Bridge Technologies has extended the event logging capabilities of its award winning, multifunction production probe – the VB440. The more extensive recording of network events over a longer duration allows for detection of changes in signal settings and serves as an important advancement for network engineers seeking to diagnose intermittent or hidden network issues.

Whilst error logging has been incorporated within the probe for some time, this itself requires that parameters for inclusion are set. Sometimes, perfectly reasonable parameters may be set which still miss crucial but not critical mistakes on the network, which – if they had been logged – would have helped in diagnosing underlying problems, either preventatively or retrospectively. 

Event logging instead records every flow change or event occurrence on the network, no matter how seemingly mundane, and does so for the video, audio and ancillary data of any service joined to the VB440. The logging is continuous, and a log of up to 2000 events can be maintained.

The extension of this event logging capacity represents the fundamental raison d’être of the VB440 – to take complex data and make it accessible, easy to understand, and usable. In this case, the usability applies to network diagnostics and maintenance; facilitating granular-level examination of service incoherence in order to identify complex errors that otherwise might have gone undetected or unsolved.

The ability to monitor events and errors over time also aids decision making at a higher level, helping C-suite members to make decisions about maintenance schedules and investment.

But network diagnostics represents only one way in which Bridge uses the VB440’s exceptional analytical capabilities to make data ‘accessible, easy to understand, and usable’.

As well as providing network engineers with an extensive range of deep network analytics which allow them to monitor network health and operation, the probe also aids producers, camera painters and audio technicians through the integration of advanced audio metering and listening, a range of full waveform and vector colorimetry (including HDR preview), and visual previews of the actual output covering a full range of resolutions in both compressed and uncompressed formats (including JPEG-XS).

The probe can also engage in signal generation to aid the setup of remote studios. Through the integration of this full range of features, the VB440 essentially removes the need for single-purpose equipment that would occupy as many as 30 rack unit spaces.

Speaking of the extended event logging capability of the VB440, Chairman of Bridge Technologies Simen Frostad said: ‘In broadcasting environments focused on complex, distributed and often live production, undetected micro-errors can quickly amalgamate into a much bigger issue; one that could result in catastrophic network failure. Given how competitive the broadcast market is now, and how demanding it is in terms of content quality, this is a risk that production companies simply cannot take’.

He continued: ‘The event logging ability of the VB440 gives engineers the insight they need to engage not only in quicker and more effective trouble-shooting and diagnosis when something does go wrong, but also a much improved chance of catching errors preventively’.  

Bridge Technologies will showcase the VB440 New Event Logging Capacity at IBC2023 (booth 1.A71)