email me at dlung@transmitter.com. I try to answer all emails promptly, but if I’m busy and the email gets buried, I might miss it. If you don’t get a response within a week or so, email me again.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Mark Corl, Triveni Digital senior vice president of emergent technology development, will present a session on NextGen TV datacasting at the 2022 Broadcast and Engineering IT Conference, Sunday, April 24, 10:35-10:55 a.m., held during the NAB Show in Las Vegas. 

During the session, “Exploring the Benefits of ATSC 3.0 Datacasting and Opportunistic Data Insertion (ODI),” Corl will look at the advantages of ATSC 3.0 as a data delivery platform and outline how broadcasters can implement NextGen TV datacasting and take advantage of ODI opportunities.

"NextGen TV is an outstanding opportunity for broadcasters to deliver advanced, revenue-enhancing services, including datacasting," said Corl. "My BEITC session will highlight how broadcasters can overcome bandwidth challenges and take advantage of new, exciting data delivery opportunities by utilizing bandwidth optimization and intelligent management technologies."

Corl will offer his insights on how to deploy an ATSC 3.0 datacasting environment, sharing use cases and strategies for optimizing the broadcast path through forward error correction, hybrid delivery return path statistics, statistical multiplexing and ODI. The session will highlight why it is important for broadcasters to operate in a unified solutions environment to leverage ODI and bring NextGen TV datacasting services to market.

The presentation will be delivered at the Las Vegas Convention Center in room W307-W309.

See Triveni Digital at NAB Show booth W9418.

More information on the presentation is available online and on the company’s products on Triveni Digital website.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital has announced the launch of StreamScope XM Monitor for NextGen TV deployments. 

Billed as a critical new tool for broadcasters operating in the NextGen TV environment, the ATSC 3.0 professional monitoring, auditing, and logging system is designed to play a pivotal role in delivering a high quality of service for NextGen TV while increasing operational efficiencies for broadcasters.

"ATSC 3.0 deployments are accelerating, and the complexity of the new broadcast environment requires advanced video, audio, and metadata monitoring tools," said Ralph Bachofen, vice president of sales and marketing at Triveni Digital. "Our new StreamScope XM Monitor streamlines NextGen TV operations while enabling broadcasters to provide an outstanding quality of service through state-of-the-art monitoring, reporting, analysis, rules, and auditing capabilities."

Similar to Triveni Digital's industry-leading StreamScope XM Analyzer and other StreamScope XM products, the new StreamScope XM Monitor is built on the company's field-proven, advanced ATSC 3.0 analysis engine. The Monitor performs advanced, real-time monitoring of ATSC 3.0 streams and allows broadcasters to create rules-based notifications to pinpoint and rapidly troubleshoot NextGen TV service quality issues. Data integrity capabilities on the StreamScope XM Monitor ensure accurate delivery of broadcast applications and datacasting content, the company reported. 

In addition, long-term monitoring and reporting capabilities on the StreamScope XM Monitor streamline postmortem analysis, ensuring that broadcasters can deliver exceptional service quality in the NextGen TV environment. Through the solution's auditing capabilities, broadcasters can ensure compliance with key industry regulations including closed captioning, audio loudness, and the Emergency Alert System, the company announced. 

The Monitor offers seamless integration with Triveni Digital's StreamScope XM Analyzer, StreamScope XM Dashboard, and StreamScope Enterprise. By connecting to Triveni Digital's StreamScope Enterprise centralized software solution, the system allows for customizable dashboards and enterprise-wide visibility into ATSC 3.0 service assurance issues for broadcasters to detect, isolate, and resolve problems quickly.

Triveni Digital will demonstrate the new ATSC 3.0 StreamScope XM Monitor at the 2022 NAB Show, April 23-27 in Las Vegas at booth W9418. 

More information about Triveni Digital products is available at www.TriveniDigital.com.

TV TECH: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2022 NAB Show?

RALPH BACHOFEN: ATSC 3.0 is now broadcasting in more than 40 markets covering 45% of the U.S. population, and NextGen TV is expected to reach 75% of U.S. households by the summer. As ATSC 3.0 deployments ramp up, we expect NextGen TV will be a hot technology topic for attendees at the 2022 NAB Show. Datacasting applications within the ATSC 3.0 realm, in particular, will be a key trend as broadcasters look to drive new revenue streams.

TVT: What will be your most important product news?

BACHOFEN: A major highlight at the 2022 NAB Show will be our SkyScraper XM Datacasting System for ATSC 3.0. SkyScraper XM supports standard content distribution and private NRT distribution applications over ATSC 3.0, with optimized data delivery features such as Opportunistic Data Insertion and statistical multiplexing over hybrid over-the-air and broadband delivery systems. We will demonstrate the SkyScraper XM system with a variety of receivers, showcasing its unparalleled scalability and efficiency for delivering advanced, revenue-enhancing datacasting services. 

We are also bringing the new StreamScope XM ATSC 3.0 Monitor to the 2022 NAB Show. The ATSC 3.0 professional monitoring, auditing and logging system plays a pivotal role helping broadcasters deliver a high quality of service for NextGen TV, while increasing operational efficiencies.

TVT: How is your new product different from what’s available on the market?

BACHOFEN: Our SkyScraper XM content distribution system is one of the industry’s first NextGen TV datacasting solutions. It has been successfully deployed by leading broadcasters and universities with living ATSC 3.0 labs in North America, including the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, the largest college in Canada. Our SkyScraper XM system is built upon decades of datacasting innovation from the ATSC 1.0 environment.

TVT: How has the Covid pandemic affected your company's business over the past two years and how will it impact how you exhibit at this year's show?

BACHOFEN: Thankfully, the COVID-19 global health crisis did not significantly alter the way we operate as a company. The biggest impact was not being able to visit with customers and partners in person, due to travel restrictions. We found innovative ways to work with our customers remotely to ensure a smooth ATSC 3.0 transition.

While we look forward to meeting everyone face to face at the 2022 NAB Show, our company is committed to the safety of our employees and customers; therefore, we’ll likely send fewer people to the show than in previous years.

ATLANTA and LONDON—Synamedia has announced that the Fox Television Stations chose its technology solutions to support the rollout of its ATSC 3.0 deployment in the Orlando, Florida market. 

NextGen TV broadcasts were launched in Orlando on July 1. 

Together with partner Triveni Digital, Synamedia is helping enable Fox stations to launch new and better services, and generate new sources of revenue as business models evolve, Synamedia reported. 

In Orlando, the Fox owned and operated station WRBW serves as the ATSC 3.0 lighthouse to host infrastructure from other participating stations as part of the ATSC 3.0 lighthouse model.

Fox is using Synamedia's ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Solution, featuring its virtual Digital Content Manager (virtualized DCM) which provides MPEG-2, H.264 and HEVC encoding, transcoding, statistical multiplexing, splicing, advertisement insertion capabilities and other capabilities from ingest to playout.

"The rollout at our Orlando lighthouse station has gone very well, in large part thanks to Synamedia's proactive help and support," said Jeff Roberts, VP Engineering for WOFL and WRBW, FOX Television Stations. "We are quite happy with selecting Synamedia for this project."

Fox is also using Synamedia's Media Edge Gateway ATSC 3.0 Receiver which delivers professional, broadcast quality signal reception for monitoring and acceptance testing of ATSC 3.0 signals. 

The end-to-end workflow is complemented with Triveni Digital providing their GuideBuilder XM Transport Encoder for ROUTE/MMTP encapsulation, signaling and EPG generation. The Broadcast Gateway is utilized for final transmission signal preparation.

