Acterna Digital Broadcast Test Platform
Model DTS-300
Highlights
• Provides a one-box solution that
meets the widest variety of
applications, eliminating the
need to purchase additional
test tools
• Performs analysis, evaluation,
and troubleshooting in real
time, minimizing the hassle
and delay of capturing files for
later detailed analysis
®
• Uses the familiar Windows
interface to provide beginners
and experts with quick, easy
access to needed information
• Allows engineers to quickly
isolate and diagnose problems,
providing faster response times
for field service organizations
• Monitors, analyzes, records,
creates, and plays transport
streams at speeds from 1 kbps
to 214 Mbps
NT
Product Highlights
• Continuous real-time monitoring and
analysis of all transport stream data:
PIDs, PCR/PTS timing, programs/channels,
network information, conditional access,
full PSI/SI/PSIP table and descriptor
analysis, and complete private table
decode at the industry’s highest maximum
input data rates of up to 214 Mbps. This
eliminates the hassle and delay of capturing
files for later detailed analysis
• Continuous real-time creation and emulation of a test stream, eliminating the
storage-intensive and time-consuming
“build-then-play” procedure required by
all other stream- creation or manipulation
devices. Offers industry-high output data
rates of 214 Mbps
• Complete recording of transport streams
with the original timing information for
accurate playback and post-analysis.
Performs PID filtering and records from
memory at up to 214 Mbps
• Complete play out of transport streams
using the original timing parameters
Performs continuous loop operation and
play-out from memory at up to 214
Mbps
Application Highlights
• Measures, interprets, and displays transport stream status, content and statistics
for all PIDs, programs/channels, tables
and PCR/PTS/DTS timestamps
• Plays and analyzes simultaneously for
simulation and examination in real time
• Includes a wide range of standard interfaces (DVB ASI, DVB SPI, and SMPTE310M)
• Offers additional interface options
(DHEI, QPSK)
• Provides dual (simultaneous) analysis of
two transport streams as an option
• Provides dual (simultaneous) play-out of
two transport streams as an option
The Acterna Digital Broadcast Test Platform (DTS-300) is
the industry’s fastest, most flexible, and comprehensive
solution for MPEG-2, DVB, and ATSC testing. This revolutionary, single-platform test set provides developers, broadcasters, system integrators, and field operators with multiple
application modules that are easily configured to fit any test
scenario. Due to the DTS-300’s modular architecture and
extensive set of application modules, users need only purchase
the capabilities currently required, adding supplementary
capabilities as new testing demands arise. Both desktop and
portable versions of the DTS-300 are available.
Applications
Indispensable during equipment validation and acceptance
testing, the DTS-300 verifies system performance by pinpointing and resolving equipment and system failures and
interoperability issues while complying with the extremes of
the MPEG-2, DVB, and ATSC standards. Its powerful
stream creation, generation, and analysis tools combine to
provide the complete solution for any test and measurement
environment, including:
• R&D—provides rigorous, aggressive design validation
that enables multiplexer, set-top box, and digital TV
manufacturers to reach the market faster and guarantee
system quality
• Deployment trials—assists in testing leading-edge technologies such as digital terrestrial TV and statistical
multiplexing
• System installation—allows integrators to solve configuration, interworking, and performance issues prior to
system acceptance and turn-up of the service
• Network operation—generates baselining reports and
monitors quality of service in both contribution and
distribution networks
The DTS-300 is easily configured with one or more of the
following application modules:
• The Analyzer—for continuous, detailed, real-time analysis
of all transport stream content and statics
• The Multiplexer—Continuous real-time transport stream
creation
• The Generator—for real-time transport stream recording
and play-out Recording and play out of transport streams
Continuous, Detailed, Real-Time Analysis of All
Transport Stream Contents and Statistics
Because a single bit error can easily trickle through a densely
packed transport stream, causing service degration or interruption, users rely on the DTS-300 Analyzer, which provides
detailed, real-time analysis, to immediately pinpoint, isolate,
and resolve these errors. The Analyzer dissects and displays
each component of the transport stream in real time,
enabling users to effectively “see inside” the complex
MPEG-2 transport stream and rapidly detect and resolve
errors.
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Before the analysis process begins, the Analyzer verifies the
presence of incoming data and tracks the transport packet
synchronization. As it processes the data, the Analyzer
measures transport stream content and statistics against
ETR 290’s three levels of priority measurements and alerts
the operator when the stream falls outside these suggested
parameters. It also displays PSI/SI/PSIP and private table
and descriptor decodes in a hierarchical tree structure for
rapid navigation, offers detailed reporting, captures on
trigger, and performs continuous event logging in real time.
The Analyzer continuously collects statistics for every packet
identifier (PID) detected in the stream. It analyzes an
unlimited number of PIDs in real time and collects the
following information for each PID:
• Packet content type (video, audio, table data, null packet)
• Percentage of bandwidth consumed
• Transmission rate (minimum, maximum, current)
• Total packets received
• Continuity counter errors detected
• Duration of time since detection of first packet
• Correctness of the scrambling indicator
• Rate of payload unit start indicators
• Status of the transport error indicator
In addition, the Analyzer documents missing PIDs and
measures unexpected PIDs.
Timing/Synchronization
The Analyzer measures PCR rate, jitter, offset, drift, and the
spacing between two PCR-bearing packets; compares
PCR/PTS; and monitors all packets bearing PCR or PTS
data to verify synchronization and detect timing problems.
Because timing problems often cause service degradation or
interruption, the Analyzer is used to detect these problems
before they adversely affect system performance.
Standard and Private Tables and Descriptors
The Analyzer validates the syntax of all incoming tables and
descriptors, extracts information about the incoming transport stream, and displays the content in easy-to-interpret
formatted views.
For private tables and descriptors, the Analyzer uses
operator-defined private definition files to parse private
data. For each MPEG-2/PSI, ATSC/PSIP, DVB/SI, or
user-private table, the Analyzer displays the following
information:
• Complete decode of all table and descriptor content
• Total table instances received
• Total packets received for the table or descriptor
• Table rate (tables/sec)
• Total syntax errors found
• Transmission rate (Mbps)
• Table validity
• Total sections received
MPE/IP Encapsulation
The Analyzer addresses the convergence of Internet and
broadcasting technology by supporting real-time analysis of
MPE/IP data in the MPEG-2 transport stream. For each
PID carrying an IP data stream, the Analyzer provides:
• MAC address
• Encapsulation method (LLC, IP, or both)
• Percentage of stream bandwidth consumed
• Transmission rate (minimum, maximum, current)
• Total megabytes received
• Scrambling status
• Duration of time during which packets have been arriving
• Error and event tracking on the data stream
• MAC/IP mapping
• Transmission mode (unicast, multicast, or broadcast)
• Source IP address
• Destination IP address
• Transport type (TCP or UDP)
The Analyzer’s unique IP trigger extracts IP data from the
MPEG-2 transport stream and saves it to a file for detailed
off-line analysis using Acterna’s DominoNAS IP test suite.
Conditional Access
Conditional access (CA) data in the transport stream protects
broadcasters from unlicensed users attempting to access
services illegally. For each CA system ID in the transport
stream, the Analyzer provides data in a hierarchical tree
structure with easy-to-interpret, formatted views that
include:
• Summary of CA information in the
stream
• Summary by program/channel of
CA information from PSI/SI/PSIP
tables
• EMM and ECM PIDs and rates
• ECM and scrambling key changes
on a program-by-program basis
• Decode and display of private ECM
contents
• Program/channel contents and
characteristics
specifies the type of alarm each event should generate,
alarms can be customized to alert the operator of events
such as:
• Stream synchronization errors
• PCR lock, jitter, and spacing
• PID changes, missing PIDs, and PID bitrates out of range
• Transport packet and table structure errors
• Packet loss
• Errors in the transport packet header and adaptation field
• Inconsistency of table versions and content
Easy-to-Use Interface
The Analyzer’s user interface offers a variety of top-level
views that summarize stream contents and statistics and
allow quick drill-down into detailed measurements for
rapid and complete diagnostics. Its easy-to-interpret displays
help users become familiar with the structure and content
of an MPEG-2 transport stream and allow less experienced
users to quickly verify the status of the transport stream and
isolate and troubleshoot errors on the fly. With a single
mouse click on the appropriate display, the user can directly
access:
• Transport stream contents and statistics from a variety of
clear displays
• All events that have occurred on the stream relative to any
one of the measured parameters
• Graphical displays of PCR/PTS timing and historical or
instantaneous rate calculations
• A freeze utility that freezes the display for investigation of
the transport stream context at any time
Event Logging
The Analyzer detects more than 200
different events as they occur on the
transport stream. Because the user
Analyzer Multiple Views
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The Analyzer offers 9 to 13 main displays from which to
view and analyze transport stream contents and statistics.
Users can access all displays with a single mouse click and
view statistics in standard and graphical formats. Each display
also lists related events as they occur on the transport stream
in real time. Displays include:
• Summary view
• PID information view
• PID watch view
• Program/Channel view
• Network view (DVB only)
• MPE IP view (DVB only)
• Timing view
• Terrestrial MIP view (DVB only)
• ETR 290/Monitoring view
• CA hierarchical views
• PSI/SI/PSIP table hierarchical views
• Private table hierarchical views
• OpenTV carousel hierarchical views (optional)
Customized Analysis
Users can create customized preferences to tailor the analysis
process to meet the requirements of a specific test scenario
or level of user expertise. Each set of customized preferences
can be saved as a profile, so a single Analyzer can be quickly
configured to meet the requirements of multiple testing
scenarios. The user customizes the analysis process by:
• Defining alarm settings and rate thresholds for monitoring
• Defining reports for validation and acceptance testing
• Selecting the data to be displayed and choosing its format
• Scheduling and defining trigger captures and event logging
Events Configuration
The Analyzer logs events in real time as they occur on the
transport stream. The user completely customizes this
process by selecting the events to be tracked and choosing
the type of alarm each event will generate. From a single
preferences dialog box, the user determines event settings
and selects which events will generate reports and trigger
captures.
User-Defined Thresholds
The Analyzer’s flexible design allows users to set alarmgenerating thresholds to fit the requirements of a specific
test scenario. Users set thresholds for:
• Table repetition rates
• PCR spacing and jitter
• PID rates (Mbps)
• CA key change rates
Customized Trigger Captures and Post-Processing
The Analyzer performs customizable trigger captures, which
allow users to study sporadic or hard-to-diagnose problems
that occur on the transport stream. When these problems
occur, the Analyzer automatically captures the surrounding
portions of the transport stream, collecting timing information with the data to enable replay at the original incoming
data rate, including synchronization variations. Captured
files can be post-analyzed and played back into a network or
system with the Generator.
Customized Reports
To chronicle system performance for baselining and acceptance testing or to document problems that appear in the
transport stream, the Analyzer generates user-customized
reports on command. The creation of these reports can be
triggered by:
• Events that occur in the transport stream
• A user-defined schedule
• A manual toolbar button
Event Listing and Control
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