Firefly SC and MZ Media Players Version 3.
Trademarks The Focus Enhancements, Visual Circuits, and Firefly logos are registered trademarks in the United States and other countries. All other products, services or company names mentioned herein are claimed as trademarks and trade names by their respective companies. © Focus Enhancements (formerly Visual Circuits), 1999-2004. All rights reserved. No portion of this manual may be copied by any means without the prior consent of Visual Circuits.
Firefly Safety Requirements IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS: The following safety instructions apply to the Visual Circuits Firefly: 1. Read and follow all warning notices and instructions marked on the product or included in this manual. Opening or removing covers and/or components may expose you to dangerous high voltage points or other risks. Qualified personnel should perform all servicing. 2. The maximum ambient temperature for the Firefly is 114 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius).
POWER AND GROUND REQUIREMENTS: Determine that the cumulative power requirements of the Firefly plus other equipment in the rack do not overload the supply circuits and/or wiring. CAUTION If using a power strip or similar supply, make sure the power requirements of the chassis, plus the cumulative power draw of any other equipment in the rack, do not overload the supply circuit. WARNING For safe operation, this equipment must be properly grounded.
User Manual Regulatory Documentation CAUTION There is danger of explosion if the battery is incorrectly replaced. A lithium battery on the product provides backup power for the device’s timekeeping capability. The battery has an estimated life expectancy of ten years. When the battery starts to weaken, the date and time may become incorrect. If the battery fails, the unit must be sent back to Visual Circuits for battery replacement.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1. This device may not cause harmful interference. 2. This device must accept any interference that may cause undesired operation. WARNING Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. Industry Canada This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Class A Warning (EN55024, EN55022) In a domestic environment this product may cause radio interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures. WARNING Failure to provide adequate surge protection may cause damage to the Firefly. Visual Circuits does not warranty damage caused by electrical surges to the system. Surge protection should be provided when connecting any peripheral device and power to the system.
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CONTENTS Welcome to Firefly SC™ and MZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Quick Start Plug and Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Before You Start, You Will Need. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Installation Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Install the Firefly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Configure for Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents Reviewing, Previewing and Deleting Firefly Media . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing Media and Storage Usage on the Firefly . . . . . Previewing Videos and Graphic Overlays on the Firefly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deleting Media from the Firefly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Playlist Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a New Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents USB Devices Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . USB Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Multicast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advanced Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 94 96 99 Networking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents Diagnostic Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DTDs (Document Type Definition) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Log Default Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maximum Log File Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Uploading Log Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 117 117 117 118 External Control Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents Insufficient Disk Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Forgot Name, Password, IP...??? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Preventing Cabling and Connection Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Installing the MZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Video Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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WELCOME TO FIREFLY SC™ AND MZ Thank you for purchasing the Firefly SC™ or the Firefly MZ™. The Firefly SC and MZ are the media players developed specifically for A/V professionals; combining the ease and familiarity, flexibility and control of a disk-based, MPEG-2 decoder. These players provide for playlist creation, time/date scheduling, graphic overlay capability, remote content updating, network compatibility and a web-based “control and monitor” interface.
Welcome to Firefly SC™ and MZ Documentation Conventions The Firefly SC and MZ are single-channel devices that share many features and capabilities. Because of these similarities, this manual, in general, does not differentiate between these two players and simply calls them either the Firefly or the player. Thus, unless specifically identified as belong to a particular player, the information in this manual applies to both.
QUICK START PLUG AND PLAY The Firefly is a single-channel output device that is simple to configure and can reside on a network or stand alone. LAN Content Server Firefly Players Display Devices Before You Start, You Will Need Have the following items ready before installing the Firefly MZ Media Player.
Quick Start Plug and Play Installation Sequence 1. Install Firefly on network. a. Connect your video and audio cables to the back of the Firefly. b. Connect the video and audio cables from the Firefly to the inputs on the monitor and audio component. c. Connect the power cable to the back of the Firefly and plug it in to your power source. d. At start up, the Firefly runs through a a short series of selfdiagnostics before beginning automated playback.
Quick Start Plug and Play Install the Firefly USB Power 12 VDC Serial DVI-I 10/100 Network Component Pb Pr Y 123456 + -+ - + Unbalanced (Left Right) Composite Digital S / PDIF Y S-Video C 1. Attach the video cables to the Firefly. ❏ For Composite monitors: Connect a BNC-ended composite cable (not included) to the composite connector on the back of the Firefly.
Quick Start Plug and Play 2. Attach the audio cables to the Firefly. ❏ For an unbalanced audio connection use audio cables with stranded wire ends and connect to terminal 1 (Left +), terminal 4 (Right +), and terminals 2 and 4 (designated grounds). ❏ If unbalanced audio cable lengths exceed 10 meters, use an Audio Line Amp/Balancer such as the Radio Design Labs, Stick On. ❏ For a S/PDIF digital audio, use a stranded audio cables and connect to terminal 5 Digital Audio (+) and terminal 6 (-). 3.
Quick Start Plug and Play Configure for Network Often, the Firefly TCP/IP defaults must change to accommodate the network where it will reside. The best method is to attach a computer to the media player. Contact the Network Administrator for the correct network configuration information, Attaching a Laptop or PC Before beginning, verify that the computer and/or the Firefly are powered off. When connections are completed, power on the devices.
Quick Start Plug and Play Changing TCP/IP Settings Firefly default TCP/IP settings: Static IP Address: 10.0.1.1 Login (case sensitive): firefly Password: 123456 There are two methods for initially changing the Firefly TCP/IP settings: WebView and serial commands. WebView via Ethernet Port WebView is a browser-based, administration tool-kit that resides on the Firefly. 1. Set your PC’s IP address to a number in the same range as the Firefly, such as 10.0.1.2. 2.
Quick Start Plug and Play Restarting the Firefly is only necessary when updating the network settings in a DHCP environment, i.e. going from Static to DHCP mode, changing the Host Name, and so on. . External Control Commands External control commands require that the computer has an ASCII generating control program, such as Hyper Terminal. The parameters are: • Serial port 1 • 9600 Bps • Echo typed letters locally Use the following Visual Circuits commands to configure the Firefly.
Quick Start Plug and Play Install Media Messenger Install Visual Circuit’s Media Messenger software from the Media Messenger CD by following the online screens and prompts. Refer to the Media Messenger User Manual for details. Whenever the installation sequence requests the Company Name or Registration Key, enter the name and key precisely as Visual Circuits provided it.
Quick Start Plug and Play Configure FTP Setup on-board Firefly FTP Server • • Configure Firefly properties. Configure Firefly FTP server. Configure Firefly Properties Unique name to identify player (Host Name) Unique ID set in player before installation, Media Messenger uses it to identify the player. If player belongs to a group, select the group name fromlist. Physical location of the player. Set to one for Firefly. 1. Open the Main window of Media Messenger. 2.
Quick Start Plug and Play Configuring the Firefly FTP Server Network Administrator provides FTP configuration information. This may be the Firefly or an FTP server used for storing presentation content. When loading directly to Firefly, leave the Directory field blank and place files in FTP root directory. Security settings provided by Network Administrator. 1. Click on Settings in the Main Menu list and select FTP Server Setup. 2. Fill in the FTP Site Information Fields. a. IP Address/Hostname.
Quick Start Plug and Play How To Create a Basic Playlist Playing media on Firefly requires 1. That the MPEG videos reside on the Firefly. 2. That a valid playlist resides on the Firefly. There are several methods for creating a layout and playlist for the Firefly. 1. WebView interface program (see Using the Playlist Editor on page 35). 2. Media Messenger, refer to its user manual. 3.
Quick Start Plug and Play Publish Via FTP 1. Open WebView, click on System Settings, and select Network. Confirm that the network and security settings are correct. 2. Return to the Media Messenger main workspace. 3. Select the target player or player group in the Network Pane. 4. Click on Publish in the Media Messenger, Main Menu List and then select Publish to FTP. 2 4 6 3 6A 7 5 5.
Quick Start Plug and Play 6. Select the Upload Option: a. a specific player, b. a group of players, c. all players, 6A If uploading to one specific Firefly, select the Direct Upload to Firefly option, otherwise leave unchecked. 7. Click Begin Update button. When the upload completes, close the Update Control window. The Firefly MZ loads immediately and begins playing back the playlist. If using a schedule, the playback begins at the appropriate time.
