Telecontrol Fixmeter brochure

Te l e c o n t r o l

T e l e c o n t r o l
In Brief
Telecontrol is an electronic viewer measuring system which,
thanks to continuous further development, incorporates
state of-the-art technology and survey techniques. The
Telecontrol device, which is connected to the TV, registers
and stores the presence of the viewer, the selected channel
and the viewer‘s assessment of the programmes. The
entire range of screen use is covered, that is, in addition
to analogue and digital TV consumption, the use of videos,
DVD, video games, teletext, satellite TV, etc.
Since its introduction in the 1980s, Telecontrol has continued
to be developed and produced in Switzerland. This continuous
development has resulted in a proven and mature system
for controlling and analysing the viewing habits of TV
viewers: the Telecontrol system.
The measuring procedure involves a representative TV
audience that is linked to th e Telecontrol system and
whose viewing habits are registered anonymously and
comprehensively; none of this entails any work input or
costs on the part of panel members.
GfK Telecontrol AG provides audience researchers and
marketing specialists worldwide with a measuring device that
offers extremely reliable performance and measurements.
GfK Telecontrol AG
Kriegstetten
(Research, Development,
Production & Sales)
Unterholzstrasse 10
4566 Kriegstetten
Switzerland
Phone: +41-32-674 43 10
Fax: +41-32-674 43 11
E-mail: info(at)telecontrol.ch
Internet: www.telecontrol.ch
GfK Telecontrol AG
Bern
(Marketing & Media Research)
Dr. Tanja Hackenbruch
Gesellschaftsstrasse 30
3012 Bern
Switzerland
Phone: +41-31-380 80 40
Fax: +41-31-380 80 44
E-mail: office(at)telecontrol.ch
Internet: www.telecontrol.ch

T e l e c o n t r o l
Table of Contents
The Telecontrol system 2
Measurement 5
Evaluation options offered by Telecontrol VIII 6
The Telecontrol meter in use 8
The strengths of the Telecontrol System for the client 9
Telecontrol VIII: technical data 10
Telecontrol VIII Standard: technical data 13

T e l e c o n t r o l
The Telecontrol system
Audience measurement and TV usage data collection with
Telecontrol VIII
Telecontrol VIII is an ultramodern electronic system for the measurement of television usage data. The latest
generation of Telecontrol units - Telecontrol VIII - is being successfully used in countries all over the world.
Its use in a wide variety of countries demands, firstly, highly sophisticated, top-quality units and, secondly,
optimum adaptability to the technical, social and cultural features of the various countries. Telecontrol VIII is
therefore modular in design and can be adapted or extended to meet the widest range of circumstances.
Telecontrol VIII nowadays exists in two flavours: Telecontrol VIII and Telecontrol VIII Standard, whereas the
“Standard” version is a reduced version of the Telecontrol VIII device, used for markets where not all the
comprehensive features of Telecontrol VIII are required. 1
Telecontrol VIII unit
with remote control
and display
Each television in a household is provided with a subsidiary unit that is linked by wireless connection to the main
unit – time-consuming cable installations are thus unnecessary. These individual subsidiary meters register
the television usage of each TV set and transmit the registered data to the main unit. The data collected is
transmitted overnight by telephone line or mobile wireless network from the main unit to the data centre.
During data polling, information can also be transmitted from the data centre to households. In this way,
interview questions can be shown on the displays.
Each subsidiary unit has its own remote control, which household members can use to log in. Television
usage by all members of the household can thus be itemized. Guests can also log in using the remote control
and be registered with basic demographic data.
1 In the following, Telecontrol VIII and Telecontrol VIII Standard
features are described as Telecontrol VIII / Standard features.
Telecontrol VIII Standard
2

T e l e c o n t r o l
Installing a Telecontrol meter in a household
A Telecontrol VIII meter can be installed in almost every household – it is our aim that no household should
be excluded from the panel for technical reasons. All members of the household are instructed in how to use
the Telecontrol VIII meters to ensure correct handling. Since it is very easy to use, a short and uncomplicated
briefing is all that is needed to use a Telecontrol VIII.
