Measuring TV equipment from IMOS Company

By Vladimir Bogdanov, Lev Polosin and Sergey Tret’yak

Review contents:

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The main directions of enhancing measuring TV equipment for broadcast TV made by IMOS Company are:

• Complex approach in providing the equipment for automated measuring TV and audio transmitting paths parameters;
• Developing remote methods for automated monitoring the parameters of TV devices;
• Extending functionality for providing parameters measuring for digital TV equipment with digital stream compression;
• Developing measuring tools for digital TV broadcasting;
• Increasing precision and validity of TV parameters measuring;
• Increasing reliability of measuring equipment, enhancing its form factor and minimizing its weight.

IMOS Company produces the following measuring systems:

• C-100 — a cabinet for measuring and monitoring TV transmitters’ parameters;
• C-200 — mobile measuring system for monitoring TV transmitters’ parameters;
• C-300 — measuring equipment set for monitoring digital satellite channels’ parameters;
• C-400 — TV transmitters’ remote monitoring station;
• C-500 — station for remote quality monitoring of TV program signal transmitted by regional TV transmitter.

C-100 and C-200 perform:

• Measuring TV transmitters’ parameters according to GOST 20532-83, GOST P 50890-96 and TER-95 (Technical Exploitation Rules);
• Measuring communication links parameters for terrestrial, cable and satellite TV as well as MMDS systems;
• Real time transmitter’s parameters adjustment;
• Logging of measuring results.

The systems have digital waveform mode with output waveform diagrams to printer. Measuring time according to TER-95 is not more than 5 minutes; monitoring time — not more than 1 c; setup time for C-200 (mobile) is not more than 10 min.

C-100 and C-200 are designed for use by enterprises and organizations which develop or exploit transmitting equipment for TV broadcasting (including terrestrial TV transmitters, gap fillers etc). Also they are used by network broadcast operators for monitoring regional broadcast centers and geographically distant terrestrial radio transmitters. The systems are used also by Russian Federation government facilities (Gossvyaznadzor) at supervising over the condition of this equipment.

C-100 and C-200 provide fast automated measuring of TV transmitters parameters according to GOST 20532-83 (Russian state standard). Information measured is shown as:

• Numerical parameters and digital waveform diagrams in real time;
• Numerical values of measured parameters;
• Error limits monitoring evaluations.

Logging of measuring results is being performed using standard Gossvyaznadzor forms or any other ones.

The systems are used during panned measuring works, operations with providing process of parameters adjustment, measuring in program transmission process (monitoring).

C-100 measuring system

C-100 system consists of:

• G-230PS TV testing signals generator;
• DTV-1K TV demodulator;
• ATM-2 monitoring TV analyzer;
• IZK audio channel analyzer;
• Personal computer (basic configuration and user defined configuration including notebook).

For equipment mounting 19" rack is used

C-200 measuring system

C-200 system consists of:

• G-230PS TV testing signals generator;
• ATM-2 (B-2350) video analyzer;
• IZK audio channel analyzer;
• Personal computer (notebook);
• Compact mobile Canon printer;
• Coffer with compartment for devices, documentation, cables set etc.

Total system’s weight including coffer is not more than 15 kg.

C-300 system provides measuring all the parameters of digital transport stream according to “Temporal norms for digital transmission of standard quality TV signal over satellite channels”. C-200 system consists of:

• G-420 TV testing signals generator;
• ATM-2 video monitoring analyzer;
• IZK audio channel analyzer;
• AD9624 converter;
• ATP-1 transport stream analyzer.

C-300 measuring system

Parameters measured:

Video:

• Frequency response;
• White nominal level;
• Synch pulses nominal level;
• Luma and chroma signals difference;
• Time deviation of luma and chroma signals;
• Relative ripple of rectangular pulses’ flat part;
• K factor;
• Luma signal ripple;
• Differential amplification;
• Differential phase;
• S/N ratio.

Audio:

• Frequency response;
• Harmonics factor;
• Protection against transition interference;
• Max signal protection against transition interference;
• S/N ratio;
• Levels and phases difference for stereo pair.

Equipment the system consists of is certified by Russian Federation Gosstabdard and is included into state roll for measuring means allowed for use in Russia.

G-420 provides:

• Creating transport stream containing test dynamical charts and clips for express analysis;
• Creating null packets and pseudo random sequence according to Rec. ETR290 for DVB-T modulator checking;
• Creating transport stream according to MPEG-2 ISO/IEC 13818 standard in form of transport packets. Length of each transport packet is 188/204 bytes;
• Creating multi-program transport stream;
• Ability to set random transport stream speed within 2…270 Mbit/sec range;
• Creating uncompressed SDI digital signal;
• Creating a signal for digital communication channels checking;
• Ability of switching PSI & SI charts on/off.

Generator is equipped with interfaces providing connection with DVB-S, DVB-C, DVB-T equipment: parallel SPI (according to EN 50083-9 standard); series RS-422 ALVDS; asynchronous serial interface (ASI); SDI & AES/DBU for connection with video and audio coders.

ATP-1 provides:

• Transport stream analysis in real time;
• MPEG-2 transport stream loop through pass from input to both output;
• Various length transport stream analysis (188/204 bytes);
• Transport stream’ error detection according to priority groups in compliance with Rec. ETSI ETR 290 (first, second and third priorities);
• Logging of transport stream check results (up to 256 records);
• Analysis parameters setup;
• System information charts (SI/PSI) analysis for MPEG-2 transport stream;
• Review program’s content within transport stream (up to 16 programs by 8 components);
• Definition of programs’ speed within transport stream;
• Jitter measuring for user selected program;
• Output to PC information about transport stream, errors, PID, PCR with more detailed processing ability (optional);
• Remote control via RS-232C.

Interfaces: synchronous parallel according to EN 50083-9 standard; asynchronous serial according to EN 50083-9 standard (signal receiving speed is 270 Mbit/sec); LPT (technological).

Analyzer’s control is performed either from front panel (six buttons) or remotely via RS-232C.

Example of information received by user from C-400

C-400 and C-500 stations are designed for performing multi-channel (C-400) and single channel (C-500) monitoring of TV transmitters operating within radio and TV broadcast center with further transfer an information to user defined place via Internet. The stations are installed in the broadcast center area and serve as a base for networked distant monitoring system creation.

C-400-8K (eight channel) and C-400-16K (sixteen channel) modification are being manufactured.

The stations provide:

• Receiving by user measuring information in any geographical point in Internet;
• Measuring parameters and monitoring error limits rate according to TER-95 requirements;
• Parameters’ error limits status changing registration;
• Measuring results statistical processing;
• Readable display of measuring information in form of diagrams, charts etc;
• Creating reports for any time slot;
• Information protection against unauthorized access.

C-400-8K (C-400-16K) consists of:

• ATM-2 (B-2350 module and PC) video analyzer;
• DTV-1K-01 TV demodulator;
• RF router 8×1 (16×1 for 16K);
• KB video router 8×1 (16×1 for 16K);
• CTL cable switcher 8×4 (two units for 16K).

Equipment is bundled with database server software.

C-500 station is being installed in the broadcast center area and serve as a base for corporate networked distant monitoring system creation which covers all transmitters broadcasting certain TV company’s programs.

C-500 consists of:

• G-230UV generator;
• ATM-2 (B-2350 module and PC) video analyzer;
• DTV-1K-01 TV demodulator;
• Modem;
• A software bundle for connection over Internet (purchased once along with first C-500 station kit only).

Measuring equipment included into C-100, C-200, C-300, C-400 & C-500 systems has the certificates of Russian Federation Gosstandard and is registered in State roll of measuring tools and is allowed for use in Russia.

Material is provided by IMOS Company