Synamedia and Triveni Digital are managing incoming streams at the lighthouse station to help ensure that the delivery of high quality content, such as a live sports event in 4K, will not disrupt the overall market's bandwidth usage. Synamedia's 24/7/365 support will monitor the overall workflows from its Technical Assistance Center (TAC) in Atlanta.

"This is an exciting time for our industry as the possibilities of ATSC 3.0 and NextGen TV are becoming a reality," said Julien Signès, general manager and senior vice president Video Network, Synamedia. "Synamedia brings a unique approach to advanced video capabilities through our VIVID Compression platform, particularly with our state-of-the-art statistical multiplexing solution, the result of more than 20 years of research. With such levels of precision, broadcasters can be assured that the right amount of bandwidth is assigned, frame by frame, to deliver equal and great quality at every point in the viewing experience. Fox would accept nothing less, and we're thrilled to support their efforts to bring it to market."

PRINCETON, N.J.—As more stations launch NextGen TV broadcasts, Triveni Digital today announced the new StreamScope XM Dashboard software to simplify network monitoring, analysis, and maintenance for NextGen TV. 

Focused on flexible visual monitoring, the user-friendly software allows broadcasters to customize web-based displays containing real-time information from ATSC 3.0 IP and RF streams via Triveni Digital's StreamScope XM software, the company reported. 

By providing customizable views of the characteristics of the video, audio, data, and metadata elements of ATSC 3.0 streams, and enabling the construction of monitoring walls tailored to operational paradigms, StreamScope XM Dashboard assures superior quality of service (QoS) for NextGen TV, the company also noted. 

"As NextGen TV deployments ramp up across the U.S., quality of service will be an important factor in their success," said Ralph Bachofen, vice president of sales and marketing at Triveni Digital. "StreamScope XM Dashboard brings simplicity and versatility to NextGen TV analysis and monitoring through early warning and proactive troubleshooting. With the launch of StreamScope XM Dashboard software, we are addressing an important industry need and ensuring long-term success for NextGen TV services."

StreamScope XM Dashboard is designed to complement the other StreamScope product family members, including the Analyzer, Monitor, and Enterprise. The product family now comprises a complete suite of tools optimized for particular aspects of quality assurance and is ideal for the increasingly complex service mix heralded by ATSC 3.0, Triveni said. 

In addition, users can adapt StreamScope XM Dashboard to fit their exact visual monitoring requirements. Software displays are based on measurable KPIs, such as RF signal properties, RF cartesian graphs, PLP bandwidth bar charts and histograms, service guide schedules and program data, and more, which can be combined and formatted into customized layouts. TV engineers and other key personnel can create dashboards for a single user or for a group of users to enable simpler, enterprise-wide QoS assurance.

The new Dashboard software is available to deploy on existing StreamScope XM platforms and can also be integrated with the StreamScope Enterprise monitoring and management system to create a complete quality assurance toolset.

StreamScope XM Dashboard is also available as an optional upgrade on Synamedia Media Edge Gateway to optimize NextGen TV delivery.

More information is available at www.TriveniDigital.com.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Mark Corl, Triveni Digital’s senior vice president of emergent technology development, will take part in a panel discussion on NextGen TV interactivity during the ATSC 3.0 Summit taking place during Future’s Tech Leadership Series. Corl will use his experience of developing ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 solutions to discuss ATSC 3.0’s hybrid broadcast and IP architecture.

"With ATSC 3.0, broadcasters have the power to take traditional linear viewing to engaging new levels," said Corl. "At the Summit, I'll discuss the interactive layer of ATSC 3.0, which leverages the connection between broadcast and broadband to enhance the user experience, enabling personalized content delivery and increased revenue opportunities for broadcasters."

Joining Corl on the panel will be Greg Jarvis, executive vice president and general manager at Fincons, and Richard Glosser, head of business development at Verance.

With technical deployments of NextGen TV scaling rapidly across the country, the opportunity to define breakthrough products/services and prioritize viable go-to-market business models is timely and tangible, and this ATSC 3.0 Summit will be a conversation center for all of it.

The ATSC 3.0 Summit panel discussion on Interactivity will take place on March 25 from 3:25-4 p.m. ET. For the full schedule or to register, visit the ATSC 3.0 Summit website. 

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital has unveiled an optimized version of its StreamScope XM analyzer with a DekTec 12-port input card, allowing broadcasters and cable operators to analyze multiple ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 streams as well as QAM signals at the same time.

Users can now detect, isolate and resolve quality-related issues for ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 streams and data structures from a single StreamScope XM interface, increasing efficiency and speed and saving expense, the company said.

All 12 channels are demodulated simultaneously, allowing users to monitor a complete network in real time. As broadcasters transition from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0, they can seamlessly switch over each receiver within the software, future-proofing their operations, it said.

Well-suited for stations transmitting multiple ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 signals, duopoly broadcasters and cable operators needing a way to analyze multiple broadcast signals in a single designated market area (DMA), the optimized StreamScope XM analyzer eliminates the need to use separate input cards to analyze multiple 1.0 and 3.0 streams, Triveni Digital said.

The analyzer provides complete real-time analysis of ROUTE, MMTP and STLTP streams from RF, Ethernet and file inputs at multiple delivery points, the company said.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

TAMPA, Fla.—Hearst Television is deploying a software-based ATSC 3.0 solution from Triveni Digital at WMOR-TV, the station group’s MeTV affiliate in Tampa, Fla.

The station will use Triveni Digital’s ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway scheduler, GuideBuilder XM 3.0 transport encoder and StreamScope XM 1.0 and 3.0 combination analyzer, the company said.

The Tampa station is the first in the Hearst Television station group to serve as a lighthouse in the transition to NextGen TV. The Triveni Digital solution supports both 1.0 and 3.0, it said.

"We're excited to serve as the pioneering ATSC 3.0 broadcast transmission host among Hearst stations, ushering in a new era of television for our viewers," said Brian Darragh, chief engineer at WMOR-TV.

"We chose Triveni Digital as our strategic technology partner based on their extensive ATSC 3.0 deployment experience and their contribution to ATSC 3.0 technology. With a comprehensive solution for simultaneous ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 broadcasting, Triveni Digital is helping us ensure an exceptional quality of service for our viewers."

The station is deploying the Triveni Digital unified, software solution in an on-premise virtual server environment. This approach eliminates rack space and saves on power and operational expenses, Triveni Digital said.

The broadcaster will use the company’s ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway server and software for NextGen TV scheduling. The company’s broadcast gateway supports ROUTE and MMTP encapsulation, which simplifies implementation and management of 3.0 services intended to enhance revenue, it said.

With GuideBuilder XM, WMOR-TV can manage 1.0 and 3.0 metadata. StreamScope XM analyzers will be used to perform RF and IP measurements to assure service quality, the company said.

More information is available on the Triveni Digital website.

Broadcasters in the U.S. are rapidly migrating from ATSC 1.0 to NextGen TV. With ATSC 3.0, broadcasters have the ability to transform the television experience, offering better reception, higher quality video and audio, interactivity, innovative service guides, datacasting and a host of other exciting new features to viewers and business partners. 

However, the transition to ATSC 3.0 is complex, especially concerning the intricacies of channel sharing agreements. Stations in a local market must work together to determine the details of service level agreements, network clearances, hosting agreements and more. Once the legalities are agreed upon, there are still several challenges broadcasters face from a technical standpoint. 

As a leading provider of ATSC 3.0 solutions, with a comprehensive understanding of the ATSC 3.0 environment and extensive real-world deployment expertise, Triveni Digital has gained significant practical experience in NextGen TV. Let’s look at the essentials of ATSC 3.0 deployments and key discussions that need to take place in a channel sharing environment.

