Computerized device and method for analyzing signals in a multimedia over coax alliance (MOCA) network and similar TDM / encrypted networks

A method of testing MoCA networks and signals exchanged between a set-top-box and a router and between the set-top-box and additional MoCA enabled devices, including:

• coupling a computerized device to a physical medium, in position between a set-top-box (abbreviated “STB”) and a signal source;
• the computerized device joining at a physical layer a first MoCA network to which the signal source belongs by emulating at the first physical layer a STB;
• the computerized device creating at a physical layer a second MoCA network coupled to the STB by acting as a network controller at the second physical layer;
• the computerized device bridging packets from the STB to at least one remote MoCA device, the bridged packets including requests for and a streamed video signal;
• the computerized device measuring signal bandwidth of packets bridged between first and second networks and calculating dropped and errored packet statistics;
• the computerized device analyzing packets received from the first MoCA network that comprise a video signal to evaluate a quality of the video signal;
• and
• the computerized device reporting at least the measured signal bandwidth and a quality of a video signal received from the remote MoCA enabled device.

A device used to test MoCA signals routed to a set-top-box and evaluating performance of the set-top-box, including:

• first and second MoCA signal processors, in communication with each other, with an effective extent of RF isolation between each other;
• a first coaxial port coupled to the first MoCA signal processor and a second coaxial port coupled the second MoCA signal processor;
• a display viewable by a user;
• logic running on hardware, the hardware coupled to the first and second MoCA signal processors and to the display, the logic adapted to
• bridge control and content packets exchanged between first and second MoCA enabled devices that communicate through the first and second coaxial ports, including emulating at a first physical layer the second MoCA enabled device to the first MoCA enabled device and emulating at a second physical layer the first MoCA enabled device to the second MoCA enabled device,
• analyze packets received from the first MoCA enabled device that comprise a video signal to evaluate a quality of the video signal, and
• report on the display a summary of the quality of the video signal while bridging the video signal packets to the second MoCA enabled device, whereby a user the second MoCA enabled device can view video on a TV or monitor while the quality of the video signal is reported.

A device used to test MoCA signals routed to a set-top-box and evaluating performance of the set-top-box, including:

• a first MoCA signal processor;
• a first coaxial port coupled to the first MoCA signal processor;
• a display viewable by a user;
• logic running on hardware, the hardware coupled to the first MoCA signal processor and to the display, the logic adapted to
• emulate a properly functioning STB,
• analyze signal bandwidth and the packets received from via the first coaxial port to evaluate a quality of packet exchange, and
• report on the display a summary of the signal bandwidth and the quality of the packet exchange.