Media Center And PC Reliability Talal Batrouny Group Program Manager eHome TV Core Microsoft...

Media Center And PC Reliability

Talal BatrounyGroup Program ManagereHome TV CoreMicrosoft Corporation

Dr. Kailash C. KapurProfessor of Industrial Eng. Kkapur @ u.washington.eduUniversity of Washington

Session OutlineSession Outline

Delivering on the promises of convergence Overview of Media Center accomplishments in 2004

Press reviews, then and now

Why reliability is important to Media CenterExpanding the role of the PC as an entertainment device

Customers challenges and expectations today

Reliability definition and challenges

High level plan to achieve a higher level of reliability

Call to actionWhat Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Independent Hardware Vendors (IHVs) can do to improve reliability

Where to go for more information

MCE 2004 Mixed Press Reviews…MCE 2004 Mixed Press Reviews…

The Mossberg Report, February 2004

“What makes a Windows Media Center PC so much better than past efforts is that Microsoft has added a whole new user interface to Windows that's meant to be used from across a room and run with a remote control, not a keyboard. It's this software, not exotic hardware, that's the key to a Media Center PC.”

“The Windows XP Media Center Edition is one of the best pieces of software Microsoft has produced in years”

“The one big downside to a Windows

Media Center PC is TV reception. In my

tests, three out of four models had lousy

reception, with lots of static — and that

was over cable. This hardly makes you

want to record shows. It's often caused

by cheap video components in the PC.”

SmartMoney

Media Center Media Center Accomplishments in 2004Accomplishments in 2004

SignalVideo

DecoderTuner

MPEG2Encoder

MPEG2Decoder

GraphicsH/W

DisplayCables

InputInput CaptureCapture PlaybackPlayback OutputOutput

Key ImprovementsMajor improvements to video quality on TV-out

Display calibration wizard improvements including automatic configuration of TV-out

Significantly improved color reproduction and scaling performance for a more vivid and sharper image

Higher quality hardware and drivers from tuner/graphics vendors

Noise reduction, 3-D Y/C separation, improved encoding quality

Improved de-interlacing, scaling, and TV-out performance

Improved Media Center Test Kit and DVD Test Annex

Subjective Test Results – TV Out

Certification ProgramSystem level and component quality certification

Service provided by Imaging Science Research Labs

Passing systems will get ISF logo

DMCE Component level compatibility testingPassing components will get MCE logo

Logo and Certification updateAt CES Bill Gates announced 7 ISF OEMs and IHVs partners; more coming…

HP, Alienware, Niveus, RicaVison, Stack9,

ATI and NVIDIA

Over 90 DMCE logo submissions had been received (Includes Tuner and Graphics)

5.184.88

3.24

1.88

4.47

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Media CenterExtender

Media CenterEdition 2005

Popular DVR 3rd partysoftware

Media CenterEdition 2004

MCE 2005MCE 2005What the Press is saying…What the Press is saying…

“Well, I'm blown away too. You can call this release a

minor revision, a point release, or whatever. I can't

hear you. From where I stand, this is a lifestyle

revolution. And from here on out, life will never be the

same.”

– Paul Thurrott (SuperSite)

October 12, 2004

Winner: Overall Best in ShowDigital LifeOct 2004

“MCE 2005 is the most polished and tightly integrated desktop DVR we’ve seen“– Matthew Elliott (C|net) October 12, 2004 “Microsoft may have unleashed the perfect OS for a home PC”By Bill Howard (PC Magazine)October 12, 2004

“Now the video quality is very, very good – not only on the Sony computer monitor, but also on the Sharp 37-inch LCD TV in my bedroom and the Samsung 26-inch direct-view TV in another room. I also saw Media Center 2005 video on a huge projection screen (40-feet diagonal) and the quality there was pretty amazing as well. “– Gary Krakow (MSNBC)Oct. 12, 2004

High Level MCE ArchitectureHigh Level MCE Architecture

Provided by:

Microsoft

ISV

OEM

IHV

Value-addedSystem hardware

Core (Fixed)System hardware

Hardware(Tuner, Video decoder, MPEG2 Encoder, Graphics, Audio, etc..)

