Black Box iPATH ACR1000A-CTL-24 User Manual
  1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Black Box Manuals
  4. Controller
  5. iPATH ACR1000A-CTL-24
  6. User manual
Black Box iPATH ACR1000A-CTL-24 User Manual

Black Box iPATH ACR1000A-CTL-24 User Manual

Agility controller
Hide thumbs Also See for iPATH ACR1000A-CTL-24:
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual See also: Manual
USER GUIDE
ACR1000A-CTL-24
ACR1000A-CTL-48
ACR1000A-CTL-96
ACR1000A-CTL-192
ACR1000A-CTL-288
ACR1000A-CTL-ULT
iPATH
AGILITY
™
CONTROLLER
24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT AT 1.877.877.2269 OR VISIT BLACKBOX.COM

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading

Related Manuals for Black Box iPATH ACR1000A-CTL-24

Summary of Contents for Black Box iPATH ACR1000A-CTL-24

  • Page 1 USER GUIDE ACR1000A-CTL-24 ACR1000A-CTL-48 ACR1000A-CTL-96 ACR1000A-CTL-192 ACR1000A-CTL-288 ACR1000A-CTL-ULT iPATH AGILITY ™ CONTROLLER 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT AT 1.877.877.2269 OR VISIT BLACKBOX.COM...
  • Page 2 1.877.877.2269 TRADEMARKS USED IN THIS MANUAL Black Box and the Double Diamond logo are registered trademarks of BB Technologies, Inc. Any other trademarks mentioned in this manual are acknowledged to be the property of the trademark owners. We‘re here to help! If you have any questions about your application or our products, contact Black Box Tech Support at 877-877-2269 or go to blackbox.com and click on “Talk to Black Box.”...
  • Page 3 Disclaimer: Black Box Network Services shall not be liable for damages of any kind, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential or cost of cover damages, resulting from any errors in the product information or specifications set forth in this document and Black Box Network Services may revise this document at any time without notice.
  • Page 4 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 INSTRUCCIONES DE SEGURIDAD (NORMAS OFICIALES MEXICANAS ELECTRICAL SAFETY STATEMENT) 1. Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser leídas antes de que el aparato eléctrico sea operado. 2.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 CONTENTS TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 CONTENTS ..........................5 CHAPTER 1: SPECIFICATIONS ..................... 6 CHAPTER 2: WELCOME ......................7 2.1 Local feed through ....................................9 2.2 iPATH basics ....................................... 10 CHAPTER 3: INSTALLATION ..................... 12 3.1 Connections ......................................

  • Page 6: Chapter 1: Specifications

    IEC input Manufacturer: Stontronics model DSA-60PFB-12 1 120500 part number T5386DV IMPORTANT: A defective power adapter MUST only be replaced with the correct unit from Black Box. PERMITTED OPERATIONAL AMBIENT CONDITIONS Operating temperature: 0 to 40ºC / 32 to 104ºF...

  • Page 7: Chapter 2: Welcome

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 CHAPTER 2: WELCOME TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 Agility local and remote units allow multiple remote users to access host computers in a very flexible manner. Such flexibility requires management and coordination – that is where iPATH becomes vital. iPATH is designed to promote the most efficient use of Agility units by allowing central control over any number of locals and remotes.
  • Page 8 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 The iPATH server is supplied pre-loaded and is straightforward to deploy, requiring only a network connection and a power input to begin operation. All configuration of your Agility locals (channels), remotes and users are performed using the intuitive iPATH browser interface via a network connected computer.

  • Page 9: Local Feed Through

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 2.1 LOCAL FEED THROUGH Agility remotes which are equipped with dual IP network ports can be configured to support a local link to a host PC in addition to the main link to the network.

  • Page 10: Ipath Basics

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 2.2 iPATH BASICS CHANNELS Think of a channel as a ‘virtual local unit’. It is virtual because the video, audio and USB streams of a channel do not necessarily have to originate from the same physical local unit, although in most cases they will.
  • Page 11 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 To successfully gain access to a channel: • The user requires permission to use the remote, • The remote requires permission to connect with the channel, • The user must have permission to access the channel. In most cases, the need for three access permissions per connection is unnecessary and raises administration overheads.

