VBrick 9000 Series Getting Started Manual
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VBrick 9000 Series Getting Started Manual

Encoding/decoding appliance
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VBrick 9000 Series Appliances
H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance v2.0
Getting Started Guide
October 23, 2012
4410-0315-0001

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Summary of Contents for VBrick 9000 Series

  • Page 1 VBrick 9000 Series Appliances H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance v2.0 Getting Started Guide October 23, 2012 4410-0315-0001...
  • Page 2 Inquiries should be made directly to those companies. This document may also have links to third-party web pages that are beyond the control of VBrick. The presence of such links does not imply that VBrick endorses or recommends the content of any third-party web pages.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents Getting Started Guide Preface ..............vii Organization .
  • Page 4 Finding VBrick Parameters ........
  • Page 5 VBrick 9000 Series Appliance Models ........
  • Page 6 Contents...

  • Page 7: Getting Started Guide

    Getting Started Guide Preface This document explains how to set up and configure a VBrick H.264 network video appliance. It explains the management tools available and describes some of the fundamental concepts behind the technology. It also explains how to use the VBAdmin management interface to configure the appliance and control appliance functions.

  • Page 8: Getting Help

    If you can't find the information you need in this document, or from your reseller, you can contact VBrick Support Services on the web, by e-mail, or by calling 1-203 303-0222. For faster service, be sure to have your VBrick product serial number or support contract number.
  • Page 9 This device has tamper-evident seals. Breaking or modifying the seals will immediately invalidate the product warranty. If you have problems with this appliance, contact VBrick Support Services. Placement. Use common sense when installing the device. Do not expose the appliance to direct sunlight, high humidity or wet conditions.
  • Page 10 Preface...

  • Page 11: Introduction

    1080p or 720p resolutions (or decodes up to D1 resolution at lower data rates). Building upon more than a decade of experience engineering the most widely deployed enterprise encoders, the 9000 Series sets a new benchmark in H.264 encoding performance. Based on purpose-built hardware and running a real-time operating system, this unique appliance approach combines encoding, networking, stream serving and recording functions to deliver unmatched price-performance and ease-of-use.

  • Page 12: Encoder Features And Benefits

    Your videoconferencing suite, combined with our streaming technology, becomes a mini- broadcast studio, enabling you to reach a much wider audience. • Broadcasting Live to the Internet – Combine the flexibility and reliability of VBrick's H.264 Encoding Appliance with the global reach of VBrick's Online Streaming Service (VBOSS).

  • Page 13: Decoder Features And Benefits

    Introduction connections to reach remote locations and CDNs. Serve and support hundreds of players that request video directly from a single appliance. Decoder Features and Benefits • Dependable embedded operating system and dedicated decoding hardware delivers highest reliability for mission-critical applications. •...
  • Page 14 • Industrial Appliance: 0 to +70 degrees Celsius • Enterprise Appliance: 0 to +50 degrees Celsius Power Input: 100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 Hz, 45 Watts, 12V DC, 4A Regulatory FCC Part 15, CE © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.

  • Page 15: Decoder Specifications

    Networking Protocols • Receive streams: 32Kbps to 20Mbps • Unicast or Multicast over RTP/UDP • IGMP • Autotune streams from VBrick Encoders Video Decoder • H.264 Baseline, Main, and High Profile • Streaming resolution and frame rates up to 1080p60 •...
  • Page 16 Table 5. Recommended H.264 Players Player † Vendor Notes QuickTime 7.0 Apple If not installed, download application from Apple website. VLC 1.0.1 VideoLAN Not fully tested or supported by VBrick. † Use version shown or higher. © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.
  • Page 17 • Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or Safari 4.0 • Microsoft DirectX Media 8.1 or higher • Microsoft Windows Media Player 9.0 (Windows XP), 11 (Vista, Windows 7) • VBrick StreamPlayer 5.2 or Apple QuickTime 7.0 • VBrick VBDirectory 5.4 H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide...
  • Page 18 © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.

