NCast M4 User Manual
NCast Telepresenter Reference Manual
NCast Product Specification
Telepresenter M4
Reference Manual
Revision 2.2
March 1st, 2010
M4 Software Release 5.2.0
M3 Series 2 Software Release 5.2.0
Copyright © NCast Corporation, 2010
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 6
1.1. Purpose .................................................................................................................................................. 6
1.2. Document Overview ............................................................................................................................... 6
1.3. Terms and Definitions ............................................................................................................................. 6
1.4. Telepresenter Units ................................................................................................................................ 7
1.5. Telepresenter Modes of Operation ......................................................................................................... 7
1.6. Startup ................................................................................................................................................. 10
2. Theory of Operation ...................................................................................................................... 12
2.1. Telepresenter Component Block Diagram ........................................................................................... 12
2.2. Digitizer Capture Function .................................................................................................................... 13
2.3. Compression ........................................................................................................................................ 13
2.4. Transmission ........................................................................................................................................ 13
2.5. Decompression .................................................................................................................................... 13
2.6. Display Function ................................................................................................................................... 13
2.7. Audio Subsystem ................................................................................................................................. 13
2.8. Archive Disk ......................................................................................................................................... 14
3. Configuration Settings and Parameters Reference ....................................................................... 15
3.1. Unit Options Settings ........................................................................................................................... 15
3.2. Passwords ............................................................................................................................................ 17
3.3. Web Control ......................................................................................................................................... 18
3.4. Display Settings ................................................................................................................................... 19
3.5. Custom Settings ................................................................................................................................... 21
3.6. Network Settings .................................................................................................................................. 26
3.7. Telnet Settings ...................................................................................................................................... 28
3.8. N-Way .................................................................................................................................................. 29
3.9. Scheduler ............................................................................................................................................. 30
3.10. Notifications ........................................................................................................................................ 36
3.11. Logs .................................................................................................................................................... 38
3.12. Update Tool ........................................................................................................................................ 40
4. The Channel Table ........................................................................................................................ 42
4.1. Channel Settings .................................................................................................................................. 42
4.2. Channel Settings - General .................................................................................................................. 43
4.3. Channel Settings - Recording .............................................................................................................. 51
4.4. Channel Settings - Layout .................................................................................................................... 54
4.5. Channel Settings – Image Overlays ..................................................................................................... 59
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4.6. Channel Settings – Text Overlays ........................................................................................................ 59
4.7. Channel Settings – Upload ................................................................................................................... 62
4.8. Channel Settings – Notifications .......................................................................................................... 64
5. Archive Page ................................................................................................................................. 66
5.1. Archive Settings ................................................................................................................................... 66
6. Sources Page ............................................................................................................................... 70
6.1. Sources Settings .................................................................................................................................. 70
7. Information Pages Reference ....................................................................................................... 75
7.1. Session Page ....................................................................................................................................... 75
7.2. Viewers Page ....................................................................................................................................... 76
7.3. View Page ............................................................................................................................................ 77
7.4. VLC Media Player ................................................................................................................................ 79
7.5. Media Players ...................................................................................................................................... 79
7.6. Closed-Caption Support ....................................................................................................................... 80
8. Custom Layouts ............................................................................................................................ 83
8.1. Frame Layouts and Presets ................................................................................................................. 83
9. Telepresenter Interfaces ................................................................................................................ 88
9.1. Serial Interface ..................................................................................................................................... 88
9.2. Telnet Interface ..................................................................................................................................... 88
9.3. HTTP Interface – Archive Download .................................................................................................... 89
9.4. HTTP Interface – Image and Thumbnail Capture ................................................................................. 95
9.5. HTTP Interface – Graphics Overlay Upload ......................................................................................... 96
10. Techniques for Presentation Capture ....................................................................................... 99
10.1. Webcasting, Podcasting and Archiving .............................................................................................. 99
10.2. Capturing Graphics, Video and Audio ................................................................................................ 99
10.3. Conference Day Problems and Issues ............................................................................................. 101
10.4. Video Post-Production ...................................................................................................................... 102
11. References .................................................................................................................................. 105
11.1. MPEG Compression ......................................................................................................................... 105
11.2. Packet Transmission ........................................................................................................................ 105
11.3. Multicast ........................................................................................................................................... 105
12. Revision History .......................................................................................................................... 106
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Regulatory Compliance Information
Equipment Label
The Telepresenter meets all applicable FCC, CE and ICAN radiation and emission standards:
NCast Corporation
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation. This Product Certified to meet the Standards in
the categories listed on the label by:
Pulver Laboratories Inc.
(1) Information Technology Equipment including Electrical
(2) Low-Voltage Video Product
(3) Professional Audio and Video Equipment
EMI: FCC Part 15 Class B; ICAN ICES-003 Class B; EN55022 Class B
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil
numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
Cautions
(1) Use a shielded data cable connection between the parallel ports and peripherals of this
equipment.
(2) Other connections between peripherals of this equipment may be made with low voltage
non-shielded computer data cables.
(3) Network connections may consist of non-shielded CAT 5 cable.
NRTL Control Number 5424X
Business Equipment
Warnings
(1) A non-shielded power cord may be used to connect AC power to every component and
peripheral of the system.
