Delivering quality IPTV to customers demands error free network connection to ensure the reception is flawless. Congested networks or networks that are invoke regulation such as packet shaping techniques will not deliver the service and render the broadcast unusable, which customers will not accept. Testing a remote network for prequalification or problem resolution is crucial to sustaining any viable service.

MCS MyIPTV simulates TV-over-IP or videoconferencing traffic to test the most important multi-media performance measurements that affect real-time IPTV and video conferencing applications, namely jitter and packet loss, including the important aspect of packet loss distribution. MyIPTV supports measuring and reporting any of the major IPTV codec protocols used to deliver IPTV content by service providers, ensuring an accurate measure of the connection being tested.

Most streaming video is transmitted using TCP and the Real Time Streaming protocol, which means jitter is the key performance metric, as opposed to packet loss. Any lost packets will be recovered by the TCP stack, resulting in little to no packet loss, but in turn causing significant jitter spikes which degrade video picture and sound quality.

MyVideo simulates video traffic over a TCP socket connection using the Real Time Streaming protocol. The test process measures and identifies TCP delays that cause jitter and clearly shows the impact to the data flow and resulting jitter over time for both audio and video streams. The response times for Setup, Describe and Play requests are reported, along with Trip Time. The test payload can be customized by packet size and rate for audio and video.

Evaluate the network connections of potential subscribers to see the supported levels of IPTV or video quality. The connection tests can be performed via a browser test, and set up as a ‘self-test’ process that the end-user performs on-demand. The test process can be easily combined with other test types, such a speed test or port availability test, for a more complete picture of how well a connection will support streaming video, IPTV or video conferencing services.

By incorporating the TCP video or UDP IPTV quality test in a support process, problem identification and resolution time can be significantly reduced with quick visibility to the customer connection and the key performance metrics. The tests can set up as an end-user initiated browser test, or as an automated test that is managed by support staff with minimal involvement of customers.

Evaluate business networks to determine the supported levels of video and sound quality. The connection test process can be automated to run the described test at a specified interval for extended periods. The data is automatically logged to a server-side database, the Analysis Tool Kit enables quick summarization of data, correlation of multiple metrics, flexible views and reports.