VBrick Systems VB5000, VB6000, VB4000 User Manual

VB4000-5000-6000 Series

Network Video Appliances

VBrick v4.2 Appliance

Getting Started Guide

March 18, 2008 4410-0210-0002

Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, USA www.VBrick.com

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. Use these links at your own risk. The use 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 licenses in some VBrick products. This freely available source code is posted at http:// www.vbrick.com/opensource.

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.

Contents

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii Font Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii Printer-Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

1. Appliance Setup

Setup Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Using the Quick Start Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Appliance Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Step 1. Connect Output to a Video Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Step 2. Connect an Audio/Video Input Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Step 3. Connect to the IP Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Step 4. Power-on the Appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Step 5. Set the IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Step 6. Install StreamPlayer Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Step 7. Verify Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2. Appliance Upgrade

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Installing a System Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3. Management Tools

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Integrated Web Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Front Panel Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

VBDirectory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Command Line Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Telnet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Simple Network Management Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

VBrick SDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

4. Streaming Video Basics

Video Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 MPEG-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 MPEG-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 WM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Getting the Best Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Network Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Assigning Multicast Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 IP Address Configuration using Host Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

iii

IP Differentiated Services (Diffserv) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

VBrick Video Stream Handling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Network Jitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Typical Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Ethernet IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

One-Way Broadcast and Desktop Streaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Two-Way Interactive Conferencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

VBrick Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Serial Port Passthrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

How Passthrough Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Serial Port Passthrough Using Telnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

MPEG Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Billboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Picture-in-Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Embedded Web Browser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

WM Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

5. Integrated Web Server

Using IWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Login Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Welcome Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Menu Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Making Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Rebooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Logout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Using Apply, Revert, and Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Serving Custom ASX and HTML Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

6. Using the IR Remote

Front Panel Edit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

MPEG-2/MPEG-4 Remote Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Controlling a VBStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Controlling VBrick Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

WM Remote Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

7. Command Line Interface

Connection Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Connecting with HyperTerminal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Connecting with Telnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

MIB-Based Command Line Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Finding VBrick Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Setting VBrick Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Error Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

CLI Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

CLI Sample Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Contents

Menu-Based Command Line Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Editing Configuration Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Setting and Changing Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

8. VB6000 Reference

VBrick Appliance Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

VB6000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

VB6000 VBSSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

VB6000 Expanded VBSSM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Device Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

RS-232/422/485 COM Port Pinouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Ethernet Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Power In Entry Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Power Out Exit Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Video-In and Video-Out (Composite) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Video-In and Video-Out (S-Video Interface) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

AudioMate In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Audio In and Audio Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Relay Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Activity LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Event Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Index

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

Contents

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

This document explains how to set up and configure a VBrick 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 Integrated Web Browser to configure the appliance and the IR Remote Control to control appliance functions. Your appliance has two available slots. Depending on what options you purchased, you may have a single encoder, a dual encoder, or a mixed model (e.g. one encoder and one decoder). You can also mix and match encoding formats with an MPEG-2 encoder, for example, in Slot1 and a WM encoder in Slot2. Once your appliance is set up and configured with an IP address, refer to the following documents as necessary for additional configuration options.

For More Information

VBrick MPEG-2 Appliance Admin Guide

VBrick MPEG-4 Appliance Admin Guide

VBrick WM Appliance Admin Guide

Organization

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

Appliance Upgrade	Explains how to update the appliance's flash memory when
	software updates are available. You can us VBDownload or
	VBDirectory to perform the update.

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

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

Integrated Web Server	Explains how to use the Integrated Web Server application to
	manage VBrick configuration from an external browser.

Using the IR Remote	Explains how to access VBrick appliance functions and control
	functions using an optional hand held IR (infrared) remote
	control.

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

VB6000 Reference	Provides back panel drawings, COM port pinouts, LED
	descriptions, and other miscellaneous information.

VBrick 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.

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 is used for code elements (C++, HTML) as well as filenames, directories, etc.

Black Courier fixed-width font is used to indicate user input in keyboard commands, scripts, etc.

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

Folder names and user input are displayed in this bold sans serif font.

Italics are used to emphasize specific words or phrases.

