VBrick 7000 Series Getting Started Manual

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VBrick v2.0 H.264 Appliance

VBrick 7000 Series Network Video Appliances

Getting Started Guide

September 10, 2009

4410-0252-0002

This publication contains confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information. No part of this document may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any machine-readable or electronic format without prior written permission from VBrick. Information in this document is subject to change without notice and VBrick Systems assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies. VBrick, VBrick Systems, the VBrick logo, StreamPlayer, and StreamPlayer Plus are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and other countries. Windows Media is a trademarked name of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Flowerfire is a trademark of Sawmill. All other products or services mentioned in this document are identified by the trademarks, service marks, or product names as designated by the companies who market those products. Inquiries should be made directly to those companies. This document may also have links to third-party web pages that are beyond the control of VBrick. The presence of such links does not imply that VBrick endorses or recommends the content on those pages. VBrick acknowledges the use of third-party open source software and licenses in some VBrick products. This freely available source code is posted at www.vbrick.com/opensource.

FCC Part 15

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules, Class A for OC-3C Interface, Class A for the SDI Interface. 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 their own expense. This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations. Cet appareil numerique de la Classe A respecte toutes les exigences do reglement dur le materiel brouilleur du Canada.

VBrick declares that this product conforms to the following certificate standards for electromagnetic emissions when installed according to the manufacturer's specifications: EN 55022:2006; EN 55024:1998, A1:2001, A2:2003; EN 61000-3-2:2005; EN 61000-3-3:1995, A1:2001, A2:2005.

This product is Listed by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Representative samples of this product have been evaluated by UL and meet applicable safety standards. Although this product can operate in a 70°C environment, the maximum recommended room ambient is be 66°C or lower to meet UL 60950-1 accessible surface temperature requirements.

About VBrick Systems

Founded in 1997, VBrick Systems, an ISO 9001 certified vendor, is a privately held company that has enjoyed rapid growth by helping our customers successfully introduce mission critical video applications across their enterprise networks. Since our founding, VBrick has been setting the standard for quality, performance and innovation in the delivery of live and stored video over IP networks—LANs, WANs and the Internet. With thousands of video appliances installed world-wide, VBrick is the recognized leader in reliable, high-performance, easy-to-use networked video solutions.

VBrick is an active participant in the development of industry standards and continues to play an influential role in the Internet Streaming Media Alliance (ISMA), the MPEG Industry Forum, and Internet2. In 1998 VBrick invented and shipped the world's first MPEG Video Network Appliance designed to provide affordable DVDquality video across the network. Since then, VBrick's video solutions have grown to include Video on Demand, Management, Security and Access Control, Scheduling, and Rich Media Integration. VBrick solutions are successfully supporting a broad variety of applications including distance learning and training, conferencing and remote office communications, security, process monitoring, traffic monitoring, business and news feeds to the desktop, webcasting, corporate communications, collaboration, command and control, and telemedicine. VBrick serves customers in education, government, healthcare, and financial services markets among others.

H.264 Getting Started Guide

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii

Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Font Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Printer-Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Product Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

1. Introduction

Appliance Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Features and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

2. Appliance Setup

Setup Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Using the Quick Start Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Environmental Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Appliance Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 1. Connect the Audio and Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 2. Connect to the IP Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 3. Power-on the Appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 4. Set the IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 5. Verify Streaming Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Software Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Installing a Software Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Configuring VBDownload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Contents

3. Shelf Setup

VBrick Rack Mount Shelf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

H.264 Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Blade LCD Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Unpacking and Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Blade Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Fan Tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide iii

4. Software Upgrade

Software Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Installing a Software Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Configuring VBDownload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

5. Management Tools

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

VBAdmin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

VBDirectory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Command Line Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

SNMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Front Panel Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Web Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Auto Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

6. VBAdmin

Using VBAdmin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Login Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Configuration Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

LED Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Edit Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Using Apply, Revert, and Default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Resetting the Appliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Logout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

7. Front Panel Edit

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Front Panel Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Front Panel Configuration in VBAdmin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Front Panel Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Status Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Configuration Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Configurable Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Function Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

8. Command Line Interface

Connection Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Connecting via the COM Port with HyperTerminal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Connecting with Telnet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Command Line Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Using the MIB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Finding VBrick Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

iv Contents

Setting VBrick Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

CLI Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

9. Web Services

Web Services Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

10. Streaming Video Basics

Video Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Getting the Best Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Network Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Assigning Multicast Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

IP Address Configuration using Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

VBrick Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Serial Port Passthrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

How Passthrough Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Serial Port Passthrough Using Telnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

11. VBrick 7000 Series Reference

VBrick H.264 Appliance Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Device Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Video-In (S-Vid) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Video-In (Comp-In) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Audio-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Ethernet Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

External Event Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide v

vi Contents

H.264 Getting Started Guide

Preface

This document explains how to set up and configure a VBrick H.264 network video appliance. It explains the management tools available and describes some of the fundamental concepts behind the technology. It also explains how to use the VBAdmin management interface to configure the appliance and control appliance functions.

Organization

This online help system provides access to VBrick H.264 documentation. It has a

powerful search engine so you can get answers to technical questions in seconds; it also has the documentation in PDF format if you need hard-copy. Our publications team is committed to providing first-rate documentation and your feedback is important to us. If you find errors or omissions, click the e-mail icon in the upper-right corner of this window or send your feedback to documentation@vbrick.com

Introduction Lists the specifications and describes the features and

functions of the H.264 appliance.

Appliance Setup

Shelf Setup

Software Upgrade

Management Tools

VBAdmin

Front Panel Edit

Command Line Interface

Streaming Video Basics

Explains the basics. Provides general configuration recommendations as well as how to cable the appliance and connect it to the network.

Explains how to set up and configure a Rack Mount Shelf that houses from 1 to 11 H.264 blade encoders.

Explains how to upgrade the appliance or blade when new software is available form VBrick.

Explains how to configure the appliance using a variety of management tools. These include the VBAdmin web interface, Telnet, SNMP, and the command line.

Explains how to use the VBAdmin application to manage VBrick configuration from an external browser.

Explains how to use the keypad on the appliance front panel to set IP Address, DHCP Enable/Disable, Subnet Mask, and other parameters.

Explains how to configure an appliance from the command line using Telnet or HyperTerminal (when an Internet connection is not available).

Explains some of the fundamentals behind the technology including compression techniques, network concepts, serial port passthrough, and other video basics.

VBrick 7000 Series Reference

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide vii

Provides back panel drawings, COM port pinouts, LED descriptions, and other miscellaneous information.

Getting Help

If you need help, or more information about any topic, use the online help system. The

online help is cross-referenced and searchable and can usually find the information in a few seconds. Use the tree controls in the left pane to open documents and the up and down arrows to page through them. Use the

Search box to find specific information. Simply enter

one or more words in the box and press Enter. The search results will return pages that have all of the words you entered—highlighted in yellow (Internet Explorer only). The

Search box

is not case-sensitive and does not recognize articles (a, an, the), operators (+ and –), or quotation marks. You can narrow the search by adding words.

If you can't find the information you need from the online help, or from your certified VBrick reseller, you can contact VBrick Support Services

on the web. Support Services can usually answer your technical questions in 24 business hours or less. Also note that our publications team is committed to accurate and reliable documentation and we appreciate your feedback. If you find errors or omissions in any of our documents, please send e-mail to documentation@vbrick.com

and let us know. For more information about any VBrick products, all of our product documentation is available on the web. Go to www.vbrick.com/ documentation to search or download VBrick product documentation.

Font Conventions

Arial bold is used to describe dialog boxes and menu choices, for example: Start > All Programs > VBrick

Courier fixed-width font

Courier bold fixed-width font is used for user input in scripts, code examples, or keyboard

is used for scripts, code examples, or keyboard commands.

commands.

This bold black font is used to strongly emphasise important words or phrases.

Folder names and user examples in text are displayed in this sans serif font.

User input in text is displayed in this bold sans serif font.

Italics are used in text to emphasize specific words or phrases.

Printer-Friendly

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide

T To save or print a PDF document

1. Click once to open the PDF document in Acrobat Reader.

2. To save or print a PDF document, right-click and select

Save Target As or Print Target.

Product Safety

Electrical Cautions

Caution: Battery. The appliance contains a lithium battery which may explode if

replaced incorrectly. Do not attempt to replace this battery. If absolutely necessary, replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by manufacturer. Recycle batteries if possible and dispose used batteries in accordance with local environmental regulations.

viii Preface

Caution: General. Do not spill food or liquids on your appliance. Protect your

appliance from sudden power-surges and interruptions by using a surge suppressor, line conditioner, or uninterruptable power supply (UPS). Avoid using and/or connecting appliance during an electrical storm. Comply with all standard safety precautions associated with the use of electronic devices.

General Cautions

Caution: Servicing. This product contains no user-serviceable parts. No user is

authorized to remove the appliance's cover. This device has tamper-evident seals. Breaking or modifying the seals will immediately invalidate the product warranty. If you have problems with this appliance, contact VBrick Support Services.

Caution: Placement. Use common sense when installing the device. Do not expose the

appliance to direct sunlight, high humidity or wet conditions. Do not block the air vents or impede the airflow in any way. And once installed, do not place anything on top of unit. Failure to follow these guidelines can cause overheating and affect the reliability of your appliance.

Caution: Cleaning. This product and accessories will only require an occasional wipe

with a dry cloth. Do not spray any substance or use any thinners, abrasives, liquids, or aerosol products to clean the device.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide ix

x Preface

Introduction

Topics in this section

Appliance Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Features and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Appliance Overview

Built on a completely redesigned architecture, the VBrick H.264 appliances represent VBrick’s newest networked video appliances. Capable of supporting both standard definition and high definition video delivery, VBrick expands its market leadership by continuing to deliver on its heritage of providing reliable, flexible, portable, scalable, and manageable networked video appliances. These ground breaking appliances allow organizations to deliver video in a wide range of quality—over any IP network infrastructure. The new H.264 appliances promise vastly improved quality for a given bit rate, allowing organizations to deliver a better customer experience for any given bandwidth.

Chapter 1

Figure 1. VBrick H.264 Network Video Appliance

Capabilities

VBrick’s H.264 appliances are the first in a line of products that will be delivered on VBrick’s new architecture. These appliances provide the following capabilities:

• High Definition Video – For the first time, the new appliances support high definition

video resolution allowing unsurpassed quality video at bandwidths of 1 Mb/sec and up (requires HD version).

• Standard Definition Video – For lower bandwidth applications, video can still be

delivered in standard definition with resolutions up to D1.

• Encoding – Digitizing and compressing a video signal for delivery over an IP network in

the H.264 video format.

• Multicasting – Multicast a live video directly from the appliance.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 1

• Serving – Serve live unicast streams via RTSP Low Delay – VBrick's appliances can

deliver video to Windows PCs and Macintosh PCs.

• Front Panel Display and Management – For easy configuration and parameter changes.

• Remote Management – Complete remote configuration and management via web-based

interface, web services, command line interface, or SNMP.

