Minacom DirectQuality R7 Service Level Test Automation

Minacom announced that its DirectQuality R7 Service Level Test Automation platform now supports remote testing to Electroline cable transponders, providing advanced VoIP, IPTV, Internet and fax-over-IP service quality and reliability assurance throughout the HFC net. Electroline status-monitoring transponders support nonintrusive IP-loopback, in addition to packet, RF and power supply performance and reliability monitoring.

Ops can now use Minacom's PowerProbe service level test probes running the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) Streamer test agent to perform loopback tests to Electroline transponders supporting the SMRP protocol. Loopback testing provides a service and network performance assessment by measuring bidirectional VoIP speech quality (MOS, R-factor), packet jitter, delay, loss and other IP impairments, without interrupting transponder service transmission functions. Supporting Minacom's E-Model implementation, the RTP Streamer test agent allows ops to simulate triple-play traffic patterns with configurable codec, IP precedence, VLAN, jitter buffer and other key parameters to accurately replicate services and provide user-perceived QoS metrics.

Everstream Boasts Audience Measurement Capabilities

Everstream added Audience Measurement modules for its DataSuite and ReportOne products that enable ops to provide anonymous subscriber reporting of linear broadcast channel viewing, as well as cross-service correlation of interactive services such as VOD and DVR. The technology provides the capability to report on sample sizes in the tens of millions and as high as 100%, while preserving subscriber privacy through anonymous aggregation.

Fujitsu Maximizes Its WiMAX Play

With the IEEE 802.16 standard ratification in mind, Fujitsu announced it is offering a series of Wi-Fi mesh products that allow cable ops to offer turnkey wireless services that "integrate seamlessly within current infrastructure."

Fujitsu offers various wireless solutions, including WiMAX System on Chip (SoC) and reference designs for WiMAX-certifiable systems. New WiMAX Forum Certified base stations and end-user devices are optimized for the delivery of scalable wireless bandwidth and VoIP services to residential and enterprise users. Initial Fujitsu WiMAX products will operate at 3.5 GHz, 4.9 GHz and 5.8 GHz, with plans to support 700 MHz, 2.3 GHz, 2.5 GHz and 3.65 GHz in the future. Advanced RF technology allows these products to feature a 2- to 5-mile service radius in urban/suburban environments, and services up to tens of miles away in line-of-site applications.

Arroyo Ups the nPVR Ante

Arroyo Video Solutions added enhancements to its nPVR software including the ability to simultaneously ingest 4,000 channels of 3.75 Mbps MPEG-2 video in one rack of industry standard servers (100 channels of ingest for every 1.75 inches of rack space).

Another new feature is storage for up to 60,000 hours of 3.75 Mbps video in one rack (about 1,500 hours of video for every 1.75 inches of rack space). The software also offers complete content ingest and streaming resiliency utilizing Arroyo's real-time service failover capability for 24x7 nPVR service availability. Another enhancement is the extremely low system latency, enabling viewers to enjoy their programming within one-half second after it airs live, even when streaming from a remote location.

TANDBERG Rolls Out VOD/ITV Ad System

TANDBERG Television unveiled a new on-demand interactive advertising system that integrates advanced VOD capabilities with interactive TV functionality. Open and standards-based, the solution enables ops to deploy on-demand services using existing, preferred and next-gen backend components — such as video servers, access networks, billing systems and client applications — as well as future ITV apps, including gaming and merchandizing.

2-Lb. Handheld OTDR Rolled Out by AFL

The Noyes M200 from AFL Telecommunications offers OTDR capabilities in a handheld package weighing less than 1 kg (2 lb). Multimode, single-mode, and "quad" wavelength models are offered. With short dead zone and intermediate range specifications, the M200 is said to be ideal for Tier 2 testing of premises (building and campus) networks or certification and troubleshooting of FTTX PON networks. Its bright, transflective display makes it suitable for both indoor and outdoor operation.

The M200 is based on a new hardware/software platform that supports automatic and manual setup, precision event analysis, dual-wavelength testing, fiber identification using Noyes TR test receivers, rich file naming and folder setup, six-hour battery life, internal and removable media data storage and USB connectivity. Test ports are equipped with tool-free adapters, which reportedly can be changed in seconds.

Pace EMTA Gets the Nod From Nortel

Pace Micro Technology announced its Boston DV315 EMTA was awarded a Certificate of Compatibility under the Nortel Developer Program. The certificate indicates that the EMTA has completed interoperability testing with the Nortel Communication Server (CS) 2000. With high-bandwidth capacity, the DV315 EMTA is a highly integrated component design providing extremely low power consumption, long battery life for life-line service during power outages, and support for a wide variety of voice codecs.

Time Warner Taps RGB for Digital Simulcast

Time Warner Cable selected RGB Networks' Simulcast Edge Processor (SEP) to perform high-density decoding, modulation and upconversion as part of the op's national digital simulcast rollout. The SEP has already been deployed in several live systems throughout the Carolinas, Ohio and New York regions of TWC, with further deployments underway in Texas.

CableLabs Gets Real About OCUR

CableLabs approved RealNetworks' universal Helix DRM solution for OpenCable unidirectional receiver (OCUR) devices connected to new PCs. The approval by allows manufacturers to build and deploy a secure digital cable-ready solution for PCs, and allows consumers to enjoy digital and HD cable programming on PCs, as well as other devices connected within their home networks.