FCC NOTICE
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
FCC NOTICE – INFORMATION FOR THE USER
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
(1)Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
(2)Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
(3)Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
(4)Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
The user may find the following publication prepared by the Federal Communications Commission
helpful:
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“How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems”
Stock Number 004-000-00345-4, available exclusively from the Superintendent of Documents,
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 (telephone +1-202-512-1800).
FCC WARNING
Changes or modification not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance to Part
15 of the FCC Rules could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
CE NOTICE – INFORMATION FOR THE USER
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B or Class 2 digital
device, pursuant to EN 55022 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. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at the expense of
the user.
The user may find the following publication prepared by the Federal Communication Commission
helpful:
“How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems”
Stock Number 004-000-00345-4, available exclusively from the Superintendent of Documents,
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 (telephone +1-202-512-1800).
WARNING
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance to EN
55022 Rules could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
ICAN Class B Digital Equipment
This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing
Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigencies due Réglement sur le
matériel brouilleur du Canada.
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1. Introduction
1.1. PURPOSE
The NCast Telepresenter Reference Manual is intended for the Audio/Video or Network engineer who will be
tasked with the job of installing and setting up a Telepresenter or a system of multiple Telepresenters. The
Quick Start Manual should be consulted for basic setup, power-on of a unit and troubleshooting. This guide
is designed to cover topics in greater depth and to assist in optimizing the performance of a Telepresenter.
1.2. DOCUMENT OVERVIEW
This document is divided into two major sections: the theory of operation and a discussion of parameter
settings.
1.3. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
A complete discussion of MPEG compression, Internet streaming, webcasting protocols and related topics is
beyond the scope of this document. Other sources cover this material in great detail. The following are brief
definitions of some of the terms used throughout this manual.
AAC – Advanced Audio Coding, a wideband audio encoding and compression algorithm.
Auto-detect – A capability to automatically sense if an input signal (graphics or video) is
present and to lock onto that signal without further manual intervention.
CIF - Describes an image or display surface with a resolution of 352x288 pixels.
DVI – Digital Visual Interface, a digital interface standard which provides for connection to
LCD panels and displays.
H.264 – A compression format that delivers very high quality video at low bit rates. MPEG-4
Part 10 utilizes the H.264 codec for transmission.
IETF – Internet Engineering Task Force, the standards body for Internet protocols.
ISO – International Standards Organization
Latency – The end-to-end time delay between a change in the source image and the
corresponding change in the remotely displayed image.
Line-Level – Sound level signals typically in the range of –10 dBu to +30 dBu.
Lip-sync – The synchronization of independent audio and video streams at a receiving
decoder so that the presentation is in the same time relationship as the source.
Mic-Level – Sound level signals typically in the range of –70 dBu to –30 dBu.
MPEG Compression – MPEG is an acronym for Motion Picture Experts Group, an industrywide committee which has defined a series of standards for the compression of audio and
video source material.
MTU – The maximum transmission unit is the maximum number of bytes permitted in a
transmitted packet.
Multicast – A family of computer transmission protocols where multiple receivers access a
single transmitted packet stream.
NCCP – NCast Conference Control Protocol provides coordination, control and identification
of participants in a multi-way collaborative conference session.
N-Way – An NCast proprietary service for multicast bridging and webcasting.
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PIP – A picture-in-picture function overlays one video or graphics image with a reduced-sized
version of another video image.
RFC – Request for Comments, an Internet protocol standard.
RTSP – Real-Time Streaming Protocol is an IETF approved protocol for control of real-time
streaming on the Internet.
S-Video – A video connector (usually DIN style) where luminance and chroma information are
transmitted on separate wires or cable pairs. Provides for a higher fidelity image than a
composite connection.
SDP – Session Description Protocol, for describing streaming media transmissions
SIF - Describes an image or display surface with a resolution of 320x240 pixels.
SVGA – Describes an image or display surface with a resolution of 800x600 pixels.
SXGA – Describes an image or display surface with a resolution of 1280x1024 pixels. The
aspect ratio for SXGA is 5:4. Support for a 4:3 aspect ratio is accomplished by utilizing a
1280×960 subset of the display surface.
Telnet – An IP network based protocol, which was originally used to connect remote consoles
and terminals to mainframes, but is now used as a general, bi-directional, byte oriented
communications facility. See RFC’s 854 and 855.
Unicast – Refers to a point-to-point connection between two Internet host machines.
UXGA – Describes an image or display surface with a resolution of 1600x1200 pixels.
VGA – Describes an image or display surface with a resolution of 640x480 pixels.
WUXGA - Describes an image or display surface with a resolution of 1920x1200 pixels.
WXGA – Describes an image or display surface with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Some
projectors use WXGA to refer to 1280x720 as well. This display size implements a 16:9
aspect ratio, as compared to a normal 4:3 monitor.
XGA – Describes an image or display surface with a resolution of 1024x768 pixels.
1.4. TELEPRESENTER UNITS
The Telepresenter is a stand-alone network communications appliance which captures RGB (VGA) or DVI
signals from a desktop or laptop, compresses the image with an industry standard compression algorithm,
packetizes and transmits the imagery as an internet media stream, receives a media stream from the
internet, decompresses the imagery, and presents the received information to a viewing audience through
use of a large-screen computer (VGA) monitor or via a room projector. Telepresenters are able to archive the
media stream in real-time while simultaneously webcasting, allowing for playback by the recipient at a later
date.