EXAMINE INTERMARKET DISTRIBUTION VARIABLES

An important conversation that needs to take place between TV stations is who does what. Stations need to decide who will distribute what programs within the designated market area (DMA) and in what quality before they can proceed with delivering NextGen TV. This is essential for establishing Service Level Agreements (SLAs), bandwidth utilization, rating measurement and translation tools. It’s common for one station to act as host and receive downstream information from other stations. Beyond choosing the host station, determining the intermarket distribution variables can be challenging for various reasons. 

One issue is bandwidth limitations. A common scenario is for station A to have a subchannel that will be distributed by station B. This begs the question whether station B has enough bandwidth to distribute the subchannel and at what quality of service. Will the subchannel be available in HD? Will it be 720p or 1080p? 

The conversation might then evolve into how to get programs from one station to another. A reliable communication such as fiber link or microwave is recommended. If the stations are not already connected, they could utilize an internet service provider to transport uncompressed audio and video over the network from point A to point B.

CHECK TRANSMISSION READINESS

In a channel-sharing environment, it’s critical to ensure the transmitter is ATSC 3.0-ready. While some stations may have already upgraded their transmitters during the repack, it’s still necessary to check with transmitter and exciter vendors to confirm licenses are up to date for ATSC 3.0 service delivery. If this step is forgotten during the preparation time frame, the launch of ATSC 3.0 services could be delayed.

During this phase, broadcasters should also test whether facilities are equipped to handle the power levels required for ATSC 3.0 transmissions. A common situation is for a low-power broadcaster to become an ATSC 3.0 host station. To extend their reach to more households, the station must increase its transmitter power.

CONFIGURE THE ATSC 3.0 BROADCAST CHAIN

Correctly installing and configuring the ATSC 3.0 broadcast chain is another essential step. The ATSC 3.0 broadcast chain comprises a wide range of equipment, including an ATSC 3.0 transport stream encoder, video/audio encoders, packagers and a broadcast gateway/scheduler. It’s important during setup to deploy a broadcast stream analyzer, stream verification software and more. In the deployment phase, an end-to-end service monitoring solution is needed. 

Configuring the ATSC 3.0 broadcast chain is important to ensure that ATSC 3.0 delivery components, such as multisubframe and multi-PLP delivery, as well as interactivity, work smoothly. Here are a few tips for configuring the ATSC 3.0 broadcast chain:

• ATSC 3.0 stations should define the number of services within the MODCOD (modulation and coding). This involves configuring the broadcast chain to ensure RF is optimized for each transmission.  
• Consider that there are multiple physical layer pipes (PLPs) in an ATSC 3.0 channel sharing environment. Some broadcasters may want to handle their own PLP to maintain control over their broadcast, which needs to be defined. Additionally, stations may want to create a second PLP to use in a more robust (i.e., mobile) environment in the future. This should be outlined clearly between all of the channel sharing stations to guarantee optimal bandwidth use. 
• Furthermore, stations must examine their PSIP generators and configuration. By moving ATSC 1.0 programs to other ATSC 1.0 lighthouses, PSIP configuration changes are needed, and additional PSIP licenses might be necessary. To move one program from station A to B, PSIP needs to be modified. 
• It’s up to each station to decide if they want to implement content security or signing. Those stations that choose to implement content security and signing have to perform a test with an encryption company and the ATSC 3.0 broadcast chain provider to ensure it works smoothly and accurately.  
• Another vital question for stations to ask is whether they want to support optional broadcast applications, such as virtualization or interactivity. When ATSC 3.0 is more commonly deployed, these applications will allow stations to fully personalize and brand their broadcast transmission. 
• Lastly, to optimize bandwidth usage, utilizing an encoder and packager that supports statistical multiplexing, in coordination with the transport stream encoder, may be advantageous in the transition phase. As stations add more services, subchannels and data delivery in the future, statmux will continue to be essential for boosting bandwidth utilization efficiency. 

TEST SYNCHRONIZATION AND TIMING

Synchronization and timing are imperative in the ATSC 3.0 environment since the entire workflow is IP-based. There are many stations that currently rely on GPS. However, GPS isn’t effective if the equipment is running in the cloud. Even a slight difference between the two clock references can cause the lip sync or EPG timing to be off, resulting in service degradation. To confirm the broadcast gateway and exciter are in sync, stations need an accurate clock reference. An NTP or PTP external synchronization reference will avoid timing issues that can affect service quality. 

CONCLUSION 

The final step for ATSC 3.0 channel sharing stations is to test ATSC 3.0 service delivery. At least one of the stations involved in a channel-sharing agreement should have an ATSC 3.0 broadcast stream analyzer to monitor the real-time behavior of ATSC 3.0 service delivery, as well as verify that broadcast applications are showing up properly. 

The ATSC 3.0 environment is infinitely more complex than ATSC 1.0, but the result is highly rewarding: ATSC 3.0 stations can support innovative service guides, addressable content delivery, interactive program enhancements and data broadcast applications. By partnering with a technology provider that offers interoperability with third-party technology vendors and experience in NextGen TV deployments, stations can streamline the transition and start delivering better TV. 

Ralph Bachofen is vice president of sales and marketing at Triveni Digital.

PRINCETON, N.J.—As its TV stations in Portland, Ore., went live with NextGen TV, Meredith turned to Triveni Digital and its ATSC 3.0 technology to support the transition.

The stations, KPDX and KPTV, are using Triveni’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.

The StreamScope XM analyzers perform RF and IP measurements for service quality, while the StreamScope XM Verifier enables the stations to receive, verify and record ATSC 3.0 broadcast streams via ROUTE, MMTP or SLTP protocols.

The Triveni technology supports both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0, helping the Meredith stations maintain quality of service across both delivery platforms for the next few years via unlicensed portability in the DMA.

“Delivering a high-quality television experience to viewers is of the utmost importance as we embrace this new broadcast television world, which offers interactive program enhancements, innovative service guides and many more benefits,” said Tom Casey, vice president of technology at Meredith. “Triveni Digital is our longtime technology partner, and we trust their expertise to provide unparalleled levels of reliability, flexibility and efficiency during this transitional period from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0.”

For more information, visit www.trivenidigital.com.  

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital today announced ATSC 3.0 Cloud, a service that enables broadcasters to launch NextGen TV services faster and more efficiently.

The solution, which integrates Triveni Digital’s software-based ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway scheduler, GuideBuilder XM ATSC 3.0 transport encoder and third-party systems, is available with a software-as-a-service (SaaS) business model.

“ATSC 3.0 will create important new opportunities for U.S. broadcast television stations, including the ability to deliver advanced emergency alerts, program guides and targeted advertising," said Ralph Bachofen, vice president of sales and marketing at Triveni Digital.

"By adopting our ATSC 3.0 Cloud service, these exciting NextGen TV services can be delivered with maximum efficiency. This solution is the next step in Triveni Digital's overall strategy to empower broadcasters and enable a smooth, cost-effective transition to the next era of TV,” he said.

The service offers instant scalability and upgradeability, offering broadcasters the flexibility to grow. The new service supports the Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) protocol, which minimizes the effects of jitter and bandwidth changes. It also ensures a secure communications path in the cloud, protecting content from contribution to distribution, the company said.

The pay-as-you-go model is especially attractive to broadcasters in small and mid-sized markets, said Triveni Digital.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LONDON & ATLANTA—Synamedia this week announced a partnership with Thomson Broadcast and Triveni Digital to offer an ATSC 3.0 channel-in-the-cloud solution to advance broadcasters’ uptake of NextGen TV, as well as a new professional ATSC 3.0 RF and IP receiver for MVPDs. 