  • Page 12: Chapter 3: Installation

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 CHAPTER 3: INSTALLATION TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 3.1 CONNECTIONS The iPATH server unit is supplied fully pre-loaded and permits no local user interaction. All configuration takes place remotely via the network connections and as a result only two connections are required: Network and power. Note: If an existing iPATH server must be replaced, follow the important advice given within Appendix C (Swapping out an iPATH server).
  • Page 13 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 3.1.2 POWER SUPPLY CONNECTION IMPORTANT: Please read and adhere to the electrical safety information given within the Safety information section of this guide. In particular, do not use an unearthed power socket or extension cable. TO CONNECT THE POWER SUPPLY 1 Attach the output connector of the power supply to the power input socket on the left side of the rear panel.

  • Page 14: Installation Requirements

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 3.2 INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS • The minimum permissible firmware versions for Agility units linked with the iPATH server depend upon the firmware version that is running on the iPATH server itself. Note: iPATH servers with firmware v4.1 or above no longer support the original Agility model.

  • Page 15: Mounting The Ipath Server

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 3.3 MOUNTING THE IPATH SERVER The iPATH unit is designed to be easy to mount within a standard 19” rack, but is also suitable for free standing use on the desktop.

  • Page 16: Chapter 4: Configuration

    If necessary, click the Forgotten password link to display an assistance page where a secret code will be given. Provide the secret code to Black Box support or your distributor to obtain an unlock code which can then be entered to reset your password and gain access.

  • Page 17: Important First Configuration Steps

    IMPORTANT: The Ethernet Port 1 iPATH IP Address and Netmask settings must NOT be changed during operation of the system. Changing these will invalidate the system’s security and require intervention from the Black Box technical support staff to restore to a working state.

  • Page 18: Adding Agility Units

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.4 ADDING AGILITY UNITS When new Agility locals and remotes are added to a network, they are designed to automatically announce themselves* to the iPATH server. Once the iPATH server receives their announcement(s), the Agility units will be added to the administrator’s view of the Dashboard.