The following Telepresenter models are covered by this documentation:
Telepresenter M3 Series 2 – A rack-mounted unit with streaming, archiving, collaboration,
capabilities at WUXGA (1920x1200) and 1080p resolutions. Includes PIP and overlays. The M3
Series 2 must have been upgraded to the Revision 5.0 software level.
Telepresenter M4, M4W – A rack-mounted unit with streaming, archiving, collaboration, capabilities
at WUXGA (1920x1200) and 1080p resolutions. Includes PIP and overlays.
All Telepresenter models share a core operating system and base set of features.
1.5. TELEPRESENTER MODES OF OPERATION
The Telepresenters have three major modes of operation:
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One-to-Many Streaming – In this mode of operation one of the Telepresenters is designated
as the “Sender” and all of the other units are designated as “Receivers”. The media streams
originate from the Sender and are decoded by one or more Receivers. The transmission is
strictly one-way, and no feedback or interactivity is provided for. The one-to-many operation is
enabled via use of multicast connected networks.
Full-Duplex Streaming – Two Telepresenters can be connected via a point-to-point unicast or
multicast link. Each endpoint will be transmitting to the other endpoint and simultaneously
receiving a stream from the remote unit.
Collaboration Mode – Two or more Telepresenters can be engaged in NCast’s proprietary
Collaboration Mode. In this mode, one unit is designated as “Conference Coordinator” and all
other units are designated as “Conference Participants”.
The Coordinator is the master controller for the conference, and is allowed to pass control to
any participant in the conference at any time. When a participant receives control, the
participant’s unit begins transmission and the coordinator’s unit stops transmission. All other
units are then “tuned in” to the media stream being generated by the participant unit which
was granted control. When the participant’s presentation is done, the coordinator takes back
floor control and continues the conference as before.
In this mode the audio from each unit transmits continuously, and at each receiver all audio
streams are combined or mixed to allow real-time interactive discussion amongst all
participants. Use of collaboration mode audio requires external echo-canceling microphones
or amplifiers to avoid problems with echo and feedback. Equipment made by companies such
as ClearOne (was Gentner), PolyCom or others is a must for quality audio-conferencing
results.
Collaboration mode requires units to be situated on a multicast-enabled network, or to use NWay bridging technology.
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In addition to these three modes of operation there is the following additional functionality:
Webcasting to Desktops – The Telepresenters can generate RTSP media streams which
may be unicast to desktops or laptops that wish to join a conference. Commonly available
client players allow these presentations to be displayed either full-screen or in a window on an
individual’s monitor or LCD display. In addition to the Desktops using RTSP, remote
Telepresenters connected via multicast can receive the media streams. For optimum
performance consideration must be given to the bandwidth requirements for all senders and
receivers.
In this mode of operation questions and comments from students or the audience may be
enabled through use of any number of popular instant messaging applications (e.g. Jabber,
Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, etc.).
Multicast Bridging – Through the use of N-Way technology and services, multiple
Telepresenters, which are not situated on a native multicast network, can participate in a
conference through the use of a bridge. The N-Way bridge can also serve as a distribution
point for RTSP unicasts to desktops.
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N-Way functionality and services are described in the N-Way Reference Manual. Contact
NCast Corporation for more information on N-Way Servers and Services.
1.6. STARTUP
1.6.1. Really, Really Quick Start
Here’s a really short description on how to get started:
1. Plug the unit into a network with DHCP, and plug in an LCD Display to the VGA Out, your
laptop into the VGA In, a camera into a video connector (if you have one) and turn on the
power.
2. When you see the bootup screen with the IP network address, log into the unit at
http://ipaddress using “admin” as the user and “ncast” as the password.
3. On the Sources page select your input feeds from the top two rows of buttons and then on
the Channels page click the Channel Start button “1” on the left.
4. Go to the View page, click on “Quicktime RTSP” and you’re done!
1.6.2. Mini Start
This is a short introduction on how to get started with a Telepresenter:
1. Plug the unit into a network and plug in an LCD Display to the VGA Out, your laptop into the
VGA In, a camera into a video connector (if you have one) and turn on the power. If you
aren’t using DHCP and need to enter static IP addresses, edit a “ntwkconf.txt” file onto a USB
stick and plug it into a USB port. See the Network Settings section for details on this file.
2. When you see the bootup screen with the IP network address, log into the unit at
http://ipaddress using “admin” as the user and “ncast” as the password.
3. Go to the Configuration/Unit Options page and fill in all the information required.
4. Go to the Display page and setup your local loopback display parameters.
5. On the Sources page select your input feeds from the top two rows of buttons. Select your
Audio Input source. Also select the Main and PIP Window settings. Turn the audio meter on.
You should see your captured graphics and video on the local display screen. Check your
audio levels on the meter.
6. On the Channels page modify a Channel for the transmission rates and multicast or unicast
addresses you wish to use. Use the Layout tab to specify the resolution and window
placement desired. Review the Recording options. Update the Channel information. Click the
Channel Start button on the left for the Channel you have modified.
7. You will see a Session Start page come up with details about your ongoing transmission. If
you wish to start recording the Session, press the Record button.
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8. Go to the View page. This page allows you to connect different media desktop players using
either multicast or RTSP (unicast) protocol. If you have Quicktime installed on your PC, click
on “Quicktime Multicast” if you have multicast on your network or “Quicktime RTSP” for
unicast. Your client player should launch and you should see your captured graphics and
video. For other client players, try clicking on the “SDP” link. You’re done!
