TelVue AdCaster User Manual

TelVue

User Manual

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

AdCaster

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Author:

James Slocum

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TelVue Corporation

October 17, 2013

Document Version:

0.3

Contents

I Setting Up the AdCaster

1 Getting Started 3

1.1 What is the AdCaster? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

1.2 A Basic Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2 Initial Network Configuration 5

2.1 Fresh out of the box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.2 Using the front panel LCD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.3 Using the web app . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

II Configuring the AdCaster

3 Splicers and Ad Channels 13

3.1 Setting up splicers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3.2 Setting up channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

4 Schedules and Content 18

4.1 Importing schedules from the programming tab . . . . . . . . . . 18

4.2 Scheduling a window manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

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III Using the AdCasterTMDashboard 22

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5 Dashboard Overview 23

5.1 A Tour of the Dashboard features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

5.2 Configuring Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

5.3 Getting Detailed Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

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Part I

Setting Up the AdCaster

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Chapter 1

Getting Started

1.1 What is the AdCaster?

The AdCaster is a SCTE30 compliant ad server that can be connected to a
splicer to serve long and short form advertising. The AdCaster connects to the
splicer over TCP port 5168 (by default). The splicer receives a main feed which
contains SCTE35 embedded markers. These markers tell the splicer when it
is okay to replace the main feed content (usually ad spots) with local content
(figure 1.1). The splicer then communicates with the AdCaster via the TCP
connection and requests content to play over the main feed. The AdCaster then
delivers the requested content. A successful transaction between the splicer and
the AdCaster will result in a seamless replacement of the main ad with the local
ad (figure 1.2).

Figure 1.1: The AdCaster communicates with the splicer waiting for a CUE
message.

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Figure 1.2: During an ad break, the AdCaster will send a replacement ad, and
the Splicer will insert it.

1.2 A Basic Setup

The AdCaster standard configuration has four copper Ethernet ports labeled
eth0, eth1, eth2, and eth3. An additional two copper, or two fiber ports can be
optionally outfitted, normally during factory build. eth0 is usually configured
to be the control port which will provide access to the web app. The rest are
usually configured as the media ports and should be placed on the same network
as the media port on the respective splicers. As seen in figure 1.3, the multiplex
(audio and video data) is usually isolated to a single network, and the control
another. The control network may also contain a traffic and billing server, a
storage server for centralizing media and scheduling data, and other control
interfaces for different equipment.

Figure 1.3: This is an example of how the AdCaster could be set up on a
network. Here the 192.168.1.x network is the control network allowing access to
the AdCaster web app. The 172.16.100.x network is the video network.

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Chapter 2

Initial Network
Configuration

2.1 Fresh out of the box

When you first receive your AdCaster. It has the eth0 set to use dynamic host
configuration protocol (DHCP), and eth1 set to the static address 10.1.0.0 with
a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. If you have a DHCP server set up then the
AdCaster will get its own IP address and be ready to use. You can use the front
panel LCD to view the IP address it has obtained. If you don’t have a DHCP
server or want to set the AdCaster to use a static IP address instead, please
refer to the next section. Please note that if eth2 and eth3 are not connected,
they will not appear in the configuration menu of the front panel LCD.

To see the IP address obtained from DHCP, use the front panel LCD located

on the front of the AdCaster unit.

Figure 2.1: This is an example of what the IP address display looks like for
eth0.

Using the left and right arrows on the front panel LCD, you can scroll though

the displays until you see the IP address screen. See figure 2.1 to see what the

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screen would look like. Once you have the IP address of the AdCaster unit you
can access the web application with a browser.

Figure 2.2: The AdCaster login page

2.2 Using the front panel LCD

If you do not have DHCP set up on the control network, you can set the IP
address using the front panel LCD. To begin configuring the network settings
on the server, navigate to the configuration menu shown in figure 2.3 using the
up or down arrow key.

Figure 2.3: The network configuration menu screen

Press enter to access the configuration sub-menu. If there are more then
one network cables attached to the system the first menu will ask which device
should be configured (figure 2.4). You will want to select eth0.

After selecting eth0 and pressing the enter key, you will be asked to select

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Figure 2.4: This screen allows the user to select which device they want to
configure. Use the up and down arrows to select a device.

either DHCP or static configuration. Selecting DHCP will try to auto-configure
the Ethernet device, but requires that you have a DHCP server on the network.
Using the up and down arrows you can select the no option and begin the static
IP configuration.

Figure 2.5: This allows the user to use choose between DHCP and static
configuration.

The IP address for the device must now be specified. Use the left and right
arrows to select the part of the IP to modify. Then use the up and down arrows
to adjust its value. An underscore will appear below the value that is currently
being modified. Make sure you are using a valid IP address for the network the
AdCaster is on.

Figure 2.6: Set the static IP of the unit. Use the left and right arrows to select
the digit, and the up and down arrows to modify it.

Once a valid IP address has been entered, press the enter key to accept and

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go to the next menu. On the next menu the subnet mask for the IP address
will be entered (figure 2.7). The display will pre-compute what it thinks the
subnet mask should be based on the current IP, but it may need to be adjusted
depending on the special configuration of the network it is being attached to.

Figure 2.7: Set the subnet mask.

Just like configuring the IP address, the subnet is configured in the same
way. Use the up and down arrows to change the value of the highlighted digit,
and the left and right arrows to select the digit to change. When the netmask
has been successfully entered, press the enter key to continue to the next menu.

The next menu will allow you to set the default gateway. This menu works
exactly the same as the previous two. Once you have entered the address of the
default gateway and pressed enter, the settings will take and you will be able
to access the web app.

Figure 2.8: Set the default gateway.

2.3 Using the web app

Once you have the network set up on eth0, you will be able to access the
AdCaster web application. This application is used for all tasks going forward.
When you first connect to the AdCaster you will be prompted for a user name
and password. The default login and password are given in figure 2.9.

It is recommended that you change this password especially if the AdCaster
has an Internet facing address.

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