  • Page 19: The Dashboard Tab

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.5 THE DASHBOARD TAB The Dashboard is your main point of contact for checking and changing the general status of all iPATH operations. Click the DASHBOARD tab to view its initial home page. The various other Dashboard pages (e.g.
  • Page 20 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.5.2 DASHBOARD > SETTINGS Click the Settings option below the Dashboard tab. The Settings section contains global configuration options for the iPATH system and is divided into eight pages, each accessible by clicking the relevant button located below the blue options bar: General •...
  • Page 21 Determines the language shown on the OSD menus of the remotes. Note the admin configuration web pages remain in English. Debug Level This allows information to be collected for diagnostic purposes. Do not use the full level unless advised by a Black Box engineer. API Login required If enabled, the anonymous use of the iPATH API will be disallowed.
  • Page 22 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.5.4 DASHBOARD > SETTINGS > LOCALS This page applies a standard global configuration to all locals. Magic Eye Determines whether the Magic Eye feature should be enabled on Agility locals. Magic Eye works to overcome the issues with increased bandwidth usage caused by ‘dithering’...
  • Page 23 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 USB Hub Size Select either a 13 or 7 port USB hub. This determines the number of USB devices that can be connected to a single Local. Note: In order to access the BIOS on some host machines it is necessary to change this setting to 7 ports. Enable Dummy Boot Keyboard It is often necessary to have a keyboard reported at start up.
  • Page 24 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.5.5 DASHBOARD > SETTINGS > REMOTES This page applies a standard global configuration to all remotes. OSD Hotkeys Determines whether the OSD hotkeys are enabled or disabled. Connection Hotkeys Determines whether the channel switching hotkeys are enabled or disabled.
  • Page 25 The default is no reserved ports, Merging enabled and no feature code (or Quirk) set. It is recommended that these are left at the default settings and are only changed under advice from a Black Box reseller. For each of the four USB ports on the remote, certain rules can be applied depending upon the USB device connected.
  • Page 26 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.5.7 DASHBOARD > SETTINGS > SERVERS This page is used to configure redundant operation for the iPATH servers. Two or more servers can be added onto the same subnet or Vlan. One iPATH box is the Primary (or Master) the other is the Backup (or Slave).
  • Page 27 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.5.8 DASHBOARD > SETTINGS > NETWORK This page applies global network parameters to the iPATH network. 4.5.8.1 IPATH CONNECTIVITY Require SSL for Web If set to yes, a certificate needs to be downloaded and all connections will then take place using HTTPS:// connections rather than the default HTTP:// connection types.
  • Page 28 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 • 802.3ad - This mode uses a similar topology to Active-Backup, (i.e. both network ports connected to the same switch) but has two important differences: Both of the iPATH server network ports are used simultaneously, and the network switch must support LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol).
  • Page 29 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 Route of Last Resort This option is appropriate when the iPATH server is used in multi-subnet mode. In such cases, it is possible that the iPATH server is not directly connected to the same sub-network as some or all of the Agility endpoints. Therefore, it will be necessary for the Agility unit(s) to communicate back to the iPATH server via a gateway device (see Gateway IP Address above).
  • Page 30 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 The second part is returned from iPATH: numRx, (Number of RX units on system) numTx, (number of Tx units on system) numActiveConnexions, serverCPULoad, serverMemoryUsage, serverSoftwareVersion, serverDiskSpace, The third part is the reporting of lost packets: rxHead, (Which video head you are monitoring) packetsSent,...
  • Page 31 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.5.9 DASHBOARD > SETTINGS > TIME This page deals with all time related settings for the installation and allows up to three external NTP servers to be defined. NTP Enabled Determines whether one or more external Network Time Protocol servers should be used to provide timing for the installation.
  • Page 32 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.5.11 DASHBOARD > SETTINGS > ACTIVE DIRECTORY This page sets up the active directory server, if there is one on your network, and to use active directory to maintain the user database.
  • Page 33 You can schedule backup copies of the iPATH database (containing all devices, users, channels and logs) to be made on a recurring basis and you can also perform backups on demand, as required. IMPORTANT: You are strongly recommended to arrange regular scheduled backups of your iPATH database. Black Box cannot be held responsible for any loss of data, however caused.
  • Page 34 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.5.13 DASHBOARD > UPDATES Upgrade iPATH Software This option allows you to upgrade (or downgrade, if required) the iPATH server firmware while preserving all configuration data. Firmware files are encrypted and digitally-signed for iPATH-server integrity. Please see Upgrading (or downgrading) iPATH firmware below.
  • Page 35 Note: If there are any Backup or Satellite servers then these must be upgraded or downgraded to be on the same software version before applying any Agility firmware updates. 1 Download the appropriate firmware file from Black Box technical support. 2 Visit the Dashboard > Updates page of the iPATH unit and within the ‘Upgrade iPATH Software’ section, click the Browse...
  • Page 36 The remote support feature grants a member of the technical support team remote access to the iPATH unit. This page shows the current state of remote support, whether currently enabled or disabled, plus a button to change the remote support state. For further details, please see Enabling Remote Support. Note: Before enabling remote support contact Black Box technical support. 1.877.877.2269 BLACKBOX.COM...

  • Page 37: Enabling Remote Support

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.6 ENABLING REMOTE SUPPORT iPATH has a remote support feature that allows technical support to connect should the need arise. It works by establishing a secure SSL connection with a managed secure server hosted on the internet. Using a reverse tunnel, technical support can connect to the manager via the secure server.
  • Page 38 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 • The iPATH will show a port number and one-time password (OTP) which are required to remotely access the manager. • If the port number changes after 1 minute, this means that either 1) The port is used by another Remote session or 2) The manager has been unable to access the remote server.