1.6.3. Long Start
Read this whole manual from cover to cover (RTFM). There are hundreds of different configuration
options for a Telepresenter, allowing the setup and composition of many different formats, resolutions,
PIP options, layouts, bit-rates, frame-rates, start and stop and scheduling options and the like. You
can automatically upload your archives to a video-server. You can tag your archives automatically
with course numbers and notes. You can add your own customized graphic overlays to the captured
graphics and video. Transmission can be automated so that all that is required is to press the poweron button.
Please feel free to contact NCast Corporation if you have any questions about the use or
configuration of the Telepresenter.
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2. Theory of Operation
2.1. TELEPRESENTER COMPONENT BLOCK DIAGRAM
The Telepresenter consists of these main hardware functions:
Digitizer Capture Hardware – A specially designed, high-performance PCI card is used to grab and
digitize the RGB or video signals created by the presenter or media source. This card accepts VGA, DVI,
PAL/NTSC composite or PAL/NTSC S-Video connections and converts those signals to RGB or YUV digital
format. With the introduction of the Digitizer-3 PCI card, two of these inputs may be active simultaneously for
generation of a picture-in-picture (PIP) display.
Central CPU – A general-purpose, high performance processor is used to compress and decompress
media streams, to encapsulate and decapsulate outgoing and incoming packets streams, to enable the web
interface, serial interface and telnet interface, and to prepare data for display on the attached monitor. A
highly secure open-source operating system underlies and supports all of this functionality.
Display Output Sub-system – Media streams, which are received and decoded, are presented on the
attached display for viewing.
Audio Sub-system – A sound system with stereo input-output capabilities and with support for microphone
and line-level inputs and line-level outputs is used to create the AAC audio streams transmitted in
conjunction with the associated graphics or video imagery.
Ethernet Interface – Industry-standard Gigabit ethernet connectors are used to connect the Telepresenter
with the Internet network used for communications.
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2.2. DIGITIZER CAPTURE FUNCTION
The digitizer capture card selects one of the available four inputs (VGA, DVI, Composite, S-Video) and locks
onto the signal. The signal is converted into the appropriate digital formats, and each pixel in the image is
stored in a local memory buffer on the card. At an appropriate time the pixels in memory are transferred over
the PCI bus to the memory of the main CPU where they are pre-processed and compressed.
If PIP mode is enabled, two signals may be selected (exception: Composite and S-video share one video
decoding chip).
2.3. COMPRESSION
The digitized RGB signals are converted in format from an {R,G,B} representation to {Y,U,V}. Industrystandard compression algorithms are then used to reduce the source data to a more manageable size, and
to generate sequences of I-P-B frames found in MPEG media streams.
2.4. TRANSMISSION
The MPEG media stream is split into segments, which are then encapsulated into RTP packets according to
the protocol standards set forth in IETF RFC 3016 or RFC 3984 (H.264). These packets are presented to the
Ethernet hardware interface for subsequent transmission on the attached IP network.
2.5. DECOMPRESSION
The received packet stream is decompressed and the resulting image is placed into a video frame buffer. At
that instant it will become visible to the receiving viewers.
2.6. DISPLAY FUNCTION
The display will output imagery from two different sources. If the unit is configured as the sending unit, a
local copy of the captured image (prior to compression, but after capture and conversion to digital format) will
be displayed. If the unit is a receiving unit, the displayed image will be from the remote sender.
2.7. AUDIO SUBSYSTEM
Each Telepresenter supports an audio subsystem consisting of an AC ’97 codec and associated input/output
connectors. The unit has microphone and line-level input signals, and a line-level output signal. Each linelevel connector supports stereo signals.
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2.8. ARCHIVE DISK
A local hard-drive in the Telepresenter is available for recording transmitted sessions. The file format is
standard MPEG-4 (.mp4), which can be played on a variety of desktop client players, or these same files can
be installed on a video-streaming server for on-demand playback over the Internet. An optional license may
be purchased to convert to Windows Media Advanced Streaming Format, ASF, for creation of .wmv files
(M4W Product).
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3. Configuration Settings and Parameters Reference
3.1. UNIT OPTIONS SETTINGS
The Unit Options page gives the Telepresenter its unique ID and provides a place to enter system-wide
settings. The ID and contact information are transmitted over the Internet to identify this Telepresenter as a
member of an ongoing conference session.
3.1.1. Unit ID
The Unit ID uniquely identifies a Telepresenter within a conference. The Unit ID can be descriptive of the
location of the unit, or it can reflect the departmental ownership, or any other characteristic that clearly
differentiates it from its peers.
Examples:
M4 West Campus
M4 Engineering
The Unit ID is written to the XML meta-data file which accompanies each recording, and may be used to
index the recorded file based on information about which unit sourced the recording.
3.1.2. Contact name
The Contact name is typically the name of the owner or administrator of the unit responsible for being the
source of the generated media stream. It could also be the name of the person in charge of the course
material being webcast. This item is transmitted in real-time over the network as an SDES element in the
RTP protocol (see IETF RFC 1889 for a more detailed description of the Real-Time Protocol). Other SDES
items include the Contact e-mail, Contact phone, Contact location, and Contact web page.
3.1.3. Contact e-mail
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The Contact e-mail should be the address of the owner/administrator of the unit or an address where
questions or service requests concerning the unit are sent. The email address should be formatted according
to RFC 822, for example, service@ncast.com.
