Page 1 User Guide Networked VGA Grid Release 3.15.3 November 9, 2015 UG104-05...
Page 2 This document, the Epiphan web site, and the information contained therein, including but not limited to the text, videos and images as well as Epiphan System Inc.’s trademarks, trade names and logos are the property of Epiphan Systems Inc. and its affiliates and licensors, and are protected from unauthorized copying and dissemination by Canadian copyright law, United States copyright law, trademark law, international conventions and other intellectual property laws.
Page 3: Specifications
Go to the Professional Recording and Streaming Systems page of the Epiphan website to get the most recent product specifications and additional information about Epiphan's Networked VGA Grid. Warranty All Epiphan Systems products are provided with a 100% return to depot warranty for one year from the date of purchase. Technical Support Epiphan’s products are backed by our professional support team.
Page 4: What's New In Release 3.15.3
What's New in Release 3.15.3? Firmware release 3.15.3 is a significant upgrade for Networked VGA Grid that offers exciting new streaming/recording features while improving the functionality of existing ones. Live video production The features described below are applicable on all channels for Standalone VGA Grid, VGADVI Broadcaster Pro, and VGADVI Recorder Pro, but only on custom local channels for Networked VGA Grid (i.e.
Page 5 Configuration improvements Custom "No Signal" images for sources You can now create and upload customized “No Signal” images. These images are assigned to a specific source and display in any channel where the source is used but has no input detected. Ideal for enhancing professionalism in your next live event!
Page 6 Important firmware 3.15.3 upgrade notice Firmware release 3.15.3 introduces the new visual channel layout editor which adds the ability to have multiple layouts per channel and simplifies custom channel components like text overlays, images, and picture in picture layouts. The firmware update process preserves your channel's existing encoding, streaming and recording settings and merges your previous visual channel setup in a new channel layout.
Page 7: Table Of Contents
Table of contents What's New in Release 3.15.3? Table of contents Start here Networked VGA Grid Overview AV inputs What's in the box? Tech specs Quick Start Step 1: Physical set-up and power-on Step 2: Admin discovery and login Step 3: Set a static IP address for the encoder Step 4: Add the encoder as a channel Step 5: Configure the channel Step 6: Testing the stream...
Page 8 Configuration presets overview Configuration groups Create a configuration preset Apply a configuration preset Apply the Factory default configuration preset Update a configuration preset Delete a configuration preset Configuration preset considerations Configure date and time Synchronize date and time for HD Encoders and VGA GridGrid Verify date and time settings Configure synchronized time (NTP, PTP v1 and RDATE) Configure the date and time manually...
Page 9 Connect a source Preview a source Configure a source Rename a source Control audio volume Confirm audio levels Troubleshoot capture Remove black bars (matte) from the video Force the capture card to use a specific EDID Unstretch the output video Video not centered (VGA sources only) Remove the combing effect on images Video looks squished (VGA sources only)
Page 10 Stream to a server Stream to a CDN Stream content using multicast Stream to a media player Stream content using multicast Stream content using UPnP Samples of stream settings Streaming video content Streaming slide content PART 4: Record What is a recording? Recording basics Record a channel via the web interface Configure recording file size and type...
Page 11 Enable and set timing for AFU AFU to an FTP server AFU using RSync AFU using CIFS AFU to a secure FTP server AFU using SCP AFU or copy to USB drive View the AFU log Manage the AFU queue Local FTP server Configure the local FTP server Using the local FTP Server...
Page 12 Install firmware Support Download logs and "allinfo" Configure remote support Disable remote support Storage disk maintenance Check disk storage space Schedule disk check Perform disk check Rebuild or replace storage disks Verify RAID storage Read data from removed storage disks Third party integration Control with RS-232 / serial port Control with HTTP commands...
Page 13: Start Here
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Start here Start here Welcome, and thank you for buying Epiphan’s Networked VGA Grid™. This guide will help you configure your new system. To get started, review the Overview What's in the Box? sections. Next, a Quick Start...
Page 14: Networked Vga Grid Overview
Networked VGA Grid Overview Networked VGA Grid Overview Epiphan's VGA Grid allows you to capture, stream, and record audio and video from a large number of VGA, DVI, HDMI, composite and component sources. It supports streaming to a large number of viewers using industry-standard codecs such as H.264 and MPEG-TS.
Page 15: What's In The Box
Networked VGA Grid User Guide What's in the box? Table 1 Comparison for Networked VGA Grid and Standalone VGA Grid DVI-I DVI-I Model S-Video Audio (single link) (dual link) Networked VGA Grid up to 64 encoders with up to up to 64 up to 1920×1200 5 or 7 Standalone VGA Grid...
Page 16 Networked VGA Grid User Guide What's in the box? Front and back panel view for the VGA Grid Table 2 Rackmount Networked VGA Grid Front and Back Panel Descriptions Label Name Description Unlock the door to reveal the power button. Power Button (behind Press to turn on;...
Page 17 Networked VGA Grid User Guide What's in the box? Label Name Description Audio In (blue) Connect amplified line in audio sources to the system. Audio In (pink) Connect unamplified microphone audio sources to the system. VGA Grid HD Encoder overview VGA Grid HD Encoders are small portable units with a size of 202 mm × 105 mm × 35 mm (7.95” × 4.13” × 1.38”).
Page 18: Front Panel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide What's in the box? Image Name Description RJ-45 Ethernet cable Connects the system to your network. Injects power over an ethernet cable. Used to Power over Ethernet Injector power the VGA Grid HD Encoders when the network connection is not powered. Front Panel This section describes the front panel connectors and indicators.
Page 19: Back Panel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide What's in the box? Label Name Description Solid blue LED indicates device is starting up. Solid green LED indicates the device is ready to capture images. Flashing blue LED indicates: a video signal test is in progress; ...
Page 20 Networked VGA Grid User Guide What's in the box? Table 4 VGA Grid HD Encoder Back Panel Descriptions Label Name Description Audio Out Connect to audio equipment, such as headphones or speakers, to confirm the audio stream is captured. DVI Out Connect to video equipment, such as a monitor or projector to confirm the video stream is captured.
Page 21: Tech Specs
Tech specs This table outlines the technical specifications for the latest hardware revision of Networked VGA Grid. Go to the Professional Recording and Streaming Systems page of the Epiphan website to get the most recent product specifications and additional information about Networked VGA Grid.
Page 22: Quick Start
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Quick Start Quick Start This section helps you get up and running quickly with your Networked VGA Grid. Step 1: Physical set-up and power-on Step 2: Admin discovery and login Step 3: Set a static IP address for the encoder ...
Page 23: Step 2: Admin Discovery And Login
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Step 2: Admin discovery and login 3. If your network connection provides power over Ethernet: a. Connect an Ethernet cable to the VGA Grid HD Encoder. Connect the Ethernet cable to your network. If your network connection does not provide power over Ethernet: a.
Page 24 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Step 2: Admin discovery and login Table 5 Installing Bonjour Print Services System Action Needed You must install Bonjour Print Services: 1. Use the following URL - http://support.apple.com/kb/DL999 Microsoft Windows 2. Click Download. 3. Follow the system prompts to download and install the application. The Bonjour software used for service discovery is built in to the Mac OS.
Page 25: Step 3: Set A Static Ip Address For The Encoder
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Step 3: Set a static IP address for the encoder 4. Optionally, navigate to the Network link under the Configuration heading and note the IP address of the system. Step 3: Set a static IP address for the encoder It's recommended that you use static IP addresses for any VGA Grid HD Encoders on your network.
Page 26 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Step 4: Add the encoder as a channel Whether or not you chose to use a static IP address, the next step is to add the encoder as a channel. The serial numbers and IP addresses for your system will not be the same as the examples shown below.
Page 27: Step 5: Configure The Channel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Step 5: Configure the channel b. Edit the name to reflect the VGA Grid HD Encoder serial number, or the data it is capturing. The following characters are supported: a-z; A-Z; 0-9; + (plus); - (hyphen); _ (underscore); , (comma), . (period);...
Page 28: Step 6: Testing The Stream
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Step 6: Testing the stream c. The frame rate limit is set to 5. This means the system won’t spend extra computing time to attempt to receive more than 5 frames per second. For perspective, NTSC TV signals use 24 frames per second and most hand-drawn animations show only 12 unique frames per second.
Page 29: Step 7: Recording The Stream
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Step 7: Recording the stream 5. The new tab or window opens with the stream displayed. a. If the signal is not detected, reset the DVI cable connections and try again. Your stream setup is complete. Since most of the steps are pre-configured; you are up and running with a stream very quickly.
Page 30: Part 1: Setup
PART 1: Setup If you followed through the quick start guide, you already have a basic configuration and possibly a recording of an input. Before you tweak the channel or configure more, this part of the manual helps you to get your Networked VGA Grid properly configured for your network.
Page 31: The Admin Interface
For networks with DHCP use one of the following procedures: Connect via DNS-based service discovery Connect via the Epiphan discovery utility For networks without DHCP, use the following procedure: Connect via persistent static IP address You can also connect to a reduced Operator tablet interface. See Connect to the tablet interface.
Page 32 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Connect to the admin interface System Action Needed 2. Click Download. 3. Follow the system prompts to download and install the application. The Bonjour software used for service discovery is built into the Mac OS. No special Mac OS X actions are needed.
Page 33 1. Launch the discovery utility. 2. Click Search to find all the Epiphan systems on the network; a list similar to the following appears. 3. If more than one system appears, select the one you wish to configure by matching the serial number listed with the serial number marked on the back of the system.
Page 34 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Connect to the admin interface Connect via persistent static IP address Your Networked VGA Grid has a default persistent static IP address, also known as the recovery IP address. If ever you need to set it up on a network that does not support DHCP, or you need to recover from a previous static IP address setting, you can use this method to connect directly to the system for configuration.
Page 35: User Administration
Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration 4. Start a web browser on the workstation and browse to: http://192.168.255.250/admin/ 5. Log in as the administrator user with the user name admin and the admin password (by default there is no password); the web interface page opens. 6.
Page 36 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration Admin The admin account is the main operator used for all system configuration. This user has access to all options in the web interface. Operator The operator account is a subclass of the admin account. The operator can log in and view all configuration items but may only make changes to a small number of options.
Page 37 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration Action or Menu Option viewer operator admin ü Publish a Stream Configure Branding for a Channel ü Switch Layouts while Streaming/Recording ü ü ü ü Start the Stream Recorder ...
Page 38 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration Action or Menu Option viewer operator admin ü Configure the Touch Screen Configure Serial Port Flow Control ü Upload Branding Images ü ü Upload Branding Templates Select Branding Template ...
Page 39 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration In addition to setting global passwords for viewers, you can also set access passwords and IP restrictions on a per-channel basis from the channel's Streaming page. See Restrict viewers by IP address. Passwords are case sensitive and can use all alpha-numeric keys in the ASCII range. Your password can be up to 255 characters long, but should not include any spaces.
Page 40 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration If desired, you may specify multiple account passwords on the same page before clicking Apply. Remove user passwords If you want to remove passwords for one or more user accounts, you may do so via the web interface. If you don’t remember the admin password, refer to the section Overcome lost passwords.
