® EXT-HD-DSMP User Manual www.gefen.
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CONTENTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 12 13 15 17 17 18 19 20 20 22 24 25 25 27 27 28 29 28 30 30 30 30 31 34 35 38 38 41 44 45 45 47 55 57 58 Introduction Operation Notes Features Front Panel Layout Front Panel Descriptions Back Panel Layout Back Panel Descriptions IR Remote Layout IR Remote Descriptions IR Remote Installation Connecting the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player Wiring Diagram Operating the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player Powering the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player Accessing the M
INTRODUCTION Congratulations on your purchase of the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player. Your complete satisfaction is very important to us. Gefen Gefen delivers innovative, progressive computer and electronics add-on solutions that harness integration, extension, distribution and conversion technologies.
OPERATION NOTES READ THESE NOTES BEFORE INSTALLING OR OPERATING THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER • This unit DOES NOT contain any internal memory. Memory must be supplied by the user in the form of a USB 2.0 flash drive. The following file systems are compatible with this player: NTFS The main settings, schedules, playlists, and subdirectories will be located on the attached USB device. The default directories and settings file (settings.
FEATURES Features • Supports resolutions up to 1080p Full HD • HDMI, Component, and Composite A/V outputs active simultaneously • Text-based scheduling and playlist using a text editor • CMS for multiple units* • Supports MPEG 1/2/4, DivX 3/4/5/6, XVid, and H.
FRONT PANEL LAYOUT 1 2 3 Front Panel 4
FRONT PANEL DESCRIPTIONS Front Panel 1 IR This IR window receives signals from the IR Remote Control Unit. 2 STATUS This LED indicator will flash bright blue to indicate network traffic when the Media Player is connected to a network. 3 PWR Power LED indicator. When power is applied to the unit, this LED will glow bright blue. When no USB device is connected, the LED will alternate blue and red. When the Media Player is booting, this LED will flash red when accessing the USB drive.
BACK PANEL LAYOUT 1 8 7 2 3 4 5 6 Back Panel 6
BACK PANEL DESCRIPTIONS 1 Component Connect three (3) RCA cables from the Green, Blue, and Red outputs to the component video input of a display or other video output device. 2 Optical TOSLINK audio ouput connector. Connect an optical cable from this connector to an audio output device. 3 HDMI Connect an HDTV display to this port using the included locking HDMI cable. 4 Ethernet Connects the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player to a network using 10/100 Mbps Ethernet cable. 5 USB USB 2.
IR REMOTE LAYOUT EXT-HD-DSMP-IR Remote Control Unit 1 15 2 3 4 14 13 5 12 6 11 7 10 9 8 8
IR REMOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1 Power This button will toggle between the ON and STANDBY power states. A RED LED will be active when the unit is in Standby power state. The Power LED will glow bright blue when the Media Player is powered ON. 2 Numeric Keypad (0 - 9) Used to enter values when using the Menu System. 3 + Press this button to increase the volume level of the audio output. 4 Back Press this button to move up one level in the Menu System or return from a submenu.
IR REMOTE INSTALLATION Installing the Batteries 1. Remove the battery cover on the back of the IR Remote Control Unit. 2. Insert the included AA batteries into the open battery slot. 3. Replace the battery cover. IR emitter Transmits the IR commands to the Media Player Battery Slot (shown with batteries) Battery alignment The batteries should be installed in the following position: _ + + _ WARNING: Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an incorrect type.
CONNECTING THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER How to Connect the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player 1. Connect Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player to the display using the included HDMI cable. NOTE: If using the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player with an analog display, then connect the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player to the display using user-supplied composite or component video cables. 2.
OPERATING THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER Powering the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player 1. Once power has been connected to the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player, the following screen will be displayed while the unit completes the booting process. 2. After the boot process has been completed, any schedules, playlists, and content will be automatically begin playing: If no content has been scheduled, then the PIN code screen will be displayed.
OPERATING THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER Accessing the Main Menu If no media is scheduled to play after the Media Player has finished booting, then the PIN code screen will be displayed. The PIN code screen provides a secure gateway to the Main Menu. The PIN code screen can be displayed at any time by pressing the Home button on the IR Remote Control. 1. Press the Home button on the IR Remote Control. 2. The Input PIN code screen will be displayed. 3.
OPERATING THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER As the PIN code is entered, each of the numbers will be masked for security purposes. Although not required, a PIN code is recommended to prevent unauthorized access to the Main Menu. The PIN code can be disabled (see page 48). PIN code is always masked during entry. ADVANCED: If the PIN code has been disabled within the settings.