“Our partnership was formed in response to broadcasters’ concerns over having to disrupt their current on-prem systems to trial ATSC 3.0,” said Elke Hungenaert, vice president of product management at Synamedia. “Our offering shows that a channel-in-the-cloud solution is readily available, while facilitating broadcast personnel to trial both operation and support of ATSC 3.0 with minimum disruption of their current on-prem systems.” 

The 3.0 channel-in-the-cloud solution will help stations looking to trial and deploy NextGen TV quickly and cost-effectively without disturbing 1.0 operations before buying ATSC 3.0 equipment for their facilities, Synamedia said.

“In addition, the channel-in-a-cloud system we built is demonstrable as a disaster recovery scenario, whereby switchover from on-prem to cloud-based infrastructure can be shown with less than a two-second disruption of the consumer signal,” said Hungenaert.

The companies bring their own unique technologies and expertise to the solution. Synamedia is drawing on its encoding and packaging capabilities from its video network portfolio; Triveni Digital on its GuideBuilder and Broadcast Gateway; and Thomson on its tower transmission products.

“The ability to trial ATSC 3.0 channels in the cloud will be a game changer for station operators in terms of capex savings, beginning with deployments of ATSC 3.0 lighthouse configurations using the cloud,” said Triveni Digital President and CEO Mark Simpson.

PLUS: NextGen TV Poised to Break Out in Big Way in 2020

The solution also makes it possible for broadcasters to benefit from the NextGen TV standard’s ability to transmit IP packets over the air and over the top. “‘Channel in the cloud’ enables broadcasters to synchronize and orchestrate over-the-air transmission and cloud applications with an ATSC 3.0 signal, enabling a compelling, interactive and immersive experience,” said Aby Alexander, president, USA, at Thomson Broadcast.

Synamedia’s new ATSC 3.0 receiver takes advantage of the company’s Media Edge Gateway software-based integrated receiver/decoder (IRD). The new receiver will allow cable operators to trial 3.0 signals and deploy NextGen TV on a smaller scale with cost efficiency and flexibility by selecting features at their own pace, Synamedia said.

Not only will the new receiver make it possible for cable operators to capitalize on the ATSC 3.0 market, it will act as a bridge between the IP-based NextGen TV standard and MPEG Transport Stream-based ATSC 1.0 standard by allowing them to receive signals from broadcasters correctly, the company said.

“The promised benefits of ATSC 3.0, including high-quality video and audio, cross-screen capabilities, targeted advertising and interactivity, are closer than ever to becoming a reality,” said Julien Signes, senior vice president and general manager, Video Network, at Synamedia. “Cable operators are well-positioned to augment the value of these new services, and the availability of an ATSC 3.0 receiver for MVPDs is the key to unlocking widespread adoption for ATSC 3.0,” he said.

In lieu of product demos that would have taken place at the cancelled 2020 NAB Show, Synamedia has placed video demos of its products online. 

More information is available on the Synamedia website. 

LAS VEGAS—As the industry prepares for its transition to NextGen TV, Triveni Digital’s lineup of 2020 NAB Show products will highlight how they are ready to support the ATSC 3.0 standard.

To help with streaming ATSC 3.0 from the cloud, Triveni will showcase its software-based ATSC 3.0 broadcast gateway scheduler, the GuideBuilder XM ATSC 3.0 transport encoder. GuideBuilder XM is available as a software-as-a-service business model, includes support for the Secure Reliable Transport protocol and can be integrated with third-party systems.

Triveni has also updated a number of its StreamScope line of products for ATSC compatibility. The new StreamScope Enterprise platform allows broadcasters to manage a collection of quality assurance elements, view overall system status and launch problem solving sessions for detected faults. Enterprise can connect to StreamScope XM for ATSC 3.0 broadcast streams and StreamScope MT-60 Analyzer for ATSC 1.0 input analysis. Broadcasters can also view the status of ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 services in real time from the same dashboard, while custom dashboards are available as well.

The next-generation of the StreamScope XM Analyzer software application is also ready for its NAB Show debut, version 1.2, which receives, verifies and records ATSC 3.0 broadcast streams. The analyzer accepts inputs via ROUTE, MMTP, SLTP protocols or ATSC 3.0 OFDM. The new version features include rules-based monitoring, enterprise integration, advanced transcoding functionality and a user-friendly dashboard that speeds up quality-assurance operations in the NextGen TV environment. The XM Analzyer is also available as a combo unit with the StreamScope MPEG analyzer.

For all of its StreamScope product family, Triveni Digital has created a new modular, software-based architecture. The modular approach allows users to have core Analyzer, Monitor or Dashboard functions available on the same base hardware platform while also being able to add capabilities via software upgrades.

In addition to those, Triveni plans to show its new SkyScraper XM content distribution system for ATSC 3.0. The platform supports professional content distribution and Non Real Time distribution applications over ATSC 3.0, with optimized data delivery features over hybrid over-the-air and broadband delivery systems.

Rounding out Triveni’s offerings is its Transition Market DMA licensing model for ATSC 3.0 to help with the migration to NextGen TV. When broadcasters purchase Triveni ATSC 3.0 products, they get free licenses for corresponding ATSC 1.0 systems, including the right to reconfigure license instances.

Triveni Digital will be located at booth N1803 during the 2020 NAB Show, which runs from April 18-22 in Las Vegas.

For more information, visit www.trivenidigital.com.  

PRINCETON, N.J.—Sinclair Broadcast Group has chosen to go with Triveni Digital as a supplier for its service quality assurance operations with an eye toward being compatible with both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 standards so as to be future-proof.

Specifically, Sinclair purchased 30 StreamScope XM MT ATSC 1.0 Analyzer and ATSC 3.0 combo units, as well as 10 StreamScope XM Verifier software applications.

The StreamScope XM MT Analyzers will allow Sinclair to perform RF measurements, such as modulation performance analysis, error vector magnitude, pre- and post-FEC bit error detection, frequency shift and sample rate offset. With the StreamScope Verifier, Sinclair can receive, verify and record ATSC 3.0 broadcast streams via ROUTE, MMTP or SLTP protocols. The StreamScope Verifier works as an app on Windows-compatible devices.

“Our ATSC 3.0 broadcast analysis and verification tools provide Sinclair with improved service visibility and portability, enabling its stations to quickly detect, isolate and resolve issues with the complex new broadcast technology,” said Mark Simpson, president and CEO of Triveni Digital. “Just as important, our combo systems help maintain quality across both generations of the ATSC standard.”

More information can be found at www.trivenidigital.com. 

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital is partnering with South Korean TV solutions provider ATBiS on the production of its new ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway that is designed to make it easier for broadcasters to transition smoothly to the next-generation digital television standard.

“ATBiS is well-known in the Korean broadcast industry for its leading technology and reliable products,” said Ralph Bachofen, Triveni Digital vice president of sales and marketing. “By working with ATBiS to integrate its broadcast gateway with Triveni Digital's ATSC 3.0 broadcast chain, we can provide our customers with a solidly engineered solution backed by Triveni Digital's expert development and support team. We're excited to provide a one-stop shop for ATSC 3.0 solutions here in the USA."

The new gateway, developed by ATBiS and offered by Triveni Digital, is compatible with Triveni Digital’s range of 3.0 solutions, such as the StreamScope XM Verifier, StreamScope XM MT Analyzer and GuideBuilder XM 3.0 transport encoder.

“By partnering with Triveni Digital, we can bring this important piece of the puzzle [the broadcast gateway] to broadcasters in the U.S. as they adopt ATSC 3.0 and the exciting range of services it provides,” says Sam Eom, president and CEO at ATBiS.

