In many countries, TV stations are now providing both analog and digital TV simulcast services. Therefore, TV stations need to simultaneously monitor their analog and digital signals. This application case illustrates an example which contains the following test requirements:

• Receive and monitor multiple analog and multiple digital TV services;
• Decode the DTV signal and display both analog and DTV programs on a video wall, using Multiviewer display;
• Support remote access to the monitoring system and check the signal status;
• It is best to use a single system to support local and remote monitoring.

In order to use least equipment to complete the monitoring task efficiently, Mividi provides the following testing solutions:

• Use a signal converter to convert analog signal to digital TV signal, thus all down-stream process can be completed using digital TV processing equipment;
• Converted digital signal transport stream is sent to an IP switch connected to the Mividi Integrated Multiviewer System (IMS120)；
• Use a demodulator to convert RF signal to base-band transport stream signal outputs from an IP interface, which is also connected to the Switch;
• Use IMS120 to provide comprehensive transport stream analysis on all input signals. In addition, IMS120 will also decodes all programs and display the programs in the video wall. The IMS120 provides necessary features to divide the video wall display so that all programs can be displayed in 1 – 2 TV monitors;
• The IMS120 also supports remote operations so that all test results can be viewed in a regular Windows 7 PC, including video thumbnails.

Figure 1 shows the architecture block diagram of the design.The benefit of using Mividi Integrated Multiviewer System (IMS120) in this application is that it includes multi-image display, audio loudness analysis, and comprehensive transport stream monitoring in a single small platform. Therefore, it significantly decreases the cost of monitoring and trouble-shooting digital TV broadcast and saves a great amount of rack space.

The IMS120 can simultaneously analyze multiple streams received from one or more IP input interfaces. The system can support high bandwidth test and therefore reduce the cost of testing each transport stream. It supports remote operation and is very scalable. Since the software runs on standard Windows 7 based PCs, it is easy to maintain and upgrade in the future.

Features

• Multi-View Video Display

  • Flexible selection of inputs and number of video programs to display
  • Supports MPEG-2, H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC video formats
  • Supports MP3, AAC, AAC+, AC3 audio formats
  • Supports display resolutions of up to 1920x1200
  • Calculates audio loudness according to ITU-R BS.1770-2
  • Allows for full screen viewing of any inputs
  • Displays audio PCM levels on all audio channels, calculates and displays audio loudness level.
  • Displays transport stream error status with color-coded error status label based on error priority as defined in DVB TR 101 290 or ATSC A78.
  • Easy configuration of display panels to change panel size and panel location.

• Real-time Comprehensive MPEG TS layer analysis

  • Standard compliance analysis based on TR 101 290 and ATSC A78
  • Bandwidth utilization and PID monitoring
  • PCR clock analysis
  • Elementary stream buffer analysis
  • Real-time PSI/SI table decoding and table interval analysis
  • EPG decoding and display

• Test Configuration, Log and Alarm

  • Test for user defined profile
  • Configurable thresholds and alarm setting
  • All errors are logged in a database for view and search
  • Email and/or SMS alarm

• IP Analysis

  • Monitors all services on GigE input simultaneously
  • Supports UDP and RTP/UDP protocols
  • Calculates MDI (Media Delivery Index) on all services
  • Multicast support with IGMP Join/Leave capability