VBrick 9000 Series Getting Started Manual

VBrick 9000 Series Appliances

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance v2.0

Getting Started Guide

October 23, 2012 4410-0315-0001

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. 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 of any third-party web pages. VBrick acknowledges the use of third-party open source software and opensource.

licenses in some VBrick products. This freely available source code is posted at http://www.vbrick.com/

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 incorporates High-Definition Multimedia Interface technology. HDMI, the HDMI Logo, and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC in the United States and other countries.

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 DVD-quality 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.

Getting Started Guide

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

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

Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

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

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

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

1. Introduction

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

Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Encoder Features and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Decoder Features and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Encoder Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Decoder Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2. Appliance Setup

Contents

Appliance Setup Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Using the Quick Start Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Environmental Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Appliance Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1. Connect Encoder Audio and Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2. Connect to the IP Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3. Power-on the Appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

4. Find or Set an IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

5. Verify Streaming Video and Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

6. Installing Blade Encoders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

7. Configuring a Decoder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Front Panel LCD Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Front Panel Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

3. Shelf Setup

Shelf Setup Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

H.264 Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Blade LCD Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Unpacking and Inspection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Installing the Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide iii

Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Fan Tray. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Blade Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

4. Software Upgrade

Software Upgrade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Installing a Software Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Configuring VBDownload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

5. Management Tools

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

VBAdmin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

VBDirectory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Command Line Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

SNMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Web Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Auto Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

6. VBAdmin

Using VBAdmin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Login Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Configuration Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

LED Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Edit Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Using Apply, Revert, and Default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Resetting the Appliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Logout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

7. Command Line Interface

Connection Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Connecting via the COM Port with HyperTerminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Connecting with Telnet or SSH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Command Line Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Using the MIB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Finding VBrick Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Setting VBrick Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

CLI Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

8. Web Services

Web Services Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

iv Contents

9. Streaming Video Basics

Video Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Getting the Best Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Network Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Assigning Multicast Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

VBrick Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Serial Port Passthrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

How Passthrough Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Serial Port Passthrough Using Telnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

10. VBrick iPhone App

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Getting the App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Monitoring an Appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Running Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Creating Script Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Changing the Function Key Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

11. VBrick 9000 Series Reference

VBrick 9000 Series Appliance Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Device Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Video-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Audio-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

COM 1/COM 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

External Event Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide v

vi Contents

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

1. Introduction Lists the specifications and describes the features and

2. Appliance Setup Explains the basics. Provides general configuration

documentation@vbrick.com

functions of the H.264 appliance.

recommendations as well as how to cable the appliance and connect it to the network.

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

4. Software Upgrade Explains how to upgrade the software when a new version is released.

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

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

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

8. Web Services Explains how to use the standards-based SOAP interface to programatically interface to the appliance.

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

10. VBrick iPhone App Explains how use an iPhone application to check parameters and run scripts.

11. VBrick 9000 Series Reference Provides back panel drawings, COM port pinouts, LED descriptions, and other miscellaneous information.

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide vii

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.

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 let us know. If you can't find the information you need in this document, or from your reseller, you can contact VBrick Support Services on the

web, by e-mail, or by calling 1-203 303-0222. For faster service, be sure to have your VBrick product serial number or support contract number. Support Services can usually answer your technical questions in 24 business hours or less. Note that all VBrick documentation is on the web. For more information about any VBrick product, go to

www.vbrick.com/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 emphasize 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

 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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide ix

x Preface

Introduction

Topics in this section

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

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Appliance Overview

The VBrick 9000 Series H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance enables anyone to encode video from an uncompressed source—such as a camera or TV broadcast—and stream it live onto a network for viewing on PCs, MACs, tablets, televisions, or smartphones. The 9000 Series Encoding Appliance is the first portable device that streams 1080p60 HD video from multiple sources at the same time—and the first line of encoding appliances to support up to four channels of HD video. VBrick H.264 decoding appliances deliver high-quality, low latency video with exceptional performance, ease-of-use, and flexibility. The H.264 decoder is fully compatible with encoder appliances and supports single or dual channel HD decoding at either 1080p or 720p resolutions (or decodes up to D1 resolution at lower data rates).

Chapter 1

Building upon more than a decade of experience engineering the most widely deployed enterprise encoders, the 9000 Series sets a new benchmark in H.264 encoding performance. Based on purpose-built hardware and running a real-time operating system, this unique appliance approach combines encoding, networking, stream serving and recording functions to deliver unmatched price-performance and ease-of-use.

