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ViewCast Niagara 9100 Series User Manual

Streaming media system
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  • Page 1 ® Niagara 9100 Series User Guide...
  • Page 2 ViewCast Corporation is not responsible for any third-party license fees that may occur with the use of our products by an end user including but not limited to creating or distributing content.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Niagara 9100 series directional buttons ..................16 Niagara 9100 series home page ..................... 17 Menu bar commands ......................17 Niagara 9100 series browser windows flow .................. 19 Easy Setup ......................... 21 Web interface ..........................22 Easy first time set up ........................23 Connecting to an electrical power source ................
  • Page 4 Audio tab ..........................80 Output tab ..........................81 H.264 Presets tab ........................83 MPEG-4 Presets tab ......................... 84 MPEG-2 Presets tab ......................... 85 Microsoft Windows Media encoder with analog inputs ............... 86 Video tab ..........................87 Audio tab ..........................89 ViewCast...
  • Page 5 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Output tab ..........................90 DRM tab ........................... 93 Digital Inputs ........................95 Adaptive Apple HTTP encoder with digital inputs ................. 96 Video tab ..........................97 Audio tab ..........................101 Output tab ..........................102 Adaptive Adobe Flash encoder with digital inputs ..............104 Video tab ..........................
  • Page 6 Viewing the activity log ........................ 182 Viewing alerts..........................183 Connecting an external storage device..................184 Using the Niagara SCX web interface................... 184 SNMP ..........................185 External SNMP Manager ....................... 186 SNMP UDP Ports Used by SNMP Manager and SNMP Agents ............ 186 ViewCast...
  • Page 7 Install ViewCast SNMP Agent Service ..................187 Installing for the first time ..................... 187 Installing new version of ViewCast SNMP Agent Service ............190 Install and Configure Supero Doctor III Agent Service ..............192 Configure Supero Doctor III SNMP Agent Service ................ 193 Disable health monitoring for devices not in use ..............
  • Page 8 System status menu ........................233 CPU ............................233 Memory ..........................233 HDD ............................233 Operating System ........................233 Network I/F ..........................233 Monitor status menu ........................234 CPU&Mem Used ........................234 Up Time ..........................234 Index ..........................235 viii ViewCast...

  • Page 9: Before You Begin

    For the latest ViewCast product information and news, visit www.viewcast.com. Product description You can configure the Niagara 9100 with up to eight independent channels. The Niagara 9100 series systems support live Adaptive streaming to Adobe® Flash Media Server and Apple® (iPhone® and iPad®...

  • Page 10: Conventions For This Guide

    CAUTION! Use case sensitive possible damage to hardware or a commands to keep from destroying… system crash (without data loss). Provides information to ensure WARNING! Do not touch WARNING! you avoid potential injury, death, exposed wires. or permanent system damage. ViewCast...

  • Page 11: Rack Mount Safety Instructions

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Rack mount safety instructions Operating Temperature The operating ambient temperature of a rack environment may be greater than room ambient if installed in a closed or multi- unit rack assembly. Therefore, you should install the equipment in an environment compatible with the maximum ambient temperature of 40°...

  • Page 12: Fcc Notice

    WARNING! Modifications to this device not approved by ViewCast Corporation could void the FCC-granted authority for you to operate the device. WARNING! The Niagara 9100 series complies with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when you operate the equipment in a commercial environment.

  • Page 13: Installing Additional Software

    ViewCast Support can provide assistance should the system fail to start. In most cases, you can restore a system to operation without returning it to ViewCast. There is a fee in the event a user returns a system due to applications the user installed or if the system failed because the primary partition (drive C) is full.

  • Page 14: Environmental Notices

    Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, Directive 2002/95/EC, the RoHS directive. This product supplied to the European Union does comply with the RoHS directive. ViewCast certifies that this equipment shipped to the European Union conforms to the 2002/95/EC directive.

  • Page 15: Warnings

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Warnings Only trained and qualified personnel should install, replace, or service this system. Do not attempt to open the case of the system. If you do so, you incur a high risk of electrical shock that may cause damage to the system or personal physical injury or death to you and/or others.
  • Page 16  A dropped system ViewCast assumes no liability or responsibility for any damaged system that clients continue using. Use only attachments, accessories, or equipment specified by the manufacturer with the system. Using accessories or attachments not recommended by the encoder manufacturer voids the Limited Warranty.

  • Page 17: Overview

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Overview Before you can use your Niagara 9100 series streaming media system, you first need to set up and configure it. This chapter is dedicated to providing you with the details and step-by-step instructions you need to make your installation as quick-and-easy as possible.

  • Page 18: Install Overview

     Software Niagara product CD If any components are missing or damaged, do not continue with the installation. Contact the ViewCast reseller from which you purchased your Niagara system for assistance in obtaining any missing parts or for parts replacement.

  • Page 19: System Requirements

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide System requirements Ensure your computer meets the following system requirements.  Browser interface  Any Firefox or Internet Explorer (IE)-based computer, workstation, or laptop that interfaces to a dynamic host configuration protocol/domain name server (DHCP/DNS)- compatible network ...

  • Page 20: Niagara 9100 Series Front Panel

    Overview Niagara 9100 series front panel You should familiarize yourself with the front panel controls for the Niagara 9100 series. Remove the front panel to access additional functionality such as USB ports and the power button. Figure 2 and the table below illustrate the buttons and lights that constitute the front panel functions.
  • Page 21 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide  Fast blinking red – fan failure  Slow blinking red – power failure  Solid red – CPU overheat  Solid blue – Local UID button depressed  Blinking blue – IPMI-activated UID Press the reset button to reboot the system.

  • Page 22: Niagara 9100 Series Back Panel

    Overview Niagara 9100 series back panel Figure 3 illustrates all connectors and other components of the Niagara 9100 series back panel. The connectors vary depending on the Osprey capture card installed. Figure 3 depicts the Niagara 9100-2D model. Figure 3. Niagara 9100 series back panel Provides system power.

  • Page 23: Connecting The System

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Connecting the system The following steps refer to a direct connection to the Niagara 9100 series systems only. Note: The redundant models include hot swappable power supply modules. To connect the system: Connect the appropriate video and audio connectors (item J on Figure 3).

  • Page 24: Niagara 9100 Series Directional Buttons

    Niagara 9100 series directional buttons The Niagara 9100 series directional buttons (Figure 5) are located on front panel. The buttons direct the system menu that is also on the front panel. The menu allows you to view the status of the system and monitor.

  • Page 25: Niagara 9100 Series Home Page

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Niagara 9100 series home page The home page (Figure 6) is the first page presented after you log into the Niagara SCX remote management software. From this page, you can access the different windows for configuring, controlling, and monitoring the activities and alerts of the Niagara system.
  • Page 26 View Alerts – View all alerts including the time and date of each alert.  Product Registration – Register your Niagara Maintenance system to protect your investment.  Log Out Log out of the system and return to the login screen. ViewCast...

  • Page 27: Niagara 9100 Series Browser Windows Flow

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Niagara 9100 series browser windows flow Figure 7 shows the interrelationship and flow of the available configuration windows you may use to configure the Niagara 9100 system. Figure 7. Niagara 9100 series browser windows ViewCast...
  • Page 28 Overview ViewCast...

  • Page 29: Easy Setup

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Easy Setup You should perform most setup and operations by accessing the web interface from a computer that resides on the same network as your Niagara system. The web interface provides the ability to control your Niagara system remotely from a computer that can be rooms or continents away from the system if both your Niagara system and the computer have Internet access to communicate with each other.

  • Page 30: Web Interface

    All Encoders including Encoder Properties o Groups  Configuration o Niagara Properties o Alerts including Settings o Network Properties o IP Route o System Configuration  Status o Activity Log o Alerts  Maintenance o Product Registration  Log Out ViewCast...

  • Page 31: Easy First Time Set Up

    Do not continue with the installation if you find any components missing or damaged. Contact the ViewCast reseller where you purchased your Niagara system for assistance in obtaining any missing or replacement parts.

  • Page 32: Performing The Initial Startup

    Easy Setup Performing the initial startup The steps in the following table refer to a direct connection to the Niagara 9100 series systems only. To perform the initial startup: Ensure that you connect all devices (power cords, cables, audio/video sources, etc.) to the system.
  • Page 33 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide The first time you start the Niagara 9100 and log in, the system prompts you for the date, time, and video standard. You may accept the default date, time, and video standard or enter your desired date, time, and video standard (Figure 9).

  • Page 34: Registering Your Product

    Product Registration page  ViewCast website  ViewCast Support help desk (Call 972-488-7157 and provide the serial number and SKU.) To register online: Access the Product Registration page: Click Maintenance  Product Registration. The Product Registration page displays (Figure 11).
  • Page 35 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide To register at viewcast.com: Access the Product Registration page: Click Maintenance  Product Registration. The Product Registration page displays (Figure 11). Note: The default is Register the product online. Click Register the product on another computer or over the phone.
  • Page 36 Enter your name and contact information in the spaces provided. Figure 13. Contact information Select the type of product. The serial number and SKU are automatically populated. Figure 14. Product information Click Submit. After a few seconds, a confirmation message displays. ViewCast...

  • Page 37: Connecting To An Ip Network

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Connecting to an IP network Some Niagara 9100 series systems have two 1 Gbit network interface ports and some have redundant IP connections. The network settings for these ports default to dynamically obtain an IP address from a DHCP server on the network.

  • Page 38: Basic Operations

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Basic Operations Basic operations include but are not limited to the following:  Creating an encoder  Viewing all encoder  Starting an encoder  Editing an encoder  Stopping an encoder Logging in To log in: Locate the serial number on the side or bottom of the system (in the format fe11430001).
  • Page 39 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Press Log In. The Niagara 9100 Welcome window and menu bar appear (Figure 18). Figure 18. Welcome window ViewCast...

  • Page 40: Creating An Encoder

    To use the same properties from another encoder, enable Clone Properties From. Select the Encoder Name from the drop-down list. Click Create New Encoder. The steps for configuring the encoder vary according to the inputs. Follow the steps for the desired inputs referring to the information for that encoder. ViewCast...

  • Page 41: Viewing All Encoders

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Viewing all encoders The Encoders window provides a list of the encoders loaded on the Niagara 9100 series system. On the home page, click Encoders  All Encoders. Figure 21. Encoders window Click this link to edit the encoder properties, streaming settings, and advanced streaming settings.

  • Page 42: Starting An Encoder

    Messages appear detailing the encoder start progress (Figure 23). Figure 23. Encoder status The Encoders window appears with the encoder status updated and the streaming indicator changes to a blue circle Started icon (Figure 24). Figure 24. Encoders window ViewCast...

  • Page 43: Stopping An Encoder

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Stopping an encoder To stop an encoder, on the home page click Encoders  All Encoders. To stop an encoder: Click the blue circle (started) icon of the encoder you wish to stop streaming (Figure 25).

  • Page 44: Connecting An External Storage Device

    Connecting an external storage device The Niagara 9100 series systems have two USB ports on the front panel and two on the back panel. You can connect almost any standard USB device to one or both of these ports. You can then export any audiovisual files you may have created on the system’s local storage drive.

  • Page 45: Analog Inputs

    The web interface works with any computer that has a current web browser (Internet Explorer and Firefox), including Windows®, Macintosh®, and Linux® machines. For the best user experience, ViewCast recommends Internet Explorer. The system must reside either on a shared IP network with the computer or directly connected to a Microsoft®...

  • Page 46: Adaptive Apple Http Live Streaming Encoder With Analog Inputs

    Start Apple HTTP Live Streaming Encoder link in the top right corner of the window. IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Save Settings. Otherwise, all your changes will be lost. Figure 28. Adaptive Apple HTTP Live streaming encoder ViewCast...

  • Page 47: Video Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Video tab Use the following table to configure the video analog input settings for an Adaptive Apple HTTP live streaming encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down lists may vary. Figure 29. Video tab To configure video settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.
  • Page 48 Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and SECAM video. The system disables Auto and Inverse Telecine choices when you select either PAL or SECAM as the video standard. Select Add Statistics to overlay video statistics within the video stream for diagnostic purposes. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 49: Adaptive Encoder Video Stream Table

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Adaptive encoder video stream table The adaptive encoder video stream table (Figure 33) contains five default streams. You can add a new stream, edit, delete, disable, and set which stream the player will use first. You can sort each column by clicking on the column heading.
  • Page 50 Click this link to disable this stream. The settings are still visible but appear to be “crossed out.” Initial Click this link to have the player use this stream first. The settings for the initial stream appear in bold. ViewCast...

  • Page 51: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio analog input settings for an Adaptive Apple encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down lists may vary. Figure 35. Audio tab To configure audio settings: In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.

  • Page 52: Output Tab

    Accept the default location that displays in the Folder field or choose your own location for the file. To choose your own personal location, select the link (horizontal ellipses or … ) to the right of the Folder field to display the options. ViewCast...
  • Page 53 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles. Figure 37. Select a folder WARNING! You can only save media files to drive D. check drive properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity.

  • Page 54: Adaptive Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Encoder With Analog Inputs

    Start Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Encoder link in the top right corner of the window. IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Save Settings. Otherwise, all your changes will be lost. Figure 38. Adaptive Flash Dynamic streaming encoder ViewCast...

  • Page 55: Video Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Video tab Use the following table to configure the video analog input settings for an Adaptive Adobe Flash dynamic streaming encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down lists may vary. Figure 39. Video tab To configure video settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.
  • Page 56 Select Embed Timecode to enable embed system time as timecode. This action tags individual video frames with timecode data. This feature should be used if embedded timecode is required but your capture device cannot generate it. Specify the Frame Interval at which timecode should be embedded into the video stream in ViewCast...
  • Page 57 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide the Frame Interval field. 0=disabled The range is 1 to 30 frames. Click Save Settings. Encoder video stream table The adaptive encoder video stream table (Figure 43) contains five default streams. You can add a new stream, edit, delete, disable, and set which stream the player will use first.
  • Page 58 Click this link to change the settings for a particular stream. Click Update to accept the changes. Note: Click Cancel to stop this action. Click this link to delete the stream. Disable Click this link to disable this stream. The settings are still visible but appear to be “crossed out.” ViewCast...

  • Page 59: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio analog input settings for an Adaptive Adobe Flash dynamic streaming encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down lists may vary. Figure 45. Audio tab To configure audio settings: In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.

  • Page 60: Output Tab

    Folder field and display the options (Figure 47). Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles. See Connecting an external storage device for instructions on saving video files to a USB storage device. Figure 47. Select a folder ViewCast...
  • Page 61 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide WARNING! You can only save media files to drive D. Check drive properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity. A better practice would be to use a Flash Media server to save a file or to save it to a remote drive.

  • Page 62: Adaptive Microsoft Smooth Streaming Encoder With Analog Inputs

    Start Microsoft Smooth Streaming Encoder link in the top right corner of the window. IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Save Settings. Otherwise, all your changes will be lost. Figure 48. Microsoft Smooth Streaming encoder ViewCast...

  • Page 63: Video Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Video tab Use the following table to configure the video analog input settings for an Adaptive Microsoft Smooth Streaming encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down lists may vary. Figure 49. Video tab To configure video settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.
  • Page 64 SECAM video. The system disables Auto and Inverse Telecine choices when you select either PAL or SECAM as the video standard. Select Add Statistics to overlay video statistics within the video stream for diagnostic purposes. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...
  • Page 65 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Adaptive encoder video stream table The adaptive encoder video stream table (Figure 53) contains five default streams. You can add a new stream, edit, delete, disable, and set which stream the player will use first. You can sort each column by clicking on the column heading.
  • Page 66 Click this link to change the settings for a particular stream. Click Update to accept the changes. Note: Click Cancel to stop this action. Click this link to delete the stream. Disable Click this link to disable this stream. The settings are still visible but appear to be “crossed out.” ViewCast...

  • Page 67: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio analog input settings for an Adaptive Microsoft Smooth Streaming encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down lists may vary. Figure 55. Audio tab To configure audio settings: In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.

  • Page 68: Output Tab

    Click Stream to File System. Accept the default location that displays in the Folder field or choose your own location for the file. To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or … ) to the ViewCast...
  • Page 69 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide right of the Folder field and display the options (Figure 57). Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles. See Connecting an external storage device for instructions on saving video files to a USB storage device.

  • Page 70: Adobe Flash H.264 Encoder With Analog Inputs

    Start Flash Encoder link in the top right corner of the window. IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Save Settings. Otherwise, all your changes will be lost. Figure 58. Flash encoder ViewCast...

  • Page 71: Video Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Video tab Use the following table to configure the video analog input settings for a Flash encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 59. Video tab To configure video settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.
  • Page 72 Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and SECAM video. The system disables Auto and Inverse Telecine choices when you select either PAL or SECAM as the video standard. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 73: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio analog input settings for a Flash encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 63. Audio tab To configure audio settings: In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.

  • Page 74: Output Tab

    To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or … ) to the right of the File Name field and display the options (Figure 65). Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles with a default file name of ViewCast...
  • Page 75 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide capture.f4v. Figure 65. Select a folder WARNING! You can only save media files to drive D. Check drive properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity. A better practice would be to use the streaming server to save a file or to save it to a remote drive.

  • Page 76: H.264 Presets

    Click the Restore Defaults link at the bottom of the window to return the settings to the defaults. Note: The database has multiple properties for each preset. Clicking Restore Defaults for one property will change all properties to the default settings. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 77: Avi Encoder With Analog Inputs

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide AVI encoder with analog inputs To create an encoder, Encoders  All Encoders  Create New Encoder link  Encoder Name field. When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The steps for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical.

  • Page 78: Video Tab

    When you click Custom, two additional fields appear so you can enter the exact size you want the resulting video to be (Figure 69). Note: The size in the Width and Height fields must be divisible by 2. Figure 69. Custom fields Select the Format from the drop-down list. Enter the Frame Rate. ViewCast...
  • Page 79 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Drag the sliders to adjust the Brightness, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation (Figure 70). Figure 70. Video Filter Settings Note: Click Restore to the right of the filter to reset the settings to the default. Click the De-Interlace setting you want to apply (Figure 71). Options include: ...

  • Page 80: Audio Tab

    Select the Overlay Closed Caption check box to enable overlay closed captions. Field 1 CC 1 is the default setting. Click the Audio Format from the drop-down list. Drag the sliders to adjust the Left Volume and Right Volume. (Optional) Select Mute Audio to silence audio. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 81: Output Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Output tab Use the following table to configure the output analog input settings for an AVI encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 73. Output tab To configure output settings: You can: ...
  • Page 82 A better practice would be to use the streaming server to save a file or to save it to a remote drive. If you fill all available space, you risk losing your stream during a streaming event. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 83: Mpeg4 Encoder With Analog Inputs

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide MPEG4 encoder with analog inputs To create an encoder, Encoders  All Encoders  Create New Encoder link  Encoder Name field. When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The steps for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical.

  • Page 84: Video Tab

    Note: The size in the Width and Height fields must be divisible by 2. Figure 77. Custom fields IMPORTANT! Ensure all of the encoders using the same video Proportion and Size settings also use the same Video and Audio Source settings. For example, all encoders capturing at ViewCast...
  • Page 85 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Standard proportion and CIF size are set to Video Device 1.1 while encoders capturing at Standard proportion but QCIF resolution are set to Video Device 1.2. Click the type of Video Encoder for Internet video, mobile phones, set top boxes, and create media files for other MPEG-4 compatible devices such as iPods according to the Motion Picture Expert Group (MPEG) types (refer to Table 1 and Table 2).
  • Page 86 This setting creates an MPEG-4 stream stored in a 3GP container. MPEG4 – 3G2 This setting creates an MPEG-4 stream stored in a 3G2 container. H263 – 3GP This setting creates an H.263 stream stored in a 3GP container. ViewCast...
  • Page 87 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide H263 – 3G2 This setting creates an H.263 stream stored in a 3G2 container. Table 2. Valid output container selections for video encoder types Container H.263 Video MPEG-4 Video H.264 Video MPEG-2   ...

  • Page 88: Audio Tab

    AAC achieves better audio quality than MP3. AAC and MP3 are MPEG standards. Click the Bitrate. Drag the sliders to adjust the Left Volume and Right Volume. (Optional) Select Mute Audio to silence audio. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 89: Output Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Output tab Use the following table to configure the output analog input settings for an MPEG4 encoder. Note: This tab is dynamic depending upon which encoder you select on the Video tab. The choices in the drop-down list may vary.
  • Page 90 If you fill all available space, you risk losing your stream during a streaming event. Click the Container Type. Select Enable Injection to inject and SDP file onto your server. Enter the username and password. Enter the Server SDP File Name. Enter the Server Port Number. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 91: H.264 Presets Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide H.264 Presets tab Each preset contains properties that you can modify. Use the following table to configure the H.264 presets analog input settings for an MPEG4 encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary.

  • Page 92: Mpeg-4 Presets Tab

    Click the Restore Defaults link at the bottom of the window to return the settings to the default. Note: The database has multiple properties for each preset. Clicking Restore Defaults for one property will change all properties to the default settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 93: Mpeg-2 Presets Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide MPEG-2 Presets tab Each preset contains properties that you can modify. Use the following table to configure the MPEG-2 presets analog input settings for an MPEG2 encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary.

  • Page 94: Microsoft Windows Media Encoder With Analog Inputs

    Start Windows Media Encoder link in the top right corner of the window. IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Save Settings. Otherwise, all your changes will be lost. Figure 86. Windows Media encoder ViewCast...