Real's Helix DRM will enable the secure delivery of content to the media center PC environment through CableCARD removable security modules. The OCUR device receives encrypted digital cable content from the CableCARD and then re-encrypts that content with Helix DRM. The secure IP output of the OCUR follows CableLabs' Digital Receiver Interface" (DRI) protocol spec, which allows connection to compliant PCs that also have Helix DRM.

ICTV Spins the Web Into VOD

ICTV unveiled its ActiveVideo Distribution Network (AVDN), a usage-based content distribution service that delivers Web-driven programming and both live and VOD streams. ActiveVideo programming is delivered through the VOD infrastructure through any VOD-capable set-top and navigated with standard remotes.

Programmers can integrate Internet info into programming meant for the 10-foot, remote-control driven environment of TV. Online portals and publishers can migrate broadband programming for tens of millions of viewers from the solitude of the PC to the TV.

Feature: OSS in a Complicated HFC World: Part 1

BGR recently chatted with Sigma Systems VP of Product Marketing Preston Gilmer about OSS implementation time and costs, tiered data services and malicious attacks.

BGR: What would you name as the number one OSS issue when it comes to implementation time and costs that engineers are today? How are they best dealing with it?

Gilmer: Node splits and re-segmentation of nodes. Most use manual tools and scripts, but OSS tools are available to help migrate the migration of subscribers and their associated services within a defined network topology.

BGR:Where are your cable customers in terms of implementing tiered high-speed data services?

Gilmer: Tiered HSD services are being enhanced to offer premium content and entertainment services that are subscription-based. OSS systems would update the service definitions for HSD access tiers to include new premium content services and once ordered, the OSS system would authenticate and authorize a subscriber to gain access to the content services that their subscription package allows.

BGR: In your opinion, what are the best ways that MSOs are currently dealing with the potential of malicious attacks to their networks?

Gilmer: Deploying solutions like the Sigma Malicious Attack Service Package. It offers service providers and their subscribers an automated solution for mitigation of malicious network traffic generated by viruses, worms, spam and illegal P2P traffic.

The preintegrated solution consists of Sigma Systems' Service Management Platform (SMP) working in conjunction with the Sandvine Policy Traffic Switch (PTS) 8210 and Camiant QBUS Multimedia Service Controller.

It enables an automated PCMM policy-controlled response to malicious traffic that can vary by service tier and protect the performance of premium services. This solution also enables the offering of dynamic bandwidth service based on the detection of specific types of traffic (video, gaming, file transfer, etc.)

Watch for more on OSS in the next issue of BGR.

CableMatrix Slings Premium Roaming Services

CableMatrix Technologies demonstrated its Smart Agent technology using a Slingbox from Sling Media in the CableNet area at the National Show last month.

CableMatrix's PCMM-based policy management platform allows ops to implement real-time QoS and bandwidth management. Its solution includes carrier-class ODSPTM (on-demand service platform) policy server, along with an array of application managers designed to simplify application integration. The Slingbox app takes advantage of CableMatrix's Smart Agents, software modules that remotely signal for specific bandwidth, latency and jitter parameters on behalf of authenticated end users.

ARRIS TeleWire to Resell BelAir Portfolio

BelAir Networks entered into an agreement with ARRIS TeleWire Supply for the resale of BelAir's wireless mesh product portfolio throughout North America. The BelAir family of single-, dual-, and multi-radio wireless mesh nodes includes the BelAir50S and BelAir100S, which are optimized for strand-mounting on existing cable infrastructure, feature a DOCSIS interface and are plant-powered.

BigBand and Concurrent Join for Net-Based Time Shifting

BigBand Networks and Concurrent announced successful interoperability of their solutions for live and stored video. The BigBand BMR (Broadband Multimedia-Service Router) and BME (Broadband Multimedia Service Edge), and the Concurrent Real-Time Media system provide all the elements required to implement network-based time shifting.

As demonstrated at the National Show in Atlanta last month, the BMR acquires and processes live VBR feeds, replicating and clamping them, sending CBR versions, necessary for on-demand networking, to the Concurrent Real-Time Catcher. Simultaneously, the BMR transports the live VBR video streams to sub set-tops via the BME. The Catcher transfers content to the MediaMatrix complexes, which then streams time-shifted programs, also through the BigBand BME, when demanded by subscriber devices.

BigBand Unveils Channel Bonding On Modular CMTS

BigBand Networks announced operation of channel bonding on the its modular CMTS solution. This channel bonding implementation is based on the developing CableLabs DOCSIS 3.0 standard. BigBand showed of the capability on its Cuda CMTS and BigBand BME (Broadband Multimedia-service Edge) platforms, integrated with a wideband cable modem built on Broadcom technologies, at the National Show last month.

Comcast's Soehren to Keynote SCTE Learning and Development Confab

Martha Soehren, chief learning officer for Comcast, will keynote the luncheon at the upcoming SCTE Conference on Broadband Learning & Development. Set for Tues., June 20 in Denver, the Society is offering this conference in conjunction with Cable-Tec Expo, June 20-23.

In her role at Comcast, Soehren is responsible for the learning and development of approximately 70,000 employees across all disciplines. She will speak on "Connecting the Dots Between Experience and Learning."

Minacom Supports Remote Testing to Electroline Transponders