Niagara Pro User Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS Safety Instructions, FCC Statement, UL Statement, Environmental Information, Disclaimers, Trademark Information...............................................................................................................................a Foreword .............................................................................................................................................................................1 Package Contents .....................................................
Advanced Streaming Settings ................................................................................................................................................. 37 AVI Encoder Settings................................................................................................................................................ 41 Flash Encoder Settings.............................................................................................................................................
Status.........................................................................................................................................................................81 Log Out .....................................................................................................................................................................81 ALL ENCODERS .................................................................................................................................................
Niagara Pro User Guide © 2007 ViewCast Corporation Safety Instructions Rack Rack Mount Instructions Mount A) Operating Temperature - If installed in a closed or multi-unit rack assembly, the operating ambient temperature of a rack environment may be greater than room ambient. Therefore, consideration should be given to installing the equipment in an environment compatible with the maximum ambient temperature of 40° C.
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
the European Union conforms to the Directive with exceptions using the Category 3 exemption provided in the Annex of the 2002/95/EC directive. For current RoHS statement, see www.viewcast.com. Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Statement Underwriters Laboratories Inc. has not tested the performance or reliability of the security or signaling aspects of this product. UL has only tested for fire, shock and casualty hazards as outlined in UL’s Standard for Safety UL 60950-1.
Do not install the encoder near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, and/or other equipment, that produce heat. Attentive concern and exercise of care by installing the encoder away from any heat sources is vital to the safety of the person or persons using the product. Installing the encoder near such heat sources could result in personal injury or death to you and/or others.
encoder to rain or other types of moisture could result in impairment to the encoder and physical injury or death to you and/or others. Encoder shall not be exposed to water or moisture in any way. Liquids in any form should not be placed on or near the encoder. If you place liquids in any form on or near the encoder, do so at your own risk, for there is a high risk of electrical shock that could occur, which may cause damage to the encoder and/or personal physical injury or death to you and/or others.
Do not use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from the power cable. Operate the encoder using only the type of power source indicated on the marking label on the back panel of the unit. Unplug the encoder power cord by gripping the power plug and removing the plug from the power source. Do not pull the cord to remove the power source from the encoder.
shall be controlling and shall preempt or supersede the warranty provisions herein. Reseller Pass Through of Standard Limited Warranties. ViewCast's standard limited warranties for the products are to be passed through to the Customer by the Reseller without modification. Any modification of any Product voids ViewCast’s warranties or any other existing or available warranty. Copyright© 2007 ViewCast Corporation. All rights reserved.
Foreword Congratulations on the purchase of your Niagara® Pro streaming media encoder! You are the fortunate owner of a state-of-the-art streaming media system. Now you can capture and stream your audio and video content over the Internet or any local or wide area IP network. All you need is your audio and video source (such as a camera or deck) a streaming media server or hosting provider, and an IP connection to your viewing audience.
Package Contents Completely unpack all of the contents from the box and inspect each item for damage and ensure that you have all of the components listed below: • • • • • • • • • • Niagara Pro Streaming Media Encoder Power Cables o North America Adapter Cable (110 vac) o International Adapter Cable (220 vac) o UK Adapter Cable (220 vac) BNC-to-RCA Converter, Male-to-Female (8) Niagara Pro User Guide Quick Start Guide 75 OHM BNC Terminator 1 Pair Rack Slide Rails 2 Rack Handles 1 Niagara Software CD 1 Nia
Installation Guide This section will guide you through the physical connection and setup of your Niagara Pro system. There are two parts to the complete installation of Niagara Pro, as follows: 1. Connection of Niagara Pro streaming media encoder 2. Configuration of Niagara Pro system Most of the basic operations you will routinely use are performed from the front panel of the Niagara Pro system.
Connecting to an electrical power source Niagara Pro ships with three different power cables, as follows: • • • North America Adapter Cable (110v) International Adapter Cable (220v) UK Adapter Cable (220v) Select the appropriate cable for your region and attach the block end to the power input located on the upper corner on the rear panel of Niagara Pro. Plug the other end into a wall outlet or surge protection enabled power strip connected to a wall outlet or other common power source.
Niagara Pro Rear Panel Diagram The diagram and table below illustrates all of the connectors and other components of the Niagara Pro rear panel. The diagram above shows the rear panel of Niagara Pro. The Analog Input section of the rear panel is used to connect your audio and video source to Niagara Pro. Using the reference chart and images below, you can connect the appropriate device and power to the Niagara Pro. Port Description A AC Power Input Provides system power.
Niagara Pro Front Panel Diagram You should familiarize yourself with the front panel controls for the Niagara Pro. Besides the basic buttons for power, start/stop, up/down and menu access, there are also several indicator lights. The diagram and table below illustrates all buttons and lights so you can review the front panel functions and interface. Control Buttons Description Power Pressing this button once will power up Niagara Pro.
Remote Control This light indicates that another user is accessing the Niagara Pro across the network from a computer. Audio Activity These lights indicate audio input presence. Connectors Headphone Jack & Volume Buttons The jack allows headphones to be connected to the Niagara Pro for audio monitoring. The Volume Buttons control the audio level on the headphones.
