SpotCheck® Transport Stream Compliance Monitor

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Overview

SpotCheck® has been discontinued. Cobalt will continue to provide support for existing customers.

SpotCheck® provides easy to use, no-guesswork, automatic A/85 loudness measurement and access to all audio loudness records. Because SpotCheck® monitors an IP, ASI, or a transmitted over-the-air MPEG stream at the transmit (emission) encode point, SpotCheck® measures and logs loudness for all programming emanating from the facility.

Segments can be searched using date – time with the intuitive display of loudness plots along with date-time-stamped thumbnails of the actual corresponding programming, or can be queried and correlated with the facility as-run automation list. SpotCheck® readily pinpoints any segments that are out of CALM A/85 compliance, and conversely helps in documenting compliance should an erroneous complaint appear.

Options allow even more transport stream/programming analysis. Option QUALITYCHECK checks for the presence of CEA708/608 closed-captioning, as well as the string content text, and also can detect transport communication errors as well as frozen/black frame and audio silence, with Alert Manager sending these alerts to your designated personnel as simple e-mails. Option AIRCHECK provides easily managed lo-res proxy downloads of user-selected transport stream segments that can be sent and viewed over e-mail to recipients with common smart devices and media players.

Easy to use web user interface provides for easy setup and use. Requiring no breakout from the MPEG stream and not affecting the emission stream in any way, SpotCheck® provides an easily integrated, facility-based, superior solution for loudness records and compliance verification.

Features

Automated 24/7 loudness measurement and logging for every programming segment sent as emission. Full CALM-compliant measurement, logging, and record access (including latest ITU 1770-3 gated measurement).
Easy data search by Date/Time Range and as-run data allows rapid and no-hassle pinpointing to any programming segment
Support for sending loudness alert e-mails to multiple personnel. User-defined multiple-level severity escalation.
Straightforward display of actual loudness plot and clear OK/non-compliant tagging of programming segments – no tedious lists or spreadsheets to analyze
Full compatibility with MPTS and SPTS streams
HTML5 web-based user interface can be accessed by any computer on your facility LAN — or anywhere with web connectivity
Direct GigE MPEG, ASI, or OTA interface. No complicated external breakout of signals.
Automatically accounts for program loudness, dialnorm, and DRC effect on audio – no interpretation of readings or loudness metadata needed
Option QUALITYCHECK checks for the presence of CEA708/608 closed-captioning, as well as the string content text, and also can detect transport communication errors as well as frozen/black frame and audio silence
Option AIRCHECK provides easily managed lo-res proxy downloads of user-selected transport stream segments that can be sent and viewed over e-mail to recipients with common smart devices and media players
Three year warranty with extension options available
Robust product support – upgrades and enhancements field-installed via firmware upload from our Support web page
Cobalt Support Network feature provides, where desired, a direct VPN connection between your SpotCheck unit and our engineering support

Options

Option

75Ω BNC ASI input and setup interface (available for all SpotCheck models) (OPT-ASI)

RF OTA input and setup interface (available for all SpotCheck models) (OPT-OTA)

CEA 708/608 presence detect and stream/program quality checks. (Option is available on a unit basis (one license (max.); adds QUALITYCHECK to entire unit, with all transport streams accommodated) (SPOTCHECK^®-LICENSE-QUALITYCHECK)

Transport stream lo-res proxy download capability. (Option is available on a per-program basis) (SPOTCHECK-LICENSE-AIRCHECK)

Diagrams

SpotCheck Block Diagram ^

SpotCheck On-Screen View ^

As-Run Loudness Report ^

Navigating Within Loudness Plots ^

Cursor-Defined Measurement and Stream Download Tools

Cursor-Defined Measurement and Stream Download Tools ^

Program Details View and Instant Session Tools

Program Details View and Instant Session Tools ^

QUALITYCHECK and Alert Manager ^

SpotCheck Licensing Example ^

Specifications

Physical

SpotCheck-1000
Power: 120/240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 200 W (max)
Size: 1RU
Depth required: 24 in (61 cm) minimum

SpotCheck-2000
Power: 120/240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 350 W (max)
Size: 1RU
Depth required: 24 in (61 cm) minimum

Transport Interface

SpotCheck-IP: GigE (1000 Base-T) via RJ-45
SpotCheck-ASI: ASI, 75Ω BNC input
SpotCheck-OTA: 8VSB (RF), female F-connector input

See Ordering Information for port complements and other information.