Quick Start Plug and Play Via CD/DVD Another method of transporting playlists, schedules, and media files is to create a media update disc.This process creates the content image of an autorun disc (CD/DVD). Media Messenger does not burn a CD or DVD. It prepares the necessary files so that when they are burned on to a disc, an autorun application is created. 1. Go to the Media Messenger main workspace and select the player or group that is to receive the update. 2 1 3 4 5 7 6 2.
Quick Start Plug and Play Software Updating Visual Circuits is continuously looking for ways to improve and expand its features and product performance. We provide a variety of simple methods to keep your Firefly updated with the latest software for your application. Software updates are available from www.visualcircuits.com or by requesting a CD/DVD FROM a Visual Circuits representative. Software updates and upgrades are processed with the following methods. 1.
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ENCODING REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS In order to ensure proper playback on the Firefly, the MPEG content must be encoded following a particular set of encoding requirements. The Encoding Requirements, as well as the Encoding Recommendations, listed below provide a brief set of criteria to create MPEG files that will be compatible with the Firefly playback system. Encoding Requirements 1.
Encoding Requirements and Recommendations Encoding Recommendations 1. Resolution: 720 X 480 or 704 X 480 in NTSC; 704 X 576 in PAL. 2. Closed GOP (Group of Pictures) with an “I-frame” every 15 frames is recommended. 3. The recommended audio bit rate is 384kbps and a sampling rate of 48khz. It is recommended to play back test files using the original source tapes to confirm audio levels prior to encoding an entire project.
Encoding Requirements and Recommendations 7. When encoding files, annotate and store notes on the audio levels of both the source tape and input settings of the encoder. It will then be possible to verify audio levels of later encoding sessions. It is desirable to maintain a baseline audio level across all files of a presentation whether at single or multiple locations. If no encoding notes or data is available from previously encoded files, compare the files.
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WEBVIEW The WebView interface allows you to access a Firefly over a network using only a conventional web browser. No special software is required. WebView is compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer™ 5.5 and higher. While WebView may work with other web browsers, Visual Circuits cannot guarantee full compatibility. Accessing the WebView Interface Firefly-SC comes factory default with a static IP of 10.0.1.1 and can be modified to a different IP or changed to DHCP.
WEBVIEW Step 2: Determine the Address of the Firefly Once proper network connections are confirmed on both the Firefly and the web browser computer, you will need to know the IP address or DNS name (if your network has a DNS server) of the Firefly. Using DHCP, you should also be able to use the address “http:// hostname” or “http://hostname.yourdomain” to access the Firefly without knowing the exact IP address.
WEBVIEW Step 4: Enter Your User Name and Password All Firefly’s ship from the factory with a default user name of “firefly” and default password “123456”. If you have not yet changed those defaults, you should enter them at this time. Otherwise, if you have already created a new user name and password, enter them now. Keep in mind that both the user name and password are case sensitive and require a minimum of 6, but no more than 30, characters. Forgot Name, Password, IP...
WEBVIEW Using the WebView Interface Once you have logged onto the WebView Interface, your browser will go to the “Media Transfer” page as the default starting point (page 27). Along the left side of the page are the navigation buttons used to access different pages in the WebView interface. At the top is a link to download the Firefly User Manual in PDF format. There is a link to the Visual Circuits web site in the lower left corner of the page.
WEBVIEW Transferring Media From this page you can transfer media from your computer or network to the Firefly. Up to six media files can be transferred at once by simply specifying the files to be transferred in each of the Media 1 through Media 6 boxes. Figure 2. Media Transfer Page If you close or select another web page during a media transfer, the transfer will terminate. If you would like to multi-task during a transfer, you may open a new web browser and log in.
WEBVIEW If you cannot remember the names and locations of the files you wish to transfer, simply click the Browse button to the right of the box you wish to fill in. This will bring up a window that allows you to search your hard drive(s) and network for the desired file. Figure 3. Browse for Files Window After you have selected all the media files you wish to transfer to the Firefly, clicking the Transfer Media button will initiate the transfer.
WEBVIEW When WebView begins transferring the selected files, an animated sequence of flashing circles will appear over the Visual Circuits logo in the lower left portion of the page to let you know that the transfer is in progress. Because media files can be quite large, the transfer process can take several minutes depending on the size of files you have selected and the speed of your network connection. Figure 4.
WEBVIEW Webview Software Update To update your Firefly using the Media Transfer-Firefly Update method, simply browse your PC for the .upd file you may have obtained from the Visual Circuits web site or CD ROM. Now select “Firefly Update”. After the file has been transferred, the system will immediately begin to process the update for approx. 60 seconds and then restart the player.
WEBVIEW Reviewing, Previewing and Deleting Firefly Media Within the WebView Media Review page, you will be able to review media and storage usage on the Firefly, preview video and graphic overlay media on the Firefly and delete media from the Firefly. Figure 6. Media Review Page (Video) Reviewing Media and Storage Usage on the Firefly The Media Review page allows you to review the video and graphics overlay files that are currently on the Firefly. To review a video or graphic overlay: 1.
WEBVIEW In addition, you will be able review the current storage status of the Firefly by observing the current “Used” space and “Free” space displayed in the upper left portion of the Media Review window. Previewing Videos and Graphic Overlays on the Firefly Within the Media Review page, you will be able to view basic previews (thumbnail images) of videos and graphic overlays on the Firefly. To preview a video on the Firefly: 1. Select the video tab at the top. 2.
WEBVIEW Figure 7. Media Review Page (Graphic Overlay) Deleting Media from the Firefly 1. Select the proper file type tab (video, overlay, playlist or schedule) at the top. 2. Select the file(s) from the media list on the right. If you would like to select multiple files at the same time, you can use the standard Windows ‘Shift/Control’ methods. The media review box on the left will display the name of the file and its size (in MBs).
WEBVIEW Figure 8. Media Review Page (Deleting Multiple Files) WARNING You may delete any or all media files from the Firefly in this fashion. This includes files that may be in use by the current playlist. If you delete a file that is currently playing, it will be allowed to finish playing before the file is actually removed. The next time it is called by the playlist it will be skipped. There is no way to recover files after they have been deleted.
WEBVIEW Using the Playlist Editor Within the Playlist Editor, you will be able to arrange videos on the Firefly into a playlist. A playlist is essentially a group of videos arranged in a particular playback sequence. A playlist can be used for immediate playback or saved on the Firefly for future playback. In addition, within the Playlist Editor, you will be able to utilize graphic overlays. A graphic overlay is a static image (.bmp, .jpg, .gif, .tif, .tga or .png) placed over an associated video.
WEBVIEW Creating a New Playlist The process for creating a new playlist may be started in one of two ways; by choosing “New Playlist” from the “Playlist” drop down menu or by clicking on the “New” button in the lower right corner. Adding Videos to a Playlist To add a video to a playlist: 1. Browse the Firefly Media list to locate the video you wish to add. 2. Once you have found the video you wish to add, select it and button located on the center buttons then click on the panel.
WEBVIEW Moving Videos Within a Playlist While you are creating or modifying a playlist, you may find yourself wanting to modify the order of the videos. To move a video up (towards the beginning) in a playlist: 1. Select the video (from the Video list) you would like to move. 2. Press the button until the video is where you want it within the playlist. To move a video down (towards the end) in a playlist: 1. Select the video (from the Video list) you would like to move. 2.
WEBVIEW There are two ways you can add a graphic overlay to a video. The first method is as follows: 1. Click on the video within the playlist that you would like the overlay to associate with. 2. Locate and then click on your desired graphic overlay from the Firefly Media list. 3. Click on the button to add the graphic overlay. The graphic overlay you selected will appear across from its associated video in the Overlay listbox. The properties of the overlay will be set to the default settings.
WEBVIEW Working With Graphic Overlays in a Playlist As previously noted, graphic overlays exist in a playlist as attributes of specific video entries. The only image types that are compatible with Firefly are .bmp, .jpg, .gif, .tga or .png. Figure 10. Graphic Overlay Properties Page While copying .jpg, .gif, .tga, .png or non 256-color .
WEBVIEW The process for altering the characteristics of a specific graphic overlay is as follows: (Skip steps 1 and 2 if you have already selected a graphic overlay and are within the Graphic Overlay Properties page). 1. Select the video you would like the graphic overlay to be associated with and then click on the button to display the Graphic Overlay Properties page. 2. Click on the Overlay Filename drop down menu to locate and select your desired graphic overlay from the Firefly Media list. 3.
WEBVIEW Use a solid background (one color) in your graphic overlays for the Auto key feature to work properly. Entering your own RGB values for the key color feature only works with 8 bit bitmap graphics less than or equal to 720x480 resolution. 5. If desired, adjust the rate (in seconds) at which you would like the graphic overlay to fade in and/or out on the screen. 6. If desired, select the position on the screen where you would like to have the graphic overlay located (example: left bottom). 7.