  • Page 19: Appliance Setup

    Your VBrick H.264 appliance is shipped with all appropriate cables and connectors. The appliance(s) you purchased may vary slightly from the illustration in Figure 3 but the basic elements are common to all H.264 appliances. See VBrick 9000 Series Appliance Models on page 63 for more model information.

  • Page 20: Using The Quick Start Guide

    Figure 4. Dual Channel Encoder (with SDI) HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface that transmits uncompressed digital data. Attach VBrick "breakout" cable with color-coded (Y, Pb, Pr) component connectors. Serial Data Interface typically used for broadcast-grade streaming video. Power In 24 VDC Power input.

  • Page 21: Environmental Considerations

    See 6. Installing Blade Encoders) 1. Connect the video. On the back panel, connect one end of the VBrick-provided "breakout" cable to the Micro-D15 connector in Slot 1.

  • Page 22: Connect To The Ip Network

    3. Connect the audio. Connect the "channel 1" (left and right) audio cables on the breakout cable to the source audio connectors. Note The previous steps explain how to setup a 9000 Series encoder or a blade using "component" connections. If you will be using the VBrick-provided HDMI (or SDI)

  • Page 23: Find Or Set An Ip Address

    All VBrick appliances are configured by default with DHCP enabled. This means that when you power on the appliance, if a DHCP server is present on your network, the VBrick will automatically get its IP Address and Subnet mask from the DHCP server. If the appliance cannot find a DHCP server, you will need to set a static IP address manually using the serial (COM) port.

  • Page 24: Verify Streaming Video And Audio

    StreamPlayer Product CD (if purchased) or you can download and install the 30-day demo version available from our website. Once StreamPlayer is installed: 1. Launch the StreamPlayer application. Go to Start > All Programs > VBrick > StreamPlayer.

  • Page 25: Installing Blade Encoders

    Appliance Setup 6. Installing Blade Encoders The VBrick 9000 Series Rack Mount Shelf is a customized enclosure for VBrick blades. It lets you mix and match 7000 Series blades and 9000 Series blades on the same shelf. It provides common redundant power sources and common cooling, and supports up to 11 H.264 blade encoders.
  • Page 26 They show receiver connected, program Output Format/Frame Rate name, and output format/frame rate. Error messages, if present, are shown last. POST Errors Table 9. Front Panel Backlight State Backlight Normal Light Blue Error Warning Yellow © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.

  • Page 27: Front Panel Configuration

    User Description 1 Enter user-defined text (20 chars. max.) that will be displayed on first line of LCD panel. Default = VBrick Systems User Description 2 Enter user-defined text (20 chars. max.) that will be displayed on second line of LCD panel. Default (\r) = Release x.x.x...
  • Page 28 © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.

  • Page 29: Shelf Setup

    The VBrick 9000 Series Rack Mount Shelf is a customized enclosure for VBrick blades. It lets you mix and match 7000 Series blades and 9000 Series blades on the same shelf. It provides a common redundant power source and common cooling and supports 11 VBrick H.264 blade encoders in a standard 19 in.
  • Page 30 Figure 8) or Standard and High Definition connectors (see Figure 8). In most respects, the blade models operate in the same manner as the 1RU Industrial models without a front panel (see VBrick 9000 Series Appliance Models on page 63) but there are some important exceptions: •...

  • Page 31: Blade Lcd Display

    Otherwise install the shelf in a standard 19 in. EIA rack mount chassis. Note Since the encoder blades are removed from the front, VBrick rack mount units can be mounted back-to-back (on the same shelf) without consuming additional vertical rack space.

  • Page 32: Installing The Blades

    9000 Series Blade † Number HDMI cable and adapters 1 per channel A/V breakout cables 1 per slot † The H.264 rack mount shelf must be purchased separately. It includes a cable management panel and 2 AC power supply cords.