Extensibility Application

Media Center

My Music My TV My Pictures My Videos Play DVD

PVR UI Framework XMLControlFonts

Shell Objects

CLR DShow DRMWMPOCXDX

Development Platform

WMCodecsMPEG2Decoder

IR1394USB

Driver Layer

Tuner Driver Graphics Driver Audio Driver PM

Extensibility Application

Windows

Out-of-box and First Run issues (Connectors, Components out)

Configuring MCE for my display

Routing/Connecting of CE devices (AV, VCR, Set-top, etc.)

Network Configuration and Security

A/V Sync problems

Picture fidelityColor accuracy

Sharpness, noise reduction

Deinterlacing

Driver update problems

No diagnostics tools

No standardized support

Missed recording

STB Interface problems

Drivers crashes

Hardware failures

Performance (channel change)

Extensibility application crashes

MCE Reliability PillarsMCE Reliability Pillars

PC/Windows CE Convergence PC/Windows CE Convergence Customer challengesCustomer challenges

CE Entertainment ReliabilityCE Entertainment Reliability(End-to-end experience)(End-to-end experience)

Pillar CE Level EntertainmentSetup Easy to install, configure and connect to other AV devices;

example: Contain all necessary cables and connectors out of the box, intuitive back panel design…

Robust The customer can depend on MCE family of product to fulfill its functions when required to do so compared to a CE device; Example: No crash or hang, no performance issues, etc.); Never miss recordings, consistent behavior

AV Quality Maintain signal fidelity/integrity to deliver high quality AV

Serviceable Self healing, easy to diagnose the problem with MCE eco system

Example Of MCE Customers Challenges Today…Example Of MCE Customers Challenges Today…

MCE 2004 PC Setup was still too difficultSimply connecting all the wires is challenging for nearly one out of four (22%) of these buyers, and the experience gets progressively less easy as buyers try to set up the remote, the EPG and transfer content to their new PC

On the bright side, there has been some improvement in the remote/EPG setup since the last wave of this study

Setup Experience

11% 14% 15% 19%32%11% 14% 14% 17%18%

78% 72% 64%50%

71%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Connectingwires/cables

Initial PC startup/setup

Remotecontrol setup

EPG setup Transferringcontent

<5 5 6 or 7

* 7pt scale from Very Easy to Very Difficult **EPG and remote setup were asked combined in Jul 03

Example Of MCE Customers Challenges Today…Example Of MCE Customers Challenges Today…

61% of those who purchased a desktop PC said they purchased a wireless keyboard and mouse to use with their new Media Center PC; this is a significant increase from 25% in July ‘03

29% said they had to buy additional cables or other supplies in order to set up their Media Center PC, down from 38% in July ‘03; items needed included

27% printer cable

25% Coax cable for TV

18% RCA cable for AV connection

11% Ethernet cable

9% Cable splitter

6% USB cable

6% DVI/video cable

6% Phone line

5% Surge protector

Most of these cables were not included in the original purchase

MCE Robustness Customer Pain MCE Robustness Customer Pain 2004 data2004 data

Third-party driver crashes in MCE (SP1 and SP2)*

In 2004, an average of 1 out-of 4 MCE machines have reported a Tuner or Graphics driver crash

* * Microsoft OCA crash data for calendar year 2004Microsoft OCA crash data for calendar year 2004

How Is Reliability Defined?How Is Reliability Defined?