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VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

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

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viii

Preface

Chapter 1

Appliance Setup

Topics in this chapter

Setup Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Appliance Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

This chapter explains how to set up and configure all VBrick MPEG and WM network appliances. The information here is more detailed than the Quick Start Guide that came with the appliance. You can use this document or the Quick Start Guide to set up and configure an appliance. Before you do anything else, be sure to unpack and inspect the VBrick appliance. Each shipment comes with:

•MPEG-2, MPEG-4, or WM network appliance.

•MPEG-2/MPEG-4 and WM Quick Start Guide.

•Power supply.

•Product CD that introduces the appliance and has all documentation.

•Serial port cable and adapter.

•IR Remote Control unit.

•A cable and adapter kit, which includes an Ethernet cable.

Setup Overview

The VBrick Appliance is shipped with all appropriate cables and a handheld IR remote control unit. Your appliance has two available slots. Depending on what options you purchased, you may have a single encoder, a dual encoder, or a mixed model (for example one encoder and one decoder). You can also mix and match formats with an MPEG-2 encoder, for example, in Slot1 and a WM encoder in Slot2. The following picture shows an appliance configured with Slot1 on the upper left side. A second encoder or decoder slot would be configured in Slot2 on the right. The appliance(s) you actually purchased may vary from this illustration depending on the type and configuration but the basic elements listed below are common to all appliances. See VBrick Appliance Models on page 65 for more information.

Figure 1. VBrick Network Appliance – Rear Panel (Left to Right)

Composite In	Composite video cable in.

S-Video In	S-Video cable in.

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

Mic In	AudioMate microphone connection.

Audio In Left/Right	Audio in left and right channels.

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

COM 1	Dedicated serial port for Serial Port Passthrough.

COM 2 (Term)	Use to connect a terminal (or a PC running terminal emulation
	software) in order to manage the appliance using HyperTerminal (see
	Connecting with HyperTerminal on page 49). Optional serial port
	for Serial Port Passthrough.

Relay	Use to control external devices.

Ethernet	Connect to the network.

LEDs	Activity – indicates there is activity on the network.
	Link – indicates the appliance is connected to the network.
	10/100 – On indicates the link is running at 100 Mbps. Off indicates
	the link is running at 10 Mbps.

Power Out 12VDC	Power output. Connect external devices such as a camera.

Figure 2. VBrick Network Appliance – Front Panel (Left to Right)

LCD Display	Shows IP Address, system status, error messages, and Edit state. Also
	used with Local Edit on IR remote control.

Infrared Sensor	Located between LCD and fan housing. Used for IR remote control.

Figure 3. Appliance Setup Schematic

Using the Quick Start Guide

A Quick Start Guide that explains how to set up the appliance is shipped with each device. The Quick Start Guides explain how to setup the appliance so you can quickly verify that you

2	© 2008 VBrick Systems, Inc.

Appliance Setup

can stream audio and video from your appliance over your local network. (Your actual production setup may be different.) Make sure you are using the right MPEG-2/MPEG-4 or WM Quick Start Guide when setting up the appliance. Use the steps on the following pages for reference or if you need additional information. The Quick Start Guides are also available on the Product CD in .pdf format. For best results, print these document in color on 11x17 paper.

Figure 4. MPEG-2/MPEG-4 Quick Start Guide

Figure 5. WM Quick Start Guide

Appliance Setup

Step 1. Connect Output to a Video Monitor

Optional: MPEG appliances only. Connect a video monitor to the Video Out BNC, S-Video or SDI connector on the rear of the VBrick (Slot2). Make sure the TV monitor is set to Video mode. To see if the TV monitor is in the correct mode, you can connect the video source directly to the TV monitor. Also connect the Left and Right Audio Out connectors to the monitor or to amplified external speakers.

Step 2. Connect an Audio/Video Input Source

An audio/video cable allows the VBrick appliance to receive audio/video from your input source (a camera, VCR, DVD, etc.).

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

TTo connect input audio/video to the appliance:

1.From a video input source (for example, a camera, DVD, or VCR), connect a BNC (composite video) cable to Composite In on Slot1 of the VBrick appliance.