3.1.4. Contact phone
The Contact phone should be the number of the owner/administrator of the unit or a number of a service
desk, which a user could contact for help with regards to the media stream being generated. The phone
number should be formatted with a + sign replacing the international access code. For example, a phone
number in the United States would appear as “+1-800-555-1212”.
3.1.5. Contact location
The location of the unit. The degree of precision of the location is at the discretion of the systems
administrator. For example, one might enter “Sunnyvale, CA” or “Room 23B, Building 5, San Jose Campus,
2050 Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA”.
3.1.6. Contact web page
The Contact web page can be the URL of the Contact name’s personal web page, department, service
group, help page or course material outline.
3.1.7. Time zone
The Time zone setting is required so that the timestamp information embedded in the archive filenames
correctly matches the local time-of-day.
3.1.8. Network Time Protocol
When enabled the unit’s system time is synchronized with public or private NTP servers. When disabled the
system time is not synchronized and may drift over longer time periods. This option takes effect immediately.
If the NTP client is disabled an additional setting for manual time and date setup shows up. The NTP client
requires a proper DNS configuration to work correctly.
Selection of this option requires that the network in use allows the Telepresenter to access external, publicly
available time servers. If you are on a private or closed network, local NTP servers may be listed in the “NTP
server N” fields.
Disable this selection if access to the network time servers is not available (closed network) or if the unit is
being used in a temporary location with a standalone hub or router (e.g. a tradeshow, conference or demo).
Bootup time will be substantially reduced if the system does not wait for a response from non-existent time
servers.
3.1.9. Serial Number and Revision Information
At the bottom of the Unit Options page internal system information is listed including:
• Serial number of the hardware unit
• System ID – Required for entry of license information
• Options – Software configuration options valid for this unit
• Hardware architecture in use and firmware revision numbers
• Software release revision and date
• System date and time
3.1.10.Configuration/Reset Buttons
On the right side of the web page are seven buttons which may be used to configure, restart or reset the
unit:
• Shutdown – Powers down the unit and is recommended as the proper means to turn off a
Telepresenter if it will be idle for some time or is to be moved or reconfigured. All operating
parameters will be properly saved and restored.
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• Reboot – Shuts down and then restarts the unit. This operation may be needed to clear problems
after a power brownout or other unexpected glitch.
• Factory Defaults – All operating parameters are reset to the Telepresenter’s initial factory
configuration. Nothing is saved and the reset is irreversible.
• Export Settings/Import Settings – Export or Import ALL configuration settings for this unit
• Install License/Remove License – Install license keys for additional purchased software options
3.2. PASSWORDS
The Passwords page provides for entry of four different password types to control access to the
Telepresenter.
3.2.1. Admin password
The Admin password grants rights to all configuration and setup options for the Telepresenter. This password
should be chosen carefully and with security in mind. Avoid use of common names, dictionary words and the
like. A randomly chosen string greater than 8 characters in length is suggested.
3.2.2. Coordinator password
The Coordinator password allows the Conference Coordinator to control the conference session and to pass
control to the participating units. The Coordinator also has access to Archive files.
3.2.3. Viewer passwords
The View page allows desktop or laptop users to access the live media streams being encoded by the
Telepresenter. This access may or may not be restricted, depending on the content and needs of the
installation and/or organization. If the “Verify viewer password” checkbox is enabled, then access is restricted
and a viewer needs to enter a password to see the media stream.
There is provision for four different viewer names and passwords.
3.2.4. HTTP API password
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The HTTP API password allows access to archived files. This password permits HTTP access to the archive
list, allows downloading of the archive and details file and the removal of one or more archived files. All of
these operations utilize special HTTP URLs described in Section 9.3. Commonly available programs such as
“wget” may be executed from shell scripts to automate this archive download function. There is no login page
for a backup operator using the web interface.
3.3. WEB CONTROL
The Web Control page allows configuration of security settings related to use and access of the web
administrative interface.
3.3.1. HTTP/HTTPS Access
Normal web access, which is unprotected and insecure, is accomplished through use of the HTTP protocol
typically utilizing port 80. Secure access using HTTPS (the SSL protocol) utilizes port 443. Administration of
the Telepresenter in open and insecure networks without the use of HTTPS presents a security risk and
should be avoided.
The Web Control page allows three different options related to Viewer and Administrative access.
• All HTTP – Utilizes HTTP for Viewer and Administrative access.
• Viewer HTTP/Admin HTTPS – Utilizes HTTPS for Administrative access
• All HTTPS – Viewers and Administrators must use HTTPS
The downside of using HTTPS is that SSL Certificates (which usually require an annual fee or license
payment) are required for each Telepresenter unit. Non-authoritative certificates may be used, but Viewers
will see ominous warning notices in their browsers about the certificate, asking the user to accept the validity
of the connection. Also, client players such as Quicktime, which need to download .sdp files using HTTPS
protocol, may not function correctly if the certificate is not valid. Consult with your network administrator
about certificate availability for your organization.
Access using HTTPS is straightforward. Simply use the “https” prefix:
https://telepresenter.ncast.com
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This will automatically direct the request to port 443, the standard for HTTPS access.
3.3.2. Certificates and RSA Keys
If an organization has purchased an official SSL Certificate, or has created a non-authoritative one (which
can be done with many different SSL tools) this new certificate may be uploaded and installed on the Web
Control page.