Page 41 If you have lost the admin password and you have remote support enabled on the system, you can contact Epiphan support to request a remote password change. See Support. If remote support is disabled, you will need to return the system to Epiphan for password recovery. Contact Epiphan support to discuss this option.
Page 42 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration To configure LDAP authentication for your Networked VGA Grid: 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. Select the Access passwords link in the Configuration menu; the password configuration page opens. 4.
Page 43 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration 10. By default the search attribute is uid, which is suitable for a unix environment. Specify a different value in the Search attribute field, if needed. For Active Directory environments, specify userPrincipalName. The value of this attribute must be unique in the Base DN. 11.
Page 44 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration To change the logged-in user: 1. Exit your browser completely, open an incognito/private window in your browser, or open a different browser (i.e. Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Safari are different browsers). 2. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface.
Page 45 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration 2. Login as admin. 3. Select the Streaming link for the desired channel; the streaming configuration page opens. 4. From the Access Control drop-down, select Use these Settings; local password and Allow/Deny IP lists are enabled. 5.
Page 46 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration IP restriction examples Allow list with distinct IP addresses The simplest allow/deny list is to use the list of known IP addresses to craft a list of allowed IP addresses. All other addresses are denied access to the broadcast. For example if your system is accessible on your local area network (LAN) and you want to make sure only the CEO’s specific desktop, laptop and tablet computers (with IP Addresses 192.168.1.50, 192.168.1.51, and 192.165.1.75, respectively) can connect to the broadcast, construct the following allow list:...
Page 47 Networked VGA Grid User Guide User administration For example imagine your system is accessible on your local area network (LAN) and you want to allow any computer on the LAN can access the stream except your publicly-accessible boardroom (with IP address 192.168.1.211).
Page 48: View System Information
Networked VGA Grid User Guide View system information View system information The system information page provides a great deal of useful information about your Networked VGA Grid. Use the Info link from the Configuration menu to view your current firmware level, system hardware version (if available) and currently configured channels.
Page 49: Configure Network Settings
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure network settings Configure network settings By default the Networked VGA Grid uses DHCP to obtain an IP Address via an Ethernet-based network. If you want to change the network settings, or if you’re having network-related issues, this section covers the network-related topics.
Page 50 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoder network settings 1. Find the VGA Grid HD Encoder's serial number. It is printed on a sticker on the bottom of the unit. 2. Follow the instructions in Connect to the admin interface to connect to the VGA Grid HD Encoder (use the serial number from step 1 above, not the serial number of the VGA Grid).
Page 51 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoder network settings 5. Select the radio button use static address, if not already selected. 6. Enter the desired IP Address and Network Mask. Only IPv4 addresses are supported. 7. Enter the Default Gateway address. If you do not have a default gateway for your network, enter the new static IP address of the Networked VGA Grid that is found on the Network page in its web interface.
Page 52 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoder network settings Table 10 Static IP Address Fields Label Description/Options Use DCHP Select this radio button to dynamically obtain an IP address at boot up. Use static address Select this radio button to use the configured static IP address. The internet protocol address (IP Address) to assign.
Page 53: Verify Ip Address And Mac Address
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Verify IP Address and MAC address transmission unit (MTU) values. 7. Click Apply to save the changes; the changes are saved and a message appears asking you to reboot. 8. Select the Maintenance link under the Configuration menu; the maintenance page appears. 9.
Page 54: Configure Dhcp
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure DHCP 3. Select the Network link in the Configuration menu; the network configuration page opens. 4. Note the MAC address and Current IP address listed at the top of the page. Table 12 Network Information Fields Label Description/Options A media access control address (MAC address) is a unique identifier for the...
Page 55: Configure A Static Ip Address
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure a static IP address 5. Change the MTU Size value only if needed. See the table below for information on maximum transmission unit (MTU) values. 6. Click Apply to save the changes; the changes are saved and a message appears asking you to reboot. 7.
Page 56 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure a static IP address 4. Select the radio button use static address, if not already selected. 5. Enter the desired IP Address and Network Mask. Only IPv4 addresses are supported. 6. Enter the Default Gateway address. If you do not have a default gateway for your network, enter the same static IP address as in the previous step.
Page 57: Tether To A Mobile Network
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Tether to a mobile network 12. Wait for the system to reboot. 13. Open the Web interface using the new IP address. 14. Log as admin and reload the Networking page to verify all changes were applied. The following table describes applicable fields when setting a static IP address.
Page 58 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Tether to a mobile network When the system falls over to the backup network type (i.e. from Ethernet to mobile, or vice versa) all streaming sessions with clients or servers directly connected to the system are closed and the clients will need to reconnect.
Page 59: Perform Network Diagnostics
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Perform network diagnostics 7. Select your choice based on the table above. 8. Click Apply. Perform network diagnostics If your Networked VGA Grid has network trouble, you can perform basic network troubleshooting tasks from the Network configuration page. In addition to providing the system’s IP address and MAC address to your network administrator, you can also ping an IP address or use traceroute to determine the path taken to an address.
Page 60 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Perform network diagnostics ...
Page 61: Configuration Presets
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configuration presets Configuration presets In situations where you have changing configuration requirements for your Networked VGA Grid, you can use configuration presets to quickly and easily apply sets of pre-configured settings. For an overview of configuration presets, see: ...
Page 62 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configuration presets overview It's important to note that configuration presets are applied over existing settings. They affect only the settings groups included in the preset, all other settings are unaffected. Read the Configuration presets overview section carefully to understand caveats around using configuration presets. Example of configuration presets in action A recording and streaming company brings Networked VGA Grid to a conference as part of a portable rack.
Page 63 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configuration presets overview When applying this configuration preset, all other information including passwords, date/time, channels and source configurations, remains the same. Conference session 1 preset The company applies this preset from the corporate office when testing and at the conference prior to conference session 1 starting.
Page 64: Configuration Groups
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configuration groups Configuration presets are a versatile tool to help you use Networked VGA Grid in a variety of changing conditions. Try it yourself and see! Configuration groups The following table describes what settings are saved with each configuration group. Table 16 Configuration group definitions Group Name Symbol...
Page 65: Create A Configuration Preset
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a configuration preset Note that branding content, recorded files and SFTP/SCP private keys are not included in any configuration preset. Updloaded EDID configurations are applied immediately to the system and remain the norm for the source until a new EDID is uploaded. Configuration presets do not affect EDIDs. Create a configuration preset You can create as many configuration presets as you need.
Page 66: Apply A Configuration Preset
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Apply a configuration preset 5. Type a description for your preset in the Name field. 6. Ensure only the desired configuration groups are selected from the Sections group. 7. Click Save; your configuration preset appears in the list. Apply a configuration preset When you apply a configuration preset, the system settings for all included configuration groups are updated.
Page 67 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Apply a configuration preset You may apply multiple presets one after another. If you apply two (or more) configuration presets that include a particular configuration group, the settings (for that group) from the last applied preset are the active settings. In short, last in wins. To apply a configuration preset: 1.
Page 68: Apply The Factory Default Configuration Preset
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Apply the Factory default configuration preset 7. Click OK to apply the configuration preset; the configuration preset is applied. 8. The system reboots if needed. Apply the Factory default configuration preset Your Networked VGA Grid comes with a special factory default configuation preset. This configuration preset cannot be erased and is always presented at the top of the configuration presets list.
Page 69: Update A Configuration Preset
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Update a configuration preset Update a configuration preset If you need to update a configuration preset to include different configuration groups, or simply new settings for the same groups, you can do so easily via the web interface. To update a configuration preset: 1.
Page 70: Delete A Configuration Preset
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Delete a configuration preset 9. Click OK; your configuration preset is updated in the list. Delete a configuration preset You may want to trim the list of configuration presets to only those that are needed for your ongoing needs. You can delete all configuration presets at once by doing a factory reset, or you can delete individual configuration presets from the Maintenance page.
Page 71: Configuration Preset Considerations
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configuration preset considerations 5. Click delete (x) next to Apply for the configuration preset; a confirmation message appears. 6. Click OK to confirm you want to delete the preset; the preset is deleted. Configuration preset considerations Configuration presets are groups of settings applied to the system, leaving other settings intact. The following considerations will help you get the most from your configuration presets.
Page 72 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configuration preset considerations Configuration presets that contain the channels configuration group specify the channels in the preset by their index number. This means if you have channels 1, 2, 3 and 4 when you save your preset, applying that preset will overwrite the configuration of your current channels with indexes 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Page 73: Deleting Channels
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configuration preset considerations Recorded files (in channels and recorders) Channels and recorders keep a list of files recorded in their Recordings section of the web interface. These files remain on the system even if the channel or recorder configuration is changed or removed as a result of applying a configuration preset.
Page 74 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configuration preset considerations Branding content The channels configuration group includes the filenames for logos and backgrounds used in the currently configured channels. It does not include the image files. Therefore it is important to make sure that between uses of different channel-related configuration presets you do not delete or replace files listed in the Branding Content section of the web interface.
Page 75 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configuration preset considerations HD Encoder considerations When saving configuration presets for Networked VGA Grid, it's recommended that you save both the sources and the channels configuration groups. This is particularly important if you are using multi-source layouts that employ local channels as sources. Additionally, care is needed to make sure that VGA Grid HD Encoders are accessible and not in use by another VGA Grid Concentrator before applying a configuration preset using those HD Encoders.
Page 76: Configure Date And Time
Remember to log into the encoder's admin interface when performing any date and time related configuration changes to a VGA Grid HD Encoder. Epiphan recommends enabling the local NTP server on the VGA Grid and using this as the time synchronization point for each encoder.
Page 77: Verify Date And Time Settings
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Verify date and time settings 3. Login as admin. 4. Select the Sources link for your channel; the sources configuration page opens. 5. Check the Force time synchronization checkbox if it is not already selected. 6. Click Apply. For other time synchronization methods, see Configure date and time.
Page 78: Configure Synchronized Time (Ntp, Ptp V1 And Rdate)
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure synchronized time (NTP, PTP v1 and RDATE) Table 18 Date and Time Options Label Description/Options Time Zone The currently selected time zone. Enable time Whether or not a time synchronization protocol is being used for setting time. (If not synchronization selected, time is set manually.) Protocol...
Page 79 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure synchronized time (NTP, PTP v1 and RDATE) Label Description/Options There are many publicly available NTP servers you can use, or your company may have its own NTP server. For more information about NTP and to find NTP servers, refer to http://support.ntp.org/bin/view/Servers/WebHome.
Page 80: Configure The Date And Time Manually
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure the date and time manually Configure the date and time manually By default the Networked VGA Grid uses NTP for time synchronization. If your system does not have access to a time synchronization server, or if you do not wish to use one, you can choose to manually set the date and time.
Page 81 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure a local NTP server 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. Select the Date and Time link in the Configuration menu; the date and time configuration page opens.
Page 82: Part 2: Capture
PART 2: Capture Capturing is the process of taking the signals from your video and audio sources and encoding them in a format that is ready for streaming and recording. If you followed the quick start guide, you're already capturing, streaming and possibly recording your sources. The section of the guide helps you fine tune and troubleshoot the capturing process.