Niagara Pro will now ask you to set the date. To set the month and day, use the and arrow keys to increment the numerical value of the month. Once you set the numerical value for the month, press the button to move to the day field. Again, use the and arrow keys to increment the numerical value of the day. Press to enter the value and move to the year field. Use the same process for setting the month and day to set the year.
Once you are satisfied with your settings, press the button to accept the settings. The last setting is the selection of the video input format that you will enter into the Niagara Pro. You will see the following prompt message. Press the button to continue. Select your video source format from either NTSC or PAL. Press the button to set the format, then the final screen will appear confirming you have successfully set up your Niagara Pro.
Changing the Niagara Pro Network Settings Press the Menu button to access the Niagara Pro EASE menu. The EASE menu options are as follows: Use the and buttons to move the select arrow in the menu until the arrow points to Setup System option. Now, press the button. The Niagara Pro LCD readout will display the Setup menu. Using the / buttons, select Network and press the button. Select the network interface you wish to modify and then press .
Press this button to select and continue. Press this button to cancel and exit. The next menu offers you the choice to enable DHCP for the network interface. Using the and buttons, you can toggle the selection from the No to the Yes option. After you make your selection, press the button to input the change. Niagara Pro will confirm you wish to change this setting. Press to confirm your choice. Niagara Pro will return to the menu to select another individual setting to modify.
Introduction What is streaming media? Streaming media is media that is consumed (read, heard, viewed) while it is being delivered. Streaming is more a property of the delivery system than the media itself. The distinction is usually applied to media distributed over computer networks; most other delivery systems are either inherently streaming (radio, television, Internet TV) or inherently non-streaming (books, video cassettes, audio CDs).
Simple Guide to Streaming Audio and Video Types Niagara Pro can create several different types of audio and video streams. Although all are a type of IP video format, each has certain properties that make it more attuned to a specific streaming video application. Niagara Pro was designed for creating video content in a reduced resolution to allow the content to be streamed across the Internet to be played back on a computer or a handheld mobile device.
cable modem or DSL connection, then you can provide a higher quality stream at full resolution at 2 Mbps. Niagara Pro provides preconfigured encoding profiles for different bandwidth connections. The profiles loaded will depend upon how you configure your Niagara Pro on its initial startup.
Tutorial: Getting to know your Niagara Pro There are two interfaces for operation of your Niagara Pro streaming media encoder.
Basic Operation: Using the Niagara Pro Front Panel Startup NOTE: If this is the first time Niagara Pro has been started, please read the previous section entitled First Start Setup before continuing. To start your Niagara Pro encoder, press the button on the front panel.
Alternate Shutdown Method Alternatively, you can shut down the Niagara Pro using the EASE menu. Press the
Use the and buttons to move the select arrow to point to the encoder profile you want Niagara Pro to use for this encoding session. Once you select the encoder profile you need, press the button again to start the encoder. The Niagara Pro LCD readout then displays messages about the encoder start process. After the encoder session has successfully begun, the Niagara Pro LCD readout returns to the previous display of available encoders.
Checking CPU Usage Since you are able to start multiple streams, understanding how much of the processing power of Niagara Pro is being used is invaluable. If you are using less than 50%, then you should be able to start another encoding session without adversely affecting system performance. Press the
The Niagara Pro LCD readout displays the list of encoders and shows the current status of each session. Using the and buttons, move the pointer to the position next to the encoding session you want to terminate. Press the button again and the encoder session selected will terminate. To return to the main menu, press the
After you input the preferred default location in the *Default AV Folder box, you can begin exporting your files from Niagara Pro. Press the
Advanced Operation: Using the Niagara SCX Web Interface Accessing the Web Interface The Niagara SCX Web Interface does not require software and works with any computer that has a current Web browser, including Windows, Macintosh, and Linux machines. The Niagara Pro system must either reside on a shared IP network with the computer or can be directly connected to a Windows computer using an Ethernet cable (RJ45).
NOTE: If you cannot browse to the Niagara Pro using its machine name, type in the Niagara Pro IP address instead. This information is also available from the Niagara Pro is Ready window when the system is idle. Starting an Encoding Session To start an encoding session, move the mouse pointer over Encoders in the menu bar and click on All Encoders in the drop-down menu. All of the encoder profiles loaded on the Niagara Pro will be presented in a list indicating format and current status.
The Web page automatically updates with messages detailing the encoder start progress. After the encoder has stopped successfully, the Web page will return to the All Encoders page with the encoder status updated to reflect the Started mode. Stopping an Encoding Session If you are not already on the All Encoders page, move your mouse over Encoders in the menu bar and click All Encoders in the drop-down menu.
Press the blue Stop icon located in the right column of the encoder you wish to stop. The Web page automatically updates with messages detailing the encoder stop progress. After the encoder has stopped successfully, the Web page will return to the All Encoders page with the encoder status updated to reflect Started mode.
Viewing the Niagara Pro Activity Log The Activity Log records the Encoder Start and Stop events. To view the Activity Log, move the mouse pointer over Status in the menu bar and click on Activity Log in the drop-down menu. The log is updated for every event on the Niagara Pro. The log now includes the starting and stopping events for the encoder from the previous sections. Each event is date and time stamped. Pressing the Clear Activity Log button in the upper-right clears all logged activities.
