Digital device makers and pay-TV operators can reduce hardware and software testing time with Robotester, a new automated hardware and software testing framework for the DTV industry from DVB middleware vendor Cabot Communications. Robotester’s automated system performs key tests on DVB-enabled devices in 5 percent of the time it takes a person to do it manually, according to Cabot.
With speed to market being critical for digital device manufacturers, as well as satellite and cable operators, product testing often represents a time-consuming and resource-intensive phase of product development. A typical DTV system requires 20,000 to 30,000 tests, taking an average 100 to 150 days. With Robotester, manufacturers and operators can automate and perform 3000 tests in six hours nonstop, Cabot said.
Robotester runs on a Windows PC and includes several peripheral devices used to simulate “real user” tests. Although the system is fully automated, the user can monitor the test progress at any time and is presented with a detailed structural log of the test results at completion. Robotester is customizable and includes an API that enables users to write and run their own tests with the free, object-oriented Python programming language.
