Central monitoring can be defined as a method to monitor the quality of multiple signals from a single location. One might imagine a quantity of waveform and picture monitors either mounted in adjacent racks or viewed on a common virtual monitor wall. An operator watches all the monitors. The operator visually detects a problem, focuses on the problem and uses test instruments to measure the parameters, ensuring quality. Meanwhile the operator not monitoring any other signal. The Signal Quality Manager is capable of consistently and constantly monitoring multiple signals.

Designed to be the eyes and ears of any sized facility's operations center, the Signal Quality Manager (SQM) system cost effectively monitors and evaluates audio and video signal performance. SQM's universal, high density frame can be populated with any mix of module types including: combination audio/video, advanced audio or video, GPI, router control, and digital legalizers. In real-time and unattended, the SQM continuously and simultaneously monitors the signal quality of audio and video in analog, digital, and MPEG formats. The SQM hardware instantly reports signal faults to a central monitoring software application using SNMP.

Most SQM modules have dual switched inputs. In the event that the SQM system detects a problem on the primary input, it can automatically switch over to the secondary input, restoring the signal path. Monitoring the quality of television signals in multi-channel facilities has traditionally been expensive and ineffective. The problem is compounded by the extensive amount of programming and the many audio and video formats that require monitoring. Working closely with facility managers worldwide to ascertain common operational concerns, the Signal Quality Manager^® (SQM) has been engineered to automatically, and in real-time, detect errors in the signal path and pinpoint the exact location of the error, allowing for immediate corrective action. The unattended SQM dramatically reduces monitoring costs while revolutionizing the way in which the television industry measures quality.

With instant report and storage of any faults to one or multiple viewing stations, alarm conditions can be easily identified using color-coded icons and drill-down detail screens. Maps and system schematics can be displayed to show the exact location of errors, which dramatically reduces troubleshooting time. Logging alarm data is another key ingredient of the SQM system. The log file provides accurate time stamping at the start and end of any alarm condition, while an active alarm window provides the operator critical information relating to the current active alarms.

The SQM system, with a choice of monitoring display software packages, can be easily installed as a total turnkey Quality Assurance system or integrated into an existing enterprise management environment. System integration is easy with a built-in SNMP agent. TCP/IP and other standard Internet protocols support remote access. System health can even be checked from any Internet connection, including PDAs (Portable Digital Assistant), using a common Web browser.