GSM or telephone
Telephone line
Main line
Switch
Sensor
Antenna (cable or terrestrial)
Telecontrol VIII installed in a highly sophisticated household with set-top box, VCR and DVD player
The Telecontrol VIII meter
Telecontrol main unit
Telecontrol display
DVB interface
The Telecontrol VIII meter is comprised of a main unit, subsidiary units (in households with several television
sets) and displays that are placed on top of the televisions.
However, panel members can only see the display on top of the television – all the other components are
discreetly positioned. It has a small screen that permits information or greetings to the panellists, etc. to be
displayed.
Telecontrol VIII display
DVD player
Antenna
VCR (recorder)
Digital set-top-box
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T e l e c o n t r o l
The Telecontrol VIII Standard meter
The Telecontrol VIII Standard meter is a reduced version of the Telecontrol VIII device. It is used in markets
where not all of the comprehensive features of Telecontrol VIII are required.
Other than the Telecontrol VIII meter, the Telecontrol VIII Standard meter is comprised only of a main unit,
which has a built-in display. The meter unit is placed on top of the television in each case.
Remote control
As panel members use the remote control to log in on the Telecontrol VIII / Standard meter, its use has to
be easy and intuitive. The remote control that is supplied with a Telecontrol VIII / Standard unit has been
designed in line with psychological principles to ensure that usage is as simple and intuitive as possible. Each
button thus has only one function. When a button is pressed, this is confirmed in the display.
The remote control is equipped with either 8 or 16 buttons, which people in the household use to log onto
the Telecontrol VIII / Standard meter. All buttons are marked with the names of the household members.
Up to 10 additional buttons provide an opportunity to rate the programmes. Telecontrol units can also be
configured to display a request for a rating at the end of a programme. In addition to the people who live
permanently in the household, any guests present can log onto the Telecontrol VIII / Standard meter using
the remote control.
Remote control unit for the
Telecontrol VIII / Standard meter
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T e l e c o n t r o l
Measurement
Measuring
The Telecontrol VIII / Standard meter is a measuring instrument, i.e. the TV station set is not allocated by
stochastic methods but is actually measured – for example, when acquiring data from analogue television,
the frequency that has been set is measured. This measuring process is carried out so quickly that the
Telecontrol VIII / Standard meter can actually measure to the second.
The modular design of a Telecontrol VIII meter makes it easy to measure every possible type of reception.
Dependent on the requirements in the household, additional expansion cards are installed to give the meter
additional measuring capabilities. The Telecontrol VIII meter therefore works not only with one measuring
method, but with several depending on the situation in the household (reception technology, equipment).
Once installed in a household, the Telecontrol VIII meter supplies information on all possible applications
associated with television. Basically, the Telecontrol VIII meter registers all audiovisual media including
analogue and digital television, ip-tv, video equipment, DVD players, DVD recorders, personal video recorders,
teletext, HD-TV, games, time-shift viewing, split-screen viewing and every possible set-top box, e.g. for
satellite reception.
Future
The television market is subject to major change; new receivers and technologies are increasingly entering
the market and new possibilities are opening up for television usage as a result of digitalization. These
developments make great demands on research to be able to accurately record these new trends.
As described above, Telecontrol VIII currently registers all available reception technologies. Thanks to its modular
design, the Telecontrol VIII meter is a secure investment for the future. If a new technical development achieves
a relevant market presence, a new module in the Telecontrol VIII meter can guarantee its registration.
As demonstrated by GfK Telecontrol AG long history, it has always been of major importance for us to be at
the cutting edge of measuring technology.
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T e l e c o n t r o l
Evaluation options offered by Telecontrol VIII
Naturally, Telecontrol VIII’s data can be analysed using the Telecontrol MediaReporter software. Furthermore,
the Telecontrol VIII’s data can be adapted to meet the requirements of any other analysis software – so
Telecontrol VIII can be used with any software available.