  • Page 33: Maintenance

    If a power supply fails, contact VBrick for a replacement as soon as possible. Do not attempt to repair a power supply as this will invalidate the warranty. Although the shelf will operate with a failed power supply, a redundant power supply will ensure there is no downtime.

  • Page 34: Fan Tray

    The shelf has a common fan tray with four fans and a replaceable air filter. There are no user-serviceable components in the fan tray. If an individual fan fails, you must replace the entire unit or you will invalidate the shelf warranty. Contact VBrick for a replacement fan tray as soon as possible. The LED will turn red if any of the fans has failed.

  • Page 35: Air Filter

    The air intake unit at the bottom of the enclosure has a replaceable filter element. Inspect and replace the filter element every 90 days—more often in challenging environments. For best results, use replacement filters from VBrick. You need not power off the shelf to replace the filter element.
  • Page 36 Replaceable Battery. Do not attempt to replace the battery since it may explode if replaced incorrectly. Return to VBrick Support Services for replacement with the same or equivalent type of battery. VBrick will dispose of used batteries in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.

  • Page 37: Software Upgrade

    VBrick program group, located under Start > All Programs > VBrick. The upgrade procedure can be invoked by using either the VBDownload application or the VBDirectory application. Either application can be used as the starting point for updating the appliance's flash memory (TCP/IP FTP transport services are used for this).

  • Page 38: Configuring Vbdownload

    VBAdmin "Welcome" page. Revision Configuring VBDownload The VBDownload application is used to upgrade VBrick appliances. When you click on the setup executable, the application files are automatically installed in Program . If you have both VB6000 Series devices and VBrick 7000-8000-9000...
  • Page 39 Software Upgrade Experienced VBrick users can modify this default behavior by creating a new shortcut for VBDownload that uses as the default folder. VB6000 To configure the folder as the default folder:  VB6000 1. Go to Start > All Programs > VBrick.
  • Page 40 © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.

  • Page 41: Management Tools

    VBrick Systems recommends Internet Explorer 8.0 or Firefox 9.0 (or higher). You connect to VBAdmin by pointing to the IP Address (e.g. ) of the VBrick appliance http://172.17.5.5 and logging in. VBAdmin is one of several ways to manage a VBrick appliance. There are H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide...

  • Page 42: Vbdirectory

    VBDirectory VBrick provides a management application called VBDirectory that provides quick reference and access to all VBrick Appliances on a network. VBDirectory v4.4 or higher is compatible with H.264 appliances. VBDirectory is automatically installed with a software upgrade and is also available on the H.264 Appliance Product CD.

  • Page 43: Command Line Interface

    ) on the rear of the appliance. The COM 1 MIB-based CLI can be used to access all VBrick parameters. (Keep in mind that all parameters that are available in the MIB-based CLI are also available in the web-based VBAdmin application. Always use VBAdmin unless you have a compelling reason to use the command line.) You can use HyperTerminal or other interfaces to run the CLI.

  • Page 44: Web Services

    Web Services For customers who want to build custom applications, the VBrick 9000 Series SDK provides a standards-based SOAP architecture to programmatically interface to the appliance. It includes detailed documentation that explains how to configure and control appliances via command line scripts. The SDK is sold separately and is not bundled with other VBrick products.

  • Page 45: Vbadmin

    Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher Mozilla Firefox 9.0 or higher To login to a VBrick 9000 Series appliance with Microsoft Internet Explorer, you must have enabled. Depending on your browser version, these Session Cookies Active Scripting settings are in the tabs in .

  • Page 46: Login Page

    VBAdmin" page shown below. This is the "home" page; it provides system information and the colored LEDs in the middle of the page give you a quick snapshot of the health and status of the appliance. © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.

  • Page 47: Configuration Menu

    VBAdmin Figure 14. Welcome Page Configuration Menu The options on the Configuration Menu (see Figure 14) are shown below. This menu provides access to all configurable features and functions on the appliance. It also provides access to the help system. All configuration options are described in detail in the H.264 Appliance Admin Guide.