Page 83: What Is A Channel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide What is a channel? What is a channel? Networked VGA Grid uses Channels to organize and display content captured from DVI, VGA, HDMI, S-Video and audio. Channels make your sources (DVI, VGA, HDMI, S-Video and audio) available for streaming and recording. You choose how you want to configure your sources (and extras like images and text overlays) into layouts within your channel.
Page 84: Create An Hd Encoder Channel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create an HD Encoder channel creating layouts, read Create a custom channel Custom channel layout editor. To learn how to do live video mixing / live video switching, see Live video mixing / switching. You can now create and upload customized “No Signal” images for use in your custom local channels. These images are assigned to a specific source and display in any custom local channel where the source is used but has no input detected.
Page 85 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create an HD Encoder channel Encoders. Local custom channels can only be created by first creating HD Encoder channels for each remote VGA Grid HD Encoder that will be in the custom layout. If connecting multiple HD Encoders to a switch, ensure the switch can support the high- bandwidth output generated from the Encoders.
Page 86 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create an HD Encoder channel 6. Find the serial number of your VGA Grid HD Encoder in the list of Available encoders. If your encoder is not listed, check network connections and reload the page. 7. Click use it or copy the IP Address or serial number of your encoder from the list and paste it in the Device URL field.
Page 87 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create an HD Encoder channel Select the background color for your HD Encoder channel Confirm audio levels HD Encoder time synchronization Time synchronization is important for ideal operation of the Networked VGA Grid system. Your VGA Grid can run a time server and you can automatically configure your VGA Grid HD Encoders to use this time server.
Page 88: Configure Encoding
VGA Grid. The device at the given IP address is not recognized as Encoder is not supported an Epiphan VGA Grid HD Encoder. The VGA Grid HD Encoder is currently in use by another In use by channel name at server name VGA Grid. You must remove that associated before you can use it again.
Page 89 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding Fine tune stream settings Configure audio codec Codec and file format compatibility Configure video codec VGA Grid HD Encoders can stream video to the VGA Grid Concentrator in one of two ways: a stream from either a DVI or an S-Video source;...
Page 90 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding Value Description This is suitable for live streaming and video, however may have low quality Motion JPEG images while using high bandwidth. Motion JPEG does not support audio. This may be suitable for presentations. Provides good image quality, while using MPEG-4 moderate bandwidth.
Page 91 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding For example: if the input signal resolution is 1920×1080 (a 16:9 aspect ratio) and stream frame size is set to another 16:9 frame size such as 1280×720, the smaller stream frame size causes the system to downscale the image and use less bandwidth to transmit.
Page 92 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding When keep aspect ratio is enabled, if your source and stream aspect ratios differ, your source is centered in the frame and matte bars are added to the top and bottom or left and right sides to make up the difference.
Page 93 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding 8. Specify the type of video signal coming from the S-Video source. The options are S-Video or Composite. 9. Set the Frame size to reflect the same dimensions as your sharing destination. Default values cover common sharing destinations such as websites or choose one of the following.
Page 94 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding 11. If all your changes are complete, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Apply. Configure picture in picture If you have both a DVI and an S-Video source attached to your VGA Grid HD Encoder, you can create a picture in picture layout to stream both sources to the VGA Grid Concentrator.
Page 95 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding 7. Hardware limits the position of the S-Video picture to align with a multiple of 32 pixels. As a result, it's possible there is a small gap between the DVI/VGA and S-Video streams, or that the S-Video stream is not perfectly right-aligned when superimposed over the DVI/VGA stream.
Page 96 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding level of motion and high resolution, such as a sporting event, requires a high bitrate. 8. If all your changes are complete, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Apply. Table 20 Stream settings guidance ...
Page 97 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding Setting H.264 MPEG Video encoding 25-26 fps 13 fps preset: Quality Video Encoding 27-28 fps 17-18 fps preset: Speed In general, higher bitrate mean higher image quality in the stream, at the cost of higher bandwidth needed to transmit it.
Page 98 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding Table 22 Audio codecs and bitrate guidance Value Description AAC is the default audio codec. This codec is comparable to MP3, and may have better sound quality with a similar bit rate. Supported values are 16, 22, 44 and 48K kHz. Most digital signals (HDMI or SDI sources) use 48 kHz audio.
Page 99 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure Encoding Value Description G.711 8KHz (µ-Law) Used in counties outside North America. Codec and file format compatibility Not all streaming and recording prootocols support all combinations of video and audio codecs. Use the tables below to determine what settings work for your streaming and recording needs. The following table displays the compatibility between the video/audio codecs and formats supported for streaming.
Page 100: Select The Background Color For Your Hd Encoder Channel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Select the background color for your HD Encoder channel Video Codec selected Audio Codec selected MPEG-TS ü ü ü MPEG-4 LPCM MPEG-4 ü ü ü MPEG-4 ü ü ü ü ü ü ü MJPEG No audio codec Select the background color for your HD Encoder channel...
Page 101: Add An Hd Encoder As A Source (Custom Channel)
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Add an HD Encoder as a source (custom channel) 6. Scroll to Common settings. 7. Choose a color from the Background color drop-down menu. 8. Click Apply; color is added to the unused space. Add an HD Encoder as a source (custom channel) Custom layout channels take the input from various streams and combine them together into one channel.
Page 102: Create A Custom Channel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 5. You may now optionally configure a rotation on the image by selecting an option the Rotation drop- down box and clicking Apply. You can create and upload customized "No Signal" images as an alternative to using the default image.
Page 103 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel When creating a custom channel using content from a VGA Grid HD Encoder, you must first make sure the encoder is added as a local channel to the VGA Grid. See Add an HD Encoder as a source (custom channel).
Page 104 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Each layout you add to your channel adds a bit of overhead on Networked VGA Grid- and more complex layouts take more resources. So it's a good idea to make sure you delete any layouts you're not using.
Page 105 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Layout selector First there is the layout selector. From here you can pick which layout to preview/edit, create a new layout, delete a layout or select which layout is active. Visual channel layout editor Next is the channel layout editor where you can add pictures, sources and text overlays to your layout.
Page 106 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel The heart of the channel layout editor is the layout area, which has the same frame size and aspect ratio as your stream. As you add items to the layout, they appear in the layout area. The currently selected item is presented in full colour while other items appear transparent.
Page 107 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Add a text overlay (custom channel) Delete or move a layout (custom channel) Set the background color (custom channel) Rename a layout (custom channel) Custom channel examples Here are a few examples of what you can do with just two sources and two picture files. Use your imagination to create the layouts you want! Layout example Description...
Page 108 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Layout example Description One source with a logo (.png with transparency) in the bottom left corner. To get this look: Upload an image with transparency through the Branding Content page. Follow the steps from the first example to add the source, then add a picture item and place it where desired.
Page 109 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Layout example Description Two sources with a background image. To get this look: Follow the steps for the example above, then add and position a second source. Two sources (one cropped to a new aspect ratio), a background image and a logo.
Page 110 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Layout example Description One 4x3 source in a 16x9 frame, with a green background matte. To get this look: Make sure your encoding page has a 16x9 frame size. From the sources page, select a background color.
Page 111 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel If you're planning to use live switching, we strongly recommend you rename the channel rather than using the default channel name (Rename a channel). See the note at the bottom of this topic to avoid streaming and recording issues resulting from adding or deleting layouts when live switching.
Page 112 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Add a video source (custom channel) Add an audio source (custom channel) Add an image (custom channel) Add a text overlay (custom channel) Delete or move a layout (custom channel) ...
Page 113 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel When creating a custom channel using content from a VGA Grid HD Encoder, make sure the encoder is added as a local channel to the VGA Grid. See Add an HD Encoder as a source (custom channel).
Page 114 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 7. For best results, select the Keep aspect ratio when scaling checkbox from the Source settings box. 8. If desired, select Crop from the Source settings box and use the red and white handles to draw a box around the section of the source you'd like to have in the layout;...
Page 115 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 10. If needed, re-order the items in your layout by clicking and dragging items in the item list (under the Add new item link). For example, if you added your video source over a text overlay, the video source could conceal the overlay.
Page 116 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Click and drag to move the item. Click and drag the red and white circles to resize the item as you wish. Using this method you can make quick changes that are in increments of approximately 5% of the width or height of your layout area.
Page 117 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 3. Follow the steps in Custom channel layout editor Create a local custom channel or layout to get to the channel layout editor. 4. Select the audio source(s) you want to add to your channel. Sources are mixed at equal levels. If you have one source it's added at 100% its volume.
Page 118 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel For best results always upload images that are already the correct size needed in your layout. Background images should match the frame size of your channel (frame size is set in the Encoding configuration page).
Page 119 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel See the following topics to learn how to apply the logo, background, overlay text or other images to a channel: Add an image (custom channel) Add a text overlay (custom channel) Add an image (custom channel) You can use images in your custom channel layouts to create a background for your source, to add your corporate logo, or to add relevant information about the event you're streaming.
Page 120 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 5. From the channel layout editor, click Add item; a drop down box appears. (If you have any other items already in your layout, the new item appears at the top of the list.) 6.
Page 121 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 10. For best results, keep the Keep aspect ratio when scaling checkbox selected in the Picture settings box. (This is selected by default.) 11. In the layout area, use the mouse, the keyboard or the manual position value fields to position and resize your image.
Page 122 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Add a video source (custom channel) Add an audio source (custom channel) Add a text overlay (custom channel) Delete or move a layout (custom channel) Set the background color (custom channel) ...
Page 123 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel If you need to specify an exact amount in pixels (rather than percent) you can type a pixel value in any of the positioning value squares followed by the characters px (e.g. 56px). You can mix and match pixels and percents changing only the boxes you want to use pixel values.
Page 124 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 6. In the Text field, specify the overlay text you want to add to the layout. Use your own text and any combination of the shortcut codes listed at the end of this procedure. For example: Use this string: %A %B %d, %G.
Page 125 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel Table 23 Time Format options Field Value Example date 2012-01-26 year 2012 month (01) month (Jan) month (January) January day of the month weekday (Thu) weekday (Thursday) Thursday time 08:40:45 hour minute second millisecond channel name...
Page 126 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 1. using the mouse 2. using the keyboard 3. using the manual positioning values with percents 4. using the manual positioning values with pixels To use the mouse: Click and drag to move the item. Click and drag the red and white circles to resize the item as you wish. Using this method you can make quick changes that are in increments of approximately 5% of the width or height of your layout area.
Page 127 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. Follow the steps in Custom channel layout editor Create a local custom channel or layout to get to the channel layout editor.
Page 128 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel 5. From the editor, click the name of the layout; it turns red. 6. Type in your new layout name and press Enter to save the new name. (Note if you click somewhere else without pressing Enter, your changes are discarded.) Delete or move a layout (custom channel) Your custom channel can have multiple layouts.
Page 129 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Create a custom channel If you're planning to use live switching, we strongly recommend you rename the channel rather than using the default channel name (Rename a channel). See the note at the bottom of this topic to avoid streaming and recording issues resulting from adding or deleting layouts when live switching.
Page 130: Configure Encoding (Custom Local Channels)
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoding (custom local channels) To avoid any issue with changing channel names on channels where you'll have more than one layout, we strongly recommend you rename the channel to a custom name (Rename a channel. This will ensure no automatic channel name changes.