Once the data is imported, all current reports defined in the Global Guidelines for Television Audience
Measurement (GGTAM) can be calculated.
The following reports are examples of what reports are possible with the Telecontrol VIII meter and
MediaReporter analysis software or any other analysis software. Of course, this is just a selection of the
possibilities of the Telecontrol meter. Many more parameters and combinations can be analysed.
By programme
If programme and ad protocols are available, evaluations can be based on viewed programmes or ads – the
attention and rating given to all programmes broadcast by a given channel is indicated.
The following is a selection of programme-related measures:
- Rating: average proportion of TV households or persons in TV households, including guests,
who watched a given programme
- Market share: consumed proportion of a given programme, measured against total TV
consumption and based on households or persons
- Rating index: average rating of a given programme (6-point scale: 6 = outstanding; 1 = very bad)
- Average age: average age of the viewers of a given programme, based on the rating
- Any other analysis based on these numbers.
Example of a market share analysis with programme logs entered
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T e l e c o n t r o l
By time
Of course, all calculations can also be based on time. As Telecontrol VIII / Standard measures down to the
second, even short ads or very short viewing fragments can be identified. In the following example, a day is
defined from 6 A.M. to 2 A.M., but of course this can be freely adapted to the customers’ requirements.
The following is a selection of time-related measures:
- Market share: share of a given programme as measured against total TV consumption,
based on households or persons, during a given period of time
- Reach average: share of households or persons who watch a given TV programme for
at least thirty seconds during a given period of time
- Total consumption in minutes: average consumption time of all households or persons
(including persons who were not watching TV at the time in question) during a given period
for a specific channel or for all TV channel(s).
- Consumption in minutes per viewer: average consumption time of the viewing audience
actually watching TV at the time in question (not including the persons of a given household
who were not watching TV).
Rating in % over time with programme logs entered
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T e l e c o n t r o l
The Telecontrol meter in use
Domiciled in Switzerland, the GfK Telecontrol AG is a good example of «Swiss quality». Developed by the
GfK Telecontrol AG, the Telecontrol meter has been in use for 22 years in a total of 16 countries worldwide.
Ahead of all the rest, the Swiss Broadcasting Company (SBC) has been using Telecontrol to monitor television
usage since 1985. Telecontrol is also used to collect TV usage data in the following countries around the world:
Country Company Households TC Meter Model
Germany GfK 6,200 households, net TC VI, TC XL, TC VII
Germany Modata AG 600 digital households, net TC VII
France Audimédia 1,100 households, net TC VI
France Marketingscan 2,200 households TC XL
Portugal Markdata 600 households, net TC VI
Austria Fessel-GfK 1,200 households, net TC XL, TCVIII
Switzerland IHA-GfK 1,870 households, net TC VII, TC VIII
Puerto Rico Mediafax 465 households, net TC VI, TCVIII, TCVIII
Ukraine GfK-USM 2,500 households, net TC VI, TCVIII
United States ARM 300 households, net TC VII
Mexico ARM 300 households, net TC VII
India Amap 7,000 households, net TCVII, TC VIII
Bulgaria GARB AG 750 households, net TC VIII and TCVIII
Romania GfK Romania 1,200 households, net TC VIII + TC VIII
Pakistan Medialogic 500 households, net TC VIII
Armenia TM-control 125 households, net TC VIII
Georgia BCG-Research 500 households, net TC VIII + TC VIII
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T e l e c o n t r o l
The strengths of the Telecontrol System for the client
Measurement The Telecontrol VIII / Standard meter measures every channel available – no channel have
to be excluded. Channels are measured, no stochastic method is applied. Telecontrol VIII /
Standard measures down to the second – short viewing fragments can also be measured.
Easy to use The Telecontrol remote control is designed in line with psychological principles to ensure
that usage is as simple and intuitive as possible. Panel members can easily be instructed
how to use the remote control correctly.