  • Page 95: Video Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Video tab Use the following table to configure the video analog input settings for a Windows Media encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 87. Video tab To configure video settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.
  • Page 96 Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and SECAM video. The system disables Auto and Inverse Telecine choices when you select either PAL or SECAM as the video standard. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 97: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio analog input settings for a Windows Media encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 91. Audio tab To configure audio settings: In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.

  • Page 98: Output Tab

    Windows Media Server. Use the pull method for testing. Use the push method for a wide distribution. Note: The more direct connections to the system, the more system resources are required. ViewCast does not recommend directly connecting players to the system. Streaming servers should connect to the system and, in turn, players should connect to the servers.
  • Page 99 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Figure 92. Output tab To configure output settings: Click on a Windows Media Capture Profile from the drop-down list. Select Enable Pull. Enter a port number that the server will use to pull the stream from the Niagara system.
  • Page 100 A better practice would be to use the streaming server to save a file or to save it to a remote drive. If you fill all available space, you risk losing your stream during a streaming event. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 101: Drm Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide DRM tab You can protect your content using a technology called Digital Rights Management (DRM). Niagara SCX allows you to encrypt your content with DRM technology while you are encoding. You can apply DRM while encoding to a file and when broadcasting a stream. Users are required to obtain a license to play to content.

  • Page 103: Digital Inputs

    The web interface works with any computer that has a current web browser (Internet Explorer and Firefox), including Windows®, Macintosh®, and Linux® machines. For the best user experience, ViewCast recommends Internet Explorer. The system must reside either on a shared IP network with the computer or directly connected to a Microsoft®...

  • Page 104: Adaptive Apple Http Encoder With Digital Inputs

    Start Apple HTTP Live Streaming Encoder link in the top right corner of the window. IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Save Settings. Otherwise, all your changes will be lost. Figure 95. Adaptive Apple HTTP Live streaming encoder ViewCast...

  • Page 105: Video Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Video tab Use the following table to configure the video digital input settings for an Adaptive Apple HTTP encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 96. Video tab To configure video settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.
  • Page 106 Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and SECAM video. The system disables Bob0 and Bob1 choices when you select either PAL or SECAM as the video standard. Select Add Statistics to overlay video statistics within the video stream for diagnostic purposes. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...
  • Page 107 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Adaptive encoder video stream table The adaptive encoder video stream table (Figure 100) contains five default streams. You can add a new stream, edit, delete, disable, and set which stream the player will use first. You can sort each column by clicking on the column heading.
  • Page 108 Click this link to disable this stream. The settings are still visible but appear to be “crossed out.” Initial Click this link to have the player use this stream first. The settings for the initial stream appear in bold. ViewCast...

  • Page 109: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio digital input settings for an Adaptive Apple HTTP encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 102. Audio tab To configure audio settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.

  • Page 110: Output Tab

    Enter the name of the Subfolder used in the network destination and/or the local file system full filename. Enter the name of the variant playlist file in the Filename field. Enter the Number of Segments Per Folder. Select Stream to File System to enable archiving content to the file system. ViewCast...
  • Page 111 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Accept the default location that displays in the Folder field or choose your own location for the file (Figure 104). To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or …) to the right of the Folder field to display the options.

  • Page 112: Adaptive Adobe Flash Encoder With Digital Inputs

    Start Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Encoder link in the top right corner of the window. IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Save Settings. Otherwise, all your changes will be lost. Figure 105. Adaptive Flash encoder ViewCast...

  • Page 113: Video Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Video tab Use the following table to configure the video digital input settings for an Adaptive Adobe Flash encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 106. Video tab To configure video settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.
  • Page 114 Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and SECAM video. The system disables Bob0 and Bob1 choices when you select either PAL or SECAM as the video standard. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 115: Adaptive Encoder Video Stream Table

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Adaptive encoder video stream table The adaptive encoder video stream table (Figure 110) contains four default streams. You can add a new stream, edit, delete, and disable. You can sort each column by clicking on the column heading.
  • Page 116 Click this link to change the settings for a particular stream. Click Update to accept the changes. Note: Click Cancel to stop this action. Click this link to delete the stream. Disable Click this link to disable this stream. The settings are still visible but appear to be “crossed out.” ViewCast...

  • Page 117: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio digital input settings for an Adaptive Adobe Flash encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 112. Audio tab To configure audio settings: In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.

  • Page 118: Output Tab

    Folder field and display the options (Figure 114). Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles. See Connecting an external storage device for instructions on saving video files to a USB storage device. Figure 114. Select a folder ViewCast...
  • Page 119 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide WARNING! You can only save media files to drive D. Check drive properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity. A better practice would be to use a Flash Media server to save a file or to save it to a remote drive.

  • Page 120: Adaptive Microsoft Smooth Streaming Encoder With Digital Inputs

    Start Microsoft Smooth Streaming Encoder link in the top right corner of the window. IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Save Settings. Otherwise, all your changes will be lost. Figure 115. Smooth Streaming encoder ViewCast...

  • Page 121: Video Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Video tab Use the following table to configure the video digital input settings for an Adaptive Microsoft Smooth Streaming encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down lists may vary. Figure 116. Video tab To configure video settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.
  • Page 122 Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and SECAM video. The system disables Bob0 and Bob1 choices when you select either PAL or SECAM as the video standard. Select Add Statistics to overlay video statistics within the video stream for diagnostic purposes. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...
  • Page 123 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Adaptive encoder video stream table The adaptive encoder video stream table (Figure 120) contains five default streams. You can add a new stream, edit, delete, disable, and set which stream the player will use first. You can sort each column by clicking on the column heading.
  • Page 124 Click this link to change the settings for a particular stream. Click Update to accept the changes. Note: Click Cancel to stop this action. Click this link to delete the stream. Disable Click this link to disable this stream. The settings are still visible but appear to be “crossed out.” ViewCast...

  • Page 125: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio digital input settings for an Adaptive Microsoft Smooth Streaming encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down lists may vary. Figure 122. Audio tab To configure audio settings: In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.

  • Page 126: Output Tab

    To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or … ) to the right of the Folder field and display the options (Figure 124). Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles. See Connecting an external ViewCast...
  • Page 127 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide storage device for instructions on saving video files to a USB storage device. Figure 124. Select a folder WARNING! You can only save media files to drive D. Check drive properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity.

  • Page 128: Adobe Flash H.264 Encoder With Digital Inputs

    Start Flash Encoder link in the top right corner of the window. IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Save Settings. Otherwise, all your changes will be lost. Figure 125. Flash encoder ViewCast...

  • Page 129: Video Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Video tab Use the following table to configure the video digital input settings for a Flash encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 126. Video tab To configure video settings: Select the video input Source from the drop-down list.
  • Page 130 Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and SECAM video. The system disables Bob0 and Bob1 choices when you select either PAL or SECAM as the video standard. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 131: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio digital input settings for a Flash encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 130. Audio tab To configure audio settings: In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.

  • Page 132: Output Tab

    To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or … ) to the right of the File Name field and display the options (Figure 132). Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles\ with a default filename of capture.f4v. ViewCast...
  • Page 133 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Figure 132. Select a folder WARNING! You can only save media files to drive D. Check drive properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity. A better practice would be to use the Flash Media server to save a file or to save it to a remote drive.

  • Page 134: H.264 Presets Tab

    Click the Restore Defaults link at the bottom of the window to return the settings to the defaults. Note: Each preset has multiple properties. Clicking Restore Defaults for one property will change all properties to the default settings. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 135: Avi Encoder With Digital Inputs

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide AVI encoder with digital inputs To create an encoder, Encoders  All Encoders  Create New Encoder link  Encoder Name field. When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The steps for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical.

  • Page 136: Video Tab

    When you click Custom, two additional fields appear so you can enter the exact size you want the resulting video to be (Figure 136). Note: The size in the Width and Height fields must be divisible by 2. Figure 136. Custom fields Select the Format from the drop-down list. Enter the Frame Rate. ViewCast...
  • Page 137 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Drag the sliders to adjust the Brightness, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation (Figure 137). Figure 137. Video Filter Settings Note: Click Restore to the right of the filter to reset the settings to the default. Click the De-Interlace setting you want to apply (Figure 138). Options include: ...

  • Page 138: Audio Tab

    Select the Overlay Closed Caption check box to enable overlay closed captions. Field 1 CC 1 is the default setting. Click the Audio Format from the drop-down list. Drag the sliders to adjust the Left Volume and Right Volume. (Optional) Select Mute Audio to silence audio. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 139: Output Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Output tab Use the following table to configure the output digital input settings for an AVI encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary. Figure 140. Output tab To configure output settings: You can: ...
  • Page 140 A better practice would be to use the streaming server to save a file or to save it to a remote drive. If you fill all available space, you risk losing your stream during a streaming event. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 141: Mpeg4 Encoder With Digital Inputs

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide MPEG4 encoder with digital inputs To create an encoder, Encoders  All Encoders  Create New Encoder link  Encoder Name field. When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The steps for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical.

  • Page 142: Video Tab

    IMPORTANT: Choose the container type (MP4, 3G2, TS, and 3GP) on the Output tab. If you select MPEG4 from the drop-down list, the MPEG-4 Presets tab displays (see MPEG4 Presets tab). The fields on the Video, Audio, and Output tabs will change depending on the type of video encoder you select. ViewCast...
  • Page 143 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide See TS Container for steps on streaming to a TS container. Enter the frames per second in the Frame Rate field. Enter the kilobits per second in the Bitrate field. In the Format field, indicate the color space format.
  • Page 144 This setting creates an MPEG-4 stream stored in a 3G2 container. H263 – 3GP This setting creates an H.263 stream stored in a 3GP container. H263 – 3G2 This setting creates an H.263 stream stored in a 3G2 container. ViewCast...
  • Page 145 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Table 4. Valid output container selections for video encoder types Container H.263 Video MPEG-4 Video H.264 Video MPEG-2           ViewCast...

  • Page 146: Audio Tab

    The default Audio Encoder is AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) – a standardized, lossy compression and encoding scheme for digital audio. AAC achieves better audio quality than MP3. AAC and MP3 are MPEG standards. Click the Bitrate from the drop-down list. ViewCast...
  • Page 147 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Drag the slider to adjust the Volume. (Optional) Select Mute Audio to silence audio. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 148: Output Tab

    Niagara encoder. Doing so may overtax the host CPU, which will cause video quality degradation and encode session failure. Select Save to File to save the encoded content to a file. Each time you start this encoder, the system overwrites the previous file. ViewCast...
  • Page 149 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Select Create unique file to create a file that the system does not overwrite. Accept the default location that displays in the File Name field or choose your own location for the file (Figure 149). To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or …...

  • Page 150: H.264 Presets Tab

    Click Update. Click the Restore Defaults link at the bottom of the window to return the settings to the default. Note: Each preset has multiple properties. Clicking Restore Defaults for one property will change all properties to the default settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 151: Mpeg4 Presets Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide MPEG4 Presets tab Each preset contains properties that you can modify. Use the following table to configure the MPEG-4 presets analog input settings for an MPEG4 encoder. Note: The choices in the drop-down list may vary.

  • Page 152: Mpeg2 Presets Tab

    Click Update. Click the Restore Defaults link at the bottom of the window to return the settings to the default. Note: Each preset has multiple properties. Clicking Restore Defaults for one property will change all properties to the default settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 153: Windows Media Encoder With Digital Inputs

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Windows Media encoder with digital inputs To create an encoder, Encoders  All Encoders  Create New Encoder link  Encoder Name field. When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The steps for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical.

  • Page 154: Video Tab

    Note: The size in the Width and Height fields must be divisible by 2. Figure 155. Custom fields WARNING! Ensure all of the encoders using the same video Proportion and Size settings also use the same Video and Audio Source settings. ViewCast...
  • Page 155 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Drag the sliders to adjust the Brightness, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation. Figure 156. Video Filter Settings Note: Click Restore to the right of each field to return the setting to the default. Click the De-Interlace settings you want to apply (Figure 157). Options include: ...

  • Page 156: Audio Tab

    Select the Embedded Closed Caption check box to embed the closed captions. Field 1 CC 1 is the default setting. Drag the slider to adjust the Left Volume and Right Volume. (Optional) Select Mute Audio to silence audio. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 157: Output Tab

    Windows Media Server. Use the pull method for testing. Use the push method for a wide distribution. Note: The more direct connections to the system, the more system resources are required. ViewCast does not recommend directly connecting players to the system. Streaming servers should connect to the system and, in turn, players should connect to the servers.
  • Page 158 Accept the default location that displays in the File Name field or choose your own location for the file. To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or … ) to the right of the File Name field and display the options (Figure 160). ViewCast...
  • Page 159 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles\ with a default filename of capture.wmv. Figure 160. Select a folder WARNING! You can only save media files to drive D. Check drive properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity.

  • Page 160: Drm Tab

    Click the DRM Profile you wish to apply from the drop-down list. Note: When you enable DRM, Niagara SCX automatically changes the Windows Media Capture Profile setting to a DRM-compatible Windows Media 9 setting. You may need to adjust this setting after you enable DRM. Click Save Settings. ViewCast...

  • Page 161: Ip Inputs

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide IP Inputs The current version of Niagara SCX adds the ability to accept Multi-Program Transport Stream (MPTS) and Single Program Transport Stream (SPTS) for all Niagara models via the Ethernet ports. IP ingest To enable IP ingest as the video source, you must either create a new encoder or edit an existing encoder.

  • Page 162: Video Tab

    This process may take as long as 30 seconds. During this time, the UI is unresponsive. When the detection is complete, if an IP source was detected at the provided IP address and port, it displays in the PID dropdown list (Figure 164). ViewCast...
  • Page 163 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Figure 164. PID field The PID displays in the format: Encode Type (PID X @ Prog# Y). X is the PID number and Y is the Program number. The PID appears green if the detect is successful.
  • Page 164 After you click Detect, the color of the PID field changes to reflect the status of the PID at this time. The following chart explains the colors and the status. Color Status Green PID is detected.  Yellow You updated a control.  You saved and reloaded the encoder.  PID is stale. PID is not detected at this time. ViewCast...

  • Page 165: Audio Tab

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Audio tab Use the following table to configure the audio IP input settings. Figure 167. Video tab To configure audio settings: The PID drop-down list is updated from the detect function on the Video tab. Make sure the Video Prog# and the Audio Prog# match.

  • Page 167: Ts Container

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide TS Container When you configure an MPEG4 encoder you can select MPEG2 Transport Stream as the container type for the Video Encoder. To enable TS container streaming, you need to create either a new MPEG4 encoder or edit an existing MPEG4 encoder.
  • Page 168 Mux Bitrate and enter the total bitrate the stream will consume (video and audio) in the Bitrate field on the Audio tab. Figure 170. New Video Encode Settings Click on the Audio tab. Figure 171. Audio Output Settings Select the Bitrate from the drop-down list. ViewCast...
  • Page 169 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide View all the bitrates on the Output tab in the MPEGTS Muxer Settings. Figure 172. MPEGTS Muxer Settings Note: The total isn’t simply Audio Bitrate + Video Bitrate. A small amount of overhead is built in ~10% of the Mux.

  • Page 170: Streaming

    Select the protocol. Currently only UDP and RTP are supported. Figure 174. Server Settings  Scheme Select either:  Unicast – To stream to a single computer or device.  Multicast – To stream to many computers and/or devices. ViewCast...
  • Page 171 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Figure 175. Server Settings Enter the Destination IP (must be an IPv4 address). If you select Unicast, then the IP address can not be in the 224.0.0.0 – 239.255.255 range. If you select Multicast, then the IP address must be in the 224.0.0.0 –...

  • Page 173: Encoder Groups

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Encoder Groups Viewing encoder groups Encoder groups represent the cornerstone for streaming on the Niagara system. The Encoder Groups window (Figure 176), a subset of Encoders (on the Encoders window), allows you to view the list of encoder groups available for assignment to the Niagara system. Click Encoders ...

  • Page 174: Creating Encoder Groups

    Figure 177. Encoder Groups fields To create encoder groups: Enter the name of the group. Click on the encoders you want to assign to the group. Click Submit. Note: It is possible to assign an encoder to two different encoder groups. ViewCast...

  • Page 175: Starting An Encoder Group

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Starting an encoder group To start an encoder group, click the Start link to the right in the Start column of the group you want to start. The encoder group will start in a few seconds. The system displays any errors on the Starting window while the group starts.

  • Page 176: Editing Encoder Groups

    Select the Edit link on the Encoder Groups window. The encoder group fields display (Figure 178). Figure 178. Encoder Groups field To create encoder groups: Enter the name of the group. Click on the encoders you want to assign to the group. Click Submit. ViewCast...

  • Page 177: Additional Settings And Features

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Additional Settings and Features Additional settings and features include:  Machine properties  Alerts  Network properties  System configuration settings  Activity log  Alerts  External storage device Configuring machine properties The Machine Properties window (Figure 179) provides details on software versions, network name, serial number, and hard drive configurations.

  • Page 178: Changing The Computer Name

    Login window. If you close your web browser and later want to log into the web interface, you must use the new computer name you created or the IP address of the system to access it. ViewCast...

  • Page 179: Changing The Login Password From The Factory Default

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Changing the login password from the factory default The Niagara 9100 Properties section has two fields: User Name and Serial Number. Only the User Name field can be changed, which changes the User Password from the factory default (Figure 182).

  • Page 180: Configuring Alerts

    Enable Light Alarm. The View Alerts window will display a list of the alerts. Displays the type of alert. Provides a description of the type of alert. ViewCast...

  • Page 181: Configuring Network Properties

    Figure 185. Network Properties window Configuring network cards Each Niagara 9100 series system has two 1 Gbit network connections available on the Network Properties window, Network Card(s) field. Select the card you wish to view from the drop-down list in the Network Card(s) field (Figure 186) to view the current properties for each card.

  • Page 182: Configuring Ip Address

    Machine Properties window. From this window, you can change the name of the system. The Active Network Link field uses one of two icons to indicate whether the network interface card selected has a network connected. The system detects the network link. The system does not detect the network link. ViewCast...

  • Page 183: Ip Route Table

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide IP Route table This window enables you to change the IP destination. Only experienced professionals should adjust these settings. Figure 189. IP Route Table ViewCast...

  • Page 184: System Configuration Settings

    Click Configuration  System Configuration from the menu bar on the home page. Note: The selections in the drop-down lists will vary depending on the configuration of your system. Figure 190. System Configuration Settings window Note: The SimulStream Settings field is only on analog systems. ViewCast...

  • Page 185: Setting Current System Configuration

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Setting current system configuration You can set the current time, date, and the video standard for all encoders (Figure 191). Figure 191. Current System Configuration To set current system configuration settings: Click the Hour in the drop-down list.

  • Page 186: Configuring Email/Smtp Settings

    Enter the name of the SMTP server. Click the Save and Send Test Email to test your settings. The resulting window reports the email as successful or it sends information that a send failure occurred. Click Submit. ViewCast...

  • Page 187: Configuring Default Directory Setting

    Note: ViewCast strongly recommends you do not alter the default directory setting unless you understand the risk of saving your files to a directory not located on drive D. If you save your files to another drive on the Niagara system, the system could delete the files when you use the Restore to Factory Defaults feature.

  • Page 188: Setting Cpu Thresholds

    You may set the CPU Threshold field (Figure 194) to accommodate optimal encoding capabilities. You also may set the time between repetitive intervals for checking the CPU threshold. Figure 194. Encoder Startup Settings Note: ViewCast recommends a CPU threshold setting of 80% or lower. ViewCast...

  • Page 189: Restore Niagara Factory Defaults

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Restore Niagara factory defaults Restore to Factory Defaults allows you to restore drive C to its original factory system defaults. This action removes all data (including stored files) on the primary drive and reinstalls the original factory image.

  • Page 190: Viewing The Activity Log

    Displays the total number of records for the selected view type. Click the printer icon for a printer friendly view of activity log. When the print friendly view appears, click File  Print to print a hard copy or save a soft copy of the Activity Log. ViewCast...

  • Page 191: Viewing Alerts

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Viewing alerts Click Status  View Alerts (Figure 197) from the home page. The system records the encoder events that register as alerts. The Alerts Window updates with every alert event on the Niagara system. The alerts include any specific alert events for the encoder.

  • Page 192: Connecting An External Storage Device

    Connecting an external storage device Each Niagara 9100 series systems provide two USB ports on the rear panel and two on the front panel. You can connect almost any standard USB storage device to these ports. This allows you to export any audiovisual files you created on the local storage drive of the Niagara system.

  • Page 193: Snmp

    Computer to monitor the health of system devices, such as fan speed, CPU temperature, system temperature, etc. The ViewCast SNMP Agent service will run as the master SNMP agent in the system. It will not only implement ViewCast private MIBs as listed below, but also provide proxy functions to relay SNMP requests/responses associated with those objects managed by other SNMP sub-agents.

  • Page 194: External Snmp Manager

    SNMP External SNMP Manager With ViewCast SNMP agent enabled in each Niagara system, you can start a single SNMP manager at a central location to manage one or multiple systems at the same time. The external SNMP manager could be a GUI-based commercial or free application tool or an SNMP scripting tool.

  • Page 195: Install Viewcast Snmp Agent Service

    Install ViewCast SNMP Agent Service Installing for the first time Perform the following steps to install ViewCast SNMP Agent Service for the first time. To install SNMP Agent the first time: Locate and run the ViewCast SNMP agent installation file, e.g. ViewCast SNMP Agent Installer_1.0.4.0.msi to install the ViewCast SNMP agent service.
  • Page 196 SNMP Click Next. Figure 200. Installation Folder Click Next. Figure 201. Confirm Installation ViewCast...
  • Page 197 After the next reboot, it starts automatically. Typically, you don’t need to reboot the machine after installation. Before you start the ViewCast SNMP agent service, you need to install and configure the other two services: Native Windows SNMP service and SuperMicro Health Assistant service (see Install and Configure Supero Doctor III Agent Service).