  • Page 48: Led Indicators

    • Yellow – one or more configuration errors are present. Edit Mode In order to change configuration settings in the VBrick encoder, you must click Edit become the active editor so that multiple users cannot be changing parameters at the same time.
  • Page 49 VBAdmin Figure 15. Begin Edit Be aware that some parameters, menu items, and fields are not shown unless you are in edit mode. Click the button to see all fields, parameters, and buttons. VBAdmin validates most user Edit entries. If you select and apply invalid settings or mismatched parameters, it will display error messages in red showing the valid range of values or a description of the conflicting parameters.

  • Page 50: Using Apply, Revert, And Default

    To reset the VBrick appliance do one of the following:  1. Power the VBrick appliance off and on by removing and reinserting the power cord. 2. Press the button on the System Configuration > General page. This button is only...

  • Page 51: Logout

    VBAdmin Logout Click on the Configuration Menu to exit VBAdmin and automatically end any editing Logout sessions. After logging out of VBAdmin, it is a good idea to close the window and exit Internet Explorer. Help A link to the online help system is available from the Configuration Menu on the left side of the VBAdmin page.
  • Page 52 Figure 17. Online Help Page © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.

  • Page 53: Command Line Interface

    IP network. You can use HyperTerminal or ProComm with the serial port for example, or Telnet or PuTTY over an IP network. To send input commands to a VBrick appliance, you can use ProComm, Telnet, scripts, cut-and-paste, or any program that supplies text-based input via the get and set commands.

  • Page 54: Command Line Interface

    All VBrick appliance parameters are accessible via an industry-standard SNMP Management Information Base (MIB). The CLI is a syntactically simple interface which is suitable for scripting. The syntax for each VBrick parameter is documented in the SNMP MIB for the appliance.

  • Page 55: Finding Vbrick Parameters

    The Get and Set commands are shown in the following table. All CLI commands are shown in Table 21 on page 48. You will need to login to the VBrick and begin an edit session before you can make any changes. Once the parameters have been set to the correct values, you must do an .
  • Page 56 . If the syntax calls for an DisplayString integer, use a numeric value; if the syntax calls for a string, use an alpha value. To find the VBrick parameter name and syntax:  1. Find and change the parameter in VBAdmin.
  • Page 57 Table 20. To access any MIB variable, open the appropriate file in a MIB browser. The easiest way to visualize VBrick's control structure is to understand the relationship between the VBAdmin and the MIB. To get started, open a MIB file in a text editor or a MIB browser.

  • Page 58: Setting Vbrick Parameters

    To begin a CLI edit session, first login as explained above, and then enter the first two commands shown below using the same username you used to login to the VBrick. You only need to do this at the start of an edit session or if someone has ended your edit session. Also, you only need to begin an edit session to set variable and table parameters—not to get parameters.
  • Page 59 Use the following format to get or set a variable. This command shows how to read the unit's MAC address but is only an example. Use the actual parameter name and value as shown in the MIB. Finding VBrick Parameters on page 45 explains how to do this. All parameter names must be prefixed by "vbrick".

  • Page 60: Cli Examples

    A save is always written in the following format with the trailing Note that some changes to the configuration will reboot the VBrick in which case you must wait for it to reset. Note that you can also use the command as a shortcut.
  • Page 61 Command Line Interface Example 2 This example shows how to set the unicast and enable the transmitter Destination IP Address for Program1 and Transmitter1. VBrick# svar vbrickProgramTransmitterInetAddrType.1=1 VBrick# svar vbrickProgramTransmitterInetAddr.1=172.22.118.105 VBrick# svar vbrickProgramTransmitterEnable.1=2 VBrick# svar vbrickProgramTransmitterApplySet.1=2 Scripting Syntax • Script commands must start in column 1.
  • Page 62 © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.

  • Page 63: Web Services

    Web Services Interface............53 Web Services Interface VBrick 9000 Series appliances provide a standards-based SOAP architecture to programmatically interface to the appliance. The Web Service interface allows the user application to Get/Set parameters in the appliance.
  • Page 64 ). A typical sequence of beginEdit calls to the methods is shown below. Note There are multiple ways to locate and verify VBrick parameters. See Setting VBrick Parameters on page 48 for more information. To Get a parameter value: ...

  • Page 65: Streaming Video Basics

    VBrick Accessories........

  • Page 66: Network Considerations

    When configured properly, VBricks provide full duplex, end-to-end transparent passthrough of user data from one VBrick to another, or to other IP devices. You can use COM1 or COM2 for passthrough. When COM1 Passthrough is enabled, the management port and CLI are not available.

  • Page 67: How Passthrough Works

    Since the medium used for setting up Passthrough connections is a generic TCP/IP port, any IP device that is prepared to connect to a VBrick's port can be considered as a Passthrough Initiator. The VBrick Responder appliance will not know the exact nature of the device at the other end of the port.

  • Page 68: Serial Port Passthrough Using Telnet

    VBrick from the PC's will be delivered on the serial port. If multiple Telnet sessions are active and each is sending data to the VBrick, the data delivered by the RS-232 port will be a mix of characters presented in the order they were received (e.g. the data from all the senders is bridged together).

  • Page 69: Vbrick Iphone App

    Figure 18. iPhone App Home Page Getting the App The VBrick iPhone app is available from the Apple App Store. To get the app simply click on the App Store icon on your iPhone home page and search for "VBrick" apps. There is no charge for the VBrick iPhone app.

  • Page 70: Monitoring An Appliance

    7000/9000 Series encoder appliance. To launch the VBrick iPhone app:  1. Tap on the VBrick icon to launch the app. The page will show any 7000/9000 Series devices that have manually added or discovered. 2. Click on the icon to manually add devices.

  • Page 71: Creating Script Files

    VBrick iPhone App label names (below the buttons) as desired (see below Changing the Function Key Labels). If the script runs successfully you will see a confirmation message. Creating Script Files Script files are simply .txt files with a list of one or more commands. For a detailed description of how to create scripts that will change appliance parameters, see CLI Examples on page 50.

  • Page 72: Changing The Function Key Labels

    Replace the bolded text below with a meaningful label that describes the script. Do not exceed 20 characters including spaces. svar "vbrickFrontPanelUserFunctionDescription.1=F1 label" svar "vbrickFrontPanelUserFunctionDescription.2=F2 label" svar "vbrickFrontPanelUserFunctionDescription.3=F3 label" svar "vbrickFrontPanelUserFunctionDescription.4=F4 label" svar vbrickFrontPanelApplySet=2 © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.

  • Page 73: Vbrick 9000 Series Reference

    VBrick 9000 Series Appliance Models ........

  • Page 74: Device Interfaces

    COM 2 is used for passthrough. When COM1 Passthrough is enabled, the management port and CLI are not available. The COM Passthrough Port is used to pass control information between VBrick appliances over the network. The port presents a standard DTE interface on an RJ-45 connector.
  • Page 75 VBrick 9000 Series Reference Table 27. RS-232 Pinouts Function Direction RTS Request to Send Output DTR Data Terminal Ready Output TXD Send Data Output Ground Common Ground Common RXD Receive Data Input DSR Data Set Ready Input CTS Clear to Send Input Table 28.

  • Page 76: Ethernet

    Edit and terminates the active editing session. The 9000 Series encoder has two COM ports and supports a total of four external events. Note that Pin8 is used for UART control and cannot be used as a trigger. Table 29. Input Event and Associated Scripts...
  • Page 77 Example 2 This example uses the VBrick COM port output. Connect the COM output pin (COM2 pin1 RTS or COM2 pin2 DTR) through a switch to a COM event pin. For this method to work, you must force the desired output pin (RTS or DTR) to...
  • Page 78 © 2012 VBrick Systems, Inc.
  • Page 80 VBrick Systems, Inc. 12 Beaumont Road Wallingford, CT 06492, USA...

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