Euromedia November December 2013

cover_cover 28/11/2013 16:58 Page 1 ® ® EUROMEDIA DIGITAL MEDIA INTELLIGENCE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 Testing, testing 1, 2, 3



contents_contents 28/11/2013 16:59 Page 1 14 Cover Story Test and Measurement 3D has been a very slow burn and only the The need to ensure QoE for the subscriber as TV Everywhere becomes commonplace, and network traffic continues to grow at a compound rate, requires new testing and monitoring techniques. Euromedia polled a range of sector players to find out how they are responding to market dynamics and enabling their broadcaster and service provider clients to maintain market share and protect revenue. 22 Company contribution Tektronix Monitoring and quality control of Adaptive Bitrate Streaming platforms is as important as the ABR systems themselves, according to test, measurement and monitoring solutions specialist Tektronix. 26 Round Table 4K for Everyone? 4K was the talk of IBC with predictions it will become as ubiquitous as HD and avoid the underachievement of 3D. But that will only happen if it isn’t oversold or under delivered. Euromedia gathered four experts in London to debate to the merits of HEVC and 4K and how to fully exploit the potential. 28 Review IBC Review 4K and Ultra-High Definition were dominant themes at Amsterdam’s IBC, Europe’s leading broadcast technology show, reports Colin Mann. REGULARS 5 Comment 6-12 News Wrap 24 Wireless Watch 25 US Watch 34 Events calendar EUROMEDIA 3

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flannel_flannel 28/11/2013 16:52 Page 1 EUROMEDIA DIGITAL MEDIA INTELLIGENCE PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF In this issue, we return to the low-profile but vital business of Nick Snow [email protected] test and monitoring. We are all headed to an IP-driven multi- MANAGING EDITOR screen world. The irony is that this enables more and better Colin Mann [email protected] services – and therefore the opportunity for providers to CONTRIBUTING EDITOR monetise subscribers in more and better ways – and yet these Chris Forrester [email protected] services are delivered by a process that is intrinsically ‘best PUBLISHING ASSISTANT efforts’. Nik Roseveare [email protected] Because of variable bandwidths in the delivery paths, and ART EDITOR even more variable capabilities in the unmanaged devices at Steve Overbury [email protected] the destination, those efforts can, perforce, be pretty COLUMNISTS strenuous. But, however tough the road, the cargo had better Vivek Couto arrive in apparently mint condition, otherwise the paying Larry Gerbrandt customer is going to try some other courier. And everyone Steve Gold knows that if winning a subscriber is vital to growth, keeping CONTRIBUTORS one is fundamental to survival. Robert Briel - Amsterdam Dieter Brockmeyer - Frankfurt So, media industry technologists are committed One Gail Chiasson - Toronto Directioners. That direction is compression; more bits (or the David del Valle - Madrid appearance of more bits) in less bandwidth. With this Chris Dziadul fundamental credo they have moved us from the basics of Sotires Eleftheriou - Paris lossy digital compression with MPEG-1 through to – in about Philip Hunter Joe O’Halloran 20 years – H.265 or HEVC, representing another doubling of Farah Jifri compression from MPEG-4. Branislav Pekic - Rome Having developed the compression the technologists leave SALES DIRECTOR it to broadcasters and service providers what to do with it. Sanjeev Bhavnani [email protected] The sexy thing to do is talk about 4K or Ultra-HD; the ability PUBLISHED BY to use the same bandwidth as now used for HD, but supply a picture of double the quality; higher frame rates, deeper bit Advanced Television Limited Bondway Commercial Centre rate and all. If you’ve seen it demoed – in the ‘full fat’ version, 4th Floor, Unit 4.01 of course – it is impressive; much greater field of vision, truly 71 Bondway immersive. It’s like 3D but with a better picture, no glasses, London SW8 1SQ and less headaches. Tel: +44 (0)20 7793 8855 U-HD will come along and get a decent early adopter Fax: +44 (0)20 7793 9955 crowd – the TV makers will see to that. And then will come www.advanced-television.com UUHD(?): NHK are already piloting 8K. But for most PRINTED BY providers, HEVC will simply be a way to offer current services Headley Brothers Ltd more efficiently (SD and HD over mobile), and more of the The Invicta Press same kind of services to their fixed line subs – up to twice as Queens Road Ashford many. Kent Either way, it won’t lighten the load on the servers and TN24 8HH, UK codecs in their frantic and constant game of digital tag as content streams are adapted and formatted and checked off Tel: +44 (0)1233 623131 Fax: +44 (0)1233 612345 for delivery. The monitoring machinery planted at every point [email protected] in the journey play an ever more important role in spotting breakdowns and log jams before the recipient notices, and a © Advanced Television Limited 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is system that was never really designed to deliver media goes prohibited. on churning out its miracles. ISSN 1477-8092 EUROMEDIA 5

euro news_news 28/11/2013 18:09 Page 1 focus on something else. If we thought it was worth more, we’d have paid n what is a major blow to BSkyB’s more. Nothing premium and ITV’s free-to-air changes until 2015 Icoverage, UK telco BT has secured and we look the live broadcasting rights to UEFA forward to 18 more Champions League football matches from months of live 2015 as well as for UEFA’s Europa League Champions League in a €1 billion + deal. on Sky Sports. We The move means that ITV’s sole live football will now re-deploy coverage from 2015 will be England’s home and resources and away matches, which it has tied up until 2018. continue to bring BT Sport and the BBC will take over FA Cup customers the best rights from the 2014/15 season. BSkyB has the choice of TV across our offering.” games. Although we will always be careful about lion’s share of English Premier League games BT has agreed to pay around £299 million a what we spend, and we will look to spend wisely, and the majority of the ‘top pick’ fixtures. BT season for the rights, an amount it said it can we have deep pockets to really compete in the Sport has the rights to 38 games per season. incur without changing its current financial market.” Both BSkyB and ITV face additional competition outlook. The exact sum is €1,075,981,484.31. BT has pledged to make its new matches far from the BBC for the highlights package. UEFA Marc Watson, CEO of BT TV, said in June more accessible and affordable for fans who BT snatches Champions League rights said that an announcement on the awarding of that the telco would “stick around for the long wish to enjoy all the action. It also announced it co-exclusive highlights rights in respect of both term” with its sports channels and declared that will show a selection of these new matches for competitions would be made in due course. the company had “deep pockets” to enable it to free on BT Sport, even to homes that have not Sky has suggested that its pay-TV rival has compete for premium sports rights. He said that signed up to the channels. over-bid to secure the rights. A spokesman said: BT wanted BT Sport to grow its whole consumer The rights are expected to drive additional “We bid with a clear view of what the rights are business in the UK, and was confident in its growth in BT Consumer revenue and profits worth to us. It seems BT chose to pay far in ability to compete with Sky. “We intend to stick over the medium-term. BT will pay a deposit of excess of our valuation. There are many ways in around in this game for