In broadcast engineering, maintaining realtime visibility across every aspect of a media workflow is essential. Complex workflows and diverse media formats require a comprehensive solution continuously monitoring every component. TAG Video Systems delivers a multilayered monitoring platform that provides deep insights at each critical workflow point, helping operators and engineers stay ahead of potential issues while maintaining operational efficiency.
Media Essence: Realtime Monitoring at the Core
Monitoring video, audio, subtitles, and metadata in realtime is essential for maintaining content quality. TAG probes critical parameters such as bitrate, resolution, and frame rate to ensure accurate transmission of each frame. Whether dealing with uncompressed formats like SMPTE ST2110 or compressed formats like JPEG-XS, TAG provides real-time oversight of each codec’s performance. Loudness levels and audio channel integrity are monitored to ensure proper audio consistency. TAG tracks metadata, including closed captions and subtitles, to maintain accurate synchronization with the media essence. By probing these parameters, TAG helps operators catch and resolve issues before they impact the viewer.
Signal Integrity: Ensuring Accurate Stream Parameters
Realtime monitoring of signal integrity is essential for delivering consistent, high-quality content. As mentioned, the TAG platform continuously checks parameters like resolution, bit rate, and Program IDs (PIDs) to ensure each stream aligns with expected standards. Importantly, using fingerprinting, TAG Content Matching Technology provides an additional layer of verification by confirming that each segment matches the original source, helping operators detect and address discrepancies—whether it’s a PID mismatch or bit rate drift—before they affect downstream workflows.
With over 500 actionable thresholds and alarms spanning video, audio, OTT, SCTE, and other key parameters, TAG’s platform enables operators to remain informed on stream health. This detailed, realtime feedback supports engineers and operators in maintaining signal integrity throughout pre- and post-encoding, pre- and post-packaging, across to the edge of your CDN networks, ensuring that the highest standards are met for every frame delivered through live production, playout, and delivery.
Transport Layer: Maintaining Stream Stability and Timing
TAG’s Transport Layer monitoring ensures reliable content delivery by actively tracking the stability and timing of essential packet-based protocols, including RTMP, SRT, MPEG-DASH, HLS, CMAF, and others. Key metrics like PCR timing, packet loss, and packet inter-arrival times (IAT) are continuously monitored, allowing operators to detect and address potential disruptions that could impact stream quality. TAG’s system also probes adaptive bitrate (ABR) conditions, flagging issues like missing files or delayed segment delivery to keep streams stable across variable network conditions.
With deep, comprehensive sets of thresholds and alarms for each transport protocol, TAG provides operators and engineers with realtime alerts to any transport-related irregularities. This level of monitoring ensures that all streams adhere to timing and packet integrity standards, supporting an uninterrupted viewing experience at any scale.
Dynamic Ad Insertion: SCTE/DAI Triggers and Compliance
TAG’s platform provides complete visibility into dynamic ad insertion events by probing all SCTE-35 and SCTE-104 parameters in realtime. This comprehensive monitoring ensures accurate cue points for ad insertions, program starts and ends, and other critical splice points. TAG detects and flags issues like invalid triggers, missed events, or expired ad windows, helping operators maintain a seamless ad experience and prevent revenue loss.
With extensive probes dedicated for SCTE-35 and SCTE-104, engineers and operators receive instant alerts if ad signals deviate from expected standards. TAG’s platform ensures each trigger is executed as intended, providing confidence in ad integrity and compliance across all broadcast and OTT environments.
Realtime Visualization: Comprehensive Video and Data Insights
TAG’s platform delivers realtime visualization that extends beyond traditional multiviewing, integrating advanced tools for probing, monitoring, and visualizing both video and data streams. Operators can build customized mosaics to visualize multiple streams and data points within a single, dynamic view, providing instant, actionable insights across all workflow layers. TAG Bridge enables efficient source sharing, allowing teams to access necessary streams without redundant processing.
In addition to its powerful in-platform visualization, TAG supports third-party data tools like Kibana and Grafana, among others. This enables engineers to create custom dashboards that merge TAG’s realtime metrics with additional operational data. QC Elements, a new feature providing in-depth quality control insights, gives engineers a precise, focused perspective on stream health and performance. This versatile approach ensures end-to-end oversight, empowering them and managers to make data-driven decisions and proactively address issues within media workflows.
Flexible Deployment: Scalable QoS for Optimal Viewer Experience
TAG’s platform is engineered to provide scalable, high-quality service (QoS) that supports broadcasters in meeting the rigorous demands of media workflows, directly contributing to an enhanced Quality of Experience (QoE) for viewers. Whether deployed on COTS hardware, in the cloud, or hybrid deployments, TAG adapts seamlessly to all environments, ensuring operators can manage workflows without sacrificing performance.
Supporting both OPEX and CAPEX financial models through TAG’s Zero Friction Licensing (ZFL), the platform offers flexibility that aligns with operational budgets, enabling broadcasters to adjust resources based on realtime needs. This adaptive approach lets engineers confidently manage high-density content delivery, upholding QoS standards while ensuring every frame is delivered accurately and efficiently. TAG’s deployment options align with current and future demands, helping broadcasters maintain exceptional viewer experiences, regardless of scale.
Advanced Tools: Optimizing Monitoring for Proactive Management
TAG’s platform provides a suite of advanced tools designed to elevate operational efficiency and precision, helping operators manage and optimize workflows seamlessly.
Smart Recording enables automated stream recording based on custom thresholds, capturing content pre- and post-event, along with critical metadata such as manifest files and IP addresses. This feature supports compliance needs and provides invaluable data for later analysis, allowing operators to access historical insights and ensure content integrity.
Adaptive Monitoring offers flexible modes—Full, Light, and X-Light—that adjust resource use based on current system demands. This ensures continuous content analysis while intelligently optimizing resource consumption, ramping up to full visualization only when an issue is detected. Operators gain the advantage of efficiency without compromising the platform’s responsiveness.
The Penalty Box function, TAG’s monitoring-by-exception tool, relieves constant “eyes on glass” by displaying only flagged streams requiring attention. By focusing operators on areas needing immediate action, the Penalty Box reduces operational fatigue and enhances overall workflow management.
TAG’s Content Matching Technology leverages realtime monitoring to assess A/V synchronization, latency, and consistency across different resolutions and frame rates, providing a comprehensive view of content health across the entire workflow. These tools empower engineers to manage issues proactively, ensuring optimal performance and viewer experience.
Actionable Data: Driving Insight and Informed Decisions
For operators and engineers, having access to actionable data is essential—it’s not just about monitoring; it’s about understanding and improving workflows. TAG’s platform integrates with powerful third-party data visualization tools like Kibana, Grafana, and Kafka, enabling teams to harness realtime insights that support quick, informed decision-making.
This capability means operators aren’t just reacting to issues but anticipating them. Engineers can analyze trends, identify recurring challenges, and optimize current and future workflows based on real metrics rather than guesswork. TAG’s data tools allow broadcasters to enhance quality, reduce downtime, and streamline operations, ultimately delivering a smoother, more reliable viewer experience. It provides a clear view of system health and performance for management, translating technical insights into actionable strategies and business enablement planning, such as new revenue opportunities.
Conclusion: Comprehensive Monitoring, Realtime Insights
TAG’s monitoring platform gives engineers the precise visibility to maintain seamless operations. From content integrity to transport layer stability, SCTE compliance, and realtime visualization, TAG offers comprehensive monitoring at every workflow stage, ensuring efficient and uninterrupted performance.
Using TAG’s platform, engineers can ensure that issues are identified and addressed without delay, keeping broadcasts on track and viewers happy. With advanced features, flexible deployment, and comprehensive real-time data analysis, TAG’s solution is designed to meet the needs of even the most complex media operations.