Page 131 This is the default H.264 encoding preset. Choose this setting for best Accelerated performance. This matches the default from previous generations of Epiphan products. Choose Software this only if you need software encoding or X.264 encoding to match results created with previous generations of Epiphan products or firmware.
Page 132 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoding (custom local channels) 6. If the selected codec is H.264 (default), click Video encoding profile to limit or include video formats that are supported. Choose one of the following: Value Description Choose this option when streaming to an application that requires robustness Baseline and cannot tolerate data loss, for example video-conferencing.
Page 133 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoding (custom local channels) 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. Click Encoding for the your channel; the encoding configuration page opens. 4.
Page 134 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoding (custom local channels) If your channel has a layout with only one source and your source and stream aspect ratios differ, when viewing that layout, your source is centered in the frame and matte bars are added to the top and bottom or left and right sides to make up the difference.
Page 135 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoding (custom local channels) Table 24 Stream settings guidance The key frame interval feature specifies how often a key frame (a frame that contains all the pixels) is sent when streaming the video. This setting also impacts how quickly a video moves through the frames when a viewer uses the search function of their media player.
Page 136 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoding (custom local channels) Configure audio codec If your channel sources included audio (see Create a custom channel), your stream will by default use the PCM audio codec at 22 kHz. You can modify this setting to best match your streaming or post-processing needs.
Page 137 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoding (custom local channels) If desired, you can choose Mono to have left and right stereo channels combined and streamed together (i.e. when listening to the streamed audio, the same blended sound will come through both the left and right channels). 8.
Page 138 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure encoding (custom local channels) Value Description Most digital signals (HDMI or SDI sources) use 48 kHz audio. Matching the encoded level with the source level provides the best sound quality by avoiding audio resampling. For analog signals, 44 kHz provides higher sampling. Flash (FLV) doesn't support 48 kHz PCM audio.
Page 139: Add Channel Metadata
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Add channel metadata Video Codec selected Audio Codec selected MPEG-TS ü ü ü ü H.264 No audio codec H.264 ü ü ü H.264 ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü H.264 MPEG-4 No audio codec ü...
Page 140 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Add channel metadata copyright date or other labels such as proprietary information, preliminary etc; and additional information about the broadcast, such as time of the broadcast, or change to the schedule. To apply channel metadata: 1.
Page 141: Preview A Channel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Preview a channel 7. Highlight the text and press delete on the keyboard. The field is empty. 8. Click Apply. Preview a channel While configuring a channel, you may want to open a live preview of the channel in another tab or browser window so you can see the changes as they are applied.
Page 142: Preview All Channels At Once
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Preview all channels at once Preview a channel from the Status page The channel's status page gives a wealth of information about the channel, including bit rate, frame size, a snapshot of the channel and links to preview the channel. To preview a channel from the Status page: 1.
Page 143: Rename A Channel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Rename a channel 1. Open a new browser window. 2. Type the following string into the address bar of your web browser on your admin computer (ipaddress is the IP address of your Networked VGA Grid). http://<ip address of Networked VGA Grid>/preview.cgi For example: http://172.20.1.33/preview.cgi 3.
Page 144: Delete A Channel
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Delete a channel 4. Highlight the old name and press backspace or delete on the keyboard. 5. Type the new name, using alphanumeric characters. It's recommended (but not mandatory) that you use underscores to separate words, if needed. 6.
Page 145 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Delete a channel 4. Click Delete this channel; a confirmation dialog box appears to remind you that all recorded files for this channel will be removed. You cannot undo this command. 5. Click OK to continue or Cancel to stop. If you proceed, a message indicating that the channel was successfully deleted appears at the top of the page.
Page 146: Live Video Mixing / Switching
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Live video mixing / switching Live video mixing / switching For local custom channels, Networked VGA Grid supports live video mixing (also known as live video switching) while you are capturing, streaming and recording. Video mixing is a great way to create dynamic content for your viewers and recordings.
Page 147 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Live video mixing / switching 4. The currently active layout has a red button in the rightmost column. 5. Touch the empty circle for another layout to make it the active layout; the layout changes in the live stream (and recording), and the new row gets the red button.
Page 148: What Is A Source
Networked VGA Grid User Guide What is a source? What is a source? A source can be an image, video, or audio from a camera, a computer screen or any device that provides a VGA, S-Video, DVI or HDMI video signal and audio signal output. The web interface automatically discovers all sources connected to your HD Encoders and displays them in the Stream Setup section of the encoder's channel on the VGA Grid web admin interface after the encoder is added as a channel to the VGA Grid.
Page 149: Preview A Source
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Preview a source Changing the source connected to a port that is being streamed or recorded can result in the recording stopping or the stream frame size changing depending on how your channel is configured. If the frame size changes, viewers may be disconnected and need to re-connect to the stream. Connect the input sources to the following input ports on the system: Table 26 Cable and port connections...
Page 150: Configure A Source
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure a source 7. To preview an S-Video stream, go to the Setup page and enable S-Video then repeat the previous two steps. Configure a source After attaching the source to the VGA Grid HD Encoder, the next steps are to ensure you have set up static networking for the encoder (if desired) and to add the encoder as a channel to the Networked VGA Grid.
Page 151 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure a source The following values are configurable for digital sources connected to the DVI port: Value Description Interval between When a source is setup, the system automatically detects and adjusts the image VGA signal and capture settings at start up and continues to adjust every 60 seconds during autoadjustments operation.
Page 152 The values range from -999 (moves the image to the left) to 999 (moves the image to the right). Specifies phase adjustments for VGA signals. Generally not used unless value is provided by Epiphan support. Phase Configurable for VGA sources only.
Page 153 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure a source Value Description Sets the aspect ratio of the captured image. The default is 4:3. Set the value to Aspect Ratio Wide mode when capturing images that have a wide aspect ratio. Using the incorrect setting causes the image to be distorted or stretched.
Page 154: Rename A Source
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Rename a source 3. Follow the instructions above (To upload a logo to a channel) to upload an image via the Branding Content page. 4. From the web interface, select your desired source under the Source header; the source configuration page opens.
Page 155: Control Audio Volume
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Control audio volume 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. From the web interface, scroll to the Sources menu option. 4. Click the source link; the source configuration page opens. 5.
Page 156: Confirm Audio Levels
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Confirm audio levels 6. For Analog audio sources (TRS), select an Input source from the drop-down menu. 7. Choose Line to capture high-powered audio signals from self-powered equipment, such as a CD player, synth or amp, or select Mic to capture audio from a microphone connected to the audio input port. 8.
Page 157 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Confirm audio levels 2. Login as admin. 3. From the web interface, click the Info link; the info page opens. 4. Scroll to the Input section. The Audio meter is displayed. 5. View the strength of the audio signal. The following example shows an audio input with a strong signal.
Page 158: Troubleshoot Capture
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Troubleshoot capture Troubleshoot capture In addition to fine tuning channel settings such as frame rate, resolution and bit rate to ensure optimal use of resources while streaming a quality video, there may be circumstance when you must fine tune the video input source.
Page 159 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Remove black bars (matte) from the video For example: Input signal resolution is 720×480 (a 3:2 aspect ratio) encoded resolution is 1280×800 (a 16:10 aspect ratio that is wider than the input resolution) Borders are added to the left and right of the image to preserve the narrower ratio of the input. The left and right side border are not guaranteed to be of equal width.
Page 160 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Remove black bars (matte) from the video Match the output frame size to the aspect ratio of the source signal The frame size is matched only for layouts that have only one source. Note that if you have layouts with different frame sizes, switching them while live streaming will cause an interruption and restart of the stream.
Page 161: Force The Capture Card To Use A Specific Edid
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Force the capture card to use a specific EDID a. If the source resolution is on the list, choose another resolution on the same line (i.e. with the same aspect ratio). b. If the source resolution is not on the list, use a calculator to get a factor of the source resolution and enter it in the Frame size fields.
Page 162 EDID for a given source. Not even a system-level factory reset removes the configured EDIDs. 1. To download a new EDID file, go to the Epiphan support web page. The support page opens. 2. Select the support page for Networked VGA Grid.
Page 163: Unstretch The Output Video
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Unstretch the output video 12. Click upload, the EDID upload begins; the screen shows a progress inidicator. 13. When the upload is complete the page changes to reflect success or failure. Unstretch the output video By default, the Networked VGA Grid makes sure that the aspect ratio of an HD Encoder source's input signals is preserved when the output is streamed.
Page 164: Video Not Centered (Vga Sources Only)
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Video not centered (VGA sources only) 4. Click Sources; the Sources page opens. 5. Click the row for the layout you want to edit; the layout editor opens. 6. Select the gear icon for your source from the list of layout items; the Source settings box appears. 7.
Page 165: Remove The Combing Effect On Images
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Remove the combing effect on images 7. Make further adjustments and click Apply after each change to confirm the results. 8. To move the video up or down, scroll to Vertical shift . 9. Enter incremental values to shift the video image down (use a negative value) or up (use a positive value).
Page 166 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Video looks squished (VGA sources only) 4. Compare the aspect ratio from the source with the aspect ratio from the Networked VGA Grid info window. Confirm if there is a mismatch. 5. If there is a mismatch, go to the Encoding page for the channel and change the frame size to match the frame size that is sent from the source.
Page 167: Video Too Bright, Too Dark Or Washed Out (Vga Sources Only)
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Video too bright, too dark or washed out (VGA sources only) Video too bright, too dark or washed out (VGA sources only) If the video from the source is too light, too dark or washed out, use the offset and gain controls together to optimize image quality.
Page 168: Part 3: Stream
PART 3: Stream Streaming provides powerful and flexible approaches to delivering to your users. Offering an easy to use interface, users can stream video using multiple formats to multiple users and devices such as web browsers, media players, set-top-boxes, Smart TVs and Content Distribution Networks. The tool's flexibility is further enhanced by its ability to support standard codecs used by most sharing destinations and media players.
Page 169: What Is Streaming
Networked VGA Grid User Guide What is streaming? What is streaming? After you have configured your media and channels, decided on the content and layout of your broadcast, it’s time to share your stream. Networked VGA Grid provides a number of options for streaming. Choose from methods for unicast, multicast, CDN, SAP, UPnP and more.
Page 170: Supported Streaming Formats
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Supported streaming formats clients (multicast), or provide web-based streaming where multiple clients can access the broadcast (Content Distribution Network). Your Networked VGA Grid can stream to individual viewers through HTTP, HTTP Live Streaming, UPnP and RTSP and can also simultaneously stream to a server such as a multicast server or CDN. Supported streaming formats When you set up your channel the system generates and displays a list of available video formats and standards specific to the selected audio and video codecs used by your channel.
Page 171: Stream To Viewers
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream to viewers Stream to viewers Streaming to viewers allows people to connect directly to your Networked VGA Grid via their web browser or media player to view the live stream. You can configure whether or not streaming is enabled for viewers. See Disable (and enable) streams for viewers.
Page 172 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using HTTP or RTSP The format of the URL provided to you by the admin interface depends on the method you used to access the system, either through network discovery using the serial number or IP address. The system must be accessible on the viewer's LAN for the viewer to use access by serial discovery.
Page 173: Configure Http And Rtsp Streaming Ports
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure HTTP and RTSP streaming ports 5. Jot down the either the Live Broadcast , RTSP stream or other web streaming address. This is the address you can send to viewers or to create a link to your broadcast. Users must install Bonjour Print Services on their Windows or Mac computer to access the live Preview using the serial number.
Page 174: Stream Content Using Hls (Http Live Streaming)
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) 5. Set the HTTP Streaming port to specify the port used to stream the HTTP broadcast. This value along with the URL is used by viewers to access the FLV, ASF and MPEG-TS streams. The port number must be higher than 500 for HTTP.
Page 175: Send Stream Urls To Viewers
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Send stream URLs to viewers 3. From the web interface, select the channel containing video you want to stream; the menu expands. 4. Click Streaming; the channel's Streaming configuration page opens. 5. Enable HTTP Live Streaming by selecting the HTTP Live Streaming checkbox. 6.
Page 176: View The Flash Stream
Networked VGA Grid User Guide View the Flash stream 3. From the web interface, click the channel that you want to view; the menu expands. 4. Click Status; the Status page opens displaying the stream protocols supported based on the selected codecs.
Page 177 Networked VGA Grid User Guide View the Flash stream View your broadcast using the View link on the Info menu 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin or operator. 3.
Page 178 Networked VGA Grid User Guide View the Flash stream 3. From the web interface, click the channel that you want to view; the menu expands. 4. Click Status; the status page opens displaying the live broadcast and stream URL. 5. When HTTP live streaming for the channel is enabled the status page also shows the HTTP Live Streaming link.
Page 179: Viewing With A Web Browser
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Viewing with a web browser 7. Copy the URL and provide to viewers. Viewing with a web browser If a viewer password is configured, provide participants with the password to log in, along with the IP address or the URL to be used by the participant's browser.
Page 180: Viewing With A Media Player (Rtsp)
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Viewing with a media player (RTSP) Viewing with a media player (RTSP) If a viewer password is configured, provide participants with the password to log in, along with the IP address or the URL to be copied to the media player. For example purposes the following procedure describes the steps using a VLC media player.
Page 181: Disable (And Enable) Streams For Viewers
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Disable (and enable) streams for viewers 5. Press Play; the stream is played in the media player window. Disable (and enable) streams for viewers When you create a channel it's available by default for viewing by stream viewers who have the stream URL. You can choose to disable streaming to viewers through the channel's streaming configuration.
Page 182: Restrict Access To Streams For Viewers
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Restrict access to streams for viewers 3. Uncheck Enabled to disable streaming to viewers (or check to enable). 4. Click Apply at the bottom of the page. Restrict access to streams for viewers Networked VGA Grid can restrict access to all viewer streams using global viewer passwords and IP allow/deny lists.
Page 183 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Restrict access to streams for viewers 5. Select Use these settings from the drop down list; the configuration fields are enabled. Global LDAP settings are always enforced. Any local settings are in addition to LDAP sign on. 6.
Page 184: Restrict Viewers By Ip Address
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Restrict viewers by IP address Restrict viewers by IP address The Networked VGA Grid permits you to restrict which computers can access broadcasts by building a list of allowed and/or denied IP addresses. You can do this at a global level for the system and can also override these settings on a per-channel basis.
Page 185: Ip Restriction Examples
Networked VGA Grid User Guide IP restriction examples 7. Type denied IP addresses or address ranges in the Deny IP’s field. Separate addresses with a comma. 8. Click Apply. If a user attempts to connect to the stream from a disallowed IP address, access is denied. If connecting by internet browser, the message "IP address rejected."...
Page 186 Networked VGA Grid User Guide IP restriction examples Allow list with a range of IP addresses Sometimes you’ll want a range of computer IP addresses to connect to your system. This may happen when you have one range of IP addresses assigned to desktop computers (i.e. in the range 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.100) and another range assigned to boardroom computers (i.e.
Page 187 Networked VGA Grid User Guide IP restriction examples Allow list with a range of IP addresses, distinct IP addresses and an exception Building on the previous examples, consider the situation where you want the CEO’s computers (192.168.1.50, 192.168.1.51, 192.168.75) and all boardroom computers (192.168.1.200-192.168.1.250) to access the broadcast, with the exception of the public boardroom computer (192.168.1.211).
Page 188: Stream To A Server
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream to a server Stream to a server Your Networked VGA Grid streams to a server when you want to use a CDN or Multicast. By default, no server streaming is configured. See Stream to a CDN Stream content using multicast details on configuring one of these two options.
Page 189: Stream To A Cdn
select the H.264 codec from the channel's Encoding page. You can also test how your content is streamed by sending your content to Epiphan’s CDN. For a list of Epiphan’s preferred CDN providers, see: http://epiphan.tv/cdn-partners.php. Use one of the following links to configure your Networked VGA Grid for publishing to a CDN: ...
Page 190 Stream to a CDN using an XML profile Stream to Wowza Streaming Cloud Test using Epiphan TV CDN To stream content to a CDN using RTSP announce 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface.
Page 191 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream to a CDN 2. Login as admin. 3. From the web interface, click a Channel; the menu expands. 4. Click Streaming; the channel's Streaming page opens. 3. Click the Publish drop-down menu. 4. Choose using RTMP push from the drop-down menu. 3.
Page 192 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream to a CDN 3. Click the Choose File button next to use profile XML; a file browser window opens. 4. Select the XML profile supplied by your CDN and click OK; the configuration is read from the XML file and applied.
Page 193 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream to a CDN 5. Configure Encoding settings accordingly, ensuring the Codec selected is H.264. Configuring audio is optional. Supported formats are limited to MP3 and AAC. Due to RTMP restrictions, MP3 48 kHz is not supported. 6.
Page 194 10. Enter the connection code obtained from the Wowza Streaming Cloud set-up into the Connection code field. 11. Click Set to pair the channel on Epiphan's encoder with the live stream on Wowza Cloud 12. Click Apply. When the connection to Wowza Cloud has been established, the stream name appears on the channel's Status page.
Page 195 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream to a CDN Stream to Original Livestream To set up streaming via the Original Livestream service, you first need to sign in to your Original Livestream account and create a new stream. To configure streaming on your Networked VGA Grid: 1.
Page 196 After clicking Apply, there may be a short 2-3 minute delay before the live stream is displayed. Test using Epiphan TV CDN Epiphan.tv is a service provided by Epiphan to help our customers to experiment with content distribution networks, bandwidth, performance limits and viewer limits are applied. To upgrade to a full service, select one...
Page 197 Stream to a CDN Stream to Epiphan TV To hear audio content from Epiphan TV ensure audio is set to MP3 in Encoding configuration. 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface.
Page 198 3. Click the link to view the broadcast. 4. A web page opens displaying the broadcast. Specify a multimedia player to view your Epiphan TV broadcast 1. From the Epiphan TV portal, click Switch To on the bottom of the screen; the following options appear.
Page 199: Stream Content Using Multicast
3. Highlight and right-click on the code in the dialog box. A drop-down menu appears. 4. Choose Copy. 5. Paste the content into the HTML code for your website. A link to your broadcast on Epiphan TV is added to your web page.
Page 200 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast Networked VGA Grid supports multicast streaming content to an IP TV or a set-top box playlist when the stream format is MPEG-TS. The following procedures outline the steps to distribute your content using multicast streaming: ...
Page 201 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast 11. Enter a multicast IP address in the SAP announcement IP field. If your media player is configured to receive multicast streams from an IP address that is different from the default address 224.2.127.254, you may need to contact your system administrator for a specific multicast IP address.
Page 202 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast 5. Click the Publish drop-down menu. 6. Choose using MPEG-TS UDP push. 7. Enter the destination multicast IP address where the broadcast can be viewed. A IPv4 multicast address range is an address between 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255. Contact your System Administrator for the specific address to use.
Page 203 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast 12. Enter a channel number in the Channel number field to identify your stream in the media player. By default the Channel number is the channel identifier. When a channel number value is not specified, viewers cannot select a channel from the set-top box or Smart TV .
Page 204 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast 5. Enter the destination multicast IP address. 6. Enter the port number through which the audio will stream. 7. Enter the port number through which the video will stream. Audio and video use nearby port numbers (<port number>and <port number+2>). The minimum distance between audio and video ports must be 2.
Page 205: Stream To A Media Player
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream to a media player Stream to a media player Your Networked VGA Grid can use UPnP and SAP to stream to set top boxes, digital signs, smart TVs and other digital media players. The following table gives an overview of each option. Publishing Options Use this option to...
Page 206 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. From the web interface, click a Channel; the menu expands. 4.
Page 207 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast 15. Click the Info menu option of the web interface. An Info page opens displaying stream information. To view the stream from a media player, open the URL in a media player, for example: rtp://@ip:port or in the case of the sample configuration in the figure shown above: rtp://@226.10.24.32:7000 To view the stream when SAP announce has been set and the stream is advertised on a media player, set-top-...
Page 208 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast 7. Enter the destination multicast IP address where the broadcast can be viewed. A IPv4 multicast address range is an address between 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255. Contact your System Administrator for the specific address to use. 8.
Page 209 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast When a channel number value is not specified, viewers cannot select a channel from the set-top box or Smart TV . 13. Enter a name for a group of streams in the text box next to Group name. Since media players simply present a list of available streams, you can organize your streams into multiple folders or in cases where folders are not displayed, use dot separator hierarchy to help your viewers filter out unwanted streams by category.
Page 210 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast 5. Enter the destination multicast IP address. 6. Enter the port number through which the audio will stream. 7. Enter the port number through which the video will stream. Audio and video use nearby port numbers (<port number>and <port number+2>). The minimum distance between audio and video ports must be 2.
Page 211 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using multicast When browsing from a VLC media player, streams are advertised by their channel identifier and are organized by the group name. When browsing from an XBMC media player, streams are advertised by the stream's metadata title, if configured, otherwise streams are advertised by their channel identifier.
Page 212: Stream Content Using Upnp
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using UPnP Stream content using UPnP Using the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) networking protocol, your Networked VGA Grid can be discovered and can stream to software and hardware media players, set-top-boxes and Smart TVs with ease. If UPnP is enabled, the system automatically establishes communication with media players on the network.
Page 213 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using UPnP 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. Click the UPnP link in the Configuration section; the UPnP configuration page opens. 4.
Page 214 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using UPnP 1. For channels (live streaming): a. Click the Streaming link for the desired channel; the Streaming page opens. a. Click the Share via UPnP check box (if not checked). b. Click Apply 2. For channels (recorded files): a.
Page 215 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using UPnP c. Click the Share via UPnP check box (if not checked). d. Click Apply. You can now browse for your server from your digital media player. Disable UPnP By default, UPnP sharing is disable for the device, and for each channels and recorder. If you enabled UPnP sharing it for a particular broadcast, you may want to disable UPnP sharing after the broadcast is complete.
Page 216 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using UPnP Viewing with UPnP Using a software or hardware media player, you can browse for files or streams with Universal Plug and Play (UPnP). UPnP uses MPEG-TS over HTTP with the H.264 codec and MP3 or AAC audio encoding (or no audio). You can only access live streams or recordings that meet these requirements.