the long term. We are a around £60m in November 2013 followed by which we can invest in our service for big business; this is our home market. We are a six-monthly instalments commencing July 2015. customers. We take a disciplined approach and British company. And we’re not that easy to Despite these payments, BT says its financial there is always a level at which we will choose to chase out of town. We’ve got the quality of outlook is unchanged. Freeview highlights leading manufacturers. HD in new ad Owen Jenkinson, head of marketing at Freeview, said the UK DTT platform Freeview has platform had brought back the unveiled a new advertising widely-recognised balloons to campaign encouraging viewers remind those people in the to consider choosing a market for a new television Freeview HD television next that the best option, by far, is time they are looking to buy a a Freeview HD TV. “With four new TV. of the nation’s most popular The 20-second advert HD channels already available signals a return of Freeview’s subscription-free, and more helium balloons, this time dual marketing strategy. number which Freeview HD channels on the way, a carrying a series of HDTVs Freeview’s recent ‘Tadpoles’ believes will significantly Freeview HD TV is clearly an above the British countryside. campaign aimed to build brand increase with the promise of attractive prospect – not least The ad showcases some of the awareness and engagement. more HD channels and the as it will ensure the best UK’s most-watched The new HD campaign availability of pre-Christmas viewing experience of some programmes available on capitalises on this brand promotional offers on the most hotly-anticipated Freeview’s four existing HD building – giving people a televisions. Current sales of programmes this Christmas.” channels; BBC One HD, BBC reason to reconsider pay TV HDTVs, which have increased Freeview has launched an Two HD, ITV HD and Channel 4 and showing the benefits of 21% year-on-year, suggest updated online coverage HD, and hints at more HD buying a Freeview HDTV. that consumers are already checker that will include channels to come. Freeview HD is already taking advantage of a high information on the proposed The campaign is part of a enjoyed in 3.4m UK homes, a number of deals available from new HD channels. 6 EUROMEDIA

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euro news_news 28/11/2013 18:09 Page 2 Education, innovation key to end movie piracy ducating current and should be on the basis that prospective movie “film is fantastic. It’s about Efans and innovating inspiring people and directing with accessible, affordable them where to go.” business models are key to Mark de Quervain at combating online movie FindAnyFilm produced piracy, according to research which suggested that panellists at a debate on the the cinema industry was highly- topic organised by pro- reliant on a small number of copyright consumer cinephiles for its revenues, also education body the Industry accepting that among that Trust for IP Awareness as number were a percentage of part of the BFI London Film illegal downloaders. Festival. Orlando Parfitt, of Yahoo! Noting that the Trust had been UK noted the prevalence of set up some 10 years previously, illegal sites when carrying out Liz Bales, director general, said that piracy important thing the industry does around simple movie title searches on leading search had “hugely changed, and with that, the way reducing the impact of piracy is about engines. “There was nothing on any of those that we talk to audiences and the way that we innovation; ensuring that there are fantastic front pages from iTunes, or LOVEFiLM or engage with audiences, that changes as well. services out there that offer state-of the-art Netflix, which are the obvious three legal ways Education is one of the things the Trust does, cinema experiences, fantastic quality on discs to watch those films. It’s something we all and it’s important to put the whole picture and that the product, increasingly so in terms have to look at. It’s a huge battle. A huge together.” of digital offering, is out there. That’s where amount of traffic is being sucked up by pirate Referring to previous initiatives regarding we’ve seen real growth and real change over sites,” he admitted, adding that it was the rights and protecting intellectual property, the last 18 months. There’s a whole load of responsibility of legal providers of movie Bales said this continued to be an important ways consumers can engage in content.” She content to get their house in order in terms of part of what the industry did in terms of said the message should not be negative in optimising websites so that the first option in curbing the impact of piracy. “The other most terms of the detrimental effects of piracy, but such searches should be a legal option. AMC buys Chellomedia channels for $1bn iberty Global which consists of its Film1 developed a remarkable even more popular and International (LGI) is and Sport1 channels. portfolio of popular valuable around the world.” Lselling its international Mike Fries, president and channels that reach The agreement includes content division Chellomedia CEO of Liberty Global, hundreds of millions around the acquisition of to AMC Networks for described the deal as “a the world. As AMC Networks Chellomedia’s operating approximately $1 billion. great transaction for all has expanded businesses including: Chello The assets being sold parties”, noting that internationally, we have had Central Europe, Chello Latin include Chello Multicanal, Chellomedia was one of the a great desire to do America, Chello Multicanal, Chello Central Europe, largest international channel something we consider Chello Zone, the ad sales Chello Zone, Chello Latin groups with distribution to fundamentally strategic, unit Atmedia and. America and the broadcast more than 390m households which is to take our content The transaction is solutions unit Chello DMC. in 138 countries. “I have no and put it on channels we expected to close in the first In addition, Chellomedia’s doubt that the management own. This acquisition allows quarter of 2014 and is stakes in its joint ventures team will continue to build us to secure a large, global subject to limited closing with CBS International, A+E tremendous value as part of platform on which to conditions. The transaction Networks, Zon Optimus and AMC. For Liberty Global, this distribute our increasingly is not conditioned on any certain other partners are transaction is attractive from successful original regulatory approvals. The also part of the deal. Liberty both a valuation and programming through a assets were put up for sale Global will retain its Dutch liquidity perspective. It also collection of strong, well- in May 2013 and it is premium channel business, simplifies our business and established and well- understood that other allows us to focus on our managed assets worldwide,” interested bidders included core markets and more said Josh Sapan, president Scripps Networks Interactive, strategic programming and CEO of AMC Networks. Turner Broadcasting System opportunities.” “Together, we can grow and Discovery “Chellomedia has these assets and make them Communications. 8 EUROMEDIA