OPERATING THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER 4. After entering the correct PIN code, the Main Menu will be displayed. Safely Removing the USB Storage Device In Stand-Alone Mode, it will be necessary to remove the USB storage device from the Media Player in order to update schedule files, playlist files, and content. To safely remove the USB storage device, use the EJECT button on the IR Remote Control Unit. 1. Access the Main Menu in order to stop the playback of all content. 2.
OPERATING THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER 3. The Media Player will prompt you to select which device to stop. In the example below, only one USB device is connected to the Media Player. Additional storage would be identified as D, E, F, etc. 4. Highlight the USB device you wish to stop and eject, using the ▲ and ▼ buttons on the IR Remote Control, then press the OK button. The Media Player will prompt you to confirm the operation: Select Yes to confirm the operation.
HOW THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER WORKS Directory and File Nomenclature The Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player uses directories to organize schedules, playlists, and media content. A major part of how the Media Player behaves is governed by a set of three files: • • • schedule.gsh playlist.gpl settings.
HOW THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER WORKS Renaming Files and Directories As mentioned earlier, three (3) directories must reside in the root directory of the USB drive at all times: /media, /playlists, and /schedules. The settings.xml file must always reside in the root directory. The names given to each of the files and directories are provided as a guide and are by no means static. However, each of the files will reference a specific directory name.
HOW THE HI-DEF DIGITAL SIGNAGE MEDIA PLAYER WORKS Operating Modes The Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player can operate in one of two modes: Stand-alone Mode and Network Mode. Stand-Alone Mode Use this mode if you want content played locally from the USB flash drive on the Media Player. Network Modes • Push Mode Content is manually pushed d to the Media Player from an FTP client. • Pull Mode Pulls content from an FTP server (based on a schedule) to the Media Player.
STAND-ALONE MODE Using Stand-Alone Mode 1. Connect the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player according to the instructions on page 11. STOP: Make sure the USB storage device is connected to the Media Player before power is connected. The Media Player comes pre-loaded with a demo playlist, schedule, and content. After the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player has finished booting, the pre-loaded content will begin playing. 2.
STAND-ALONE MODE Eject USB Device Indicates that the green button on the IR Remote Control is used for safe removal of the USB device. Refer to page 15 for details on ejecting the USB drive from the Media Player. 5. Remove the USB device from the back of the Media Player and connect it to your computer. 6. On the USB drive, locate the schedule.gsh file under the /schedules directory. Next, we will edit the Schedule file in order to change what is displayed on the screen.
STAND-ALONE MODE Viewing the Schedule File 1. Open the schedule.gsh file, located in the /schedules directory. Any plain text editor can be used (such as Windows® Notepad, etc). IMPORTANT: Do not use a word processing program to edit the Schedule file, as this may introduce unwanted invisible control characters into the file. 2. Locate the tag at the top of the file. The and tags must be present in the schedule.gsh file.
STAND-ALONE MODE 5. Next, the playlist file will be specified. Make sure to use the leading forwardslash in the path when specifying the full path to the schedule file. /playlists/playlist.gpl /playlists/playlist.gpl playlists/playlist.gpl As mentioned earlier, the playlist.gpl file can be renamed to something more meaningful, if you like.
STAND-ALONE MODE Editing the Playlist File 1. Open the playlist.gpl file, located in the /playlists directory. 2. Locate the tag at the top of the file. The and tags must surround each instance of video content. ........ 3. Type the full path (make sure to include a forward slash at the beginning of the path) to the video content, between the opening tag and the closing tag: /media/my_movie.
STAND-ALONE MODE Viewing the Settings.xml File Finally, we’re going to take a quick look at the settings.xml file. The settings.xml file contains all the information on how the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player operates. Within the settings.xml file, the active schedule must be specified: 1. Open the settings.xml file, located in the root directory of the USB drive. 2. Locate the and tags, near the bottom portion of the file:
STAND-ALONE MODE 5. The root directory of the USB drive should look something like this: Filename .. media playlists schedules settings.xml Filesize Filetype 2,472 File folder File folder File folder XML Doc... 6. After you have verified everything, eject the USB drive from your computer before removing it. If the USB drive is removed without ejecting it, data loss and/or data corruption may occur. 7. Disconnect power from the Media Player.
STAND-ALONE MODE Adding More Video Content to the Playlist Running only one selection of video content may not always be what you want to do. The Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player is capable of playing several pieces of video content. Here’s how to add more than one file to the playlist: 1. Safely eject and remove the USB drive from the Media Player, then plus the USB drive into an available USB port on your computer. 2. Open the playlist.gpl file, located in the /playlist directory. 3.
STAND-ALONE MODE Scheduling Content We’ve already seen how we can play one or more media files and loop them. However, we can also specify a when the playback will begin and end. 1. Open the schedule.gsh file, located in the /schedules directory. 2. Insert the following two lines between the and tags.
THE DEFAULT EVENT Understanding the Default Event As mentioned earlier, the schedule.gsh file must always contain a default event. The important thing to remember when using Digital Signage is that something (some media) should be displayed at all times. A Digital Signage application with nothing displayed defeats the whole purpose of the application. Therefore, the default eventt should display media content when other content is not scheduled to be played.
NETWORK MODE / PUSH MODE Using Network Mode Use Network Mode when the Digital Signage requirement are: • Playback and looping of media files • Scheduling and playlist capability • Remote content management using the built-in FTP client / server (push / pull mode) NOTE: You should already be familiar with the schedule.gsh, schedule.gpl, and settings.xml files and how they work. If not, refer to the How the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player workss section on pages 17 and 18.
PUSH MODE Method 1: Configuration using the OSD 1. Open the OSD and select the Network option. 2. Select either DHCP IP (AUTO) which automatically assigns the IP address from the pool. The FIX IP (MANUAL) option will require you to provide the correct IP address, Subnet mask, Default Gateway, and DNS server address. 3. Press the OK button on the IR Remote to accept the changes.
PUSH MODE 4. Select the Set FTP username / password for client option. 5. Enter the desired user name and password in the respective fields: 6. Press the OK button on the IR Remote to accept the changes. Select the Back button to return to the main menu of the OSD.
PUSH MODE 7. Select the Enable / Disable FTP server / client option. 8. Select the Enable / Disable FTP Serverr option. Press the OK button on the IR Remote Control until it is set to Enable, then press the Back button on the IR Remote Control. Since we’re not using the FTP client (on the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player), the Enable / Disable FTP Client option can be set to either state. This will not affect the functionality of Push Mode. 9.
PUSH MODE Method 2: Configuration using the settings.xml file ADVANCED: Before editing the settings.xmll file, it is recommended that you are familiar with XML (eXtended Markup Language). If you are unfamiliar with XML, you should review pages 45 and 46 before continuing. 1. Open the settings.xml file and locate the section: < ”255.255.255.
PUSH MODE 4. Set the pushMode attribute to enable. Then, set the userName and userPass attributes to the desired values. For most scenarios, the port value should be set to 21. 5. Save the file to the USB drive. STOP: Before inserting the USB drive back in the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player, make sure you disconnect the power to the unit. The USB drive must be connected to the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player before power-up, in order for the new settings to take effect.
PUSH MODE 2. Enter the user name and password that were created on page 32. User name Password 3. Connect to the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player using your FTP client. Once connected, you should see a directory listing similar to the following: Filename Filesize .. sda1 4. Filetype File folder To see the contents of the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player storage device, change to the /sda1 directory: Filename .. Logs media playlists schedules settings.
PUSH MODE 5. To make changes to the current schedule or playlist, make changes locally on your computer, then upload the new files to their respective directories. Media files can also be added. Any changes will automatically take place once the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player finishes executing the current schedule and/or playlist. NOTE: If the settings.xml file has been changed, then the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player must be power-cycled for the new changes to take effect.
PULL MODE Pull Mode In this next section, we will discuss Pull Mode. When we refer to Pull Mode, we are describing a process whereby content is (automatically) “pulled from” an FTP server to the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player. In this configuration, the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player becomes the FTP client.
PULL MODE 3. Press the OK button to accept the changes. 4. Select the Set FTP username / password for serverr option. 5. Enter the desired user name and password in the respective fields. If no user name of password currently exists, the Current Username and Current Password d fields may be left blank. IMPORTANT: Do not use special characterss (@,#,&, etc) when creating a password. The Media Player will be unable to connect to the server while in Pull Mode if special characterss are used. | 6.
PULL MODE 7. Select the Enable / Disable FTP server / client option. 8. Select the Enable / Disable FTP Serverr option. Press the OK button on the IR Remote Control until it is set to Enable, then press the Back button on the IR Remote Control. 9. Press the OK button on the IR Remote to accept the changes.
PULL MODE Method 2: Configuration using the settings.xml file ADVANCED: Before editing the settings.xmll file, it is recommended that you are familiar with XML (eXtended Markup Language). If you are unfamiliar with XML, you should review pages 45 and 46 before continuing. 1. Open the settings.xml file and locate the section: < ”255.255.255.
PULL MODE 4. Set the pullMode attribute to enable. ... ... 5. Next, set the IP address of the server used to hold the content for the following attributes:
PULL MODE 7. Under the pullSchedule tag, the pullRepeat attribute value can be set to hourly or daily, or none. See page 52 for more information. If the pullRepeat attribute is set to daily, set the time value under the tag to the time which the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player will connect to the FTP server and retrieve updated content.
PULL MODE Configuring the FTP Server The following covers the configuration process for the FTP server. This process applies whether you are running FTP server software on a PC on a network or have a dedicated FTP server. 1. The first step is to create the path and permissions to the directory which the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player will be accessing. In our example from the settings.
