Tech-X Flex® (P5) Base Unit User Guide IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a preliminary, draft document for lab use only. It is not intended for general distribution. March 20, 2014 Supports firmware version 06.
Spirent Communications, Inc. 20324 Seneca Meadows Parkway Germantown, MD 20876 USA 1-800-SPIRENT (North America) Copyright © 2013 Spirent Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All of the company names and/or brand names and/or product names referred to in this document, in particular, the name “Spirent” and its logo device, are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Spirent plc and its subsidiaries, pending registration in accordance with relevant national laws.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide
Spirent Communications 20324 Seneca Meadows Parkway Germantown, MD 20876 USA +1-800-SPIRENT (North America) www.spirent.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Contents 1: Introduction/Overview 1.1 Documentation notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 1.1.1 Firmware version support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 1.1.2 Document purpose and scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 1.1.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro 1.4.10 Capturing a screen image (screenshot) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-17 1.4.11 Stopping a test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-18 1.4.12 Saving results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-18 1.4.13 Maximum test duration for continuous tests .
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Wi-Fi Intro 2.4.1 Wi-Fi Setup > Scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Setup - Scan (Wi-Fi Setup) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Results - Scan (Wi-Fi Setup) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 2.4.2 Wi-Fi Setup > Connect . . . . . . . . . . .
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) 4: System Menu 4.1 Record Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Intro 4.1.1 About automatic result file upload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-2 4.1.2 Record Manager > Test Result Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3 4.1.3 Record Manager > Signature Cap Files . . . . . . . .
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 4.12 Taskforce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18 4.13 Signature Capture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19 Intro 4.14 Language Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19 4.15 Help and Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Digital video concepts overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-31 Video quality measurement (VQM) overview and additional results descriptions . . . .5-37 MDI measurement overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-40 Additional video testing notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 1: Introduction/Overview This section provides an overview of the Tech-X Flex product and includes the following information: • Documentation notes on page 1-1 - Describes this document and the terminology within. • Important safety note on page 1-3 - Provides important safety information. • Product introduction on page 1-3 - Describes the physical unit and includes a high-level overview of system features and capabilities.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Sign in with your user ID and password to gain access to additional content that is available only to customers – user manuals, help files, release notes, tech bulletins, and more. When you sign in, you can also use the Knowledge Base to download software and firmware, and to manage your Service Requests (SRs). 1.1.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 http://support.spirent.com/ 1.2 Important safety note 1.3.1 Product purpose The unit is designed to assist with the setup and troubleshooting of home networks, especially as related to broadband services delivered by high-speed DSL, cable, and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) architectures.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) 1.3.3 Base unit features Intro NOTE: Your unit may or may not include all of the features described here, dependent upon your licensing agreement with Spirent. Please contact Spirent for more information.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 1.3.4 Front panel controls Power on/off LED indicators MoCA-RF Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Touchscreen display 10/100 [Wi-Fi] 0: Wi-Fi Setup – 802.11bgn 1: Wi-Fi Setup – 802.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Table 1-1 Front panel feature descriptions Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Indicator Function Power on/off Powers the unit on and off, and is also used to place the unit into sleep mode (see Powering on/off and sleep mode on page 1-10). LED indicators See LED indicators on page 1-6. Strap mount See Attaching the strap on page 1-11. Enter Engages the active control on the screen, such as a button or a text entry box.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Indicates the status of the link over the active interface. For example, when using the WiFi interface, the LED indicates the status of the Wi-Fi link. The general behavior is as follows: • Solid green - The unit is properly linked and/or synchronized with a comparable farend device. For the 10/100/1G interface, the LED is solid green any time the interface is configured with IP information, but does not necessarily indicate that the information is valid and routable.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 1.3.6 Base unit physical interfaces (ports) Ethernet (10/100/1G) port 1 Ethernet (10/100/1G) port 2 Intro Wi-Fi 1-2 10/100 Figure 1-2 Base unit right side Special use only System Do not connect unless specifically instructed! Standard USB port IP/Video 12V External power/ charge 2A Specs Figure 1-3 Base unit left side Note the following: 1-8 • Modules have their own physical interfaces.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) – • When connected to a 10/100 network, the LED towards the bottom of the base unit will illuminate green and flash when there is data activity When connected to a 1G network, the LED towards the top of the base unit will illuminate green and flash when there is data activity The USB port is used for specialized functions related to transferring files to and from the unit. This port and related functions are described elsewhere in the product documentation as applicable. Wi-Fi 1.3.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) 1.4.1 Protection from water and dust ingress Intro Although the basic unit provides some protection from water and dust ingress for outdoor use, Spirent recommends the use of the optional jacket to increase the level of protection. For information about purchasing the jacket, please contact your account representative. 1.4.2 Powering on/off and sleep mode Wi-Fi When the unit is off, the power button turns it on.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Wi-Fi Intro Fastener screws Once a module is attached and has booted up, a menu corresponding to the module functionality will appear over the F1 function key. For example, when the MoCA/RF module is attached, the F1 menu shows “MoCA-RF.” If no module is attached, the F1 key shows no menu. 1.4.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 (To hook) Intro Strap end Wi-Fi 10/100 Figure 1-5 Sliding the open strap end through the strap mount Next, feed the open end through the bottom of the buckle as shown in the following figure: System Buckle (To hook) IP/Video Strap end Specs 2 Figure 1-6 Feeding the strap through the buckle 1-12
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 The unit display includes touchscreen functionality which allows you to operate most display controls by touching the screen. You should use the provided stylus or a similar device. It is recommended to avoid using your fingers because it is difficult to control selections with precision. Intro 1.4.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 1. Using the function keys or the touchscreen, select the correct menu/interface. Intro A function key selects the function/test/menu directly above 8: Throughput Wi-Fi MoCA-RF Wi-Fi 10/100/1G System 10/100 2. Using the up/down arrows, number pad, and/or touchscreen, select the desired menu item and possibly submenu items to activate the desired function/test. System 3.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) • If you enter a value that is out of range for the underlying entry field, the Enter key on the screen becomes disabled (grayed out). For example, if the underlying field requires a value from 1-99 and you type “100” into the keypad, the Enter key will become disabled when you type the second “0”. • In the System menu, you can set the default keypad type that appears when you initiate text entry (see System/Module Settings > Base Unit on page 4-15).