Mark Simpson, president and CEO of Triveni Digital, notes South Korean companies and research institutes have been working aggressively to develop ATSC 3.0. However, they “find it challenging to meet the U.S. broadcast market expectations for customer support and ongoing engineering,” he explains.

“This collaboration exemplifies our strategy to adapt solutions from leading technology companies to the U.S. broadcast environment, while providing our first-class customer support for the unified platform. We found that ATBiS has both great technology and people, and we look forward to a long and successful partnership," says Simpson.

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

NEW YORK—Video software provider Synamedia and program guide and metadata management specialist Triveni Digital have announced a partnership to make seamless ATSC 3.0 transitions a reality for television broadcasters.

The collaboration aims to assist broadcasters that must maintain their existing ATSC 1.0 service while putting 3.0 on-air.

Triveni Digital’s Digital Broadcast Chain, which included GuideBuilder XM and Broadcast Gateway, supports a unified platform for a coherent workflow across both services, the companies said.

Synamedia’s compression technology and advanced solutions make it possible for broadcasters to repack existing ATSC 1.0 services and free up needed bandwidth to launch 3.0 services, they added.

Working together, the companies can equip broadcasters, content providers and service providers with tools to deliver best-in-class viewing experiences and at the same time meet their service requirements for image quality, bandwidth efficiency and transcoding and encoding for multiscreen distribution, they said.

“We were impressed with Synamedia’s track record of speed of deployment and uptime, both of which are key for ATSC 3.0 integration. These attributes, combined with their strong value proposition, made it an easy decision to work together on integrated comprehensive solutions” said Mark Simpson, president and CEO for Triveni Digital.

The collaboration is a particular boon to joint customers, especially those in the United States who can look to the companies to meet their 3.0 transition needs, he added.

“As the industry gears up for this major shift to increased broadcast capabilities with ATSC 3.0, combining the breadth of our portfolio and scale with a leading specialized vendor like Triveni will bring the best-of-breed solution to market more quickly,” said Julien Signes, SVP and GM of Video Network, Synamedia.

The companies also announced they have collaborated on deployment of solutions with a major U.S. TV production company.

See Synamedia at NAB Show New York booths N1143 and 1145.

See Triveni Digital at booth N1064.

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

NEW YORK—Triveni Digital has unveiled what it will be bringing to this year’s NAB Show New York, taking place Oct. 16-17, and leading the way are updates to its end-to-end ATSC 3.0 systems to help broadcasters with the impending ATSC 3.0 transition, including enhancements to the company’s StreamScope line, the GuideBuilder transport encoder and Advanced Emergency Alert Editor.

New features have been added to the StreamScope XM Verifier software application for receiving, verifying and recording ATSC 3.0 broadcast streams via ROUTE, MMTP or SLTP protocols. Among the new updates is support for multiple PLPs within a broadcast transmission. The StreamScope XM Verifier also now has a range of RF advancements to improve analysis and visibility into ATSC 3.0 quality of service.

Triveni will also demonstrate how its products can control and distribute interactive emergency applications and information in an ATSC 3.0 environment. This new solution is comprised of Triveni’s AEA Editor and GuideBuilder XM ATSC 3.0 transport encoder, as well as Digital Alert Systems’ DASDEC emergency messaging platform and a software receiver from Alticast. It also has user-interface templates based on AWARN focus groups and developed in support with NAB Pilot.

Triveni and Alticast also collaborated on a new system that enables an interactive viewing experience based on ATSC 3.0 capabilities. A demo at NAB Show New York, developed with Michigan State University’s WKAR-TV PBS station, will show how the educational viewing experience can be enhanced with next-gen TV interactive content and companion device features. The system is powered by Alticast’s software receiver and Triveni’s end-to-end ATSC 3.0 broadcast service delivery system.

NAB Show New York will be held at the Javits Convention Center, with Triveni Digital located at booth N1064 on the exhibit floor.

PRINCETON, N.J.—As Next Gen Television gets closer to being applied, Triveni Digital is launching a new product designed at assisting with the delivery of ATSC 3.0 services. The Broadcast Gateway is a device that supports ATSC 3.0 broadcast services in HD and UHD, allowing for stations to generate ATSC 3.0 signal information via user-defined transmission parameters.

The Broadcast Gateway generates STL-TP with L1 and L2 signals upon receiving one or more IP streams of data from a transport encoder; it then sends signals to the station’s ATSC 3.0 exciter. Triveni offers the device in software or hardware versions that support multi-sub-frame and multi-PLP functions. There is also an optional external clock that enables broadcasters to deliver ATSC 3.0 services over an SFN. Its support for STL-TP ECC helps ensure the correction of transmission errors.

The Broadcast Gateway is a new addition to Triveni Digital’s portfolio of ATSC 3.0-related products, which cover things like program guide, advanced emergency alerting, broadcast stream encoding and digital TV metadata management.

Triveni Digital will demonstrate the Broadcast Gateway, as well as its other ATSC 3.0-related products at the 2019 ATSC Annual Broadcast Conference in Washington, D.C., from May 29-30.

WASHINGTON—During the ATSC Next Gen TV Broadcast Conference from May 29-30, attendees will be treated to new developments from DigiCAP and Triveni Digital and how they are utilizing the next-gen television standard.

DigiCAP is planning on demonstrating a simultaneous live reception of ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 through a single home gateway. Supported by Sinclair Broadcast Group, DigiCAP will acquire a live ATSC 1.0 signal from WJLA-TV in D.C., while an ATSC 3.0 signal will be acquired from the Baltimore/Washington Sinclair ATSC 3.0 experiment SFN. The ATSC 3.0 signal will be delivered through DigiCAP’s DigiCaster head-end system and the live signals will be converted to broadband using a DigiCAP HomeCaster home gateway device. The Wi-Fi distributed video will be simultaneously displayed on a TV screen and tablet while the control UI for the demo will be viewable on a separate laptop.

“This demonstration is important because it shows that the home viewer experience of watching over-the-air TV can be as convenient as watching OTT services on the same devices,” said Sang Jin Yoon, DigiCAP senior vice president of business development.

For Triveni Digital, the conference will be a chance to showcase its end-to-end ATSC 3.0 solutions suites made up of the ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway, StreamScope XM Verifier, StreamScope XM MT analyzer and GuideBuilder XM ATSC 3.0 transport encoder, all of which support ATSC 1.0 and 3.0. The main focus will be on the ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway, which enables stations to generate ATSC 3.0 signal information for HD and UHD broadcast service delivery. The Gateway can integrate with Triveni’s GuideBuilder and StreamScope analyzer family. The StreamScope XM Verifier, meanwhile, verifies ATSC 3.0 quality assurance metrics from a Windows 10 laptop.

The ATSC Next Gen TV Broadcast Conference will take place from May 29-30 at the Ronald Reagan Center in Washington, D.C.

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

SOUTHWICK, Mass.—Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark and Triveni Digital have signed on the dotted line for a reseller agreement that covers transmission, test and monitoring systems used in ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 integrated systems.

The details of the agreement appoints Comark as an authorized reseller of Triveni Digital hardware and software, including program generators, metadata management, data broadcasting and test and monitoring systems. Through Comark Digital Services, Comark will focus on the North American broadcast DTV market for ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 technology.

As ATSC 3.0 deployments are beginning to occur, Triveni Digital’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Ralph Bachofen, points to Comark’s history in the U.S. broadcast market as a way to better address the needs of broadcasters during this new era.

