Volicon | Products | Observer RPM

The Observer RPM (Remote Program Monitor) is Volicon’s solution for MSOs, Independent Cable Operators, IPTV, and Satellite providers looking to automatically evaluate the quality of their NOC/Headend and remote hubsite broadcasts from a central location.

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Getting an accurate, constantly-updated view of the health of every channel carried by your video distribution network is not only possible — it’s automatic. The Observer RPM tirelessly scans your entire channel lineup, detecting faults and issuing alerts with attached video. It proactively alerts you to a range of problems with your video, at the NOC or at remote sites, without need for labor-intensive human checks. Manual mode allows centrally-located technicians to troubleshoot and interact with set-top boxes at the remote site, cutting back on costly engineering time and truck rolls.

Proactive Monitoring
The Observer RPM eliminates the need for manual, visual channel inspections – an expensive and time-consuming task. It allows proactive response to faults, instead of waiting passively for customer complaints. Improve service and save on operating costs by eliminating unnecessary service trips to remote locations.

See what your customers are seeing
By utilizing the same set-top boxes that your customers are using, you can create a “sample customer” at each one of your hubsites. All set-top boxes are supported by means of a trainable infrared controller, providing flexibility and future-proofing your investment. With several set-top boxes attached to each Observer RPM, technicians can remotely verify that customer complaints are network related by viewing their network through the same set-top boxes that the customer has.

Alerting
The Observer RPM currently supports a range of alarm conditions:

Loss of video signal (sync)
Black screen
Frozen screen
Low audio
Missing captions/subtitles

All of these alerts have configurable thresholds. You can also specify per-channel thresholds, to suit the type of content available on a given channel in your lineup and to prevent “false positive” alarms. Once a fault condition is detected, an alert is issued via SNMP or email, and a fault clip is logged for further review, and the channel is added to a probation list. An additional scanner monitors the stations on the probation list, issuing another notification when the recovery is detected.

Monitor and Review
Utilizing the same award-winning video streaming engine as the standard Observer, the RPM’s video log is fully accessible over a standard IP connection. Technicians access the RPM from any standard desktop PC, using only a web browser. With no client software required, the Observer RPM is easy to deploy and upgrade.

The Observer RPM is CE-certified for sale in EU countries.