2.Connect Left and Right cables from the audio source to Audio In on the appliance.

Step 3. Connect to the IP Network

Use an Ethernet cable to connect the appliance to the IP network.

TTo connect to the IP network:

1.Plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port on the VBrick appliance.

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

3.When the appliance is powered on, the green LEDs to the right of the Ethernet port will illuminate and the Activity light will flicker.

Step 4. Power-on the Appliance

TTo power-up the unit:

1.Insert the power connector that comes with the unit into the power receptacle on the rear of the appliance.

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

3.The green Power In LED on the back of the VBrick will illuminate and the front panel will display status messages during self-test and reboot. This can take several minutes. You should see a solid network Link light and a blinking Activity light.

4.MPEG decoder appliances only. During a portion of the initial power-on sequence, a color bar test will appear on the monitor.

Step 5. 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 VBrick cannot get an IP address from the DHCP server (or a server is not present), you will need to set the IP address manually using either the handheld IR Remote Control or HyperTerminal as explained below. Once the IP Address is set, you can use the Integrated Web Server (IWS) to configure and manage the appliance.

Get the IP Address from a DHCP Server

TTo get an IP address from the DHCP server:

1.Connect the appliance to the network and power it on as explained above. All VBrick appliances are configured by default with DHCP 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 this happens you are done. Go to Step 6. Install StreamPlayer Plus on page 6.

2.If the VBrick 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 screens, one of which is the configured IP Address.

4	© 2008 VBrick Systems, Inc.

Appliance Setup

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. You can set a static IP address with the Remote Control or with HyperTerminal as explained below.

3.If DHCP is successful, the monitor (MPEG appliances only) will display the VBrick logo in the lower right corner, and audio and video will be present. If the DHCP server supplies the Gateway IP Address or DNS server address, these parameters will replace the user-entered Gateway and DNS settings. If the DHCP server does not provide Gateway information, and if a Gateway is required for your network, you will need to

manually enter a Gateway IP Address.

TTo configure a gateway with the remote control:

1.Enter a Subnet Mask and press Select.

2.Enter a Gateway IP Address (see note below) and press Select. The appliance will reboot with the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway configured.

3.MPEG appliances only. Connect the VBrick to another VBrick over the network using an Ethernet switch. For unicast, the destination IP Address of the encoding VBrick should be the IP Address of the decoding VBrick. Make sure the respective destination and receive ports also match.

Note If the DHCP server supplies the Gateway Address or DNS server address, these parameters will replace any user-entered Gateway and DNS settings. If the DHCP server does not provide Gateway information, and if a Gateway is required for your network, you will need to enter it manually.

Set the IP Address with the Remote Control

As noted, VBrick WM Appliances are shipped with a factory default address of 172.17.5.5. If necessary, you can change this IP address using the handheld IR Remote control. Remember that you cannot have multiple VBricks with the same IP address. Use the * button for the decimal point and the Left and Right buttons to erase.

TTo set the IP Address with the IR Remote control:

1.Aim the remote control at the IR port on the front panel and press Local Edit. The display on the front panel of the VBrick will request the password.

2.Press 23646 ("admin" numerically) and press Select on the remote control.

3.If the network is DHCP-capable and you want the network to select an IP address, press "Y" and then press Select. The VBrick will reboot and obtain an IP address. Otherwise press Select to continue.

4.Enter desired IP address. (Use the * button for the decimal point and the left/right buttons to erase characters entered by mistake.)

5.When done, press Select. If the remaining settings do not need to be modified press

Select again.

6.If the IP, subnet mask or gateway addresses have been modified and there are no errors, the VBrick will reboot.

Set the IP Address with HyperTerminal

TTo set the IP Address with HyperTerminal:

1.Connect an ASCII terminal (e.g. HyperTerminal, shipped with Windows 95/98/2000/ NT/XP) from the RJ-45 serial port (COM2) on the rear of the VBrick to the COM port

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

of the computer or terminal device (usually COM1) using the provided cable. See Connecting with HyperTerminal on page 49 for more information.