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Image Tech-X Flex® (P5) Description Retest Repeats (reruns) the most recent function/test, using the same setup as the previous test. Note the following: Intro Name Wi-Fi • This feature can also be invoked by pressing the N1 key on the physical keypad. • Only the most recent test can be repeated. For example, you can’t run a ping test, then a traceroute, then repeat the ping test.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 1.4.10 Capturing a screen image (screenshot) Intro Most screens provide a screen capture feature, invoked with the screen capture button in the title bar: ...
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro • When using the brightness button for the capture, the screen brightness will change momentarily, then return to the original setting once the capture is taken. • For most screens, the PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format provides the best compromise between image quality and file size. The BMP (bitmap) format provides lossless quality (that is, produces an exact replica), but uses a larger file size. 1.4.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 mandate on how any given organization should interpret results. In all cases, you should consult local and corporate protocol for the standards by which you interpret results. This document does not intend in any way to serve as an authorized or approved standard for the operation and maintenance of any telecommunications network. Intro Tech-X Flex® (P5) • On a bandwidth table, the bandwidth between any v2.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro • A technician who needs to physically connect the unit at some place, then work at other locations while running tests. • A technician or manager at a remote location (perhaps a support center) who needs to see and/or operate a unit currently in use at a subscriber site. • Any person who might need to render the interface on another computer for training, reporting, and/or screen capture activities.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Colour level (Colour & Encoding tab) - If you notice problems with performance or other display functionality, consider trying a different setting such as Low or Full. • Pass special keys directly to server (Inputs tab) - Normally, this setting should be unchecked for best results.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Figure 1-10 Advanced options - Display tab Specs 1-22 Tech-X Flex® (P5)
IP/Video System 10/100 Wi-Fi Intro Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Figure 1-11 Advanced options - Inputs tab Specs Tech-X Flex® (P5) 1-23
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Figure 1-12 Advanced options - Connection tab Specs 1-24 Tech-X Flex® (P5)
IP/Video System 10/100 Wi-Fi Intro Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Figure 1-13 Advanced options - Printing tab Specs Tech-X Flex® (P5) 1-25
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Figure 1-14 Advanced options - Expert tab (First set) Specs 1-26 Tech-X Flex® (P5)
IP/Video System 10/100 Wi-Fi Intro Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Figure 1-15 Advanced options - Expert tab (Second set) Specs Tech-X Flex® (P5) 1-27
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Figure 1-16 Advanced options - Expert tab (Third set) Specs 1-28 Tech-X Flex® (P5)
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Figure 1-17 Advanced options - Expert tab (Fourth set) 1.5.3 Remote control setup scenarios To establish a remote control session over VNC, an IP connection is required between the built-in VNC server on the unit and a VNC client on a separate PC, tablet, or smartphone device.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Local remote control (via a router/LAN) setup Intro This setup is intended to allow local remote control over a residential LAN or similar. For example, it might be used by a technician who needs to connect the unit at some point on a residential network, then control the unit from elsewhere in the residence.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 NOTE: Remote control over a Wi-Fi Admin Port will not allow access to functions within the Wi-Fi menu (F2). 3. Note the IP address that was assigned and then initiate the VNC session on the client device (see Initiating a VNC connection on the client on page 1-36). Wi-Fi 2. Set up a Wi-Fi Admin Port or a 10/100/1G Admin Port on the unit, as applicable (see Admin Port on page 4-6). Intro 1.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro NOTE: An ad hoc network is a special type of decentralized network where devices form IP connectivity directly with one another. No external routing devices are used and therefore the network does not provide any direct access to any larger network. Further technical information on ad hoc networks is beyond the scope of this document. For more information, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_ad_hoc_network.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Wi-Fi Intro Tech-X Flex® (P5) 10/100 Figure 1-21 Connect Ad-Hoc screen (Page 3) 3. On the client device, use the standard Wi-Fi tools to locate and connect to the network you just established. System 4. With the IP address assigned to the unit on the ad hoc network, initiate the VNC session on the client device (see Initiating a VNC connection on the client on page 1-36).