WEBVIEW Adding Scrolling Text to a Playlist The process for adding scrolling text to a playlist is basically the same as the process of adding video files. The one significant difference, however, is that scrolling text is always linked to a particular video. Where adding a video creates a new line at the end of the playlist, adding scrolling text attaches the text to the currently selected video entry in the Video listbox.
WEBVIEW Working With Scrolling Text in a Playlist As previously noted, scrolling text exist in a playlist as attributes of specific video entries. Figure 11. Scrolling Text Properties Page The process for altering the characteristics of a specific text file is as follows. Select the video you would like the scrolling text to be associated with and then click on the button to display the Scrolling Text Properties page: Transparency Level 1.
WEBVIEW 3. Reverse - When Reverse is selected to the on position, the Text assumes the position of Background & visa versa. Entering your own RGB values for the background feature only works with 8 bit bitmap graphics less than or equal to 720x480 resolution. Saving a Playlist Once you have finished editing a playlist, you may save changes by clicking either the “Save” or “Save As” buttons at the bottom of the screen.
WEBVIEW Playing a Playlist Quickly If you are browsing through your playlists and find one you would like to play right away, simply click the “Play” button, which is located in the lower right portion of the Playlist Editor screen. Clicking the “Play” button will overwrite the original playlist file using the same file name and will begin designated playback on the Firefly immediately.
WEBVIEW Using the Schedule Editor Within the Schedule Editor, there are two separate pages: the Playlist Events Editor and the Video Dates Editor. Within the Playlist Events Editor you will be able to work with playback schedules. A schedule is a group of one or more playlist events. An event is composed of a single playlist with adjustable playback properties.
WEBVIEW Creating a New Schedule The process for creating a new schedule may be started in one of two ways; by choosing “New Schedule” from the Schedule drop down menu or by clicking on the “New” button in the lower right corner. Within the Playlist Events Editor page, you will have to option to: add an event to a schedule, delete an event from a schedule, or edit an event within a schedule. In addition, (using the Video Dates Editor) you will be able to assign date rules to individual videos if desired.
WEBVIEW Property Description Option to play playlist exactly once and then return to previously scheduled playlist. Play Once Example: “I’d like to play my one hour specials playlist just once during the business day”. Option to repeat a “play once” event periodically at a specified interval. Interval Example: “I’d like to play my one hour specials playlist once every 2 hours throughout the business day”. Table 1.
WEBVIEW Figure 14. Days of the Week Dialog Box Click on which days of the week you would like the playlist to play on. A “checked” box indicates the day is selected and an “unchecked” box indicates the day is not selected. If you would like to clear all of the day selections, click the Reset button. When you are done making any desired changes, click the OK button to return to the Schedule Editor screen. e.
WEBVIEW 2. Once you have finished editing the schedule, you may save your changes by following the instructions found in Saving a Schedule on page 52. Deleting an Event from a Schedule To delete an event from a schedule, use the following steps: 1. Locate the event (under playlist name) you would like to delete. 2. Change the playlist to “Select a Playlist” from the playlist name drop down menu. When done, this will delete the playback event and its associated properties from the schedule. 3.
WEBVIEW Figure 15. Days of the Week Dialog Box Click on which days of the week you would like the playlist to play on. A “checked” box indicates the day is selected and an “unchecked” box indicates the day is not selected. If you would like to clear all of the day selections, click the Reset button. When you done making any desired changes, click the OK button to return to the Schedule Editor screen. e.
WEBVIEW 2. Once you have finished editing the schedule, you may save your changes by following the Saving a Schedule instructions found below. Saving a Schedule Once you have finished editing a schedule, you may save changes on the Firefly by clicking either the “Save” or “Save As” buttons at the bottom of the screen. ❏ Clicking the “Save” button will overwrite the original schedule file using the same file name.
WEBVIEW Additional Saving and Loading Methods Beyond the standard saving and loading methods directly to and from the Firefly, there are two local options available to you. Save Local: The Save Local option allows you to save a copy of the schedule file currently being edited to your local computer or network (examples: hard drive, floppy drive). This is a useful feature for transferring files to other Firefly’s or for backing up important data. To perform a local save: 1.
WEBVIEW Figure 18. Save As Local Dialog Box 3. Type in your desired name for the schedule file and click the “Save” button. When saving a schedule locally, you must add the schedule file extension “.fsc” to the end of all file names. Once saved, you will be returned to the Schedule Editor main screen. Load Local: The Load Local button allows you to load a schedule file from your local computer or network as opposed to directly from the Firefly.
WEBVIEW Figure 19. Load Local Browse Dialog Box 2. Click the “Browse” button. The following Choose File dialog box will appear: Figure 20. Load Local Save As Dialog Box 3. Locate your desired schedule file (.fsc). Once found, highlight it and click the “Open” button. 4. The field will be populated with your desired schedule file name. If the file appears correct, click the “OK” button.
WEBVIEW You will be returned to the Schedule Editor main screen. The schedule you just loaded will be open on your screen, ready for modifications if desired. Assigning Dates for Video Playback The Video Dates Editor allows you to designate the actual date(s) a particular video is allowed to play. By selecting a start date, an end date or both a start and an end date you can establish a “date rule” for the playback of a particular video. Figure 21.
WEBVIEW Depending on your application, you may have a need for using any or all of the three previously mentioned date rules. The table below provides some “real world” examples for using the Video Dates Editor. Start Date Stop Date Description 02/01/03 - -/- -/- - Start date with no stop date. Example: “I want my product demonstration video available to playlists the day the product is released, but no sooner than that”. - -/- -/- - 05/31/03 No start date with stop date.
WEBVIEW To delete a date rule for a video, use the following steps: 1. (From the Schedule Editor main screen) Select the Video Dates Editor from the drop down menu. The Video Dates Editor screen will be displayed. 2. Locate the video (under Video Name) you would like to delete the date rule for. 3. Change the video to “Select a Video” from the Video Name drop down menu. When done, it will delete any previous video date rule. 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to delete date rules for additional videos if desired. 5.
WEBVIEW Using the Player Control Panel The Player Control panel mirrors the basic functionality of the Firefly remote control. You will be able to Play, Pause and Stop the currently playing file (displayed on the output window). In addition, you will be able to skip to the Previous and Next video in a playlist using the respective Previous and Next buttons. Figure 22.
WEBVIEW Diagnostics The Diagnostics pages display a number of statistics about what the Firefly is doing at a fairly technical level. The information found within these pages can serve as a tool to help the Visual Circuits technical support team work with you over the phone in the event that you are experiencing problems. The Diagnostics pages provide a snapshot of the system status at the time the pages were entered.
WEBVIEW Figure 23. Diagnostics - General Page Diagnostics - General Player version:Displays the version of the Firefly (incorporating both hardware and software). Currently loaded schedule:Displays the file name of the currently loaded schedule (if applicable) on the system. Currently loaded playlist:Displays the file name of the currently loaded playlist on the system. Video loaded:Displays the file name of the currently loaded video. Last FTP Update:Displays the date and time of the last FTP update.
WEBVIEW Figure 24. Diagnostics - Video Page Diagnostics - Video Horizontal Size:Defines the horizontal resolution of the currently playing MPEG file in pixels. Vertical Size:Defines the vertical resolution of the currently playing MPEG file in pixels. Video Bitrate:Defines the Video Bitrate or data rate of the currently playing MPEG file. Audio Bitrate:Defines the Audio Bitrate or data rate of the currently playing MPEG file. Audio Frequency:Defines the frequency of the Audio stream.
WEBVIEW Timecode:Displays the current timecode within the playing MPEG file offset so that all files start at 00:00:00. File Type:Displays the type of MPEG file being played on the channel. The possible types are: mpeg1 - mpeg1 system stream, mpeg2 - program stream, mpg1v - mpeg1 video only, mpg2v mpeg2 video only, mpg1a - audio only, ac3 - ac3 audio only, ??? unknown type or no file loaded.
WEBVIEW Figure 25. Diagnostics - Playback Page Diagnostics - Playback Interrupts:Displays the number of interrupts that have been received from the MPEG decoder. AV Syncs:Displays the number of times the audio or video streams had to be adjusted to maintain proper synchronization. (It is not uncommon for this to be a high number as this is a running total. Many functions such as fast forward, rewind and seek can cause large numbers of av syncs.
WEBVIEW Audio Data:Displays the amount of data currently in the MPEG decoder’s audio data buffer. Raw Data: Bytes of MPEG data in RAM. Disk Underflow:Displays the number of disk underflows that have occurred. A disk underflow occurs when the Firefly is unable to get the data off the disk fast enough to keep the disk buffers from becoming empty. Data Underflow:Displays the number of data underflows that have occurred.
WEBVIEW Figure 26. Diagnostics - Logging Page (Run log) Once in the Run logfile viewer, the video playback data will be listed with one video per line and will be sorted by playback time (using Firefly’s internal 24-hour clock). You may move to the previous or next pages by clicking on the respective <> links. You can also move to view the playback data for a certain time of day by entering either hours, minutes and/or seconds in the time boxes and then clicking the “Go” button.
WEBVIEW Diagnostic Logs Diagnostic logs can be used to view a record of all media update transactions and any system errors on a Firefly. Information contained in the diagnostic log include: ❏ FTP/DVD Updating data: Tracks date, time of connection/ disconnection, errors- yes/no, files, sizes, percent transferred and FTP permission errors. ❏ Storage Cleanup data: Records what media have been deleted by the automatic storage cleanup routine, including file names, sizes and dates.
WEBVIEW Figure 27. Diagnostics - Logging Page (Diagnostic log) Once in the Diagnostic logfile viewer, the data will be listed with one diagnostic event per line and will be sorted by playback time (using Firefly’s internal 24-hour clock). You may move to the previous or next pages by clicking on the respective <> links. You can also move to view the diagnostic data for a certain time of day by entering either hours, minutes and/or seconds in the time boxes and then clicking the “Go” button.
WEBVIEW System Settings Within the System Settings menu, the following options are available: General Settings Figure 28. Settings-General When a field is edited in any one of the following Settings Categories, the text for that category will turn red until you update the settings. Site ID The Site ID uniquely identifies the Firefly as it updates via FTP. It is also used for Media Messenger software to enable automated management of content, playlists & schedule updates.
WEBVIEW Time Zone Allows you to select the appropriate time zone (measured in hours and minutes plus or minus Greenwich Mean Time) for where the Firefly is being used. Version This is where to reference the software version for technical support purposes or verifying version change following a “software update”. Uptime This value indicates how long the unit has been in operation since the last power cycle.
WEBVIEW Video Settings Figure 29. Settings-Video Channel 1 Video Selects the standard for video output: ❏ NTSC (USA) ❏ PAL (European) ❏ 480p ❏ 576p ❏ 720p ❏ 1080i ❏ NTSC Cropped ❏ PAL Cropped Interleave Mode When change frame size, select whether to use interleaving or not and the type.
WEBVIEW ❏ Bob (Bob and Weave) Display Mode ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ 720 x 480 720 x 560 640 x 480 800 x 600 840 x 480 1024 x 768 1024 x 852 Channel 1 Video Out Selects the type of video output: Composite/S-video or Component. Composite and S-Video signals can be used simultaneously.
WEBVIEW Audio Settings Figure 30. Settings-Audio Volume This setting allows you to set the volume level for audio played back on the Firefly. The default volume setting is 10 on the 0-20 scale. Audio Output Firefly gives you several audio output options depending on the configuration you use (see Table 3 on page 74). Standard MPEG layer-2 files will output from both the digital and stereo analog outputs. Dolby Digital (AC3) files will output from the digital outputs only.
WEBVIEW Firefly Audio Configurations Config MPEG Audio Type 1 2 3 4 Firefly Audio Setting: Digital Output Stereo Analog Output? MPEG Layer 2 Dolby Digital S/PDIF Yes Stereo Audio MPEG Layer 2 Stereo PCM S/PDIF Yes Stereo Audio Dolby Digital Audio S/PDIF (Dolby Dolby Digital No (AC3) Digital) Dolby Digital Audio Stereo PCM (w/opt S/PDIF Stereo Yes (Decoded) (AC3) Upgrade) Table 3.
WEBVIEW Control Settings Figure 31. Settings-Control Accept TCP/IP In conjunction with RS232 serial communication, TCP/IP allows the user to remotely operate the Firefly by sending operation commands through a network or locally using an external PC or show controller (see External Control Commands on page 119). WARNING For security reasons, “Accept TCP/IP” is factory defaulted to “No”.
WEBVIEW Auto Play Upon initial start up, Firefly will begin playing the latest loaded playlist/schedule automatically. Following start up, if you choose to begin playback manually via External commands, you can default this option to “Off” to deactivate automatic playback. Baud Rate Select an identical value to your external controller. The following options are available: 1200, 4800, 9600, 38400 & 115200. It is recommended starting with a Baud Rate of 9600 for your Hyper Terminal connection.
WEBVIEW Network Settings Figure 32. Settings-Network Host Name Choose a unique name that identifies each Firefly unit on the network.
WEBVIEW Mode DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) - A TCP/IP service protocol that offers dynamic leased configuration of host IP addresses and distributes other configuration parameters to eligible network clients. DHCP provides safe, reliable, and simple TCP/IP network configuration, prevents address conflicts, and helps conserve the use of client IP addresses on the network.
WEBVIEW Netmask Specify a range that falls on subnet boundaries. Most TCP/IP networks use subnets in order to manage routed IP addresses. For the range specified in From and To, Windows 2000 calculates the closest matching subnet. The range of addresses in the closest matching subnet may exceed the range specified. Unless the addresses specified in From and To are subnet boundaries, the range based on the calculated subnet will be larger than the range specified.
WEBVIEW FTP Proxy IP Enter the address for the proxy, in IP format. FTP Proxy Port The number of the port to be used to access the FTP proxy server. Contact you system administrator for this information. HTTP Proxy Type Select the type of HTTP proxy best suited for application. HTTP Proxy IP Enter the address for the proxy, in IP format. HTTP Proxy Port The number of the port to be used to access the HTTP proxy server. Contact you system administrator for this information.
WEBVIEW SNMP Netmask Designates the Netmask information for the system(s) that will be able to monitor and control the Firefly. So for the individual example above you would set, (Ex. 1- 255.255.255.255) and for the range example above (Ex. 2- 255.255.255.0). Community The SNMP Community name defines the relationship between an SNMP server system (your Firefly) and the client systems. This acts like a password to control the clients’ access to the Firefly.
WEBVIEW Logging Settings Figure 33. Settings-Logging Run Log Allows you turn to “On” or “Off” the run log. The run log provides a record of which videos played (with which graphic overlays, if applicable), starting at what dates/times, playing back what percentage of the video and for how long. Diagnostic Log Allows you to turn “On” or “Off” the diagnostic log. The diagnostic log can be used to view a record of all media update transactions and any system errors on a Firefly.
WEBVIEW ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Storage Cleanup data: Records what media have been deleted by the automatic storage cleanup routine, including file names, sizes and dates. Missing Elements Log: Records all missing media referenced by an active playlist or schedule, including date, time and file element. Error Summary data: Records important user player diagnostic information, including the number of system restarts, number of watchdog restarts, the player version, etc.
WEBVIEW Max Log MBs Allows you to set a value (in megabytes) for the maximum size a log file is able to reach. The default value is 10 MB. You may want to keep this value relatively small if you wish to maintain a large amount of free space for videos and graphic overlays. However, if you do not reserve enough space, Firefly will delete the oldest residing logs in order to make room for the new ones.
WEBVIEW WebView Settings Figure 34. Settings-Logging WebView Enable This feature gives the user access to Firefly over a network using a conventional web browser (see WebView on page 23). File Access Enable/Disable - Accesses the Firefly directly with an FTP client. Username Enter at least 6 (but no more than 15) alphanumeric characters here. This field is case sensitive. The user name and password are used for both WebView and the FTP server.
WEBVIEW Password Enter at least 6 (but no more than 15) alphanumeric characters. This field is case sensitive. WARNING It is strongly recommended to change the user name and password from their original default values for system security.
WEBVIEW FTP Auto-Update Settings Figure 35. FTP Auto-Update Settings Screen FTP IP Address Enter the FTP server IP Address here. FTP Port Allows you to enter the port for the FTP server. If left blank during an update, this field will continue to show a blank value, and FTP will use port 21. Once you enter a value for the port and save, your new value will populate this field. Username Enter the FTP server username here. Leave this blank if no username is present.
WEBVIEW Directory It is advised that you leave this blank and use the home directory of your FTP account to place your media, playlists, schedules and/or updates folders. In the case where you are using multiple Firefly’s with different content for each unit, single and or multiple directories can come in handy. Update Interval Allows you to schedule FTP updates every 30 minutes, 1, 2, 4 or 12 hours, 1 day or at a fixed time.
WEBVIEW HTTP Auto-Update Settings Figure 36. Settings-HTTP Auto Update HTTP Address Enter the HTTP server IP Address here. HTTP Port Allows you to enter the port for the HTTP server. If left blank during an update, this field will continue to show a blank value, and HTTP will use port 80. Once you enter a value for the port and save, your new value will populate this field.
WEBVIEW Update Interval Allows you to schedule HTTP updates every 30 minutes, 1, 2, 4 or 12 hours, 1 day or at a fixed time. Fixed Update Time Allows you to set an actual fixed time (on an hourly basis) for an HTTP update (Example: 14:00). In order for this feature to be accessible, you must have the Update Interval set to “Use fixed time”. HTTP Update Now Button By pressing this button in Webview will initiate the Firefly to immediately download any new media, playlists, schedules and or updates.
WEBVIEW USB Devices Figure 37.
WEBVIEW USB Devices Settings Figure 38. Settings-USB Modem Enable Dialup If dialup is required. Phone Number Username Enter the USB server username here. Leave this blank if no username is present. Password Enter the password required for access to the USB server. Nameserver The IP address for the server, local or ISP, that handles URL name resolution for the network. Contact you system administrator for this information.
WEBVIEW Gateway A service that allows Firefly to connect to other servers. Creating a gateway also allows client computers running only Microsoft client software to access server resources through the gateway. See your Network Administrator for further information.
WEBVIEW USB Network Settings Figure 39. Settings USB Network Mode Type of network being accessed: Dynamic or Static. IP Address A 32-bit address used to identify a node on an IP internetwork. Each node on the IP internetwork must be assigned a unique IP address, which is made up of a network identifier and a host identifier. This address is typically represented in dotted-decimal notation, with the decimal value of each octet separated by a period, for example, 192.168.7.27.
WEBVIEW Most TCP/IP networks use subnets in order to manage routed IP addresses. For the range specified in From and To, Windows 2000 calculates the closest matching subnet. The range of addresses in the closest matching subnet may exceed the range specified. Unless the addresses specified in From and To are subnet boundaries, the range based on the calculated subnet will be larger than the range specified.
WEBVIEW Multicast Figure 40. Settings-Multicast Multicasting is an optional feature enabled by a software upgrade. If your Firefly does not have the optional Multicasting feature (menu items are “grayed out”) and your application requires it, contact a Visual Circuits representative at 1-800-250-5533. Client Select the name of the content provider. Client Enable Allows option to enable or disable the multicast client.
WEBVIEW Channel Like presets, you can assign a Channel number for each “Listen” configuration. This allows you to easily recall up to 99 Channels of Listen Address & Port combinations. Listen Address The IP address that the multicast client will listen on. The value must be a Class D multicast address, which will typical start with 224.xxx.xxx.xxx. Because some addresses may be reserved (see below), consult your networking specialist for assistance. - 224.0.0.0/24 is reserved by RFC. - 224.0.1.
WEBVIEW Reserves MBs Allows you to allocate a fixed amount of Firefly’s internal storage space for receiving a multicast update. To determine this value, you will need to estimate the largest multicast update you will ever receive (example: 1000 MBs). Then, double that amount (example: 1000 MBs x 2 = 2000 MBs) to allow room for both the compressed archive and the extraction process. Once you have determined this value, enter it for the Reserve MBs.
WEBVIEW Advanced Settings Figure 41. Settings-Advanced Audio/Video Sync Turns audio/video synchronization on and off. Turning the audio to video synchronization or “lip sync” off, sometimes eliminates stuttering video playback. This may however result in poor audio to video synchronization. Consult with a Visual Circuits representative if the problem continues. Merge Playlists The behavior of the “Merge Playlists” feature depends upon which mode you are in (Single Playlist Mode vs.
WEBVIEW If you are in “Schedule Mode”, if a new playlist has the same filename as a playlist already on the system, then any empty channels on the new playlist will utilize the channels from the original playlist. Reset Stats Allows you to reset the basic system statistics (number of Watchdog Restarts and System Starts) as viewable in the WebView Diagnostics/General page may be reset to zero.
NETWORKING Overview Firefly players can be deployed as a network of media playback nodes. Because Firefly can be placed on a network, standard network setup (i.e. establishing a Username, IP configuration, etc.) is fully supported. Firefly comes standard with fully integrated FTP functionality. Developing a network of centrally managed and controlled Fireflys virtually creates a private broadcast network. This network can be used to advertise, educate, instruct or entertain.
Networking Media Messenger™ Software Visual Circuits Media Messenger™ software (sold separately) combined with Firefly Media Player creates a simple, yet powerful, end-to-end solution for the distribution and utilization of highquality digital media.
UPDATING VIDEO PLAYBACK Firefly players can be updated in a variety of ways using a couple different interfaces. These updating processes include both automatic (minimal interaction) and manual methods. Automatic Updating: ❏ FTP, HTTP & Multicast Auto-Update - allows regular scheduled updating via FTP of any new media, playlists, schedules and/or system updates.
Updating Video Playback (LAN). Often LAN connections have access to the internet, but be sure to check with a networking specialist for information on setting up an account if internet access is required to reach the FTP server. Often internet access from a LAN requires the use of a proxy server and fire wall permissions. Although there are many types of FTP software packages available, Visual Circuits recommends Serve-U. You can download a trial version at www.Serve-U.
Updating Video Playback This person does not need to be familiar with how the network is maintained technically, or how the Firefly nodes are serviced and maintained. What is crucial is the quality assurance and review of the videos. This review of videos and scripts is critical prior to posting for update to make sure that the intended results are achieved. It is likely that this person is not the network administrator or web master.
Updating Video Playback FTP Update Process When an FTP update is initiated on the Firefly, either by selecting Update Now or by a regular update interval or fixed time trigger, the Firefly will try to establish communications with the specified FTP site. If communication is established, the Firefly will first search the update packets directory under the home directory of the FTP site for a .tar file in the scripts directory targeted specifically for this Firefly. This is done by checking for a .
Updating Video Playback FTP Updating Order The Firefly system will look for an update file following a specific order. It will proceed sequentially through this order until it finds a matching file and will then proceed to the When moving font files (.ttf) via FTP, set FTP mode to binary. on page 107. 1. siteid.tar 2. firefly.tar 3. siteid.fpl 4. firefly.fpl 5. siteid.fsc 6. firefly.fsc FTP Font Files (.ttf) When moving font files (.ttf) via FTP, set FTP mode to binary.
Updating Video Playback System Update Check After Firefly has finished its update routine it will search the /updates directory under the home directory of the FTP site for any valid software updates. If it finds a file in this directory with the extension “.upd” this file will be copied to Firefly’s internal storage and executed. A .upd file is a file designated for making a software update to Firefly(s). For more on the behavior of each .
Updating Video Playback Overview Each Firefly on your network must have a unique serial number. This serial number will be used to identify the individual Firefly during a multicast update to ensure that the proper media goes to the correct player. Within Firefly multicasting, two multicast modes are available: Package Mode and Script Last Mode. Package Mode: In Package Mode, a package must be created and sent to the Firefly system. It must contain a script (playlist .fpl / update packet .
Updating Video Playback Script Last Mode: In Script Last Mode, individual files can be sent to the Firefly. Any content will be stored on the system (unless none of its files are on the system). Any .tar/.fpl sent will be processed and played as long as it has at least one content file on the Firefly. Script Last Mode allows you to simply “send content” to the Firefly to load it, without the need for a script.
Updating Video Playback System Settings for Multicasting The System Settings for Multicasting detailed below are accessible via either the remote control, WebView or Front Panel interfaces. Client Enable: Allows option to enable or disable the multicast client. Note that if you make changes to other Multicast settings, you must also toggle the Client Enable setting from “Disabled” to “Enabled” for the changes to apply. Listen Address: The IP address that the multicast client will listen on.
Updating Video Playback Manual Updating WebView Updating WebView is a web-based interface that can be used to transfer media from your computer and/or network to the Firefly. See Transferring Media on page 27 for instructions on transferring media to the Firefly using the WebView interface. In addition, WebView may be used to create, edit or delete playlists and/or schedules.
Updating Video Playback Direct File Access Updating Direct File Access (enabled in “Web” screen within Firefly System Settings) can be used to update the Firefly directly with an FTP client. Programs such as FlashFXP (see description below) may be used. Figure 1. Example of Direct File Access Using FlashFXP Direct File Access is a powerful way to work with your Firefly.
Updating Video Playback Some of the options available to you include: ❏ Viewing the contents of your Firefly. ❏ Deleting files from your Firefly. ❏ Downloading files from your Firefly to your PC or network. ❏ Uploading files from your PC or network drive to the Firefly. WARNING While using an FTP client, keep in mind that you will be able to view and access special system file sub-directories that should remain unaltered.
LOG FILE REPORTING Overview The logging of playback verification data, as well as diagnostic data, provides for easier and more powerful management of a Firefly Media Player network. There are two types of data logs available on the Firefly: run logs and diagnostic logs. You can enable or disable these capturing of these logs in any combination. Each of the settings related to log file reporting are found in the System Settings menu, accessible via WebView. Figure 1.
Log File Reporting Run Logs The run log provides a record of which videos played (with which graphic overlays, if applicable), on which channels, starting at what dates/times, playing back what percentage of the video and for how long. The primary uses for this feature are for verification of playback schedules and for compliance to paid playback agreements.
Log File Reporting Log Format Run Logs The available output formats for a Firefly run log file are either .CSV or .XML Sample from a .CSV format run log: 12-07-02 20:30:07,1,05saturn.mpg,3_ser220.BMP,1,00:01:01,100 Sample from a .XML format run log: Diagnostic Logs The format of the diagnostic log is in a simple “time - event” per line format.
Log File Reporting When the log files exceed the maximum amount of defined storage space, an automatic cleanup process will delete the oldest file as required to contain the total log file space under the set limits. In addition, files will be deleted after they are transferred to the FTP server or downloaded from the Firefly player. Uploading Log Files You have a “Yes” or “No” choice for uploading log files to the “logfiles” directory on your FTP server.
EXTERNAL CONTROL COMMANDS Within this chapter, there are two types of external control commands that are described: Visual Circuits Corporation (VCC) control commands and Laserdisc emulation (LDV) control commands. Please note that the VCC control commands are proprietary in nature, and therefore are not designed to be mixed with LDV control commands. Doing so, could cause inconsistent results and is not recommended.
External Control Commands Basic Hyper Terminal Setup You will need a PC with Hyper Terminal (all Windows machines contain this under “Start/Programs/Accessories/Commuications”) and a null modem cable (female 9 pin ‘D” to female 9 pin D - RS232 cable). Connect cable and start Hyper Terminal. Select Serial Port 1 & 9600BPS. Hit the enter key and you should see a “NAK” appear on the screen.
External Control Commands VCC Control Commands: Filenames and External Commands When using external commands to handle files, it is necessary for those files to have names without, i.e. sales_video.mpg not sales video.mpg. One convention is to use underscores in place of spaces. Playlist Playback Commands Playlistload This command allows you to preload a playlist preparing it for playback. Playlistload loads up a playlist preparing it for playback.
External Control Commands Playlistplay This command initiates playback as soon as the files are fully queued up and loaded. There may be a slight delay between this command and playback. The Playlistplay and Playlistload commands behave the same except Playlistplay starts playback automatically, whereas Playlistload only loads up the playlist. Yet, an Mpgplayall command is required to actually start playback. Playlistload is for when you need to control the exact time the playback begins.
External Control Commands Playing Individual Files To accurately control the playback of individual videos, the following commands are used: The channel parameter is required for certain commands. These same External Control Command parameters are also used in Visual Circuits multi-channel products. The default channel for the Firefly-SC (single channel player) should always be ‘0’. mpgLoad This command loads an MPEG file for playback on the specified channel. This command does not play the file.
External Control Commands mpgLoadNext This command queues an MPEG file to play when the current video file finishes. This file will play once. Syntax mpgLoadNext 0 channel videoname Parameters channel The channel on the Firefly (0) videoname The full path and video name of the MPEG file to load. (See description for mpgLoad.) Return Values This command returns ACK to indicate that the file was loaded successfully, or NAK to indicate that the file could not be loaded (e.g., the file was not found).
External Control Commands mpgLoadNextDef This command queues an MPEG file to play when the current video file finishes. This command adds file to a looping playlist. Syntax mpgLoadNextdef 0 channel videoname Parameters channel The channel on the Firefly (0) videoname The full path and video name of the MPEG file to load. (See description for mpgLoad.) Return Values This command returns ACK to indicate that the file was loaded successfully, or NAK to indicate that the file could not be loaded (e.g.
External Control Commands mpgPlay This command plays a previously loaded MPEG file on the specified channel. The file must have already been loaded using the mpgLoad command. Syntax mpgPlay 0 channel Parameters channel The channel on the Firefly (0) Return Values This command returns ACK if playback was started successfully, or NAK if playback could not be started (e.g., no file previously loaded). mpgStop This command stops playback of an MPEG file that is currently playing on the specified channel.
External Control Commands mpgPlayAll This command starts playback on all channels simultaneously. The files for each channel to play must have been previously loaded using the mpgLoad command. Syntax mpgPlayAll Parameters None Return Values This command returns ACK to indicate that playback was started successfully, or NAK to indicate that playback could not be started on all channels. mpgSetInitOnOpen This command controls the video loading behavior of all channels.
External Control Commands mpgBlack This command covers MPEG video on a channel, causing the corresponding video displays to go “black.” Note: This black may not be recognized by all displays as a true video signal. To cover the video again, use the mpgUnblack command. Syntax mpgBlack 0 channel Parameters channel The channel on the Firefly (0) Return Values This command returns ACK if mpgBlack was started successfully, or NAK if mpgBlack could not be started.
External Control Commands mpgUnblack This command uncovers MPEG video, reversing the effects of the mpgBlack command. To cover the video again, use the mpgBlack command. Syntax mpgUnblack 0 channel Parameters channel The channel on the Firefly (0) Return Values This command returns ACK if mpgUnblack was started successfully, or NAK if mpgUnblack could not be started. Remarks See mpgBlack on page 128 for more information on “blacking out” video.
External Control Commands Using Serial Commands To Create Playlists You can create a playlist “on the fly” with the mpgLoadDef and mpgLoadNextDef commands. These two commands are used to define a “default” (i.e. looping) playlist of MPEG files. To make a playlist: ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ call mpgClearDef to clear the old default playlist. call mpgLoadDef to specify the first file in the list. call mpgLoadNextDef once for each additional file, the order they should play. wait a few seconds for the files to load.
External Control Commands Firefly System Commands fireflyFtpUpdate This command enables Firefly to update video content, playlists/ schedules and software via an FTP server (see FTP Updating on page 103 for more information). fireflyRestart This command restarts the entire Firefly system. This process normally takes about 1 minute to complete.
External Control Commands Callback Commands mpgCallback Turns on/off callback (play complete). Syntax mpgCallback on Parameters on on=1, send callbacks (default off). Play Complete Callback Each time a file ends and another file is started, a string is sent back to the controller over the serial port. This string has the following format: CB 0 channel 2 “0” is the Firefly channel and “2” equals the end of the file.
External Control Commands Audio and Video Setting Changes mpgSetVolumeLeftRight The mpgSetVolumeLeftRight command sets the left and right audio volumes independently. The default volume level is 124. Lowering this value will make the volume softer or raising this value will make the volume louder. mpgSetVolumeLeftRight 0 channel leftVolume rightVolume Parameters channel 0 based index of the channel on the Firefly. leftVolume 0-255 the audio level on the left channel.
External Control Commands Networking Commands FireflySetDefault This command sets the networking back to it’s factory state: IP Address - 10.0.1.1 Gateway - 255.255.255.0 Netmask Network Type - Static (2) Web Enable - On (0) Web User Name - firefly Web Password - 123456 Syntax fireflysetdefault Parameters None Remarks This command is useful for situations where you simply would like to “clean house” and start over. If you’ve forgotten an IP address, password, etc.
External Control Commands FireflySetGateway The FireflySetGateway command will allow you to change the players network Gateway. Syntax fireflysetgateway gateway Parameters Gateway A service that allows Firefly to connect to other servers. Creating a gateway also allows client computers running only Microsoft client software to access server resources through the gateway. FireflySetNetmask The FireflySetNetmask command will allow you to change the players Netmask parameter.
External Control Commands FireflySetWeb_Enable The FireflySetWeb_Enable command gives the user the option to turn on & off network communication to Webview. Syntax fireflysetweb_enable 0 (enable) or 1 (disable) FireflyGetIpAddr The FireflyGetIpAddr command retrieves current setting. Syntax fireflygetIpAddr FireflyGetGateway The FireflyGetGateway command retrieves current setting. Syntax fireflysetgateway FireflyGetNetmask The FireflyGetNetmask command retrieves current setting.