Features and Specifications

Tab le 1 . Supported Browsers (VBAdmin)

Browser Ver si on

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher

Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or higher

Table 2. Recommended H.264 Players

Player † Vendor Notes

QuickTime 7.0 Apple If not installed, download application from Apple website.

VLC 1.0.1 VideoLAN Not fully tested or supported by VBrick.

† Use version shown or higher.

Table 3. Features and Specifications

Video Encoder • H.264 Encoding: Main and Baseline Profile

• SD Inputs: Composite or S-Video

• SD Input Formats: NTSC, PAL

• HD Inputs: SD-SDI, HD-SDI, 3G-SDI, HDMI, and Component

• HD Input Formats: 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p50/60, 1080i50/60, 1080p50/60

• Aspect Ratio: 4:3 and 16:9

• Encoded Resolutions see Table above.

• Video Frame Rates: NTSC (0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7.5, 10, 15, 30 fps), PAL (0.5, 1,

2.5, 5, 12.5, 25 fps)

• Constant Bit Rate / Constant Frame Rate, user defined key frame interval, rate control, deblocking filter

• Rates: 32 Kbps – 10 Mbps

Audio Encoder • AAC-LC and AAC-HE Encoding

• Sample Frequency 8 Khz – 48 Khz

• Rates: 8 Kbps – 256 Kbps

• Audio Modes: Stereo, Mono, Dual

• Inputs: Unbalanced, balanced, and microphone via minijack. Audio inputs can also come through the HDMI, HD-SDI, or SDI inputs. (HDMI and SDI input available on High Definition models only.)

Push Multiple concurrent unicast and multicast destinations

Server Live streaming server – up to 200 concurrent live streams

Introduction

Ethernet Network • 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet via RJ-45. Static or DHCP

• Auto sense Full / Half duplex

Protocols Unicast / Multicast, DiffServ (QoS), UDP / IP / RTSP/ RTCP / RTP /

HTTP / RTSP Interleave / IGMP

Additional Ports One serial port for local maintenance or data transport; one USB port

Dimensions 7101 models: W 7.8" x H 1.75" x D 9.2"

7102 models: W 8.1" x H 3.0" x D 9.5"

Weight Approx. 1.5 – 3 lb. depending on model

Temperature Range Operating Temperature: 0° – +70° Celsius

Power Input: 100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 Hz, 45 Watts, 12V DC, 4A

Regulatory FCC Part 15, UL, CE

LCD 80-character backlit display (20 characters x 4 lines)

Compatibility • Windows Media® Player (via VBrick player plug-in)

• QuickTime Player (Windows and Macintosh)

• IGMP v3 / SNMP v3

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 3

Appliance Setup

Topics in this chapter

Setup Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Environmental Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Appliance Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

This chapter explains how to set up and configure VBrick H.264 network appliances. The information here is basically the same as that in the Quick Start Guide that came with the appliance. You can use this document or the Quick Start Guide set up and configure an appliance. Before you do anything else, be sure to open the box and inspect the components. Each shipment comes with:

• H.264 network appliance

• H.264 Quick Start Guide

•H.264 Product CD

• Power supply and cable

• Serial cable and adapter

• Cable and adapter kit

Chapter 2

Setup Overview

Your VBrick H.264 appliance is shipped with all appropriate cables and connectors. The appliance(s) you purchased may vary slightly from the illustration in Figure 2 but the basic elements are common to all H.264 appliances. See VBrick H.264 Appliance Models page 61 for more model information.

Figure 2. H.264 Enterprise Encoder (rear)

S-Vid S-Video cable in.

Comp In Composite video cable in.

Main Audio connector. Use for microphones and other input devices.

Aux Audio connector. Use (in addition to Main) for consumer devices that

support two-jack stereo.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 5

COM RS-232/RS-422/485. Used with HyperTerminal for appliance

configuration or as a dedicated serial port for Serial Port Passthrough.

Ethernet RJ-45 connector. Connect to the network.

USB Not functional. Reserved for future use.

Power In 12VDC Power input. LED illuminates when power is applied.

Component Three color-coded connectors (Y, Pb, Pr) with BNC connectors.

HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface that transmits uncompressed

digital data.

SD-SDI/HD-SDI Accepts Standard Definition SDI, High Definition SDI, or High

Definition 3G-SDI.

Figure 3. H.264 Enterprise Encoder (front)

Keypad Used to change modes, navigate through menus, or select

configuration parameters. See Front Panel Edit information.

LCD Display Depending on how it is configured in VBAdmin, shows IP Address,

system status, error and warning messages, and transmitter data on a 20 char x 4 line display panel.

F1–F4 The function keys are used to run scripts that have been associated

with each key in VBAdmin, or to advance to the Previous (F1) and Next (F4) screen in Configuration mode.

on page 39 for more

Using the Quick Start Guide

An 11x17 in. Quick Start Guide that explains how to set up the appliance is shipped with each device. The Quick Start Guide explains how to setup the appliance to quickly verify that you can stream audio and video over your local network. (Your actual production setup may be different.) The information is included here for your convenience.

Click to enlarge

Figure 4. H.264 Appliance Quick Start Guide

Environmental Considerations

Airflow and ventilation are primary concerns when installing VBrick appliances. Each appliance has slots and openings to guard against overheating and guarantee reliable performance. Never block these openings or cover them when placing equipment in a cabinet, rack, or shelf. Never place an appliance inside a built-in enclosure such as a bookcase unless proper ventilation and airflow is available. In all cases, the equipment must be separated from other products by at least two inches on each side and at least four inches above and below in order to provide maximum airflow and circulation.

Appliance Setup

The equipment should never be placed on top or near any heat-radiating product or equipment. The equipment should not be used near water sources or high-humidity areas. Side ventilation provides the best air circulation. There are vents on each side of the appliance and a fan that provides circulation. If appliances are rack-mounted in a cabinet and air flow is blocked, you may need to provide a vent hole or a notch on the side of the rack that is roughly equal in size to the vents on the appliance. You need to make sure there is at least two inches of space between the appliance and the edge of the rack.

Note If you are mounting the device on a wall or ceiling, the best option is an open shelf or

an open mount. Poor ventilation can affect performance and may cause the appliance to fail prematurely.

Best Practices

In general, VBrick appliances are designed for rooms that are comfortable for humans (approx. 70 F or 21 C) with adequate airflow and ventilation. Wall mounting will typically block the side vents and is not recommended. Mounting appliances above a drop ceiling is also discouraged. Ceiling spaces have little protection against heat, cold, dust, etc. and you will not be able to use the IR remote control. Some common practices to avoid include:

• Attempts to "hide" appliances in enclosed areas.

• Closed cabinets with poor air circulation or no air circulation.

• Appliances mounted too close to other heat sources or other electrical devices.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 7

Appliance Setup

Use the steps listed below, in the order shown, to setup your appliance. Table 4 shows the recommended end user environment needed to play H.264 streams on Windows and Macintosh desktops. These recommended requirements vary depending on whether you are using a Windows or Macintosh desktop.

Table 4. Recommended Desktop Requirements

• Ethernet LAN with Multicast IGMP Version 2

• Windows 2000, Windows XP (SP3), Vista

• Mac OS X 10.3 (Power PC)

• Mac OS X 10.4 (Intel-based PC)

• 750 MHz Pentium III processor (Windows)

•128 MB RAM

• SVGA video card 640x480, 256 colors or better

• Windows or Macintosh-compatible sound device

• Minimum 5 MB hard disk space for installation

•Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or Safari 3.1.1

• Microsoft DirectX Media 8.1 or higher

• Microsoft Windows Media Player 7.1 (Windows 2000), 9.0 (Windows XP), 11 (Vista)

• VBrick StreamPlayer 4.5 or Apple QuickTime 7.0

• VBrick VBDirectory 4.4

Step 1. Connect the Audio and Video

The audio and video connectors allow the H.264 video appliance to receive audio and/or video from your input source, for example a video camera, VCR, DVD, etc.

T To connect the audio and video inputs

1. From the video input source (for example, a camera, DVD, or VCR), connect the vendor-provided cable to the default Composite (

COMP IN) connector on the rear of the

appliance.

Note If you are not using a composite cable, you will need to set "How is Video Connected"

in the VBAdmin management application after connecting to the network.

2. Connect the cable from the audio source to the audio source cables, connect the left cable to

MAIN audio connector. (If you have two

MAIN and the right cable to AUX.)

Step 2. Connect to the IP Network

Use the provided Ethernet cable to connect the appliance to your IP network.

T To connect to the IP network

1. Plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port (to the right of the COM port) on the H.264 appliance.

2. Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into a network port or switch.

Appliance Setup

Step 3. Power-on the Appliance

T To power-on the appliance

1. Insert the power connector that comes with the appliance into the 12 VDC power receptacle on the right side of the back panel.

2. Connect the other end to a conventional 110/220 VAC power source.

3. Wait until the appliance completes its boot sequence before continuing. This may take 1–3 minutes.

4. The green Power In LED on the back of the appliance will illuminate and the unit will self-test while displaying status messages on the LCD panel. This can take several minutes. When done the appliance will search for a DHCP server, display the IP address on the LCD panel, and you can go to Step 5. If your network is not DHCP-enabled, you will need to set a Static IP Address as explained in Step 4.

Step 4. Set the IP Address

All VBrick appliances are configured by default with DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) enabled. This means that when you power on the appliance on, if a DHCP server is present on your network, the VBrick will automatically get its IP Address and Subnet Mask from the DHCP server. If the appliance cannot find a DHCP server, you will need to set a static IP address manually using (1) the front panel (if available) or (2) the serial port. Once the

IP address is set, you can use the management interface (VBAdmin) to configure all other parameters.

If the appliance cannot connect to a DHCP server, it will wait two minutes and then start in Limited Run Mode using the default IP Address of

172.17.5.5. After 15 minutes, it will

automatically reset and again try to obtain a DHCP address. The LCD screen on the front panel will display a

DHCP failed message and then read VBrick Systems and continue to cycle

through various messages. If you want to configure a static IP address, you must do it while the unit is operating in Limited Run Mode. You cannot access the appliance while it is searching for

DHCP server.

Note If the appliance cannot find a DHCP server, you will need to set a static IP address

manually using (1) the appliance front panel (if present) or (2) the serial (COM) port. Similarly, if your network requires a Gateway IP Address, and this is not provided by the DHCP server, you will also need to enter this address manually.

Set IP Address Using the Front Panel

1. Press the Mode button on the front panel and advance to Configuration mode.

2. Enter a valid PIN (default = configuration parameters.

3. Press the

F4 button three times to advance to the IPAddr page. Using the keypad arrows

and the Select button, enter a valid IP address.

4. If necessary, configure a will automatically reboot when done.

0000) and press Select. This will allow you to change

Subnet mask and a Gateway in the same manner. The appliance

Set IP Address Using the Serial Port

1. If you have an industrial model (or a blade) without a front panel, connect an ASCII terminal from the RJ-45 serial port (COM) on the appliance to the COM port of the computer or terminal device (usually COM1), using the provided cable.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 9

2. From the Windows Start menu, go to: Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > HyperTerminal and press Enter to display the login prompt.