When HTTPS is turned on, the Apache server requires that the certificate be authenticated with a password.
Since this is not possible inside the Telepresenter, a private RSA key may be used instead of a password. If
there is not a valid private RSA key available, then Apache will not start. This is used to disable third parties
launching HTTPS with stolen certificates. More information on this topic is at http://www.apache.org. The
pass-phrase should be removed from the private key before upload.
3.4. DISPLAY SETTINGS
The Display settings control activity relative to the local display attached to the Telepresenter. If activated this
display normally loops back the graphics or video signals selected on the input connectors (after digitization
of the signal). The displayed material shows the final-form composition of what will be compressed and
recorded (except for the audio-meter, if present). However, in the case of full-duplex streaming or
collaboration mode, the display will be showing graphics or video that is being generated at some remote
site. Also, if graphic overlays are being used, these will appear on the local loopback display.
3.4.1. Display Mode
The Telepresenter auto-detects the attached monitor's native resolution and aspect ratio. Auto-detection
works only if the monitor has EDID and the DDC link is available. Otherwise, the unit will fall back to a
default resolution (1280x1024) and a default aspect ratio (4x3). Auto-detection is done only once during
startup - if you switch your monitor later it will be auto-detected on the next startup. Auto-detected resolution
and display aspect ratio are reported in the Display tab on web-page.
If Auto-detection mode is not used, the output resolution size may be set to some fixed value (VGA, SVGA,
XGA, ...). This is sometimes needed when the EDID connection is broken due to use of a matrix switch, VGA
distribution amp, splitter or some other equipment which does not properly transport the required EDID
information to the graphics connector. Also, some older CRT displays may not support EDID at all. In these
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cases the required output resolution size must be set with the pull-down tab. All incoming media streams are
scaled to this fixed resolution. There may be a loss of quality if, for example, an incoming XGA image is
scaled to SVGA size.
There are five different timings standards available:
• DMT - VESA Display Monitor Timing
• GTF - VESA Generalized Timing Formula
• CVT - VESA Coordinated Video Timings
• CVT-RB - VESA Coordinated Video Timings with Reduced Blanking
• 861B – CEA/EIA-861B
Consult the technical specifications of your CRT or LCD display to determine which of these settings is
appropriate. Or, plug the display directly into the graphics connector to determine which setting is reported
without the use of any distribution amps, splitters or intervening equipment.
3.4.2. Display Aspect Ratio
The display aspect ratio will normally be auto-detected (as above) through the use of EDID information. If not
correctly detected it may be set through the use of this pull-down menu.
3.4.3. Display Loopback
Turns on and off the loopback of locally generated graphics or video input. If local loopback is not being used
in an installation this setting should be set to “Disabled” as that will free up CPU cycles which are required to
generate the loopbacked image.
3.4.4. Display Loopback Framerate
If local loopback has been selected, the CPU will maintain on the local screen a copy of the material which is
being digitized and sent out as a webcast or recorded as an archive. The process of refreshing this screen
consumes CPU cycles, especially if large resolutions and fast framerates are involved. Excessive CPU
utilization can negatively impact maximum outbound framerates.
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This parameter allows the operator to decrease the local loopback refresh loading. The local screen will still
be updated, but at a rate which provides some relief from excessive use. Reduce the setting from the “Full”
value if needed to maximize outbound transmission performance.
Obviously, a very low setting will impair the visual quality (in terms of motion) of the local display.
The Telepresenter supports standard VGA output and optionally (with an additional graphics card) DVI
output.
3.5. CUSTOM SETTINGS
The Custom Settings page allows users of the Telepresenter to define unique dimensions for the Frame Size
(capture window), Aspect Ratios, Main and PIP windows, and Graphics and Text Overlay images. These
custom definitions are used in conjunction with Layout options in the Channel Table (see Section 4.4) and
settings on the Sources page(see Section 6.1), so it is necessary to understand Channel Layout options and
Source selections first to fully appreciate the custom definitions which are entered here.
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3.5.1. Custom Frame Sizes
The Channel Table permits the selection of many common, industry standard frame sizes. However, if a
special composite image is desired (some combination of Main, PIP and Overlay windows) then the user
would probably have to define a custom Frame Size.
The two entry fields define, in pixels, the width and height of the frame. The width must be in the range 1281920, and the height must be in the range 128-1200.
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3.5.2. Custom Aspect Ratios
The aspect ratio defines the visual geometry of the Frame (capture surface). If the frame width (in pixels)
divided by the frame height (in pixels) is the same as the aspect ratio, then square pixels will be displayed.
Otherwise the pixels will be non-square, which is common in many video systems.
The values entered for W,H are integers in the range 1-1000.
3.5.3. Custom Windows
The Main and PIP input streams must be associated with a Window to define their placement and size on
the frame surface area. The Channel and Sources page defines common settings (such as Full-screen and
Top-right corner), but for custom compositions ten new Windows may be defined.
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The values for X,Y,W,H may be entered as integers or percents. If integers are used then these are pixel
widths and heights or pixel offsets from the upper left corner of the frame. If percents are used, then the
dimensions are scaled to the current size of the frame area (e.g. if the frame area is 1024x768, then a 50%
window width would be equivalent to entering a value of 512 pixels). The use of percents is convenient when
the frame changes in dimension. The top-left corner is the origin and has an (X,Y) value of (0,0).
