Bridge Technologies has extended its multi-award-winning satellite-to-set-top box VideoBRIDGE monitoring system with the launch of the VB12-RF, a compact, highly portable broadcast-IP monitoring and measurement appliance for terrestrial and cable applications. Packing every required interface for RF, ASI, and IP into a ruggedized chassis smaller than a laptop computer, the VB12-RF features full TR101290 alarming and analysis, and support for all major media transportation codecs.

Designed for the rigors of real-world use on the road, the VB12-RF is smaller, lighter, and tougher than any comparable monitoring solution. Providing the engineer with all the interfaces needed for broadcast or IP analysis at any location in the transmission chain of both cable and terrestrial broadcast-IP digital media operations, the VB12-RF requires no external equipment or power supplies, is easy to handle, and is robust enough to withstand severe physical shocks and harsh operating conditions.

“The VB12-RF is an incredibly smart and versatile tool for engineers working on any cable or terrestrial operation,” said Simen Frostad, chairman, Bridge Technologies. “In keeping with our design philosophy for the entire VideoBRIDGE range, the VB12-RF combines appliance-grade convenience, comprehensiveness, and sophistication, bringing together all of the monitoring and analysis capabilities needed for the ‘big picture’ of the digital media delivery chain without being limited to an IP or RF approach alone.”

The VB12-RF incorporates many of the most advanced patented technologies from the VideoBRIDGE end-to-end digital media monitoring system, building them into an ergonomic 114 x 41 x 335mm appliance that replaces a carload of equipment the engineer would otherwise have to bring to the site. The VB12-RF also completely integrates the tool set engineers need with a consistent interface that makes understanding of complex data much easier and minimizes training requirements. The VB12-RF is designed to be used by an engineer for on-site analysis, or to be left in situ for continuous monitoring of that point in the network and remote analysis of the data. 

For on-site analysis, the engineer can use the VB12-RF’s management port to interrogate or download data, or use the VB12-RF’s internal memory to store data that can then be analyzed when the engineer returns to the device. For monitoring over a longer period, the VB12-RF can be left at the remote location from where it will provide continuous data over the Internet to a third-party network management system (NMS) or to the VideoBRIDGE controller (VBC).

The VB12-RF can monitor 10 IP SPTS/MPTS services in parallel with optional expansion of streams in steps of 10 to a maximum of 50 services. The IP input, RF QAM/VSB input, and the ASI input have full parallel TR101290 alarming and analysis capability, and the system incorporate an Eii (External integration interface) that allows the unit to be integrated easily into any third-party OSS/NMS system. Each VB12-RF runs an integral HTTP server with the client as a Web browser, and does not require the installation of custom software on computers needing access to the measurement data. Basic setup is achieved through the built-in USB-to-RS232 converter, eliminating the need for an external interface and allowing the setting of IP addresses for access to the VB12-RF. The VB12-RF can also be controlled remotely via TELNET or XML configuration commands.