When you access the Encoder Preset A page, you are presented with the configuration option for the EZStream A button. On this page is a graphic representation of the front panel of the Niagara Pro. The A button is highlighted on this graphic representing you are actively assigning an encoder to this corresponding EZStream button. This page presents a Select Encoder field and a link at the bottom of the page to view the View All Encoders page.
The Web page will update the Preset A EZStream button and report success. By clicking on the B and C buttons on the Niagara Pro graphic, you can assign encoders to those EZStream buttons the same way. NOTE: It is not possible to assign the same encoder to two EZStream buttons simultaneously. If an encoder is already assigned to a button and you assign it to another button, Niagara Pro will remove the association to the previous button in favor of the most current request.
Edit Preset Encoder Profile After assigning encoders to the EZStream buttons, you can access the encoder editing page by clicking the edit button at the bottom of the Preset page.
AVI Encoder Properties -30-
Flash® Encoder Properties -31-
MPEG-4 Encoder Properties -32-
Real Encoder Properties (Helix) -33-
Windows Media Encoder Properties For more information on setting up each type of encoder, proceed to the next section entitled Editing an Encoding Profile.
Editing an Encoder Profile When you create a new encoder, you will be prompted to edit the new profile to your specific encoder settings and requirements. You can also edit the existing encoder profiles provided by default on Niagara Pro. The property windows for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical. If you have performed the steps for adding an encoder, you should already see the encoder properties page. If not, you can edit an existing encoder profile. Go to the All Encoders screen.
Video & Audio Settings Regardless of the encoder type, all types require you set the audio and video properties. These values are the same for all encoder types except for the added color space setting for AVI and Flash®. You can enable or disable video and/or audio by clicking the check box next to Source: When enabled, the Source, Input, Signal, Proportions, Size, and Input fields can be edited.
display on which your content will be viewed. For example, if you will be streaming your video on the Internet to be viewed on a computer monitor, select Standard. If the inaccurate setting is selected, your streaming video will be distorted. The Size field refers to the pixel size of the encoded video.
method, no requirements are necessary for a particular startup order to associate settings with instantiations. Enable SimulStream Checkbox The checkbox at the top of the group, when checked, enables SimulStream to run for the currently selected device. All Niagara appliances include a full SimulStream license installed for each A/V channel, and this checkbox controls full SimulStreaming. When you change the SimulStream Enable status and click Submit, it is strongly recommended you restart the appliance.
Deinterlace The deinterlace field has four drop-down choices, as follows: • • • • Off — Perform no deinterlacing of any kind. Auto — Apply inverse telecine deinterlacing to all telecine video. Apply motion adaptive deinterlacing to all video that is not telecine. Switch dynamically between the two modes as the content changes. Available for NTSC video only. Inverse Telecine — Apply inverse telecine deinterlacing to all telecine video. Perform no deinterlacing of video that is not telecine.
Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and SECAM video. The Auto and Inverse Telecine buttons will be disabled when either PAL or SECAM is selected as the video standard. Motion Threshold Motion Threshold adjusts the threshold of difference from spatially- and temporally-related pixels, which are judged to be “motion.” If you enter a higher value, the number of pixels in motion will be greatly reduced.
AVI Encoder Settings AVI is an uncompressed audio and video storage format and therefore only has the ability to save to a file. You can type in a unique name for the generated AVI file and modify the directory path to the location the file will be stored. Clicking the Default Folder link will insert the path of the default folder for file storage on the Niagara Pro. By default the path is d:\AVFILES\. NOTE: It is not recommend you store files in any other directory on the Niagara Pro.
Flash Encoder Settings The Flash encoder settings are similar to the AVI settings for saving the audio and video to a file. However, Flash adds some additional frame and bit rate controls. The frame rate changes the frames per second at which the video will be encoded. The audio format setting can be used to modify the audio frequency and changes stereo to mono. The bit rate settings pertain to the amount of data per second the audio and video are captured.
MPEG-4 Encoder Settings Encoder Settings Web Interface The Niagara Pro software MPEG-4 compression engine provides H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2 SP/ASP, and H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 Baseline encoding functionality. This product provides the capabilities to encode streams for Internet video, mobile phones, set top boxes and create media files for other MPEG-4 compatible devices such as iPods®.
The Advanced MPEG Video Settings provide you with the ability to choose the MPEG Type required for your output. As set forth in the figure and descriptions of the MPEG Types set forth below, these include the following: MPEG-4 MPEG-4 is the basic MP4 compression which can be used for Web (streaming media) and mobile devices. Use this compression setting if you are experiencing compatibility issues with your playback software or device when using H.263 or H.264. H.263 MPEG-4, Part 2, or H.
3G2 – H.263 This setting will create an H.263 stream stored in a 3G2 container. 3G2 – H.264 This setting will create an H.264 stream stored in a 3G2 container. Also included under Advanced MPEG Video Settings are drop-down boxes for Encoder Quality, ranging from Real-time to Highest, along with Frame Rate and the Bitrate (kbps). NOTE: Some players, such as Quicktime® player, are not compatible with streams that include B frames.
