Developing Test Automation Framework for Set-Top Box Products

Abstract

Set-top box devices today have become much more than just a device to provide TV programs. STBs today can connect to Wi-Fi, provide real-time and interactive activities, and are all about ease of use for the user. Although they are a very complicated product in terms of the hardware and software applications involved in the precise build of the devices, the end goal is to provide an ease of use to the end user. It is important for the provider to ensure a good Quality of Experience factor. For a thorough and varied approach for achieving the best QoE for a STB product, it is required to have a specific and detailed test plan. Different testing methods and types are carried out throughout the development phase to achieve the best possible results. Set-top boxes are complex devices and they offer a large number of services, as to which its functional verification is a highly challenging task. Manual test approach can only reach a certain level of time and reliability perspective. Manual testing for such a diverse application is not feasible when it comes to manpower, time and cost. Developing such tests to be automated would provide an efficient way to perform these types of tests. Test automation is expected to provide an easy approach to control the test execution and comparison of the actual and expected outcomes. The choice of a tool is also of importance in a development of a test automation. Test automation of STB devices is done using Witbe tool. Witbe is an integrated environment for a complete test scenario. The main advantage of such test automation is the feasibility in execution of the tests. Once developed, the tests can be deployed to run at a desired time on a target device. Witbe tool provides an approach towards a detailed testing. With the help of Witbe test tool for automation, it is expected to reduce the time and cost for testing of the STB devices. Results of tests like performance tests would be more accurate when executed via automation rather than a manual approach.