Figure 1. VBrick 9000 Series Appliance (Enterprise Model)

Figure 2. VBrick 9000 Series Appliance (Industrial Model)

Applications

• Television Distribution – Deliver selected television channels—including news and

financial programming—to an unlimited number of desktops and displays across your

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide 1

existing LAN, WAN or IP network. There is no need for extra cabling or a dedicated network and you can reduce TV headend rack space by 75%.

• Telemedicine – Use the most advanced encoding standards, highest resolution, and

highest frame rate available to watch intricate operations and other medical procedures— applications where image quality cannot be compromised.

• Surveillance and Monitoring – Oversee roadways, seaports, factory floors and security

borders; survey battlefield situations and maintain situation awareness with an unprecedented level of video quality ensuring access to detailed and accurate information.

• Digital Signage – Deploy signage economically by encoding the content once and

distributing over your network to cost-effective set-top boxes. Feed an unlimited number of digital signs with four different HD sources using a single encoding appliance.

• Meeting and Event Broadcasts – Deliver high-impact, rich media event broadcasts. Reach

a large audience of customers, constituents, employees and others over the corporate network and the Internet to communicate a uniform message.

• Extending Videoconferencing – If you already have a videoconferencing solution,

VBrick's H.264 Encoding Appliance can leverage your investment by extending its reach. Your videoconferencing suite, combined with our streaming technology, becomes a minibroadcast studio, enabling you to reach a much wider audience.

• Broadcasting Live to the Internet – Combine the flexibility and reliability of VBrick's

H.264 Encoding Appliance with the global reach of VBrick's Online Streaming Service (VBOSS).

Encoder Features and Benefits

• Capture High Definition Video – Appliances encode and stream HD 720p and 1080p

video at 60 frames-per-second, the highest frame rate available from standard video sources. This provides incredible video quality at bandwidths of 1 Mb/sec and up.

• Capture Multiple Video Sources on a Single Appliance – Dual-channel and quad-channel

models simultaneously encode and stream HD video from multiple sources in a single appliance, leading to economical deployments and space savings of up to 75%.

• Manage the Appliance Easily and Securely – Control and monitor the appliance with

VBrick’s iPhone application. Integrate into any IT infrastructure with a rich set of management protocols and options that let you manage, configure and lock down the H.264 appliance. Use VBrick’s VBAdmin tool to configure and monitor the appliance. Use command line interface over Telnet, SSH, or serial port to configure the appliance.

• Transport Video Over a Wide Variety of Network Transport Protocols – Video streams

are compatible with Adobe Flash™ Player, Microsoft Silverlight, Microsoft Windows Media™ Player, Apple QuickTime and other players. Network friendly operation – meaning everything from streaming with the most appropriate bit rates to the inclusion of advanced features like persistent push – allows VBrick H.264 streams to tunnel through firewalls and traverse any network.

• Integrate into a Complete Enterprise IP Video Platform – VBrick’s H.264 appliance

works seamlessly with our VEMs Mystro™ media management solution and the entire VBrick Enterprise Video Architecture (VEVA). By making video accessible, personal and scalable, VEMS Mystro eliminates multiple barriers to the adoption of enterprise IP video.

• Multicast, Unicast and Serve from the Same Device – Use multicast technology to reach

an unlimited number of users on your LAN or push video over point-to-point unicast

connections to reach remote locations and CDNs. Serve and support hundreds of players that request video directly from a single appliance.

Decoder Features and Benefits

• Dependable embedded operating system and dedicated decoding hardware delivers

highest reliability for mission-critical applications.

• HD video output is ideal for large displays and video backhaul applications.

• Flexible networking and bandwidth options allow placement anywhere in the network.

• Create high density installation using decoder blades in a rack mount chassis.

• Efficient H.264 codec delivers the highest video quality at the lowest bandwidth.

• Low latency enables near real-time applications and two-way video.