The Advanced MPEG Audio Settings, provide you with several Audio Formats, Audio Types, Audio Encoders, and Bitrates from which to choose. These choices include several options as to audio sampling, and whether the audio is to be encoded monophonically (mono) or stereo. The Audio Type setting is only related to AAC Encoding. If you select AMR in the Encoder field, this setting is not used.
The Audio Encoder settings provide you with a drop-down box, which includes two choices, as follows: AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is a standardized, lossy compression and encoding scheme for digital audio. AAC achieves better audio quality than MP3 and has been named a standard by the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate Narrow-Band) is an audio data compression scheme optimized for speech coding.
The Web interface for the Niagara Pro includes options for Streaming Properties and Advanced Streaming Properties. As to the broadcast type you choose, you have the option to check the Enable Streaming box. Please see the following section entitled Real Encoder (Helix) for a more detailed description of enabling pull. Another option provides you with the abilities to Save to Portable Media and provide a Media Title.
The Save sdp file field will require a name and destination path for the resulting SDP file created when the stream is started. If you are streaming to a Helix®, a Quicktime, or a Darwin server, refer to its respective documentation or online message boards for setup details specific for the individual streaming server. NOTE: You can stream point-to-point by selecting a share destination directory for the saved SDP file.
Real Encoder Settings (Helix) Real (Helix) is both a storage format and a streaming format. In addition to the ability to output to a file, the Real Encoder can stream to a Helix Server. The settings for the Real Encoder include the ability to adjust parameters for connecting and streaming to the server.
• • • the server as a receiver in a splitting arrangement. Please refer to Helix Server documentation for details. Push, Multicast (Helix Server) o In a multicast, Niagara Pro can deliver the same broadcast stream to any number of Helix Servers without increasing its outgoing bandwidth. The Helix Servers will need to be pre-configured for a multicast from Niagara Pro. Refer to your Helix Server documentation for details.
Server receivers where the broadcast packets will be sent. Niagara Pro and Helix Server negotiate the actual ports to use once the broadcast begins. The default range is from 30001 to 30020. In the Username and Password fields, enter the username and password defined in each Helix Server receiver definition. The broadcast connection fails if the value is incorrect. The next series of fields activate the Real Encoder’s filters to improve video and audio quality.
You can also choose to output to a file while streaming or output only to a file. Type in a unique name for the file. After you have input your settings, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page to save your changes. Warning: If you click away to another Web page without first clicking Submit, your changes will be lost.
Windows Media Encoder Settings Windows Media is both a storage format and a streaming format. In addition to the ability to output to a file, the Windows Media encoder can stream to a Windows Media Server. The settings for Windows Media encoder includes the ability to set parameters for connecting and streaming to the server. First select a Windows Media Capture Profile from the drop-down menu. NOTE: Some Windows Media Capture Profiles have pre-defined video resolutions and input selections.
To enable clients to pull the stream from Niagara Pro, set up a session and begin broadcasting directly from Niagara Pro. Clients (Windows Media servers or players) can connect to the stream at any time by using the following URL format: • • http://IP_address:port (for Internet connections) http://encoding_computer_name:port (for LAN connections) By default, Niagara Pro supports up to 50 direct connections during a broadcast.
Niagara SCX Web Interface will then display the All Encoders list.
Deleting an Encoder Profile You can also delete encoder profiles from Niagara Pro. It is valuable to remove encoders you will not use, as every encoder profile, regardless if active or idle, uses active memory. NOTE: Once you delete a custom profile, you cannot restore it. It must be recreated. NOTE: If you delete a default encoder profile, you can restore it by using the Restore to Factory Settings function.
Then, click the Delete Encoder link at the bottom of the page once you have verified it is the encoder you want to delete.
My Niagara Pro The My Niagara Pro page provides details on software versions, network name, serial number, and hard drive configurations. Most of the data on this page is for informational purposes and cannot be altered. However, there are two fields that allow modifications, as follows: • • Computer Name Admin password Computer Name The Computer Name field contains the current network name for the Niagara Pro. This is the same name you typed into a Web browser to access the Niagara SCX Web Interface.
Click the Submit button at the bottom of the page. The page will refresh, and you will be prompted to reboot the Niagara Pro. Your changes will not take effect until the system is restarted. Click the Reboot Now link to restart the system and apply the Computer Name change. While the Niagara Pro is restarting, the following message will appear in the Web Interface. NOTE: The restart process takes approximately two minutes to complete.
NOTE: The SCX Web Interface password is case sensitive. Then click the Change Password button. You will then be presented with the results, which are shown below. NOTE: You will need to log back into the Web Interface with your new password. Restoring the Login Password to the Factory Default If you have forgotten or lost your password, you can restore the default password by running the Restore Niagara Pro Factory Defaults option.
Niagara Pro Alerts The representation below provides you with a representation of a page that allows you to control how Niagara Pro handles application alerts that may occur during streaming or other operations. Niagara Pro can optionally send an email to multiple recipients and light the alarm light on the front panel of the Niagara Pro. Email Alert You can optionally send an email alert to specific email address in the event of an application alarm. Checking Send Email will enable this feature.
Once you have made your modifications to the alert settings, click the Update link to enter your settings and return to the Niagara Pro Alerts list. Network Properties The Network Properties page provides detailed information on the Niagara Pro’s current network settings for the Network Interface Card (NIC).
Network Card(s) Niagara Pro has two 1,000 megabit network connections. To view the current properties for each card, select the card you wish to view from the drop-down menu in the Network Card(s) field. Advanced Settings (Network) Advanced Settings provides the Niagara Pro network name, MAC Address and server IP address settings. The Niagara Pro network name is a link. If you click this link, you will be directed to the My Niagara Pro page. From this page you can change the Niagara Pro’s network name.
System Configuration Settings The System Configuration Settings page allows you to modify your Niagara Pro default system settings. You can configure email settings so Niagara Pro can send an email to predefined email addresses whenever Niagara Pro encounters an alert condition. You can also customize the information Niagara Pro displays on its front panel when the system is idle.
The screen below provides details, as you would be provided, as to the process you are about to execute, and allows you the opportunity to cancel the process. NOTE: Restore to Factory Defaults rebuilds the Niagara Pro primary disk drive (C:) with the original system image. All custom settings and any files saved to drive (C:) will be lost. This process cannot be reversed. However, you can manually re-enter your custom settings once the Niagara Pro restore process is completed.
Email Settings If you are unfamiliar with setting up an SMTP email account for sending email, please contact your network administrator for assistance.
Idle Screen Information This section allows you to modify the information displayed in the Niagara Pro LCD display on its front panel. Check the boxes next to the information you wish to be displayed. This information is cycled as the LCD display alternates between status information and encoder information. At the top of the LCD idle screen is the default message Niagara Pro is Ready. You can customize this message. Once you have entered the information above, click the Submit button to save your changes.
High Temperature Alert You can enable an alert if the Niagara Pro reaches a predefined maximum temperature level. To set the level, select the drop-down menu. The Alert Configuration links to the Niagara Pro Alerts page. Refer to the previous sections for information on setting the Niagara Pro Alerts.
Niagara Pro EASE Menu (LCD Display) This section provides the detail of the LCD menu tree. It is intended to be a complete reference to all levels and functions accessible using the Niagara Pro front panel LCD display. It is designed to be a visual reference of the LCD screen including the front panel button action to move to the next screen. This section utilizes these graphical icons for the various button actions.
Encode Status Access Health Menu CPU Status Memory Available Temperature Status ( -71- X 2)
Setup Niagara Pro Menu Network Link Status Network MAC Address View Network Settings -72-
Enable DHCP Set Static IP Addresses ( X 3) ( X 4) -73-
( X 6) ( X 3) ( X 4) ( X 5) Set Gateway Address ( X 2) ( X 5) ( X 5) ( X 2) -74-
( X 5) ( X 5) ( X 2) ( X 5) ( X 5) ( X 5) ( X 15) ( X 2) Set Date & Time -75-
( X 16) ( X 25) Setting Temperature Alarm ( ( ( X 3) X 2) X 2) -76-
Export Files Menu Export to USB Drive [NOTE: Filename used for instructional purposes only] Shutdown Niagara Pro ( X 4) -77-
Niagara SCX Web Interface The Niagara Pro includes the Niagara SCX Web Interface, which allows you to access the advanced system settings. The Web Interface also provides detailed settings and control over the encoder profiles installed on Niagara Pro. This section details each setting and page of the Niagara SCX Web Interface.
By default, the username and password are admin. NOTE: If you cannot browse to the Niagara Pro using its machine name, type in the Niagara Pro IP address instead. This information is available by accessing the LCD menus on the front panel of Niagara Pro. Home Page The Home Page is the first page presented after you log into the Niagara SCX Web Interface. From this page, you can access the different pages for configuring, controlling, and monitoring the activities and alerts from Niagara Pro.
Encoders The Encoders drop-down menu provides access to the following Web pages that provide the following information: • • • • All Encoders – Lists all of the encoding profiles loaded on the Niagara Pro and provides management of those profiles Preset A – Allows you to assign a loaded encoding profile to the A button on the front panel of the Niagara Pro Preset B – Allows you to assign a loaded encoding profile to the B button on the front panel of the Niagara Pro Preset C – Allows you to assign a loaded
Status The Status drop-down menu provides access to the following: • • View Activity Log – A list of all Niagara Pro activities with date and timestamp on each event View Alert – A list of Niagara Pro alerts with date and timestamp on each alert Log Out The Log Out option executes user log out from the Niagara Pro and returns you to the Web site Log In screen.
All Encoders The All Encoders Web page provides a list of all of the encoder profiles loaded on the Niagara Pro.
Start Encoder Press the red Stream icon located in the right column of the encoder you wish to start. The Web page will automatically update with messages detailing the encoder start progress. After the encoder has started successfully, the Web page will return to the All Encoders page with the encoder status updated to reflect Started mode.
Stop Encoder Press the blue Stop icon located in the right column of the encoder you wish to stop. The Web page will automatically update with messages detailing the encoder stop progress. After the encoder has started successfully, the Web page will return to the All Encoders page with the encoder status updated to reflect Started mode.
Edit Encoder To edit an encoder, click the Edit link in the first column. The properties page for that encoder will be displayed. Video & Audio Settings The properties page for each encoder type use the same Video and Audio Settings except for the added color space setting for AVI and Flash. You enable or disable video and/or audio by clicking the check box next to Source. When enabled, the Source, Input, Signal, Proportions, Size, and Input fields can be edited.
Set Input for both video and audio to match the video and audio inputs on the back of the Niagara Pro to which you connected your video and audio source. This would be either Composite, S-Video or SDI for video input and Unbalanced, XLR Balanced, XLR AES/EBU or SDI for audio input. When you performed the First Start Setup, you determined if your video signal was NTSC or PAL. The Signal field adds granularity for regional NTSC, PAL, and SECAM settings.
Advanced Streaming Settings SimulStream and DirectShow Filters Filters have two interrelated purposes, as follows: • • They allow applications to enumerate and list DirectShow video capture and preview pins or streams (each with different settings) as named entries in their video device select lists. The video device driver can be configured to show 1 to 10 filters per device. Each filter has one preview pin and one capture pin.
NOTE: While it is possible to expose and enumerate up to 10 filters per device, the practical number of working filters will be less. The practical number of filters depends on the capability of the appliance, the types of filtering enabled, the types of scaling and color format conversions requested per encoder, and the type of processing being done. If the appliance has multiple capture channels, the number of filters is the total across all channels.
Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and SECAM video. The Auto and Inverse Telecine buttons will be disabled when either PAL or SECAM is selected as the video standard. Motion Threshold Motion Threshold adjusts the threshold of difference from spatially- and temporally-related pixels, which are judged to be “motion.” If you enter a higher value, the number of pixels in motion will be greatly reduced.
AVI Encoder Settings AVI is an uncompressed audio and video storage format and, therefore, has only the ability to save to a file. You can type in a unique name for the generated AVI file and modify the directory path to the location the file will be stored. Clicking the Default Folder link will insert the path of the default folder for file storage on the Niagara Pro. By default, the path is d:\AVFILES\. NOTE: ViewCast does not recommend you store files in any other directory on the Niagara Pro.
Flash Encoder Settings The Flash encoder settings are similar to the AVI settings for saving the audio and video to a file. However, Flash adds some additional frame and bit rate controls. The frame rate changes the frames per second at which the video will be encoded. The audio format setting can be used to modify the audio frequency and changes stereo to mono. The bit rate settings pertain to the amount of data per second the audio and video are captured.
MPEG-4 Encoder Settings Encoder Settings Web Interface The Niagara Pro software MPEG-4 compression engine provides H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2 SP/ASP, and H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 Baseline encoding functionality. This product provides the capabilities to encode streams for Internet video, mobile phones, set top boxes and create media files for other MPEG-4 compatible devices such as iPods®.
The Advanced MPEG Video Settings provide you with the ability to choose the MPEG Type required for your output. As set forth in the figure and descriptions of the MPEG Types set forth below, these include the following: MPEG-4 MPEG-4 is the basic MP4 compression which can be used for web (streaming media) and mobile devices. Use this compression setting if you are experiencing compatibility issues with your playback software or device when using H.263 or H.264. H.263 MPEG-4, Part 2, or H.
3G2 – H.263 This setting will create an H.263 stream stored in a 3G2 container. 3G2 – H.264 This setting will create an H.264 stream stored in a 3G2 container. Also included under Advanced MPEG Video Settings are drop-down boxes for Encoder Quality, ranging from Real-time to Highest, along with Frame Rate and the Bitrate (kbps). NOTE: Some players, such as Quicktime® player, are not compatible with streams that include B frames.
Main – This format is the same as LC (above), but adds backward prediction. Low Complexity (LC) – The simplest and most widely used and support AAC audio format. NOTE: Depending on the player on which the resulting stream will be heard, either choice will use a specific set of tools to encode the audio stream. You should make your choice based on the requirement of the playback software or device. The most widely supported format is LC profile.
The Audio Bitrate drop-down box provides you with several choices, as can be seen in the figure below. The Web interface for the Niagara Pro includes options for Streaming Properties and Advanced Streaming Properties. As to the broadcast type you choose, you have the option to check the Enable Streaming box. Please see the following section entitled Real Encoder (Helix) for a more detailed description of enabling pull.
Check the Save to Portable Media box if you would like to save the encoded content to a file. Enter a file destination in the field provided. NOTE: Save to Portable Media option is used only by Niagara GoStream appliances and will not function properly on other systems. Contact an authorized ViewCast reseller for information about the Niagara GoStream and other Niagara streaming media appliances.
Real Encoder Settings (Helix) Real (Helix) is both a storage format and a streaming format. In addition to the ability to output to a file, the Real Encoder can stream to a Helix Server. The settings for the Real Encoder include the ability to adjust parameters for connecting and streaming to the server. Broadcast Method: There are several different broadcast types for streaming Real format video to a Helix Server.
• • • in a splitting arrangement. Please refer to the Helix Server documentation included with the Helix Server for details. Push, Multicast (Helix Server) o In a multicast, Niagara Pro can deliver the same broadcast stream to any number of Helix Servers without increasing its outgoing bandwidth. The Helix Servers will need to be pre-configured for a multicast from Niagara Pro. Refer to your Helix Server documentation for details.
For the Port/Port Range field, specify the HTTP port on Helix Server. The default value is port 80, which is the server's default HTTP port. If multicasting, indicate the range of ports on the Helix Server receivers where the broadcast packets will be sent. Niagara Pro and Helix Server negotiate the actual ports to use once the broadcast begins. The default range is 30001 to 30020. In the Username and Password fields, enter the username and password defined in each Helix Server receiver definition.
Regardless of whether or not you enable SureStream, you must choose at least one Audience Selection for your stream. You can also choose to output to a file while streaming or output only to a file. In the File Name field, type in a unique name for the Real file. NOTE: If you use the same name as a current file, the current file will be overwritten. After you have input your settings, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page to save your changes.
Windows Media Encoder Settings Windows Media is a storage format and a streaming format. Besides the ability to output to a file, the Windows Media encoder can stream to a Windows Media Server. The settings for Windows Media encoder include the ability to set parameters for connecting and streaming to the server. First select a Windows Media Capture Profile from the drop-down menu. NOTE: Some Windows Media Capture Profiles have pre-defined video resolutions and input selections.
To enable clients to pull the stream from Niagara Pro, you simply set up a session and begin broadcasting directly from Niagara Pro. Clients (Windows Media servers or players) can connect to the stream at any time by using the following one of the following URL formats: • • http://IP_address:port (for Internet connections) http://encoding_computer_name:port (for LAN connections) Niagara Pro supports up to 50 direct connections during a broadcast by default.
Digital Rights Management (DRM) for Windows Media You can protect your content using a technology called Digital Rights Management (DRM). Niagara SCX allows you to encrypt your content with DRM technology while you are encoding. You can apply DRM while encoding to a file and when broadcasting a stream. Users will be required to obtain a license to play the content. This license contains the key to unlock the content and the rights that govern its use.
To set this appropriately, open Remote Desktop Connection. Click the Options button so the settings tabs are viewable. Click the Local Resources tab. Under the Remote computer sound setting, change the drop-down selection to the Leave at remote computer option. You may then enter the username and password to access the Niagara Pro. The username is Niagara and the password is password for connecting to Niagara Pro using remote desktop. IMPORTANT: When exiting from Remote Desktop Connection, DO NOT LOG OUT.
• Copy the DRM profiles to a protected location on the encoding system to ensure they will not be accidentally removed or erased. ViewCast recommends you create a new directory on the D drive on the Niagara Pro and use this directory to store your DRM profiles. • Start the Windows Media Encoder application on Niagara Pro. When the New Session Wizard appears, click the Cancel button. • Click the Properties button under the top menu bar.
• Click the Security tab. • Click the Import button and browse to the location of the DRM profiles on the system’s hard drive. Select the DRM profile you wish to import and click the Open option. • • • Repeat this process for each DRM profile you wish to import. Exit from the Windows Media Encoder application when finished. If you are asked if you want to save your encoding session, select the No option. Disconnect Remote Desktop Connection from Niagara Pro. Do not log out. • Restart Niagara Pro.
Setting a DRM Profile in SCX Web Interface To set the DRM Profile using Niagara Pro’s SCX Web Interface, complete the following steps: • • Either add or edit an existing Windows Media Encoder from the All Encoders page. To enable DRM, select the Enable check box and select the DRM profile you wish to apply from the DRM Settings drop-down menu. NOTE: When you enable DRM, Niagara SCX will automatically change the Windows Media Capture Profile setting to a DRM-compatible Windows Media 9 setting.
Delete an Existing Encoder To delete an existing encoder listed, click the Del link next to the name of the encoder you wish to remove. The encoder profile with its settings will be immediately removed from Niagara Pro. Alternatively, you can click the Edit link to view the encoder profile, verify it is the encoder you wish to remove.
Then, click the Delete Encoder link at the bottom of the page once you have verified it is the encoder you want to delete. NOTE: You cannot restore a deleted encoder. You must recreate the encoder using the Add Encoder link at the top right-hand corner of the All Encoders page. Create an Encoder The Niagara Pro by default has encoding profiles loaded and ready for use. You can create a new encoder for your custom streaming requirements. Click the Add Encoder link in the upper right corner of the screen.
For example, after you have made your selection as to the type of encoder you want to create, give the encoder a unique name. Keep in mind only the first 11 characters of the encoder can be displayed on the Niagara Pro LCD display. Click the Add Encoder button when finished.
You then see the Encoder Properties / New Encoder Added page. You can then return to the All Encoders page. The new encoder you created is added to the encoder list. You can then edit that encoder by clicking the Edit link next to the encoder name. Read previous section entitled the Edit Encoder for information on how to edit the encoder you just created.
Encoder Preset (A, B, & C) The Niagara Pro provides one-button streaming via the EZStream buttons located on the front panel of the system. By default, these buttons are not assigned to an encoder. The Niagara SCX Web Interface is used to configure each button to a specific encoder. The controls to configure these buttons are located in the Encoder Preset A, Encoder Preset B, and Encoder Preset C pages.
To assign an encoder, select an encoder from the list and click the Submit button. The Web page will update the Preset A EZStream button and report success in the form of a dialog box such as the one shown directly below. By clicking on the B and C buttons on the Niagara Pro graphic, you can assign encoders to those EZStream buttons in the same way. NOTE: It is not possible to assign the same encoder to two EZStream buttons simultaneously.
View All Encoders After assigning encoders to the A, B, and C buttons, the Presets column on the All Encoders page is updated to reflect these changes. To view these changes, click the All Encoders link at the bottom of the page. Edit Preset Encoder Profile After assigning encoders to the EZStream buttons, you can access the encoder editing page by clicking the Edit button at the bottom of the Preset page.
My Niagara Pro The My Niagara Pro page provides details on software versions, network name, serial number, and hard drive configurations. Most of the data on this page is for informational purposes and cannot be altered. However, there are two fields that allow modifications, as follows: • • Computer Name Admin password Computer Name The Computer Name field contains the current network name for the Niagara Pro. This is the same name you typed into a Web browser to access the Niagara SCX Web Interface.
Next, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page. The page will refresh and you will be prompted to reboot the Niagara Pro. Your changes will not take effect until the system is restarted. Click the Reboot Now link to restart the system and apply the Computer Name change. While the Niagara Pro is restarting, the following message will appear in the Web Interface. NOTE: The restart process takes approximately two minutes to complete.
Type your current password in the Password field, and then type the new password in the New Password field and the Confirm New Password field. NOTE: The SCX Web Interface password is case sensitive. Then click the Change Password button. You will then be presented with the results in the form of a dialog box such as the one shown directly below. NOTE: You will need to log back into the Web Interface with your new password.
Niagara Pro Alerts This page allows you to control how Niagara Pro handles application alerts that may occur during streaming or other operations. Niagara Pro can optionally send an email to multiple recipients and light the alarm light on the front panel of the Niagara Pro. Email Alert You can optionally send an email alert to a specific email address in the event of an application alarm. Checking Send Email will enable this feature.
Once you have made your modifications to the alert settings, click the Update link to enter your settings and return to the Niagara Pro Alerts list. Please see The Help, or “i” Button, the Niagara SCX Web Interface, and their Alert Settings later in this user guide. Network Properties The Network Properties page provides detailed information on the Niagara Pro’s current network settings for the Network Interface Card (NIC).
Network Card(s) Niagara Pro has two 1,000 megabit network connections. To view the current properties for each card, select the card you wish to view from the drop-down menu in the Network Card(s) field. Advanced Settings (Network) Advance Settings provides the Niagara Pro network name, MAC Address and server IP address settings. The Niagara Pro network name is a link. If you click this link, you will be directed to the My Niagara Pro page. From this page you can change the Niagara Pro’s network name.
This page also provides the ability to restore your Niagara Pro to its original factory disk image returning all of the system settings to their original states. Using the Factory Restore option will remove all custom settings and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Restore Niagara Pro Factory Defaults Click the Restore Niagara Pro Factory Defaults link to start the process. The next screen gives details of the process you are about to execute and allows you the opportunity to cancel the process.
NOTE: Restore to Factory Defaults rebuilds the Niagara Pro primary disk drive (C:) with the original system image. All custom settings and any files saved to drive (C:) will be lost. This process cannot be reversed but you can manually re-enter your custom settings once the Niagara Pro restore process is completed. NOTE: The default directory for saving your audio and video files is D:\AV Files\. When using the Restore to Factory Defaults option, only drive (C:) is re-imaged.
You can then test your settings by clicking the Send Test Email link. The page will report if the email was successfully sent or if it failed to send. Idle Screen Information This section allows you to modify the information displayed on the front panel display of the Niagara Pro LCD. Check the boxes next to the various information you want displayed. This information is cycled as the LCD display alternates between status information and encoder information.
The Default AV Folder is the directory on which Niagara Pro stores AV files created whenever you select the Save to File option in an encoder profile. Refer to the Save to File option under AVI, Flash, Real, and the Windows Media Encoder Properties section for information on setting an encoder profile to create an AV file. High Temperature Alert You can enable an alert if the Niagara Pro reaches a predefined maximum temperature level. To set the level, select the drop-down menu.
Alternatively, the Niagara Pro system informs you of an alert when the Alarm Indicator Light on the front panel of the system turns red. When this occurs on the Niagara Pro, to determine what the alert is, you must press the Help, or “i,”button, which will cycle the alert occurring. Please see the The Help, or “i,” button, the Niagara SCX Web Interface, and their Alert Settings section set forth later in this document.
To see any alerts, you must have previously set the system to notify you of the alerts by choosing Niagara Pro Alerts. This will bring you to the following screen. To set the alerts for which you want to be notified, you must click a notification method next to the type of alert. You can be notified of alerts, such as the ones indicated below, i.e.
See your Network Administrator to set your email configurations if you decide to receive email alerts. Alternatively, the Niagara Pro informs you of an alert when the Alarm Indicator Light on the front panel of the system turns red. When this occurs on the Niagara Pro system, to determine what the alerts are, you must press the Help, or “i,” button, which will cycle the alerts occurring.
