The Streaming Test monitors video playback performance by playing a streaming media source and capturing playback and network performance metrics. Streaming Tests support adaptive streaming formats such as HLS and DASH.
The Streaming Test can capture request headers, response headers, stream metadata, screenshots, filmstrip captures, waterfall data, traceroute information, and playback metrics to help troubleshoot streaming performance issues.
The Streaming Test provides the following metrics:
- Response (ms) - The total duration of the streaming test.
- DNS (ms) - The time required to resolve the hostname to an IP address.
- Connect (ms) - The time required to establish a connection with the streaming server.
- SSL (ms) - The time required to complete the SSL handshake with the server.
- Wait (ms) - The time between sending the request and receiving the first byte of the response.
- Load (ms) - The time required to receive response data.
- Throughput - The amount of data transferred during the test.
- Initial Buffer (ms) - The amount of time between loading the media source and the start of playback.
- Play (ms) - The total amount of time the video was actively playing.
- Streaming Wait (ms) - The amount of time playback was paused while waiting for additional media data.
- Total Buffer (ms) - The total amount of time spent buffering during playback.
- Buffer Counter - The number of buffering events that occurred during playback.
Streaming Test Properties | |
|---|---|
| Name | A name used to identify this test |
| Description | Optional additional information about the test |
| URL | The streaming media URL to be monitored |
| Location | The Product/Folder location of this test (read only) |
| Status | Determines whether the test is currently Active or Inactive |
Streaming Test Results
Streaming Test records provide playback, network, and diagnostic information for each test run.
Available diagnostic information includes:
- Filmstrip Capture
- Waterfall
- Traceroute
- Trace Debug
- Stream Metadata
- Request Headers
- Response Headers
Use these diagnostics to investigate startup delays, buffering events, playback interruptions, and network performance issues affecting streaming media.
Supported Metrics | |
|---|---|
| # Purged Runs | The number of test runs manually excluded from calculation for purposes of SLA accuracy. |
| # Runs | Total number of test runs for the defined time period. |
| # Test Errors | The total number of test runs that failed. This includes DNS, connection, SSL, response, timeout, and other test errors. |
| # Test Failures | The total number of elements that Catchpoint was unable to connect to, receive a response from, or load. |
| % Adjusted Availability | Ignoring any purged runs, the percentage of test runs where the test completed successfully. |
| % Availability | The percentage of test runs where the test completed successfully. |
| % Downtime | The percentage of test runs that failed due to an error condition. |
| % Frustrated | The percentage of test runs that exceeded the configured Apdex frustrated threshold. |
| % Not Frustrated | The percentage of test runs that completed within the Apdex satisfied or tolerating thresholds. |
| % Ping Packet Loss | The percentage of ping packets that did not receive a response. |
| % Satisfied | The percentage of test runs that completed within the configured Apdex satisfied threshold. |
| % Tolerating | The percentage of test runs that exceeded the Apdex satisfied threshold but completed within the frustrated threshold. |
| Apdex | A scoring mechanism that translates performance measurements into user satisfaction levels using predefined response time thresholds. |
| Buffer Counter | The number of buffering events that occurred during playback. |
| Connect (ms) | The time required to establish a connection with the streaming server. |
| DNS (ms) | The time required to resolve the hostname to an IP address. |
| Experience Score | A composite metric that captures the overall streaming experience on a scale of 0-100. |
| Initial Buffer (ms) | The amount of time between loading the media source and the start of playback. |
| Load (ms) | The time required to receive response data. |
| Ping Round Trip (ms) | Average time between sending a ping packet and receiving a response. |
| Play (ms) | The total amount of time the video was actively playing. |
| Response (ms) | The total duration of the streaming test. |
| Signal Quality | Measures the quality of the WLAN connection in terms of data transfer efficiency. |
| Signal Strength (dBm) | Represents the signal power received from the wireless access point or router. |
| SSL (ms) | The time required to complete the SSL handshake with the server. |
| Streaming Wait (ms) | The amount of time playback was paused while waiting for additional media data. |
| Test Time (ms) | The total duration of the test run and the metric used when calculating Apdex. |
| Throughput | Measures the amount of data transferred during the test. |
| Total Buffer (ms) | The total amount of time spent buffering during playback. |
| Wait (ms) | The time between sending the request and receiving the first byte of the response. |