3. Login to the appliance using "

4. When the Command Line Interface is displayed, type "

admin" (case-sensitive) for both Login and Password.

nt" to display the Ethernet

Network Options. This will let you set IP Address, Subnet Mask, and other options.

5. When done, type "

apply" and press Enter to save your changes.

Step 5. Verify Streaming Video

The last step is to verify the appliance is running properly and streaming audio and video. Assuming you connected a video source as explained in Step 1, you can use the VBAdmin management application or VBrick StreamPlayer to verify that video is streaming from the appliance.

Verify Operation with VBAdmin (Windows or Macintosh)

You can verify operation on Windows or Macintosh desktops by playing the stream directly from the appliance using the VBAdmin management application. This method requires the Apple QuickTime plugin.

1. Open a browser and launch VBAdmin with the IP Address from Step 4 in the following format and Then login with "admin" and "admin"

http://<appliance_ip_address>

2. Using the left navigation panel, click on Program Configuration > Servers.

3. On the Servers page click the

Play Stream

Edit button. Then click on the link labeled Click Here to

Appliance Setup

4. This will launch the stream using the QuickTime plugin. QuickTime 7.0 or higher is required. If QuickTime is not installed, you will be prompted to download it from Apple.

Note: If you have streaming problems with QuickTime 7.6, go to Edit > Preferences > QuickTime Preferences > Advanced > Video > DirectX and uncheck "Enable Direct3D video acceleration".

Verify Operation with StreamPlayer (Windows only)

You can verify operation on Windows desktops by playing the stream directly from the appliance using StreamPlayer 4.5. VBrick's StreamPlayer application lets you receive and play streaming video originating from the appliance on a PC. You can install StreamPlayer 4.5 from the StreamPlayer Product CD (if purchased) or you can download and install the 30-day demo version available from our website. Once StreamPlayer is installed:

1. Launch the StreamPlayer application. Go to Start > All Programs > VBrick > StreamPlayer.

2. In the IP Address field (near bottom of player) type the following text and press Enter:

vbrtsp://<appliance_ip_address>/vbstream1s1

3. This will launch the stream in the Windows Media Player. If you have audio and video, you are successfully streaming from the VBrick appliance to your PC.

Software Upgrade

Note When you purchased your network video appliance from VBrick, it was shipped with

the latest software already installed and no additional software installation is necessary. If you ever need to reinstall the software, you can get it from the Downloads our website. Use the following instructions only when upgrading the software.

VBrick appliances are shipped with PC applications that allow for easy upgrade. Once the release is installed, the upgrade tools become available in the VBrick program group, located under

Start > All Programs > VBrick. The upgrade procedure can be invoked by using either

the VBDownload application or the VBDirectory application. Either application can be used as the starting point for updating the appliance's flash memory (TCP/IP FTP transport services are used for this). Using VBDirectory is an easier method since it lets you choose the appliances by name instead of IP address. When VBrick appliances are not accessible to VBDirectory, the VBDownload application must be used. Also keep in mind the following considerations:

• All saved configuration parameters are saved when you upgrade your encoder and there is no need to reconfigure the unit after an upgrade. The upgrade process requires a unit reset, so be sure to save your configuration prior to the upgrade.

• Part of the install process occurs during the first reboot after the upgrade. Do not power off the unit during this time. The process may take 5 minutes and include an automatic reboot of the unit. The appliance is ready for operation when you are able to login via VBAdmin or CLI.

• VBrick strongly recommends against loading a earlier version of code. As a general rule, never downgrade a unit to a code version older than what was originally installed at the factory. If you do load an earlier version of code, reset all parameters to the factory defaults.

page on

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 11

Installing a Software Upgrade

T To upg r ade a V B rick:

1. Double-click on the release executable ( your PC. It is recommended that you accept the default destination folder which is

Program Files\VBrick\VB7000\download\ReleaseVx_x_x.

2. The setup programs for VBDownload and VBDirectory will automatically run after the files have been extracted. Click

Next, follow the instructions, and use the default folders

if possible.

3. When the

4. Go to

Maintenance Complete page is displayed, click Finish.

Start > All Programs > VBrick > VBDirectory to start the management utility. The

VBDirectory program will show all VBrick appliances available for upgrade.

SetupVB7000_x_x_x.exe) to install the release on

5. Select the device to be updated by highlighting the name and then click the

Upgrade

button. (If the user name and password are not set, a dialog box will appear and you will need to configure the appliances's username and password (default = admin/admin).

6. In the VBDownload window, if you installed the release to the default directory, that directory will be auto-selected in the

Revision Folder. If not, Browse to the directory

that contains the unzipped files from the release package.

7. Select a VBDownload is which release components need to be downloaded. When prompted, press

Revision and click OK to start the download. Since the default mode of

Intelligent Download the utility will query the VBrick to determine

OK to allow

VBDownload to upgrade the suggested components. This may take several minutes.

8. When the download completes, reboot the appliance using the

Reset Unit radio button

and follow the prompts.

9. Note that part of the upgrade takes place during the first boot after the download and may take up to 5 minutes. The upgrade is complete when you can login via VBAdmin or CLI, or when its name is refreshed in VBDirectory.

10. When done close the window or click

Note To ve r ify t h e downl o a d has s uccessfully installed, check the

Revision

field on the VBAdmin "Welcome" page.

Exit.

Application Code

Configuring VBDownload

The VBDownload application is used to upgrade VBrick appliances. When you click on the setup executable, the application files are automatically installed in

Program Files/VBrick /

Appliance Setup

VB6000 or VBrick 7000-8000-9000. If you have both VB6000 Series devices and VBrick

7000-8000-9000 devices present, the application will default to the VBrick 7000-8000-9000 folder. Experienced VBrick users can modify this default behavior by creating a new shortcut for VBDownload that uses

T To configure the VB6000 folder as the default folder

VB6000 as the default folder.

1. Go to Start > All Programs > VBrick.

2. Highlight

VBDownload then right-click and select Create Shortcut. Then highlight the

new shortcut and select Rename.

3. Enter a meaningful name, highlight it, then right-click and select

4. In the

Target field, append the following text, beginning with a space, to the existing

Properties.

path. (Note that question marks are required for any spaces in the path.)

-i "" -f C:\Program?Files\VBrick\VB6000\Download\ReleaseVx_x_x

5. Replace ReleaseVx_x_x with the actual version number of the setup file and click OK when done.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 13

Shelf Setup

Topics in this chapter

VBrick Rack Mount Shelf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

VBrick Rack Mount Shelf

The VBrick H.264 Rack Mount Shelf is a customized enclosure that accepts VBrick blades only. It provides a common redundant power source and common cooling and supports 11 VBrick H.264 blade encoders in a standard 19 in. rack. It has hot-swappable, redundant AC input power supplies and LED and audible failure alarms. It also has a common, hot swappable cooling unit and a replaceable air filter. The chassis for a rack mount shelf has a removable cable management panel (not shown) and card rails that make it easy to insert or remove individual blade encoders.

Chapter 3

Figure 5. VBrick H.264 Rack Mount Shelf

H.264 Blades

In general, the blades are fully-functional encoders housed within shelf rather than as standalone appliances. Each blade is configured independently of the others and has its own network connection and IP address. The blades can have Standard Definition connectors (see Figure 6) or Standard and High Definition connectors (see Figure 7). In most respects, the

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 15

blade models operate in the same manner as the 1RU Industrial models without a front panel (see VBrick H.264 Appliance Models on page 61) but there are some important exceptions:

• The blade has a scrolling 8x1 character mini LCD on the face plate.

• The blade displays their shelf slot position (1–11) in the VBAdmin management program.

• The blade in Slot 1 will read and display shelf manufacturing data from an EEprom on the backplane.

Figure 6. H.264 Standard Definition Blade

Figure 7. H.264 High Definition Blade

Table 5. Rack Mount Shelf Specifications

Dimensions • 3U to 8U height

•19 in. EIA rack mount

Fan Tray Unit • Slides out for easy replacement

• Hot swappable

• Visual LED failure indicator

Encoder Blades 1–11 VBrick H.264 encoder blades.

Power Supplies • Redundant AC Input

•Hot-swappable

• Visual LED failure indicator and audible alarm

Cable Panel Removable cable management panel allows for easy routing and

management of cables (video, audio, Ethernet, etc.).

Environmental • Standard operating temperature: 5° to 40° C

• Storage temperature: -45° to 85° C

• FCC Part 15 Class A, CE, UL

•EIA Compliant

•RoHS Compliant

Blade LCD Display

Each blade has an 8x1 character, mini LCD on the faceplate panel that displays eight characters at a time and scrolls through informational messages. During boot and POST processing, the LCD will display appropriate messages. Once the encoder is running normally, the encoder will cycle through the IP address and various other messages for five seconds each.

Table 6. Mini LCD Color and Messages

Color Message Description

Green

Yellow

Red

Installation

Unpacking and Inspection

Unpack and inspect the components to make sure you received everything that was ordered. If anything is missing or damaged, contact VBrick or your reseller at once. Each rack mount shelf has the following components.

• VBrick H.264 rack mount enclosure

• Cable management panel

• 1–11 H.264 encoder blades

• 2 AC power supply cords

• 1 anti-static wrist strap (per order)

•1 Quick Start Guide (per order)

Release x.x.x.x IP: xxx.xx.xxx.x

Warning

Failure

Shelf Setup

Blade is good.

Blade in warning mode. This can include a DHCP failure, a video input problem, a temperature problem, or an encoder in limited run mode.

Blade in failure mode. This can include a POST failure, a hardware failure, or a hardware mismatch.

Blade Setup

Note that if you purchased blades with your order they will be packaged separately and not installed in the rack mount shelf prior to shipment. Each blade is configured by default for DHCP. You set up and connect each blade in the same manner as a standalone appliance (see Appliance Setup port to set a static IP address since there is no front panel. (See Set IP Address Using the Serial Port on page 9 for details.) When installing blades, use the provided anti-static wrist strap by attaching the banana pin to receptacle in upper right corner of the shelf. Ten blank filler panels are included. If you remove a blade, be sure to install a filler panel to maintain proper air flow.

T To install individual blades in the shelf:

1. Unpack and inspect each blade.

2. Remove and save as many blank filler panels as necessary.

3. Install the blades from left to right beginning in Slot 1. (The Slot 1 blade will report backplane data to VBAdmin if service is ever required.)

4. Each encoder slot has top and bottom card guides. Work carefully and be sure the encoder card is properly seated in the guides before connecting to the backplane.

5. When done, hand-tighten the top and bottom spring-loaded screws.

6. Connect audio/video input and network connections.

7. Connect the power cords from the power supplies to AC power and turn on both power supplies.

on page 8). The only difference is that, if necessary, you must use the serial

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 17

Note Before installing blades, you may want to install ground screws (not included) in the

unpainted area on each side of enclosure. Use #10-32 machine screws to attach earth ground. When rack-mounting, you can also adjust the mounting ears on each side of the unit if necessary.