3.5.4. Custom Image Overlays
Customized images may be added to the media stream being created. These images would typically be
corporate or organizational logos, trademarks or watermarks, copyright statements, media content or date
annotation, or descriptive information on the course or presentation being viewed (speaker, topic, etc.).
These images must be created in .jpg, .png, .gif or animated .gif format (up to 1920x1200 pixels) and may
use transparency to limit the amount of underlying graphical material which is blocked. Images must be less
than 4 MB in size.
The X,Y entries in these fields are integers or percents. The X,Y offset defined will position the image relative
to the top-left corner of the frame.
The enable/disable setting will cause the image to be included or not included in the composite media
stream being created. More than one image (all four, in fact) may be included if required.
THE ENTRIES ON THIS PAGE ARE OVERWRITTEN BY CHANNEL TABLE VALUES WHEN A SESSION IS
STARTED!
The corresponding Channel Table Image Overlays are transferred to the operating Session parameters and
thus initialize the image overlays used during Channel startup. This page may be used to alter Session
image overlays being displayed after a Session has started.
For example, if Image Overlay 4 contains the presenter's name and topic in a multi-presentation recording,
Overlay 4 on this page can be uploaded and enabled when that presenter begins his/her delivery.
3.5.5. Overlay n to upload
Use the “Browse …” button to select the image file to be uploaded and then press the “Upload Files” button.
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Overlay graphics can be uploaded dynamically, allowing scheduling tools and scripts to automatically change
the presentation graphics and layouts at prescribed times (e.g. to conform to speaker times and track
changes at a conference). See Section Error: Reference source not found for details on dynamic upload.
3.5.6. Custom Text Overlays
Text Overlays are windows which contain text to be displayed on the frame. The text can be inserted from
fields on administration web pages (Channel settings and the Configuration menu), or can be sent via serial
RS-232 or Serial Telnet IP commands. See the Telepresenter Serial Reference Manual for details on these
commands.
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Text overlays can implement dynamically displayed text such a news tapes, stock tickers, closed captions,
and for other purposes such as changing the name of the speaker for a presentation due to a last-minute
change of presenters or participants
Details of using Custom Text Overlays are discussed in Channel Table setup (Section 4.6).
THE ENTRIES ON THIS PAGE ARE OVERWRITTEN BY CHANNEL TABLE VALUES WHEN A SESSION IS
STARTED!
Use this page when a Text Overlay needs to be modified after Session start.
3.6. NETWORK SETTINGS
The Network Configuration page is used to set and report parameters related to the IP address of the unit
and its behavior on an Internet network. The network parameters are normally set using this page, but
alternatively, they may be entered through the use of commonly available USB memory sticks.
When shipped the units are setup with DHCP enabled. The DHCP setting means that any network or router
which provides DHCP services will automatically assign an IP address to the unit. This address is reported
on the display screen during initial bootup. Once that address is noted, the installer may use the web
interface and Network Configuration page to assign the unit to any statically desired IP address, which will
take effect on the next power-on cycle. If this method does not work, use the USB stick method discussed
below.
The following parameters may be configured on the Network page:
3.6.1. DHCP
If DHCP is enabled the unit will automatically receive an IP address from the network’s DHCP server. Some
networks require MAC address registration with the DHCP server before an IP address can be allocated.
The MAC address is on a label on the bottom of the chassis, and is also reported on the Network
Configuration page. If DHCP is disabled, a static IP address must be provided by the installer. Consult with
the IT staff or network management to obtain the IP address allocated for the unit.
3.6.2. IP Address
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The static IP address to be used by the unit in numeric form (www.xxx.yyy.zzz). Not required if DHCP is
enabled.
3.6.3. Netmask
The IP netmask in use for this LAN segment (e.g. 255.255.255.0).
3.6.4. Gateway
The numeric IP address of the gateway host on this LAN segment (e.g. www.xxx.yyy.1).
3.6.5. Primary DNS
The numeric IP address of the primary Domain Name Server (DNS) for this LAN segment (e.g.
www.xxx.yyy.10). Domain name servers translate symbolic domain names to numeric IP addresses. Various
processes within the Telepresenter may, on occasion, require contact with a valid name server.
3.6.6. Secondary DNS
The numeric IP address of the secondary (or backup) Domain Name Server.
3.6.7. Ethernet Mode
Adjusts the hardware link level settings for the connection between the Telepresenter and its network switch.
Normally Auto-negotiation will be sufficient to establish the correct settings, but under special circumstances
the installer may wish to force the Ethernet hardware to assume a different configuration. The link speed and
full/half duplex settings are adjusted through use of the pulldown menu tab.
3.6.8. MAC Address
The Ethernet address of the Telepresenter. There is no provision for changing this address. Some networks
may require registration of the MAC address for proper operation.
3.6.9. Use HTTP proxy
Software updates for the Telepresenter are achieved through use of HTTP protocol. If the network being
used is firewalled and requires the use of HTTP Proxy services, then this checkbox must be enabled for
proper downloads of new software updates.
3.6.10. Proxy server
The IP address (symbolic or numeric) of the network’s proxy server.
3.6.11. Proxy port
The proxy server port (e.g. 80).
3.6.12. Proxy user
If the proxy server requires a username and password for access, enter the username.
3.6.13. Proxy password
If the proxy server requires a username and password for access, enter the password.