  • Page 39: The Channels Tab

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.7 THE CHANNELS TAB The Channels tab provides access to all settings and options related directly to the video, audio and USB streams, collectively known as channels, emanating from any number of locals. Click the CHANNELS tab to view the initial View Channels page.
  • Page 40 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.7.2 CHANNELS > ADD OR CONFIGURE A CHANNEL From the View Channels page, you can add a new channel or configure an existing channel: • To create a new channel: Click the “Add Channel” option. •...
  • Page 41 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 Group Membership Groups provide a quick and easy way to manage settings for channels. By making a channel part of a particular group, the channel automatically inherits the key settings of that group. The group membership section displays existing channel groups in the left list (to which the current channel does not belong) and the channel groups in the right list to which it does belong.
  • Page 42 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.7.3 CHANNELS > ADD OR CONFIGURE CHANNEL GROUP Channel groups allow easy permission-granting for several channels at once. Permissions can be set to determine which users can access channels within a channel group. From the View Channels page, you can add a new channel group or configure an existing channel group: •...

  • Page 43: The Remotes Tab

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.8 THE REMOTES TAB The Remotes tab shows a paginated table of all remote devices within the iPATH network. Click the REMOTES tab to view the initial View Remotes page. The other Remotes pages (e.g.
  • Page 44 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.8.2 REMOTES > CONFIGURE REMOTE From the View Remotes page, you can configure details for a remote: • Click for a remote. Note: If the IP address of the remote is changed, the device will need to reboot itself. Device ID / Type - Identity of the remote.
  • Page 45 The default is no reserved ports, Merging enabled and no feature code (or Quirk) set. It is recommended that these are left at the default settings and are only changed under advice from a Black Box dealer. For each of the four USB ports on the remote, certain rules can be applied depending upon the USB device connected.
  • Page 46 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.8.3 REMOTES > CONFIGURE NEW REMOTE This page is displayed whenever a new remote is added to the network. The IP Address 1 field, showing the IP address that has been assigned by DHCP. Before iPATH can add the device into its database, a new IP address must be added to IP Address 1.
  • Page 47 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 Video switching Provides two options for video switching: • Fast Switching (default state) - Retains the same frame rate (at either 50Hz or 60Hz) depending upon which video resolution was displayed first.

  • Page 48: The Locals Tab

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.9 THE LOCALS TAB The Locals tab shows a paginated table of all local devices within the iPATH network. Click the LOCALS tab to view the locals page. SEARCH FILTERS The key fields (Name, Description and Location) all provide a search filter to locate particular items within long lists.
  • Page 49 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.9.2 LOCALS > CONFIGURE LOCAL When you click for a particular local, this page lists information about the unit and allows numerous settings to be configured. IP Address Allows you to alter the IP address of the local unit.
  • Page 50 Hot Plug Detect Signal Period By default this is set at 100ms, which is sufficient for most graphics cards. Occasionally it may be necessary to adjust this. A Black Box engineer will advise if necessary. Background Refresh The local sends portions of the video image only when they change. In order to give the best user experience, the local also sends the whole video image, at a lower frame rate, in the background.

  • Page 51: The Servers Tab

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.10 THE SERVERS TAB The Servers tab shows a table of all servers within the iPATH network. Click the SERVERS tab to view the page. For installations that require greater redundancy, it is possible to have two or more iPATH servers running on the same subnet. If used on multiple subnets it is possible to have two or more servers on each subnet.

  • Page 52: The Users Tab

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.11 THE USERS TAB The Users tab shows a paginated table of all users within the iPATH network. Within the list, the admin user is always present and cannot be deleted - in order to avoid being locked out of the iPATH system.
  • Page 53 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.11.2 USERS > ADD USER OR CONFIGURE USER PAGE From the View Users page, you can add a new user or configure an existing user: • To add a user: Click the “Add User” option. •...
  • Page 54 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.11.3 USERS > ADD USER GROUP OR CONFIGURE GROUP PAGE From the View User Groups page, you can create a new group or configure an existing group: • To create a new group: Click the “Add User Group” option. •...
  • Page 55 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.11.5 USERS > ACTIVE DIRECTORY To simplify integration alongside existing systems within organisations, iPATH can be synchronized with an LDAP/Active Directory server. This allows a list of users (and user groups), together with usernames and group memberships to be quickly imported and kept up to date.