Software Configuration

All blades are independently configurable using the IP address and the VBAdmin management program. In all respects, blade software configuration is identical to appliance software configuration. See the H.264 Appliance Admin Guide for details about all configurable parameters. To identify the blade by slot number, launch VBAdmin, go to the Monitor > System page, and note the from left to right. If service is ever required, scroll down to the Add-on Boards table (Slot 1 only) for manufacturing data associated with the backplane.

Slot ID (see below). The blades are numbered 1–11

Maintenance

Power Supplies

The Rack Mount Shelf has dual, hot-swappable AC input power supplies (Figure 8). An LED and an audible alarm will indicate if either of the power supplies has failed. If a power supply fails, contact VBrick for a replacement as soon as possible. Do not attempt to repair a power supply as this will invalidate the warranty. Although the shelf will operate with a failed power supply, a redundant power supply will ensure there is no downtime in the future.

Shelf Setup

Table 7. Power Supply LEDs

Color Description

Green Power supply is good.

Yellow AC power is applied but power supply is off.

Red The power supply has failed.

If a power supply fails, the LED will turn red and an alarm will sound. Push the alarm reset button (the small black bubble button to the left of the left power cord receptacle) to silence the alarm.

T To remove/replace the power supply:

1. Turn off power to the power supply with switch at bottom and unplug power cord.

2. Pull unit out with handle while pressing the red release lever.

3. When replacing a power supply, push in firmly to seat firmly in backplane.

Figure 8. Dual Power Supplies

Fan Tray

The shelf has a common fan tray with four fans and a replaceable air filter. There are no user-serviceable components in the fan tray. If an individual fan fails, you must replace the entire unit or you will invalidate the shelf warranty. Contact VBrick for a replacement fan tray as soon as possible. The damaging the blades, do not run the shelf if more than one fan has failed. When you pull out the fan tray, you can see the fans slowly spinning down. Any fan not

Table 8. Fan Tray LEDs

Color Description

Green Fan tray is good.

Red The fan tray has failed. Replace as soon as possible. Do not run the shelf if more

than one fan has failed or the tray been removed.

T To remove/replace the fan tray:

1. Loosen the screws on each side of unit.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 19

Status LED will turn red if any of the fans has failed. To avoid

spinning down has likely failed.

2. Press the REQ (Request) button. This will power down the fan tray. The status LED will go from green to red and the OK LED will illuminate blue.

3. Remove the tray and determine how many fans have failed (see above). Do not run the shelf if more than one fan has failed.

4. Contact VBrick for a replacement fan tray as soon as possible.

5. When powering down the fan tray to install a replacement, work quickly to avoid overheating the blades.

Figure 9. Fan Tray Controls and Indicators

Air Filter

The air intake unit at the bottom of the enclosure has a replaceable filter element. Inspect and replace the filter element every 90 days—more often in challenging environments. For best results, use replacement filters from VBrick. You need not power off the shelf to replace the filter element.

T To remove/replace the filter element:

1. Loosen the screws on each side and remove the entire unit.

2. Replace the filter with a VBrick-supplied replacement element.

Software Upgrade

Topics in this chapter

Software Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Software Upgrade

Note When you purchased your network video appliance from VBrick, it was shipped with

VBrick appliances are shipped with PC applications that allow for easy upgrade. Once the release is installed, the upgrade tools become available in the VBrick program group, located under Start > All Programs > VBrick. The upgrade procedure can be invoked by using either the VBDownload application or the VBDirectory application. Either application can be used as the starting point for updating the appliance's flash memory (TCP/IP FTP transport services are used for this). Using VBDirectory is an easier method since it lets you choose the appliances by name instead of IP address. When VBrick appliances are not accessible to VBDirectory, the VBDownload application must be used. Also keep in mind the following considerations:

Chapter 4

page on

Installing a Software Upgrade

T To upg r ade a V B rick:

1. Double-click on the release executable ( your PC. It is recommended that you accept the default destination folder which is

Program Files\VBrick\VB7000\download\ReleaseVx_x_x.

2. The setup programs for VBDownload and VBDirectory will automatically run after the files have been extracted. Click if possible.

Next, follow the instructions, and use the default folders

SetupVB7000_x_x_x.exe) to install the release on

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 21

3. When the Maintenance Complete page is displayed, click Finish.

4. Go to

Start > All Programs > VBrick > VBDirectory to start the management utility. The

VBDirectory program will show all VBrick appliances available for upgrade.

5. Select the device to be updated by highlighting the name and then click the

Upgrade

button. (If the user name and password are not set, a dialog box will appear and you will need to configure the appliances's username and password (default =

admin/admin).

6. In the VBDownload window, if you installed the release to the default directory, that directory will be auto-selected in the

Revision Folder. If not, Browse to the directory

that contains the unzipped files from the release package.

7. Select a

Revision and click OK to start the download. Since the default mode of

VBDownload is Intelligent Download the utility will query the VBrick to determine which release components need to be downloaded. When prompted, press OK to allow VBDownload to upgrade the suggested components. This may take several minutes.

8. When the download completes, reboot the appliance using the

Reset Unit radio button

and follow the prompts.

10. When done close the window or click

Note To ve r ify t h e downl o a d has s uccessfully installed, check the

Revision

field on the VBAdmin "Welcome" page.

Exit.

Application Code

Configuring VBDownload

The VBDownload application is used to upgrade VBrick appliances. When you click on the setup executable, the application files are automatically installed in

VB6000 or VBrick 7000-8000-9000. If you have both VB6000 Series devices and VBrick

Program Files/VBrick /

T To configure the VB6000 folder as the default folder

1. Go to Start > All Programs > VBrick.

2. Highlight new shortcut and select

VBDownload then right-click and select Create Shortcut. Then highlight the

Rename.

Software Upgrade

3. Enter a meaningful name, highlight it, then right-click and select Properties.

4. In the

Target field, append the following text, beginning with a space, to the existing

path. (Note that question marks are required for any spaces in the path.)

-i "" -f C:\Program?Files\VBrick\VB6000\Download\ReleaseVx_x_x

5. Replace ReleaseVx_x_x with the actual version number of the setup file and click OK when done.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 23

Management Tools

Overview

The VBAdmin configuration tool is an intuitive GUI based management tool and VBrick recommends using VBAdmin as the primary means of managing VBrick appliances. You can also use any of the following tools to manage a VBrick:

Table 9. VBrick Management Tools

VBrick Tool Description

Chapter 5

VBAdmin

VBDirectory

Command Line Interface

SNMP

Front Panel Edit

Web Se r vice s

Auto Configuration

The VBAdmin management interface allows quick and secure control through the VBrick's IP interface. See Using VBAdmin on page 31.

The H.264 Appliance Product CD includes VBDirectory, an application that facilitates finding, accessing, and upgrading all VBricks on a network. For more information, see the VBDirectory online help.

The Command Line Interface provides management through the VBrick's COM port. See Connecting via the COM Port with HyperTerminal on page 45 or Connecting with Telnet on page 45.

SNMP commands through VBrick's IP interface, including SNMP Traps.

The front panel on the appliance displays appliance status information and can be used to set basic configuration parameters. See Front Panel Edit

You can set any configuration parameter in the MIB using an industry-standard Web Service.

See System Configuration > Auto Configuration in the H.264 Appliance Admin Guide.

on page 39.

Note There is only one active editing session allowed at any time in a single appliance. In

VBAdmin it is possible to exit a session which still in must determine whether or not to log off the previous editor. For that reason, it is recommended that all editing sessions be ended directly. Telnet, CLI and SNMP automatically log you out when you exit the program.

Edit mode. Other users then

VBAdmin

The appliance has an embedded web server lets you manage the configuration from an external browser. This allows network managers to remotely configure and monitor the appliances from virtually anywhere in the world. VBAdmin is compatible with Internet

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 25

Explorer and Firefox (other browsers may not give acceptable results). For best results, VBrick Systems recommends Internet Explorer 6.0 or Firefox 3.0. You connect to VBAdmin by pointing to the IP Address (e.g. http://172.17.5.5) of the VBrick appliance and logging in. VBAdmin is one of several ways to manage a VBrick appliance. There are other methods but VBAdmin's graphical user interface is the easiest to use. VBAdmin is described in detail in VBAdmin

on page 31.

VBDirectory

VBrick provides a management application called VBDirectory that provides quick reference and access to all VBrick Appliances on a network. VBDirectory v4.4 or higher is compatible with H.264 appliances. VBDirectory is automatically installed with a software upgrade and is also available on the H.264 Appliance Product CD. For more information, see the VBDirectory User Guide which is also included on the H.264 Appliance Product CD.

Management Tools

Command Line Interface

VBrick network appliances can be configured using a standard ASCII terminal or terminal emulator program connected to the serial port (COM) on the rear of the appliance. The MIBbased CLI can be used to access all VBrick parameters. (Keep in mind that all parameters that are available in the MIB-based CLI are also available in the web-based VBAdmin application. Always use VBAdmin unless you have a compelling reason to use the command line.) You can use HyperTerminal or other interfaces to run the CLI. For more information see Command Line Interface

on page 45.

VBrick appliances can also be managed remotely via industry-standard Telnet. The same suites of menus that are displayed on a local terminal are instantly available over an IP network. VBrick uses the standard Telnet port (23). Telnet uses the same commands as Command Line Interface (CLI). The Telnet and HyperTerminal applications are both

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 27

referred to as CLI or Command Line Interface. For more information see Command Line Interface on page 45.

SNMP

The VBrick appliance can also be configured and managed through its MIB which is available on the Product CD or on the VBrick website. Various SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) management tools are available to issue SNMP based commands to the appliance. The command structure is similar to CLI and Telnet. It is necessary to become the active editor and apply the changes before they take effect in the appliance. Note that the SNMP community strings are the usernames. The following screen shows a typical, freeware MIB browser.

Front Panel Edit

on page 39.

Web Services

For customers who want to build custom applications, the VBrick 7000 Series SDK provides a standards-based SOAP architecture to programmatically interface to the appliance. It includes detailed documentation that explains how to configure and control appliances via command line scripts. The SDK is sold separately and is not bundled with other VBrick products. Contact a VBrick sales representative the SDK.

or your certified VBrick reseller to purchase

Management Tools

Auto Configuration

Auto Configuration lets you perform a configuration via a URL script file. It is typically used for remote configuration and troubleshooting or to configure VBrick appliances that are behind a firewall. To configure a parameter on an appliance (or more likely a set of parameters) you simply point the URL to a server with an .xml configuration file. This is useful, for example, to change a transmitter destination address, set the audio and video rates, etc. when the VBrick appliances are behind a firewall and cannot be accessed remotely. See System Configuration > Auto Configuration in the H.264 Appliance Admin Guide for complete details.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 29

VBAdmin

Topics in this chapter

Using VBAdmin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Using VBAdmin

The VBrick H.264 Appliance has an integrated management interface (VBAdmin) that lets you manage VBrick configuration from an external browser. This allows network managers to remotely configure and monitor the appliances from virtually anywhere. As shown in Table 11 you can launch VBAdmin in Internet Explorer or Firefox (other browsers are not supported by VBrick). You connect to VBAdmin by pointing to the IP Address (for example:

http://192.168.5.5) of the VBrick appliance and logging in. (Note that passwords passed

between client and server are encrypted.) VBAdmin is one of several ways you can manage the VBrick encoder (for example you can also use Telnet or the Command Line Interface) but VBAdmin is the easiest to use.