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Wi-Fi Admin Port Intro Wi-Fi Wi-Fi -or- 10/100 10/100 Admin Port WAN port LAN port Internet VNC client -or- -or- Ethernet BHR System Figure 1-22 Remote control over an internet connection IP/Video This type of remote control allows access to nearly all test and management functions on the unit unless you connect the unit over a Wi-Fi Admin Port, in which case all functions within the Wi-Fi menu (F2) will be unavailab
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Wi-Fi Intro Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 In rare cases, this function will pass but report an address of 0.0.0.0. Again, certain router configurations may cause this behavior. If you already know or can determine a valid WAN side address, VNC control may still be possible. • Following the router configuration, the unit attempts a test connection with the WAN interface, using the newly-configured path.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro In this case, the traffic is VNC and the host is the unit, whose VNC server expects traffic on port 5900. During the Enable WAN Remote Control step, the unit configures the router to accept traffic on some other port (as reported for External VNC Port) and forward the traffic to its LAN address on port 5900.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 System 10/100 Wi-Fi NOTE: If you are connecting over the internet using the WAN Remote Control feature, you must include a colon and the port expected on the subscriber router WAN interface. Otherwise, the application will use the standard VNC port 5900, which will not transit the router. For more information on internet-based remote control, see Remote site remote control (via the internet) setup on page 1-33. Intro 1.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 Figure 1-25 RealVNC v5.0.5 setup screen - Internet (remote site) remote control example 2. When the VNC window appears, operate the unit using the computer mouse, keyboard, etc. as if operating the unit directly.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 1. On the mobile device, make sure that the Wi-Fi interface is enabled. Refer to the documentation of the specific device for more information. System 10/100 Wi-Fi Intro 2. Launch Mocha Lite. Figure 1-27 Mocha VNC Lite initial setup screen 3. Tap Edit in the initial setup screen. Password - Enter a pound sign (#) to indicate that no password is required.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 Figure 1-28 Mocha VNC Lite Edit session screen System 5. When the VNC window appears, operate the unit using the mobile device touchscreen as if operating the unit directly. NOTE: Remember that you can double-tap any text entry field to produce the unit keypad, just like when using the actual unit touchscreen. IP/Video 1.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) License details Enables the Bonded xDSL feature, for use in only in conjunction with the Custom DSL which does not natively include Bonded xDSL. CSM Constellation CSM module Enables the use of the Constellation graph, part of the Level test results. CSM Spectrum CSM module Enables the use of the Spectrum test (spectrum analyzer). CSM Home Qualification CSM module Enables the use of the Home Qualification test.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi Affected hardware component Dual Ethernet Base unit Enables passive testing on the 10/100/1G interface. More specifically, it allows the unit to be connected in-line with an existing Ethernet link and mirror traffic internally for analysis.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Enables the following commands: • System > Admin Port > Wi-Fi Admin Port > AdHoc Remote Control • System > Admin Port > WAN Remote Control For more information, see Remote control of the unit on page 1-19. VDSL ADSL/VDSL2 Modem module Enables VDSL synchronization towards the DSLAM (Sync with DSLAM), for use in only in conjunction with the Custom DSL which does not natively include VDSL synchronization.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 1.7.1 Battery installation/replacement Intro A new unit may require the battery to be installed before its first use. Additionally, users may perform field replacement of the battery pack as necessary. No tools are required. Note the following: • New battery packs should be ordered from Spirent (MPL# T5411). The use of any other battery could damage the unit and create a safety hazard for users.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 10/100 Wi-Fi Intro Tech-X Flex® (P5) Figure 1-30 Inserting a battery pack 3. Following battery insertion, reinstall the hand screws. 1.8 FTP information The unit has several features that may involve transferring files to and/or from the unit. In most cases, this transfer is handled by an FTP operation, during which the unit acts as an FTP client, invoking functions on an external FTP server.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) 1.8.2 FTP server installation and setup Intro Currently, the only extensively tested and approved FTP server is FileZilla, a free, open-source application available at http://filezilla-project.org/ at the time of this writing. The FileZilla server runs on the Windows platform only and may run on any Windows computer. Typically, a networked desktop PC is the best choice to host the server.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 System 10/100 Wi-Fi Intro At this point, the user account should be complete. The dialog box should appear something like the following: Figure 1-31 Completed user account in FileZilla Specs NOTE: FileZilla includes a variety of configuration options, including whether to automatically launch and enable the server upon Windows startup. Further information is beyond the scope of this document.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) IP address or domain name of the computer where the FTP server is running. This computer will be the source for any files transferred to the unit and/or the destination for any files transferred from it. The specific folder on the computer is generally determined by the user account configured as described under FTP server installation and setup on page 1-46 and specified below (User ID).
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 • The FTP server computer and the unit have IP-level connectivity. Either device should be able to ping the other. • The traffic between the unit and the FTP server is not blocked by a firewall. In particular, if the FTP server is on a Windows computer, it is not uncommon for the default settings of an active Windows Firewall to prevent the transfer.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Specs 1-50 Tech-X Flex® (P5)
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 2: Wi-Fi Testing Menu Wi-Fi testing on the unit includes: • Scanning for available wireless access points • Connecting to an existing network and obtaining IP information • Basic network-level testing such as ping, traceroute, and web browsing All Wi-Fi testing is performed from the Wi-Fi menu. When this menu is active, all testing uses the Wi-FI interface only. That is, no other interface will process test requests.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) 2.1 Important wireless 802.11ac note Intro When the unit is actively transmitting in 802.11ac mode, the unit should be placed on a horizontal surface with a minimum distance of 20 cm from any part of a human body. Note that this restriction only applies when the unit is actively connected to a network, not while scanning for networks. Other modes (for example, 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n) do not involve any such restrictions. Wi-Fi 2.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 2.3.2 Wi-Fi testing diagram Intro The following diagram shows a typical setup for Wi-Fi testing. Wi-Fi Home computer Wireless router 10/100 Ping Provider network/ISP 2.3.3 If you cannot connect (troubleshooting tips) If you are in range of a wireless access point but cannot connect, verify the following: • If entering all information manually, you have properly identified the network.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro • Wi-Fi Setup > Scan on page 2-4 • Wi-Fi Setup > Connect on page 2-5 • Wi-Fi Setup > Wi-Fi Quick Test on page 2-8 • Wi-Fi Setup > Details on page 2-10 Tech-X Flex® (P5) These functions operate generally identically for all wireless protocols. Wi-Fi 2.4.1 Wi-Fi Setup > Scan This function scans for all wireless networks within range of the unit and lists them on the display.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Wi-Fi Intro Tech-X Flex® (P5) • A network that does not broadcast its SSID will still be listed, but the SSID value will be blank and the unit will not allow connection to it.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Setup - Connect (Wi-Fi Setup) Table 2-1 Connect (Wi-Fi Setup) - Setup parameters page 1 Intro Parameter Description SSID (Service Set Identifier) Network name. Wi-Fi Channel Number Network channel, managed automatically by the unit. If the connect request was initiated from the Scan results screen, it will be populated with the same value from that screen. Otherwise, it is populated as Auto.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Key Type and Key Type of key and the key itself, as follows: • If Key Type=HEX, the Key must be a hexadecimal number. A hex digit occupies four bits, so for WEP-64, a hex Key must be 10 digits (40 bits total). For WEP-128, a hex Key must be 26 digits (104 bits total). For WPA-PSK, the Key must be 64 digits (256 bits total). • If Key Type=PASSPHRASE, the key must be the appropriate string that can be converted to the correct key using the respective algorithms.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi Figure 2-4 Wi-Fi Connect parameters (Page 1) 10/100 Results - Connect (Wi-Fi Setup) System The unit reports whether the connection was successful or not. If the connection is successful, the SYNC LED lights as solid green. If the connection failed and you don’t know why, see If you cannot connect (troubleshooting tips) on page 2-3.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 • For wireless B, G, and N networks, the scope of testing does not require a full connection; therefore only an SSID is required. • For wireless AC networks, a full connection is required to complete all tests; therefore the full set of connection parameters are required (see Setup - Connect (Wi-Fi Setup) on page 2-6). The testing involves the following stages and produces a running status of events in a Log tab: Intro Tech-X Flex® (P5) 5.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi Figure 2-5 Wi-Fi Quick Test results - Log tab 10/100 2.4.4 Wi-Fi Setup > Details This function reports the details of the currently-active Wi-Fi connection. Results include: Table 2-4 System IP/Video Specs 2-10 Details (Wi-Fi Setup) - Results Result Description SSID (Service Set Identifier) Network name, as configured in the wireless router.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 This function allows you to assign IP routing information to the unit in order to perform IP-based testing. This function operates similarly to other interfaces; however, note that when launched from the Wi-Fi menu, the assigned IP information applies to the wireless interface/connection only. Intro 2.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Use of the Packet Loss Test over the Wi-Fi interface is similar to other interfaces. For more information, see Packet Loss Test on page 5-8. Intro 2.10 Throughput NOTE: The Throughput test is a purchasable option. Please contact Spirent for more information. Wi-Fi Use of the Throughput test over the Wi-Fi interface is similar to other interfaces. For more information, see Throughput on page 5-10. 2.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 3: 10/100/1G Testing Menu With the 10/100/1G testing menu, the unit is able to join a 10/100/1G Ethernet link and perform the following functions and tests: • IP address retrieval/assignment (see IP Network Setup on page 5-2) • IP ping (see Ping on page 5-4) • Traceroute (see Traceroute on page 5-6) • Internet web page request (see Web Browser on page 5-7) • Packet loss testing (see Packet Loss Test on page 5-8) • Throu
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) NOTE: On the unit, you can use either 10/100/1G port for single-ended tests such as ping and traceroute. For more information, see About the 10/100/1G ports and connections on page 3-2. Intro 3.1 Functionality note Your unit may or may not include all the functionality described in this section, dependent upon your licensing agreement with Spirent. Please contact Spirent for more information. Wi-Fi 3.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Home router Wi-Fi Home computer Ping 10/100 Provider network/ISP Ping, traceroute, web browsing, IPTV video testing 3.4 IP Network Setup (10/100/1G > IP Network Setup) This function allows you to assign IP routing information to the unit in order to perform IP-based testing.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Ping testing over the 10/100/1G interface is similar to other interfaces. For more information, see Ping on page 5-4. Intro 3.6 Traceroute (10/100/1G > Traceroute) Wi-Fi Traceroute testing over the 10/100/1G interface is similar to other interfaces. For more information, see Traceroute on page 5-6. 3.7 Web Browser 10/100 (10/100/1G > Web Browser) NOTE: The web browser is a purchasable option.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 3.10 Speedtest Intro NOTE: The Speedtest test is a purchasable option. Please contact Spirent for more information. Use of the Speedtest test over the 10/100/1G interface is similar to other interfaces. For more information, see Speedtest on page 5-13. NOTE: Passive testing is a purchasable option. Please contact Spirent for more information. Passive testing allows non-intrusive testing on a bridged Ethernet link.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Active video stream Wi-Fi Set-top box Ethernet ISP / IPTV video service Router/ gateway 10/100 Passive monitoring Figure 3-3 Bridged (passive) video testing To set up the video test in this example, you should: System 1. Connect the physical wires between the endpoints, from router-to-unit and unit-to-STB. 2. Verify that communications between the bridged endpoints are restored.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 link. Therefore, the video stream must be active between the bridged endpoints before the test can begin. Specs IP/Video System 10/100 Wi-Fi Intro For detailed information on the video QoS test parameters and results, see Video QoS (Quality of Service) on page 5-16.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Specs 3-8 Tech-X Flex® (P5)
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 4: System Menu The System menu provides access to general system configuration. Figure 4-1 System main menu 4.1 Record Manager (System > Record Manager) The Record Manager is used to manage, view, and transfer record files, which are special files used to store test results, screen captures, and other related data. When you invoke the Save function in a results screen, they are saved to a record file.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) otherwise. If you do not have the need for multiple record files, the default record may be sufficient for general use. Intro For screen capture files, each capture is stored in a separate file that is named at the time of the capture. For more information, see Capturing a screen image (screenshot) on page 1-17). NOTE: All files in the Record Manager remain on the unit until purposefully deleted.
Through the Wi-Fi or 10/100/1G testing menu. • Through an active MoCA synchronization with a MoCA-capable module. Wi-Fi This functionality is designed to facilitate the maintenance of an external field management system that may be used to track unit inventory and testing results.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Table 4-1 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Record Manager functions Intro Function Description New Creates a new record file. The name can have any alphanumeric name, often reflecting a work order number or a customer location. NOTE: Do not begin a record name with a period (N1 key), otherwise it will not appear in the Record Manager. Delete Deletes the selected file. This action cannot be undone.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 4.1.3 Record Manager > Signature Cap Files This area allows you to preview and/or delete screen capture files currently stored in the Record Manager (see Capturing a screen image (screenshot) on page 1-17). To transfer files from the unit, you must use a USB device (see Record Manager > Upload Files on page 4-5). 4.1.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) This function is part of the automatic file upload feature for Verizon units. For more information, see About automatic result file upload on page 4-2. • The same user and inventory data is included with every normal result file as well. This function is reserved for special cases where this data is required by the server before a result file may be ready for upload. Intro • 4.1.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) • Wi-Fi Admin Port - Initiates a connection through the Wi-Fi interface. Once in this area, the process of establishing a connection is very similar to establishing a Wi-Fi connection for testing purposes with the Wi-Fi menu. Note that all considerations and limitations involved with a test-related Wi-Fi connection also apply to the Wi-Fi Admin Port. For more information on behavior and parameters, see Wi-Fi Setup on page 2-3.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi • In some situations, an active Admin Port may conflict with Ethernet/IP traffic on other interfaces, especially if multiple interfaces are attempting to host traffic on the same subnet. For example, if you are attempting to host IP traffic over a MoCA interface while you have an active 10/100/1G Admin Port with the same router, issues may occur depending on the type of router.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 4.5 Version Info 10/100 Wi-Fi This function provides information about hardware and firmware versions currently applicable to the unit, including the attached module, if any. This information may be required when obtaining technical support from Spirent. It may also be useful for verification before and/or after firmware upgrades. Intro (System > Version Info) System Figure 4-5 Version Info 4.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Once these steps are complete, the download may be initiated. For more information, see Download procedure on page 4-10. For general information about channel guide functionality, see About channel guides on page 5-45. Intro NOTE: A working knowledge of FTP is helpful for server setup and successful file transfer. 4.7.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro The process requires you to touch the screen in several places with a stylus or other approved device. Follow the instructions on the screen. 4.9 Licensed Options • Firmware upgrades include a provision to automatically apply licensing codes if properly configured in a file and located on the server from which the firmware is retrieved. For more information, see Update Firmware on page 4-11.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) The unit should not be powered down or lose network connectivity during the update process. For this reason: – The use of a 10/100 (versus Wi-Fi) Admin Port is recommended. If you do use a Wi-Fi connection, it is highly recommended that you connect with Wireless G or higher, as Wireless B may not be stable enough to reliably handle the volume of firmware data.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) The name of the file on the server that contains licensing information for the unit you are upgrading. Licensing is always updated during the upgrade process unless one or more of the following are true, in which case licensing remains in its original state: • The file is missing or set up incorrectly • The unit cannot find its licensing information in the file For custom rsync server setup, additional documentation from Spirent is available on the management of this file.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi Figure 4-6 Setup for use of the Spirent-hosted server 10/100 4.11 System/Module Settings (System > System/Module Settings) System This function is used to configure the base unit and/or the attached module and its behavior varies according to the type of module attached, if any. This section describes the base unit parameters only. For more information on module settings, see the respective module documentation.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 4.11.1 System/Module Settings > Base Unit Description Auto Sleep Mode Sets the maximum amount of idle time after which the unit automatically enters “sleep mode” in order to save battery power. This setting has no effect when the unit is powered by an external source. For more information on sleep mode, see Powering on/off and sleep mode on page 1-10.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) 4.11.7 System/Module Settings > CSM Module See the Cable Services Module User Guide. Intro 4.11.8 System/Module Settings > MoCA-RF Module See the MoCA-RF Module User Guide. Wi-Fi 4.11.9 System/Module Settings > Wi-Fi 10/100 System/Module Settings > Wi-Fi > View/Edit Thresholds This area includes settings related to the Wi-Fi interface (see Wi-Fi Testing Menu on page 2-1).