External Control Commands FireflyGetWeb_Enable The FireflyGetWeb_Enable command retrieves current setting.
External Control Commands Media Calls mpgDir This command returns the names of all files on the Firefly. Syntax mpgDir mpgDelete This command permanently removes a media file from the Firefly. Syntax mpgDelete name Parameters name The full name of the media file (video or graphic overlay) to remove. The list of all media can be obtained with the mpgDir command.
External Control Commands Information Calls infoGetFile Syntax infoGetFile 0 channel Returns the file playing the channel. Parameters channel The channel on the Firefly (0) infoGetPlaylist Syntax infoGetPlaylist 0 channel Returns the current playlist. Parameters channel The channel on the Firefly (0) infoGetSchedule Syntax infoGetSchedule 0 channel Returns the current schedule (or None).
External Control Commands infoGetState Syntax infoGetState 0 channel Returns the current playback state of the player.
External Control Commands LDV Control Commands Introduction Firefly may be controlled serially via the Laserdisc emulation control set described in this section. This interface sends commands to Firefly dictating video playback, player settings or to report back system information. Commands received and recognized by Firefly will return an “R” (ACK). Commands not recognized will be reported back to the controller as an error.
External Control Commands Other optional settings include: Field Setting Baud Rate Either 4800 or 1200 Parity Odd or Even Stop Bit 2 Data Bit 7 Be sure that the control device and Firefly’s COM port settings are the same. For Laserdisc Video serial communications, “LDV” must be selected in the Command Mode under System Settings.”VCC” is set for factory default. Error Codes If Firefly acknowledges a command, the return from the player will be .
External Control Commands Command Syntax All commands shown in this section will be upper case. There are no spaces in the command argument itself. However, between commands there will be spaces. A sequence such as (space)(space)(space) would indicate four separate commands to be executed. Some address arguments are optional and some are required to execute a command. Where an address is optional, it will be shown as “(address)”.
External Control Commands Command Summary Remember all commands are either upper case or lower case characters as well as other ASCII characters. Some address arguments are optional and will be designated by () whereas mandatory addresses will be designated by <>. The channel parameter is required for certain commands. These same External Control Command parameters are also used in Visual Circuits multi-channel products. The default channel for the Firefly-SC (single channel player) should always be ‘0’.
External Control Commands Playback Commands Play (PL) Command: Plays from the current file position and continues to play until the (address) value is reached. If no (address) is specified, play mode continues indefinitely. Format: (address)PL Response: R Explanation: This command is used to begin playback from the current file position. If an address value is included in the command, this will define the point at which playback is to automatically pause.
External Control Commands Reject “Stop” (RJ) Command: Stops playback and resets the file pointer to the head of the playlist (equivalent to a stop button on a DVD or CD player). Format: RJ Response: R Examples: RJ Stops playback and resets playback pointers to head of playlist.
External Control Commands Pause (PA) Command: Pauses the current file position and blacks out the picture. Format: PA Response: R Explanation: The PA command will pause playback, Scan Reverse or Scan Forward. While having no visible effect on screen, it should also transition from Stop to Pause holding on frame 1 of the first file of the playlist. This is simply for compatibility with LDV devices which can use PA as a means of spinning up the disc without actually beginning playback.
External Control Commands Still (ST) Command: Pauses the current file position and freezes the picture. Format: ST Response: R Explanation: ST is treated exactly the same as PA except that instead of the video output going black, the current video frame is held on screen. If an ST command is received after a PA the effect will simply be to unmute the video output. Likewise, if a PA is received after an ST, the effect will simply be to mute the video.
External Control Commands Search (SE) Command: Jumps to the specified position within the current MPEG file or playlist. Format:
SE Response: R Explanation: The Search command can jump to any I-frame within the current file or the head of any other file within the playlist. After executing the search command the video will transition to Still mode until another command is received. In the event that a search command is received with an out of range address value (i.e.External Control Commands Multi-Track Jump Forward (JF) Command: Jumps forward in the current MPEG file or playlist by the amount specified in the
argument. Format: JF Response: R Explanation: The Jump Forward command is similar to the search command accept that the address argument is interpreted relative to the current file and playlist position and the new position is always forward of the current position.External Control Commands Multi-Track Jump Reverse (JR) Command: Jumps backward in the current MPEG file or playlist by the amount specified in the
argument. Format: JR Response: R Explanation: The Jump Reverse command is similar to the search command accept that the address argument is interpreted relative to the current file and playlist position and the new position is always before the current position.External Control Commands Display Control (DS) Command: Turns the on screen status display on or off . Format: xDS Response: R Explanation: This command is used to call up a graphic overlay. All elements of that overlay except the border box around the edge of the picture are included. A value of 0 for x will turn on the graphic overlay while a value of 1 will turn off the graphic overlay.
External Control Commands Frame Number Request (?F) Command: Requests the file position in the current MPEG file in frame number format.
External Control Commands Time Code Request (?T) Command: Requests the file position in the current MPEG file in time code format. Format: ?T Response: Explanation: This command can be global specific. If received as a global command, the Firefly will respond with the file position.
External Control Commands Chapter Number Request (?C) Command: Requests the position in the current playlist. Format: ?C Response: Explanation: This command can be global specific.
External Control Commands Player Active Mode Request (?P) Command: Requests the current mode. Note: The state after a reject command (RJ) will be P05 (stilled), not P01 (stopped).
External Control Commands Firefly Model Request (?X) Command: Requests the software version. Format: ?X Response: V Explanation: This command is always global specific. Examples: Command Response Meaning ?X 4V2.00 4 channels ver 2.00 software ?X 2V3.12 2 channels ver 3.
External Control Commands Load Playlist/Schedule (LD) Command: Loads a playlist/schedule. Format: “”LD Response: R Explanation: This command is used to load a new playlist/schedule. When this command is received a check is done to be sure the specified filename actually exists on the Firefly hard drive. If it does not exist, then the error code E12 is returned and playback continues uninterrupted with the previous playlist/schedule.
External Control Commands External Control Commands Quick Reference Guide: VCC Commands: Playlistload Playlistplay mpgLoad mpgLoadDef mpgLoadNextDef mpgLoadNext mpgClearDef mpgPlay mpgStop mpgSetInitOnOpen mpgBlack fireflyFTPUpdate FireflySetDefault fireflySetIPAddr fireflySetGateway fireflySetNetmask fireflySetNetworkType fireflySetWeb_Enable fireflyGetIPAddr fireflyGetGateway fireflyGetNetmask fireflyGetNetworkType fireflyGetWeb_Enable mpgCallback Play Complete Callback mpgSetVolumeLeftRight osdLoadBMP o
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TROUBLESHOOTING General Issues No Power to Firefly Firefly should automatically start up when power is applied and begin playing back video. If there is no power indicator: 1. Confirm power sources by plugging in another electrical device. 2. Verify that electrical plug is fully seated in power supply and or the video player. 3. Test power cable in alternate device or use different power cable. 4. If there is still no power, please contact your technical support representative.
Troubleshooting "Latent Images" or "Flashing" During Playback 1. Incorrect timecodes or improperly closed encoding session. If the incorrect timecode is given for a particular file it is possible to actually encode a frame or two of the trailer or header information from the source. Often this "extra" frame is seen only briefly and may appear as a "flash" on the screen.
Troubleshooting 3. The bit rate of the MPEG files being played exceed the system capabilities: The Visual Circuit MPEG decoder boards and digital servers all have a maximum sustained bit rate that can be delivered. Refer to the system capabilities above for basic information. Consult your Visual Circuits representative prior to encoding or designing your installation if there are any questions. 4. Uneven audio to video track lengths: Confirm the length of the audio track to the length of the video track.
Troubleshooting Smooth Transitions For smoother transitions, MPEG files in the same playlist should be encoded at the same resolution and size (height x width). SMPTE time codes are not recognized properly Some SMPTE tracks loose information during compression and may not "trigger" events as required. It is recommended to encode these tracks "hot"--adding approximately +6 db to the track while encoding. Again, testing is essential to account for variances in encoders and SMPTE devices involved.
Troubleshooting Forgot Name, Password, IP...??? If you’re in a situation where you cannot get into the Webview interface because of a misplaced “User Name, Password, IP address, DNS Name, etc. Or perhaps the system was inadvertantly set to DHCP when you don’t even have a DHCP server? All is not lost (see Basic Hyper Terminal Setup on page 120 & Networking Commands on page 134).
Troubleshooting Preventing Cabling and Connection Problems The suggestions listed below provide basic tips for preventing or minimizing problems related to cabling and connections to and from the Firefly. ❏ Use the best cable you can afford. ❏ Use the shortest cables possible. For composite video, PAL or NTSC, RG-59 cable can be used for distances of up to 20 meters between the video source and the acceptor. No signal deterioration should show on the screen.
FIREFLY MULTI-ZONE™ (MZ) Installing the MZ S-VideO DVI Video Output For best quality video out put and for output to analog displays, it is necessary to attach a DVI to VGA adapter to the MZ’s DVI output. This connector is provided with the Firefly MZ.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) Functionality Firefly Multi-Zone™ functionality is available through the Media Messenger Multi-Zone Layout Editor that provides the ability to integrate high-resolution, rich-content graphics with dynamic video and scrolling text in a simultaneous display. The Layout Editor does this by dividing the screen into a variety of content zones. These zones are extremely flexible as to their content type and their size and position within the display area.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) Software Update The MZ handles software updates in the same manner as the SC. There is one diffence, however. Status LED The MZ Status LED displays RED while an update is occuring while te SC does not indicate that a update is in progress. WARNING Do Not Reboot Firefly SC or MZ during an update.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) Using Firefly MZ to Create a Layout and Playlist Creating a Playlist requires: 1. Setting Display Parameters. 2. Creating the MZ (multi-zone) layout. 3. Creating a playlist and attaching layout to it. 4. Adding content to playlist. 5. Creating a schedule for the Playlist (optional). Refer to the Media Messenger online Help for details. 6. Linking the playlist or schedule (if used) to the Firefly MZ.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) 3. Select the New Layout, give the layout a name, and click OK 4. Return to the Layout button, select Screen Resolution and choose the appropriate setting. 5. Next select Video Resolution and choose the appropriate video standard. 6. Save.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) Position Zones in Layout Workspace 1. Create the Video Zone first. Video Zone The Layout must have a video zone with a video file to function. There is only one video zone in a layout. Scrolling Text Zone There is only one scrolling text zone per layout. Scrolling text zones can overlay the video or graphics zones. Graphics Zones 2. Add Scrolling Text Zone if required. 3.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) 4. Save the layout. Creating the Playlist Navigation Pane Playlist Menu Playlist Pane Scheduling Pane Schedule Menu 1. Return to the Media Messenger main workspace. 2. Open the Playlist Editor. 3. Verify that the correct playlist is shown in the Playlist Menu field.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) 4. Verify that the Navigation Pane lists the layout content zones. 5. Right-click on the Default Video Zone and insert a video file. .To locate files to insert into the content zone, use the file browser or, if the file is already resident on the Firefly MZ Media Player, enter the filename with its extension when it is requested by application.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) 7. Insert additional video files in to the video zone to create the rest of the playlist. Each new video zone is a parent to a family of child content zones that are clones of the default zones. Child content zones display at the same time as the parent video. A default content zone displays whenever one of its clones is left empty. If both the default and one of its clones are left empty, the presentation background displays. 8.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) This procedure links the playlist to the player. Linking a schedule to the player is similar but initiates through the Schedules Pane. 1. Return to main Media Messenger workspace.. The Playlists Pane displays a list of the videos used in the playlist. 2. Verify that the correct playlist is displayed in the Playlists Pane. 3. Select the player by clicking on its icon in the Network Pane. 4. Click on the Link button.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) Firefly MZ Tips 1. A layout has only one Video and one Scrolling Text zone. 2. A layout can have unlimited graphics zones although large numbers do impact performance. 3. The Video Zone can have multiple video files inserted into it, n which case, they play in the order they appear in the playlist. 4. Each video file has a set of content zones cloned from the original default zones. 5. Zone shapes are modified in three ways. Manually, by dragging a side or corner.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) 9. Graphics Quality Most often, the automatic sizing and color-depth conversion performed by the Firefly meets the needs of the presentation. Occasionally however, it may be necessary to adjust a graphic so that it displays precisely as required. For the highest quality rendition of a graphic it is important to consider two things: color-depth and precise sizing. a.
Firefly Multi-Zone™ (MZ) 11. Smooh Video Transitions MPEG files used in a layout should be of the same resolution and size (height x width).
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Option Description Basic Configuration 40GB HDD storage NTSC, PAL Decodes all 18 ATSC formats up to 1920x1080p 4:3, or 16.
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INDEX A Advanced Settings 99 audio/video sync 99 merge playlists 99 animated GIF files 178 audio cabling 166 Dolby Digital 19, 162 line-level 4 multiplexing 21 output 181 S/PDIF 6 stream 21 test tones 21 unbalanced 6 Audio Output 73 Audio Settings 73 volume 73 audio/video sync 64, 99, 163 Auth Passphrase 81 auto play 75 B basic configuration 181 baud rate 76 bit rates 19, 20, 62, 163 C cable null modem 7 cabling 166 impedance 166 CD/DVD publish playlist 16 183 certification and regulation 181 Channel 97
Index diagnostic logs 67, 82, 116 Diagnostics 60 general 61 logging 65 playback 64 video 62 dimensions 181 direct file access updating 113 directories 88 disk underflow 64 display parameters, setting 170 DNS name 24 Dolby Digital 19, 162 DTDs 117 DVMPEG 21 E elementary stream 19 encoding 19, 162 bit rates 19, 20, 62, 163 Dolby Digital 19 MPEG 19 MPEG2 19 multiplexing 21 program stream 19 PTS values 19 recommendations 19 requirements 19 SMPTE 21 end code 20 errors external control commands 142 events 46 a
Index updating order 107 FTP Auto-Update Settings 87, 96 directory 88 fixed update interval 88 FTP update now 88 password 87 site ID 69 update interval 88 username 87 G gateway 79 General Settings 69 time zone 70 GIF, animated 178 GOP 20 graphic overlays 35 adding 37 fade in rate 41 fade out rate 41 key color 40 positioning 41 previewing 32 properties 39, 43 serial commands 134 transparency level 40, 43 working with 39, 43 graphic zones 174 graphics sizing 178 Group of Pictures 20 H host name 77 HTTP Addr
Index WebView 65 log format 83, 117 logging 115 diagnostic logs 67, 82, 116 log default playlist 83 log format 83 max log MBs 84 run logs 65, 82, 116 upload logs 84 WebView 65 Logging Settings 82 diagnostic log 82 log default playlist 83, 117 log format 83, 117 max log MBs 84, 117 run log 82 upload logs 84 Login 23 M manual updating 112 max log MBs 84, 117 media deleting 31, 33, 34 previewing 31, 32 reviewing 31 transferring 27 Media Messenger 102 layout, creating 170 linking playlist to Firefly 175 parame
Index gateway 79 host name 77 IP address 78 mode 78 netmask 79 proxy address 80 proxy type 79, 80 Networking 101, 134 Networking Commands 134 NTSC 20, 71, 166 null modem cable 7 O output audio 181 video 181 P package mode 109 PAL 20, 71, 166 parameters display 170 parity 76 parsing routine 107 Password 23, 25 pause 59 play 59 play button 45 Player 104 Player Control Panel 59 Player Management 104 playing a file 126, 127 playlist creating 173 Playlist Editor WebView 35 playlists 4, 35 adding graphic overla
Index S S/PDIF 6 saving locally 53 Schedule Editor 46 exiting 58 schedules 46 adding events 48 creating 47 deleting events 50 editing events 50 new 47 saving 52 script last mode 110 Scrolling Text 42 scrolling text MZ 177 scrolling text zones 174 Security Name 81 serial port configuring Firefly 7 shuffle 37 Simple Network Management Protocol 80 site ID 69 sizing graphics 178 smooth video transitions 179 SMPTE 21, 164 SNMP 80 SNMP Netmask 81 SNMP Network 80 Software 30 software update 17 Software Update 30
Index networking 181 temperature range 181 test files 161 time codes 63, 162 time zone 70 tips Firefly MZ 177 transfer order 97, 111 transparency animated GIF 178 transparency level 40, 43 Troubleshooting 161 U unbalanced audio 6 Update 30 update software 17 update interval 88 updating direct file access 113 FTP 103 manual 112 multicast 108 status LED 169 WebView 112 uploading log files 84, 118 Uptime 70 username 85, 87 V VCC control commands 121 Version 70 video cabling 166 component 5 composite 5 date r
Index uploading 29 username 25 Video Dates Editor 56 WebView Settings 85 file access 85 password 86 username 85 WebView 85 weight 181 Z zone video, default 174 zones graphic 174 scrolling text 174 190
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