Tab le 1 1. Supported Browsers

Chapter 6

Browser Ver si on

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher

Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or higher

To login to a VBrick 7000 Series appliance with Microsoft Internet Explorer, you must have

Session Cookies and Active Scripting enabled. Depending on your browser version, these

settings are in the Security or Privacy tabs in Internet Options. If either option is disabled, a correct username and password will refresh the screen without login. If Active Scripting cannot be enabled, check with your system administrator to see if it was disabled at the server level. To avoid having the VBAdmin window automatically close when accessing a different VBrick appliance, go to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced and uncheck the

windows for launching shortcuts

Reuse

Figure 10. Login Page

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 31

T To login to VBAdmin

1. Enter the IP address of the H.264 appliance in the address bar.

2. When the login page is displayed, login to VBAdmin with a valid user name and password (case-sensitive), and then click the

password is admin and admin. It is highly recommended that you use the Maintenance pages in VBAdmin to change the user name and password. The user name and password cannot exceed 20 characters. It may include any combination of alphanumeric characters and only the following special characters:

~ ! # $ ^ * + & [ ] { } | < >

Tab le 1 2. Default Passwords and Privileges

User Level Default User Name Default Password Privileges

Administrator admin admin Read, diagnostics, edit, change

passwords.

Operator operator operator Read, diagnostics, edit.

Diagnostics diagnostics diagnostics Read, diagnostics.

Public public public Read.

Home Page

A successful login displays the Welcome to VBAdmin page shown below. This is the "home" page; it provides system information and the colored LEDs in the middle of the page give you a quick snapshot of the health and status of the appliance.

Figure 11. Wel com e Pag e

VBAdmin

Configuration Menu

The options on the Configuration Menu (see Figure 11) are shown below. This menu provides access to all configurable features and functions on the appliance. It also provides access to the help system. All configuration options are described in detail in the H.264 Appliance Admin Guide. Use the (plus and minus) tree controls in the Configuration Menu to expand or collapse the selectable options and note that many pages have additional links to hide or show less frequently used settings.

Home Provides a quick snapshot of appliance health and status

System Configuration Used to configure "system" settings such as IP address and

host name as well as user names and passwords. Also let's you read, reset, or restore the system configuration. Advanced Configurations are used for security, logging, event triggering and other less frequently used options.

Audio/Video Configuration Used to set audio and video parameters for the appliance.

Program Configuration Used to set global and program options as well as to

configure transmitters and servers.

Monitor Lets you view system, network, and audio/video data as well

as the various system logs. Program Status lets you view the status of programs, transmitters, and servers.

Troubleshoot Lets you troubleshoots operational problems by running

network tests and devices tests.

Logout Logs you out of the system.

Help Launches the online help system.

LED Indicators

The colored LEDs in the middle of the page give you a quick snapshot of the health and status of the appliance. These indicators are dynamically refreshed every five seconds and give you an up-to-the-minute snapshot of the current status.

Video Input Checks whether

running or not running.

• Green – Running.

• Red – Video Input problem.

Streaming Checks whether the

is transmitting or not transmitting. This includes any configured transmitters or any server clients connected to the appliance.

• Green – at least one transmitter or server client is streaming.

• Yellow – no transmitters or server clients are streaming.

Video State on the Monitor > Video/Audio page is

State on the Program Status > Transmitters page

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 33

Alarms Checks whether the

System Traps on the Monitor > System Logs page

has any bad traps (for example a temperature alarm or a POST failure) that were not cleared.

• Green – no alarms are present.

• Red – one or more alarms are present.

Configuration Checks for configuration errors or invalid input on any appliance

configuration pages.

•Green – no configuration errors are present.

• Yellow – one or more configuration errors are present.

Edit Mode

In order to change configuration settings in the VBrick encoder, you must click Edit to become the active editor so that multiple users cannot be changing parameters at the same time. After clicking Edit, the button changes to Finish Edit, and the message Edit Session In

Progress

any time. Any user can end the current editing session of any other user regardless of login level—admin or operator. As a best practice, you should click Edit, make any necessary changes and then click

is displayed on the front panel of the appliance. Only one user can be in Edit mode at

Save and Finish Edit to avoid interfering with other users.

Note All configuration screens have a

document are shown in

Edit mode, that is after you have clicked the Edit button.

View mode and an Edit mode. All screens in this

Figure 12. View Mode

Be aware that some parameters, menu items, and fields are not shown unless you are in edit mode. Click the

Edit button to see all fields, parameters, and buttons. VBAdmin validates most user

VBAdmin

entries. If you select and apply invalid settings or mismatched parameters, it will display error messages in red showing the valid range of values or a description of the conflicting parameters. When this happens, try again with different values or parameters and press Apply.

Figure 13. Edit Mode

Finish Edit Ends the editing session and displays View mode.

Save Writes all applied changes to flash

memory. If you do not click Save after editing, any changes you made are lost if the appliance loses power or is reset.

If the browser is closed after entering the Edit Mode, editing will not be ended. Therefore, a second user can't know if the first user has simply forgotten to log off or is still engaged in editing. After an hour of inactivity, Edit Mode times out, whether the browser is open on the desktop or closed without ending the Edit session. In VBAdmin, the

Logout button on the

left side of the menu bar ends editing and logs you out of the application.

Using Apply, Revert, and Default

Depending on screen resolution, it may be necessary to scroll down the page to see additional information and fields. The Apply, Revert and Default buttons however, are always shown at the bottom of the page when appropriate. You may also see Refresh, Reset Counters, and other buttons depending on what page you are on.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 35

Apply Applies the changes made on the screen to the appliance. Note that

these changes will not be stored in the appliance's flash memory until you click

Save. This means if the appliance is powered down the

changes will be lost. Don't forget to save the configuration.

Revert Aborts all changes made on the screen and returns to the values that

were present prior to the first change that was made. Note that this only applies to changes made prior to the last "apply."

Default Returns to the default settings for all parameters on the page. You

must still click

Apply for the settings to take effect.

Save Saves the configuration to the appliance's Flash memory.

Resetting the Appliance

T To reset the VBrick appliance do one of the following

1. Power the VBrick appliance off and on by removing and reinserting the power cord.

2. Press the available in

Note Some changes to the configuration will initiate an automatic reboot. When this

happens, wait approximately 60 seconds, then refresh the page and log back in with your user name and password.

Reset button on the System Configuration > General page. This button is only

Edit mode.

VBAdmin

Logout

Click Logout on the Configuration Menu to exit VBAdmin and automatically end any editing sessions. After logging out of VBAdmin, it is a good idea to close the window and exit Internet Explorer.

Help

A link to the online help system is available from the Configuration Menu on the left side of the VBAdmin page. This help system has a powerful full-text search engine that can quickly find the information you need. You may wish to take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the help system. It can save time when tying to find information about appliance parameters or options. When using VBAdmin, click on the question mark hyperlink in the upper-right corner of each page to get context-sensitive help for that page.

Note The online help system requires an Internet connection but can be configured to run

on your local web server. See "Configuring Local Online Help" in the H.264 Appliance Admin Guide for more information.

Figure 14. Online Help Page

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 37

Front Panel Edit

VBrick Systems

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

IP: 172.172.172

VBrick_Hostname

Topics in this chapter

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Status Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Configuration Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Function Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Overview

The front panel on the appliance displays appliance status information and can be used to set basic configuration parameters such as IP address and DHCP enable. It can also be used to run predefined scripts that are executed using the function (F1–F4) keys. Note that Front Panel Edit allows you to configure only a small subset of appliance configuration parameters. Use VBAdmin character LCD screen and various input buttons. During normal operation (in Status mode) the front panel LCD cycles through a series of informational messages. If for some reason you cannot access VBAdmin or the front panel, you can still set basic configuration options using the COM serial port or Telnet. See using the Command Line Interface information.

to access all configurable appliance parameters. The front panel has a 4 line x 20

Chapter 7

Figure 15. Front Panel LCD with Sample Data

Front Panel Modes

When you first power on the appliance, it runs through the power on self-test sequence during which a series of informational messages are displayed. When the self tests are complete (after a minute or two) the appliance is in Status mode and will display appropriate status messages on the LCD screen. At this point you can use the Configuration mode or Function mode. As a visual cue, each mode has different backlighting.

Tab le 1 3. Front Panel Modes

Mode Description Backlight

Status Read-only. Scrolls through a sequence of

Configuration Lets you configure a PIN, DHCP On/Off, IP

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 39

Mode button to cycle to

Blue

informational messages every three seconds.

Grey

address, and other values. Requires a PIN to login.

Mode Description Backlight

Function Each function key can be associated with a script so

that you can make rapid changes to the configuration.

Green

Front Panel Configuration in VBAdmin

The behavior and appearance of the front panel can be configured using the VBAdmin System Configuration > General page shown below. Among other things, you can choose whether or not to display the hostname and IP address and you can configure the first two lines with user-defined text as shown in Figure 15. See the H.264 Appliance Admin Guide for complete details.

Front Panel Navigation

The front panel has a 20 char. x 4 line LCD display, a keypad, and four function keys. Use the

Mode button to select a mode, the arrow keys to navigate through menus, and the Select

button to apply changes.

Figure 16. H.264 Appliance Front Panel

Tab le 1 4. Front Panel Edit Buttons

Button Description

Mode Use to select Status, Configuration, or Function mode.

Select Select options in Configuration mode only.

Arrows Navigate in Configuration mode only.

F1 – F4 Used to run scripts in Function mode. Can also be used to advance to

Status Mode

In Status mode the screen scrolls through a series of messages every three seconds. The backlighting on the LCD panel alerts you to warnings or errors. The sequence of information is as follows:

• Basic information – always present.

• Edit message - when an Edit session is in progress.

• Warning messages – displayed if present.

• Configured destinations – shows program information and destinations configured on the Transmitter page in VBAdmin.

• Error messages – displayed if present.

Front Panel Edit

the Previous (F1) and Next (F4) screen in Configuration mode.

Tab le 1 5. LCD Status Backlighting

Color Description

Red Indicates errors are present

Yellow Indicates warnings are present.

Blue No warnings, no errors.

Configuration Mode

Configuration mode lets you set high-level configuration parameters for the appliance using the keypad. Table 16 shows keypad navigation functions; Table 17 shows the configuration options that are available using the front panel. In Configuration mode you use the keypad arrows to navigate and the enter invalid data, error messages (and other messages) are displayed on the bottom line of the LCD. If you press Select without making changes, the message No Network Changes is displayed on the bottom line. (Note that the Hostname and User Descriptions on lines 1 and 2 of the LCD are set using VBAdmin. See Configuration > General in the H.264 Admin Guide for details.)