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Pass Speed Test Download Passing ranges for the Speedtest stage of the Wi-Fi Quick Test, for both the download and upload directions, in Mbps. Pass Speed Test Upload Pass Packet Loss Passing ranges for the Packet Loss Test stage of the Wi-Fi Quick Test, in percent. Q. Test Packet Loss Duration Duration of the Packet Loss Test stage of the Wi-Fi Quick Test, in seconds.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) For more information on the parameters required for the FTP transaction, see FTP parameters and troubleshooting tips on page 1-10. The remainder of this section describes the required threshold file format.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 This feature allows you to capture a signature using the unit touchscreen. It is generally reserved for future use. Wi-Fi NOTE: This feature will not function correctly when operating the unit over remote control, even if the remote device has a touchscreen. Intro 4.13 Signature Capture 4.14 Language Selection Language support is limited. Please contact Spirent for more information.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Specs 4-20 Tech-X Flex® (P5)
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 5: IP and Video Testing This section describes the suite of IP and video (IPTV) functions available on the unit. These tests are available over various interfaces on the unit, including the Wi-Fi and Ethernet interfaces, and modular interfaces such as MoCA. Not all tests are available for all interfaces; see the respective documentation for specific testing support.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) 5.1 IP Network Setup Intro This function is used to configure the active interface as necessary to join an IP network. For example, if you are using the 10/100/1G menu, this function configures the 10/100/1G interface with the IP routing information required to send and receive IP traffic. For any interface, IP Network Setup is a required prerequisite to any test that sends and/or receives IP data over that interface.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Parameter Description Option 60 Class identifier, used for the “option 60” field of the DHCP request as defined by RFC 1533. The class identifier may be used to send vendor or site-specific information for use by the DHCP server. If this field is not specified, no value is sent. (DHCP only) Intro Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 (Certain interfaces only) VLAN Priority 802.1ad VLAN tag for all transmitted Ethernet frames, from 1 to 4094.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro • The unit is properly connected to an active, networked device. For example, when using the 10/100/1G interface, the Ethernet cable must be properly connected. Or, for the Wi-Fi interface, the unit must be within range of an active wireless node. • The target network has an active DHCP server.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 5.3.1 Setup - Ping Ping - Setup parameters Parameter Description Destination Target address for the ping request, either a dotted IP address or a URL if a DNS is available. For example: Intro Table 5-2 208.22.58.142 Wi-Fi www.google.com 5.3.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) 5.4 Traceroute Intro Provides a standard ICMP or UDP traceroute function that runs three concurrent traceroute processes and reports every router “hop” along the path, up to 30 hops. The results provide a topological view of the route that packets are using to reach the destination. The request is sent via the active interface and requires that routable IP information is assigned to that interface.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 5.5 Web Browser 5.5.1 Setup - Web Browser Web Browser - Setup parameters Parameters Description URL Target address of the web page to load, either a dotted IP address or a URL if a DNS is available. For example: 208.22.58.142 www.google.com Note the following: • When entering a URL, case is unimportant because all characters are converted to lower case when the browser is launched.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi Figure 5-4 Web Browser, showing the Google™ website 10/100 5.6 Packet Loss Test System The Packet Loss Test runs a continuous series of ping tests, maintaining and presenting a set of cumulative results as testing progresses. These results include the number of lost ping packets since the beginning of the test. 5.6.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 CAUTION: You should select the destination for this test carefully. Because it effectively Intro sends a continuous stream of packets to a single host, it could be construed as a denial-of-service attack by a third party that does not welcome such traffic. 5.6.2 Results - Packet Loss Test Packet Loss Test results Measurement Description # Sent Total number of ping requests sent since the beginning of the test.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi Figure 5-6 Packet Loss Test - Results 10/100 5.7 Throughput System The Throughput test calculates the maximum data rate to and from a specific endpoint, designed as a basic upstream/downstream capacity measurement. The target endpoint of the test must be a computer running a webserver application that is specifically configured for this test. For more information, see Throughput server setup on page 5-12.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 5.7.1 Setup - Throughput Measurement Description Server IP address of a properly-configured throughput server running on port 80 (see Throughput server setup on page 5-12). A URL is also acceptable if a valid DNS was assigned during IP Network Setup (see IP Network Setup on page 5-2). Upload Size (kB) Total amount of data to send in each direction, up to 100,000 kilobytes each direction.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Description % Complete A progress counter that increments while the test is running, until it is 100% complete. Intro Measurement Wi-Fi 10/100 System Figure 5-8 Throughput - Results 5.7.3 Throughput server setup IP/Video The Throughput test requires a testing destination that is specifically designed to recognize and process throughput exchanges with the unit.