Loudness Measurement

ATSC A/85 –24 LKFS

Formats Supported

Transport: MPEG over IP or ASI, UDP, RTP, SMPTE 2022, FEC wrappers
Multicast: Supports IPV4 multicast and IGMPv2 multicast management
Audio Codecs Supported: Dolby® Digital (AC-3), Dolby® Digital Plus (E-AC-3)
Video Codecs Supported: MPEG2
As-run import: Imports as-run data from common automation systems via Windows Share or drop/drag into program as-run folders

Control/Monitor Interface

HTML5 web browser via dedicated 10/100/1000 Ethernet port.

Storage Capacity (per SpotCheck^® Unit)

SpotCheck-1000 – 12 months
SpotCheck-2000 – 12 months

Ordering Information

SPOTCHECK^®-1000-IP
ATSC A/85 Compliance Monitor for IP Transport Streams. 1 Control IP Port, 1 Media IP Port. Includes one license of SPOTCHECK-LICENSE-AUDIO-FULL. Maximum capacity of four programs. 12-month analysis storage.
SPOTCHECK^®-1000-ASI
ATSC A/85 Compliance Monitor for ASI Transport Streams - 1 Control IP Port, 1 ASI Input Port. Includes one license of SPOTCHECK-LICENSE-AUDIO-FULL. Maximum capacity of four programs. 12-month analysis storage.
SPOTCHECK^®-1000-OTA
ATSC A/85 Compliance Monitor for OTA Transport Streams - 1 Control IP Port, 1 RF Input for over-the-air reception. Includes one license of SPOTCHECK-LICENSE-AUDIO-FULL. Maximum capacity of four programs. 12-month analysis storage.
SPOTCHECK^®-2000
ATSC A/85 Compliance Monitor for IP Transport Streams - 1 Control IP Port, 5 Media IP Ports (ASI support available using option OPT-ASI; 1 ASI port max.). Includes four licenses of SPOTCHECK-LICENSE-AUDIO-FULL. Maximum capacity of 16 programs. 1RU. PSU redundancy. Dual power RAID hard drive configuration. 12-month analysis storage.

Options and Licenses:

OPT-ASI
Adds a 75Ω BNC ASI input and setup interface to any SpotCheck model.
OPT-OTA
Adds an RF OTA input and setup interface to any SpotCheck model.
SPOTCHECK^®-LICENSE-QUALITYCHECK
Adds CEA 708/608 presence detect and stream/program quality checks. (Option is available on a unit basis (one license (max.); adds QUALITYCHECK to entire unit, with all transport streams accommodated).
SPOTCHECK-LICENSE-AIRCHECK
Adds transport stream lo-res proxy download. (Option is available on a per-program basis).

Additional Program Licenses

SPOTCHECK^®-LICENSE-AUDIO-FULL
Complete program analysis for one program (1 video PID plus 2 audio PIDs). Each optional additional license adds complete analysis for one program.
SPOTCHECK^®-LICENSE-AUDIO-LITE
Program analysis for one program (1 video PID plus 1 audio PID), but omits As-Run support.
SPOTCHECK^®-LICENSE-AUDIO-SUBPROGRAM
Adds an additional audio subprogram (one audio PID, such as DVS or SAP) to a FULL or LITE program license. (Available only in conjunction with an already-provisioned SpotCheck^®-LICENSE-AUDIO-FULL or SpotCheck^®-LICENSE-AUDIO-LITE program license.)

Product Downloads

Datasheet

Product Manual

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