2.From the Windows start menu, go to: Start > Programs > Accessories >

Communications > HyperTerminal.

3.The port setting is 9600, 8-bit, 1-stop, no parity, flow control = none. The VBrick is a DTE and the provided serial adapter cable and connector provide connectivity from the VBrick COM2 to the PC COM1 or COM2.

4.Press Enter to see Login.

5.The default Login and Password is admin (case sensitive). Type admin and press Enter for both Login and Password.

6.Type be to become the active Editor. Pressing ? displays the VBrick menu. Make configuration changes as desired.

7.Change the IP Address of the device manually so that it will be recognized on the network to which it is connected: If the network is not running DHCP,

8.Type c nt 3 xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx where xxx is the IP Address.

9.Enter a subnet mask:

10.Type c nt 4 xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

11.Enter a gateway address if required:

12.Type c nt 5 xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

13.Enter Apply to implement these changes and confirm with y. The box reboots with IP address, subnet mask, and Gateway configured.

14.MPEG appliances only. Connect the VBrick to another VBrick over the network using an Ethernet switch. For unicast, the destination IP Address of one VBrick should be the IP Address of the other VBrick. Make sure the respective destination and receive ports also match.

Step 6. Install StreamPlayer Plus

StreamPlayer Plus is used to view streams and verify operation. WM appliance operation can be verified using StreamPlayer or Windows Media player. MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 appliances can be verified only with StreamPlayer.

TTo install StreamPlayer:

1.If you did not purchase StreamPlayer go to www.vbrick.com/products/software.asp web page to download a 30-day evaluation copy and get a demo license file.

2.If you did purchase StreamPlayer, display the contents of the Product CD with Windows Explorer.

3.Open the StreamPlayerPlus folder and run the SetupStreamPlayerPlus.exe program.

4.Browse to the location where you saved your license file or demo file when prompted.

5.Finish the installation.

Step 7. Verify Operation

Use one of the methods below, depending on the type of VBrick you are installing, to verify it is set up and operating properly.

6	© 2008 VBrick Systems, Inc.

Appliance Setup

Verify MPEG 2 Operation

TTo verify MPEG-2 operation using StreamPlayer:

1.Launch the StreamPlayer Plus application from the All Programs folder. Go to Start >

All Programs > VBrick > StreamPlayer Plus.

2.The VBrick appliance will broadcast program information to the StreamPlayer Plus application running on your PC.

3.You should see a stream appear in the Program Info column of the StreamPlayer Plus application. The default stream name from the VBrick is the unit's MAC address.

4.Double-click on this stream to launch Windows Media Player and display the selected video stream on your PC.

5.You are now successfully streaming video to the PC.

Verify MPEG 4 Operation

TTo verify MPEG-4 operation using StreamPlayer:

1.Launch the StreamPlayer Plus application from the All Programs folder. Go to Start >

All Programs > VBrick > StreamPlayer Plus.

2.To request the audio/video stream enter the following command in the IP Address field in StreamPlayer.

RTSP://actual IP address of VBrick appliance/VBrickvideo1

The RTSP command consists of the VBrick's network IP address and a user-supplied program name. The default program name is VBrickvideo1. You should be able to use the same RTSP command with other media players.

3.Click the Play button (lower left icon) to launch Windows Media Player and display the video stream on your PC.

4.You are now successfully streaming audio and video to the PC.

Verify WM Operation

Windows Media Player lets you receive streaming video originating from the VBrick appliance on a PC. As explained below, you can verify a WM appliance is working properly by using either HTTP/Unicast or VBrick's StreamPlayer application.

TTo verify operation via HTTP/Unicast:

1.Login to the VBrick IWS configuration utility (e.g. http://ipaddressofvbrick) using the default user name and password (admin/admin).

2.Go to Configuration: Encoder > Server.

3.Press the Begin Edit button to become the active editor.

4.Press Click here to play HTTP to launch a stream in Windows Media Player (assuming you connected to an Audio/Video Input Source in Step 2 above).