Specifications

Encoder Specifications

Table 1. Encoder Specifications

Introduction

Video Encoder (Standard Definition)

Video Encoder (High Definition)

• H.264 Encoding

- Input format: 1080p50/60, 1080i, 720p50/60, 576i, 480i, 1280x1024, 1024x768

- 4:3 Aspect Ratio Resolutions: D1 (720x480, 720x576), SIF (NTSC), QSIF (NTSC), CIF (PAL), QCIF (PAL), 400x304, 384x288 (PAL), 640x480, 320x240, 128x96, 192x144

- 16:9 Aspect Ratio Resolutions: 656x368, 512x288 (PAL), 256x144

- Video Frame Rates: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7.5, 10, 15, 30 fps (NTSC), 2.5, 5, 12.5, 25 (PAL)

- Constant Bit Rate / Constant Frame Rate

- User-defined key frame interval

- Rates: 32Kbps – 20Mbps

- Baseline, Main, and High profile

• Inputs: HDMI/Component or SD/HD/3G-SDI/Composite/HDMI/ Component

• Rate control

• Deblocking filter

• Entropy Coding: CAVLC, CABAC

• H.264 Encoding

- High Definition input formats: 1080p50/60, 1080i, 720p50/60

- 16:9 Aspect Ratio Resolutions: All standard definition resolutions listed above, plus 960 x 544, 720p (1280 x 720p), 1080p (1920 x 1080)

- Video Frame Rates: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7.5, 10, 15, 30 fps (NTSC), 2.5, 5, 12.5, 25 (PAL), 50, 60 fps

- Constant Bit Rate / Constant Frame Rate

- User-defined key frame interval

- Rates: 32Kbps – 20Mbps

- Baseline, Main, and High profile

• Inputs: HDMI/Component or SD/HD/3G-SDI/Composite/HDMI/ Component

• Rate control

• Deblocking filter

• Entropy Coding: CAVLC, CABAC

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide 3

Audio Encoder • AAC-LC and AAC-HE Encoding

- Sample Frequency 8 Khz to 48 Khz

- Rates: 8 Kbps to 256 Kbps

- Audio Modes: Stereo, Mono

- Inputs: Stereo Unbalanced at line, microphone or high headroom input levels, and microphone via analog audio inputs. Digital audio can also come through the HDMI input. Stereo Balanced through optional XLR cable on SDI/Composite/HDMI/Component models

• Audio Processing:

- Automatic Volume Control (AVC) with configurable attack and release rates and minimum/maximum levels

- Noise Gate with configurable threshold

- Configurable gain from -96dB to 10dB

Push • IIS Smooth Streaming to Microsoft IIS Server

• 25 concurrent unicast and multicast destinations

• Automatic Unicast/RTSP Announce

• RTP

• Transport Stream

Server • Live multicast server

• Live streaming server—up to 200 concurrent live streams

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

• Auto sense Full / Half duplex

Protocols Unicast / Multicast, DiffServ (QoS), UDP / IPv4 and IPv6 / RTSP / RTCP / RTP

/ HTTP / RTSP Interleave / IGMP / MPEG-2 Transport Stream / Automatic Unicast (RTSP ANNOUNCE) / HTTPS Management / SSH / RTMP / IIS Smooth Streaming / FEC

Traffic Shaping • RTP Metering

• CBR Transport Stream

• VBR Transport Stream with configurable latency

KLV Metadata • LDS received over the serial port or IP and multiplexed into transport stream

(one channel over IP, up to two channels over serial)

• CoT over serial port or IP converted to LDS and multiplexed into transport stream (one channel over IP, up to two channels over serial)

Management • Two serial ports for local maintenance and data transport

• Management Web Pages over HTTP or HTTPS

• SNMP, ssh, telnet

• soap/xml Web Service

• iPhone application

• Front panel display on Enterprise Models

Dimensions Appliance: 1.75” x 8.1” x 8.75”

Weight 2 pounds

Temperature Range • Industrial Appliance: 0 to +70 degrees Celsius

• Enterprise Appliance: 0 to +50 degrees Celsius

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

Regulatory FCC Part 15, CE

Decoder Specifications

Table 2. Decoder Specifications

Introduction

Transport and Networking Protocols

Video Decoder • H.264 Baseline, Main, and High Profile

Audio Decoder AAC-LC, AAC-HE

Video Outputs • Analog: Composite and YPbPr component video

Audio Outputs • Analog: Stereo Line Level Unbalanced BNC, Balanced XLR (through optional

• H.264 in RTP

• Receive streams: 32Kbps to 20Mbps

• Unicast or Multicast over RTP/UDP

• IGMP

• Autotune streams from VBrick Encoders

• Streaming resolution and frame rates up to 1080p60

• Scaling from any input resolution and frame rate to match output resolution and framerate

