In Broadcast - April 2013 - 86

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

WWW.INBROADCAST.COM | ISSUE 18 - APRIL 2013

N E W S

InTEST
Developments In Test & Measurement Cont.

television and are optimised for use
in the ﬁeld. Since both devices are
equipped with a DVB-S2 decoder
that supports multistream, physical
layer scrambling (PLS) and symbol
rates up to 45 Msymbol/s, they
can also be used to test the studio
transmitter link.
Harris Broadcast comes to the
NAB 2013 Show with several new
Videotek test and measurement
products and enhancements.
Notably, the company will
inject loudness monitoring and
enhanced multi-image display
capabilities into its MSA Series
of multi-source analysis software
products, enabling more test and
measurement functionality in the
compressed domain.
Harris Broadcast offers its MSA
Series for full testing of compressed
video conformance, audio levels
and data services of over-the-air
broadcast, cable, satellite and IPTV
signals. Its multi-source capability
means that engineers can analyse
many transport streams at once,
including IP, RF and ASI encoded
video signals.
At the NAB 2013 Show, the
company will demonstrate how
engineers can simultaneously test
and monitor multiple transport
streams in various display
conﬁgurations. For example, users
can monitor the four most critical
signals in quad-split conﬁgurations
while “shadow testing” other signals
in the background–with the ability
to quickly bring different signals to
the forefront.
ATSC broadcasters and cable/
satellite operators further beneﬁt
from the ability to measure, monitor
and log audio levels for multiple
programme streams–a timely
enhancement with the FCC passage
of the CALM Act to reduce loudness
in TV advertising. Internationally,
new MSA Series capabilities allow
DVB-T2 broadcasters to demodulate
programme-related descriptors and
metadata in transmission headends,
giving users a more complete picture
of content going to air.
“Broadcast and media facilities
today require full testing and quality
assurance of their transport streams,
without being limited to one stream
at a time,” said David Guerrero, Vice
President and General Manager,
Videotek Test and Measurement
solutions, Harris Broadcast. “This
ensures they can monitor many overthe-air channels, web streams and
other video, audio and data signals
without hindrance or exception.”

Harris Broadcast will introduce two
new Videotek products at the show.
This includes the VSG-4TSG test
signal generator, ideal for conﬁrming
video and audio integrity through 3G/
HD/SD/composite test generation;
and the DL-870 video legaliser to
evaluate and correct 3G/HD/SD
signal formats. The DL-870 helps
broadcast, post and production
operators conﬁrm how colour space,
bit rates and other characteristics
compare across various formats–
and what adjustments must be
made to “legalise” a signal for use
in multiple formats.
The VSG-4TSG completes Harris
Broadcast’s portfolio of 3 GB/scapable test signal generation
products, along with its VSG4MTG master timing generator and
VSG-4CSD clock system driver
introduced at IBC 2012 in September.
The master timing generator and
clock system driver products will
receive their North American debut
at NAB. All four products, including
the DL-870, are built on common
platforms to provide familiar, userfriendly operation across test and
measurement applications.

Phabrix’s Rx boasts the capability to
display 16 instruments per channel

Phabrix revealed the latest
developments on its modular Rx
rack mount range for test and
measurement at BVE London last
month. With multiple units being
conﬁgured for use in installations
ranging from engineering bays, OB
trucks and broadcast manufacturing,
the versatile Rx modular system
is fast becoming a first choice
for T&M where budgets are tight
and feature requirements are high,
says the company.
Capable of displaying multiple
channels with the additional of
easy ﬁt modules, the Rx can be
configured with generators and
analysers including the additional
capability of eye pattern automated
measurement, a feature that
PHABRIX has continued to develop
since it was ﬁrst released on its
popular Sx hand held instruments
in 2009. All of its instruments are
SD/HD compliant with an option to
support 3G-SDI.
The Rx already boasts a unique
capability to display 16 instruments

Harris has added loudness compliance to the Videotek MSA-300 multi-source analyser

Phabrix’s interface provides pre-sets and colour coding for active channels

per channel simultaneously via
its HDMI or SDI output at 1920 x
1080 resolution and PHABRIX has
announced a major enhancement
to its modular control interface
providing pre-sets and colour coding
to identify active channels. The Rx
2000 2U will be demonstrating
its new capability to ‘borrow’
instruments from the rasteriser
output to be displayed on the two
inbuilt TFT screens. This enables the
Rx 2000 to be installed for use by an
engineer in the tailgate section of an
OB truck for instance while allowing
the rasterised 1920 x 1080 output to
be used within the OB interior at the
CCU station, the ﬁrst such example
of dual use for test and measurement
in one instrument. PHABRIX will
also be displaying its Rx1000 1U
rasteriser with four modules along
with the diminutive four channel Rx
500 half rack.
“Most users of rasterisers are
restricted to viewing just four
instruments per channel. The Rx
development has re-written all the
rules about instrument display with
an amazing multi viewer display
with instruments conﬁgured exactly
how the user requires it. Some presets might be video centric while
others are audio. For an engineer it
represents a new way to display test
and measurement as part of a central
solution and best seen in action to
really appreciate it,” commented
Paul Nicholls, PHABRIX’s Director
of Sales and Marketing.
At the 2013 NAB Show, Triveni
Digital will showcase the latest
advancements in DTV monitoring
and programme guide metadata
management. On demonstration will
be the StreamScope MT-40 and RM40 DTV transport stream analysis
and monitoring systems.
StreamScope MT-40 and RM40 DTV transport stream analysis
and monitoring solutions feature
advanced audio loudness monitoring
capabilities.
The StreamScope MT-40 provides
end-to-end MPEG-2/MPEG-4
transport stream analysis and
monitoring for DTV services carried

by broadcast, cable, satellite, IPTV
or mobile networks. Using MEPG
analysers, users can monitor multple
ATSC M/H transport streams and
ensure that transport streams
meet current industry standards.
Through a user-friendly interface,
the system displays mobile frame
timing and structure, parade and
ensemble usage, SSC cross-table
analysis and more.
The StreamScope RM-40 helps
operators maintain a high video
QoS by providing comprehensive,
configurable and cost-effective
DTV transport stream monitoring
for broadcast, cable, telco, satellite
and IPTV networks at local and
remote sites. A web-based, colourcoded user interface displays drilldown dashboards, video and audio
thumbnails, dynamic charts and
graphs, and detailed current and
historical reports. After identifying an
error, the system sends meaningful
alarms to station engineers via text
message or e-mail so they can
rapidly troubleshoot errors as well
as analyse and resolve chronic or
network-wide issues.

StreamScope MT-40
DTV transport stream monitoring

Both StreamScope units feature
advanced loudness monitoring
functionalities that allow users to
monitor and analyse audio loudness
according to ITU-R Recommendation
BS.1770-3. This simplifies the
ability of broadcasters to log and
export accurate dialnorm and LKFS/
LUFS loudness measurements of
broadcasts continuously and in
real-time in order to comply with
loudness monitoring legislation.

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