Cable Automated Test Solution (CATS) is a pre-integrated software bundle that provides a common framework for validating customer-premises equipment (CPE) for functional testing and stability tests. The CATS automation framework can be used by the broadcast community for improving the amount, type and quality of auto-mated testing. CATS focuses on manual and automated Set top usage through IR and Power Control used for video inspection.
- Reducing the Length of Test & Development Cycles
- Shorten Time to Market
- Improve Overall Product Quality
For a fully functional CATS installation the following devices are needed:
- IR emitter controller a.k.a. IR blaster
- Power/Reboot switch - network controllable
- IP Video Encoder
- Network switch
- PC/Server or VM (CentOS6/RHEL6 compatible)
Only one device in each category is needed.
| Function | Vendor | Model | No of Ports | Approx. Street Price | Product Link | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR | Global Cache | iTach IP2IR | 3 | ~$100 | http://www.globalcache.com/products/itach/ip2ir-pspecs/? | small footprint, can fit 6 onto a 1U rack shelf |
| IR | Global Cache | iTach IP2IR(-P) | 3 | ~$130 | http://www.globalcache.com/products/itach/ip2ir-pspecs/? | supports PoE (802.3af) |
| IR | Global Cache | GC-100-18R | 6 | ~$250 | http://www.globalcache.com/products/itach/ip2ir-pspecs/ | rack version with six ports |
| Function | Vendor | Model | No of Ports | Approx. Street Price | Product Link | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | WTI | NPS-8HS20-1 | 8 | $760 | http://www.wti.com/p-183-nps-8hs20-1-network-power-switch-pdu-20a-120v-85-15r.aspx | Expensive |
| Power | Synaccess | NP-0801DT | 8 | $350 | http://www.synaccess-net.com/remote-power.php/1/3 | Cheaper |
| Function | Vendor | Model | No of Ports | Approx. Street Price | Product Link | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video encoder | Axis | P7214 | 4 | $700 | http://www.axis.com/products/cam_p7214/ | supports PoE(802.3af) |
| Video encoder | Axis | P7216 | 16 | $1700 | http://www.axis.com/products/cam_p7216/ | newest model |
Any standard Ethernet network switch or router will work. The only assumption CATS makes about the network:
- The CATS server can communicate with all the devices
- The users can access the IP video encoder and the CATS service.
To reduce the amount of cabling it is preferential to use a PoE-capable (IEEE 802.3af) switch as some of the IR emitter controllers and some of the IP video encoders can be powered via PoE - reducing the number of power bricks in the whole setup.
CATS is currently only supported on CentOS 6 (and RHEL 6). The PC/Server hardware needs to be therefore supported by one of these operating systems.