  • Page 56: The Presets Tab

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.12 THE PRESETS TAB Presets enable multiple actions to be pre-defined so that they can be initiated with a single action. This feature is particularly useful when switching multiple Agility units, such as in the example below where multiple video heads need to be switched in unison between different server systems.
  • Page 57 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 The Presets page is where the admin user can create and configure new and existing presets. Click the PRESETS tab to view the Presets page. The nature of each preset, i.e. which remote connects to which channel(s), is defined by the admin. The permitted connection modes are worked out according to: •...
  • Page 58 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.12.2 PRESETS > ADD OR CONFIGURE PRESETS PAGE From the Presets page, you can add a new preset or configure an existing preset: • To create a new preset: Click the “Add Preset” option. •...

  • Page 59: The Statistics Tab

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 4.13 THE STATISTICS TAB The Statistics tab provides an opportunity to view a range of real-time data measurements related to any links within the iPATH network. This is particularly useful for optimization and troubleshooting purposes. Click the STATISTICS tab to view the page.

  • Page 60: Chapter 5: Operation

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 CHAPTER 5: OPERATION TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 For non-admin users, the On-Screen Display provides a clear way to choose and access multiple channels. 5.1 LOGGING IN 1 On the keyboard connected to your Agility remote, press the hotkey combination Ctrl-Alt-C to display the On-Screen Display or OSD (this hotkey combination can be altered on the Dashboard >...

  • Page 61: Hotkey Shortcuts

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 5.2 HOTKEY SHORTCUTS The following standard shortcuts are available for use with the Local OSD (and Remote OSD). These default shortcuts can be altered within the Dashboard > Settings > Remotes page. Left Ctrl + Left Alt + C: Launch the OSD Left Ctrl + Left Alt + X:...

  • Page 62: The Local Osd Screen

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 5.3 THE LOCAL OSD SCREEN Once logged in, the list of channels for which you have permission are shown in the Local OSD (blue bars) screen. TOP CORNER ICONS •...

  • Page 63: Using The Remote Osd Feature

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 5.4 USING THE REMOTE OSD FEATURE The Remote OSD feature allows authorized users to access and take control of Agility remotes other than the one to which they are connected.
  • Page 64 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 APPENDICES TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 This chapter contains a variety of information, including the following: Š Appendix A - Tips for success when networking Agility Š Š Appendix B - Troubleshooting Š Š...

  • Page 65: Appendix A - Tips For Success When Networking Agility

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 APPENDIX A - TIPS FOR SUCCESS WHEN NETWORKING AGILITY TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 Agility units use multiple strategies to minimise the amount of data that they send across networks. However, data overheads can be quite high, particularly when very high resolution video is being transferred, so it is important to take steps to maximise network efficiency and help minimise data output.
  • Page 66 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 A.3 CREATING AN EFFICIENT NETWORK LAYOUT Network layout is vital. The use of IGMP snooping also introduces certain constraints, so take heed: • Keep it flat. Use a basic line-cascade structure rather than a pyramid or tree arrangement (see note below). •...
  • Page 67 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 A.4 CONFIGURING THE SWITCHES AND DEVICES The layout is vital but so too is the configuration: • Enable IGMP Snooping on all L2 switches. • Ensure that IGMP Fast-Leave is enabled on all switches with Agility units connected directly to them. •...