Tab le 1 6. Keypad Navigation Functions

Key Function

Select button to choose the "selected" items or numbers. If you

Up and Down arrows Scrolls up to number nine or down to zero.

Left and Right arrows Scrolls left or right in the LCD display.

Select Select specified number or character.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 41

Key Function

F1 (Previous) This key is functional in Configuration mode when

Prv is

displayed on top line of LCD panel.

F4 (Next) This key is functional in Configuration mode when

Nxt is

displayed on top line of LCD panel.

Configurable Parameters

As noted, you can only modify a small subset of appliance parameters using the front panel. All other appliance parameters are modified with VBAdmin. Before you begin, you must enter a valid PIN to access front panel edit. The PIN (default = string configured in VBAdmin (on the System Configuration > Usernames & Passwords page). The sequence of navigable screens on the Configuration menu is shown in Table 17. Changes are applied by pressing

Select. Note that some parameter changes will automatically

reboot the appliance before the setting is applied.

T To configure parameters from the front panel

1. Press the

2. Enter a valid PIN (default =

Mode button to advance to Configuration mode.

0000)

3. Press F4 (Next) or F1 (Previous) to advance to the parameter you wish to change.

4. Use the arrow keys to "highlight" items and the

Select button to choose items.

5. Set appliance to Status mode when done.

Tab le 1 7. Front Panel Configurable Parameters

0000) is a four-digit numeric

Sequence Parameter Description Reboot

(1) Enter PIN Use the letter keys to enter the current PIN followed by

N the Select key. Entering the operator password will not allow you to change the IP Address, Subnet, or Gateway. Entering the case-sensitive administrator password

admin) allows you to change all configurable parameters.

(

(2) Default Use to set appliance to default parameters.

• None – do not change.

• Factory – sets all parameters to factory defaults except System Date and Time.

• All – sets all parameters except IP address, Subnet, Gateway, Usernames & Passwords, System Date and Time.

(3) DHCP

On/Off

If you enable DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) the VBrick will reboot and attempt to obtain a

dynamic IP Address from the DHCP server.

(4) IPAddr Displays the current IP Address of the appliance. If the

N current setting is OK, press the Select. Otherwise enter the correct value and press Select. If you enter an invalid IP address an error message is displayed on the bottom line.

Front Panel Edit

Sequence Parameter Description Reboot

(5) Subnet Displays current Subnet mask of the appliance. If the

(6) Gateway Displays the current Gateway of the appliance. If the

Function Mode

The front panel can be used to execute predefined scripts that activate certain functions on the appliance. For example you may have a script associated with the F1 key that enables or disables a transmit stream. You run a script using the function key that was associated with that script in VBAdmin. Scripts are saved on the appliance and can be uploaded via FTP. After navigating to Function mode with the configurable lines of text (one for each Function key) that can be used to describe the function that the script will perform. This descriptive text is configurable in VBAdmin on the Configuration > General page.

current setting is OK press Select. Otherwise enter correct value and press Select. If you enter an invalid subnet mask an error message is displayed on the bottom line.

current setting is OK, press Select. Otherwise enter the correct value and press Select. If the IP address, Subnet mask or Gateway IP has been modified and there are no errors, the appliance will reboot.

If you press Select and a valid gateway was entered, and the stored network parameters do not match the current network parameters, the network parameters are changed. If the change is successful the unit reboots. If the change fails the bottom line on the LCD displays

and you must reenter some combination of IP

Parms

Inconsistent

address, subnet mask, and gateway.

Mode button, the front panel displays four

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 43

Command Line Interface

Although VBAdmin is the preferred management interface you can also access the appliance configuration using the Command Line Interface and some users prefer the Command Line.

Topics in this chapter

Connection Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Command Line Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Connection Modes

This section explains how to access VBrick appliance parameters using the COM serial port or over an IP network. You can use HyperTerminal or ProComm with the serial port for example, or Telnet or PuTTY over an IP network. To send input commands to a VBrick appliance, you can use ProComm, Telnet, scripts, cut-and-paste, or any program that supplies text-based input via the get and set commands.

Chapter 8

Connecting via the COM Port with HyperTerminal

To manage an appliance via terminal emulation (for example with HyperTerminal), connect the included cable (which provides a standard 9-pin serial connection) from the serial port on your computer to the VBrick's COM RJ-45 connector. To access the VBrick using HyperTerminal go to Connect through your computer's COM Port (usually COM1) with the following settings.

Bits per second 9600

Data bits 8

Parity None

Stop bits 1

Flow control None

When you connect to a terminal, a prompt for login (username) and password will be displayed. Login and password are case sensitive ( appear by typing a question mark (

Start > Programs > Accessories > Communication > HyperTerminal.

admin). Once logged in, the main menu will

?) at the vbrick> prompt.

Connecting with Telnet

VBrick appliances can be managed remotely via industry-standard Telnet. With Telnet the same commands that are displayed on a local terminal are instantly available over an IP

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 45

network. VBrick uses the standard Telnet port. See Command Line Interface on page 46 for an explanation of the commands that are available.

Note Telnet (as well as FTP, VBAdmin, SNMP, and front panel data) can be disabled on the

VBrick appliance for security purposes. If you cannot login to the appliance via Telnet, check that the

External Telnet Server is enabled. Open VBAdmin and go to System

Configuration > Advanced Configurations > Security.

T To login using Telnet

1. Go to

2. Type

Start > Run and type telnet to open a Telnet window.

open <ip_address> using the IP address of the VBrick Appliance. This will launch

Command Line Interface.

3. Enter the Login name and Password. Default is

4. At the VBrick prompt, type

? to display the top-level commands.

Command Line Interface

The Command Line Interface is a VBrick program used to manage configuration parameters for the appliance. It provides a subset of commands that you can use if you cannot access VBAdmin. Regardless of whether you access the CLI through HyperTerminal (shipped with Windows) or Telnet, the command structure is the same. The CLI interface is launched as soon as you enter a valid Login name and Password. The following window shows the Command Line Interface and the "shortcut" commands that are available using the command. You can use these shortcuts at any time during an editing session.

admin and admin.

Using the MIB

All VBrick appliance parameters are accessible via an industry-standard SNMP Management Information Base (MIB). The CLI is a syntactically simple interface which is suitable for scripting. The syntax for each VBrick parameter is documented in the SNMP MIB for the appliance.

Command Line Interface

T Use these basic steps to find and set VBrick appliance parameters with the CLI

1. Find the parameter you want to set or change. See Finding VBrick Parameters

page 47.

2. Set the parameter using valid values obtained from the MIB. See Setting VBrick Parameters on page 50.

3. Apply the changed value(s) using the

ApplySet command for that group as specified in

the MIB. See Applying Changes on page 51.

4. Optional. Save the configuration file. See Saving Changes

on page 52.

The Get and Set commands are shown in the following table. All CLI commands are shown in Table 20 on page 50. You will need to login to the VBrick and begin an edit session before you can make any changes. Once the parameters have been set to the correct values, you must

ApplySet. If the response to any ApplySet does not match the value of the set, an error

do an message is displayed. Use care when typing commands. All commands and parameter

names are case sensitive. All parameter names must be prefixed by "vbrick".

Tab le 1 8. Get and Set Command Syntax

Command Response

GVAR vbrickMIBNAME

SVAR vbrickMIBNAME=value

$!MIBNAME=value

or $!ERROR=errorstring

Note The serial port is also used by the VBrick appliance to emit system messages. In order

to allow the script writer to distinguish between direct responses to commands and other output, all CLI response messages have

$! as leading characters. Any responses

that do not begin with these characters can be safely ignored.

It is important to note that some commands also cause a reboot of the VBrick. In order to notify the command initiator when this happens, the string

$!Rebooting … is emitted from

the VBrick. In this case the commanding entity must be prepared to wait before continuing the editing session. In practice, it is unlikely that any automated program will be tasked with initiating any tasks that will cause a spontaneous reboot.

Finding VBrick Parameters

The best way to find a parameter name is by viewing the Configuration Log. Once you find the parameter name, you can check the MIB using a MIB browser to verify the definition and usage.

T To locate a parameter name using the Configuration Log

1. Use VBAdmin to set or change a parameter and click

2. Then go to

Monitor > System Logs > Configuration Log and examine the log. You will see

a configuration log message reporting the exact name of the parameter you just changed.

3. Verify the definition and usage of the parameter by examining the MIB file with either a standard MIB browser or a text editor.

4. You can use this parameter name in a script. Make sure you prefix the parameter name

vbrick, for example: vbrickProgramTransmitterName

with

Apply.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 47

The following example shows how the Transmitter Name in VBAdmin is associated with

vbrickProgramTransmitterName in the MIB. First find the Transmitter Name parameter name

using the Configuration Log. Then open the appropriate MIB file (see Table 19 below) in a MIB browser. The valid value for this variable is

DisplayString. If the syntax calls for an

integer, use a numeric value; if the syntax calls for a string, use an alpha value.

T To find the VBrick parameter name and syntax

1. Find and change the parameter in VBAdmin.

2. Go go to the Configuration Log and find the name of the parameter you just changed.

Command Line Interface

3. Open the appropriate MIB file in a MIB browser and view the syntax. Once you know the syntax, you can use the correct variable name and value on the Command Line.

Working with MIB Files

The MIB files provide read-only access to all configurable encoder parameters and are organized as shown in Table 19. To access any MIB variable, open the appropriate file in a

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 49

MIB browser. The easiest way to visualize VBrick's control structure is to understand the relationship between the VBAdmin and the MIB. To get started, open a MIB file in a text editor or a MIB browser. For the most part, parameters are grouped according to where they appear on the VBAdmin pages. Once you find the parameter, other related parameters are usually contained in the same group. Each of the top-level groups comprises a page in VBAdmin. Note that valid values for the selected parameter are shown next to the

Syntax

column in the lower left area of the window in the MIB browser example above.

Tab le 1 9. MIB Files

MIB Description

vbrick_reg.mib

vbrickEncoder.mib

This file is used as a reference by the MIB browser.

Contains encoder parameters including video, audio, configuration, and status parameters.

vbrickProgram.mib

vbrickSystem.mib

Contains transmitter, server, and SAP parameters.

Contains IP address, network traps, auto-config, front panel configuration, etc.

