MP2TSA / MP2TSAE - Transport Stream Analyzer

The MPEG-2 Transport Stream Analyzer (MP2TSA/MP2TSAE) is a powerful software application designed to be integral in the development, testing, and quality assurance of MPEG-2 based systems.

The Analyzer can be pre-configured to verify compliance specifically to the requirements of the MPEG, ATSC, or DVB specifications. Additionally, the transport stream may be checked against a user-selected profile of specific characteristics, for example, the set of encoding parameters defined by the CableLabs VOD specification.

During an analysis, the Analyzer examines and verifies all MPEG Program Specific Information (PSI) tables. The transport header, adaptation field, and Packetized Elementary Stream (PES) header structures in all transport packets, and the higher level syntax of video and audio access units are examined. The timing and multiplexing of elementary streams in the transport stream are checked using the appropriate buffer models.

Upon completing the analysis, all Packet Identifier (PID) streams are listed in a summary that identifies the content and gives packet and rate statistics. The multiplex structure of the transport stream that is defined in the PSI is depicted graphically, and all detected errors and warnings are compiled in a log. Comprehensive information and statistics about individual PID streams, PES, PSI tables, private sections, and descriptors may be accessed. Detailed characteristics of video and audio elementary streams carried in the transport stream are also presented.

MP2TSA Enhanced (MP2TSAE) also includes tools that provide in-depth viewing of the analysis results. The Packet Viewer displays data in individual transport packets in both hexadecimal and syntactical formats. The Table Viewer presents statistics and a full decode of each unique PSI table, SI table, private data table, and descriptor that is found in the transport stream. The Buffer Plot Tool graphs levels of the buffer models for all PID streams over the entire length of the transport stream.

Features

• Transport bit rate can be automatically determined by the Analyzer, or can be user-specified.
• Interval between transport packets can be automatically determined by the Analyzer, or can be user-specified.
• Analyzer may be configured to verify specifically for MPEG (ISO/IEC 13818-1), DVB (ETR 290), or ATSC compliance, or to automatically determine the specification used for the transport stream.
• Transport stream under analysis may be verified against a pre-defined stream profile that includes specific characteristics, e.g., PID values, number of programs, bit rates, PMT descriptors.
• Tables and descriptors found in the transport stream are interpreted with selectable templates, which include MPEG, DVB, and ATSC definitions.
• User-defined table and descriptor templates may be created and loaded.
• Reporting of individual error and warning types may be enabled or suppressed.
• Threshold may be set to abort the analysis when a maximum number of total errors is reached.
• Threshold may be set on the maximum number of total errors / warnings recorded during the analysis.
• Analysis set-up may be saved in a configuration file.
• Supports MPEG (Layers I, II, and III), AC-3 (Dolby Digital), Enhanced AC-3 (E-AC-3, Dolby Digital Plus), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), DTS, and SMPTE 302M audio elementary streams.
• Supports MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-2 4:2:2 format, MPEG-2 multi-view profile, and H.264 / AVC / MPEG-4 part 10 video elementary streams.
• Lists statistics, packet rate, and payload rate of all PIDs present.
• Verifies PMT PID streams, audio elementary streams, and video elementary streams for compliance with the appropriate buffer models.
• Performs PCR jitter analysis.
• Verifies time stamps (PTS and DTS) for all audio and video access units.
• Determines frequency of PCR and PTS coding.
• Gives packet locations of minimum and maximum packet spacing, PCR intervals, and buffer levels.
• Reports statistics to characterize elementary stream decoder buffer usage.
• Reports bit rate, frame rate, horizontal and vertical sizes, aspect ratio, multiplexing and ES buffer sizes, picture type statistics, profile/level, presence of inverse telecine, and number of access units for video elementary streams.
• Detects ATSC, ANSI SCTE 20 (DVS157), Divicom, Minerva and CCube closed captioning formats in video elementary streams.
• Reports sampling rate, bit rate, number and location of channels, AC-3 audio service type, dialogue normalization, low frequency effect flag, and number of access units for audio elementary streams.
• Displays contents of PSI (PAT, PMT, and CAT) and verifies syntax.
• Correlates PSI contents with transport stream composition.
• Gives statistics on frequency of PSI tables, SI tables, and private sections.
• Checks CRCs on PSI, SI, and private sections.
• Verifies continuity counter on all transport packets.
• Reports discontinuity and transport error indications.
• Provides state of transport and PES scrambling control fields.
• Presents a detailed log of errors and warnings.
• Displays hierarchical multiplex structure of transport stream that is defined by the PSI.
• Displays packet distribution for each PID stream as a histogram.
• Analysis results may be saved in a customized report file.
• Provides an optional Quick View for a rapid summary of transport stream contents.
• Includes an integrated Demultiplexer to extract and save payload data from input transport stream, program stream, VOB, or system stream files.
• Includes a command line option that enables batch file analysis in high volume or automated applications.
• (MP2TSAE only) Packet Viewer tool displays data in individual packets in both hexadecimal and syntactical formats.
• (MP2TSAE only) Table Viewer tool presents full decode of PSI tables, SI tables, private data tables, and descriptors.
• (MP2TSAE only) Buffer Plot tool graphs levels of the buffer models for all PID streams over the entire length of the transport stream.
• (MP2TSAE only) Manzanita MPEG-2 Transport Stream Multiplexer (MP2TSM) configuration file can be created using characteristics of the analyzed transport stream.
• (MP2TSAE only) Profile Generator tool saves a profile of specific characteristics of the analyzed transport stream that can be used later to check other transport stream files.
• (MP2TSAE only) MBatch utility automates analysis of multiple input files and files that are dynamically generated in a watch folder.
• Uses a parallel port or USB security key (“dongle”).
• May be run on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Solaris.

System Requirements

MP2TSA and MP2TSAE are available for Windows (2000, Server 2003, or XP), Linux (i386+ compatible, X11 R6.8 or newer), Solaris (8 or newer on Sparc), and Mac OS X (v10.3.9 or newer).

Technical Support

Purchase of the MP2TSA or MP2TSAE includes one year of free technical support and software updates. Maintenance agreement extensions are available for subsequent years.

Demo Version

A free Demonstration version of MP2TSAE is available for download. The Demo version performs all of the functions of the full version on a sample transport stream. It includes the Table Viewer, Packet Viewer, and Buffer Plot tools. A full online User's Manual is also provided to give you a complete description of MP2TSA and MP2TSAE features and their use.

SDK

Do you need an off-the-shelf library of MPEG-2 transport stream analysis and buffer modeling routines for your embedded application? We also offer an MP2TSA Software Development Kit. We will work closely with you to develop an API if you have custom requirements.

Ordering Information

For MP2TSA / MP2TSAE pricing and ordering information, please send e-mail to mp2tsa@manzanitasystems.com or call us at 1-858-679-8990.