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Video Quality Monitors
Ensure the quality of the viewing experience for your subscribers, increase uptime and reduce operational expenditures.
Tektronix next generation monitoring solutions are more intelligent, robust and comprehensive than traditional monitoring solutions. An industry-best number of critical issues are detected (most often before subscribers experience them), detailed reports are generated for historical/trending analysis and our products offer scalability and an easy-to-use web interface.
Models in the Video Quality Monitors Series:
| Model | Consul | Sentry Edge | Medius | Sentry | Sentry Verify | Sentry Assure |
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| Reviews |
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| Analysis | Trending and analysis reports are based on data collected frommultiple Medius units. | IP Network Impairment Analysis, 60-day Historical Reportingand Graphing, Transport StreamBandwidth Graphing, Program GroupBandwidth Graphing | 60-day historical reporting with trending analysis, centralizedalarm reporting, and performance graphing. | IP Network Impairment Analysis, 60-day Historical Reportingand Graphing, Transport StreamBandwidth Graphing, Program GroupBandwidth Graphing | IP Network Impairment Analysis, 60-day Historical Reportingand Graphing, Transport StreamBandwidth Graphing, Program GroupBandwidth Graphing | Historical Reporting and Graphing, Program Group Bandwidth Graphing |
| Form factor | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU |
| Generation | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Monitoring | Generates alert analysis reports for large scale/national monitoringcoverage. Shows video quality degradation from location to locationand identifies the top offending programs at each location –local, regional, or national level. | Dual Tuner RF Monitoring, Video and Audio QoS, Alert Notificationand Historical Reporting, Error Second and Program Availability Reporting,CALM Act Compliance for Audio Loudness (optional), SCTE-35 (DPI) (optional),Carousel (truway/OCAP/MHP/DSM-CC) (optional), EBIF (eTV) (optional),SA-BFS (optional) | Advanced reporting tool that captures and integrates detailedQoS/QoE information to quickly highlight the top offending programsand/or locations from multiple Sentry, Sentry Verify, and Sentry Edgeunits. Single point of NMS integration. | Video and Audio QoS, Video and Audio QoE including CALM ActCompliance for Audio Loudness, Alert Notification and Historical Reporting,Error Second and Program Availability Reporting, PVQ on MPEG-2 andH.264 (optional), SCTE-35 (DPI) (optional), Carousel (truway/OCAP/MHP/DSM-CC)(optional), EBIF (eTV) (optional), SA-BFS (optional) | Video and Audio QoS, Alert Notification and Historical Reporting,Error Second and Program Availability Reporting, SCTE-35 (DPI) (optional), Carousel (truway/OCAP/MHP/DSM-CC)(optional), EBIF (eTV) (optional), SA-BFS (optional) | Digital Program InsertionValidation, CALM Compliance Monitoring, Regulatory Compliance Monitoring,Detect MPEG and IP Issues, Alert Notification and Historical Reporting,Error Second and Program Availability Reporting, Carousel (truway/OCAP/MHP/DSM-CC)(optional), EBIF (eTV) (optional), SA-BFS (optional) |
| Multiplex Layers | - | Transport Stream, RF | - | Transport Stream, IP | Transport Stream, IP | Transport Stream, IP |
| Network Interfaces | 1000BASE-T | QAM-B, 8VSB | 1000BASE-T | IP (1000BASE-T), ASI | IP (1000BASE-T) | IP (1000BASE-T) |
| Network Management | Yes | Medius, Consul | Yes | Medius, Consul | Medius, Consul | - |
| Record | - | Triggered Alert Stream Capture | - | Triggered Alert Stream Capture | Triggered Alert Stream Capture | Triggered Alert Stream Capture |
| List Price | Request a Quote | Request a Quote | Request a Quote | Request a Quote | Request a Quote | Request a Quote |
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Perceptual Video Quality
Perceptual Video Quality ranks picture quality in real time from 0 to 5 (5 being the best) on both SD and HD programs (MPEG2 and H.264), so service providers can understand how video compression artifacts such as blocking video are affecting the viewer’s experience with the picture. Learn more »
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Video & Audio QoE
Scoring System: The Video and Audio Quality of Experience (QoE) scores serve as an indication of the satisfaction level of the TV viewer. The scores are based on human perceptual analysis of hundreds of audio and video PIDs (in monitored programs) simultaneously in real time. Should issues such as temporarily frozen video, tiling/macro-blocking, audio disruptions, etc., affect the quality of the viewers' TV viewing experience, the score is reduced. Learn more »
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Audio Level Monitoring
Our audio level monitoring solution provides multichannel video service providers with the ability to monitor all of their programs and all of their channels in real time for any audio volume discrepancies. It reflects what the TV viewer actually hears while watching TV and monitors the audio levels in a weighted dB scale. The audio volume variations are displayed in a graph against the mean value and Dialnorm. Learn more »
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MPEG Transport
Our monitoring solutions perform deep inspection of every packet in real-time, simultaneously across hundreds of channels and programs. This provides visibility into video and audio quality metrics such as loss of video and audio, audio silence, video freeze, tiling, macro blocking, slow channel changing and application errors. Our deep packet analysis technology goes beyond traditional monitoring probes to obtain detailed reports on service degradation resulting from poor video and audio quality, MPEG data and table errors, packet arrival interval or delay factor, or from embedded data. Learn more »
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Network IP Statistics
IP Statistics are a part of our transport monitoring solution. Monitoring the IP layer of the video network ensures there are no IP issues impacting the delivery of services and programming. In addition, monitoring the IP network assists with root cause analysis and problem isolation. Learn more »
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Advanced Reporting
Our products contain a flexible relational database so our customers can generate both statistical reports (aggregated by any selectable locations) and trending reports (by any selectable time frame from hours to months) on the fly without having to go offline. These reports can be configured by each user and then get automatically emailed to a designated person or group on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Learn more »
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RF Monitoring
