Wednesday, April 13, 2011

New RF Video Network Monitoring Solution from Tektronix

Tektronix, Inc., the market leader in broadcast video test, monitoring and analysis solutions, today announced a new solution for monitoring ISDB-Tb broadcasts from the moment video content enters the network until broadcast, helping to ensure superior quality of service (QoS) for viewers. With advanced capabilities like remote monitoring and diagnosis, it helps broadcasters deliver reliable services across massive service areas while minimizing the time experts need to spend in the field tracking down the source of problems.


With the new RFM220 ISDB-Tb RF Channel Monitor, Tektronix is delivering the next generation of monitoring solutions for ISDB-Tb that can not only monitor the physical layer RF signal for error detection but also the underlying MPEG video transport stream. This helps engineers quickly determine whether problems are occurring in the physical layer – which could require time-consuming travel to a remote location – or in stream syntax or metadata.

“Today’s digital content goes through considerable processing before it gets delivered to the end-user. Monitoring the RF signal and the underlying MPEG transport is critical to ensuring the best possible experience for the viewer,” said Eben Jenkins, general manager of the Video Product Line, Tektronix. “At Tektronix we are committed to providing our customers around the world with the relevant solutions they need to solve real world challenges. In the case of ISDB-Tb, remote monitoring and troubleshooting is a critical need that we now fulfill.”

Like similar standards being adopted around the world, ISDB-Tb services are designed to deliver digital TV, HDTV and mobile TV channels to consumer TV sets and mobile/handheld devices. As an advanced standard, it requires an advanced, state-of-the-art monitoring solution. The new Tektronix RF monitoring solution offers extensive capabilities including:

• High performance RF measurements

• MER measurement performance to 37dB

• Channel Impulse Response display and SFN window measurements

• Constellation displays

• Detailed MPEG transport stream monitoring

• Extensive alarms, event logs and 7-day trending of RF metrics

• Complete end-to-end monitoring solution for isolating problems in the DVBS2 Receive-Remux-ISDB-Tb Transmit video signal flow

• A consolidated view of all the monitoring probes across the entire network to give operators a snapshot of the current state of the whole network

About Tektronix

For more than sixty years, engineers have turned to Tektronix for test, measurement and monitoring solutions to solve design challenges, improve productivity and dramatically reduce time to market. Tektronix is a leading supplier of test instrumentation for engineers focused on electronic design, manufacturing and advanced technology development. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix serves customers worldwide and offers award-winning service and support. Stay on the leading edge at www.tektronix.com.