A device’s ability to repeatedly perform a required function, without failure, under stated conditions for a stated period of time

Plan, monitor, and Plan, monitor, and improve product improve product reliability throughout reliability throughout the product life cyclethe product life cycle

Continuous ImprovementsContinuous ImprovementsMeasure and analyzeMeasure and analyze

Evolutionary fixesEvolutionary fixes

Track and control stabilityTrack and control stability

Future FocusFuture FocusPreventative (tools)Preventative (tools)

ProactiveProactive

Innovative solutionsInnovative solutions

System FocusSystem FocusCommitment to reliabilityCommitment to reliability

Holistic viewHolistic view

Protected from external Protected from external unreliable componentsunreliable components

Partner FocusPartner FocusCommitment to reliabilityCommitment to reliability

Communication (cause/effects)Communication (cause/effects)

Fixes deliveryFixes delivery

Reliability Life CycleReliability Life Cycle

Industry ChallengesIndustry Challenges

Media Center end-to-end reliability (software and hardware) is a key to the PC/CE convergence success to achieve broader adoption

Good enough is not an option for success…

Reliability must be defined, measured, evaluated, verified, controlled, and sustained in the market

Help reduce support cost for OEMs and IHVs

Drive consumer confidence in Media Center PC hardware component and system reliability to a level not previously targeted

Build solutions for the steps from original purchase to installation, operation and support

To successfully meet a higher standard of PC reliability to meet our customer expectations, Microsoft needs the support and participation of OEM and IHV partners

Setup Improvement OverviewSetup Improvement Overview

MicrosoftInvestigating tools to aid users through MCE configuration and setup

Diagnostics tools to identify potential setup issues

Address default resolution issue with component outGraphics IHVs need to enable proper detection/config of display connection

OEMsShip most common CE connectors and cables in the box

Ship wireless mouse and keyboard

Ship Windows logo’d/ISF-certified systems and components (graphics, tuners, displays)

Design back panels to adhere to CE type labeling and color coding for connectors and cables

See the Media Center PC Design Node link for more details (link at the end of the presentation)


Robustness Improvements Overview…Robustness Improvements Overview…

MicrosoftModularization of the MCE experiences

Improve error/exception handling in MCE componentsHelp catch potential instabilities

Sandbox MCE processes such as Stream Buffer Engine

Support for Windows codenamed “Longhorn” Glitch-free initiative

Capture/playback resilient to CPU and I/O stress

Improve SDK/DDK docs and driver samples to help IHVs better develop analog and digital tuners

New test tools to help identify driver reliability issuesFault injection, new stress test cases


Robustness Improvements Overview…Robustness Improvements Overview…

IndustryInstrument your driver code to isolate and fix reliability issues

Driver instrumentation specs would be posted to Betaplace.com website

Need IHVs and ISVs to fix all Pri1 and Pri2 bugs communicated by Microsoft

Run long haul testing on your driverShould run for 6 months non-stop!

Test power management scenariosHardware and driver must always work after a suspend

Proven reliable drivers would be considered to ship inbox

Give serious consideration to managing the overall heat generated by system components

Design and ship passive cooled components

Minimize fan noise for placement in the living room

Reduce hardware failures due to heat


AV Quality Improvements OverviewAV Quality Improvements Overview

MicrosoftAV Glitching/AV Sync

Improved tools to detect dropped frames

Instrumentation of the Capture and Playback pipeline to isolate video glitches and lip-synch problems

Better display calibration10’ ProcAmp video adjustment for various source quality

DDC/CI support for easier display calibration

IndustryDesign and ship high quality tuners (RF, capture, encode)

Better quality tuner started to ship this year, more coming…

More focus by graphics IHVs on video quality enhancement features

Ensure your Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) info is accurate

OEMs: Ship ISF certified hardware


Supportability Improvements Overview…Supportability Improvements Overview…

MicrosoftIntelligently targeted process and driver restart for better recoverability

Detect potential reliability degradation or misbehavior and take appropriate actions to correct the problem

All MCE systems components including drivers/hardware must support instrumentations

Report their status and support recommended mitigation methods

Investigating new diagnostics tools to identify and recommend fixes for potential instabilities

Support Remote Debug (for development purposes)


Supportability Improvements Overview…Supportability Improvements Overview…

IndustryNew logo program

Silver (Driver quality and reliability)

