New test solutions ease transition to digital broadcasting

Tektronix Inc. has announced the addition of four new products to its test challenges" target=_blank>compressed video test and measurement portfolio. These new additions—Cerify 3.0, Cerify Lite, SyncCert and MTS4CC—are designed to help broadcasters and content providers improve the quality of products and services they provide to customers and to help drive the transition to digital broadcasting.

New workflow methods designed to move video more efficiently, enable non-linear editing and support re-purposing of content, can impact image quality in ways that a human eye may not see while viewing the content prior to transmission. Cerify 3.0 and Cerify Lite are designed to help address these issues. SyncCert is designed to identify and measure problem areas of A/V sync in file-based video at different points in a broadcast chain. MTS4CC provides compression analysis of files for broadcasters and developers of file-based video products.

Certify 3.0
Cerify checks that content files have been correctly encoded and signal levels, colour, video and audio parameters are correct and ready for broadcast. It logs errors automatically and alerts broadcasters if there are problems with the files prior to transmission. Cerify 3.0 is a major update to the Cerify software, which added GXF and MXF file formats, expanded baseband video tests and numerous UI improvements. The upgrade also includes CeriTalk that enables integration using XML between Cerify and broadcast automation systems.

Tektronix is also offering Cerify Lite, which is designed for broadcasters and content providers who need to verify content but do not require an enterprise-wide networked solution. The software can be installed on a standard PC, runs on Windows XP and can test files on the local hard drive. It offers a full range of video and audio codec tests, comes with user definable test templates and offers detailed on-screen reporting of the file parameters and test results.

SyncCert
To ensure that audio and video signals are synchronized, SyncCert checks and measures audio and video synchronization of compressed video and audio signals, and identifies where and when synchronization errors occur so the problem can be corrected before broadcast. It provides a systematic, reliable and accurate means of detecting audio/video sync errors well before they are severe enough to be detectable, Tektronix said.

The growth of HDTV and superior audio sound systems have made consumers much more aware of the picture and sound quality that is delivered by their broadcaster. With so much at stake it is important that broadcasters use the most advanced technologies to ensure the highest quality of audio and video delivery to customers.

MTS4CC
Multiple video signal formats, such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264/AVC and VC-1, add to the overall complexity of managing audio and video signals. To tackle these challenges, MTS4CC helps broadcasters and equipment designers validate operation of encoders and decoders to ensure compliance to industry standards. A variant of the MTS4EA EA analyzer, the MTS4CC provides compression analysis and error checking and reporting. It supports a wide variety of video compression standards including MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264/AVC, VC-1 and H.263. It also supports a wide variety of audio compression standards including MPEG-2, MPEG-2 AAC, AAC-Plus, PCM and Dolby Digital AC3.