PHABRIX will be demonstrating the V1 release of its latest technology for test and measurement - the PHABRIX Qx on stand L01 at BVE Excel London in February. Designed with a host of specialist instruments for high level testing of UHDTV standards, the Qx will in addition be showing waveforms and vector scope as it looks to provide post production and broadcast industry support for its latest product development.
   

Phil Adams managing director PHABRIX commented; ‘We have a very loyal customer base globally for our SD to 3G SDI products in the Sx and the Rx product ranges. One of our most important customer sectors is in broadcast manufacturing where our instruments are synonymous with accurate, cost effective test and measurement. With the introduction of the Qx at NAB last year, we have broadened that appeal with our ability to simultaneously generate and analyse standards beyond HD and 3G to incorporate 6G and 12G – all standard on the Qx. Add to this our unique RTE – ‘Real Time Eye analysis’ (physical layer analysis) and you have a formidable instrument.’

From a technical point of view the Qx technology has some notable USP’s. One of the most important is its support for 4 x 12Gbps inputs and 4 x 12Gbps outputs via SDI or from the integrated dual optical SFP cages. The Qx also provides simultaneous closed loop testing of critical UHDTV equipment whatever the ‘flavour’ of UHDTV. Due to the differing composition of UHDTV standards be it 4 x 3G, 2 x 6G or single 12Gbps, the Qx determines the signal type based on the signal parameters it recognises – this information is used to augment and verify SMPTE 352 packet content allowing the Qx to operate even when incorrect 352 packets are present. 

Timing is a critical issue when using multiple link SDI standards (4 x 3G, 2 x 6G) and here the Qx provides a dedicated tool to check SDI signal alignment. Having a real-time physical layer instrument with automated SMPTE measurements, histograms, jitter and alignment timing can confirm signal integrity and with the additional 5 decade filtered jitter instrument for noise analysis, the Qx provides a sophisticated single tool solution.

Dealing with complex presentation of data and understanding format composition as a combined analyser and generator and displaying it clearly to an engineer is a corner stone of PHABRIX’s success. One of the most impressive features of the Qx is the delivery of this information through a highly advanced user interface. Instruments are presented using icon selection rather than text allowing the product to appeal to different language speakers. Instrumentation and audio is provided simultaneously on both HDMI and SDI monitor outputs and the instrument output is further configurable for reference timing, TCP/IP Ethernet control and powerful pre-set configuration.

The PHABRIX Qx is also designed as a hybrid solution for the new IP infrastructures. At BVE this year the company will be demonstrating support for SMPTE ST 2022-6.