Setting VBrick Parameters

Logging In

The first step is to connect to the VBrick appliance using whatever method is appropriate at your site (e.g. Telnet, HyperTerminal, etc.). When logging in, you are prompted for a login name and password. These credentials give you access to the VBrick and are typically provided by an administrator. When the logged in. The CLI shortcut commands are shown below.

vbrick> prompt is displayed, you are successfully

Table 20. CLI Shortcut Commands

Command Description

ERRORS

GVAR

QUIT

RESET

SAVE

SFD

SVAR

Begin edit session

End edit session

Show configuration errors

Get parameter

Ethernet Network Configuration

Logoff the CLI session

System reset

Save configuration

Set defaults

Set factory defaults

Set parameter

Command Line Interface

Command Description

WAIT

Delay for specified time

Beginning or Ending an Edit Session

To begin a CLI edit session, first login as explained above, and then enter the first two commands shown below using the same username you used to login to the VBrick. You only need to do this at the start of an edit session or if someone has ended your edit session. Also, you only need to begin an edit session to set variable and table parameters—not to get parameters. You can get parameters without starting an edit session. When your edit session is done, and after you have applied or saved your changes, do an end edit. You can also use the Begin Edit (

BE) and End Edit (EE) shortcut commands shown in Table 20.

T To begin an edit session

vbrick> SVAR vbrickEditName=

vbrick> SVAR vbrickEditName=<admin>

To end an edit session

vbrick> SVAR vbrickEditName=

Getting or Setting Variables

Use the following format to get or set a variable. Note that this is only an example. Use the actual parameter name and value as shown in the MIB. Finding VBrick Parameters

page 47 explains how to do this. All parameter names must be prefixed by "vbrick".

vbrick> gvar vbrickManagementSapGroupName

Vali d system commands display a response in the following format:

$!vbrickSlot1ArchiveMode=1

Invalid system commands display an error response in the following format:

$!ERROR=Value out of range

Note Double quotes (" ") may be used for any strings but they must be used if the string

contains spaces. For example, use the following syntax to set the

ManagementSAPGroupName using white space:

svar "vbrickManagementSapGroupName=Madrid VBrick"

Getting or Setting Table Variables

Table variables can be single-indexed where there is only one instance of a variable (for example an IP address) or double-indexed where there are multiple instances (for example TransmitterName). As shown below, when viewing the Configuration Log, single-indexed table variables will be appended with " with "

.n.m"

.n". Double-indexed table variables will be appended

vbrick> svar vbrickEncoderVideoCommonLuminance.1=99

vbrick> svar vbrickEncoderVideoH264Profile.1.1=2

Applying Changes

The ApplySet command is used to apply changes. There is one ApplySet command per program group in the MIB and the syntax varies slightly according to the group. Use this

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 51

command, for example vbrickProgramTransmitterApplySet, to actually apply the change(s) you made with an SVAR or a STAB. An ApplySet is always written in the following format with the trailing =2.

VBrick> svar vbrickEncoderVideoCommonApplySet.1=2

It is important to note that some ApplySets can cause the VBrick appliance to send unsolicited messages. For example, the appliance may reboot with the following message:

$!Rebooting …

Saving Changes

Once you are done, you must save to persistent storage if you want your edits saved in the configuration file. Unless you save the configuration, any changes you have made will be lost if the appliance reboots. A save is always written in the following format with the trailing

=2.

Note that some changes to the configuration will reboot the VBrick in which case you must wait for it to reset. Note that you can also use the

VBrick> svar vbrickSysSaveConfiguration=2

SAVE command as a shortcut.

Error Handling

Programming errors, for example syntax errors, illegal values, etc. display informational messages in the CLI, for example $!ERROR=Value out of range. Other system or network issues, for example a dropped connection or a failed save (see below) are shown in the System Log (open VBAdmin and go to You can also see all configuration errors using the ERRORS command. You can also detect potential errors in advance by getting the value of various status parameters in the VBrick. For example, if you are writing a script, you might want to check

before you set parameters for a related task.

Status

Monitor > System Logs > Configuration Log to see the log).

Transmitter State or FTP

Resetting the Appliance

Use the following command (or the RESET shortcut) to reset the appliance. A reset is simply a reboot. It does not change or reset any configured parameters.

vbrick> svar vbrickSysReset=2

CLI Examples

The following examples show common configuration tasks. User input commands are shown in bold text Remember that you only need to begin an edit session at the start of an edit session or if someone has ended your edit session. You only need to end an edit session when you are done, and after you have applied or saved your changes.

Example 1

This example sets the 1.5M High Quality video template for Video Source1 and Video Rate1.

vbrick> svar vbrickEncoderVideoH264Template.1.1=3

vbrick> svar vbrickEncoderVideoH264TemplateAction.1.1=2

vbrick> svar vbrickEncoderVideoCommonApplySet.1=2

Example 2

This example shows how to set the Destination unicast address and enable the transmitter for

Program1 and Transmitter1.

vbrick> svar vbrickProgramTransmitterInetAddrType.1.1=1

vbrick> svar vbrickProgramTransmitterInetAddr.1.1=172.22.118.105

vbrick> svar vbrickProgramTransmitterEnable.1.1=2

vbrick> svar vbrickProgramTransmitterApplySet.1.1=2

Command Line Interface

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 53

Chapter 9

Web Services

Topics in this chapter

Web Services Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Web Services Interface

VBrick 7000 Series appliances provide a standards-based SOAP architecture to programmatically interface to the appliance. The Web Service interface allows the user application to Get/Set MIB parameters in the appliance. The methods supported by the service are listed below.

Table 21. Web Services Methods

Method Description

getNewSessionId (device)

test (echoString)

beginEdit (sessionId, editName)

endEdit (sessionId)

endOtherEdit (sessionId)

logout (sessionId)

getParameterValue (sessionId, parnName, parmIndex)

setParameterValue (sessionId, parmName, parmIndex, parmValue)

setMultipleParameterValue (sessionId, parmName, parmValue, count)

Used to get a new session id from the appliance. It allows the web service to maintain session with the appliance.

Used as a test web service method to test if the interface to the appliance is working. It returns the input string as an echo.

Used as method to allows the user to login into the box as a particular user with appropriate privileges. Returns successful,

ERROR otherwise.

OK if

Used as a method to begin the edit session to become editor of parameters. Returns

editName if successful, ERROR

otherwise.

Used as a method to end the editor session. Returns OK if successful,

ERROR otherwise.

Used as a method to forcefully end another editor session. Returns

OK if successful, ERROR otherwise.

Used to logout of a web session. Returns OK if successful,

ERROR otherwise.

Used as a parameter to get a parameter value. Returns parameter value as a string if successful,

ERROR otherwise

Used as a method to set a parameter value. Returns OK if successful,

ERROR otherwise.

Used as a method to set multiple parameter values, where

parmName is a string array of names, parmValue is a string

array of values to the corresponding array of names, and count is the number of items in the array. Returns successful,

ERROR otherwise.

OK if

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 55

The WSDL file for the web service methods can be obtained by calling the following URL where <appliance_ip_address> is the IP address of the appliance or a host name that can be resolved to an IP by the local DNS server.

http://<appliance_ip_address>/VBrickWebSrvc/VBrickWebSrvc.wsdl

All methods return ERROR as the response if the request cannot be fulfilled. OK is returned for methods that complete successfully. GetNewSessionId returns a new SessionId if it succeeds; test returns the input string as an echo. In order to set parameters, the user must be authenticated and must also be an active editor (by calling beginEdit). A typical sequence of calls to the methods is shown below.

Note There are multiple ways to locate and verify VBrick parameters. See Setting VBrick

Parameters on page 50 for more information.

T To Get a parameter value

1. Get a new SessionId by calling

2. Login into the appliance by calling the

getNewSessionId.

hashed password value. The algorithm to hash the password is provided as "C" code and also as a VBCrypt package for the Microsoft .NET and C# environments.

3. Get the parameter value by calling the

getParameterValue method supplying the MIB

name and parameter Index (if any). Note: Some parameters may require the user to be the active editor. More parameters can be retrieved by calling the method several times.

4. Logout of the session by calling the

logout method.

T To Set a parameter value

1. Get a new SessionId by calling

2. Login into the appliance by calling the

getNewSessionId.

hashed password value. The algorithm to hash the password is provided as "C" code and also as a VBCrypt package for the Microsoft .NET and C# environments.

3. Call the

4. Set the parameter value by calling the

beginEdit method to become the active editor in the box.

setParameterValue method supplying the MIB

name, parameter Index (if any), and parameter value. More parameters can be set by calling the method several times, or by calling the setMultipleParameterValue method.

5. End the edit by calling

6. Logout of the session by calling the

endEdit

logout method.

Note If you successfully login to the appliance, you must logout when your session

completes or subsequent users will be unable to access the appliance. You should end edit and logout if login or begin edit were successful regardless of the success or failure of your Get or Set call.

Streaming Video Basics

Topics in this chapter

Video Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Getting the Best Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Network Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

VBrick Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Serial Port Passthrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Video Basics

It is important that the source of the video being encoded and streamed is of the highest possible quality in order to avoid using unnecessary bandwidth to transport source video artifacts, distortion, etc. If using a camera, exercise common sense; good lighting and a steady camera will improve overall performance. Cameras, VCR tape players, DVD players, and live television broadcast feeds from a TV tuner can all be used as video sources. VBrick supports standard video via BNC connectors, or S-Video via mini-DIN connectors. BNC-to-RCA adapters are readily available if RCA-type cables are used.

Chapter 8

Getting the Best Video

Video quality is a subjective concept that depends on a variety of factors. VBrick's philosophy is to make our network appliances as flexible as possible so they can be used effectively in different applications on a wide variety of networks. This means you can configure an appliance for maximum performance but you can also configure it in such a way that it will only work well in a very limited environment. Video quality is also relative. What is acceptable quality for a surveillance application on a low-bandwidth network is most likely unacceptable for a corporate presentation or a two-way video conference on a high-speed LAN. Much depends on your network, the bandwidth you have available, and the audience you are trying to reach.

For best results, start with the default values and then adjust the bit rate, frame rate, resolution, and other parameters with care. Experiment with different settings to see the trade-offs in quality and performance. You can track your changes by periodically saving the configuration file using the VBAdmin. If the audio and video quality is still less than you would expect, re-apply your saved configuration and try again. Keep in mind that the VBrick is stable, reliable and flexible. In most cases a small amount of experimentation will help you find the configuration settings that will deliver the best audio and video your network can support. For more information, or help configuring your appliance, contact VBrick Support Services

Read and Restore options on the Manage Configuration page in

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 57

Network Considerations

Assigning Multicast Addresses

Many factors must be considered when designing a multicast address infrastructure since Ethernet switch implementations can significantly vary between vendors. Furthermore, multicast addressing techniques rely on an Ethernet to IP Address mapping rule, which does not guarantee a unique physical address. In fact, it is possible to create multicast addresses that differ from an IP perspective, but overlap when presented to the Ethernet network. Addresses created in this situation can cause significant network and operational problems.

Specifically, multiple IP Addresses are mapped into the same physical layer address. For example, all IP multicast addresses with the same or differing first octet, and the second octet differing by exactly 128, map to the same physical address (226.5.5.4, 227.5.5.4, and

228.133.5.4 all map to the same physical address).