Page 217 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using UPnP UPnP can also be used to directly play a recording to the digital media player, or to set a media player to automatically play a particular live stream after reboot of the Networked VGA Grid. See Stream content using UPnP Play directly to a media...
Page 218 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Stream content using UPnP 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. Click the UPnP link in the Configuration section; the UPnP configuration page opens. 4.
Page 219: Samples Of Stream Settings
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Samples of stream settings Samples of stream settings When choosing your stream settings it is important to consider the stream content. When streaming fast moving video it's best to choose a higher bitrate and frame rate versus streaming a slide presentation where you can save on bandwidth and system processing by lower the bitrate and frame rate.
Page 220: Streaming Slide Content
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Streaming slide content Streaming slide content The table below provides suggested settings to maximize your stream quality while minimizing system resource usage when streaming slide content from a PC, Mac or tablet. Setting PC and Mac Tablet Codec H.264...
Page 221: Part 4: Record
PART 4: Record Your Networked VGA Grid encodes the video and audio it captures. Not only can you stream this content, but you can also simultaneously record it. In fact, if you're streaming a picture in picture layout or low quality streams, you may even want to create separate channels to also record each input at full frame size and with a high bitrate so you have the best possible digital media for future re-use or post-processing.
Page 222: What Is A Recording
You can choose to create AVI, MP4, MOV or MPEG-TS recordings. See Configure recording file size and type learn how to change the recorded file type. The MOV file type created by Networked VGA Grid requires a relatively newer player for playback. Epiphan has tested with the following players.
Page 223: Record A Channel Via The Web Interface
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Record a channel via the web interface Operating System Tested Players QuickTime 10.3 (for 1080p streams) Mac OS QuickTime 10.3 (for streams less than 1080p) VLC 1.0.0+ (for all streams) QuickTime 7.6.6+ Windows ...
Page 224 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Record a channel via the web interface 4. Click the Recording link for the channel; the Recording page appears. 5. To start recording: a. Click the Start button; the recording starts and a timer indicates how long it has been recording. If the Start button is not active, there are no active sources for this channel or recorder.
Page 225: Configure Recording File Size And Type
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure recording file size and type c. The system continues to record this channel (and any concurrent recordings) until it is stopped. If the system runs out of storage space, the oldest recorded file is deleted to make room for the new recording.
Page 226 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure recording file size and type 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. For a channel recording: a. Click the desired channel; the channel menu expands. b.
Page 227 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure recording file size and type Tip: It’s best to avoid spaces in file names. Use underscores or hyphens to separate words. 10. If desired, click the check box to exclude this channel or recorder from automatic file uploads. (See File and recording transfer for information on automatic uploads.)
Page 228: Control Recording With A Mouse
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Control recording with a mouse Control recording with a mouse You can physically control recording start/stop by connecting a USB mouse to your Networked VGA Grid. To control recordings with a mouse: 1. Power on the system. 2.
Page 229 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Restart recording 5. Click the Reset button next to the stop button; the current file is stopped and a new one begins. 6. Refresh the page to see the new recorded files list.
Page 230: Recorders
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Recorders Recorders Your Networked VGA Grid can record the output from each channel and, using Recorders, it can also record multiple channels together in a single multi-track file. Recording multiple channels at once ensures the recordings are started and stopped at the same time, resulting in perfect synchronization.
Page 231: Change The Channels Recorded By A Recorder
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Change the channels recorded by a recorder 3. Click the Add recorder link from the Recorders section; a new recorder is created and the recorder configuration page opens. By default this recorder uses the next available number and records all channels.
Page 232: Record With A Recorder
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Record with a recorder 5. If the all channels box is selected, click it to deselect it; the other check boxes are enabled. 6. Click the check boxes for the desired channels. Channels with no active video source are displayed in italics. You can include these channels in your channel selections for the recorder.
Page 233 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Record with a recorder 3. Click the name of the desired recorder; the recorder configuration page appears. 4. To start recording: a. Click the Start button; the recording starts and a timer indicates how long it has been recording. b.
Page 234: Rename Recorded Files
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Rename recorded files a. Click the Stop button on the given recorder's configuration page. The recorder number changes to black next time the web interface is refreshed (by clicking a link or refreshing the page). Rename recorded files Recording files are named based on the filename prefix specified during configuration.
Page 235 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Delete recorded files manually If you want to delete all the files on the system, follow this procedure for each channel and recorder listed in the web interface. To delete recordings: 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface.
Page 236 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Delete recorded files manually The list may not update immediately. You can refresh the list by reloading the Recording page (for channels) or the recorder settings page (for recorders).
Page 237: Recorded Files
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Recorded files Recorded files Recordings you make of channels or with recorders are stored on the system's internal hard drive. The Networked VGA Grid has a finite amount of available hard drive storage space. Though it is enough space to hold a lot of recordings, it will eventually run out of space if recordings are added but never removed.
Page 238: Download Recorded Files Manually
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Download recorded files manually 6. Otherwise: a. All files for this channel are listed, sorted by date. Files that are part of the same recording session are listed one after another. Three dots appear between files of different recording sessions. The file currently being recorded (if applicable) is shown at the top of the list.
Page 239: Extract Tracks From A Recording
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Extract tracks from a recording 4. To download an individual file: a. Click the name of a recording file to download it. 5. To download multiple files: a. Select the check box next to the recordings you wish to download from this channel or recorder. b.
Page 240 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Extract tracks from a recording 5. Select the track(s) you want to extract. Tip: To deselect all tracks, click the check box for the top track, then hold SHIFT and click the check box for the bottom track. 6.
Page 241: Rename Recorded Files
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Rename recorded files Only one duplicate recording is saved per recording file. If you create a second duplicate recording, it will overwrite the previous copy. Download the file with your extracted tracks to preserve it. Rename recorded files Recording files are named based on the filename prefix specified during configuration.
Page 242 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Delete recorded files manually 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin or operator. 3. Find the recordings by channel or by recorder. See View list of recorded files.
Page 243: File And Recording Transfer
Networked VGA Grid User Guide File and recording transfer File and recording transfer Your Networked VGA Grid can be configured to automatically upload recordings from local storage to a network storage location or an attached USB drive. We call this process Automatic File Upload or AFU for short. This section discusses the following generic automatic upload topics: ...
Page 244: Choose Files To Include In Afu
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Choose files to include in AFU The following types of off-system storage are supported for AFU: FTP, CIFS, RSync, SFTP, SCP and USB Drive. Only one type of AFU can be used at once. Files are uploaded once (i.e. are automatically not re-uploaded during future sessions) and a log is kept showing the file transfers (see below for details on viewing the log).
Page 245 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Choose files to include in AFU For each channel or recorder you want to add to your AFU schedule: 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2.
Page 246: Enable And Set Timing For Afu
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Enable and set timing for AFU 6. Check the Automatic file upload check box. 7. Click Apply; the Recording page is refreshed and the new settings are reflected. Now that AFU is enabled for your desired set of files, enable AFU and configure your desired mechanism. Enable and set timing for AFU After configuring the channels and recorders to include in your AFU schedule, you must enable AFU and configure the frequency of transfers.
Page 247 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Enable and set timing for AFU If your screen does not indicate that AFU is enabled for at least one channel or recorder, return to Choose files to include in AFUEnable and set timing for AFU 4.
Page 248 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Enable and set timing for AFU Name Description Every 6 hours The system uploads completed recordings every six hours. Every 12 hours The system uploads completed recordings every 12 hours. Every 24 hours The system uploads completed recordings every 24 hours. 6.
Page 249: Afu To An Ftp Server
Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU to an FTP server AFU to a secure FTP server AFU using SCP AFU or copy to USB drive AFU to an FTP server This procedure assumes you have completed the steps in Enable and set timing for AFU and wish to continue with configuration of upload to an FTP Server.
Page 250: Afu Using Rsync
Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU using RSync Table 32 FTP Automatic Upload Configuration Options Name Description / Options Server The IP address (or fully qualified domain name) of the FTP server. address Server port The port used by the target FTP server. Standard port is 21. Login Username for the FTP server.
Page 251: Afu Using Cifs
Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU using CIFS 3. Specify the Server module. This is the name of the shared folder on the server. If needed, request this value from your network administrator. 4. Specify a username for the RSync Server in the Login field. The user must have write permissions for the module.
Page 252 Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU using CIFS 2. Specify the target Server address. If your system is configured with DHCP or has a valid DNS configuration (see Configure DHCP), you can use the server’s fully qualified domain name instead of the IP address.
Page 253: Afu To A Secure Ftp Server
Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU to a secure FTP server Name Description / Options Server The IP address (or fully qualified domain name) of the CIFS server. address Server share The name of the shared folder on the CIFS server. The CIFS server's Windows domain or Work Group name .
Page 254 Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU to a secure FTP server 2. Specify the target Server address. If your system is configured with DHCP or has a valid DNS configuration (see Configure DHCP), you can use the server’s fully qualified domain name instead of the IP address.
Page 255: Afu Using Scp
Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU using SCP Name Description / Options Password Password for the SFTP user. Causes files to be named with .part extension on the server during active upload. When Use temp file the upload completes, the file is renamed to the appropriate extension (.mov, .mp4 or .avi).
Page 256: Afu Or Copy To Usb Drive
Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU or copy to USB drive For secure copy you can upload an SSH identity for your Networked VGA Grid. This key must be trusted by the destination server. Details for generating the key and setting up this trust are beyond the scope of this document. 6.
Page 257 Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU or copy to USB drive NTFS Only the first attached USB drive is used for automatic file upload. If more than one USB drive is attached before system power up, behavior is unpredictable. File transfer to a USB drive occurs in one of the following ways. This section describes the procedures. ...
Page 258 Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU or copy to USB drive 4. Click the fix link. Using the fix link disables any other type of automatic file upload you have configured. When you are done with USB uploads, return to the Automatic File Upload configuration page and re-configure FTP, RSYNC, or CIFS.
Page 259 Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU or copy to USB drive 2. Login as admin. 3. Select the External USB Drive link in the Configuration section; the External USB Drive configuration page is displayed. 4. Select used for one-time move/copy of the recorded files (upon insertion) from the drop down list.
Page 260 Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU or copy to USB drive If a conflict is reported regarding the Automatic file upload, go to the Automatic File Upload configuration page and disable automatic file upload or switch it to a non-USB based upload type.
Page 261 Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU or copy to USB drive If a conflict is reported regarding the Automatic file upload, go to the Automatic File Upload configuration page and disable automatic file upload or switch it to a non-USB based upload type.
Page 262 Networked VGA Grid User Guide AFU or copy to USB drive View available USB storage space When you insert a USB drive in an available port of the Networked VGA Grid and select an External USB Drive action other than ignored (i.e. manual copy, automatic copy, etc), the total and free space are calculated and displayed in the Web Interface.
Page 263: View The Afu Log
Networked VGA Grid User Guide View the AFU log 4. When prompted, click OK to confirm that you want to eject the USB drive. 5. Disconnect the USB drive from the system. View the AFU log A log is kept of automatic file uploads. To view the log: 1.
Page 264: Manage The Afu Queue
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Manage the AFU queue 5. Click the browser's back button when you are done. Manage the AFU queue The AFU queue displays a list of recording files waiting to be uploaded. Individual file details can be viewed using the web interface.
Page 265 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Manage the AFU queue The upload queue can display only 15 files at one time. Additional content is still stored and is viewed in increments of five files using the Newer 5 button. Delete content in the AFU queue Files can be deleted from the upload queue, either individually or as a group.
Page 266: Local Ftp Server
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Local FTP server Local FTP server Networked VGA Grid can act as an FTP server, allowing you to manually or automatically connect to the system and download recordings. Depending on configuration of the FTP server, you may also be able to remotely delete files after download, maximizing available system storage.
Page 267 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Configure the local FTP server The ftp password is the regular access password for the selected user. See User administration for details on user names and passwords. c. Click Apply. 5. To allow the FTP user to delete files: a.
Page 268: Using The Local Ftp Server
Networked VGA Grid User Guide Using the local FTP Server Using the local FTP Server Once you have configured a local FTP server, you can use the tool of your choice to download files from the system. The system stores files in a folder structure with a folder for each channel and a folder for each recorder. Channel folders are labeled video<channel number>...
Page 269 Networked VGA Grid User Guide Using the local FTP Server 6. Use dir or your tool’s GUI to look in each folder for recordings. 7. Use get or your tool’s transfer mechanism to transfer files to your computer. 8. If enabled in the FTP configuration page, delete the file after downloading it by issuing the delete command, or using your tool’s delete mechanism.
Page 270: Part 5: Maintenance
PART 5: Maintenance This section covers topics that will keep your Networked VGA Grid running smoothly. It also covers the mobile/tablet operator interface and ways to configure and operate your system using third party tools via HTTP or RS-232. Specific topics covered are: ...
Page 271: Mobile / Tablet Operator Interface
Guide Mobile / tablet operator interface Epiphan's tablet interface is designed for touch-screen devices. Use your tablet or mobile device to perform confidence checks and basic operator tasks such as verifying disk space or starting and stopping recording. This section describes procedures for the following topics: ...
Page 272 Use the mobile version of Epiphan Connect Epiphan has iOS and Android versions of the Epiphan Connect discovery utility. The mobile versions of the discovery utility automatically open the tablet interface when connecting to the Networked VGA Grid for administration.
Page 273: Confidence Monitoring Using The Tablet Interface
2. Launch Epiphan Connect; the application searches your network and shows you a list of available Epiphan systems. 3. Find your system in the list. If you have several Epiphan systems, look for the serial number of the one to which you'd like to connect.
Page 274 Networked VGA Grid User Confidence monitoring using the tablet interface Guide 4. For encoders with audio input that is enabled on a channel, the encoder's audio source is added to the source list, named by the channel number it is part of. If audio is coming through, the level is shown next to the source name in the audio input bar.
Page 275: Verify Disk Space Via The Tablet Interface
Networked VGA Grid User Verify disk space via the tablet interface Guide Verify disk space via the tablet interface The INFO section of the tablet interface lets you know the firmware version, serial number and IP Address of your system. It also shows you the currently available disk space. To monitor inputs: 1.
Page 276: Switch To The Full Admin Interface
Networked VGA Grid User Switch to the full admin interface Guide 4. Find the channel or recorder from the list under CHANNELS. (The names of the channels and recorders match the names set in the full admin interface.) 5. Click the down arrow in the row for the desired channel or recorder. 6.
Page 277: Power Down And System Restart
Networked VGA Grid User Power down and system restart Guide Power down and system restart This section covers the following topics: Restarting the device via the web interface Shutting down the device via the web interface Shutting down the device manually Restarting the device via the web interface Networked VGA Grid's web interface allows you to reboot the system.
Page 278: Shutting Down The Device Via The Web Interface
Networked VGA Grid User Shutting down the device via the web interface Guide Shutting down the device via the web interface The Networked VGA Grid web interface allows you to shut down the system. To shut down the system: 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface.
Page 279 Networked VGA Grid User Shutting down the device manually Guide If the system is unresponsive, press and hold the power button for 4 seconds to force an immediate power down.
Page 280: Save And Restore Device Configuration
Networked VGA Grid User Save and restore device configuration Guide Save and restore device configuration After completing configuration of your Networked VGA Grid, it is good practice to save the system configuration so you may restore it at a later date (i.e. after a change that wasn’t wanted, or after a factory reset).
Page 281: Load A Saved Device Configuration
Networked VGA Grid User Load a saved device configuration Guide 5. Save the file in a secure location. 6. Rename your saved configuration file to indicate the specifics of the configuration, if desired. Load a saved device configuration After making changes to the system configuration, you may find that the results are not what you expected or that they serve a different need and you wish to return to a previous configuration.
Page 282 Networked VGA Grid User Load a saved device configuration Guide 6. Click the Restore button; the system configuration is restored and a new page appears asking you to reboot the system. 7. Reboot the system by clicking the link in the message on the web page, or by using the power button on the system;...
Page 283: Perform Factory Reset
Networked VGA Grid User Perform factory reset Guide Perform factory reset If you’ve been testing with your Networked VGA Grid and are ready to reset it back to factory settings, you can do this through the web interface. This section covers the following topics: ...
Page 284: Restore Factory Configuration Manually
Networked VGA Grid User Restore factory configuration manually Guide 4. Click the Reset button next to Factory Reset; a warning dialog appears asking you to confirm this destructive action. 5. Click OK on the warning dialog; the system resets to factory defaults and reboots. 6.
Page 285 Networked VGA Grid User Restore factory configuration manually Guide To manually restore the factory configuration: 1. Power down the system, if it is on. 2. Disconnect the power to the system. 3. Press and hold the Factory Reset button on the front of the system while you restore power to the system;...
Page 286: Firmware Upgrade
Check for firmware updates When you register your product with Epiphan you are given a choice to be notified by email of firmware updates for your system. If you selected this choice, you will be notified of updates applicable to the Networked VGA Grid.
Page 287: Install Firmware
Save and restore device configuration. 4. Select the Firmware Upgrade link in the Configuration menu; the firmware upgrade page opens. 5. Click the check for updates link next to your current firmware version; the system connects to Epiphan servers to look for updates.
Page 288 Although unexpected, it is possible the firmware update fails. In this case, collect system information such as device serial number and, if known, the previous firmware version along with the new firmware version and contact info@epiphan.com Install firmware from a file Before getting started, ensure you have the firmware file accessible from your admin computer.
Page 289 13. Verify that the firmware version is the expected new version. Although unexpected, it is possible the firmware update fails. In this case, collect system information such as device serial number and, if known, the previous firmware version along with the new firmware version and contact info@epiphan.com...
Page 290: Support
(Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm Eastern) Call: 1-877-599-6581 / 613-599-6581 From time to time, Epiphan support may ask you for logs from your system. Follow the instructions in this section to download the log files for support. Download logs and "allinfo"...
Page 291 Networked VGA Grid User Download logs and "allinfo" Guide 1. Connect to the admin interface using your preferred connection mechanism. See Connect to the admin interface. 2. Login as admin. 3. Select the Maintenance link in the Configuration menu; the maintenance page opens. 4.
Page 292: Configure Remote Support
Remote support is configured by default to connect to the Epiphan maintenance server with the domain name epiphany.epiphan.com. The system must be able to resolve this domain name to connect to the server and permit remote support. Remote support uses port 30, therefore this port must be available for communication.
Page 293: Disable Remote Support
b. Type epiphany.epiphan.com Network Diagnostics box. c. Click ping. d. Ensure the result shows an IP address for epiphany.epiphan.com and report any packet loss to Epiphan support. 10. If the system cannot reach the maintenance server, check the network settings (see...
Page 294 3. Select the Maintenance link in the Configuration menu; the maintenance page opens. 4. Click Enable remote support check box to deselect it. This prevents incoming links from Epiphan. 5. Click Enable connection to maintenance server to deselect it. This prevents outgoing links to Epiphan.
Page 295: Storage Disk Maintenance
Networked VGA Grid User Storage disk maintenance Guide Storage disk maintenance Your Networked VGA Grid is equipped with one or more hard drives for storage of recordings. Occasionally, maintenance is required for these disks. This section describes procedures for the following topics: ...
Page 296: Schedule Disk Check
Networked VGA Grid User Schedule disk check Guide 4. If available storage is low, take action to remove files as discussed in Recorded files File and recording transfer. Schedule disk check A disk maintenance schedule is used to check the system storage drives for errors. Two values are supplied, one to specify the number of system restarts that should occur before disk check, and the second to specify the number of months before performing a disk check.
Page 297: Rebuild Or Replace Storage Disks
Do not interrupt power to the system during the disk check. 5. When the disk check is complete, the main page returns and a summary is shown. 6. If any unrecoverable errors are detected, contact Epiphan support. Rebuild or replace storage disks The rackmount Networked VGA Grid can be optionally configured with storage configured in a RAID array.
Page 298 Networked VGA Grid User Rebuild or replace storage disks Guide When working with RAID arrays it is important to keep the disks in sets that contain the same data so the RAID will continue to perform. For that reason you should name your disk sets, i.e. set A, set B, etc. If you need to revert from a multiple-disk RAID array to a single storage drive, all recordings must be copied off Networked VGA Grid and the other drive need to be completely removed from the system.
Page 299 Networked VGA Grid User Rebuild or replace storage disks Guide b. If two or more drives are detected, you are prompted to select a type of RAID array.
Page 300 Networked VGA Grid User Rebuild or replace storage disks Guide Table 39 RAID Array Types Label Description Diagram Block level striping writes data across multiple disks in parallel. This configuration divides the storage between multiple drives; provides read/write performance RAID 0 improvements but does not provide fault tolerance.
Page 301 4. When the rebuild is complete, the message box indicates whether or not it was successful. 5. In the unlikely event that the rebuild was not successful, you may try it again, and if still not successful, contact Epiphan support.
Page 302: Verify Raid Storage
Networked VGA Grid User Verify RAID storage Guide Verify RAID storage The rackmount Networked VGA Grid can be optionally configured with storage configured in a RAID array. Use the strategies described here to determine if you are using a RAID array and if it is in good health. To check if the disks are configured for RAID: 1.
Page 303 Networked VGA Grid User Verify RAID storage Guide 3. Scroll to the Internal Storage section at the bottom of the menus on the left side of the page. 4. If the RAID configuration is sound, the internal storage section reports statistics for the storage, but shows no errors.
Page 304: Read Data From Removed Storage Disks
Networked VGA Grid User Read data from removed storage disks Guide Read data from removed storage disks Networked VGA Grid storage drives use an ext4 file system and can only be read with a computer running Linux. If using multiple drives and one of the drives fails or is removed, then the RAID needs to be rebuilt.
Page 305 Networked VGA Grid User Read data from removed storage disks Guide sudo mdadm -D /dev/md0 7. Verify that the output is similar to this, with the disk in a clean state and the correct RAID level indicated: (Only one disk is used in the example. If you are using multiple disks, the output will be a bit different.) /dev/md0: Version : 1.2 Creation Time : Thu Jan 16 12:55:36 2014...
Page 306: Third Party Integration
Networked VGA Grid User Third party integration Guide Third party integration Networked VGA Grid has a comprehensive set of APIs to allow integration with third party tools. You can use either the HTTP or RS-232 commands to configure your system exactly how you need it. For example you can start and stop recordings, you can configure meta data on a channel, or even change a channel's frame size and encoding settings.
Page 307: Control With Rs-232 / Serial Port
To connect your control equipment to the Networked VGA Grid you will need a standard RS-232 null-modem cable and a USB to RS-232 serial adapter cable. Adapter cables are not included with the Networked VGA Grid. Only certain adapter chipsets are supported, Epiphan recommends this adapter cable from Startech.
Page 308 Networked VGA Grid User Control with RS-232 / serial port Guide Label Description / Options control. Select this when your control terminal requires it (see control terminal manual). A software handshake that uses XON/XOFF characters to control the flow of data. Select this Software when your control terminal requires it (see control terminal manual).
Page 309 Networked VGA Grid User Control with RS-232 / serial port Guide The table describes the RS-232 commands supported by the Networked VGA Grid. Table 41 Supported RS-232 Commands Command Name Description Recording Commands Starts recording for the provided channel or recorder. This can alternatively be accomplished with the following set commands: START.<channel>...
Page 310 Networked VGA Grid User Control with RS-232 / serial port Guide Command Name Description use the Motion JPEG codec). Snapshots are saved with recording files on the system. Configuration Commands (see Configuration keys for third party APIs for available keys) GET.<channel>.<key> Gets the saved value of a given parameter for the specified channel or recorder. GET.<recorder>.<key>...
Page 311 Networked VGA Grid User Control with RS-232 / serial port Guide Table 42 RS-232 Status Changed Messages Command Name Description Provides the status of the recording service for the channel's as one of: Running Stopped STATUS.<channel> <status> Uninitialized The Uninitialized status is sent when there is an internal error.
Page 312 Networked VGA Grid User Control with RS-232 / serial port Guide GET.2.framesize 5. To set the frame size (resolution) on channel 2, enclose the parameter in quotes to preserve the spaces: SET.2.framesize="640 x 480" SAVECFG 6. To enable broadcasting audio on channel 2: SET.2.audio=on SAVECFG 7.
Page 313: Control With Http Commands
Networked VGA Grid User Control with HTTP commands Guide Control with HTTP commands Networked VGA Grid has an HTTP API interface for configuration and control by a third party application or with a script that sends commands to the system as a series of URLs. This section covers the following topics: ...
Page 314 Networked VGA Grid User Control with HTTP commands Guide http://<address>/admin/channel<N>/get_params.cgi?key (or for recorders, add 'm' before the recorder number, i.e. channelm1 for recorder 1) http://<address>/admin/channelm<N>/get_params.cgi?key To Set configuration settings: http://<address>/admin/channel<N>/set_params.cgi?key=value (or for recorders, add 'm' before the recorder number, i.e. channelm1 for recorder 1) http://<address>/admin/channelm<N>/get_params.cgi?key Where <address>...
Page 315 Networked VGA Grid User Control with HTTP commands Guide wget --http-user=admin --http-passwd=<password> http://<address>/admin/channel<N>/get_ params.cgi?<key>[&<key>] set_param using wget: wget --http-user=admin --http-passwd=<password> http://<address>/admin/channel<N>/set_ params.cgi?<key>=<value>[&<key>=<value>] HTTP command examples Some configuration of the Networked VGA Grid can be done by non-interactive http commands. The following examples demonstrate how to use wget to exercise some of the HTTP commands supported by the system.
Page 316 Networked VGA Grid User Control with HTTP commands Guide 5. To start recording on recorder 2: wget --http-user=admin --http-passwd=pass123 http://192.30.23.45/admin/channelm2/set_ params.cgi?rec_enabled=on...
Page 317: Configuration Keys For Third Party Apis
Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Configuration keys for third party APIs Using HTTP or RS-232, you can send commands to the system to query or configure the system. For the RS- 232 and HTTP syntax see Control with RS-232 / serial port Control with HTTP commands.
Page 318 The product’s name. Useful to confirm you are communicating with the right product_name String product or for debugging purposes. The value is read-only. Name of the vendor. vendor Epiphan Video The value is always “Epiphan Video”. The value is read-only.
Page 319 To enable firmware update checking, set to on. enabled empty string ("") To disable firmware update checking, set to an empty string (""). To give this system a name in the Epiphan discovery utility, description string specify a description string.
Page 320 Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Values Description Time limit value is returned in the same unit of time in which it was entered in the admin web interface. (e.g. if you configured the parameter in the admin web interface to be 6h, the command will return "6" accordingly).
Page 321 Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Values Description empty string("") UPnP configuration keys The following settings are supported for UPnP streaming. Table 48 Supported UPnP Streaming Configuration Keys Values Description Enables sharing of recorded files via UPnP. share_archive To enable sharing files over UPnP, set to on. empty string ("") To disable sharing files over UPnP, set to an empty string ("").
Page 322 0 is brightest, 63 is darkest. Specifies phase adjustments for VGA signals. Generally not phase 0...31 used unless value is provided by Epiphan support. Specifies PLL adjustment. -999...999 Changes the number of pixels in the line. Specifies the number of seconds between auto-adjustments.
Page 323 Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Values Description 1000...65535, Specifies the port used for streaming. Note port 5557 is used streamport but not 5557 for network discovery and cannot be used for streaming. Overrides the global stream access settings or uses global stream access settings.
Page 324 Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Values Description 1152 x 864 1280 x 720 1280 x 768 1280 x 960 1280 x 1024 1360 x 768 1360 x 1024 1600 x 1200 1920 x 1200 2048 x 2048 2560 x 1600 Enables or disables the “No Signal”...
Page 325 Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Values Description For High profile, select 100. qvalue 0...100 Specifies quality for M-JPEG videos. Channel layout configuration keys The following settings are channel layout configuration. To work with layouts, you need to know the integer identifier for the layout. To find your layout's identifier, select the layout from the web UI and look for the identifier in the browser's url bar.
Page 326 Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Values Description type. Formats timestamps displayed in streams. timelabel string Configure date and time for details on the values used for date/time setting. Specifies the background color for video outside bgcolor string (format: RRGGBB) the picture in picture modes.
Page 327 What is streaming?. Table 56 Supported Stream Publishing Configuration Keys Values Description 0 (do not publish) 1 (via Epiphan.tv) 2 (RTSP Announce) 3 (multicast RTP/UDP) 4 (multicast MPEG-TS publish_type Specifies the type of stream publishing, if any. over UDP) 5 (multicast MPEG-TS...
Page 328 Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Values Description Cloud) 8 (Original Livestream) RTSP announce configuration keys (Publish type 2) The following settings are supported when the publish type is set to RTSP Announce. For more information on RTSP and these settings, see What is streaming?.
Page 329 Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Values Description Specifies the UDP port for RTP/UDP audio streaming. Note 1000...65535, unicast_aport port 5557 is used for network discovery and cannot be used but not 5557 for streaming. Specifies the UDP port for RTP/UDP video streaming. Note port 1000...65535, unicast_vport 5557 is used for network discovery and cannot be used for...
Page 330 Networked VGA Grid User Configuration keys for third party APIs Guide Values Description used for streaming. announce_ Specifies the username for the RTMP server. Value is provided string username by the RTMP server. Content metadata configuration keys The following keys are available for configuration of the content's metadata. Table 61 Supported Content Metadata Configuration Keys Values...
Page 331: Troubleshooting
Networked VGA Grid User Troubleshooting Guide Troubleshooting Use the follow table for help if you are experiencing problems or unexpected behavior from your Networked VGA Grid. Problem Action(s) to Resolve Not sure if the connected video inputs Check each source's input from the source preview in the Web are being captured.
Page 332 If you still cannot see the stream, try disabling your local computer firewall. If the issue is still not resolved, contact Epiphan Support at support@epiphan.com. The following tips can help diagnose image problems: 1. Ensure the source resolution is used as the output or recorded resolution.
Page 333: Limitations And Known Issues
The automatically calculated frame size for HD VGA sources is occasionally incorrect. Workaround: This problem is caused due to cable degradation or poor cable connection. Re-seat or exchange your VGA cable. If the problem is still not resolved, visit the Epiphan Pearl support page for a custom EDID to resolve the issue.
Page 334 Affecting the web interface It is possible to name two or more channels with the same value. Use of automatic file transfer and UPnP is unpredictable if this occurs. Workaround: Ensure each channel has a unique name. The automatic file upload (AFU) file queue shows a maximum of 15 files, Newer 15 and Top of the list buttons do not work.
Page 335: Previous Releases And Features
Previous releases and features This section outlines the features introduced with previous product release. Release 3.14.4 features Live Streaming via Wowza Cloud Release 3.14.3 features Configuration presets Stereo audio encoding Support for 256 kbps and 320 kbps audio sampling ...
Page 336 Visual stream feedback and simplified picture-in-picture layout Preservation of source aspect ratio Customizable stream background color (matte) Personalized stream metadata Introducing the mobile / tablet operator interface Discovery of Epiphan devices Mobile tethering...
Page 337: Software And Documentation License
Agreement, (ii) are packaged with this Agreement, or (iii) pre-installed on Epiphan products, or (iv) embed this Agreement in their installer(s) and which are installed after acceptance of this Agreement, and which binary and/or bytecode software programs include any Documentation; and “You”...
Page 338 Software and Documentation are granted only for use in conjunction with Epiphan hardware. You shall not distribute, lease, rent, grant a security interest in, assign, or otherwise transfer the Software except as expressly provided in this Agreement. You shall not modify or create any derivatives works of the Software or merge all or any part of the Software with another program.
Page 339 6. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: NEITHER LICENSOR NOR ANY OF ITS LICENSORS, SUPPLIERS, SUBCONTRACTORS AND/OR DISTRIBUTORS SHALL HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING FROM THIS AGREEMENT, RELATING TO THE SOFTWARE OR DOCUMENTATION, OR RELATING TO ANY SERVICES PROVIDED TO YOU BY LICENSOR (INCLUDING ITS LICENSORS, SUPPLIERS, SUBCONTRACTORS AND/OR DISTRIBUTORS) IN RELATION TO THE SOFTWARE AND/OR DOCUMENTATION FOR ANY INDIRECT, RELIANCE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,...
Page 340 Software, Documentation or related information. 13. Intellectual Property: Epiphan is a trademark or a registered trademark of Epiphan Systems Inc. in certain countries. All Licensor product names and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epiphan Systems Inc.
Page 341 otherwise provide to any third party any portion of the Software, except as expressly permitted in this Agreement. 14. General: This Agreement is the entire agreement between You and Licensor in respect to the Software, superseding any other agreements or discussions, oral or written. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall prevail over any pre-printed terms on any quotes, orders, purchase orders, or purchase order acknowledgements, and shall prevail over any other communications between the parties in relation to the Software.
Page 342 Those who choose to access the Epiphan web site or use Epiphan products do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable...
Page 343 Notwithstanding this, application may be made to any court for a judicial acceptance of the award or order of enforcement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Epiphan shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief, security, or other equitable remedies from any court of competent jurisdiction.

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epiphan Networked VGA Grid User Manual

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PART 1: Setup

PART 2: Capture

PART 3: Stream

PART 4: Record

PART 5: Maintenance

Limitations and Known Issues

Previous Releases and Features

Software and Documentation License

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