  • Page 198: Installing New Version Of Viewcast Snmp Agent Service

    SNMP Installing new version of ViewCast SNMP Agent Service If a previous version of ViewCast SNMP agent is installed, then the following window appears and you need to uninstall the previous version before continuing. Figure 204. Windows Installer To uninstall a previous version of ViewCast SNMP agent: Go to Start Menu ...
  • Page 199 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Select and uninstall (or double click) ViewCast SNMP Agent as shown in the program list. Figure 206. Programs and Features dialog box Click Yes. If ViewCast SNMP agent service is currently running, the following window displays.

  • Page 200: Install And Configure Supero Doctor Iii Agent Service

    ViewCast SNMP Agent Service will send a trap to all the configured trap destinations. In the current release, health monitoring related SNMP traps are only available for devices such as fan speed, CPU temperature, and system temperature.

  • Page 201: Configure Supero Doctor Iii Snmp Agent Service

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Configure Supero Doctor III SNMP Agent Service Disable health monitoring for devices not in use While the Supero Doctor III SNMPAgent Service is running, you need to disable health monitoring for the devices, such as fans, that are not installed.

  • Page 202: Enabling Health Monitoring For Devices Not In Use

    Run Supero Doctor III client by clicking Start  All Programs  SUPERMICRO  Supero Doctor III client. In the Supero Doctor III client, click Item. The following figure displays an example on a Niagara 7550. Figure 209. Niagara 7550 example ViewCast...

  • Page 203: Configure Viewcast Snmp Agent Service

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Configure ViewCast SNMP Agent Service Complete the steps in the following tables to configure ViewCast SNMP Agent service. When the configuration is complete, restart the system. Configuring community names To configure community names: Run Windows service management tool services.msc Right click on SNMP Service then click Properties.

  • Page 204: Configuring Permitted Snmp Managers

    Enter the IP address of the permitted SNMP managers in the following window. Figure 213. SNMP Service Configuration Click Add. Note: The IP address shown above is just an example. It shall be the IP address of the external SNMP manager. ViewCast...
  • Page 205 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Add all the IP addresses at which external SNMP manager may run. Figure 214. IP Addresses ViewCast...

  • Page 206: Configuring Trap Destinations

    Security tab, for example, notifypassword. Click Add to list. Figure 215. Traps tab In the Trap destinations section, enter the IP address of each trap destination at which the trap listener may run. Figure 216. SNMP Service Configuration ViewCast...
  • Page 207 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide After all the IP addresses under the trap destination section are added, click Apply. Figure 217. Trap destinations ViewCast...

  • Page 208: Configuring Snmp Agent Contact And Location (Optional)

    Notes: You may retrieve the system contact information through SNMP query on .iso.org.dod.internet.mgmt.mib-2.system.sysContact as defined in RFC1213-MIB. You may retrieve the system location information through SNMP query on .iso.org.dod.internet.mgmt.mib-2.system.sysLocation as defined in RFC1213- MIB. Figure 218. Agent tab Restart the system. ViewCast...

  • Page 209: Use Udp Port Other Than 161 For Snmp Requests

    Requests The default UDP port used for SNMP requests sent from SNMP manager to SNMP agent is 161. The ViewCast SNMP agent supports the use of a different UDP port. To make this change, perform the following steps: After ViewCast SNMP Service Agent is installed, go to the default installation directory C:\Program Files (x86)\ViewCast\ViewCast SNMP Agent\ Make a copy of file vcst_snmp_agent_cfg_example.xml and save it to...

  • Page 210: Disable Iis Logging For Viewcast Encoders Web Service

    In the current release, while the ViewCast SNMP agent is running, disable the IIS (Internet Information Services) logging for ViewCast Encoders Web Service. This step avoids the 10 G free hard disk space disk space from being filled by the IIS log files (which would take about three months).
  • Page 211 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Open Feature (Figure 220). Figure 220. Feature On the right side under Actions, click Disable. Note: After IIS is restarted, the IIS logging for the EncodersWebService would remain disabled. Repeat steps 1 through 7 to enable the IIS logging for the EncodersWebService in case debugging is needed.

  • Page 212: Viewcast Snmp Agent Mib Files

    SNMP ViewCast SNMP Agent MIB Files By default, all standard MIB files and ViewCast private MIB files that come with the installation package will be installed into the following directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\ViewCast\ViewCast SNMP Agent\ You may load the following MIB files into the SNMP manager tool.

  • Page 213: Start/Stop An Encoder Through Snmp

    .iso.org.dod.internet.private.enterprises.viewcast.avencoder.avencoderMIB.avencoder Objects.avencoderTable.avencoderEntry.avencoderCommand.77.80.69.71 where 77.80.69.71 is the ID of the associated encoder. Specify correct IP address of the targeted ViewCast SNMP agent: xx.xx.xx.xx Verify the Port field is set to 161. Set SNMP version to v1. Specify community such as setpassword with community right of READ CREATE.

  • Page 214: Start Snmp Trap Listener

    SNMP Specify community such as setpassword with community right of READ CREATE. Select Set Value to start_all_encoders or stop_all_encoders. Send SNMP SET request message to the targeted ViewCast SNMP agent. Start SNMP trap listener Locate the VIEWCAST-AVENCODER-TRAP-MIB.txt under C:\Program Files (x86)\ViewCast\ViewCast SNMP Agent\.

  • Page 215: Appendix A: Drm For Windows Media

    If the system is installed in a location that does not provide physical access, you can use Windows Remote Desktop Connection to access the desktop. IMPORTANT! When connecting to a Niagara 9100 series system using a remote desktop connection, it is extremely important you set the Local Resources to Leave at remote computer...
  • Page 216 Open the Remote Desktop Connection (Figure 221). Figure 221. Remote Desktop Connection Click Options. The setting tabs display. Click the Local Resources tab. Under Remote computer sound, click Leave at remote computer option from the drop- down list (Figure 222). Figure 222. Local Resources tab ViewCast...
  • Page 217 Copy the DRM profiles to a protected location on the encoding system to ensure they are not removed or erased accidentally (Figure 224). Note: ViewCast recommends you create a new directory on drive D on the Niagara system and use this directory to store your DRM profiles.
  • Page 218 When the New Session Wizard displays, click Cancel (Figure 226). Figure 226. New Session Wizard Click Properties under the top menu bar (Figure 227). Figure 227. Properties tab Click the Security tab. Click Import and browse to the location of the DRM profiles on the system’s hard drive. ViewCast...
  • Page 219 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Select the DRM profile you wish to import and click Open (Figure 228). Figure 228. DRM Profile Repeat this process for each DRM profile you wish to import. Exit from the Windows Media Encoder application when finished.

  • Page 221: Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings H.264 Presets In general, the Main Profile Default presets for the H.264 encoder Custom Presets will meet your streaming requirements. For devices with restricted bandwidths and under certain conditions such as low bit rates, motion specific, or constant bit rate applications, you may need to adjust the Advanced Encoder Settings values in each line.