Overnight data As the data centre retrieves the usage data collected by the Telecontrol meters on a daily
basis, overnight data is possible.
Interactivity The Telecontrol VIII display and the Telecontrol remote control allow surveys to be
conducted among the panellists. Guests can log into the Telecontrol System by pressing
the «guest» button and entering their gender – basic demographic data on guests is
available in this way.
Reliable The Telecontrol System is reliable – data is safe from power cuts due to a built-in flash
memory and data is backed-up regularly in the data centre. When retrieving the collected
data from the Telecontrol meters, several time windows ensure a 99 % chance of a successful
data transfer to the data centre.
Experience Years of experience in different countries enable the GfK Telecontrol AG to deliver the best
possible measurement technology as well as to successfully conduct TAM operations in
general.
Future Since Telecontrol VIII is a modular system, it can easily be adapted to meet future
requirements. It can also be adapted to meet the requirements in the households – no
households have to be excluded for technical reasons.
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T e l e c o n t r o l
Telecontrol VIII: technical data
Telecontrol VIII:
Display box
Dimensions:
40 x 200 x 30 mm
Measuring unit
(Main unit)
Data entry - Dialog unit
(Remote Control)
Code: RC5 based codes
Dimensions:
150 x 64 x 19 mm
VFD graphic display 16 x 280 pixels (usable for different languages)
- Processors / Memory
- Modem for data transmission
- Dimensions: 250 x 250 x 100 mm
- External power supply
- Individual TV consumption of up to 16
household members
- Information of up to 8 guests, incl.
basic demographics
- Program appreciation (optional, 6 or 10)
- Additional questions (optional)
Additional buttons on the display to select
interview mode and absence.
Telecontrol VIII: technical specifications
Power supply
Memory
I / O connectors
Measurable devices
for TCVIII
Quantity of measured
channels
Scan range
- Mains voltage: 90 to 240 V / AC
- Power consumption: ~ 20 VA
- Internal data memory: SRAM 128 kB
- Program memory: 512 kB flash memory
- 1 Antenna input 75 ohm
- 1 Antenna output 75 ohm
- 6 Video inputs
- 6 Video outputs
- 8 Analogue status inputs
- 1 Input sensor TV
- 2 Input sensor record VCR
- 1 Input sensor AV-100 Hz
- 1 Input sensor TXT status
- 4 Inputs for DVB adapter (for measuring digital-STB)
- 1 Interface for RF-LON transceiver
- 1 Interface for setup with PC (serial RS-232 connection)
- 1 Connection for display
- 1 Connection for external power supply
- 1 TV / 2 VCRs
- Up to 4 analogue converters (with HF-PIC) and 4 digital converters with
DVB-adapter / SAT, cable, terrestrial, PVR or DVD-REC)
- AUX channels: DVD, video games, camcorders, and external video sources
- Unlimited number of channels per TV, VCR, channel converter or any
other complementary devices.
- Scan range measurement is programmable from 1 to 90 seconds.
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T e l e c o n t r o l
Telecontrol VIII: measurable signals
Participants’ data
Analog TV measurements
Measurement of
analogue set-top boxes
Measurement of
digital set-top boxes
- Personal logon and questioning
- Demand over display with- or without acoustic signal
- Inputs by remote control
- Buttons on the display to select interview mode and absence of home
- ON / OFF status
- Selected HF-channel (analogue TV)
- Channel detection using VPS / TXT / IDS in VBI (video blanking interval)
- TXT-ON / OFF status on TVs with cathode-ray tube
- TXT use on flat-screen TV with external tuner boxes which supplies
output signals FBAS, RGB or VGA
- Use of AV inputs on the devices (flat-screen TV with AVR adapter)
- Use of HF channels for VCR, TV games and other devices
- Fingerprinting (coding the videotapes when recording)
- Video source detection by VSC (video source coding) to recognize
multiple video sources in a TV configuration
- Measurement module with fingerprinting for PVR or DVD-REC with
analogue tuner.
(Measured by HF-PIC, optional)
- Selected channel (frequency)
- ON / OFF status
- Polarization (horizontal / vertical) of LNB
Terrestrial, cable, SAT; measured by (optional):
1: DVB adapter
- 4 MPEG-IDs (Service transport stream-, network, original network IDs)
- Status-ID (ON / OFF, black-picture, menu, application, AUX)
- Service name
2: SIP adapter (video signal analyzing system)
- Status-ID (ON / OFF, black-picture, menu, application)
- Service name
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T e l e c o n t r o l
Telecontrol VIII: general information
Compatibility with other
Telecontrol units
Data communication
with sub-devices
Data transfer to central unit
Upgrading the device
software
Remote fault analysis
System installation
Accessories included
Optional accessories
Options in development
New features
- Data compatibility with TCVII and TCVIII standard after processing
the collected data with the new data converter TCVIII.
- RF transceiver with LON protocol
- Call-IN mode: analogue modem or GSM
- Call-Out-Mode: analogue modem or GSM / GPRS (in this mode the
TCVIII calls the central computer to transfer the collected data)
- GPRS modem: for online panels (optional) (data of live TV viewing
is sent minute by minute via GPRS communication to the central
computer (2007))
- Possible: remote program and parameter download from the central
computer during data collection.
- Possible: direct log-in to a TCVIII unit from the central computer.
- Computer-assisted system installation with TEN2 software tool:
TIS: Technician’s tool to set a TC device
TEN2
ZEN: Central calling and management tool
- Display box
- TCVIII main unit
- Telecontrol remote control
- Batteries for the remote control
- External power supply
- Modem type Q (analogue modem) or GSM / GPRS modem or
RF transceiver with LON protocol
- TV sensor and video cable to connect TV
- REC sensor and video cable to connect VCR
- Antenna cable 2m
- RF-LON transceiver module
- GSM / GPRS modem with cable and antenna
- HF-PIC2 adapter (to measure additional analogue devices)
- DVB adapter (to measure additional digital devices)
- Technician’s remote control
- Cable for serial connection between TCVIII and installation PC
- Programming-tools for the TCVIII
- Video adapter
- Display interface adapter for digital / analogue set-top boxes
- Measurement module with fingerprinting for PVR or DVD-REC with
analogue tuner
- PVR measurement (time shifted viewing)
- SIP (screen interface processing) module for video signal analyzing
- AVR adapter for measuring use of AV inputs (flat-screen TV)
- VSC module (video source coding)
- Telecontrol measurement task (software tool for multimedia home
platform, MHP)
- Adaptation of further set-top boxes
- TXT ON / OFF on flat-screen TV (for TVs without video output)
- GPRS modem with cable and antenna
- Measurement module with fingerprinting for PVR or DVD-REC with
analogue tuner
- PVR measurement (time shifted viewing)
- SIP (screen interface processing) module for video signal analyzing
- AVR adapter for measuring use of AV inputs (flat-screen TV)
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T e l e c o n t r o l
Telecontrol VIII Standard: technical data
Telecontrol VIII Standard:
- Processors / Memory
- Modem for data transmission
- Dimensions:
69 x 257 x 131 mm
- External power supply
- Optional: Cyrillic script
Data entry - Dialog unit
(Remote control)
Code: RC5 based codes
Dimensions:
150 x 64 x 19 mm
- Individual TV consumption of up to
16 household members
- Information on up to 8 guests, incl.
basic demographics
- Program appreciation (optional, 6 or 10)
- Additional questions (optional)
Additional buttons on the display to select
interview mode and absence.