THE SETTINGS.XML FILE Understanding the SETTINGS.XML file The settings.xml contains all the settings used by Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player. This file can be edited directly, allowing you to set the output resolution, the active schedule, in addition to several other options such as NTP server assignment, push mode and pull mode. Many of these settings can also be modified using the built-in menu system. The settings.
THE SETTINGS.XML FILE The settings.xml is constructed as a typical XML file: The beginning of the settings.xml file begins with an XML declaration: The XML declaration is followed by a start-tag. The end of the file contains a end-tag. All other tags and attributes are contained within these two tags, creating the following structure: ... ... ...
SETTINGS.XML SUMMARY Device Name Tag Name: Description: Allows you to change the name of the device. Attributes: name Example: IP Configuration Tag Name: Description: Allows you to specify automatic (DHCP) or manual (FIXED IP) configuration of the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player. Attributes: ipMode ip subnet gateway dns1 dns2 Example:
SETTINGS.XML SUMMARY OSD PIN Code Tag Name: Description: Allows you to change or disable the PIN code for the OSD. Attributes: osdLock pin Example: Notes: Once the PIN code has been changed in the settings.xml file, the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player must be power-cycled after inserting the USB drive.
SETTINGS.XML SUMMARY Notes: Once the time zone or time mode has been changed using the settings.xml file, the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player must be power-cycled after inserting the USB drive. WARNING: When using schedules, it is highly recommended that an NTP server be used to maintain all time settings. If the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player experiences a power loss after setting the time manually, the clock will reset, causing any schedules and playlists to be executed at the incorrect time.
SETTINGS.XML SUMMARY Pull Mode Configuration Tag Name: Description: Allows you to modify Pull Mode settings in network mode. Attributes: pullMode pullURL schedulePull playlistPull contentPull pullLogUpload userName userPass port syncMedia syncPlaylist syncSchedule Example:
SETTINGS.XML SUMMARY Notes: The syncMedia attribute enables / disables the syncing of media from the server to the Media Player. The two examples below illustrate the difference between disabling and enabling the syncMedia attribute. Note that when the syncMedia attribute is enabled, the Media player will receive the new content and erase the current content from the Media Player. Media Player (before sync) my_movie1.mov my_movie2.mp4 Server my_movie1.mov my_movie2.
SETTINGS.XML SUMMARY Pull Schedule Configuration Tag Name: Description: Located within the opening and closing tags. This section allows you to specify when content is pulled on a daily or hourly basis. Attributes: pullRepeat time (daily) time (hourly) Example: ... ... ...
SETTINGS.XML SUMMARY Setting the Active Schedule Tag Name: Description: Sets the active schedule. Attributes: activeSchedule Example: Display Configuration Tag Name: Description: Sets the output resolution and enables / disables underscan.
SETTINGS.XML SUMMARY Reboot Configuration Tag Name: Description: This option can be used in rare cases when the Media Player has exhibited abnormal behavior and performing a reboot return the Media Player to normal operation. The reboot time should be set when content is not scheduled to play. After the reboot procedure is executed, the Media Player will continue with the current schedule.
FIRMWARE UPDATE Updating the Firmware 1. Copy the install.img file to the root directory of the USB drive. 2. Insert the USB drive into the USB port on the Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player. 3. Enter the OSD and select Manual firmware update via USB. 4. Press the OK button on the IR Remote. After the OK button has been pressed, the following screen will be displayed. Click the OK button to proceed with the firmware update process.
FIRMWARE UPDATE WARNING: Do nott disconnect power or remove the USB drive during the firmware update process. Doing so may cause the unit to function improperly or lock up in an unrecoverable state. 5. The following set of screens will be displayed as the update process is taking place: 6. After the update process has completed successfully, the following screen will be displayed. The Hi-Def Digital Signage Media Player will then return to the Input PIN Code screen.
SPECIFICATIONS Maximum Pixel Clock............................................................................... 225 MHz Video Output Connectors........ (1) HDMI Type A 19-pin, female, (1) Component, RCA-type, (1) Composite, RCA-type, (1) L/R, RCA-type Audio Output Connector......................................................................(1) TOSLINK Ethernet Connector........................................................................ RJ-45, Shielded USB Output Connectors..........................
WARRANTY Gefen warrants the equipment it manufactures to be free from defects in material and workmanship. If equipment fails because of such defects and Gefen is notified within two (2) years from the date of shipment, Gefen will, at its option, repair or replace the equipment, provided that the equipment has not been subjected to mechanical, electrical, or other abuse or modifications.
Rev A4 20600 Nordhoff St., Chatsworth CA 91311 1-800-545-6900 818-772-9100 www.gefen.com Pb This product uses UL listed power supplies. fax: 818-772-9120 ds@gefen.