5.If the stream runs in Windows Media Player you are successfully streaming audio and video to the PC.

Note The default Cable/DSL-128K, High Motion template for the WM Appliance transmits at approximately 128 Kbps. If you have a limited bandwidth network connection, or encounter other network-related problems, trying using a template with a lower rate bit rate.

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

TTo verify operation using StreamPlayer:

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

StreamPlayer Plus.

2.The VBrick appliance automatically broadcasts program information to the StreamPlayer application running on your PC.

3.You should see a stream appear in the Program Info column of the StreamPlayer application. The default stream name from the VBrick is the unit's MAC address.

4.Double-click on VBrick's MAC address (or host name) to launch the stream in Windows Media Player and display the selected video stream on your PC.

5.You are now successfully streaming video to your PC.

8	© 2008 VBrick Systems, Inc.

Chapter 2

Appliance Upgrade

Topics in this chapter

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Installing a System Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Overview

VBrick appliances are shipped with PC applications to allow for easy upgrade (All release material should be installed on a PC running Internet Explorer 6.0 and using Service Pack 2 or higher.) Once the release is installed, the upgrade tools become available in the VBrick program group, located under Start > Programs. 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 as it allows users to choose the appliances by name instead of IP addresses. When VBrick appliances are not accessible to VBDirectory, the VBDownload application must be used. All saved configuration parameters are preserved when you upgrade your VBrick. There is no need to reconfigure the unit after the upgrade other than to take advantage of new features in the release. The upgrade process does require the unit to be reset, so it is important that your configuration be saved prior to the upgrade if you want to preserve the settings.

Part of the process takes place during the first boot after the upgrade of a new release. During this time you must avoid powering off the unit. This process may take 2-15 minutes and may include an automatic reboot of the unit. You can tell that the VBrick is ready for operation when you are able to login via IWS or CLI. VBrick recommends against loading a previous version of code. Some new features can cause problems for old code versions. For example, if DHCP is enabled and you load a previous version of code that does not support DHCP, the VBrick will fail to start and you will need to return the unit to the factory for repair. Before loading a previous version of code, it is highly recommended that all parameters be set to defaults.

Installing a System Upgrade

TTo upgrade a VBrick:

1.Double-click on the release executable (SetupVB6000_x_x_x.exe) to install the release on your PC. It is recommended that you accept the default destination folder for the release

which is Program Files\VBrick\VB6000\download\ReleaseVx_x_x.

2.The setup programs for VBDownload and for VBDirectory will automatically run after the release files have been extracted. Click Next and follow the on-screen instructions. Use the default folders if possible.

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

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

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

VBDirectory program should launch in a new window showing all VBrick appliances that are 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 using the Enter Username/

Password button.)

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 press 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 you receive a Download Complete window, reboot the appliance by using the Reset Unit radio button and following the prompts (or use the Reset button on the IR remote).

9.Note that part of the upgrade takes place during the first boot after the download and may take up to 15 minutes. You can tell the update is complete when you can login via IWS or CLI or when the device name entry re-appears in VBDirectory.

10.When done close the window or click Exit.

Note To verify the download has successfully installed, check the Release Revision in IWS.

Go to Status > System Information > Release Revision.

10	© 2008 VBrick Systems, Inc.

Chapter 3

Management Tools

Overview

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

Table 1. VBrick Management Tools

VBrick Tool	Description

IWS	The IWS Integrated Web Server allows quick and secure control
	through the VBrick's IP interface. See Integrated Web Server on
	page 33.

Front Panel Edit	Front Panel Editing with the use of the IR remote control device. See
	Front Panel Edit on page 12.

VBDirectory	VB6000 software ships with VBDirectory, an application that
	facilitates finding and accessing all VBricks on a network. A major
	feature of this application is that it acts as a user-friendly front-end for
	IWS. For more information, see the VBDirectory User Guide.

Command Line	CLI Command Line Interface management through the VBrick's
	COM2 serial port. See Connecting with HyperTerminal on page 49 or
	through Telnet. See Connecting with Telnet on page 50.

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

VBSDK	VBrick provides an SDK that lets third-party developers build custom
	applications to manage VBricks using HTML or compiled applications.
	See the VBrick SDK User Guide for detailed information.

Note There is only one active editing session allowed at any time in a single appliance. In IWS it is possible to exit a session which still in Edit mode. Other users then 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 the Editor off when you exit the program.

Integrated Web Server

The main card has an embedded Web Server that allows the user to manage VBricks by configuring appliances from an external browser. This allows network managers to remotely configure and monitor the appliances from virtually anywhere in the world. Currently, only Microsoft Internet Explorer is supported and other browsers may not give acceptable results. Netscape is not actively supported though many of the features may work. VBrick Systems recommends using Internet Explorer 5.5, Service Pack 2 or better. The user connects to IWS

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

by pointing to the IP Address (e.g. http://172.17.5.5) of the VBrick appliance and logging in. IWS is one of several ways a user can manage the VBrick appliance; however it is the intuitive and easiest to use. IWS Menus and parameters are described in Integrated Web Server on page 33.

Front Panel Edit

The Front Panel Edit feature allows you to use the remote control and the front panel display to change the following parameters: DHCP Enable/Disable, Codec IP, Subnet Mask, Gateway IP, Receive IP, Receive Port, Destination IP, Destination Port and Show/Hide the IP Address. This is the easiest way to get a VBrick parameters up and running on a network. See Front Panel Edit on page 41 for details.

VBDirectory

VBrick provides a management application called VBDirectory that provides quick reference and access to all VBrick Appliances on a network. VBDirectory is installed with each new software release and is also available as a free download from the VBrick website. To access VBDirectory, go to Start > Programs > VBrick > VBDirectory. This directory tool will identify VBricks on the network running code 2.0.0 and higher. It is not backwards

12	© 2008 VBrick Systems, Inc.

Management Tools

compatible with previous versions of code. For more information about this tool, please refer to the VBDirectory User Guide.

Command Line Interface

VBrick network appliances can be configured using a standard ASCII terminal or terminal emulator program connected to the serial port (COM 2) on the rear of the appliance. Simple commands are used to configure all functions and features. VBrick currently supports two command line interfaces: a menu-based CLI and a MIB-based CLI (recommended). The menu-based CLI can only be used to access VBrick parameters for WM v1.1 and VBDNA v3.3 or earlier. The MIB-based CLI can be used to access all VBrick parameters—past and present. (Keep in mind that all parameters that are available in the MIB-based CLI are also available in the web-based IWS application. Always use IWS unless you have a compelling reason to use the command line.) You can use Telnet, HyperTerminal, or other interfaces to run the CLI. For more information see Command Line Interface on page 49.

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

Telnet

Ethernet VBricks can 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). Both the Telnet and HyperTerminal interfaces are referred to as CLI or Command Line Interface. For more information see Command Line Interface on page 49.

Simple Network Management Protocol

The VBrick appliance can also be configured and managed through its MIB, which is provided on request. Various SNMP 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.

14	© 2008 VBrick Systems, Inc.

Management Tools

VBrick SDK

The VBrick Software Development Kit enables individuals having a wide variety of abilities to build applications around VBrick appliances to schedule, record, store, forward, manage, and control VBrick appliance features. Advanced programming skills are not required in order to utilize the functionality of the SDK. A basic knowledge of HTML and web development is enough to create programs that address a specific need. Developers may easily create applications using popular program languages such as Visual C++, Visual Basic, VBScript, Javascript, or through the command line interface. The SDK comes with specific source code examples. VBrick has SDKs for the following devices:

•VB1000-2000-3000 SDK – for MPEG-1 devices.

•VB4000-5000-6000 SDK– for MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and WM devices

•ETV Set Top Box SDK – for VBrick's EtherneTV Set Top Box.

•ETV Portal Server SDK – for VBrick's EtherneTV Portal Server.

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

16	© 2008 VBrick Systems, Inc.

Chapter 4

Streaming Video Basics

Topics in this chapter

Video Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Getting the Best Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Network Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Typical Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

VBrick Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Serial Port Passthrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

MPEG Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

WM Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Video Basics

It is important that the source of the video to be encoded and networked be 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.

Note Where possible VBrick recommends using S-Video or optional SDI. S-Video output from the VBrick to S-Video Input on the monitor yields the best video quality and the Billboard, Program and Conference Guides will be much clearer.

MPEG-2

MPEG-2 (Moving Picture Experts Group) is a standard method of transmitting digital video and sound in a compressed format that uses less bandwidth than the traditional analog method. MPEG-2 is the de-facto standard in the digital TV world. MPEG-2 gives high resolution, scalability and handling of interlaced video for digital video above approximately 2 Mbps. It allows for an excellent picture and allows multiple channels at various bit rates to be multiplexed into a single data stream. It was officially adopted by ISO and has the catalog number ISO 13818-1.

MPEG-2 Encoder Compression

Understanding I, B, P Frames, Delay, and Synchronization

In compressed video, each frame is compressed using a "lossy" compression scheme that takes advantage of the fact that the human eye does not detect certain types of visual information loss. MPEG compresses files based on I, B, P frames, which contain information from previous pictures and predictions about future pictures in a Group of Pictures (GOP). An I-Frame is a full video picture. Because it is likely that a future frame will be similar to a

VBrick Appliance Getting Started Guide

past frame (for example, it is likely that the sky will still be on the top of the frame and that it will still be blue), it is possible to predict portions of a future frame. P-Frames (Predictive) reference the nearest previous I-frame. Video data that contains only I and P frames requires less bandwidth than video that contains only I-Frames for comparable quality.

With I-Frames and P-Frames being generated, it is possible to place the P-Frame some number of frames away from its reference I-Frame, and calculate the contents of the frames in between using both the I-Frame and the P-Frame as references. These frames are called B-Frames and are bi-directional (i.e. they are based on a predicted future frame and on a past frame). Also note that B-Frames are based only on I-Frames and P-Frames, never on past B- Frames, so errors are not propagated. VBricks can be configured to produce I-Frames only, I and P-Frames only, or I, B and P-Frames. In terms of bandwidth usage, I-Frames use the most, B-Frames require the least. It follows then that I-Frames contain the most information and B-Frames contain the least information.

Group of Pictures (GOP)

The collection of I, B, and P frames makes up a Group of Pictures (GOP). The selection of GOP parameters is a trade-off between bandwidth usage, picture quality, sensitivity to transmission errors, and delay. An extended GOP will be more sensitive to transmission errors than a small GOP because any error can affect the entire GOP. It is possible to configure the GOP several ways, for example, I only, IP, IBP, IBBP, etc.

Reference Distance

Reference Distance and Intrapicture Distance are set in Configuration: Encoder > Video. The Reference Distance defines the number of consecutive B pictures there are between an I or P picture and then next I or P picture:

1.No B picture

2.One B picture between I or P pictures

3.Two B pictures between I or P pictures

The Intrapicture Distance can be set between 1 and 19 (default is 15) for MPEG-2. The value refers to the number of P or B frames between I frames and defines the Group of Pictures (GOP).

Interrelationship

Table 2 Reference Distance Settings illustrates various combinations Reference Distance settings (up to 3) and GOP Length (up to 19). The GOPs are shown in display order. More P and B frames increase the compression ratio; however, B frames increase the overall delay. In general, it is best to chose the highest compression ratio and then try lower ratios (e.g. lower reference distance) if the video experiences transmission problems.

In operation, a P-Frame will be generated and transmitted before the B-Frame. An MPEG decoder must, therefore, reorder the incoming frame to display the I-B-P frames in the correct order. This is done using "presentation time stamps" created by the MPEG encoding and multiplexing process. This reordering process requires one or more frames be held in the decoder buffer, waiting it's turn for display, therefore increasing the delay. At 30 frames per second, each frame requires approximately 33 milliseconds. Synchronized audio is also compressed using MPEG, and is multiplexed with the video to create an MPEG Transport Stream.

18	© 2008 VBrick Systems, Inc.

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