Hardware
The CAM Inspector probe plugs into a standard Sycard extender (included with the probe). A level translation buffer isolates captured signals on the bus and feeds them into an FPGA containing the capture logic. Capture traces are then processed by a 32 bits CPU which can either:
- Send them to capture software on a PC via USB 2.0 connection
- Store them on a micro SD card
- Display them on the integrated 1.8″ TFT display
Traces contain microsecond time stamped events down to the level of register access, timings, TS data etc…
The probe can also drive Common Interface signals to run CAM or Host simulation. Host simulation requires specific host extension hardware in order to connect to the CAM and supply power to it.
Software
The analysis software runs on a Microsoft Windows PC (also runs with Wine under Linux machines). It is a standalone executable that can be run from a USB key or installed on as many computers as you need. It performs live trace analysis and displays the data in a chronogram view. Thanks to an efficient implementation, it allows viewing, browsing and zooming over thousands of events without noticeable slowdown. A simple, clear user interface means that no long training is required in order to use the tool.
The software also contains full commercial-grade host and CAM stacks for simulation mode. These stacks can be licensed separately at competitive prices for your own design. Because they are integrated in a test tool, these stacks will be thoroughly tested against a large number of real-life implementations.
Development
The CAM Inspector can be used by development teams to quickly find issues while developing a DVB-CI or CI+ product. Problems with protocol, timing, data format, etc. will be detected and reported by the tool for quick trouble shooting. Its affordable price allows the CAM Inspector to become widely available in labs for continuous testing so that any regression or issue in the code can be detected right in development phase.
Qualification
The CAM Inspector can also be used by QA teams to perform extensive tests on a product and make sure that hard-to-trace, intermittent defects are detected. Stand-alone mode allows unattended, continuous recording of traces on micro SD card over long periods of time. The CAM Inspector software performs deferred analysis of recorded data, quickly spotting errors or warnings over large amounts of data.
In CAMeleon mode the tool impersonates an existing CAM from a pre-recorded profile. This reduces the need of purchasing and maintaining sets of CAMs in the QA lab (note: testing with real CAM is also recommended for better compatibility).
Certification
The CAM Inspector can be used to perform product qualification by executing test plans in simulation mode and checking the results. In simulation mode, CAM profiles can be loaded that simulate extreme, yet valid timings or behaviors. This feature can be used to check that a system undergoing qualification performs well even at specification boundaries.
Review
The CAM Inspector can evaluate performance of a specific host-CAM pair for channel surfing or interactive content access. Thanks to the external input on the probe, the interval between the IR blast and the actual video change can accurately be measured, showing how each element in the chain contributes to the delay. Independent labs can use the tool to provide an objective and precise measurement of system responsiveness to help customers in their choice. Manufacturers can leverage the timing analysis to address responsiveness problems in their design.
Introduction
In spy mode, the CAM Inspector captures signals that flow between CAM and host to allow analysis of the interaction. CAM Inspector Spy tries to be as unobtrusive as possible, but the presence of spy buffers on the line or traces of the Sycard extender may modify spied signals.
Hardware
The CAM Inspector FPGA captures and timestamps events on Common Interface bus:
- Control signals: card detect, power, reset and ready
- Common memory accesses: reading CIS and writting COR
- CI register accesses
- Fault detection: timing error
- Integrated Logic analyser: 80Mhz capture of CI and TS signals upon user request or fault detection
- TS packet headers: for both incoming and outgoing stream (packets are filtered by the embedded CPU, preserving only scrambling change events and discontinuities)
These events are sent via DMA channel to the embedded CPU and then forwarded to one or more of the following destinations:
- PC software through USB connection
- micro SD card on the probe
- Embedded analysis tool and then TFT screen
Software
The PC software displays captured data in the form of a chronogram. The left mouse button allows movement in the data area scroll time. The mouse wheel zooms in and out of the area under the mouse cursor.
CAM control signals
Card Detect, Power, Reset and Ready are displayed like oscilloscope signals. The CAM state is interpreted on top.
Attribute memory accesses
Individual access operations to attribute memory are logged. Each read access triggers interpretation of CIS, and valid elements are shown when found. CIS can be interpreted even when a host reads CIS in random order or skips data. The written COR value is checked against the record found in CIS (the green label shows that the correct value has been written).
CI register accesses
Each CI register access is logged and viewable. For readability, these access traces can also be hidden. Read and write access are interpreted as LPDU buffer exchanges.
CI stack
Exchanged LPDUs are parsed into TPDU, SPDU, and APDU. A time-synchronized display provides a detailed view of what happens in the stack and which element contains what. Any protocol violation is reported in the traces.
Hovering over an event displays a window with additional information on the event. For APDUs, this window shows interpreted content as well as raw hex data. In addition, timing information is displayed that shows how the event positions itself with respect to other events.
For each resource, the CAM Inspector Spy also maintains resource state information. In the above example, host and CAM resource lists are shown under the Resource Manager resource. This provides quick visual access to the ongoing information exchange without inspecting each resource. Keeping internal state also allows the tool to detect illegal operations depending on the current state of a resource.
Logic Analyser
The CAM Inspector contains a small logic analyser that displays a chronogram for either Common Interface, TS in, or TS out signals. The logic analyser capture can be triggered manually or when a timing fault is detected. Timing fault detection is always active, thus allowing rare faults to be spotted easily.
TS Analysis
The state of incoming and outgoing transport streams is analysed at two levels.
At the hardware level, clock activity, data activity and valid activity are checked for both TS in and TS out.
Transport packet headers are also scanned for changes. The state of descrambled PIDs is shown directly in the CA support resource.
Hardware
CAM Emulation mode can be run with basic probe hardware and a Sycard extender.
Software
An extended license is required to run simulation mode.
The PC software is still working in spy mode, but additionally, a CAM stack is run on probe hardware.
No certificates are provided with the tool for CI plus copy protection, but your own certificates files can be loaded in the simulation stack.
CAMeleon
In CAMeleon mode, timing and behavior of a real CAM are recorded in spy mode and then fed into CAM simulation stack.
The stack will impersonate the behavior of the recorded CAM. Impersonating is limited, but this allows quick checks for compatibility problems for a large number of CAMs without having to maintain a physical collection of up-to-date CAMs.
Stack licensing
The CI stack used by simulation mode is designed as a stand-alone, embedded-grade stack and can be integrated in your products.
Hardware
Host emulation mode requires additional hardware that plugs onto the probe in place of the Sycard extender. This hardware supplies power to the CAM.
Software
An extended license is required to run simulation mode.
The PC software is still working in spy mode, but additionally a Host stack is run on the probe hardware.
No certificates are provided with the tool for CI plus copy protection, but your own certificates files can be loaded in the simulation stack.
CAM maintenance
The tool can be used for CAM maintenance by feeding download streams or EMM streams directly to the CAM when in Host mode. This can save costly head end manipulations or traveling when developing product for overseas markets.
Stack licensing
The CI stack used by simulation mode is designed as a stand-alone, embedded-grade stack and can be integrated in your products.
Recording on SD Card
The probe can be programmed to automatically record traces on an inserted micro SD Card.
The storage format on the card is the same as the file format of the PC application. Recorded traces can be opened just like trace saved in the PC application.
Embedded TFT display
A smaller trace analysis software is embedded in tool firmware. This software displays key information on the embedded TFT display. A tilt sensor ensures that the display is readable regardless of whether you plug the probe into the left or right side of the TV.
The embedded display allows developers to check continuously for correct host and CAM operation without having to launch the PC software. It can also be used in QA lab to quickly set up a test without having to move a PC on the spot.