All changes to these network settings require a reboot of the unit. Press the “Update & Reboot” button when
all entries are complete and you have double-checked the correctness of these entries.
3.6.14. USB Stick Network Settings
An alternative way to configure network parameters for the unit is to edit a special text file on a USB memory
stick and to insert that memory stick into any USB slot in the unit during power-on. The operating software
looks for the presence of a USB memory and searches for the presence of a specially named file. If this file
is found, the network parameters are read from the file, installed into unit and used during the network boot
process. Once the unit has booted, the USB memory may be removed and is not required again. The
network settings from the file will be reflected as permanent entries shown on the Network Configuration
page.
The file on the USB stick must be named “ntwkconf.txt” and has the following lines of information:
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dhcp=(bool)0
dns_1=(string)204.89.223.4
dns_2=(string)204.89.223.44
ethernet=(string)auto
gateway=(string)204.89.223.1
ipaddress=(string)204.89.223.25
netmask=(string)255.255.255.0
ntp=(bool)1
The “dhcp” keyword accepts two values: 0 which means disabled (no dhcp, use static addresses) or 1 which
means enabled (use dhcp, dynamic addresses). The “dns” values identify the domain name servers. The
“ethernet” keyword accepts these link-level values: auto, 10fd, 10hd, 100fd, 100hd, 1000fd, 1000hd (auto
negotiation, 10, 100, 1000 Mbps, Full or Half Duplex). These values are case sensitive. The other keywords
require numeric IP addresses or netmasks as shown above.
The “ntp” parameter enables or disables network time protocol within the unit. If enabled, the Telepresenter
must be on a network where access to public network time servers is available. Disable (ntp=(bool)0”) this
parameter if the unit is on a closed network. Setting this parameter to 0 is useful when the Telepresenter is
being used with a simple hub or switch. Long bootup times will be shortened as the box is no longer
searching for network time servers.
The previous version of this file was named “g2_conf.txt”. If both the new file and the old file are present on
the USB disk, only the new one will be used.
This file should be created/edited with any simple ASCII text editor (e.g. Notepad, Teachtext). Do not use an
advanced word-processing editor to alter this file. Each key=value pair must be on a separate line with no
whitespace prior to the key, and no blank lines in the file.
3.6.15.IP Address Display
If the audio meter is displayed (on the local loopback screen) the current IP address of the unit will be shown
with the meter, allowing verification of the unit’s address.
3.7. TELNET SETTINGS
The Telnet Configuration page is used to enable the Telnet Serial Interface to the unit, an interface, which
may be used to send and receive command and control, strings over IP-based networks. See the Serial
Interface Specification Manual for complete information on the serial command interfaces.
If the interface is enabled, secure the interface with a unique and non-dictionary password, and configure the
IP restriction field to only allow the IP address of the controller unit to command the Telepresenter.
Note that for security reasons the default Telnet port is not utilized.
3.7.1. Telnet Access
Disable access if the serial command interface is not in use.
3.7.2. Password
Choose a password, which has random characters and numbers and is at least 8 characters in length.
Unfortunately, Telnet protocol sends this password in clear-text, so network sniffers may be able to
compromise this entry.
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3.7.3. IP restriction
This limits the valid IP addresses, which may send commands to the Telepresenter. Normally this field
should contain a single IP address, which is the IP of the controller in charge of the Telepresenter. Thus, if
the password is compromised an attacker will still not gain access to the unit. This field may contain:
www.xxx.yyy.zzz A single address
www.xxx.yyy.* An address range
www.xxx.yyy.0/24 A subset of a network (CIDR notation)
www.xxx.yyy.zzz,sss.ttt.uuu.vvv A comma-separated list of addresses
www.xxx.yyy.zzz,sss.ttt.uuu.* A comma-separated list of addresses and ranges
Standard CIDR notation is documented in IETF RFC 4632.
3.8. N-WAY
The N-Way tab is used on Telepresenters which are configured for service with an N-Way Server. See the
“NWay Reference Manual” for further information on the settings of this tab.
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3.9. SCHEDULER
3.9.1. Overview
The Telepresenter Scheduler is a feature that allows the manager of one or more Telepresenters to schedule
these appliances through use of a Google calendar or through use of industry-standard iCalendar files. The
manager can start and stop each Telepresenter at a predetermined time, load unique settings for each
individual presentation, send serial control commands to each Telepresenter to provide additional
functionality, and specify how and where the Telepresenter sends its output, all without touching the actual
Telepresenter user interface. All that is required is one or more Telepresenters, each with a connection to
the Internet, and access to a Google calendar or an iCalendar file, no matter where in the world the
equipment is located.
3.9.2. Components of the Solution
The Scheduler Implementation uses three components to allow automatic start/stop scheduling of one or
more Telepresenters in a network. These components are:
• An administrative interface based on Google Calendar or other Calendar system using iCalendar
• A scheduler process which queries the calendar information and activates the Telepresenter.
• The Telepresenter IP serial command interface, which receives commands at the scheduled times.
3.9.3. Scheduler Overview
The following sections describe how to use a Google Calendar account or an iCalendar file to setup a
schedule for one or more Telepresenters and how to use the Scheduler web page.
Complete documentation for the serial command set is in the “Telepresenter Serial Interface Specification”.
Please refer to this manual for a more complete description of commands which may be used. This guide
lists a few basic commands which allow the user to start and stop a unit from the Scheduler interface.
3.9.4. Google Calendar Events
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