Mcaster - Professional TV Signal Processing System¶

Overview¶

Mcaster is a professional solution for processing television signals, proven by 10 years of deployment experience in various broadcasting environments. The system represents a comprehensive solution for receiving, processing, transcoding, and distributing TV content with the highest level of reliability and quality.

Modular Architecture¶

Mcaster is built on the principles of modular architecture, which provides configuration flexibility and scalability for specific tasks. The system consists of specialized components, each responsible for a specific signal processing function:

Main Modules¶

Signal Capture and Reception¶

• SDI Coder — video and audio capture through SDI cards (Dektec, Blackmagic, V4L)
• ASI Reader — ASI flow reception with Dektec, Streamlabs, Softlab support
• SRT Reader — SRT protocol publication reception with minimal delay

Processing and Management¶

• LiveStreamInput (LSI) — automatic switching between primary and backup sources
• SCTE Processor — SCTE35/SCTE104 advertising marker processing with automatic compensation
• DVB-WebVTT — DVB subtitle recognition and conversion to WebVTT

Transcoding and Adaptation¶

• Transcoder — transcoding for DVB (CBR) and OTT (MBR) with H.264/H.265 support
• Multiplexer — transport flow formation
• Format adapters — conversion between various broadcasting standards

Modular Architecture Advantages¶

• Configuration flexibility — selection of only necessary components
• Scalability — adding modules as needs grow
• Reliability — function isolation, reduced failure risk
• Easy maintenance — independent module updates and diagnostics
• Specialization — optimization of each module for specific tasks

Built-in Monitoring¶

A special advantage of Mcaster is the built-in monitoring system, which provides detailed analysis of incoming flows at a level unavailable to other solutions on the market.

Monitoring Capabilities¶

Flow Analysis¶

• Detailed statistics of each module in real time
• Signal quality metrics with frame-level accuracy
• Bitrate analysis and encoding parameters
• Delay monitoring and synchronization

Specialized Metrics¶

• SRT parameters — RTT, latency, retransmitted_packets
• LSI statistics — source switching, time on backups
• SCTE metrics — advertising marker processing
• OCR quality — subtitle recognition accuracy

Diagnostics and Alerts¶

• Automatic problem detection and anomalies
• Failure prediction potential failures
• Detailed reporting for trend analysis
• Integration with external monitoring systems

Built-in Monitoring Advantages¶

• Analysis depth — unavailable to third-party solutions
• Real time — instant response to changes
• Proactivity — preventing problems before they occur
• Optimization — continuous broadcasting quality improvement

Deployment Options¶

Mcaster is available in three different deployment options, allowing you to choose the optimal solution for any infrastructure:

1. Standalone Linux Program¶

Application: Integration into existing infrastructure - Flexibility — installation on any compatible system - Cost-effectiveness — use of existing equipment - Integration — work with existing monitoring systems - Scalability — clustering capability

2. Server Firmware¶

Application: Turnkey solution - Easy deployment — automatic OS and software installation - Optimization — system configured for specific tasks - Security — isolated execution environment - Reliability — proven configuration

3. Hardware-Software Complex¶

Application: Maximum reliability and performance - Refined equipment — tested servers and capture cards - Guaranteed compatibility — all components tested - Technical support — comprehensive maintenance - Performance — configuration optimized for tasks

Application Areas¶

Television Broadcasting¶

• Terrestrial broadcasting — flow preparation for DVB-T/T2/S
• Cable TV — signal processing for cable networks
• Satellite broadcasting — content adaptation for satellite channels

OTT and Internet Broadcasting¶

• Adaptive flows — HLS, DASH for various devices
• Multi-bitrate — optimization for connection quality
• Global distribution — content delivery worldwide

Professional Applications¶

• Studio broadcasting — real-time signal processing
• Mobile applications — streaming for smartphones and tablets
• Corporate networks — internal broadcasting in organizations

Mcaster Advantages¶

Reliability¶

• 10-year experience of deployments in various conditions
• Proven architecture — thousands of successful installations
• Fault tolerance — automatic switching to backups
• Stability — continuous operation in critical conditions

Quality¶

• Professional algorithms for signal processing
• High accuracy of synchronization and encoding
• Optimization for various content types
• Compatibility with international standards

Efficiency¶

• Modular architecture — use of only necessary components
• Optimized performance — minimal resource consumption
• Automation — reduced manual intervention
• Scalability — growth with needs

Conclusion¶

Mcaster represents a professional solution for processing television signals, combining proven reliability, modular architecture, and unique monitoring capabilities. 10 years of deployment experience and thousands of successful installations make it the choice of broadcasting professionals.

The flexibility of deployment options allows adapting the solution to any infrastructure, while built-in monitoring provides quality control at a level unavailable to competitive solutions. Mcaster is not just software, it is a comprehensive solution for professional broadcasting.