Powerful IPTV testing for service rollout, troubleshooting and monitoring applications
- Full range of test metrics on up to 100 simultaneous streams
- Supports industry-standard media delivery index (MDI), as per RFC 4445
- Supports industry standard TR 101 290 priority 1 DVB metrics
- Full Ethernet test capability and IPTV test metrics on a single platform
- Software option on the FTB-8510B and IQS-8510B Ethernet test modules
Platform Compatibility
- FTB-500 Platform
- IQS-600 Integrated Qualifi cation System
Meeting the Challenge of IPTV Testing
Internet protocol television (IPTV) has brought telecom service providers to take a step from providing best-effort IP (Internet) services to guaranteeing the quality of service that is essential for IPTV services. IPTV is broadcasted over a complex IP architecture; therefore, any network impairment can affect the video and/or audio component of a digital TV program. As a result, service providers are taking a new look at how they roll out new higher-layer services in order to match both IP transport requirements and customers’ quality expectations.
As an established expert in Ethernet and IP technology, EXFO is meeting the IPTV challenge by introducing a new IPTV test and monitoring software option for the FTB-8510B and IQS-8510B Packet Blazer™ Ethernet Test Modules. Along with the existing feature set that delivers performance assurance for Ethernet-based frame services, the IPTV suite of test applications offers all the measurements required for testing video quality and validating service-level agreements (SLAs) between service providers and their customers.
EXFO’s new IPTV software options are built on the current Packet Blazer Frame Analyzer engine, making it possible to troubleshoot an Ethernet circuit and analyze customer traffi c for errors. The IPTV software option includes a full suite of measurement capabilities, such as RFC 4445 (MDI), TR 101 290 priority 1 metrics, program clock reference jitter, stream rate, IP metrics and bandwidth utilization for up to 100 simultaneous MPEG-2, MPEG-4, or VC-1 unicast or multicast video streams. Additionally, confi gurable alarm thresholds are provided on selected metrics for customized testing applications. Important usability features include auto-discovery of all valid media streams and user-defi nable stream labels for easy identifi cation. Selecting which streams to monitor is accomplished by automatically adding the streams from the auto-discovery pool or with specifi c IGMP join commands. Up to 100 IGMP commands (join/leave) can be issued at once.
These combined features provide customers with the industry’s most powerful portable test instrument and analysis tool for full transportlayer and service-layer testing. All metrics are clearly displayed through our simple-to-use Smart User Interface, which lets you tailor screen confi gurations, customize test routines and format reports on a real-time and historical performance basis. The real value of any test instrument is a combination of powerful test capabilities and user-friendliness. With EXFO’S IPTV software, users only need to focus their attention to the IPTV Overview page, which provides all critical information on one page, in an easy-to-read format. In a single glance, users have access to information on IGMP join status, stream name, destination IP address and port number, delay factor, media loss rate, TR 101 290 priority 1 metrics, IP rate and bandwidth utilization. Streams are color-coded for easy identifi cation: red for alarmed, yellow for a cleared alarm and green for no alarm. But the true value of the Overview page lies in its dynamic qualities. All information presented in the Overview page is updated in real time as new thresholds are crossed. Alarmed streams are automatically sorted to the top of the page for easy viewing and highlighted in red along with the corresponding metric that caused the alarm. Additionally, numerous counters refl ect information such as failed IGMP joins, alarmed streams, monitored streams, etc. Finally, stream management is simplifi ed through onebutton access for adding or deleting streams, IGMP or Alias Map modifi cations. Thanks to the Overview page, users will never miss anything important during their IPTV test session.