• Configurable letter box or stretch to screen aspect ratio

• 4:3 and Widescreen 16:9 Frame Aspect Ratios

• Output Resolutions: 1080p, 1080i, 720, 576p, 576i, 480p, 480i

• Output frame rates: 60, 59.94, 50, 30, 29.97, 25

• Digital: SD/HD/3G-SDI, HDMI

• HDMI, SDI connectors mounted directly on appliance/blade

• Breakout cable to BNC connectors for Analog Audio, Composite Video, and Component Video

XLR cable)

• SDI audio

• HDMI Audio

Network Connectivity • 10/100/100 Ethernet

• Auto senses Full/Half Duplex

• Static IP address or DHCP

Management • Management Web Pages over HTTP or HTTPS from integrated web server

• SNMP

• soap/xml Web Service

• ssh

• telnet

• iPhone app

• RS-232/422

• Front panel display on Enterprise Models

Dimensions Appliance: 1.75” x 8.1” x 8.75”

Power Supply Input 100-240VAC, 50/60Hz, 45 Watts, 12VDC, 4A

Regulatory Approvals FCC Part 15, CE

Protocols Unicast/Multicast, DiffServ (QoS), UDP, IPv4 and IPv6, RTP, SAP, IGMP,

HTTP/HTTPS Management, SSH

Maintenance/Control Port

Weight 2 pounds

Operating Temperature Range

Two serial ports for local maintenance and data transport

• Industrial Appliance: 0 to +70 degrees Celsius

• Enterprise Appliance: 0 to +50 degrees Celsius

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide 5

Options XLR audio cable

Table 3. Rack Mount Chassis Specifications

Rack Mount Chassis • Height: 14”, 8 rack units

• Depth: 11”, Allows for two rack mount chassis mounted back-to-back

• Weight: 46.7 pounds fully loaded

• Maximum Channel Density: 88 channels in 8U of rack space with back to back chassis mounting

• Operating Temperature Range: 0 to 40C

• Storage Temperature Range: -20 to 70C

• Regulatory Compliance UL: FCC Part 15 Class A, CE, RoHS (5 of 6)

• Cooling Capacity: 50W per blade with one failed fan

• Hot Swap: Power Supplies, Fan Tray, Encoder Blades, Air Filter Media

• AC Power: 485 watts per power supply, 47 to 63Hz, 8 amps at 90-132VAC, 4 amps at 180-264VAC

Grounding • ESD wrist strap included with ground connection to chassis for user blade

insertion/removal

• Chassis ground connection lug

LEDs • - Power Supply Failure LED (for each supply and for enclosure)

• - Fan Status LED

• - Fan Tray Hot Swap LED

Alarm Audible Alarm on Power Supply Failure

Table 4. Supported Browsers (VBAdmin)

Browser Version

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher

Mozilla Firefox 9.0 or higher

Table 5. 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 6. Recommended Desktop Requirements

• Ethernet LAN with Multicast IGMP Version 2

• Windows XP (SP3), Vista, Windows 7

• 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 8.0 or Safari 4.0

• Microsoft DirectX Media 8.1 or higher

• Microsoft Windows Media Player 9.0 (Windows XP), 11 (Vista, Windows 7)

• VBrick StreamPlayer 5.2 or Apple QuickTime 7.0

• VBrick VBDirectory 5.4

Introduction

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide 7

Appliance Setup

Topics in this chapter

Appliance Setup Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Environmental Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Appliance Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Front Panel LCD Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

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 the components shown in Table 7.

Table 7. What's in the Box?

9000 Series Appliance Number

H.264 network appliance 1 per order

Chapter 2

H.264 Quick Start Guide 1 per order

H.264 Product CD 1 per order

Power supply and cable 1 per appliance

Serial cable and adapter 1 per appliance

Ethernet cable 1 per appliance

HDMI cable and adapters 1 per channel

A/V breakout cables 1 per slot

Appliance 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 3 but the basic elements are common to all H.264 appliances. See page 63 for more model information.

VBrick 9000 Series Appliance Models on

Figure 3. Quad Channel Encoder (no SDI)

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide 9

Figure 4. Dual Channel Encoder (with SDI)

HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface that transmits uncompressed

digital data.

A/V Attach VBrick "breakout" cable with color-coded (Y, Pb, Pr)

component connectors.