Gold (Premium Longhorn Experience); new marketing incentive…

New driver singing requirements for MCE Quality and Reliability

DQS + New test tools to help improve driver reliability

Prefast for drivers, Static driver verifier, Call usage verifier, Device path exerciser, Driver verifier

All tuners and graphics driver for MCE must be signed for reliability

Use Windows Update as the standardized source of signed drivers

Help streamline driver update and minimize user confusion for the best driver version to install


Call To ActionCall To Action

Ensure your display EDID information is accurate

Run MCE tools to test your driver quality/reliability

Run Long-Haul testing on your driver

Instrument your drivers based on the MCE instrumentation guideline

Fix all Pri1 and Pri2 bugs reported by Microsoft

ISF certify your hardware (system, graphics, tuner)

Ship all necessary cables, connectors, and wireless keyboard/mouse with MCE PCs

Design back panels to adhere to CE type labeling and color coding for connectors and cables

Follow the details on www.microsoft.com/whdc to ensure that your device is Logo’d and signed

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc

Customer-Centered Quality And ReliabilityPrinciples And Roadmap

Dr. Kailash C. Kapur, P. E.Professor Industrial EngineeringBox 352650University of WashingtonSeattle, WA 98195-2650

Phone: (206) 543-4604Phone: (206) 543-4604Fax: (206) 685-3072Fax: (206) 685-3072E-Mail: E-Mail: kkapur @ u.washington.edukkapur @ u.washington.eduhttp://faculty.washington.edu/kkapurhttp://faculty.washington.edu/kkapur

Session OutlineSession Outline

IntroductionQuality and reliability

What, why, where, when, how, how much, …?

Definitions and measures Global perspectives and importance

Principles for quality and reliability Based on lessons learned, and old and new wisdom

Implementation-based on these principles for the Company, OEMs, and hardware/software vendors

Recommendations and summary

Quality And ReliabilityQuality And Reliability

What? Operational definitions

Measures and evaluation processes

Why?Internal and external motivators

Demanded, expected, and required by customers


Where?In Organization, field, external customers…

Main Company, OEMs, software and hardware Vendors, …

When?During which phases of the Life Cycle of the product, process, system, …


How?Methods, tools, …

Engineering, mathematical, statistical, and other sciences

How much?

Philosophies

Guiding principles

Standards, guidelines, …

Development of manuals, systems and procedures, handbooks, educational/training programs, …

System QualitySystem Quality

Focus on all elements of the System and their interfaces and integration

HARDWAREHARDWARE

HUMANHUMAN

SOFTWARESOFTWARE

DefinitionsDefinitions

Quality ( Latin qualitas) comes from qualis, meaning “how constituted” and signifies “such as the thing really is”

Quality n. The essential character of something, nature, an inherent characteristic or attribute

Quality Characteristics or QualitiesQuality Characteristics or Qualities

TechnologicalTechnologicalHardness, inductance, Hardness, inductance, software logic, math modelssoftware logic, math models

Psychological Psychological Taste, beauty, status, Taste, beauty, status, surprise and delightsurprise and delight

Time-OrientedTime-OrientedReliability, safety, security, Reliability, safety, security, maintainabilitymaintainability

ContractualContractual

Guarantee provisionsGuarantee provisions

QualityCustomer

Satisfaction

EthicalEthical Courtesy of sales personnel Courtesy of sales personnel honesty of service shopshonesty of service shops

CostCostPurchase price Purchase price life cycle cost (LCC)life cycle cost (LCC)

DeliveryDeliveryProduct/process and Product/process and hardware/software hardware/software development cycledevelopment cycle

““Nothing is more demotivatingNothing is more demotivatingthan doing a fine job ofthan doing a fine job of

implementing the wrong thing”implementing the wrong thing”

Principle – Centered Quality Principle – Centered Quality ObjectivesObjectives

In order to make sure that we do the right thing, one of the objectives is to present

principles [based on lot of research, experience with other companies, old and new wisdom] which will be useful to implement processes for quality and reliability improvement for the 21st century

and beyond

Principle – Centered QualityPrinciple – Centered Quality

1. Customer FocusDefined and evaluated by the customer

Constancy of purpose

2. System FocusSystem integration

Synergy

Holistic

Interdependence

3. Process FocusCross-functional teams

Concurrent/simultaneous engineering and design


4. Hierarchical StructureCause and effect

Means and ends

Purpose of the purpose

5. Future FocusFuture perfect versus past perfect

Life Cycle – Infinite Planning Horizon

6. Continuous ImprovementStatistical stability versus improvement

Continuous, evolutionary, and breakthrough management


7. Prevention, …, Proactive, …,Strategic Planning, …

Economics of prevention

8. Scientific ApproachNot anecdotal but based on scientific principles

Experimental, analytical, …

Axiomatic


9. IntegrationCultural issues, values, beliefs and broad habits for framework for quality

10.Understanding the Transformation…Data Information Knowledge Wisdom Enlightenment …

Q

x1

x2

x3

xn xn(t)

Q

x1(t)

x2(t)x3(t)

"Time" oriented qualities and changes withwith time impact customer satisfaction.

““Time”-Oriented Qualities And Changes Time”-Oriented Qualities And Changes With Time Impact Customer SatisfactionWith Time Impact Customer Satisfaction

Reliability – A Relative MeasureReliability – A Relative Measure

The Reliability “Number” changes withIntended function definition – Multiple functions

Usage and environmental conditions

Actual or perceived definition of satisfactory operation

Time

Reliability ResearchReliability Research

The main focus of the research that I have been doing for the last two decades is1. To make sure that the reliability measures capture the

reality of multiple states and degradation over time for the systems and the components

2. To assure that reliability measures can capture the total experience of the customer with the system over time

Integrated And Distributed ProcessIntegrated And Distributed Process

Transition from

to Integrated and Distributed

Concept of a Quality ProcessConcept of a Quality Processhigh quality that satisfies customershigh quality that satisfies customers

What is quality of a …?What is quality of a …?

Sounds like an easy question, but hard to answerSounds like an easy question, but hard to answer

Something is needed

Call this aCall this aquality processquality process

How to preventHow to preventrecurrence ofrecurrence of

causes ofcauses ofproblemsproblems

How to design theHow to design themeans to achieve themeans to achieve the

ends and developends and developbetter productsbetter products

Prevent potentialPrevent potentialfuture problemsfuture problemsfrom happeningfrom happening

PastPast PresentPresent FutureFuture

Q And R Process And ManagementQ And R Process And Management

A process to facilitate integration and application of world class quality and reliability technologies,

disciplines, and methods to all phases of the life cycle of the system must be developed in the

organization; The purpose of the process is to plan, develop, define, measure, manage, evaluate,

and improve quality of company’s product and processes

0

20

40

60

80

100

I II VIVIII

Cu

mu

l at i

v e P

erce

nt

Cu

mu

l ati

v e P

erc e

nt

ActualActualfundsfundsspentspent

ApproximatelyApproximately10% of LCC spent10% of LCC spent

ApproximatelyApproximately90% of LCC90% of LCCdetermineddetermined

Life Cycle Cost (LCC)Life Cycle Cost (LCC)determinationdetermination

0Basic ResearchBasic Research

ConceptConcept

DevelopmentDevelopment

ProductProductandand

ProcessProcessDesignDesign

ProductionProductionFieldField

OperationOperationandand

SupportSupport

Life Cycle Cost And Product Life CycleLife Cycle Cost And Product Life Cycle

300300

2929

11 Serious injurySerious injury

Minor injuryMinor injury

Near accidentNear accident

In order to eliminate one serious injury, you must first In order to eliminate one serious injury, you must first decrease the occurrence of minor injury and many decrease the occurrence of minor injury and many

occurrences of near accidentoccurrences of near accident

Law On SafetyLaw On Safety

Claim from customerClaim from customer

Defective processDefective process

Process instabilityProcess instability

Quality LawQuality Law

In order to eliminate one customer claim, In order to eliminate one customer claim, you must first improve the process and you must first improve the process and

reduce abnormalities (variations)reduce abnormalities (variations)

Claim from Claim from customercustomer

Process Process defectivedefective

ProcessProcessabnormalityabnormality

ImpossibleImpossible PossiblePossible

Quality LawQuality Law

TraditionalTraditional

DESIGNDESIGNPROCESSPROCESS

PRODUCTPRODUCT YY

FEEDBACKFEEDBACK

CONFORMINGCONFORMING

NONCONFORMINGNONCONFORMING

IdealIdeal

PRODUCTPRODUCT

BB CC

YYAA

DD EE

zzDESIGNDESIGN

Develop a functional relationship y = g(A, B, C, …)Develop a functional relationship y = g(A, B, C, …)

Use A, B, C, .......... to achieve the desired resultsUse A, B, C, .......... to achieve the desired results

The Design Process: Traditional The Design Process: Traditional Versus IdealVersus Ideal

ProcessProcessInputsInputs

ControlControloror

DecisionDecision

..

..

..

OutputsOutputs....

..

. . .. . .

. . .. . .

NoisesNoises

UncontrollableUncontrollable

NoisesNoises

Decide not to controlDecide not to control

Basic Process DiagramBasic Process Diagram

““voice of the customer”voice of the customer”

IntentIntent ResultResult

SystemSystem

Noise FactorsNoise Factors

Control FactorsControl Factors

M = SignalM = Signal Response = yResponse = y

Objective functionObjective function(This is customer’s world)(This is customer’s world)

Ideal functionIdeal function(This is engineer’s world)(This is engineer’s world)

Robust MethodRobust Method

Summary and Summary and RecommendationsRecommendations

Principle – Centered Quality Principle – Centered Quality And ReliabilityAnd Reliability

TRADITIONAL or OLD

IDEAL/RECOMMENDED or NEW

3. Process Focus Feedback Feed forward

Effect Ends Results/Objectives

Cause Means Process Focused

Sequential Simultaneous

4. Hierarchical Structure Ends Means to achieve higher

customer satisfaction 5. Future Focus

Short term thinking Infinite horizon Measurement

(Statistical Estimation) Past Perfect

Improvement and Growth Future Perfect


TRADITIONAL or OLD


7. Prevention Past-perfect Future perfect

Inspection/audit/detection

Prevention /proactivity

Burn-In Reduce Process Variation

8. Scientific Approach Follow or copy

other’s success stories

Scientific and not anecdotal

Eliminate/minimize cause

Reduce the effect of the cause

Accept time as a noise

Achieve robustness


TRADITIONAL or OLD


9. Integration

Fragmented-jump from tool to tool

Integration based on values & beliefs

10. Transformation Probability

models Utility Customer

Satisfaction Probability as a basis

for action Data-> Information-> Knowledge->

Wisdom-> Enlightenment->……


Community ResourcesCommunity Resources

Windows Hardware and Driver Central (WHDC)www.microsoft.com/whdc/default.mspx

Technical Communitieswww.microsoft.com/communities/products/default.mspx

Non-Microsoft Community Siteswww.microsoft.com/communities/related/default.mspx

Microsoft Public Newsgroupswww.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups

Technical Chats and Webcastswww.microsoft.com/communities/chats/default.mspx

www.microsoft.com/webcasts

Microsoft Blogswww.microsoft.com/communities/blogs

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/default.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/communities/related/default.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups

http://www.microsoft.com/communities/chats/default.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/webcasts

Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources

E-Mail

Web ResourcesMedia Center PC Design Node: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/mediacenter

Related SessionsWindows Audio/Video Excellence Requirements in Longhorn

Longhorn Partner Logo Program: The Next Generation of “Designed for Windows” create an alias

Windows Driver Quality Signature

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/mediacenter

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/mediacenter

Media Center And PC Reliability Talal Batrouny Group Program Manager eHome TV Core Microsoft...

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