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

LAS VEGAS—As the industry continues to build toward the next generation television standard, Triveni Digital will use the 2019 NAB Show to showcase how its latest products incorporate and support ATSC 3.0 for a number of different uses, including ad replacement, service guides, emergency communication support, addressable content delivery, interactive program enhancements and data broadcast applications.

Part of Triveni’s lineup that helps with both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 is the StreamScope family of analyzer and monitors. The new StreamScope XM Verifier is a software application for receiving, verifying and recording ATSC 3.0 broadcast streams via ROUTE, MMTP or SLTP protocols. It can verify ATSC 3.0 quality assurance metrics, including video, audio and metadata.

Updates to the StreamScope XM MT broadcast stream analyzer will be showcased, among which are rules-enabled analysis, an implementation of Dolby AC-4 audio system analysis and rendering, watermarking and a new dashboard and video wall designed to simplify quality assurance operations.

The StreamScope MT-60 analyzer will also be featured. This system allows broadcasters to make RF measurements and identify and isolate RF layer performance issues. Its software update allows users with an ATSC 1.0 system to support ATSC 3.0 analysis capability.

Triveni also has plans to show the SkyScrapper XM datacasting system for hybrid content distribution. In this ATSC 3.0 era, the systems delivery capabilities will enable delivery of data and applications via broadband or broadcast.

Designed for program and service guide creation, Triveni’s GuideBuilder XM ATSC 3.0 system has also received some new upgrades. GuideBuilder features ROUTE and MTTP encoding, as well as advanced watermarking or signing for content security. It offers unified functionality per the ATSC 3.0 standard, as well as support for legacy standards.

Attendees can visit Triveni Digital at booth N3908 throughout the NAB Show.

To register for the NAB Show, visit www.nabshow.com.

LAS VEGAS—In addition to the setup that it will have at its booth for the 2019 NAB Show, Triveni Digital will share its expertise as part of the Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology Conference at the show. Specifically, company executives Mark Carol, senior vice president of emergent technology development, and Dave Catapano, senior vice president engineering, will be speaking about the interactivity and security requirements of ATSC 3.0.

Corl is scheduled to give two presentations during BEITC. “ATSC 3.0 Interactive AEA Enhancement Toolkit” is the first and gives an overview of the ATSC 3.0 standards in regards to emergency notifications and the aspects of deploying a broadcaster workflow to support it, as well as how broadcasters can use software tools to customize and optimize an AEA enhancement workflow to their environment. This talk will be held April 6 from 3:20-4:40 p.m. in room N260B of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

On April 7, Corl will present “Practical Aspects of ATSC 3.0 Interactive Content Development. In this presentation, Corl will examine the A/344 standard, with a focus on practical aspects of deploying interactive broadcaster applications to ATSC 3.0 receivers. It will also cover the features that the A/344 standard provides and how new platforms can simplify these interfaces via software development kits. This talk will go from 1:50-2:10 p.m. in N256.

Catapano, meanwhile, is giving a talk titled “Requirements and Workflow for Creating a Secure ATSC 3.0 Broadcast.” This session will look into new security requirements involved with creating and transmitting ATSC 3.0 broadcast streams, which require a chain of trust for both core signaling and enhanced content. Catapano’s talk is set for April 6 from 1:30-2:50 in N260D.

At Triveni Digital’s booth, N3908, the company will feature its metadata generation, transport stream analysis, monitoring and troubleshooting systems.

The BEITC will run in conjunction with the 2019 NAB show from April 6-11. To register for the NAB Show, visit www.nabshow.com.

PHOENIX—The Phoenix Model Market Station, a collaboration of the Pearl Group’s members, several local stations in Phoenix, and broadcast networks, is making great progress in the development and testing of ATSC 3.0 with the help and participation of many in the industry.

The focus of the Model Station is on testing new business models and developing end-to-end systems as well as workflows required for broadcasters to take full advantage of the new ATSC 3.0’s added capabilities. The Model Station also provides an “open test bed” where ecosystem providers can work together in a practical setting to ensure their systems interoperate, which is a key aspect of preparing for commercialization of ATSC 3.0 in the USA.

MORE THAN JUST AN ANALYZER

Given the Project’s goals and the work process that involves so many participants as well as early ATSC 3.0 equipment, it was critical that we have robust test tools that support the ATSC 3.0 standard. To do this, we purchased the portable version of Triveni Digital’s StreamScope XM MT ATSC 3.0 stream analyzer. More than a comprehensive ATSC 3.0 analyzer, the system supports analysis and validation across the wide range of ATSC 3.0 standards, from the RF layers to the upper-level data structures, in a visual and intuitive way.

The XM MT supports ROUTE/MMTP decoding, advanced RF measurement, multiple PLPs, video rendering, intuitive data structure analysis and visualization features. The product can support multiple simultaneous inputs, and is designed to support the analysis needed at key system demarcation points in the transmission infrastructure. Those include ROUTE/MMTP, STLTP, and RF. While the ATSC 3.0 standard evolves and matures, Triveni Digital will provide future feature updates, including a rules-based monitoring capability.

We have used the StreamScope XM MT throughout the project, and it’s been instrumental in resolving key issues. After the initial broadcast chain was set up, it helped us debug downstream STLTP issues, for example. Since XM MT functions as an ATSC 3.0 receiver, when initial receivers were not available, the product helped us verify the service. At our recent plugfest and ATSC 3.0 technology conference, the XM MT helped validate pairwise integrations and track down any potential issues. A key aspect of the product is its support for work group analysis, with the full user interface available for multiple simultaneous remote users.

LAPTOP VERSION COMING SOON

At this stage of industry development, a robust, reliable and extensible analyzer is critical. There will be a continuing need for this technology throughout the life span of ATSC 3.0. While we purchased this product in a portable form, it is also available in rack mount packaging, and we understand Triveni Digital plans to make laptop versions available in the future. StreamScope XM MT is a featured analyzer that fulfills an essential role in getting and keeping ATSC 3.0 infrastructures running. Triveni Digital has indicated that a less-featured product, built on their comprehensive analysis engine, is also being developed.

We have found that Stream- Scope XM MT’s intuitive user interface, and comprehensive feature set enables users to quickly detect, isolate, and resolve issues. While inevitably different from the user interface in Triveni Digital’s StreamScope MT MPEG stream analyzer for ATSC 1.0, we have been happy to see that Triveni Digital has designed a user interface that makes a complex standard approachable. We also believe it would also be an excellent learning vehicle for engineers who need to get a hands-on and deep understanding of the ATSC 3.0 system and technology.

Dave Folsom is a consultant to the Pearl TV Group and the former CTO for Raycom Media. He can be reached atdave.folsom@pearltv.com.

For more information, visitwww.trivenidigital.comor call 609-936-3411.

For comprehensive coverage on ATSC 3.0, visit TV Technology's ATSC3 silo.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Rapid acceptance of IP video is driving many changes to traditional test and measurement equipment. There will always be the need for familiar quality control devices like waveform monitors and vectorscopes, but studios and content creators today also need the ability to examine the data they generate — and that data is increasingly distributed at blindingly fast speeds.

Couple that with the LCD/LED and microprocessor revolutions, and a lot of today’s test gear looks nothing like what was used 20 or 30 years ago. As dedicated video distribution facilities (think SDI) are replaced by IP networks, test gear manufacturers are sprinting to keep up with the new measurement realities — often coming up with innovations in the size, capabilities and performance of the latest test and measurement products.

“The test requirements for SDI systems are relatively well known and documented,” said Ian Valentine, business director for the video product line for Beaverton, Ore.-based Tektronix. “However, as the industry transitions to IP-based technologies, a whole series of new measurements is required to understand what is happening on the network during the transmission of packets containing video, audio and metadata. This includes packet loss, packet jitter, RTP sequence errors, and packet timestamp delay factors to mention a few.”

IP VIDEO TRANSPORT STANDARD

The recently developed SMPTE 2110 standard for IP transmission of professional video, audio and data is a big reason why there is a need for IP test gear in a television environment.

“There are a whole series of measurements around the timing of video, audio and data against PTP [precision time protocol] to keep the network synchronized,” Valentine said. “Timing is particularly important when dealing with the SMPTE 2110 standard where the video, audio and data essence is all sent in separate streams. Being able to test the integrity of the separate data paths is essential to ensuring that transmission reliability is maintained.”

With 12G-SDI and the latest high-speed Ethernet networks, even the most mundane basics have to be reconsidered. Take, for example, the BNC connector.

“As the industry transitions to IP-based technologies, a whole series of new measurements is required.” —Ian Valentine, Tektronix

“The BNC connector that the industry has used for more than 50 years is a spring-loaded bayonet — and using the real-time eye capabilities of the Phabrix Qx, you can see that this technology is right on the limit simply by touching and waggling the BNC connector and cable,” said Prinyar Boon, product manager for U.K.-based Phabrix. “Around 10mV signal amplitude variation is typically observed per connection. Return loss requires serious consideration and the extremely high rise and fall times specified can result in significant eye degradation with small changes in geometry. The good news is that correctly designed interfaces are very robust and reliable, and will operate at all SDI rates from SD through to 12G.”

‘DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL’

BNC connectors are just the tip of the iceberg.

“At a very high level, going from 3G-SDI to 12G-SDI is the same, only faster — but the devil is in the detail,” Boon said. “However, the bandwidth change from 3 GHz to 12 GHz, or more typically 1.5 GHz to 12 GHz, means that 12G-SDI is much harder to implement. Components, printed circuit board material, stack buildup and physical layout all have to be remodeled, reselected and re-optimized. Even the bond wiring within an IC [integrated circuit] now has a significant impact on performance, and the latest generation of ICs are looking to use flip-chip technology to overcome this.”

Once the signal leaves the broadcaster’s facility and heads toward the viewer, IP distribution networks outside the studio are different in many ways from those inside.

“The main idea is to take a holistic view to analyzing the end-to-end content delivery chain, looking at the whole picture to determine the ‘cause-and-effect’ of any issues rather than simply isolated parameters here or there,” said Ted Korte, chief operating officer for Melbourne, Fla.-based Qligent. “Each method of content distribution — from ATSC 3.0 broadcasts to OTT delivery — has its own vital metrics, but it’s important to evaluate everything ranging from low-level quality-of-service metrics [which are very signal-specific] to humanly-perceivable QoE metrics.”

One popular way of television distribution has long been the cable TV industry, which has adopted hybrid-fiber/coax technology to deliver both traditional cable TV channels and broadband service. The standard for interleaving cable TV and bidirectional data on the same network is called DOCSIS (data-over-cable service interface specification), which is now up to DOCSIS 3.1 Full-Duplex.

[Read: NAB Show Product Review — Signal Processing & Analysis]

With cable networks supporting bandwidth from 0 Hz to 1.2 GHz, it is a tough job to test and validate their performance. Rohde & Schwarz is one company that has a test set that can be used to test and maintain performance on DOCSIS cable networks, going up to 1.8 GHz for downstream signals to the home.

WHAT’S IN THE FUTURE?

There is a lot going on with technology in the television industry, so what looks to be one of the trends for test and measurement gear in the next couple of years?

“From [our] perspective, ATSC 3.0 will gain momentum over that timeframe,” said Ralph Bachofen, vice president for sales and marketing at Princeton, N.J.-based Triveni Digital. “This, of course, will include HDR and other advanced technologies and protocols as part of the migration. This makes it critical using a flexible test and measurement solution that can adapt based on market changes and advanced applications.”

On the production side, it’s clear that 4K is the target standard for production and its associated test devices.

“We see a demand for UHD/4K 3G- and 12G-SDI based systems,” Boon said. “With the 2018 Winter Olympics, Royal Wedding and 2018 World Cup all being shot and now distributed live in UHD HDR, there is clear proof that the technology is viable. Simultaneously shooting live productions in both conventional standard dynamic range [ITU-R BT.709] and HDR [ITU-R BT.2100] with wide color gamut poses its own set of challenges. This is particularly true with a mix of SDR/709 and HDR/2100 sources, be they cameras, replay systems or graphics devices.”

Every part of the production chain will need to be monitored to maintain the pristine quality to which viewers have become accustomed.

“Successful production of HDR/WCG content requires the right tools and new measurement techniques,” Valentine said. “Camera setup, for example, is more crucial than in the past given the risk of creating issues (e.g., noise in dark areas) that can’t be fixed in post-production. New techniques are also required to monitor the various camera log formats and conversion to PQ (perceptual quantizer) or HLG (hybrid-log gamma). HDR/WCG content production is the future.”

This is just a quick look at the corner of the industry dedicated to test and measurement, but it demonstrates how new standards bring new methods to examine and maintain the quality of those standards.

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WASHINGTON – The Advanced Television Systems Committee has announced that Mark Corl of Triveni Digital is the 2018 recipient of the organization’s highest technical honor, the Bernard J. Lechner Outstanding Contributor Award. The presentation this week capped the two-day ATSC NextGen TV Conference at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center.

Corl serves as Chairman of the ATSC's Technology Group 3 Specialist Group 34-4, an ad-hoc group working on the Runtime Environment for ATSC 3.0 applications. He led the development of A/344, the Interactive Content Standard.

"Mark Corl's leadership helped to form the Interactive Content Standard, and he was a key technical contributor and facilitated group consensus to complete this important element of ATSC 3.0,” said ATSC President Mark Richer. “Mark also serves as Vice Chair of the Personalization and Interactivity Implement Team, where he has coupled his detailed knowledge with practical understanding to develop real-world applications and services. In addition to those things, Mark also chairs an ad-hoc group working on ATSC 3.0 Transition Documents for broadcasters."

As Triveni Digital’s Senior Vice President of Emergent Technology Development, Mark works on new technologies that impact digital TV distribution, with a special focus on IP-delivered content. During his 20-year tenure at Triveni Digital, Corl has led the metadata generation systems development and continues to lead the test and measurement monitoring systems development effort.

Prior to Triveni Digital, Corl had 15 years of software engineering experience at leading companies including Texas Instruments and Xerox Corporation. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and computer science from Bucknell University.

The Lechner Award is bestowed annually to an individual representative of the ATSC’s membership whose technical and leadership contributions to the ATSC have been invaluable and exemplary. The title of the award recognizes the first recipient in 2000, Bernard Lechner, for his outstanding services to the ATSC. The honoree is selected by the ATSC Board of Directors and presented at the ATSC’s spring meeting. Lechner passed away in 2014 after a long career in TV technology

Read about the man behind the award.

Previous recipients of the award:

2000 – Bernard Lechner, Consultant

2001 – Rich Chernock, Triveni Digital

2002 – Regis Crinon, Microsoft

2003 – Glenn Adams, Extensible Formatting Systems, Inc 

2004 – Graham Jones, National Association of Broadcasters

2005 – John Henderson, Hitachi

2006 – Art Allison, National Association of Broadcasters

2007 – Mark Eyer, Sony Electronics 

2008 – Michael Dolan, TBT

2009 – Wayne Bretl, LG Electronics/Zenith

2010 – Pat Waddell, Harmonic

2011 – Jim Starzynski, NBC Universal

2012 – S. Merrill Weiss, MWG Group

2013 – Mark Aitken, Sinclair Broadcast Group

2014 – James Kutzner, PBS

2015 – Luke Fay, Sony

2016 – Madeleine Noland, Consultant to LG Electronics

2017 – Skip Pizzi, NAB  

WASHINGTON—Triveni Digital will demonstrate an end-to-end, real-time, scalable HEVC (SHVC) workflow with compression developer ATEME, at the ATSC Annual Meeting in Washington D.C, May 23-24. Leveraging Layered Division Multiplexing (LDM) and real-time Scalable HEVC (SHVC) technology in an ATSC 3.0 environment, the joint solution offers increased bandwidth efficiency for broadcast content delivery over the air and via broadband.

The demo will feature a full chain of ATSC 3.0-compatible equipment including Triveni Digital's GuideBuilder XM metadata generator and MMTP/ROUTE encoder, a TITAN encoder from ATEME, a broadcast gateway, a transmitter, and the Samsung ATSC 3.0 television prototype for reception. Additionally, Triveni Digital's StreamScope XM MT ATSC 3.0 analyzer will be utilized to showcase the two layers of MMTP/ROUTE data.

The joint demonstration from Triveni Digital and ATEME combines the physical-layer scalability of LDM with real-time SHVC to showcase efficiency boost in spectrum uses, as well as improved robustness when multiple mobile/indoor low-quality HD (1080p) and fixed high-quality UHD (2160p) transmissions are simultaneously serviced. ATEME's TITAN real-time SHVC encoder is capable of MPU/DASH packaging, simultaneous multiple-HD encoding, and statistical multiplexing. Triveni Digital's GuideBuilder XM integrates seamlessly with the TITAN encoder, providing signaling, announcements, and MMTP/ROUTE encoding for both OTA broadcast and broadband delivery applications.

[Read: NAB Show Demo To Show Power Of SHVC Encoding In ATSC 3.0 Ecosystem]

"We are very proud to extend our partnership with Triveni Digital in this successful demonstration that will rise the movement toward a flexible ATSC 3.0 deployment," said Mickaël Raulet, advanced research manager at ATEME. "Our TITAN Live encoder provides an evolutive solution for ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 deployments."

"In the past, broadcasters were required to use a significant amount of bandwidth to deliver content over the air and over broadband, which was very expensive," said Ralph Bachofen, vice president of sales and marketing at Triveni Digital. "With GuideBuilder XM supporting SHVC for both OTA and broadband transmissions, this is no longer an issue. We're excited to team up with ATEME on this innovative end-to-end solution, which is ready for real-world deployment."

For a comprehensive list of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see our ATSC3 silo.

PHOENIX — Five broadcast technology vendors, including Dielectric, Enensys, GatesAir, Harmonic and Triveni Digital, will help television broadcasters in Phoenix make the Pearl TV-led ATSC 3.0 Model Market Initiative a reality.

Stations owned by E.W. Scripps Co., Fox Television Stations, Meredith Local Media Group, Nexstar Media Group, Tegna, Telemundo Station Group and Univision are taking part in the initiative, which will test advanced business models made possible by Next Gen TV.

The initiative also will demonstrate that it is possible to transition to Next-Gen TV while maintaining legacy ATSC 1.0 DTV service.

“We are delighted to announce the first group of technology suppliers who will help make the Phoenix model market a reality,” said Pearl TV Managing Director Anne Schelle in a press release announcing the participation of the companies. “This is just [the] first round of key broadcast equipment vendors who are now at work to create an over-the-air ATSC 3.0 deployment.”

[Read: 2018 NAB Show Marks Next Gen TV’s Arrival]

The Phoenix model market will provide an open test bed for all of the stakeholders in the TV ecosystem, according to a press announcement. Several objectives are planned for the initiative, including: confirmation of basic TV service parameters and performance; determining the appeal of HDR and immersive audio to consumers; assessing TV application features and implementation requirements; testing interactive and addressable ad functionality; and determining consumer device and service appeal, the announcement said.

The initial technology deployment supporting the initiative includes:

• Dielectric UT8D7F-3K filter, a 3 kW low-loss, high-efficiency, eight-pole, UHF bandpass filter;
• Enensys ATSCheduler, an ATSC 3.0 broadcast gateway that encapsulated MMT and ROUTE IP streams into an ATSC 3.0 multiplex, allocating data to different sub-frame and physical layer pipes and managing SFN synchronization;
• GatesAir Maxiva AXTE-3 UHF air-cooled TV transmitter for ATSC 3.0 transmission in Phoenix;
• Harmonic Electra X ATSC 3.0 encoding and statistical multiplexer media processor to deliver multiple HEVC programs over DASH;
• Triveni Digital GuideBuilder XM signaling, announcement and transport generator and StreamScope XM advanced monitor and analysis system, both part of the company’s Broadcast Services Management Platform.

All participating vendors will be exhibiting at the 2018 NAB Show, April 7–12, in Las Vegas. Dielectric will be in booth C2613; Enensys will be in booth SU6521; GatesAir will be in booth N3703; Harmonic will be in booth SU610; and Triveni Digital will be in booth N1427.

For a comprehensive list of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see our ATSC3 silo.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Cox Media Group is preparing itself to make the transition to the Next Gen TV standard, as Triveni Digital has announced that it supplied the broadcaster with its StreamScope XM MT analyzer that supports both the ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 standards. StreamScope is an analyzer for dual-standards broadcasting and channel sharing and will help with the transition to ATSC 3.0 for 12 Cox Media Group stations.

The StreamScope XM MT platform acts as a full receiver and allows the stations to perform detailed analysis of ATSC 3.0 streams and data structures. The system can analyze every demarcation point from DASH, ROUTE/MMT and STLTP. It also has added support for advanced RF analysis in both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0.

['Plugfest' Refines ATSC 3.0 Standard]

“Triveni Digital’s solution makes it practical for us to support early deployment of ATSC 3.0 by providing us with a unified service analysis solution that ensures quick detection, isolation and resolution of issues that may arise in either ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 infrastructures,” said Dave Siegler, vice president of technical operations at Cox Media Group in the press release.

For a comprehensive list of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see our ATSC3 silo.

LAS VEGAS—Triveni Digital is set to present its StreamScope Portal II analyzer at the 2018 NAB Show. Designed to simplify DTV transport stream troubleshooting, the StreamScope Portal II features a high-res touch-screen interface, rules-based troubleshooting and advanced RF spectrum analysis in a compact, portable hardware system.

The StreamScope Portal II can also be upgraded with ATSC 3.0 analysis capability via StreamScope XM MT software. This enables users to access MPEG quality assurance metrics, including video thumbnails, audio graphs, metadata tables, PID details, EPGs, IP routes, GOP frames and advanced RF spectrum analysis tools. This is important because, with ATSC 3.0, there’s a greater chance that errors can degrade audio and video quality or interrupt services.

This compact, portable unit is ideal for field-testing transport streams at multiple locations. With its convenient, flexible gateway, StreamScope Portal II handles a variety of input options, including Ethernet, ASI and basic or advanced RF and connects to other StreamScope analyzers and remote monitors, and Triveni Digital GuideBuilder metadata management platforms, to assess the health of video distribution plants.

With its video analysis, monitoring and troubleshooting, the StreamScope Portal II cost-effectively handles quality assurance issues as broadcast facilities, and IPTV and cable operations migrate to ATSC 3.0.

The 2018 NAB Show takes place in Las Vegas, April 9-12. Triveni will be in booth N1427. For more information, visit www.nabshow.com.

Read up on all of TVT's NAB Show Sneak Peeks and other 2018 NAB Show news here.