BEAVERTON, Ore., November 8, 2011 – Tektronix, the market leader in broadcast video test, monitoring and analysis solutions, will unveil new and enhanced products for video, audio and content quality at its booth (#326) at Cable Tec-Expo, November 15-17 in Atlanta. Highlights for this year’s show include the introduction of the new MTS4000 MPEG analyzer, a new version of the company’s Cerify® software and demonstrations of the latest capabilities of the award-winning Sentry® digital content monitor, including how it can be used to ensure the quality of adaptive streaming services.

Monitoring Adaptive Streaming Services

Cable television operators are increasingly using adaptive streaming to deliver video services to mobile devices and PCs.  These new services are critical to competing against other video service providers, but pose unique quality challenges.  In particular, operators must transcode their programming from MPEG-2 into the more bandwidth-efficient H.264 codec, a step which can introduce errors that impact video and audio quality.  At this critical point, Sentry can identify these errors before the H.264 streams are fragmented and encrypted, which is vital as these errors cannot be detected after encryption.  The early detection and diagnosis of these errors enables operators to fix the cause and ensure an optimal quality of experience (QoE) for their subscribers.

Complying with the CALM Act

The company will also demonstrate its new Sentry Assure, the latest addition to the Sentry line which is optimized to help cable operators comply with the Commercial Advertising Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act which requires that ads be no louder than the programs they accompany.   Sentry Assure is designed specifically for identifying loud commercials in the multi-channel cable environment.  It combines the ability to simultaneously monitor hundreds of channels in real-time with loudness detection capabilities and post-splice ad insertion monitoring, which makes Sentry Assure an ideal solution for cable operators’ CALM Act needs.

Identifying Bad Ad Insertions

Tektronix will also demonstrate how Sentry Assure’s post-splice monitoring capability identifies when local ads are not inserted correctly, enabling operators to diagnose and repair the issue, eliminating revenue loss from ads failing to air properly.

Complying with Closed Captioning Requirements

Another demonstration will show how operators can comply with government regulations for closed captioning using Sentry Assure’s support for the SCTE-608, SCTE-708 and SCTE-20 specifications.

New MTS4000 MPEG Analyzer for IP Video Quality and 10G Network Monitoring

Multi-screen video delivery of SD and HD content has driven the investment in 10G infrastructure. The new MTS4000 MPEG Analyzer is ideal for the analysis and troubleshooting of audio/video and transport problems in 10G networks for fault isolation and root cause analysis.  Targeting a range of design, validation and test, field diagnostics and troubleshooting applications, the new MTS4000 offers unparalleled analysis capabilities for examining the video and audio quality of IP and RF video services.

The low entry price and modular nature of the MTS4000 offers a wide range of connectivity and software analysis options that allow complete customization to meet all application needs and budgets. Network interface options include 10G IP, ATSC 8-VSB, QAM-B, DVB-S2, and a Quad port ASI interface. Cross-layer and cross-domain analysis of the video and audio quality is possible through an extensive software suite that includes real-time video and audio QoE analysis, picture quality analysis (based on the human vision model), and advanced Elementary Stream analysis including H.264 intra profile and SVC support.

Cerify® Software Version 7.3 Targets Audio

The new version 7.3 of Cerify SW (a software solution for file-based content verification) supports the latest audio loudness measurement.  It supports cross-track audio loudness testing for implementations such as HD MXF, where channels in a group are spread across many tracks.  New standards supported include algorithms recommended in the ITU-R BS.1770-2 specification, and the Peak Program Meter (PPM) audio ballistics measurement in the IEC-60268-10 standard.

For more information about Sentry visit http://www.tek.com/products/video-test/digital-content-monitors.html or call 310.227.8620.

Wonder what else Tektronix is up to? Stay up to date on Twitter and Facebook.

About Tektronix

For more than sixty years, engineers have turned to Tektronix for test, measurement and monitoring solutions to solve design challenges, improve productivity and dramatically reduce time to market. Tektronix is a leading supplier of test instrumentation for engineers focused on electronic design, manufacturing, and advanced technology development. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix serves customers worldwide and offers award-winning service and support. Stay on the leading edge at www.tektronix.com.

# # #

Tektronix is a registered trademark of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Media Contact:

Amy Higgins

PR Manager, Tektronix

ahiggins@tektronix.com

BEAVERTON, Ore. – November 7, 2011 – Tektronix, the market leader in broadcast video test, monitoring and analysis solutions, today introduced Sentry Assure, the latest addition to the company’s award-winning line of Sentry® digital content monitors, and which is optimized to help cable television operators and other providers of multi-channel video services comply with the Commercial Advertising Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act  which requires that ads be no louder than the programs they accompany.

On or before December 15 of this year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will adopt rules for the CALM Act’s enforcement and cable operators will have one year from this date to come into compliance with these rules.  Failure to comply could result in a fine for each instance of an overly loud commercial, which could be a major issue for cable operators offering hundreds of channels.

Sentry Assure is designed specifically for identifying loud commercials in the multi-channel environment.  It combines the ability to simultaneously monitor hundreds of channels in real-time with loudness detection capabilities and post-splice ad insertion monitoring, which makes Sentry Assure an ideal solution for cable operators’ CALM Act needs.  Additionally, Sentry Assure’s post-splice monitoring capability identifies when local ads are not inserted correctly, enabling operators to diagnose and repair the issue, eliminating revenue loss from ads failing to air properly.

Sentry Assure also helps operators comply with government regulations for closed captioning thanks to its support for the SCTE-608, SCTE-708 and SCTE-20 specifications.

“Variations in content loudness have been a challenge for decades, but because of the CALM Act they could have a costly impact to the bottom line of cable operators,” said Eben Jenkins, general manager, Video Product Line, Tektronix.  “We’ve developed Sentry Assure to give operators what they need to tackle loud ads and to enable them to come into full compliance with CALM Act.”

Sentry Assure is just the latest addition to Tektronix comprehensive line of loudness detection and monitoring solutions, which currently includes:

• The WFM6000/7000, WFM8000, WVR6000/7000, and WVR8000 Series waveform monitors and rasterizers.  These have been recently upgraded to expand their previous loudness measurement capability.  The upgrades include capabilities such as an Audio Loudness Meter, an Audio Loudness Session Display and the industry’s first audio loudness monitoring of Dolby Digital Plus audio, among others.

• The Sentry digital content monitor.  The award-winning Sentry can simultaneously monitor hundreds of channels in real-time, enabling cable operators and other multi-channel video service providers to comprehensively and continually monitor their entire channel line-up to identify loud commercials.

• The Cerify content verification software.  Cerify is a world leading solution for the automated quality control of file-based content and is ideal for identifying loudness issues in video-on-demand (VOD) programs.   Recent upgrades to Cerify include support for long and short audio loudness tests per the ITU-R BS. 1770 standard and support for true peak level tests per ITU-R BS.1770.

• The VQS1000 Video and Audio QoE software.   This proven, award-winning software was recently upgraded with new audio loudness measurement capabilities as specified by the ITU-R BS.1770/1771 standards – which make it a powerful analysis tool for the detection of loud commercials. This software is ideal for analyzing a single program in real time to correlate QoS errors with QoE errors, or analyzing a pre-recorded Transport Stream file when troubleshooting network problems.

Tektronix will demonstrate Sentry Assure’s loudness monitoring capability, and other advanced capabilities at the upcoming Cable-Tec Expo, November 15-17 in Atlanta.

For more information about Sentry visit http://www.tek.com/products/video-test/digital-content-monitors.html or call 310.227.8620.

Wonder what else Tektronix is up to? Stay up to date on Twitter and Facebook.

About Tektronix

For more than sixty years, engineers have turned to Tektronix for test, measurement and monitoring solutions to solve design challenges, improve productivity and dramatically reduce time to market. Tektronix is a leading supplier of test instrumentation for engineers focused on electronic design, manufacturing, and advanced technology development. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix serves customers worldwide and offers award-winning service and support. Stay on the leading edge at www.tektronix.com.

# # #

Tektronix is a registered trademark of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Media Contact:

Amy Higgins

PR Manager, Tektronix

ahiggins@tektronix.com

BEAVERTON, Ore. – October 24, 2011 – Tektronix, the market leader in broadcast video test, monitoring and analysis solutions, today announced its  Sentry® digital content monitor now enables cable television operators to ensure the quality of their live and on-demand services delivered using adaptive streaming through the quick identification and diagnosis of video and audio quality issues that can impact viewers’ quality of experience (QoE).

“Cable operators are realizing as they utilize adaptive streaming technology to compete with the growing number of over-the-top (OTT) providers, that an exceptional QoE is the best way to ensure the superiority of their services,” said Eben Jenkins, general manager, Video Product Line, Tektronix.  “Sentry’s combination of advanced audio and video quality monitoring capabilities and proven performance make it an ideal solution for ensuring adaptive streaming quality and is another demonstration of our commitment to ensuring that Sentry addresses operators’ most pressing QoE requirements.”

The key to Sentry’s new adaptive streaming monitoring capabilities is its ability to perform its unique Perceptual Video Quality (PVQ) analysis on video streams encoded in the H.264 codec used for adaptive streaming.  PVQ enables Sentry to identify video artifacts that are due to over-compression, which commonly happens with motion-intensive programs like sports and action movies.  Such over-compression artifacts are virtually undetectable by simply looking for packet loss and represent a major threat to video quality.

In an adaptive streaming monitoring application, Sentry examines H.264 video streams immediately after they have been transcoded from MPEG-2 and just prior to them being fragmented and encrypted.  This is a critical point in the adaptive streaming process as transcoding can introduce QoE-impacting video errors that are virtually undetectable after encryption.  Simultaneously with the H.264 monitoring, Sentry examines the accompanying audio programs encoded in the AAC codec predominantly used in adaptive streaming.  This combination ensures that operators can detect video and audio issues that will propagate downstream and degrade customers’ viewing experience.

Tektronix will demonstrate Sentry’s H.264 video PVQ, and AAC audio QoE and loudness monitoring capability, and other advanced capabilities at the upcoming Cable-Tec Expo, November 15-17 in Atlanta.

Sentry is an award-winning, comprehensive content monitoring solution for cable, telecom, IPTV and other video service providers. Sentry enables the early detection and diagnosis of video and audio issues (i.e., video freeze, macro-blocking, loss of audio, etc.) whenever or wherever they occur in the network, so service providers can deliver services with excellent quality, thus ensuring an optimal QoE for subscribers.  Sentry accomplishes this insight through its unique combination of an unprecedented visibility into network anomalies at the IP and content layers, scalability to monitor every program in the network, and its real-time, 24/7 operation.

For more information about Sentry visit http://www.tek.com/products/video-test/digital-content-monitors.html or call 310.227.8620.
Wonder what else Tektronix is up to?  Stay up to date on Twitter and Facebook.

About Tektronix
For more than sixty years, engineers have turned to Tektronix for test, measurement and monitoring solutions to solve design challenges, improve productivity and dramatically reduce time to market. Tektronix is a leading supplier of test instrumentation for engineers focused on electronic design, manufacturing, and advanced technology development. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix serves customers worldwide and offers award-winning service and support. Stay on the leading edge at www.tektronix.com.

# # #

Tektronix is a registered trademark of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Media Contact:
Amy Higgins
PR Manager, Tektronix
ahiggins@tektronix.com

BEAVERTON, Ore. – October 17, 2011 – Tektronix, the market leader in broadcast video test, monitoring and analysis solutions, today announced its  Sentry® digital content monitor has received a 3.5 Diamond rating in the Broadband Technology Report’s prestigious 2011 Diamond Technology Reviews, marking the fifth consecutive year in which Sentry has been recognized in this annual review of the top products and solutions available to the cable television industry.

Established by Broadband Technology Report in 2005, the Diamond Technology Reviews (commonly referred to as “the Diamonds”) are determined by unbiased evaluations from a distinguished and independent panel of Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) national board members and cable engineering experts, including senior executives from the largest U.S. cable operators.

“The judges always seem to be impressed with the Sentry upgrades, and this year was no exception. Once again Tektronix received an excellent Review score,” said Rob Stuehrk, president and publisher of Broadband Technology Report.

Beyond application of the newest technology, entries are judged by innovation, ease-of-use, efficiency, reliability and contribution to profitability. This year’s Diamond judges noted Sentry’s newly-enhanced audio monitoring features, of special importance in the wake of the Commercial Advertising Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act which will soon require that ads be no louder than the programs they accompany.  The advanced monitoring capabilities of Sentry make it an ideal solution for this non-trivial task given the hundreds of channels that cable operators will have to continually monitor.

“Scoring so well in its fifth Diamond Technology Reviews is a reflection of Sentry remaining the industry’s most advanced content monitor as well as a recognition of its success in the market, with nine of the 10 largest U.S. cable operators using it to provide an optimal quality of experience (QoE) for their subscribers,” said Eben Jenkins, general manager, Video Product Line, Tektronix.   “Adding the ability to detect and report commercial audio levels in the multi-channel cable environment is just the latest example of our commitment to ensuring Sentry can address operators’ current and future needs.”

Tektronix will demonstrate Sentry’s audio loudness monitoring and other advanced QoE monitoring capabilities at the upcoming Cable-Tec Expo, November 15-17 in Atlanta.

Sentry is an award-winning, comprehensive content monitoring solution for cable, telecom, IPTV and other video service providers. Sentry enables the early detection and diagnosis of video and audio errors (i.e., video freeze, macro-blocking, loss of audio, etc.) whenever or wherever they occur in the network, so service providers can deliver services with excellent quality, thus ensuring an optimal QoE for subscribers.  Sentry accomplishes this insight through its unique combination of an unprecedented visibility into network anomalies at the IP and MPEG layers, scalability to monitor every program in the network, and its real-time, 24/7 monitoring approach.

For more information about Sentry visit http://www.tek.com/products/video-test/digital-content-monitors.html or call 310.227.8620.

Follow Tektronix on Twitter (@tektronix) and Facebook.

About Broadband Technology Report
Broadband Technology Report (BTR), celebrating its 7th anniversary in 2011, is the cable and telecom industry’s premier source for product and technology news, and is the most successful and fastest growing online outlet for product information and deployments; reviews and rankings; technology expertise; and buyer/seller facilitation. BTR’s portfolio includes online, print and video assets, all designed to help network operators build, upgrade and maintain high-performance communications networks. BTR, backed by over 70 years of combined industry experience, delivers its email, online, print and video production services to more than 21,000 subscribers. If you are interested in subscribing, consult http://broadbandgear.net/subscribe/. BTR is owned by Hermes Media, LLC.

About the Diamond Technology Review program
The BTR Diamond Technology Reviews (“the Diamonds”) is a renowned industry program now in its sixth year – that was developed to recognize some of the top products and solutions available to the cable industry as determined by a stellar panel of MSO engineering experts. Engineering executives from Bright House, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Suddenlink, Sunflower Broadband and Time Warner Cable served as third-party judges for the 2011 Diamonds. Every year, BTR invites vendors to submit written information about products/solutions that have been released or upgraded since the previous year’s SCTE Cable-Tec Expo (October 2010). Criteria used in the Diamonds rankings include, first and foremost, unique technology or application thereof, innovation, ease of use, efficiency, reliability and contribution to profitability.

About Tektronix
For more than sixty years, engineers have turned to Tektronix for test, measurement and monitoring solutions to solve design challenges, improve productivity and dramatically reduce time to market. Tektronix is a leading supplier of test instrumentation for engineers focused on electronic design, manufacturing, and advanced technology development. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix serves customers worldwide and offers award-winning service and support. Stay on the leading edge at www.tektronix.com.

# # #

Tektronix is a registered trademark of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Media Contact:
Amy Higgins
PR Manager, Tektronix
ahiggins@tektronix.com
503.627.6497

Solution Category

BEAVERTON, Ore., September 7, 2011 – Tektronix, the leading provider of digital content monitoring solutions, today announced that its award-winning Sentry® digital content monitoring solution is a finalist in this year’s Cable & Satellite International magazine’s Product of the Year Awards.  The CSI Awards, which are presented at the IBC tradeshow in Amsterdam in September, recognize technical excellence and innovation in the cable, satellite, terrestrial broadcasting and IPTV industries.

Sentry was selected as a finalist in the “Best Monitoring or Network Management Solution” category in recognition of its new Perceptual Video Quality (PVQ) monitoring feature.  Sentry’s new PVQ capability helps video service providers (VSP) tackle content errors when the program suffers artifacts due to over-compression which is common in motion intensive programs like sports.

“Reaching the finals of the prestigious CSI Product of the Year Awards is the latest accolade for Sentry and a further acknowledgement that Sentry remains a state-of-the-art solution for the detection and diagnosis of video and audio errors that impact viewers’ quality of experience (QoE),” said Eben Jenkins, general manager, Video Product Line, Tektronix.  “Sentry has been proven in deployments with the top U.S. cable operators and many other VSPs who use Sentry to ensure they deliver programming with the best possible picture and sound quality.”

Cable & Satellite International launched the Product of the Year awards back in 2003 and have attracted over 150 entries every year, gaining the endorsement of the industry’s leading technology suppliers.  This year’s winners will be announced at the award ceremony held at IBC on Friday, September 9 at 6 p.m.

About the Sentry Monitoring Solution

Sentry is a comprehensive content monitoring solution for cable, telecom, IPTV and other video service providers. Sentry enables the early detection and diagnosis of video and audio errors (i.e., video freeze, macro-blocking, loss of audio, etc.) whenever or wherever they occur in the network, so service providers can correct these issues, thus ensuring an optimal quality of experience (QoE) for subscribers.  Sentry accomplishes this through its unique combination of unprecedented visibility into network anomalies at the IP and MPEG layers, scalability to monitor every program in the network and its real-time, 24/7 operation.  Sentry is proven in deployments with service providers worldwide, including nine of the top 10 U.S. cable operators.

For more information visit www.tektronix.com or call 310.227.8620.

Follow Tektronix on Twitter – @tektronix.

Follow the Mixed Signals product line on Twitter — @mixedsignalsinc

About Cable & Satellite International

Cable & Satellite International (CSI) is a technology publication targeting the global video market, including cable, satellite, IPTV, mobile and terrestrial broadcast platforms. CSI assesses technology trends and provides detailed product analysis relevant to the core video delivery functions – namely content contribution/backhaul, distribution/transport, playout/transmission and home networking. CSI also analyzes the wider triple and quadruple play landscape.

About Tektronix

For more than sixty years, engineers have turned to Tektronix for test, measurement and monitoring solutions to solve design challenges, improve productivity and dramatically reduce time to market. Tektronix is a leading supplier of test instrumentation for engineers focused on electronic design, manufacturing, and advanced technology development. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix serves customers worldwide and offers award-winning service and support. Stay on the leading edge at www.tektronix.com.

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