Compressed Video: MPEG-2
Application Information
A Guide to MPEG Fundamentals and Protocol Analysis (Including DVB and ATSC)
MPEG is one of the most popular audio/video compression techniques because it is not just a single standard. Instead it is a range of standards suitable for different applications but based on similar principles. MPEG is an acronym for the Moving Picture Experts Group which was set up by the ISO (International Standards Organization) to work on compression/
CaptureVu™ Application Note
CaptureVu™ allows you to set an error break point on an incoming real time or stored MPEG transport stream. By setting specific and sophisticated trigger conditions for CaptureVu™ you allow the analyzer to find intermittent problems for you, trigger a recording to memory, or pause analysis to allow you to drill down to the route cause of an issue quickly and efficiently.
Set-Top Box Manufacturing Test 
(548 kB)
Testing set-top boxes for today's consumer television market demands both speed and efficiency. The signals are complex, but state-of-the-art test systems can make the tests both fast and accurate.
Encoder Testing (134 kB)
As broadcasters make the transition from exclusively analog video broadcasting to programming that includes compressed digital video, digital encoder designers are faced with the need to understand the MPEG-2 compression standard and the role it plays in designing robust MPEG equipment
MPEG-2 Decoder Design & Test (138 kB)
Consumers are rapidly switching from their old analog TV set top boxes to the newer digital boxes in order to get higher-quality video, higher channel counts, and the extra services provided by digital broadcasters.
Critical RF Measurements in Cable, Satellite and Terrestrial DTV Systems (1.4 MB)
The secret of maintaining reliable, high-quality services over the different digital television transmission systems is to focus on those critical factors that may compromise the integrity of the system. This application note describes those critical RF measurements, which help to detect such problems before viewers lose their service and picture completely.
Recommended Products
MPEG Analyzers
MPEG Monitors
- MTM400 MPEG Transport Stream Monitor
- MPEG over IP GigaBit Ethernet Real Time Monitor
- MPEG over IP GigaBit Ethernet Real Time Monitor with Channel Polling
MPEG Generators
- MTS400 Series MPEG Test System
- MTX100A MPEG Recorder and Player
- RTX100A ISDB-T RF Signal Generator
- RTX130A QAM & 8VSB RF Signal Generator
Content Verification
Protocol Analysis
Additional Resources
- Glossary of Video Terms and Acronyms
- Multi-layer Confidence Monitoring in Digital Television Broadcasting
- Ask the Tektronix Experts
MPEG Standards Poster ATSC or DVB
Testing Transports Streams Using Templates (1.2 MB)
The addition of template testing makes Tektronix test systems, such as the MTM400, a very powerful and cost-effective way of applying scheduled service and related tests to specific target probe points. Transmission-chain errors can be detected and pinpointed promptly by strategically placed minimal staffing. This allows users to take remedial action before problems develop and service is compromised or interrupted, with the resulting loss in revenue and performance levels.
Testing the MPEG-2 Transport Stream - Data Broadcast/Carousel Analysis (586 kB)
Topics discussed in this technical brief include an overview of subjective measurements, objective measurements with the PQA200 and a comparison between subjective and objective measurements.
Troubleshooting Both Network IP and MPEG for Video on Demand (1.7 MB)
Video-on-Demand (VoD) systems are being implemented using IP over Ethernet switched transport systems. This paper reviews the capabilities of a combined Singulus G1-T, Tektronix MTM400 MPEG Transport Stream Monitor, and the Tektronix AD-950 MPEG Analysis Software in the installation, verification, and troubleshooting of a VoD system. Important parameters such as MPEG protocol, network packet jitter, loss, utilization, and other key parameters can be observed and measured.
Quality Assurance in the Video-on-Demand Environment (879 kB)
Video-on-Demand systems are being implemented using IP over Ethernet switched transport systems. This paper reviews a systematic approach to assure consistent high video quality through proper design and monitoring of parameters such as video source quality and network packet jitter, loss, utilization, and other key parameters. Understanding how these parameters combine to affect video distribution quality is essential to successfully scale such systems to large production environments.
A Layman's Guide to PCR Measurements (259 kB)
Program Clock References (PCRs) provide the means for a digital TV receiver to lock its decoded video output to the video source present at the input to an encoder. The subject of PCR measurement is often misunderstood. This technical brief describes impairments that affect the PCR and appropriate measurement techniques.
PCR Measurements Primer (3.3 MB)
Engineers and technicians who monitor or measure video parameters must have confidence in the results. We describe in this primer a new procedure for jitter measurements as recommended in TR 101 290.
A Guide to Maintaining Quality of Service for Digital Television Programs (1.7 MB)
Digital television programs consist of video, one or more channels of audio, and potentially large amounts of data. This guide covers the technologies relating to QoS for the video part of the program, which we will refer to as Video Quality of Service, or "QoS."
Comparing Objective and Subjective Picture Quality Measurements (136 kB)
Topics discussed in this technical brief include an overview of subjective measurements, objective measurements with the PQA200 and a comparison between subjective and objective measurements.
A Guide to Picture Quality Measurements for Modern Television Systems
In this guide, the aspects of video testing are presented based on an understanding of the complete television system including production, compression, decompression and the display or reuse of the original program. The need for continuing application of traditional video testing methods is explained along with their limitations for identifying the artifacts introduced by video compression. To complete the guide, implementation of an objective picture quality assessment algorithm in a practical measurement instrument is shown to require a combination of traditional video technology and modern computer techniques.
Using Triggered Video Capture to Improve Picture Quality (510 kB)
Today's video transmission methods depend on compressed digital video to deliver the high-volume of video data required. This creates a need for an easy, reliable, consistent test method to guarantee Video Quality of Service to the end user.
Measuring and Interpreting Picture Quality in MPEG Compressed Video Content (397 kB)
Designers, equipment manufacturers, and evaluators need to apply objective picture quality methods to the equipment they are working with. The Tektronix PQA300 Picture Quality Analysis system provides fast, repeat-able, quantified Picture Quality Ratings (PQR) on compressed video content.
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