UNLOCK SEAMLESS
BROADCASTING WITH OUR DVB PSI/SI GENERATOR SOFTWARE
Are you ready to elevate your broadcasting capabilities to the next level? Introducing our state-of-the-art DVB PSI/SI Generator Software, the ultimate tool for broadcasters who de- mand reliability, efficiency, and precision.
Advantages
Comprehensive PSI/ SI Table Generation
Effortlessly generate and manage Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Infor- mation (SI) tables with unparalleled accuracy. Our software supports all standard DVB tables, including PAT, PMT, NIT, SDT, EIT, TDT and TOT, ensuring comprehensive compliance with DVB standards.
User-Friendly
Interface
Effortlessly generate and manage Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Infor- mation (SI) tables with unparalleled accuracy. Our software supports all standard DVB tables, including PAT, PMT, NIT, SDT, EIT, TDT and TOT, ensuring comprehensive compliance with DVB standards.
Extensive
Compatibility
Effortlessly generate and manage Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Infor- mation (SI) tables with unparalleled accuracy. Our software supports all standard DVB tables, including PAT, PMT, NIT, SDT, EIT, TDT and TOT, ensuring comprehensive compliance with DVB standards.
Reliability
Built on robust architecture to ensure consistent performance and uptime.
Expert Support
Our dedicated support team is always on hand to assist with any queries or issues.
Scalability
As your broadcasting needs grow, our software scales seamlessly to accommodate increasing demands.
Features
NO DVB EXPERTISE REQUIRED
IPv4 UDP multicast output
streams
You don’t need to be a DVB expert to create PSI/SI data. Simply define a high-level structure of the network, and Smartcaster will automatically generate the necessary DVB tables based on your input. Any changes made through the graphical interface are instantly applied to the network, making adjustments easy and efficient.
EPG GENERATION
Fetching event informations, and EIT streaming
An EPG is an indispensable component of modern television services, providing a seamless and us- er-friendly interface for accessing a vast array of programming options. By leveraging the capabilities of an EPG, broadcasters and service providers can enhance viewer satisfaction, increase engagement, and stay competitive in the ever-evolving media landscape.
REMOTE FIRMWARE UPDATE
On-site update of deployed
set-top-boxes
Smartcaster supports upgrading set-top-boxes and CA modules deployed in the field. The operator can upload software updates in TS file format, which are inserted into the playout
according to the network settings.
Deployments
Smartcaster is used in several countries, mainly in Central Europe.
Some of our customers also resell it as an OEM product under their own brand name.
Future roadmap
- DAA Aux Video Core with optional Principal feature
- RPD based parameter override woups (aka. flavors)
- RPD telemetry monitoring
- Network inheritance
To be defined later
- DAA Aux Video Core with optional Principal feature
- RPD based parameter override woups (aka. flavors)
- RPD telemetry monitoring
- Network inheritance
To be defined later
Product overview
2011
v1.0
1. First official release of Smartcaster
HFC Technics began developing a proprietary PSI/SI generator software in 2010, primarily to simplify the operation of its subsidiary’s DVB headend. Following successful implementation, our company began offering the solution to national television service providers. In 2012, we reached an agreement with an international system integrator, who then sold several systems as an OEM product.
2018
v1.5
2. Complete re-implementation of the UI
Over time, the original user interface has become outdated, so we’ve redesigned it using more modern technologies. We also enhanced the processing modules and incorporated many customer-specific requests, as this version was sold to multiple MSOs in Hungary.
2024
v2.2
3. The beginning of the distributed architectures (DAA)
In 2023 and 2024, DAA (Distributed Access Architecture) was a prominent focus. Every large cable operator was considering upgrading their networks to a distributed mode. Since Smartcaster manages all the essential information required to bring up an RPD (Remote PHY Device), we decided to implement a DAA Aux Video Core module within Smartcaster.
Value proposition
NO DVB EXPERTISE
REQUIRED
Effortlessly generate and manage Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Infor- mation (SI) tables with unparalleled accuracy. Our software supports all standard DVB tables, including PAT, PMT, NIT, SDT, EIT, TDT and TOT, ensuring comprehensive compliance with DVB standards.
ALL INFORMATIONS IN
ONE PLACE
Manage all network information through a central UI. Smartcaster lets you create, modify, or remove transport streams and services with minimal effort. Stay ahead with real-time data updates—our software ensures that your PSI/SI tables are always current, reflecting the latest state as declared on the UI.
FLEXIBLE
LICENSING
Smartcaster’s features are protected by individual licenses, each secured with a hardware key solution. Various types of hardware protection keys are available, offering both trial and perpetual licenses. These keys can be remotely upgraded, mak- ing it easy and secure to change license levels.