  • Page 68: Appendix B - Troubleshooting

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 APPENDIX B - TROUBLESHOOTING TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 PROBLEM: THE VIDEO IMAGE OF THE AGILITY REMOTE SHOWS HORIZONTAL LINES ACROSS THE SCREEN. This issue is known as Blinding because the resulting video image looks as though you’re viewing it through a venetian blind. When video is transmitted by Agility units, the various lines of each screen are divided up and transmitted as separate data packets.
  • Page 69 Check the video settings on the PC. If the Dither video box option is enabled, disable it. • Apple Mac with Nvidia graphics Use the Black Box utility for Mac’s – Contact technical support. • Apple Mac with ATI graphics Use the Agility Dual series unit with Magic Eye dither removal feature.

  • Page 70: Appendix C - Redundant Servers

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 APPENDIX C - REDUNDANT SERVERS TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 This appendix contains two main sections related to the creation and repair of iPATH Agility Controller installations that employ redundancy. • Setting up iPATH Agility Controller redundancy - below •...
  • Page 71 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 C.3 SWAPPING OUT AN IPATH AGILITY CONTROLLER Once Agility devices have been configured to run with an iPATH Agility Controller, their default IP addresses are automatically changed as part of the installation process. In this state the Agility devices become undetectable to any new iPATH Agility Controller that does not have access to the database of devices.
  • Page 72 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 C.3.3 STARTING FROM SCRATCH If none of the above procedures are used, then the following will be necessary. This will require a certain amount of effort because each Agility unit must be visited and reset, plus the iPATH database will need to be fully reconfigured. 1 Place a new iPATH Agility Controller into the network and then perform a factory reset on every Agility device.

  • Page 73: Appendix D - Upgrade Licence

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 APPENDIX D - UPGRADE LICENCE TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 iPATH Agility Controllers are licenced according to the number of devices that can be managed. As your installation grows you can purchase an updated iPATH licence at any time using the following procedure. Four licences are available, ranging from a maximum of 24 managed devices up to a maximum of 288: •...

  • Page 74: Appendix E - Glossary

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 APPENDIX E - GLOSSARY TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 E.1 INTERNET GROUP MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL Where an ServSwitch Agility local unit is required to stream video to two or more remote units, multicasting is the method used. Multicasting involves the delivery of identical data to multiple remote units simultaneously without the need to maintain individual links.
  • Page 75 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 E.2 JUMBO FRAMES (JUMBO PACKETS) Since its commercial introduction in 1980, the Ethernet standard has been successfully extended and adapted to keep pace with the ever improving capabilities of computer systems. The achievable data rates, for instance, have risen in ten-fold leaps from the original 10Mbit/s to a current maximum of 100Gbit/s.
  • Page 76 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 E.4 FORWARDING MODES In essence, the job of a layer 2 switch is to transfer as fast as possible, data packets arriving at one port out to another port as determined by the destination address.
  • Page 77 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 E.5 LAYER 2 AND LAYER 3: THE OSI MODEL When discussing network switches, the terms Layer 2 and Layer 3 are very often used. These refer to parts of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model, a standardized way to categorize the necessary functions of any standard network.

  • Page 78: Appendix F - Ipath Api

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 APPENDIX F - iPATH API TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 The iPATH API provides access for external applications to key routines used within the iPATH server. This appendix provides a reference to the available methods. Note: The API is documented as an HTML file and is found by going to the following address: http://<ip address>/api/ API VERSION: 7 Changelog...
  • Page 79 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 login This method was last updated in API version 1, and is compatible with API requests from version 1 onwards. The API will require a valid iPATH user’s login credentials to be presented in the first request. The API will return an authentication code, which must be passed in all future requests.
  • Page 80 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 logout This method was last updated in API version 1, and is compatible with API requests from version 1 onwards. The authentication token provided by the ‘login’ method can be used until the ‘logout’ method is called. Input parameters: - token - v (the iPATH API version this request is designed for)
  • Page 81 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 - filter_d_location (Optional. Device location search string) - sort (Optional. Sort results by ‘name’/’description’/’location’. Default = ‘name’) - sort_dir (Optional. Sort direction for results ‘asc’/’desc’. Default = ‘asc’) - status (Optional.
  • Page 82 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 The following property is only returned for locals: - count_transmitter_channels (the number of channels containing this local unit) - count_transmitter_presets (the number of presets containing this local unit) The following properties are only returned for remotes: - con_exclusive (0/1 - if the last connection is/was in private mode) - con_control (1/2/3 - 1 if the last connection is/was video-only, 2 if in exclusive mode, 3 if in shared mode)
  • Page 83 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 <d_ip_address2>10.10.10.67</d_ip_address2> <d_description></d_description> <d_location>Server Rack 3</d_location> <d_configured>1</d_configured> <d_valid_firmware>1</d_valid_firmware> <d_valid_backup_firmware>1</d_valid_backup_firmware> <d_firmware>2.3.16682</d_firmware> <d_backup_firmware>2.3.16682</d_backup_firmware> <d_date_added>2012-07-14 01:37:07</d_date_added> <d_status>1</d_status> <con_exclusive>0</con_exclusive> <con_control>1</con_control> <con_start_time>2012-09-07 13:33:19</con_start_time> <con_end_time/> <u_username>admin</u_username> <u_id>1</u_id> <c_name>Channel 1</c_name> <count_receiver_groups>1</count_receiver_groups> <count_receiver_presets>2</count_receiver_presets> <count_users>1</count_users> </device> </devices> </api_response> <api_response>...
  • Page 84 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 <d_online2>0</d_online2> <d_type>tx</d_type> <d_version>1</d_version> <d_variant></d_variant> <d_ip_address>1.1.201.31</d_ip_address> <d_ip_address2>1.1.201.32</d_ip_address2> <d_description></d_description> <d_location></d_location> <d_configured>1</d_configured> <d_valid_firmware>1</d_valid_firmware> <d_valid_backup_firmware>1</d_valid_backup_firmware> <d_firmware>2.1.15747</d_firmware> <d_backup_firmware>2.1.15747</d_backup_firmware> <d_date_added>2012-07-13 17:50:04</d_date_added> <d_status>0</d_status> <count_transmitter_channels>3</count_transmitter_channels> <count_transmitter_presets>1</count_transmitter_presets> </device> </devices> </api_response> get_channels This method was last updated in API version 4, and is compatible with API requests from version 2 onwards. This method returns a list of channels available to the authenticated user, for a specific remote.
  • Page 85 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 - results_per_page (number of results per page, default = unlimited) - count_channels - the number of channels on this page, available to the authenticated user - for each channel: - attribute: item (e.g.
  • Page 86 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 <view_button>disabled</view_button> <shared_button>disabled</shared_button> <control_button>disabled</control_button> <exclusive_button>disabled</exclusive_button> </channel> <channel item=”2”> <c_id>5</c_id> <c_name>Channel 2</c_name> <c_description>Description for Channel 2</c_description> <c_location>Location of Channel 2</c_location> <c_favourite>2</c_favourite> <view_button>enabled</view_button> <shared_button>enabled</shared_button> <control_button>enabled</control_button> <exclusive_button>hidden</exclusive_button> </channel> </api_response> get_presets This method was last updated in API version 1, and is compatible with API requests from version 1 onwards. This simple method returns a list of presets available to the authenticated user.
  • Page 87 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 - problem_cp_pairs (the number of channel-remote pairs that are mis-configured (e.g. remote offline, remote not defined) - cp_active (whether all, any, or none of the channel-remote pairs in this preset are currently connected;...
  • Page 88 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 <cp_active>none</cp_active> <connected_rx_count/> <view_button>enabled</view_button> <shared_button>hidden</shared_button> <control_button>hidden</control_button> <exclusive_button>hidden</exclusive_button> </connection_preset> </api_response> connect_channel This method was last updated in API version 5, and is compatible with API requests from version 2 onwards This simple method connects a remote to a channel.
  • Page 89 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 </error> </errors> </api_response> connect_preset This method was last updated in API version 5, and is compatible with API requests from version 1 onwards This simple method connects all channel-remote pairs in a preset. Input parameters: - token - v (the iPATH API version this request is designed for)
  • Page 90 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 disconnect_channel This method was last updated in API version 2, and is compatible with API requests from version 2 onwards This method disconnects a remote, a number of remotes, or all connected remotes. Input parameters: - token - v (the iPATH API version this request is designed for)
  • Page 91 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 Examples Input: /api/?v=1&method=disconnect_preset&token=xxxxx&id=1&force=1 Output: <api_response> <version>1</version> <timestamp>2012-12-12 12:12:12</timestamp> <success>1</success> </api_response> create_preset This method was last updated in API version 5, and is compatible with API requests from version 3 onwards. This method creates a new preset.
  • Page 92 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 delete_preset This method was last updated in API version 3, and is compatible with API requests from version 3 onwards. This method deletes a preset. The API user must have admin privileges to call this method successfully. Input parameters: - token - v (the iPATH API version this request is designed for)
  • Page 93 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 - video1 (device ID of video source 1. Optional, default is empty.) - video1head (video head number for source 1. Optional, default is 1.) - video2 (device ID of video source 2. Optional, default is empty.) - video2head (video head number for source 2.
  • Page 94 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 Examples Input: /api/?v=4&method=delete_channel&token=xxxxx&id=5 Output: <api_response> <version>4</version> <timestamp>2012-12-12 12:12:12</timestamp> <success>1</success> </api_response> update_device This method was last updated in API version 5, and is compatible with API requests from version 5 onwards. This method updates the description and location fields for a device.
  • Page 95 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 reboot_devices This method was last updated in API version 7, and is compatible with API requests from version 7 onwards. This method sends a reboot command to the specified devices. Input parameters: - token - v (the iPATH API version this request is designed for)

  • Page 96: Appendix G - Dhcp Server Requirements

    Sub-option 1: Array of IP addresses of all iPATH servers in the cluster. Note: Agility will ignore any DHCP OFFER not containing this information. Example Gamma (Cisco IOS DHCPd, Black Box, iPATH servers: 10.0.20.5, 10.0.20.6) ip dhcp pool vlan20 network 10.0.20.0 255.255.255.0 default-router 10.0.20.1...
  • Page 97 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 EXAMPLE BETA (ISC DHCPD, BLACKBOX, IPATH SERVERS: 10.0.20.5, 10.0.20.6) # ISC DHCPd configuration for Blackbox set vendor-string = option vendor-class-identifier; option space blackbox code width 1 length width 1; option blackbox.ipath-servers code 1 = array of ip-address;...

  • Page 98: Appendix H - Using Dhcp Option 125

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 APPENDIX H - USING DHCP OPTION 125 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 DHCP Option 125 is a vendor-specific feature that provides additional information to the Agility Remotes and Locals when requesting an IP Address. The option gives the endpoints the IP Address of the Primary and any other Backup or Satellite iPATH Servers that reside on the network.
  • Page 99 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 The Length B value is the total byte count of the hex IP Addresses. In the example below, there are 2x IP hex addresses. Each IP hex address is 4-bytes, therefore Length B is 8-bytes in total which equates to 08 in hex. Length B 0000621f0a01080a0014050a001406 4 bytes...

  • Page 100: Appendix I - Safety Information

    NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 APPENDIX I - SAFETY INFORMATION TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 Š For use in dry, oil free indoor environments only. Š Š The units and their power supplies generate heat when in operation and will become warm to the touch. Do not enclose Š...
  • Page 101 NEED HELP? LEAVE THE TECH TO US LIVE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1.877.877.2269 ACR1000A-CTL_USER_4.9 © COPYRIGHT 2019 BLACK BOX CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 877-877-2269 | blackbox.com...

This manual is also suitable for:

Ipath acr1000a-ctl-192Ipath acr1000a-ctl-288Ipath acr1000a-ctl-96Ipath acr1000a-ctl-ultIpath acr1000a-ctl-48

Table of Contents