From 4K QC and analysis to IP video technology

Tektronix will demonstrate its IP Video technology including solutions for PTP synchronisation and timing, as well as IP Video measurement and analysis. With the growing demand for 4K/UHDTV1 content and the emerging trend towards IP Video, the broadcast industry is facing pressure from all directions. Through it all, broadcasters need comprehensive tools for ensuring the quality of their content from production, from post production to delivery to the viewer. At the same time, they need the flexibility to transition towards new disruptive technologies. At IBC, the company will showcase the tools and technology broadcasters need to meet these demands.

Highlights will include 4K/UHDTV1 waveform monitors and rasterisers, a line-up of 4K-capable file-based analysis solutions, 4K picture quality analysis and HEVC/H.265 video network monitoring. Other areas of focus include expanded diagnostic capabilities of the portable WFM2300 waveform monitor.

A major topic at IBC will be the transition from SDI to IP-based infrastructures, which enable more efficient and cost-effective distribution of UHD/4K signals. In addition to the IP Video technology demonstrations mentioned above, the company is among the industry leaders collaborating with Sony on its video over IP initiative, including support for Sony’s IP Live Production system. Tektronix has also recently joined the TICO Alliance. TICO is a new lightweight compression technology that provides visually lossless compression up to 4:1 and enables 4K/UHD content to be transported over existing SDI infrastructure, as well as 10 GigE IP production and contribution networks.

The more efficient compression technology of HEVC/H.265 will be critical as 4K/UHD content begins to be delivered to viewers. At IBC, Tektronix will demonstrate a video quality monitoring solution for HEVC/H.265 encoded streams as part of an update to its Sentry video quality monitoring solution. With this latest release, the company delivers a scalable and comprehensive HEVC solution for monitoring both QoS and QoE, as it continues to expand support for 4K/UHD from the camera to the home.

As the industry moves to 4K, delivering video with stunning quality is critical to meeting viewer expectations. At the event, Tektronix will showcase the industry’s most comprehensive set of file-based QC solutions to address such customer needs as faster test times, an integrated video player, comprehensive codec support and easy integration with workflows.

IBC visitors will be able to see the company's QC Validation Suit. This includes the fast, scalable, and easy to use Aurora file-based QC tool; Hydra, a frame-accurate file-based player; and AutoFix, a suite of file-based correction tools.

Tektronix is also demonstrate the expanded diagnostics and troubleshooting capabilities of the portable WFM2300 waveform monitor. New features include the introduction of ASI transport stream confidence monitoring, a broader range of test signals, A/V and propagation delay measurements and HDMI connectivity through SFP modules. To take the guesswork out of fault diagnosis, the WFM2300 automatically determines the format of the signal connected to the active kinput and displays the appropriate measurements.