Tektronix Introduces HD Picture Quality Analyzer

"Tektronix showed its new PQA500 picture quality analyzer, which incorporates eight new Tektronix patents.

The PQA500 provides a complete suite of measurement and diagnostic tools for picture quality analysis including full support of HD formats. Video developers and broadcasters can quantify subjective video responses with the PQA500, enabling them to tune their video offerings for differences in format and delivery mechanisms. This allows them to consistently produce an optimal customer viewing experience.

Picture quality testing is often performed by having several people view a piece of video under controlled conditions and rate it. Another evaluation method is review by a video expert. The PQA500 provides an automated alternative through practical, efficient and reliable picture quality assessment of HD/SD and low-resolution clips like CIF and QVGA.

Using a Human Vision Model, the PAQ500 uses quantitative techniques to predict subjective video quality ratings, not only between video of the same video standard, but also between 1080i and 720p HD, HD and SD, 525 line and 625 line SD, 30 fps and 25 fps, SD and CIF, HD and CIF. This capability enables direct support of video repurposing involving conversion from one video standard to another.

There are 19 calibration parameters incorporated into the PQA500 that serve to fully implement the Human Vision Model. These parameters are formulated based on the data available from thousands of published results of experiments in vision science. The parameters support evaluation and comparison among differing file and video formats, frame rates, viewing conditions and display models."

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