Load from XML files fetched over HTTPS
EPG content can be ingested from different formats of XML files. On specific request we can implement custom formats as well.
Parse from satellite
feeds
Data can also be fetched from satellite feeds. To use this feature, simply make the feed’s MPTS available, and Smartcaster will join and parse the datasets.
Define manually on user interface
You also have the option to manually define content; however, this is only a fallback feature due to its lack of dynamism.
REORDERING CHANNELS NEVER BEEN SO EASY
With the drag-and-drop channel reordering feature, you can update your logical channel plan in seconds. Simply use your mouse to move a channel, and Smartcaster will handle the rest. Even if your channel plan is not contiguous, you can still use this feature by adding gaps between specific channels.
ALWAYS FIND WHAT
YOU NEED
Smart searching makes it easy to find any information you need. Simply start typing in the Smart Search bar, and Smartcaster will display all matching elements in the database.
DEFINE EXPERT
DATA
If you need to stream vendor-specific data not directly implemented in Smartcaster, you can easily define custom descriptors for NIT, SDT, and BAT tables in hexadecimal format.
Redundancy
Geo-redundancy
Smartcaster nodes can also be deployed in geographically separated data centers. This ensures protection for the service provider against major disasters affecting a data center, such as fiber cuts or power outages.
Hardware redundancy
Our solution protects the service provider for a hardware failure of a Smartcaster node by moving all live services to an other, healthy node.
Software redundancy
While no software solution is immune to failures, even in highly available implementations, our solution offers an easy way to protect against software issues. Smartcaster`s architecture enables detection of software issues on a per-network basis, allowing redundancy to live-migrate specific network streaming to any active Smartcaster node.
DAA AUX VIDEO CORE
Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) and Smartcaster
Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) is reshaping network development.
While standard DVB features remain critical, more and more service providers are moving toward a distributed platform.
Why a Video Core is essential
To manage these distributed systems effectively, a centralized Video Core is needed. It programs and maintains video services on Remote PHY Devices (RPDs).
Smartcaster as the Video Aux Core
Smartcaster already handles all the key information required to bring an RPD online:
Transport stream details (TS IDs, frequencies, modulations, symbol rates)
Configuration data for remote devices
This makes it a natural choice to serve as the Video Aux Core
Smartcaster as the Video Aux Core
The Video Aux Core is implemented as a separate backend module, fully connected to the same Smartcaster graphical interface. That means seamless operation and a unified workflow.
Video Pipe (Q4 2024)
Remote PHY devices require video streams in a specific format so they can be delivered directly to RF output channels without heavy processing.
According to the CableLabs DOCSIS standards, this format is defined in the Downstream External PHY Interface (DEPI) as an L2TPv3 data stream.
These streams — known as pseudo-wires (PWs) — are usually unicasted to each R-PHY device. However, when it comes to video, they can also be multicasted to optimize network bandwidth.
Why Smartcaster includes Video Pipe
While third-party devices can generate L2TPv3-encapsulated MPEG TS streams, Smartcaster provides its own Video Pipe device to support the full range of DAA applications.
Scalable and efficient
Because MPEG stream processing is resource-intensive on the server side, the Video Pipe element runs on a separate machine. For a limited number of transport streams, however, it can also be co-located with Smartcaster for a more compact setup.
LICENSING MODEL
Smartcaster can be ordered with flexible licensing options. Licenses can be remotely updated.
License types
BASE LICENSE
License for streaming SI information for 1 network
BASE LICENSE 10
Bundle of 10 base licenses
ADDITIONAL NETWORK LICENSE
+1 network streaming license
EVENT LICENSE
Streaming of EPG data (1 license / system required)
SSU LICENSE
License to stream system software upgrades for compatible STB-es
EIT REMULTIPLEXER
Parse EPG from satellite feeds (IP MPTS format)
NON-STANDARD-PID STREAMING
Output SI tables on non standard PIDs
PSIG LICENSE
Program multiplexers via PSIG connections
DAA LICENSE
Enable support for DAA based RPD setup
DAA NETWORK LICENSE
Network count based license for DAA
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
Our recommended hardware platform is HPE Proliant DL360 G9 or newer.
Architecture:
CPU:
Memory:
HDD:
USB slots:
Eth. interfaces:
Power supplies:
x86 64-bit
Intel Xeon E5-xxxx or better
> 8GB
> 300GB (RAID-1)
min. 1 pcs
min. 2x 1 Gbps
redundant
Kérdésed van, vagy egyedi megoldásra van szükséged? Vedd fel velünk a kapcsolatot, és segítünk megtalálni a legjobb technológiai utat a céljaidhoz.
Letölthető anyagok