If you are using Linux or Unix instead, you must adjust the first line of each script to point to the location of the python interpreter, for example: #!/usr/bin/python If the system is unable to locate the python interpreter based on this line, throughput testing will fail. For more information, see the operating system documentation, python documentation, and/or contact Spirent. 5.8 Speedtest The Speedtest provides a standard internet-based maximum throughput test.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Table 5-9 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Speedtest setup parameters Intro Measurement Description Region General location of the target endpoint. The options in the list represent designated endpoints that are specifically provided for this test. These locations, along with the underlying IP addresses, are hardcoded with the unit firmware. Normally, you should select the geographically closest location.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Wi-Fi Intro Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 10/100 Figure 5-10 Speedtest - Results 5.9 IP Video testing • Subjective quality assessment of viewer experience • Comprehensive statistics on multimedia transport streams • Video channel change times System IP video testing support includes: “Active” testing, where the test set emulates a multicast endpoint and performs all actions necessary to start and/or join the stream.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) For any given interface, note that testing support may vary according to limitations specific to that interface. Where appropriate, this documentation notes those variations. Intro Specific video functions include: • Video QoS (Quality of Service) on page 5-16 • Change Channel on page 5-43 • Channel Guide Settings on page 5-45 Wi-Fi 5.9.1 Video QoS (Quality of Service) NOTE: Video testing is a purchasable option.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) • When you run a test, the input parameters are stored as defaults for the next test and persist between reboots. The defaults are stored separately for each interface that supports Video QoS testing. For example, the settings used for testing from the 10/100/1G interface would be stored separately from those used for the modular MoCA interface.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Parameter Description Multicast Stream Port The destination UDP port associated with packets that contain the stream under test. The unit determines which packets should be included in the audio/video quality measurement based on the destination IP address and destination UDP port pair. For multicast video, if you selected a channel from the channel guide, this field is automatically populated.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Measurement Method Measurement method to use, which determines the type of data returned by the test. For more information, see About MOS and R-factor calculations on page 5-38 and MDI measurement overview on page 5-40. • VQM - See Video quality measurement (VQM) overview and additional results descriptions on page 5-37. • MDI - See MDI measurement overview on page 5-40. Note that this selection fundamentally changes the nature of the analysis and the results that are returned.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Description GOP Type Video coder group of pictures (GOP) structure, representing the frame sequence in use on the stream with respect to I, P, and B frames. This value is used only as a default if the actual frame types and GOP structure cannot be dynamically detected from the stream. Intro Parameter Options include: Wi-Fi • A - I-frames only, for example: III…I • B - One I-frame followed by P-frames, for example: IPPP...
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Concealment Level This parameter defines the effectiveness of the packet loss concealment algorithm use by the encoder. A higher value indicates a better PLC algorithm. This setting helps compensate for reduced packet loss due to regeneration by technologies such as forward error correction (FEC). In other words, it affects how sensitive the quality assessment is to packet loss, with some similarity to the loss sensitivity setting.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Description Coder Class Video coder class, which describes the ability of the stream to tolerate packet loss with respect to perceived quality. The coder class is determined by two contributing factors: Intro Parameter Wi-Fi • Codec - Some codecs, particularly older codecs, are very sensitive to packet loss and degrade very quickly with small amounts of loss.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Parameter Description Nominal Rate Payload media rate (audio and video) in kbps, used in calculating the MDI delay factor. Valid values are: Intro Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 0 - 20000, where 0 indicates auto-detection of rate. System 10/100 Wi-Fi Results - Video QoS (MDI test) Result Description IP Address IP address and port of the media stream, specified at test launch.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Results - Video QoS (VQM test) Intro Test results are presented in three different screens, each of which has two different pages. Use the appropriate function key to switch between screens. Note the following: • All quantitative measurements apply to the reporting period only. No measurements are cumulative. • Unless indicated otherwise, any reference to “packets” means MPEG packets, not IP packets.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Result Description IP Address IP address and port of the media stream, specified at test launch. Intro Video QoS - Summary results, MOS tab Port See About MOS and R-factor calculations on page 5-38. A MOS NOTE: Results are colored green or red according to the fixed pass/fail thresholds shown in the Plot tab.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Table 5-14 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Video QoS - Stream results, Stream Metrics tab Intro Result Description Frames Total number of frames received, by type. Lost Total number of packets lost containing data for the respective frame type; for example, the total number of packets lost containing I-frame data. These results are packet counts, not frame counts.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Description Receive Rate Speed of frames received, in kbits/sec. For VQM testing, this is the receive rate of the video or audio stream, as applicable. For MDI testing, this is the receive rate of the PCR stream. Peak Rcv Rate Peak speed of frames received, in kbits/sec. For VQM testing, this is the peak receive rate of the video stream. For MDI testing, this is the peak receive rate of the PCR stream.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Table 5-17 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Video QoS - Transport results, Stream Metrics tab Result Description Intro Packets Discarded Number of packets discarded.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) PCR Repetition Err Number of times that the interval between PCR (program clock reference) transmissions exceeded 100 ms, if the discontinuity indicator is not set. The PCR is used as a time synchronization tool between the encoder and decoder. If the discontinuity indicator is not set, the encoder expects a 100 ms or smaller interval between PCRs. Both the PCR and discontinuity indicator are part of the packet header.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Table 5-20 Supported stream types/names Intro Wi-Fi Stream type value Stream type name 2 or 128 MPEG-2 VIDEO 3 MPEG-1 Layer II AUDIO 4 MPEG-2 AUDIO 5 MPEG-2 Private 6 (with MPEG descriptor_tag 86) Teletype 6 (with MPEG descriptor_tag 106) DOLBY AC-3 AUDIO -or129 10/100 System 11 DSM-CC 15 MPEG-2 AAC AUDIO 16 MPEG-4 VIDEO (Part 2) 17 MPEG-4 AAC AUDIO 27 MPEG-4 VIDEO (H.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Wi-Fi Digital video concepts overview About basic video and audio compression Compression techniques are vital to allow modern communication networks to handle the transmission of packetized digital video. For example, without compression, a video stream with pixelized image frames would require a large amount of data, far too much for efficient transport across networks to multiple subscribers.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) I-frames (or “Intra pictures”) - I-frames are coded without reference to other pictures. That is, they contain the full dataset required to render a video frame and do not interpolate based on references to other frames. Therefore, they may employ compression to reduce spatial redundancy, but cannot reduce temporal redundancy.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Wi-Fi Intro Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 P frames B frames 10/100 I frames Figure 5-14 Compressed video stream frames IP/Video Audio compression has some similarity to video compression, in that techniques may be used to eliminate redundant data. Furthermore, audio exhibits the concept of “masking,” where one frequency may mask another and the human ear is unable to perceive it.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System • Elementary stream - The elementary stream is the basic compressed audio or video bitstream. In the case of a video stream, this is the original content segmented into macroblocks, slices, and frames, then packetized with header information required to reconstruct the stream at the far end.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 IP multicast is a set of protocols that allows a single IP packet to be sent to multiple hosts (that is, “group members”) without the need to send multiple redundant copies of the same packet from the source.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 R1 Intro R2 Wi-Fi R5 R3 10/100 R4 System Figure 5-16 Hypothetical multicast network with multicasting and IGMP IP/Video In this example, the routers are multicast-aware and can make intelligent decisions about packet forwarding.
Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) to build logical multicast trees and forward packets efficiently between the multicast source and group members. Once multicast packets reach their destination subnets, group members "listening" for packets with the specific IP multicast (destination) address will receive and process the packets accordingly. The IP address range of 224.0.0.0 - 239.255.255.255 is reserved for multicast packets.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Intro Wi-Fi • The structure and length of GOPs (MPEG Groups of Pictures), especially with regards to the varied effects of packet loss on different frame types. • The bit rate and frame size (or resolution) used at the encoder, as smaller rates and lower resolutions can degrade the quality of the image even if transport is flawless. • The impact of recency.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 The R-factor is a similar concept and is actually the mathematical component by which a MOS is estimated. It is calculated using what is known as the “E-model” formula. This formula involves a subjective summation of impairment and “advantage” factors, including the typical packet network parameters such as jitter, latency, and loss. Like the MOS score, the higher the number, the better.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) About packet-to-packet delay variation (PPDV) Intro Packet-to-packet delay variation (PPDV) is a statistical calculation of delay variation, based on the method described by the IETF RFC 3550. It differs from basic packet delay variation (PDV) which looks at variations in arrival time overall, not necessarily variations between adjacent, sequential packets.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) The DF, presented as a quantity of time, is the maximum observed imbalance in stream flow over the measurement interval, with respect to the expected media payload rate. That is, it effectively reports how much buffering would be required to fully compensate for network delay variation at the respective node. As such, it also indicates the amount of latency that must be introduced in order to properly decode the stream.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Score Quality Human perception of degradation 4 Good Perceptible. Degradation can detected, but does not adversely impact the viewing experience.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 5.9.2 Change Channel For more detailed information on the time calculation, see How channel change time is calculated on page 5-44. Wi-Fi The IPTV change channel test measures channel change time by measuring the time between IGMP requests and resulting changes in the packet stream.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Without an active channel guide: The unit requires you to manually enter the following information for each channel: Intro • IP Address - IP address of the multicast stream • IP Port - UDP or TCP port of the stream, with respect to the Encapsulation Method • Encapsulation Method - Transport encapsulation used for the stream • Codec - Video codec type Wi-Fi Results - Change Channel The test reports the channel change time
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 5.9.3 Channel Guide Settings This function allows you to configure the unit for channel guide usage. It is available from multiple menus associated with active Video QoS testing, but the settings are global to all interfaces. For example, you can access and configure these settings from the 10/100/1G menu, but all changes will also apply to video testing on other interfaces, such as the modular MoCA interface.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Tech-X Flex® (P5) channel guide also provides a series of other default testing parameters for each channel, such codec type and media stream information. Intro NOTE: The channel guide concept does not apply to unicast video. With unicast, the destination IP address for video packets will be that of the endpoint device (such as an STB), rather than a predictable multicast address.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro The element names intuitively denote each respective parameter and the comments in the sample above provide some description of valid values. To ensure that a channel guide conforms to the required syntax, please contact Spirent for the latest XML schema and use it to validate your file(s).
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Specs 5-48 Tech-X Flex® (P5)
Tech-X Flex® (P5) Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 6: Specifications This section provides detailed information on physical components and specifications of the Tech-X Flex base unit. NOTE: Specifications are subject to change. 6.1 General specifications Table 6-1 Physical specifications Dimensions (H x W x D) • 8.964 in x 4.208 in x 2.524 in • 22.77 cm x 10.69 cm x 6.41 cm Weight 2.0 lb. (0.91 kg) Display Color LCD with adjustable backlight.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Table 6-2 Tech-X Flex® (P5) Power specifications AC operations Requires external AC adapter/charger. Adapter will charge battery while unit is in use. Adapter specifications: Intro • Input - 100 to 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 0.8 amps • Output - 12 VDC, 2.
Tech-X Flex® (P5) 2 Intro Compliance - This device complies with Part 15 of FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1 This device may not cause harmful interference and, This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Operation and installation - This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Verizon Base Unit User Guide Rev B PRELIMINARY 3/20/2014 Intro Wi-Fi 10/100 System IP/Video Specs 6-4 Tech-X Flex® (P5)