Monitoring the edge of your network is important for catching modulation errors that could impact the quality of service you provide to your subscribers. Sentry Edge detects transport stream and RF modulation errors generated from equipment errors or failures. The transport stream errors may be related to the bandwidth/bit rate, embedded data, applications or to the video and audio. Learn more »
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Centralized Management
Our customers take advantage of our centralized management solution – Medius – to correlate and manage alerts and reports from multiple Sentry, Sentry Verify and Sentry Edge units across their network. This gives multichannel service providers an end-to-end view of the quality of service and the Quality of Experience they are providing to their subscriber base. Learn more »
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Video Capture
Video capture is an enhancement to our already in-depth monitoring solution and provides the ability to record video and audio errors as they occur, which can accelerate their diagnosis and repair. When coupled with the Audio and Video QoE Scoring System, video service providers can schedule the capture to trigger when a QoE score drops below a user-defined level. Learn more »
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Embedded Data
Monitoring embedded data is important for determining if there are any subscriber impacting or (regulatory) compliance issues related to incorrect CGMS settings, encryption, and/or missing closed captioning data. Several reports are available with data up to 60 days. Learn more »
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Ad Insertion Monitoring
Know about ad insertion issues before your advertisers do. The Sentry product line provides full auditing and historical reporting of local avails to ensure your ads are running. Learn more »
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tru2way / OCAP
The OCAP Monitor is a tool for monitoring tru2way™/OCAP carousels. Digital set-top boxes receive continuous delivery of applications and data from the head-end or uplink center. These data and applications are critical for normal set-top box function and service delivery. With the advent of tru2way™ (OCAP) and other carousels, multichanel service providers are introducing a vast array of complex, interactive services to their subscriber base. Learn more »
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SA-BFS Monitoring
Sentry is designed to identify and monitor data carousels within the transport, which enables it to keep detailed information about the real-time and historical status of the Scientific-Atlanta Broadcast Files System (BFS). Similar to the way other application carousels (tru2way, DSM-CC, etc) are monitored, Sentry is able to provide critical information about the status of BFS carousels. Multichannel service providers can set alerts to be notified of bitrate errors, file changes, file cycle times and if files are missing. Learn more »
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EBIF Monitoring
Interactive applications and associated advertising allow you to deliver enhanced capabilities to your subscribers and is a way to monetize advanced digital services in a broad range of digital settop boxes. ETV content consisting of the applications and metadata is, however, prone to errors during transport, rate-shaping and muxing. Learn more »
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Bandwidth Management
Bandwidth conservation is critical to operators in a time of rapid content growth. Multichannel service providers are adding more HD channels, adding file-based content and are carouseling more applications to subscriber terminals. All of this content is being delivered through the same core infrastructure. In addition, service providers are launching new technologies such as switched digital video in an effort to reclaim bandwidth. Learn more »
Sentry Family Software Updates
- 7.0 Update Release Notes
- 6.0 Update Release Notes
- 5.1 Update Release Notes
- 5.0 Update Release Notes
Contact your Tektronix Sales Engineer to arrange for an upgrade.
Sentry Support Services
World-Class Support When You Need It
A support contract from Tektronix provides you with all of the tools you need to make sure your monitoring deployment becomes more of a success for your organization over time. Tektronix field technicians are experts in all of the disciplines required to configure, test and operate our monitoring solutions in real-world settings. Our support team is thoroughly trained in the real-world performance characteristics of Tektronix equipment, as well as those of many other vendors, and offers extensive experience in digital networks.
Simply put, the level of support provided in a Tektronix support contract is unmatched by any other company.
Professional Services
Tektronix' field technicians and engineering teams are experts in MPEG infrastructure, monitoring, NOC procedures and troubleshooting. Take advantage of our expertise when you are planning your next short-term or long-term project. Tektronix offers professional services for items such as, but not limited to, monitoring assessments, issue/problem resolution, tru2way™ or EBIF deployment and bandwidth management.
Our standard agreement includes:
- Hardware warranty
- Software warranty
- Intermediate releases and enhancements
- Pre-deployment engineering support
- Installation
- Configuration of system
- On-site training
- Phone support
- Email support
- On-site support
| Application | |
|---|---|
Sentry Family Software Update version 5.0Information on the release of software version 5.0 for the Sentry family of products. |
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Sentry Family Software Update version 7.0 |
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Sentry Family Software Update version 6.0 |
| Application | |
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QoE: What it Means to Subscribers and Service Providers WebinarQuality of Experience has emerged as the key focal point for cable operators. This webinar explores the results of a recent video network monitoring market study that points to the growing need for network monitoring. Learn about Recommended Best Practices for QoE monitoring, as well as strategic decisions related to Video Monitoring Deployments from Time Warner Cable. |
IP Video |
BGTV Gives the Sentry Digital Content Monitor a Diamond Award at Cable-Tec Expo 2010The BGTV judges awarded Sentry a four star diamond award for its Enhanced Binary Interexchange Format (EBIF) monitoring application. |
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BGTV Interviews Tektronix on Sentry Digital Content Monitors at Cable-Tec Expo 2010Eric Conley and Eben Jenkins discuss the new Tektronix Sentry product family and an outlook on the Video Network Monitoring market. |
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Advanced QoE MonitoringAdvanced QoE Monitoring |
IP Video |
Adopting Adaptive StreamingAdopting Adaptive Streaming |
Cable TV Operators |
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