Mividi IP Video Monitoring System (TSM100) and Web Data Management Software (TSM Web) provide a comprehensive solution to monitor OTT video services in CDN data center. Key features include:
- A cloud-ready software solution
- Support UDP, RTP, HTTP, HLS, RTMP, RTSP, MMS and MPEG-DASH protocols
- High density monitoring: a single server can monitor hundred of streams
- Detailed stream analysis that covers IP protocol layer, video packet layer, audio and video quality
- Centralized live video or thumbnail display
- Remote alarms including email messages and SNMP traps
- Browser based data management software for remote data access
OTT Video Services Using CDN
The OTT video services use a number of different streaming protocols for media delivery, including RTP, RTMP, RTSP, HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), and Smoothing Streaming, etc. Different receiving devices often only support one or two protocols. In order to reach a wider audience, service provides need to stream their content in multiple protocols. Thus, the media streaming process normally involves receiving original media data, encoding and transcoding data, and distributing encoded data with multiple streaming protocols. Most of these processes are now being performed in cloud using CDN (Content Delivery Network).
To guarantee the quality of the OTT video services, the video data into and out from the CDN needs to be monitored. Additionally, using IP network to transport media data can introduce transmission errors such as delay, jitter and packet loss. Video delivered over the Internet that the service providers do not have full control can exacerbate the problem. Therefore, the full quality control solutions should include video monitoring in the CDN data center as well as in the edge.
Streaming Protocols Supported:
The software supports a variety of video streaming protocols:
- Transport Stream (TS) over UDP
- TS or packetized elementary streams over RTP
- TS over HTTP
- HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)
- RTMP (Real-time Messaging Protocol)
- RTSP (Real-time Streaming Protocol)
- MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)
- MPEG-DASH
Figure 1: Main UI of OTT Video Monitoring Software
Video Analysis:
Mividi TSM100 preforms detailed analysis on three layers: IP protocol layer, video packet layer and AV quality. A variety of QoS tests are performed:
- Media bandwidth analysis
- Media delivery index (MDI) analysis, including Delay Factor (DF) and Media Loss Rate (MLR) measurements
- Support MPEG-2 and H.264 video compression standards
- Support MP3, AAC, AAC+, AC3 audio encoding standards
- TR 101 290 analysis on transport stream standard compliance
- PID bandwidth utilization monitoring
- PCR clock analysis
- Elementary stream buffer analysis
- Real-time PSI/SI table decoding and analysis
- EPG decoding and display
- Black and frozen frame monitoring
- Audio loudness monitoring
Figure 2: Video Streaming Monitoring Example
Error Logging and Alarms
All errors detected are logged in the system database. The logging feature allows the user to search specific errors based on various searching criteria, including error code, time period the error has occurred. Selected errors can be exported and various reports are generated.
When serious errors occur, the TSM100 will send alarms using Emails or SNMP traps. Error alarms can be configured based on user preference so that only specific errors will trigger alarms. All alarms are also saved in the system for future review.
Figure 3: Video Monitoring Alarm and Error Log
Web Management Software for Remote Access
Mividi also provides Web Management software to link multiple TSM100 monitoring servers in different locations for single point access and system management. The TSM100 can be located in remote data center near the video sources for monitoring video streams and performing a variety of analysis on audio and video data, but all test data can be accessed through the Web server. The web server can be accessed using a standard web browser, and it is an ideal choice for network-wide video service monitoring.
Mividi software provides multiple ways of viewing the conditions of video services remotely. Either video key frames or live video streaming can be routed back to the network opration center for display.