Telecontrol VIII Standard: technical specifications
Power supply
Memory
I / O Connectors
Measurable devices
for TCVIII-S
HF-PIC-Adapter
Quantity of measured
channels
Scan range
- Mains voltage: 90 to 240 V / AC
- Power consumption: max. 15 VA
- Internal data memory: SRAM 128 kB
- Program memory: 256 kB Flash
- 3 analogue status inputs
- 1 Peri bus input
- 1 input for DVB adapter (for measuring digital-STB)
- 1 interface for RF-LON transceiver module
- 1 interface for setup with PC (serial RS-232 connection, D-Sub9)
- 1 connection for external power supply
- 1 TV / 1 VCR / 1 SAT / 1 set-top box
- Up to 4 analogue converters (with HF-PIC) and 1 digital converter
(with DVB adapter / SAT, cable or terrestrial)
- VCR consumption of one VCR per TC unit requires HF-PIC adapter and
data entry with remote control (content of videotape)
- Channel converters in the regular TV bands (40 MHz - 900 MHz)
require high-frequency adapter.
- Interface to connect a TC VIII Standard device with any TV and
most peripheral devices, like VCRs, satellite receivers, channel
converters or set-top boxes.
- The HF-PIC adapter reads the frequency to which the set is tuned.
- The HF-PIC adapter replaces the present analog adapter
(Varicap monitoring) and the HF adapter (Varicap and high
frequency measurement) in most installations.
- Unlimited number of channels per TV, VCR, channel converter or any
other complementary devices.
- Scan range measurement is programmable from 1 to 90 seconds.
13

T e l e c o n t r o l
Telecontrol VIII Standard: measurable signals
Participants’ data
Analogue TV Measurements
Analogue set-top box
measurements
Digital set-top box
measurements
- Personal logon and questioning
- Demand over display with or without acoustic signal
- Inputs by remote control
- Buttons on the display to select interview mode and absence of home
- ON / OFF status
- Selected HF channel (analogue TV)
- Channel detection (VPS / TXT / IDS) with channel decoder (optional)
- TXT-ON / OFF status with HF-PIC
- Using HF-Channels for VCR, TV games and other devices
(Measured by HF-PIC, optional)
- Receiving frequency
- ON / OFF status
- Polarization (horizontal / vertical) of LNB
Terrestrial, cable, SAT; measured by (optional*):
- DVB adapter
- 4 MPEG-IDs (service transport stream, network, original network-IDs,
service name)
- Status-ID (ON / OFF, black-picture, menu, application, AUX)
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T e l e c o n t r o l
Telecontrol VIII Standard: general information
Meter technology
Compatibility with other
Telecontrol units
Data communication
with sub-devices
Data transfer to
central unit
Upgrading of the device
software
Remote fault analysis
System installation
Accessories included
Optional accessories
New features
- Adapter technology (Varicap voltage / local oscillator measurement)
- Fully software compatible with TCVII. Data converter for TC VI Data.
- Compatible with TCVIII by converting data.
- RF transceiver with LON protocol
- Call-In mode: analogue modem or GSM
- Call-Out mode: GPRS
- No data transmission if AC power fails
- Possible: Remote programme and parameter download from central
computer during data collection.
- Possible: Direct log-in to the TCVIII-S unit from the central computer.
- Computer-assisted system installation with TEN2 software tool:
TIS: Technician’s tool to set a TC device
TEN2 ZEN: Central calling and management tool
- TC8-S main unit
- Telecontrol remote control
- Batteries for remote control
- External power supply
- Modem type Q (analogue modem) or GSM / GPRS modem or
RF transceiver with LON protocol depending on the order
- HF-PIC2 adapter with cables
- RF-LON transceiver module
- GSM / GPRS modem
- HF-PIC adapter (for measuring additional analogue devices)
- DVB adapter (for measuring additional digital devices)
- Technician’s Telecontrol remote control
- Serial connection cable between TCVIII-S and installation PC
- Programming dongle for measuring TVIII-S modules
- Channel decoder for the direct recognition of channels (transmitters)
using VPS signals and / or TELETEXT data (country code and
programme source number)
- Channel decoder for the direct recognition of channels (transmitters)
using VPS signals and / or TELETEXT data (country code and program
source number)
15