FEBRUARY 28, 2007 -- Ixia (search for Ixia), a global provider of IP performance test systems, has introduced its IxLoad 3.20 IPTV/Triple Play test system, which the company says is the first to support MPEG-4, H.264, and VC-1, the key codecs for high-definition (HD) video-over-IP testing. The company further claims that IxLoad 3.20 is the only test solution to support MPEG-4 video over both existing MPEG-2 transport streams and native MPEG-4 transport to allow testing of HD content regardless of delivery.
According to Jeff Heynen, senior analyst with Infonetics Research, "As service providers move to offer subscribers high-definition video over IP, the current MPEG-2 standard to deliver HD video is going to be prohibitive in terms of bandwidth." He concludes, "As such, service providers will need to validate more efficient codecs such as MPEG4, H.264 and VC-1."
IxLoad 3.20 is a scalable, integrated test system for assessing the performance of triple-play networks and devices. Ixia says the system offers the industry's widest range of test scenarios—including the ability to stream, capture, and view real video content—enabling service providers and network equipment manufacturers to take advantage of opportunities to deploy cutting-edge technologies such as high-definition IPTV.
"The ability to offer high-definition content is crucial for service providers to be competitive with incumbent providers offering high-quality cable or satellite service," says Errol Ginsberg, Ixia's chief executive officer. "IxLoad 3.20 helps network equipment manufacturers and service providers ensure that their equipment and services can deliver the high quality of experience [QoE] needed to make IPTV a true competitive advantage."
IxLoad 3.20 emulates IPTV and triple-play subscribers and associated protocols to ensure subscriber QoE. With its extensive library of codecs, a wide range of quality metrics, and a single automation framework supporting more than 90 test methodologies, the company says the system allows service providers and network system vendors to perform sophisticated testing with lower investment in labor and equipment.
Test engineers also can use IxLoad 3.20 to introduce basic network impairments such as jitter, latency, packet reordering, and packet loss when testing video to help test engineers understand how various network issues can impact the quality of video experienced by subscribers.
Ixia will be demonstrating the test system at the IPTV World Forum in London, March 5–7, in room 15.
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