  • Page 222: Settings

    Lowering the value of Beta deblocking is a good way to reduce the amount of DCT blocks without blurring the entire picture. Again, the default value of 0 usually is good enough. Set this to a positive ViewCast...
  • Page 223 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Setting Explanation number to smooth out low bit rate video encodes. In general, values lower than -3 and higher than 3 are usually not used, but could be if so desired. LookaheadFrames This value is the amount of frames the encoder keeps in its buffers to perform various calculations.

  • Page 224: Mpeg-4 Presets

    0 to 200 MotionEstimationComparison 0 to 256 MotionEstimationMethod 5 to 10 MotionEstimationPenaltyCompensation 0 to 256 MotionEstimationSubPixelComparison 0 to 256 MpegQuant 0 to 1 QuantizerMax 1 to 51 QuantizerMin 1 to 51 SceneChangeDetectThreshold 0 to 4000 TrellisRDQuantization 0 to 2 ViewCast...

  • Page 225: Settings

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Settings Setting Explanation BFramesMax This value sets the maximum number of concurrent B- frames that you can use. More B-frames improve video quality but also increase CPU load, in some cases considerably. Setting B-frames to a value more than 0 changes the video encoding format from Simple Profile to Advanced Simple Profile.
  • Page 226 45 is a good default for most applications using MPEG4 encoding. 0 turns off scene change detection, but is not recommended. Higher values also increase CPU usage. TrellisRDQuantization This value performs Trellis quantization to increase the visual quality of the encoded video by determining the ViewCast...
  • Page 227 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Setting Explanation optimal encoding: the higher the value, the better the video quality but the higher the CPU usage. This value can also improve visual quality at lower bit rates. ViewCast...

  • Page 228: Mpeg-2 Presets

    0 to 200 MotionEstimationComparison 0 to 256 MotionEstimationMethod 5 to 10 MotionEstimationPenaltyCompensation 0 to 256 MotionEstimationSubPixelComparison 0 to 256 MpegQuant 0 to 1 QuantizerMax 1 to 51 QuantizerMin 1 to 51 SceneChangeDetectThreshold 0 to 4000 TrellisRDQuantization 0 to 2 ViewCast...

  • Page 229: Settings

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Settings Setting Explanation BFramesMax This value sets the maximum number of concurrent B- frames that you can use. More B-frames improve video quality but also increase CPU load, in some cases considerably. Setting B-frames to a value more than 0 changes the video encoding format from Simple Profile to Advanced Simple Profile.
  • Page 230 45 is a good default for most applications using MPEG2 encoding. 0 turns off scene change detection, but is not recommended. Higher values also increase CPU usage. TrellisRDQuantization This value performs Trellis quantization to increase the visual quality of the encoded video by determining the ViewCast...
  • Page 231 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Setting Explanation optimal encoding: the higher the value, the better the video quality but the higher the CPU usage. This value can also improve visual quality at lower bit rates. ViewCast...

  • Page 233: Appendix C: Mapped Network Drive Setup

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Appendix C: Mapped Network Drive Setup Setting up the network drive for a Niagara system to export files, requires setting up two administrator accounts on a remote PC where the shared folder will be located: ...
  • Page 234 Enable Password never expires. Figure 231. New User window Click Create. Repeat steps 5 through 13 to create the user SCXUser using the password viewcast. Click Close. The two new users appear in the users list. Figure 232. Added Users In Computer Management, click Groups.
  • Page 235 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Double-click on Administrators. Click Add. Figure 234. Administrators Properties window Click Add. The Select Users window displays. Click Locations. Select the PC, then click OK. Figure 235. Locations window ViewCast...
  • Page 236 Enter the name of the system (for example, niagara 9100) for the object name, and then click OK. The user name you entered in step 6 appears in the list of Administrators. Figure 236. Administrators Properties Repeat steps 19 through 22 to add SCXUser as an administrator. ViewCast...
  • Page 237 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide To create the shared folder: Note: The shared folder(s) must be created on the remote PC. Open Computer. Open the drive where the shared folder will be created. Right click, select New, then Folder. Figure 237. Create new folder Enter a name for the folder (for example, N7Share).
  • Page 238 Right click on the folder, and then select Properties. Figure 239. Folder Properties window Click on the Sharing tab. Click Share. The File Sharing window displays. Type a name and then click Add, or click the arrow to select someone from the drop-down list. ViewCast...
  • Page 239 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Use the drop-down list under permission level for this user and select Read/Write. Figure 240. Read/Write permissions Click Share. Repeat steps 2 through 9 to add SCXUser to the Share Permissions. Click Done. Figure 241. File Sharing window Click Close to close the share properties.
  • Page 240 Select Connect using different credentials. Click Finish. Figure 242. Map Network Drive window Enter SCXUser as the User name and viewcast as the Password. Click OK. Click Finish. After a few moments, the network share will open. Close the window. The mapped drive will now appear in My Computer under Network Drives.

  • Page 241: Appendix D: System Menu (Lcd Display)

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Appendix D: System Menu (LCD Display) This section provides information on the front panel LCD display. The display is informational only. You cannot perform any functions from the display. System status menu Displays CPU information.

  • Page 242: Monitor Status Menu

    Appendix D: System Menu (LCD Display) Monitor status menu CPU&Mem Used Monitors the usage of CPU and memory. Up Time Monitors the up time since the last boot. ViewCast...

  • Page 243: Index

    Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Index Digital inputs, 126 Audio tab, 129 Output tab, 130 Active Network Link field, 174 Video tab, 127 Activity Log window, 182 Adaptive Apple Analog inputs, 38 Changing Audio tab, 43 computer name, 170 Output tab, 44...
  • Page 244 Create New Encoder window, 32 H.264 Presets tab settings, 142 Create new folder, 229 MPEG-4 Presets tab settings, 143 Creating Output tab settings, 140 an encoder, 32 Video tab settings, 133 encoder groups, 166, 168 Network cards, 173 shared folder, 229 Smooth Streaming ViewCast...
  • Page 245 Flash Digital Rights Management, 152, 207 Analog inputs, 62 Directional buttons, 16 Audio tab, 65 H.264 Presets tab, 68 Disabling IIS logging for ViewCast Encoders Web Output tab, 66 Service, 202 Video tab, 63 Disclaimers, iv Digital inputs Audio tab, 122 Disconnect Remote Desktop, 211 H.264 Presets tab, 125...
  • Page 246 Index Video tab, 76 (cont.) Digital inputs, 132 Installing ViewCast SNMP Agent Service the first Audio tab, 138 time, 187 H.264 Presets tab, 142 Instructions, Notices, and Warnings, 23 MPEG-4 Presets tab, 143 Output tab, 140 IP address, 30, 174...
  • Page 247 Niagara 9100 Series User Guide Security warning window, 187 SNMP Service Configuration, 196, 198 Rack Mount Safety Instructions, 3 SNMP Service Properties – Security tab, 196 Read/Write permissions, 231 Supero Doctor III Client, 193 Reboot Message, 170 Trap destinations, 199...
  • Page 248 Index Welcome window, 25, 31 (cont.) ViewCast Niagara 9100 Series, Picture of, 1 Analog inputs, 86 Viewing Audio tab, 89 activity log, 182 DRM tab, 93 alerts, 183 Output tab, 91 list of encoder groups, 165 Video tab, 87 Digital inputs, 145...
  • Page 250 ® ® © 2012 ViewCast Corporation. ViewCast , Niagara (and design) are registered trademarks of ViewCast Corporation or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product specifications and availability may change without notice. 40-03291-03-A...

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