DVB middleware solution provider Cabot Communications is leveraging its experience in TV services by introducing Robotester, an automated hardware and software testing framework for the digital TV industry. Robotester’s automated system performs key tests on DVB-enabled devices in five per cent of the time it takes a person to do it manually, reducing time to market and the associated costs, a key consideration according to managing director Bob Lamb.

A typical digital television requires 20,000 to 30,000 tests to be done, taking an average 100 to 150 days. With Robotester, manufacturers and operators can automate and perform 3,000 tests in six continuous hours, claims Cabot.

After spending ten years in charge of testing and integration of the consumer product roadmap for Virgin Media and Telewest, Richard Carlton is well aware of the issues facing the industry. Carlton, now head of testing at Cabot Communications, suggests that in the age of the Connected TV, automated testing is becoming increasingly significant. “As the role of the Internet expands in digital TV, so too does the amount of tests required and therefore the time it takes for devices to be tested for market, creating a need for automated and more timely solutions,” he added.

Additional features of Robotester include seamless integration into existing infrastructures and the ability to upgrade and adapt as industry standards evolve and technology advances. Robotester was created to be expanded and modified easily according to these ever-changing requirements.

Cabot’s ability to support fully this solution derives from the extensive service options provided, from full installation of Robotester software, platform and development customisation and post production maintenance.

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