SDI Serial Data Interface typically used for broadcast-grade streaming

video.

Power In 24 VDC Power input. LED illuminates when power is applied.

Ethernet RJ-45 connector. Connect to the network.

COM1/COM2 • COM1 is used with HyperTerminal for appliance configuration.

• COM2 is used for Serial Port Passthrough or KLV metadata.

USB Use to attach an external storage device.

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 5. 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.

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.

Appliance Setup

Best Practices

In general, VBrick appliances are designed for rooms that are comfortable for humans (approx. 70 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. 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.

°F or 21°C) with adequate airflow and ventilation. Wall mounting will typically

Appliance Setup

Use the steps listed below, in the order shown, to setup your appliance.

1. Connect Encoder 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 or a DVD player. (If you have a rack mount shelf, be sure to install any encoder blades before performing this step. See

6. Installing Blade Encoders)

1. Connect the video. On the back panel, connect one end of the VBrick-provided "breakout" cable to the Micro-D15

A/V connector in Slot 1.

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide 11

2. Using the labeled component connectors on the other end of the cable, connect the three "channel 1" component video cables (YPbPr) to the three source video connectors on your video camera or DVD player.

Note: There are two channels on each breakout cable for a maximum of four video channels. In this Quick Start demo we only need to connect one set of (three) component connectors.

3. Connect the audio. Connect the "channel 1" (left and right) audio cables on the breakout cable to the source audio connectors.

Note The previous steps explain how to setup a 9000 Series encoder or a blade using

"component" connections. If you will be using the VBrick-provided HDMI (or SDI) cable, you will need to change the management application (go to Encoder Configuration > Video Input) connecting to the network.

How is Video Connected parameter in the VBAdmin

after

2. Connect to the IP Network

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

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

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

3. Power-on the Appliance

Attach the provided power cable to the appliance or rack mount shelf (which has two cables) and to appropriate AC power source(s) as explained below. When powered-on, the appliances will automatically run a power-on self-test sequence.

1. For standalone appliances, insert the power connector that comes with the appliance into the 24 VDC power receptacle in the lower left corner of the back panel.

2. For a rack mount shelf, insert the two power connectors into the dual power supplies on the back panel.

3. Connect the other power connector end(s) to a conventional 110/220 VAC power source.

4. Wait until the appliance or blade completes the boot sequence before continuing. This may take 1–3 minutes and the unit will self-test while displaying status messages on the optional LCD display on the front panel.

5. The appliance will then search for a DHCP server and display the IP address on the LCD panel (if present). If this process completes successfully, note the IP address and go to Step 5.

Appliance Setup

6. If you do not have an LCD display, and/or your network is not DHCP-enabled, you will need to connect an ASCII terminal to the serial port to find or set the IP address as explained in Step 4.

4. Find or Set an IP Address

All VBrick appliances are configured by default with DHCP enabled. This means that when you power on the appliance, 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 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.

 To Find or set an IP address using the serial port:

1. Connect an ASCII terminal from the RJ-45 serial port (COM1) on the appliance to the COM port of the computer or terminal device (usually COM1), using the provided serial cable.

2. From the Windows Start menu, go to: Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > HyperTerminal and press Enter to display the login prompt. Configure the Port Settings for 9600 baud, 8 Data bits, no Parity, 1 Stop bit (8N1).

3. Login to the appliance using "admin" (case-sensitive) for both User Name and Password.

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

nt" to display the Ethernet

H.264 Encoding/Decoding Appliance Getting Started Guide 13

5. Verify Streaming Video and Audio

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 appliance IP Address from Step 3 or Step 4 in the following format:

http://<appliance_ip_address>

Then login with "admin" and "admin"

Note These steps assume that the video source you connected in Step 1 is streaming at

1080i/60. If not streaming at 1080i/60, go to the Encoder Configuration > Video Input page in VBAdmin and set the "Video Format" to match your actual video source.

2. Navigate to the Encoder Configuration > Servers page and click the click on the link labeled "

Click Here to Play Stream."

Edit button. Then

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 7.0, 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 with StreamPlayer 5.3. VBrick's StreamPlayer application lets you receive and play streaming video originating from the appliance on a PC. You can install StreamPlayer 5.3 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

vbstream1s2...1s3...1s4 to test other channels)

(type

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

+ 56 hidden pages

VBrick 9000 Series Getting Started Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual