At the SCTE/ISBE Cable-Tec Expo in Denver, ZCorum introduced a diagnostics application for the performance of set-top boxes. The application, called SetTop VU, displays status information and metrics to help identify issues that can cause a poor quality of experience (QoE) for video subscribers.
"Based on customer and prospect demand, we launched a market analysis to quantify the need for a diagnostics application for cable TV set-top box platforms," said Carlos Bustamante, VP of strategic technologies at ZCorum. "We conducted customer surveys earlier this year to benchmark the predominantly deployed video systems, validate use cases and size the addressable market. The results clearly confirmed that operators need and want visibility into their set-top boxes to more effectively support their video service."
SetTop VU diagnostics collects performance and health metrics and displays historical and real-time views of the MSO's deployed set-top boxes.
"Having access to this information can save quite a bit of time in the call center by providing needed insight into the set-top boxes in a subscriber's home," said Bustamante. "The individual and aggregated views can also potentially eliminate some truck rolls and shorten others."
Bustamante said TV analytics is another service that ZCorum can now offer.
"Having access to the set-top box also gives us the ability, with the operator's permission, to collect information about the viewing habits of their subscribers," said Bustamante. "When it's time to renew programming contracts, the cable operator will be able to negotiate more effectively by understanding the exact performance of each channel and program. This information can also be used by their marketing department to target ads and promotions based on viewing and demographic data."