For Video Service Providers, measuring what subscribers are seeing and hearing is most accurately viewed at the output of the Set Top Box. Until now, monitoring analog outputs has been “just good enough” even though most subscribers watch HD content on large TV screens driven by HDMI video and audio signals with HDCP. Without a way to monitor HDMI/HDCP, current analog output monitoring doesn’t accurately represent the viewing experience. That’s because Set Top Boxes can reformat or rescale the video, leading to a softening of colors. Audio signals can be rescaled, leading to DialNorm differences of as much as 3dB.
The new WFM5250 with HDMI/HDCP now uniquely enables Video Service Providers to truly see and hear like a subscriber, and perform STB testing “bake in” on new firmware releases in the lab before being released. Additionally, the WFM5250 can be used for Set Top Box monitoring of video and audio signal fidelity, including black/freeze frame detection and Audio Loudness “Quick Checks” in headend or remote hub sites on reported issues, or high valued content for manned operations. When used with the Sentry and Sentry Edge II Video Quality Monitors, cable operators can compare the video quality of their content from ingest to the subscriber.
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