euro news_news 28/11/2013 18:09 Page 3 Netflix adds 3rd European cable partner other cable services,” said Joris Evers, director, global corporate communications, Netflix. Christjansen suggested that it did not make sense to invest “staggering sums” in developing its own competing solution when it could cooperate with what he described as the world’s best provider of Internet TV. “The partnership with Netflix probably will not be the last,” he etflix has added a Anders Christjansen, CEO of TV via their set-top box. said. Waoo! already has a third operator to its Waoo!, said such a co-operation “We want to make it as easy partnership with both TV 2 and Ncable TV partners, was obvious and a perfect as possible for Danes to Viasat to carry their streaming with Denmark’s Waoo! strategic match, with the experience the wide variety of services. following Virgin Media in the operator having the best high quality entertainment Whereas both Virgin Media UK and Sweden’s Com Hem Internet, and streaming having Netflix offers. Being available on and Com Hem subscribers in offering subscribers the become popular. The the Waoo! TV box is part of our access Netflix via TiVo STBs, the ability to access Netflix combination of Netflix and strategy to allow Danes to access Waoo! solution has been content via their set-top Waoo! would give customers Netflix on the same device as developed in collaboration with boxes. additional choice of high-quality they watch broadcast TV and AirTies. DiscoverTV app for subscription with easy-to stuff. Every day, Radio Times Tom Bureau, CEO Radio Times use, 14-day customised TV DiscoverTV will guide you to Immediate Media Co, owner and radio listings, by the very best programmes – of Radio Times, said the UK TV listings publication provider and location, and whether they’re on the company’s mission was to Radio Times has launched basic programme traditional main channels, develop its magazines into Radio Times DiscoverTV App, information. iPlayer, 4OD or new services full multi-platform content a new daily TV and radio Ben Preston, Radio Times like Netflix – and help you brands with many revenue recommendations and editor, said the app was the discover your next favourite streams. “This requires us to discovery service designed to develop our brands with help viewers find favourite world class scaled digital programmes wherever they products based on the are – on TV, catch-up or on- strength of our market demand. positions. In its 90th year, The App aims to cut the launch of Radio Times through the ever-increasing DiscoverTV re-imagines broadcast choices with daily Radio Times for a new digital categorised audience. We have created a recommendations to the best product to delight a new TV and radio, in-depth TV generation of consumers and film reviews, video around TV entertainment, content and customised combining guidance, programme listings. discovery, and functionality. Available on iPad and first app designed for the show. At Radio Times we are This is an important step on optimised for iOS7, Radio way viewers watch television determined to reinvent our journey to create the Times DiscoverTV is a now. “This is a golden age journalism about future model for magazine freemium app with a 30-day for quality television. Viewers broadcasting, make the most media.” free trial of the premium have never enjoyed so much of new digital technologies Radio Times was first features. A free limited choice. But we want to make and make life easier for our published by the BBC in service is available without it easier to find the good readers.” 1923. EUROMEDIA 9

euro news_news 28/11/2013 18:09 Page 4 UKTV goes multi-platform on Sky ky and UKTV have series as box sets. extended their long-term According to Sky, the addition of Spartnership with a new UKTV’s channels to On Demand and multi-year agreement that will Sky Go further extends its leadership see UKTV’s network of pay TV in connected TV and strengthens its channels made available across position as the UK’s leading Sky’s full range of TV products aggregator of channels across TV, for the first time. online and on mobile. This The new multi-platform agreement also builds on Sky’s agreement further expands UKTV’s commitment to keep increasing value footprint in the British broadcasting for customers by deepening and market, which currently sees the strengthening its relationships with network reach over 42 million viewers channel partners such as UKTV. a month. In addition to the continued UKTV recently committed to availability of popular pay exclusive investing a record amount of £110m channels Gold, Watch, Alibi, Dave HD, Good Sky On Demand as well as the company’s on-screen this year, making innovative shows Food, Eden and Home, UKTV content will be mobile TV service, Sky Go. More than 3.4m and buying bold and exclusive acquisitions. available through catch-up, on demand, on the Sky homes have already connected their Sky Upcoming highlights include a new series of go, and, where available, in High Definition. box to broadband to enjoy the UK’s most award-winning Dynamo: Magician Impossible, To give Sky customers ultimate control comprehensive catch-up and on demand JJ Abrams’ new supernatural thriller Believe, a over how, where and when they enjoy UKTV service, while 3.3m Sky homes regularly use darkly comedic take on storytelling in channels, content will be available through Sky Go. UKTV will also provide complete Crackanory, and new 10 part drama Legion. EE claims 4G speed According to EE, increased SIS exits OB market to sacrifice quality just in order record launch bandwidth across the network to deliver a cheaper service. In also enables a new approach Broadcast services and view of the pricing pressure for UK mobile telco EE has to outside broadcast for media technology provider Satellite long term contacts for switched on its 4G mobile companies, as a small number Information Services Limited customers such as the BBC, we network, claiming it as the of 4G SIMs can replace an (SIS) is to withdraw from the have come to the conclusion fastest in the world. The entire satellite truck and the Outside Broadcast (OB) market, that the Outside Broadcast network – running LTE- rental of a satellite connection. citing commoditisation of the market, as it is today, no Advanced technology and For consumers, EE says the market and contract renewal longer offers an arena in which is capable of reaching future of mobile is about difficulties. which it makes sense for us 300Mbps speeds – will initially connecting more devices, SIS's chief executive Gary to continue to operate,\" he cover London’s Tech City, with accessing more real-time Smith said that it had become stated. companies in the area being information, and sharing apparent that the Outside He confirmed that the selected to access it first. higher definition images and Broadcast market had become company remains committed This latest EE network videos. The emergence of a commodity marketplace, to operate as normally over innovation follows the wearable technology, for where price was the dominant this period and will meet all company’s internal analysis of example, will continue to factor. \"Our difficulty in contractual commitments. consumer and increase consumer reaching terms with BBC Sport Broadcasting sector trade business trends, usage of data over the renewal of their sports union BECTU branch secretary which forecasts a across multiple contracts offered a vivid Sean Kelly said: \"By inviting data-usage rise of connected reflection of the problem.\" The bids for one third of our work 750% over the products. “In BBC sold its OB operation to in ten separate lots, BBC next three years. consumer SIS in 2008, and more recently Sport opened the way for EE CEO Olaf entertainment, has sought bids for sports OB competitors to bid at Swantee explained ultra high work in separate lots. marginal prices, ignoring that the network definition 4K TV is Smith said that SIS's overheads, whilst SIS OBs did used the the future, and business had been geared to not have that luxury. The spectrum that it LTE-A makes it long-term commitments and structure of the tender acquired in the possible to support strategic relationships, with a process seemed designed to Ofcom spectrum that on a mobile commitment to delivering the disadvantage SIS OBs. BBC auction earlier in 2013, and network. BBC iPlayer streams highest professional standards Sport has destroyed the was the first part of an at 5Mbps, whereas 4K TV will at competitive prices. \"This is company which was BBC infrastructure that could meet stream at 20Mbps, so a true across all of our business, Television Outside the future demands of an consistently high average not just in the OB market. We Broadcasts, together with the increasingly data-hungry speed, enabled by sufficient have always sought to be livelihoods of members who nation, enabling it to stay one- capacity on the network, is competitive in our pricing, but had worked loyally for the step ahead of the demand. essential,” says the company. we have never been prepared BBC for most of their careers.\" 10 EUROMEDIA



euro news_news 28/11/2013 18:09 Page 5 Facebook’s Rose: 2nd ay-TV and complementary overlap to broadband services Pace’s blue-chip customer base screen pushes people Ptechnology and a strong and seasoned specialist Pace is acquiring team of talented and innovative to TV optical transport and cable industry professionals. access network solutions “With a leading presence in provider Aurora Networks, products that are increasingly an Rose, VP of “When the show ends, we talk in a $310m cash deal that it important for cable operators partnerships at about it with family and says will strengthen Pace’s as they fulfil consumers’ DFacebook, has friends. It’s always been the position as a market- constant demand for ever suggested that social media same, but obviously the leading solutions provider increasing bandwidth, this and second-screen interaction technology has changed. Just for the pay-TV and transaction further strengthens is having a positive effect on as the flat screen has changed broadband industries and our relationships with our TV viewing. the way we watch TV, the New dawn for Delivering a ‘Media second screen has changed Mastermind’ keynote address the way we talk about TV.” at MIPCOM, Rose said that a Harking back to the early Aurora with Pace few years ago, when social days of the Internet, when media first interacted with some people were predicting television, that further widen the company customers. The combined it was consumers out beyond pay-TV business will have strong considered would go Customer Premise financials and a broad market a really big online Equipment. leading portfolio that will deal. instead of Allan Leighton, chairman of provide excellent opportunities “Today, as watching Pace, said that since the for our customers, employees you all TV, he announcement of the Pace and shareholders alike.” know, the suggested Strategic Plan in November Guy Sucharczuk, CEO of intersection that it had 2011, the company had Aurora, said that joining with of social actually consistently delivered on it, Pace would create a market media and television is a turned out that people were achieving almost all of the leading Pay-TV and broadband given. Nowadays, it’s hard to going online while they watch milestones and targets laid out solution portfolio and a leading look at the channels without TV. “And what are we all at that time and that there solutions provider to operators seeing social media doing on these devices while remained “significant” integration everywhere you we watch TV? We’re doing opportunity for development of “The acquisition look. Social media has truly what we’ve always done – the core business. “The of Aurora become an inseparable part of talking to our friends.” acquisition of Aurora the television experience. In a European context, he represents an important represents an Everywhere you look, you see suggested that the ‘machine à evolution in this process and important Facebook, Instagram and café’ was the water-cooler enhances our strategy to grow a evolution in this Twitter being integrated into equivalent facilitating such broader platform across the television broadcast.” conversations, but that mobile Hardware, Software and process and Noting the television devices were bringing such Services. Acquiring Aurora will enhances our industry’s involvement in discussions forward. “I can allow Pace to expand beyond technological innovation, he have those conversations with our core business and build strategy to grow said: “I suggest that social my friends, family, co-workers deeper and more embedded a broader media integration is the latest as the show is actually relationships with our platform.” such advance. TV has always happening.” Accordingly, he customers, which the Company been a deeply social activity says that this was enabling believes will strengthen Pace’s we love to watch TV with conversations about TV to be position as a market leading globally. “The management other people around us, held with greater intensity and solutions provider for the Pay- team and I are excited to be because the medium lends engagement than ever before. TV and broadband industries.” joining and believe the itself to being a shared “Now, instead of calling my Mike Pulli, CEO of Pace, combined organisation will go experience. We also make friends to make sure they are said that Aurora from strength to strength.” choices about which shows to watching the news about the had a Following completion of the watch based on Royal Baby, I post to Acquisition, Aurora will recommendations from our Facebook, and make sure my continue to be run by its friends,” he noted, adding that friends are tuned in. And this existing senior management before he invested thirty or is the ultimate irony: the team. Closing of the deal is sixty minutes of his life, he second screen, instead of conditional upon the wanted to hear from someone drawing people away from TV, satisfaction of necessary he trusted that it was going to is pushing people towards regulatory and other be a worthwhile experience. TV.” conditions. 12 EUROMEDIA

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coverstory2_cover story 28/11/2013 16:55 Page 1 Test and Monitor Segment Survey 2013 Ensuring QoE for the subscriber as TV Everywhere becomes commonplace and network traffic continues to grow at a compound rate, requires new testing and monitoring techniques. Euromedia spoke to a range of sector players to find out how they are responding to market dynamics and enabling their clients to maintain market share and protect revenue. Euromedia: What are the most important more and more significant role. combine and analyse thousands of log recent developments impacting on Test and Digital TV Labs: The push towards IP entries to produce a report. If there are Monitor? enablement of traditional media CE devices hundreds of thousands of videos being ADB: Multi-screen deployments have shown (TV, STB, DVD-Blu-Ray players etc.) and delivered simultaneously, this creates a that subscribers are unwilling to put up with multiscreen distribution to mobiles, tablets serious scaling issue for the monitoring reduced quality or the dreaded ‘buffering and game consoles has created major system. indicator’ when that content is coming from challenges to both manufacturers and Farncombe: Testing processes are being a content provider to whom they are paying operators. The deployment and integration streamlined to take advantage of Agile a monthly fee. Hybrid solutions for multi- of multiple technologies, standards-based, techniques whilst maintaining quality. screen, where the content within the home is vendor-specific, and a hybrid model of in- Continuous Integration and test-driven coming from the broadcast signal or the house developed technologies based on development techniques are becoming more DVR, remove the quality issues associated emerging or new standards all introduce widely adopted. Monitoring is increasingly with internet delivery but do not solve the challenges in testing and monitoring. This is by exception – clients want to know when issues around sub-optimal in-home because interoperability between services something has failed or, ideally, is at risk of networking set-ups. and devices becomes increasingly hard to failure rather than reams of data telling Agama: Over the last year, we’ve achieve. them everything is OK. experienced a strong growth of – and Furthermore, in order to future-proof JDSU: We now call test and measurement maturity in – multiscreen offerings on many platforms and devices, many are integrating ‘network and service enablement’, and see markets. TV Everywhere offerings with new, updated or emerging technologies, a lot that tablet computers and cloud computing higher mobility are also growing rapidly. of which do not have full, or sufficient, test have changed the world, and the test and With the new technologies, operators have material in place. This further exacerbates monitoring industry has changed along with the potential to reach more customers in the problems faced. it. The tablet is no longer just for executives, more ways, but with a fragmentation in the Edgeware: Adaptive Bit Rate (ABR) has and it’s not just a marketing tool. Our delivery chain, services and amount of become the prevalent technology for TV traditional customers – engineers and consumer devices, the operators face a much Everywhere services. With ABR, technicians – are increasingly equipped with higher complexity in both service offerings programmes or films are transcoded into tablet computers, and the proliferation of and delivery environments. As a result many different quality bit-rates and are chopped apps has created an expectation that operators are experiencing a decreasing into chunks, which are typically a few anything worth doing must be capable of transparency and control of their service seconds long. Devices such as tablets, smart being done on one’s tablet. This isn’t a delivery, which they need to have to be able phones and connected TVs request different gradual change, either. There is no avoiding to efficiently manage and assure the service quality chunks according to the state of the it – regardless of the industry you serve as a quality and the customers’ experience. network, i.e., if there is congestion they will test vendor, your customers are expecting Bridge Technologies: It’s still the growth request lower quality chunks until it your solutions to support a tablet use case. of OTT, which has expanded massively improves and higher quality can be Mariner Partners: Consumers have access already, and the trend of that expansion is successfully received again. This makes for a to more devices with different screen accelerating. Unlike some other offerings – continuous viewing experience with no resolutions and sizes and different levels of such as 3D – that service providers have stuttering or buffering, however there is a content targeted to each or, in some cases, tried in recent years to spice up their brands, penalty in monitoring; instead of a all of these screens. This is forcing operators OTT really makes sense and will occupy a continuous stream with a defined bit-rate, to move quickly to implement flexible “Manufacturers in the delivery of a video to a specific consumer software platforms that can ensure that any now consists of thousands of small file content traversing the network is reliably test and monitoring downloads at varying bit rates. Service delivered to any screen on any end user sector have to push providers need to monitor this delivery in device. The challenge is that there has real-time as consumers will not tolerate typically been no holistic end-to-end view hard to keep bringing consistent declines in quality. To do this they that meets the standards of each of these out innovations.” need to log each small download and then different viewing devices so it is more 14 EUROMEDIA

coverstory2_cover story 28/11/2013 16:55 Page 2 difficult to identify and isolate problems and then deal with them across a multi-screen environment. Software defined networking (SDN) is essential in understanding the types of content being pushed across the network and the demands of the multiscreen environment. Nexidia: The trend continues for more government regulations in the area of access for persons with visual or hearing disabilities. Mandates for closed captioning/subtitles and audiovideo descriptions exist in the USA, Canada, and UK already with the rest of the EU likely to follow suit. S3 Group: We see three major trends S3 group’s StormTest HS64 variant as launched at IBC2013 impacting on our solution delivery to the test and monitor segment: Firstly, we are witnessing continued strong growth in the deploy a new generation of T&M equipment. bringing out innovations that give service consumption of over-the-top video services. Wohler: As broadcast facilities increasingly providers access to the tools they need now But this isn’t uniformly the case as a number work in the file-based domain, the need for and may need very soon. In the past few of the more forward-looking incumbents MPEG and IPTV monitoring is rising months, we’ve added a lot of new have already begun to offer OTT services as explosively. The ability to monitor these functionality to our OTT solution, such as part of their bundled offering. additional signals has become critical. support for https and MPEG-DASH. The Secondly, we are seeing a continuing shift Euromedia: How is the Test and Monitor landscape is changing so rapidly that towards consumption of content on devices segment responding to these new manufacturers have to make it possible for other than the main TV screen, the so called challenges? service providers to adapt and change ‘multi-screen’ phenomenon. ADB: It has become clear that QoS support direction, knowing that the technology they Thirdly, we are seeing a significant within the home is an enabling factor for bought will give them room to do that, and architectural shift in the platforms delivering QoE, but that’s only part of the picture. We will not tie them into obsolescent standards TV and related services to viewers. have been adding support for TR-069 and methodologies. Tektronix: The major development over bridging technologies into our gateway DTVL: We have announced or introduced a the last couple of years is adaptive bitrate software so that monitoring solutions based number of new products, recognising some (ABR) streaming which has caused an on TR-069 can monitor devices in the home of the challenges faced in deploying such explosion in the number of content owners, which do not support TR-069 directly. These technologies. Examples include a providers, operators and broadcasters software bridges make it much easier to get a comprehensive MPEG DASH-AVC/264 test offering OTT streaming services. This will handle on what’s going on within the home suite for those looking to deploy a MPEG- be exacerbated by the advent of the network, device by device and service by DASH player, irrespective of device type, and HEVC/H.265 which offers significant service, so that operators can take remote an HbbTV/CI+ integration test suite, for bandwidth savings as well as 4K, with some action to solve problems. forward-thinking operators and their supply content providers aiming to introduce 4k Agama: Operators need insight into the chain who wish to drive new revenues via streaming services over the next 12 months. service delivery to each individual customer HbbTV applications secured via CI+ Triveni Digital: As Internet delivery of – regardless of platform. It’s therefore functionality. Recognising the importance of content continues to increase, so does the fundamental to have a business support audio in a media-centric environment, in complexities of testing and monitoring. In system for service quality assurance that can partnership with Fraunhofer IIS, we have particular, quality of experience (QoE) can create transparency under these conditions undertaken to introduce a test suite for be problematic, as it is highly dependent on and offer insight to the entire operator MPEG-4 HE-AAC conformance, the particular path the content takes to reach organisation. Necessary properties for such a supplementing the company’s existing Dolby the viewer, in addition to congestion and system include end-to-end coverage and the testing lab facility. Finally, we are investing impairments found along the way. All of ability to process and aggregate service in services that aid in application these elements can change dynamically: focused data from each and every viewing development and deployment, for measurements for one viewer can’t device and monitoring location. It must broadcasters, operators and apps developers. necessarily predict the experience for gather and work with the dimensions of Edgeware: Specialist media analytics another. In a captive, managed network services, customers and infrastructure in the solutions focus on improving the efficiency these issues are mostly alleviated, but are same system; and, handle both the real-time of the collection and analysis of these raw still not completely eliminated. as well as the systematic ‘over time’ ABR log files to produce reports as near as Witbe: Every service is now IP-based perspectives. Most importantly, it has to possible to real-time. We enable an making quality unpredictable. We have create actionable insight to support the alternative approach by aggregating moved from a Network-centric to a User- operator organisation and processes, and the thousands of ABR logs into ‘virtual sessions’ centric delivery model where the only real-world challenges they are handling. on our Content Delivery Network (CDN) tangible reality is what customers actually Bridge: Manufacturers in the test and servers. A session is created for delivery of a hear and see. This forces the industry to monitoring sector have to push hard to keep specific video file to a specific consumer EUROMEDIA 15

coverstory2_cover story 28/11/2013 16:55 Page 3 device and logging each session is reduced to challenges broadly categorised as ‘content users to browse the PAT, PMT, and PID data a single entry containing all of the vital preparation’ and ‘content delivery’. In the for each selected stream. No other company information to monitor the session every former, ingested content is transcoded into offers this comprehensive functionality in a minute including, for example, average the various representations of profiles of single box. This type of solution represents a quality being delivered and any errors. each programme at the various specified dramatic step forward for video monitoring. Farncombe: Whilst technology can help, bitrates. Each of these profiles needs to be Euromedia: Broadcasters and service organisations need to undertake a cultural checked to ensure that the subscriber QoE providers are increasingly offering shift. The boundaries between the will be acceptable. This implies that the test HbbTV/hybrid services. What are the development, test and monitoring functions and monitoring devices should be able to challenges ensuring QoS and QoE over both of a business are becoming more blurred; check the content for video blockiness, broadcast and online platforms? processes need to be embraced from top to compression artefacts, freeze frame, audio ADB: The biggest challenge is managing bottom; and everyone from the product team levels, loudness, silence etc. This is true for subscriber expectations about OTT through to the product owner has to streaming. HbbTV services from take a more active role in the broadcasters are delivered using development and test process. best-effort and adaptive streaming, JDSU: We are embracing these leading to a diverse experience technologies and looking to find ways within the one brand. Hbb services we can port traditional meter or coming from a service provider analyzer use cases to a tablet form providing the broadband network factor. Our customers are no longer can be prioritised, ensuring great limited to manually interfacing with a QoS, but once content is coming specialised spectrum analyzer in an from outside that network, all bets equipment rack. Any consumer can are off. now be sitting in a window seat on a One way to approach this cross-country flight with Wi-Fi and problem is to ensure that the troubleshoot a video service issue in broadcaster’s CDN has a direct or real-time on an iPad. both linear and on-demand assets. After otherwise sufficient link to the service Mariner: Software defined monitoring is transcode, the assets are fragmented and provider’s network, but ultimately this replacing a HW-based solutions. SDM allows DRM is applied, before being made available becomes a network capacity planning issue. service providers to offer a reliable high at the origin server for content delivery. At Merging the convenience of OTT catch-up quality viewing experience by rapidly this point it is important for monitoring tools with the efficiencies of broadcast and DVR, isolating IP video network issues before they to check that the content delivery system is combined with the ongoing viewer reach the end device. able to deliver the content as requested by preference for watching TV ‘live’, provides Nexidia: Automated QC applications are subscribers. Essentially, the system fetches one good way to manage this. now commonplace and used by most manifests and fragments from the network Agama: Generally, the goal is of course the broadcasters. They continue to add new and verifies the manifest files; checks that all same: efficient operations of services and features thus reducing manual review. This profiles are available; checks that there is no happy customers – a good starting point for year, for the first time, we have the mismatch between the specified bitrate and accelerated growth. Large parts of the availability of tools for completely automated the actual bitrate; checks for fragment load operator organisation to be supported are QC of subtitles, audio description, and times and latency issues and also reports any also similar in the two scenarios. language identification. HTTP errors. In the traditional broadcast scenario is S3: Engineering and Operations Triveni: With a lack of defined standards for essential to understand the service quality in departments need to ensure they are Internet delivery and QoE, maximising the given physical positions, in the online deploying and maintaining the best quality user experience is largely dependent on platform it is crucial to understand the TV service delivery platforms possible. The experimentation to see what works. aggregated quality in logical CDN/geo IP/ISP solutions available from the Test and Witbe: Network-centric vendors continue to locations. If it’s sufficient in broadcast to Monitor industry are evolving to help promote Network-centric test and understand the service quality for a specific operators meet the new challenges being monitoring solutions. They provide channel, in online it’s also necessary to grasp presented by the growth of cloud-gateway- interesting information, but cannot give end- the aggregated quality over multiple channel client, broadcast-broadband hybrid, to-end visibility on the quality really profiles; in broadcast it’s important to be multiscreen TV service platforms. Full testing delivered to customers. They have a bottom- aware of transmission errors, in online it’s and monitoring of these services requires an up vision (looking at equipment first) with a important to understand buffering dynamics. end-to-end testing perspective rather than Cartesian analysis method. For 13 years, we Our approach is to offer a comprehensive simply trusting that each point along the have promoted a Systemic analysis method service QA system that provides a holistic chain will have been tested for standalone based on a top-down vision (looking at the view in many dimensions, including for each operation and consequently can be trusted to User Experience first). customer experience, which is needed to be do its job when operational in an end-to-end Wohler: Overall, providers of test and able to ensure customer satisfaction across system. Cloud hosting also raises new monitoring solutions have responded poorly. different delivery platforms. Our solution is concerns about how the platform will operate Our MPEG Series broadcast-quality video modular and component based, adaptable to in the presence of rising levels of load as new monitors, however, decode and display HD- manage the different distribution users come onto the platform. SDI, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, and IPTV technologies as well as to support different Tektronix: With ABR, there are two major signals via BNC or Ethernet inputs and allow user groups and processes within the 16 EUROMEDIA

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coverstory2_cover story 28/11/2013 16:55 Page 4 operator organisation. devices. Then a provider can build up a variety of tools and expertise than has been Bridge: For hybrid services to reach their pattern which, if there are problems with the the case previously. potential, they have to offer a coherent service, allows the engineers to hone in on SeaWell Networks: Typically, multiscreen experience. But below the surface, the hybrid where the issues are arising. Understanding content flowing over a network is likely to be is an amalgam of radically different how viewers connect is important, whether delivered by a cache based network. This technologies. You can’t compare the RF level WiFi or PLC. Providers need to understand removes the ‘per session’ ability to impose in a terrestrial signal and the chunk size in the capabilities and limitations of their specific QoS or QoE parameters, unless the IP stream. They may both be digital but subscribers’ access points and client devices. supported by the last point of delivery. This they have nothing in common otherwise, and JDSU: One of the immediate challenges is is leading to a requirement for an intelligent for hybrid services you need to have that QoE/QoS is inherently different for layer that provides an integrated set of provision for monitoring both sets of broadcast and online viewing experiences. interfaces for not only policy management, technologies, within a monitoring The metrics are different and the criteria are but also ad insertion, blackout, nDVR and environment that provides seamless different. When you merge the live TV and a any other service that requires per session correlation. Providers delivery. Incidentally, if need to understand that dynamic repackaging is there are two parallel also implemented at the technologies to monitor edge of the network this and this increases the has the added benefit of monitoring requirement. dramatically reducing Without a fully comprehensive approach, streaming online service, you effectively the cost of edge storage and optimising the providers can’t expect to deliver a coherent merge the QoS/QoE test burden. origin, mid tier and edge cache by up to 70%, service. Synchronisation and format compatibility while further optimising the cache DTVL: To ensure a great user experience, becomes a concern as well. utilisation. the broadcaster’s app needs to work well on Mariner: This actually is not as big of a Tektronix: The act of viewing a channel the user’s TV device and if the app delivers problem for service providers as might be that happens to be streamed should not lead video it needs to start quickly, with minimal expected—thanks in no small part to the to experiencing extremely low media quality buffering and be as high quality as possible. increased use of software in the process. nor should it lead to an asset that fails to For service providers operating in a While HbbTV and similar hybrid services do playout part way through. This is one of the horizontal retail market, delivering a quality bring multiple content streams to the same key reasons why we at Tektronix heavily app to a huge range of devices is challenging end devices, one platform can be used to stress the importance of checking all and reliant on open standards. Regarding monitor multiple experiences across the streamed assets at the content preparation delivery of video content over IP, the use of same data stream and effectively provide up- stage for QoE and also monitoring the QoS of adaptive bitrate technologies, particularly to-the-minute data on potential problems or the content delivery platform. MPEG-DASH, by both broadcasters and pay- complications before they reach levels that Triveni: What makes the hybrid situation TV operators is seen as the most cost- impact the end user experience. especially difficult is the need for some level effective and future-proof solution. Using Nexidia: As the number of distribution of synchronisation between the two — in MPEG-DASH avoids vendor lock-in and channels increases so does file movement addition to an understanding of what the provides a standardised transition path to and transcode operations. This greatly hybrid applications are actually doing — in deployment of HEVC. Edgeware: Service increases the risk for error and thus greatly order to measure any quality metric. providers are looking to deploy a single CDN increases the need for trustworthy automated Witbe: IPTV started the video over IP capable of delivery across multiple access QC. revolution. It was quite complex to scale, so networks e.g. HFC to DVB-C tuners and IP to S3: Some of the key performance indicators the test and monitoring industry focused on Ethernet ports on the HbbTV STBs. Next-gen (KPIs) for QoE can be equally challenging to developing solutions to control streams. At CDN servers need to deliver both protocols manage on each type of delivery platform, that time, we thought that the challenge was required and to monitor the delivery with a albeit for different reasons. One good rather to test and monitor the interactive consolidated analytics system. Today, most example is Fast Channel Change, where applications IPTV enabled. Now, with CDNs only deliver over IP and completely clearly a smaller FCC time is better from an HbbTV, everybody is realising that separate delivery servers are needed for end consumer’s perspective. On broadcast monitoring user interactions is critical. delivery over the cable QAM. The monitoring networks, the time to tune from one channel Wohler: The main challenge in ensuring “All broadcasters and providers acknowledge there QoS and QoE over both broadcast and online platforms rests in monitoring all of the key are challenges in offering services in an unmanaged elements — the pictures, PID tables, audio network environment.” levels, safe areas, etc. — effectively and efficiently. While most current solutions systems are completely separate for both to the next may involve a combination of require multiple pieces, such as a decoder, networks. tuner acquisition, transport stream filtering monitor, and audio meter, our MPEG Series Farncombe: All broadcasters and providers and navigation, elementary stream packages all of that functionality within one acknowledge there are challenges in offering processing and video and audio decoding as box that allows users to view the HD-SDI services in an unmanaged network critical steps in the process. In a hybrid origination output, the outgoing ASI signal, environment. However, it is still desirable to network that has both types of distribution, the ASI feedback loop, and the IPTV feed monitor at the points in the delivery service diagnosing and solving problems to achieve a side by side, along with essential data and where it is possible – including end client particular FCC KPI will require a wider access to PID tables and diagnostic tools if 18 EUROMEDIA

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coverstory2_cover story 28/11/2013 16:55 Page 5 troubleshooting is necessary. In this way, one together to provide solutions in the though, this comes back to the need to operator can easily and reliably monitor all upcoming HbbTV v2 standard. For seamless develop software defined networking video streams, even those destined for operation across platforms and to drive solutions that can be readily adapted to delivery via Web portals and mobile services, innovation, agreement on and monitor the quality of the content across the from a single system and interface. implementation of unique content identifiers network while understanding the needs of Euromedia: Social media is becoming an are required, such that it becomes much the end device screen. important component of the TV viewing easier to share, recommend, comment on S3: We see it as inevitable that today’s experience. Is it just a case of ‘plug and play’ content, and even drive cross-platform event Internet-based social media networks will be or is integration more complicated to ensure recording. integrated into the TV experience further. seamless operation? Edgeware: The next-gen CDN needs to Early experiments which obscured or ADB: We don’t see a great deal of value interfered in any way with the basic in a simple Facebook or Twitter app on content viewing experience failed TV. For a start, it’s a personal experience dismally and understandably. that you don’t necessarily want on the We see great potential for more subtle big screen. For reading updates and and less invasive integration of social timelines your personal devices networks with the imminent arrival of 4K (smartphone, tablet) make much more displays and larger physical screen sizes. sense than a TV screen. What might be Even with up to half of the central interesting is being able to send a link to portion of these displays used for 2x up- a TV show to your friends, filling in data scaled HD video, satisfying the need for from the TV metadata – reducing typing unobscured basic video delivery, there is to an absolute minimum. The interaction still a significant amount of screen real between devices is key. This needs a estate free to surface social network different level of integration, including access deliver the service provider’s own, managed content to the viewer. Doing this smoothly to all appropriate metadata on the TV – content along with OTT content generated by will require either more complicated set-top something that is hardly possible in an app- services such as Instagram or a YouTube box CPE or more capable cloud-UI centric TV experience. video. Once again, delivery will be from generation (or some combination of both) Agama: Social media can be involved in the unified servers and monitoring from a but will not be simply a case of plug-and- overall TV viewing experience in many ways unified management system. play. – everything from being a content Farncombe: To leverage the full power of Triveni: Some approaches rely on simple component to discussions and ratings of both the social media experience requires careful plug-and-play functionality, while others operator and content itself. It’s also an user experience design and thorough testing integrate the social experience in some opportunity for customer care, marketing of the end-to-end experience for the viewer fashion. A very important consideration in development and quality follow-ups. From a to ensure a seamlessly integrated this context is the distinction between quality assurance perspective, social media environment where the viewer is drawn to primary and secondary screens. Many can bring new possibilities into interact in social media as part of the TV content providers don’t want any interactive understanding the customers’ total experience. One technical challenge is experience — social or otherwise — experience. keeping the video, audio and data on devices corrupting the high-quality content displayed Bridge: There are solutions that offer the in synch with the TV broadcast signal. on the primary screen. At the same time, ability for some degree of social media JDSU: You can make a strong argument that monitoring interactivity on the second screen integration, but it remains to be seen social media is ‘plug and play’ in every while assuring high-quality content is whether that is really going to be an environment in which it’s introduced. definitely a complex process due to the need important component of the TV experience Regardless of the device, all that is required for ad verification, playout confirmation, and or whether TV operators are just attempting is a front-end that connects to the Internet complete social media tracking. to borrow some fashionable momentum from and room for a small software footprint. The Witbe: There are no technical issues in social media use. It may be that social media interfaces back to the world of social media integrating a Facebook or a Twitter app on a integration can’t really add anything of are fairly straightforward. The beauty of TV. As there are no technical issues in having significance to the TV viewing experience, social media is that it’s wholly driven by the video on mobiles or tablets. The problem is and canny broadcasters will be watching users. As long as the subject matter is to bring value add so that customers use it. recent indications that younger audiences are engaging and thought-provoking, or rather, We have to forget the so-called ‘first screen’ using some social media sites less than they conversation-provoking, and you make it and ‘second-screen’ concept and start used to. easy for the users to engage that considering that a TV is just a screen DTVL: It’s early days with regards to conversation, you’re off and running. I think amongst others. The issue is to synchronise integration, and ‘social media’ participation the challenge arises on the back-end of a content across all these screens so that social is very much a second screen experience social media integration, when the operator media interactions with video content bring a currently. Solutions are needed for tries to figure out how to create value from seamless QoE. synchronisation of broadcast content with the data they’ve gained. Wohler: Social media must be integrated into the second screen and for easily discovering Mariner: Social media, like companion the TV viewing experience because social and launching compatible applications on applications adds another level of complexity media tools have become many people’s the TV from the second screen and vice- to ensuring that the end user device— primary means of communicating with one versa. Standards are key to this and the DVB whatever screen that might be—delivers the another. Given the importance of this element, Project and HbbTV are working closely best consumer experience. Once again, there is a lot more to it than ‘plug and play’. 20 EUROMEDIA