Another factor to keep in mind when assigning multicast addresses is that 224.x.x.x is a range containing reserved addresses, particularly in the range 224.0.0.x. For example, 224.0.0.1 is the 'all hosts' multicast address and 224.0.0.2 is the 'all routers' reserved address. Other

224.0.0.X numbers are reserved for RIP, OSPF, DVMRP, etc. Here are some recommended

rules for multicast IP Address assignment:

1. Do not use 224 in the first octet since many of these are reserved.

2. Use a digit between (225–239) for the first octet and standardize on it for each network.

3. In the second octet, either use numbers from 1–127, or given network.

129–255, do not mix ranges on a

IP Address Configuration using Host Name

This feature provides VBricks the ability to unicast to one another, recognizing each other by Host Name instead of IP address. This is especially useful when appliances are running DHCP, since IP addresses can change between being rebooted, whereas Host Names remain the same unless manually changed by the user. Each IP address that can be configured using Host Names has an specify how the address is to be configured: IP Address or Host Name. If set to "Host Name," the IP address field becomes a status field and is used to report the IP Address of the configured Host Name. Likewise, if Address Mode is set for "IP Address," the Host Name field is used to report the Host Name of the configured IP Address. If the configured IP address is multicast, the Host Name field will be blank. These rules apply:

• The following addresses can be configured using host names:

• Encoder unicast destination address

• Pump network destination address

• Decoder network receive address

• Recorder network receive address

• Passthrough dedicated address

• Multicast addresses cannot be configured using host names.

•The

• The Host Name feature does not work if the appliance is in edit mode. Please exit Edit

Management SAP Transmit parameter of the referenced VBrick has to be set to

Enabled for this feature to work.

mode when finished configuring the appliance.

Address Mode parameter. This configuration parameter allows the user to

Address Mode is

VBrick Accessories

VBrick appliances have various optional hardware accessories. These work directly with VBrick appliances or through the use of ActiveX control software, also available from VBrick. For information about microphones, cameras and other VBrick hardware accessories, please contact VBrick directly. ActiveX controls for cameras and other software accessories are also available from VBrick.

Serial Port Passthrough

When configured properly, VBricks provide full duplex, end-to-end transparent passthrough of user data from one VBrick to another, or to other IP devices. The COM port is used for passthrough. The serial port operates at its configured baud rate (e.g. 110 to 115.2K bps). See the H.264 Admin Guide for passthrough configuration details. Some common applications include:

• Remote control of a camera, pan-tilt-zoom.

• Remote control of a security door lock.

• Low speed data transport.

• Data collaboration between PCs.

Streaming Video Basics

Note Passthrough mode is used to send control information from one VBrick to another

and may not support sustained data at higher data rates.

How Passthrough Works

VBrick appliances are able to receive data on a particular TCP/IP port and transparently output that data to a serial port. Conversely, any data input to a serial port can be passed through to other devices connected to that TCP/IP port. Devices include other VBricks or special applications connected to the appropriate TCP/IP port. This feature is called "Serial Port Passthrough." COM is assigned port 4439. A typical application is for two VBricks connected to each other's TCP/IP port 4439. In this case, characters typed into a terminal program attached to one VBrick's serial port appear on a terminal program attached to the other VBrick's serial port. In this case, the TCP/IP network serves as an intermediary between the serial ports of two VBrick appliances.

You must select configuration settings to enable Serial Port Passthrough. First it is necessary to decide if the appliance will be designated as an connections. If configured as an Initiator it will continuously attempt to setup a Passthrough connection to other devices. When configured as a connections from VBrick neither initiates nor responds to Passthrough requests. If a VBrick is set to be an

Initiator appliances. It is possible to Disable Passthrough Mode, so that the

Initiator or Responder of Passthrough

Responder it will accept up to 64

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 59

Initiator, a Destination must be selected. The appliance will use the destination information

when trying to establish a connection. The destination can be configured as follows:

Dedicated Means that the initiator will attempt to make a Passthrough connection

to the configured Dedicated Destination and Port. The Dedicated Destination can either be configured using IP Address or Host Name. If set to Host Name, the Resolved Destination IP Address is derived from the Host Name parameter. If set to IP Address, the Resolved Destination IP Address is derived from the IP Address parameter.

Since the medium used for setting up Passthrough connections is a generic TCP/IP port, any IP device that is prepared to connect to a VBrick's port can be considered as a Passthrough Initiator. The VBrick Responder appliance will not know the exact nature of the device at the other end of the port. For example, a generic Telnet client configured to connect to a VBrick on port 4439 will cause a VBrick

Responder to start sending data from it's serial port, using

the connection it accepted from the Telnet client.

If the appliance is configured as an

Initiator and the Responder appliance has Passthrough

disabled or is not on the network it will continue to try to establish a connection.A VBrick appliance must be configured as a

Responder to accept Passthrough connections initiated by

other devices. In addition to the Initiator versus Responder selection, the serial port operation settings must be entered to establish a connection, baud rate, stop bits etc.

Note Once a Passthrough connection is established between VBricks the actual flow of data

is symmetric between the ends of the connection. That is, the behavior of the serial ports with respect to typed characters will appear to be the same at both ends.

Serial Port Passthrough Using Telnet

As mentioned in the previous section, either serial port can be accessed over Ethernet via a Telnet client. A VBrick appliance configured as a Passthrough Responder will accept a connection request to TCP port 4439 (COM). The request can come from a Telnet client or other PC application. Any data sent by the PC to TCP port 4439 will be delivered out of the VBrick serial ports and any data present on the VBrick serial port will be sent to the connected PC.

If multiple Telnet sessions are active on one VBrick (each VBrick supports up to 64 sessions), the data from the VBrick will be sent to all connected PC's, and the data received by the VBrick from the PC's will be delivered on the serial port. If multiple Telnet sessions are active and each is sending data to the VBrick, the data delivered by the RS-232 port will be a mix of characters presented in the order they were received (e.g. the data from all the senders is bridged together). This feature provides a method to broadcast alarm status or other information to multiple locations.

Chapter 9

VBrick 7000 Series Reference

Topics in this chapter

VBrick H.264 Appliance Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Device Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

External Event Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

VBrick H.264 Appliance Models

VBrick network appliances come in a variety of models and configurations.

Table 22. H.264 7000 Series Models

Standard Definition • Industrial-class appliance (metal enclosure, no front panel or

controls, small form factor).

• Enterprise-class appliance (metal enclosure, LED front panel and controls, large form factor).

• Blade appliance (small form factor housed in VBrick blade server shelf).

High Definition • Industrial-class appliance (metal enclosure, no front panel or

controls, small form factor) with SDI and HDMI inputs.

• Enterprise-class appliance (metal enclosure, LED front panel and controls, large form factor) with SDI and HDMI inputs.

• Blade appliance (small form factor housed in VBrick blade server shelf).

Table 23. H.264 7000 Series Model Numbers

Part Number Model Number Description

9200-4200-0000 7102 H SD H.264 encoder (Enterprise)

9202-4200-0000 7101 H SD H.264 encoder (Industrial)

9204-4200-0000 8103 H SD H.264 encoder (Blade)

9200-4210-0000 7102 H-HD HD H.264 encoder (Enterprise)

9202-4210-0000 7101 H-HD HD H.264 encoder (Industrial)

9204-4210-0000 8103 H-HD HD H.264 encoder (Blade)

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 61

Figure 17. H.264 Enterprise Encoder (front)

Figure 18. H.264 Enterprise Encoder (rear)

Figure 19. H.264 Industrial Encoder (front)

Figure 20. H.264 Industrial Encoder (rear)

Figure 21. H.264 Blade Encoder (front)

Device Interfaces

Video-In (S-Vid)

The S-Video interface is a standard mini-DIN connector.

Pin Description

1Ground

2Ground

Pin Description

3Luma

4Chroma

Video-In (Comp-In)

The composite interface is a standard BNC connector.

Audio-In

Main

VBrick 7000 Series Reference

Aux

The auxiliary audio-in port is used (in addition to Main) for consumer devices that support two-jack stereo.

COM

RS-232/422/485 COM Port Pinouts

The COM Passthrough Port is used to pass control information between VBrick appliances over the network. The The serial port operates at a default rate of 9.6 Kbps, Async, 8-Bit, No Parity, Controls = None. The pins on the passthrough port can be set for RS-232 or RS-422-485 (see below) using the

COM Interface Type parameter on the Passthrough page in VBAdmin.

COM port presents a standard DTE interface on an RJ-45 connector.

Note See Configuration: Passthrough in the VBrick H.264 Appliance Admin Guide for

detailed information about Passthrough configuration.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 63

Table 24. RS-232 Pinouts

Pin Function Direction

1 RTS Request to Send Output

2 DTR Data Terminal Ready Output

3 TXD Send Data Output

4Ground Common

5Ground Common

6 RXD Receive Data Input

7 DSR Data Set Ready Input

8 CTS Clear to Send Input

Table 25. RS-232-422/485 Pinouts

Pin Description

1TD(+)

2N/C

3TD(-)

4 Optional gnd/common or n/c (GND

connected to cable shielded)

5 Optional gnd/common or n/c (GND

connected to cable shielded)

VBrick 7000 Series Reference

Pin Description

6RD(-)

7N/C

8RD(+)

Ethernet Port

The Ethernet port is used to connect the appliance to your network. It uses a standard 10/ 100/1000 cable.

USB

Not functional. Reserved for future use.

Power

The power entry interface supplies 12VDC to the appliance from an external 110/220 VAC power source.

External Event Triggering

The VB 7000 event triggering feature lets you use an external switch to control the function of the VBrick. This section provides some examples of how to use this feature. In all the examples, a high event is triggered when the switch is closed and a low event is triggered when the switch is opened. The event trigger inputs on the VBrick recognize a high voltage anywhere above +8 volts DC with an upper limit of +12 volts. A low voltage is anything at or below 0 volts DC with a lower limit of -12 volts. The event can also be configured to run a script on Pin 7 or Pin 8 depending on how the connection is configured. See "Advanced Configurations > Event Triggering" in the H.264 Appliance Admin Guide for configuration details; see RS-232/422/485 COM Port Pinouts

Note You cannot execute a script using an event trigger if VBAdmin is currently running

Edit mode. If you run a script directly from VBAdmin, it automatically exits Edit

in mode and terminates the active editing session.

Example 1

Connect an external power supply (+8V to +12V) and a switch directly to the ground pin and an event pin of the COM port on the VBrick.

for pinout details.

VBrick H.264 Appliance Getting Started Guide 65

Example 2

Connect COM output pin (pin1 RTS or pin2 DTR) through a switch to a COM event pin. For this method to work, you must force the desired output pin (RTS or DTR) to On via VBAdmin:

T To force the desired output pin to On

1. Go to the

System Configuration > Advanced Configurations > Passthrough page in

VBAdmin.

2. Change

3. Change

4. Change

5. Click

Passthrough State to Responder and click Apply. RTS/DTR Control to Force On and click Apply. Passthrough State to Disabled and click Apply.

Save Config when done.

VBrick Systems, Inc.

12 Beaumont Road

Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, USA

VBrick 7000 Series Getting Started Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual