Harmony 4E
User Manual
Trademarks
The Visual Circuits logo is a registered trademark in the United States
and other countries. All other products, services or company names
mentioned herein are claimed as trademarks and trade names by their
respective companies.
c Visual Circuits, 1999-2003. All rights reserved.
No portion of this manual may be copied by any means without the prior
consent of Visual Circuits.
Visual Circuits Corporation
5155 East River Road, Suite 401
M in ne ap ol is , M N 55 42 1 U SA
http://www.visualcircuits.com
Visual Circuits Publication Number: 813-0038C
All specifications, notices and warnings are subject to change without
notice.
Class A Statement
FCC Part 15 (EN61000-3-2)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 (EN61000-3-2) of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with this
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 his or her own expense.
The Hamony 4E complies with Part 15 (EN61000-3-2) of the FCC rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference that may cause undesired
operation.
WARNING
Changes or modifications to this unit not
expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.
Industry Canada
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 du
Regulement sur le materiel brouilleur du Canada.
EMC and Safety Directive Compliance
The CE mark is affixed to this Visual Circuits
Corporation product to confirm compliance with the
following European Community Directives:
Council Directive 89/336/EEC of 3 May 1989 on the approximation of
the laws of Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility.
And
Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973 on the harmonization
of the laws of Member States relating to electrical equipment designed
for use within certain voltage limits:
Each amended by Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993 on the
harmonization of CE marking requirements.
Class A Warning (EN55024, EN55022)
In a domestic environment this product may cause radio interference in
which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.
All specifications are subject to change without notice.
OVERVIEW
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Installation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Editing Driver Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Troubleshooting Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Contacting Visual Circuits Corporation . . . . . . . . . 31
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Contents
CONTENTS
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Audio/Video Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Application Interface (API) for the Harmony 4E . . . .2
Installation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Card Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Cable Installation (A/V Breakout) . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Driver Installation (Windows 2000/NT 4.0) . . . . . .6
Starting Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Editing Driver Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Driver Editing Utility: Harmony VccReg.exe . . . . . .15
Common Driver Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
PAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
BufferSizePerChannel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
MaxDisks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
MaxFileRead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
MinFileRead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
NoCache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
NonPagedPoolSize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
i
Contents
NoReadBuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Audio/Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
DisableSync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
VideoTypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Special . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
InitOnOpen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
dontuseints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
LateLoadNext . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
MaxCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Multiapp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Dual-Card Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Multi-Threading and Drive Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Troubleshooting Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Server Setup Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
BIOS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Blue screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Message says '' Harmony Driver not found!'' when
Harmony Vidserve is started . . . . . . . . . . . .25
No video or audio output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Stuttering files during Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
"Latent Images" or "Flashing" during playback . .27
ii
Contents
SMPTE time codes are not recognized properly .27
Video blocks or stutters when starting playback. .28
Overall block or distorted playback . . . . . . . . . . .28
Problems using the API. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Mouse lags and overall poor system performance 29
MPEG will not play on mapped network drive. . .29
Harmony Vidserve does not work at all . . . . . . . .29
All channels pause when a new file is started on a
channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
No audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
More than one board will not play or make a few
horizontal lines on the screen. . . . . . . . . . . .30
Contacting Visual Circuits Corporation . . . . . . . . . 31
Contacting Technical Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
What You Should Have Ready When You Call . . . . .31
What You Can Expect When You Call. . . . . . . . . . . .31
Technical Support Contact Information for the Value
Added Reseller (VAR) or Distributor Only . . . . .32
Returning Materials to Visual Circuits Corporation . .32
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Hardware Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Audio Video Breakout Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
iii
Contents
iv
OVERVIEW
Introduction
The Visual Circuits Harmony 4E card is a PCI MPEG decoder card
supporting four independent outputs or “channels” of high-quality
video playback. The Harmony 4E has its own unique driver and
API structure designed to offer maximum compatibility with
Visual Circuits ReelTime series cards.
Figure 1. Harmony 4E Card
Harmony 4E simultaneously outputs composite and high-quality Svideo, along with either Dolby Digital audio or Stereo PCM audio
via S/PDIF. Alternately, Harmony 4E can also output RGB (sync
on green) or component video.
The Harmony 4E card also supports a dynamic On Screen Display
(OSD) of 256 colors with varying degrees of transparency. Since
all video decoding is performed through hardware, not only can a
single four-channel card run in four independent outputs, but two
cards are supported in the same server as well. The Windows 2000/
NT driver also includes a Software Developers Kit (SDK) with
libraries and a sample program allowing flexibility and
customization.
1
Overview
Audio/Video Distribution
There are two options for audio/video distribution. None of these
devices are powered and follow all standard audio/video cabling
procedures.
1. Universal Cable: This cable supports all board configurations
and comes as a 16-inch cable which attaches to each board’s
DB 25. All output connectors are RCA female type, requiring
appropriate adapters and patch cables.
2. Audio Cables: Cables with 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) stereo phone
plugs to two phono (RCA) plugs may be used to connect the
Harmony 4E digital audio outputs to an external audio
receiver/decoder. The output labeled “CH1/2” is designated for
channels 1 & 2 and the output labeled “CH3/4” is designated
for channels 3 & 4. (Note: Visual Circuits does not carry cable
adapters and accessories, see
page 36 for details).
Application Interface (API) for the
Harmony 4E
The source code for the Harmony Vidserve demo program is
provided for developers as an example of how to access the driver.
The current version of the driver uses a proprietary C API interface
(instead of a standard interface like MCI or Direct Show).
Applications can use the driver by calling the dynamic link library
(4REELAPI.DLL). The files needed (4REELAPI.LIB and
4REELAPI.H) are provided in the Vidserve.ZIP file, along with
the source code and MS VC++ 6.0 project makefile for Harmony
Vidserve. 4REELAPI.H declares all of the functions available in
the driver library. (See the Harmony SDK manual for more info.).
2
INSTALLATION GUIDE
The Visual Circuits Harmony 4E decoder board is a 3/4 sized PCI
card. The card is secured using an IO mounting bracket secured to
the chassis. This bracket is affixed to the 25-pin female D-Sub
output of the board.
CAUTION
If a card is not seated securely in the PCI slot
when the system power is applied, damage to
the Harmony 4E board may occur.
CAUTION
It is possible to damage system components,
primarily the system's mainboard, if power is
applied to an improperly seated card.
CAUTION
Whenever installing a board, never force the
board into position. During the installation if
pressure or tension is noted, stop immediately
and refer to the chassis manufacturer's
specifications for card installation and
placement.
3
Installation Guide
CAUTION
Follow all necessary precautions when
handling electrical circuit boards. Damage can
occur due to frictional contact with board
circuitry or due to electrostatic discharge
(ESD).
Card Installation
To install the card, carefully slide the board into the selected PCI
slot of the mainboard. Ensure that the bracket is aligned with the
IO opening of the chassis and that the outer edge of the card rests
securely according to the chassis’ design. Consult with the chassis
manufacturer for specific guidelines
Figure 2. Installation of Harmony 4E Card.
4
Installation Guide
Cable Installation (A/V Breakout)
1. Back the set-screws off fully before attaching the cable. Do not
use the attaching screws to “pull” the cable onto the female DSub connector of the board.
2. Orient the D-Sub on the cable properly and apply slight even
pressure while connecting the D-Subs.
3. Secure the Universal Cable in place with the two screws.
4. Attach the patch cables to the Universal Cable as per the
installation.
5. If desired, connect Y-adapter audio cables, (1/8 inch/3.5 mm
stereo phone plug to two RCA plugs), from the Harmony 4E
card’s digital audio output jacks to the proper inputs on an
external audio receiver/decoder. Note that the audio output jack
labeled “CH1/2” is designated for channels 1 & 2 and the
second audio output jack labeled “CH3/4” is designated for
channels 3 & 4.
Figure 3. Cable Installation
5
Installation Guide
NOTE
Apply strain relief as required when attaching patch
cables. The set-screws will easily support the Universal
Cable strain, but will not take into account the weight and
strain of any connected cables.
Driver Installation (Windows 2000/NT 4.0)
For use under Windows 2000, complete both Parts 1 and 2 of the
driver software installation instructions.
For use under Windows NT 4.0, complete only Part 2 of the driver
software installation instructions.
Installation Instructions - Part 1: For Use Under
Windows 2000
(NT 4.0 users skip ahead to Part 2)
IMPORTANT
If you have previously installed a different type of Visual
Circuits decoder card, or a different version for the
Harmony decoder series, it is recommended that you
uninstall that driver before proceeding.
WARNING
For installation for use under Windows 2000, Windows
2000 Service Pack 2 or higher is required.
6
Installation Guide
Under Windows 2000, to complete this installation you must point
the system to the driver installation disc when prompted by
Windows.
The harmony.inf file (included on the driver installation disc)
should be installed for each of the video channels.
Important: Each board appears as 4 devices to the system.
Therefore, you will be prompted by Windows to install a driver
for each individual video channel.
1. Install the decoder card(s) according to the board’s user
manual. Power up the computer and log in to Windows.
The Windows 2000 Hardware Manager will recognize that
new hardware has been added to the system. A message box
will appear stating that Windows has found new hardware.
Click “Next” to continue.
Figure 4. Welcome to Found New Hardware Wizard Screen
7
Installation Guide
2. Select the first option, “Search for a suitable driver for my
device”, and click “Next”.
Figure 5. Search For Suitable Driver For My Device Screen
3. Windows will ask where to look for the location of the driver
file for this device. Select the location of the supplied driver
disc and then click “Next”.
Figure 6. Search For Driver Locations Screen
8
Installation Guide
4. A dialog box will appear informing you that this device does
not have a digital signature and will ask you if you still want to
install it, click “Yes”.
Figure 7. Digital Signature Not Found Screen
5. Now that the driver is installed for this channel, select
“Finish”. You may be asked to reboot your system. Do NOT
reboot your system. Click “No” and continue the procedure
for installing additional channels and cards.
6. The “Welcome to Found New Hardware Wizard Screen will be
displayed again indicating that new hardware has been found.
Click the “Next” button to continue.
Figure 8. Welcome to Found New Hardware Wizard Screen
9
Installation Guide
7. Because a driver has already been installed on your system
previously, you should select the second option, “Display a list
of the known drivers for this device so that I can choose a
specific driver”, and then click “Next”.
Figure 9. Display List of Known Drivers Screen
8. The Hardware Wizard will have already found the Harmony
4E device driver and will have it listed under “Models”. Click
“Next” to continue.
Figure 10. Select a Device Driver Screen
10
Installation Guide
9. The wizard will be ready to install the device driver. To start
the installation, click “Next”.
Figure 11. Start Device Driver Installation Screen
10. A dialog box will appear informing you that this device does
not have a digital signature and will ask you if you still want to
install it, click “Yes”.
Figure 12. Digital Signature Not Found Screen
11. Now that the driver is installed for this channel, select
“Finish”. You may be asked to reboot your system. Do NOT
reboot your system. Click “No”.
11
Installation Guide
❏ If the “Welcome to Found New Hardware Wizard” screen is
displayed again, you will need to go back to step 6 to
continue the procedure for installing additional channels/
cards as necessary.
❏ If the “Welcome to Found New Hardware Wizard” screen is
NOT displayed again, then this portion of the driver
installation is complete. Continue on to Part 2 of the
Installation Instructions.
Installation Instructions - Part 2: For Use Under
Windows 2000/NT 4.0
1. Run the file SETUP.EXE from your installation disc.
2. In the setup program setup.exe, you are given the option to
chose between two types of installation:
❏ Full Driver Install:
Choose this option to install the driver and all software. You
will be asked a series of questions to configure the driver.
Your current parameter settings will be overwritten.
❏ Update Only:
(This option will only be offered if a previous driver has
been installed).
Choose this option to copy the new drivers and software
onto your system, but to leave your current driver settings
unchanged. This option requires that you already have a
version of the driver installed on your system.
3. Choose the directory where you wish to install the application
software.
4. Choose the shortcut folder name you wish to use.
5. Select Finish and reboot your system.
Start Menu Icons
Once you have rebooted the system, you will find the following
icons in the Visual Circuits group in the Start menu:
12
Installation Guide
❏ Harmony Driver User Manual:
Contains detailed information on the driver parameters and
hardware. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher.
❏ Harmony Encoding Guidelines User Manual:
Contains important information on how to encode MPEG-2
files for use with Visual Circuits decoder products.
Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher.
❏ Harmony Vidserve:
A player program you can use to test MPEG files and all of
the board’s functionality.
❏ Harmony VccReg Parameter Editor:
A utility program for changing driver parameters. Do not
use this program unless you are familiar with the driver
settings.
❏ Harmony SDK User Manual:
Contains information about writing programs that use the
driver.
❏ Uninstall MPEG-2 Drivers:
Select this to uninstall all Visual Circuits driver and
application software.
Additional Files
In addition, the following files will be copied to your hard disk in
the installation directory you have selected during the install.
Release.doc:
Release notes on the changes in this driver version.
Sdk\Vidserve.zip:
A pkzipped file contain the Software Development Kit for the
driver. This consists of the C source code to the Vidserve player
program and all files needed to build it.
Sdk\vb_api.zip:
A Pkzipped file containing all files needed to create Visual Basic
programs that use the driver. Contains source code to a very simple
sample program.
13
Installation Guide
Starting Playback
Now that your card is installed:
❏ Be sure all software applications are closed.
❏ Run Harmony Vidserve, the playback application located
under Visual Circuits’ programs.
❏ Browse to the MPEG file desired and open it.
❏ Click Load and wait for the position counter to stop
moving. Then click Play.
For further troubleshooting information, see Troubleshooting Tips
on page 25.
14
EDITING DRIVER SETTINGS
Driver Editing Utility: Harmony
VccReg.exe
Figure 13. Harmony VCCReg Parameter Editor
Common Driver Parameters
Harmony VccReg.exe is a driver editing utility designed
specifically for editing the VCCmpeg2 driver settings.
There are four tabs containing different parameters, descriptions of
these parameters, and driver default settings. The four tabs in
Harmony VccReg.exe are General, Performance, Audio/Video and
Special and are located on the left side of the window. The right
side of the window contains the Value, Default, Range and
Description fields.
15
Editing Driver Settings
To change a parameter, enter the appropriate information in the
Value field and click the set button
restore the default value, click the set to default button
.
. If you want to
General
Network
0 = The driver cannot read files over the Windows NT network.
1 = The driver can read files over the Windows NT network.
Default = 0
Range = 0-1
PAL
0 = NTSC (default)
1 = PAL
16
Editing Driver Settings
Performance
BufferSizePerChannel
Amount of RAM allocated for each channel.
A larger buffer supports larger minimum file reads which reduces
hard drive seeking.
Default = 400000 hex, high performance playback (optimal)
recommended.
Range = 100000-800000 hex
MaxDisks
This parameter sets the number of disk read threads.
The channels are divided into maxdisks groups, and
each group must play off a different physical drive.
Default = 1, Single MPEG storage drive (normal operation).
Range = 1-4
See Dual-Card Servers on page 21 for more information.
MaxFileRead
Set the largest file read the driver will perform.
It must be larger than minfileread.
Setting maxfileread to a half of BufferSizePerChannel is
recommended.
Default = 200000 hex
Range = Fits evenly in BufferSizePerChannel
MinFileRead
Sets the smallest file read size the driver will manage.
The larger the minfileread is, the less HD seeking there will be.
Setting minfileread to a quarter of BufferSizePerChannel (half
MaxFileRead) is recommended.
Default = 100000 hex
Range = Fits evenly in BufferSizePerChannel
17
Editing Driver Settings
NoCache
0 = Normal NT file system caching is used.
1 = The cache is not grown when files are played.
Default = 0
Range = 0-1
NOTE
NoReadBuff provides a preferable method to dissolve file
caching and should be used instead of NoCache.
NonPagedPoolSize
Reserves a block of memory for decoding.
When changing NonPagedPoolSize, the system will require
rebooting for Windows NT to allocate memory.
NonPagedPoolSize = BuffersizePerChannel x 4 x number of cards
+ 800000 hex
e.g. 1 card: 1800000 hex
2 card: 2800000 hex
This parameter will be set correctly by the installer for the number
of cards you chose.
Default = 0, NT/2000 automatically assigns. Usually too low if
there are multiple boards or a large buffer.
NoReadBuff
0 = Normal file caching.
1 = Disables all hard drive caching. REQUIRED TO BE 1 FOR
WINDOWS NT SERVICE PACK 4 OR HIGHER.
Default = 1
Range = 0-1
18
Editing Driver Settings
Audio/Video
DisableSync
0 = Enables audio/video synchronization.
1 = Disables audio/video synchronization.
Default = 0
Range = 0-1
VideoTypes
0 = All channels output S-Video/Composite.
1 = All channels output Component.
2 = All channels output RGB (sync on green).
Default = 0
Range = 0-2
Special
InitOnOpen
0 = Files are loaded smoothly without a disturbance to the video
output.
1 = The decoder chip is reinitialized whenever a new file is loaded.
Output is black after load until it plays.
Default = 0
Range = 0-1
NOTE
Harmony will work fine with InitOnOpen=0 in almost all
cases. If you wish to have a black screen, it is better to
use an application call (mpgBlack) than this parameter.
InitOnOpen=1 is useful as a diagnostic tool, but will cause
anomalies at some transitions.
19
Editing Driver Settings
dontuseints
0 = Normal interrupt driven playback.
1 = Interrupts not used. (Improves compatibility).
Default = 0
Range = 0-1
LateLoadNext
Sets the handling of mpgLoadNext calls that arrive after playback
has stopped.
0 = Late mpgLoadNext calls will be ignored.
1 = Playback will always resume.
Default = 1
Range = 0-1
MaxCards
The number of channels to initialize can be fewer than the actual
number of channels in the bus, for testing purposes. (There are four
channels on each card).
Default = 8
Range = 1-8
Multiapp
0 = Only one application can link to 4reelapi.dll at a time.
1 = Multiple applications can access the driver, but callbacks are
disabled.
Default = 0
Range = 0-1
20
DUAL-CARD SERVERS
Multi-Threading and Drive
Mapping
Depending on hard drive speed and bitrate, proper drive mapping
can be crucial for MPEG playback performance. Fundamentally,
this often involves configuring the driver so that it reads from
different physical hard drives simultaneously. In a system with two
MPEG content hard drives, data should be read from both drives at
the same time for maximum performance.
The MaxDisks driver parameter is used to specify the number of
playback storage hard drives used in a system. The driver will
divide the available playback channels into MaxDisks groups and
each group will perform concurrent reads (in software terms, each
group will have a separate “thread of execution”). Therefore, each
group of channels should read files from a different physical hard
drive. You must configure your application so that MPEGs are
read from the correct drives by the correct channels.
If MaxDisks is left at the default value of 1, reads from all the hard
drives will be sequential. That is, only one read of MPEG data will
be performed at a time. This is normal for a single content drive.
However with multiple drives, a read from one drive will have to
be completed before a read on another drive can be initiated. This
situation does not take advantage of the performance potential of a
multi hard drive system.
It is actually permissible that a channel group reads from a set of
physical hard drives, as long as none of the drives in the set belong
to another channel group. This is beneficial if the MPEG files will
not all fit on a single drive. For simplified mapping, it is
recommended to divide the numbers of channels evenly and
sequentially across multiple boards.
21
Dual-Card Servers
22
TROUBLESHOOTING OVERVIEW
NOTE
Only authorized technicians should perform board
troubleshooting or system repairs. Unauthorized repair of
systems may void warranty.
Server Setup Check
Prior to any troubleshooting, power down the system and be sure
that the card is properly installed in the system’s PCI slot. Test
only one card in the system at a time.
❏ Confirm that the system has the power connected properly.
❏ Confirm that all video and audio cables are connected
properly. (Video output is compatible with TVs or videos
monitors, not standard VGA computer monitors). Select the
correct input type for the display. Examples: Video 1, Input
1, S-video, etc. Refer to the display manual for use.
❏ Remove all serial cable and network connections from the
system.
23
Troubleshooting Overview
Getting Started
1. Power the server up and open Harmony Vidserve playback
application located under Visual Circuits programs.
Figure 14. Harmony Vidserve Playback Application
On the main application window, the radio button selected should
indicate Card 1 found. If it states “Harmony driver not found” see
page 25 for tips on how to fix the error.
2. Be sure the Auto Play and Black check boxes are not selected
on the main window. Using the Browse button, select a file for
channel 1 and click Open. Note the Position window and see
that the counter has stopped increasing. Next click the Open
button for channel 1 and be sure that the position counter resets
completely.
3. Next, click Play for channel 1 and view video and audio
playback.
4. Repeat the process for each individual channel by browsing,
opening and playing files. Be sure to play only one file at a
time.
By performing the above process, you can determine if basic
playback for the board is functioning.
24
TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
BIOS Settings
Ensure BIOS settings for Windows servers have the “Non PnP
OS” selected.
Blue screen
❏ If a Blue Screen occurs during Windows startup and
Windows cannot be started, remove all devices from the
system and reboot.
❏ Try a process of elimination to run the system in a single
minimal system configuration, such as by inserting each
device into the system and rebooting. Usually starting with
the VGA/AGP card if not on board.
❏ Try placing the Harmony 4E card in a different PCI slot.
Message says '' Harmony Driver not found!''
when Harmony Vidserve is started
NOTE
The error messages listed below are found in your
system’s Event Viewer.
For Windows NT: Locate Administrative Tools, then open
Event Viewer.
For Windows 2000: Right click on My Computer, then
open Manage, then Event Viewer and finally System.
❏ "Harmony: board was not found"
Make sure the board or boards are securely seated in the
PCI bus.
25
Troubleshooting Tips
❏ "Harmony: Failed to allocate mem"
Be sure to verify that the BufferSizePerChannel is set
correctly in Harmony VccReg. Verify all memory is
detected by server on start up or by right clicking on My
Computer and reviewing General.
❏ "Harmony: HARDWARE ERROR"
Inspect the decoder board for damage.
Make sure your motherboard has 3 volts available in the
PCI slots.
Remove the board and re-install.
No video or audio output
❏ First, ensure that the cables are plugged in properly and that
the video and audio outputs are plugged in correctly to the
display device. Try testing another channel of the server on
the same display. Try using other cables.
❏ Note that the output of the decoder board will not display on
a PC monitor.
❏ Dolby Digital MPEG files cannot play on the analog output.
Stuttering files during Playback
Irregular playback on single and multiple channels can be caused
by a number of conditions:
❏ The bit rate of the MPEG files being played exceed the
system capabilities: The Visual Circuit MPEG decoder
boards and digital servers all have a maximum sustained bit
rate that can be delivered. Refer to the system board and
specifications for information. Please consult your Visual
Circuits representative prior to encoding or designing your
installation if there are any questions.
❏ Incorrect channel to drive mapping in dual card systems
with multiple content drives. For more information see
Dual-Card Servers on page 21.
26
Troubleshooting Tips
NOTE
Harmony 4E series boards may not be mixed with
earlier generation Harmony or ReelTime series
boards.
"Latent Images" or "Flashing" during
playback
❏ Incorrect source timecode provided or improperly closed
encoding session. If the incorrect timecode for a file on tape
is given, it is possible to encode a frame or two of trailer or
header information from the tape. Often this “extra” frame
may be seen only briefly and may appear as a visual "flash"
on the screen during looping playback. Review the original
source material and determine if the timecode are correct
for the tape, or if the encoding session was actually started
and closed on the correct frames.
NOTE
Timecode is the current playback position, in units of
90000 per second.
SMPTE time codes are not recognized
properly
❏ Some SMPTE tracks lose information during compression
and may not “trigger” events as required. Testing is
essential to account for variances in encoders and SMPTE
devices involved.
27
Troubleshooting Tips
Video blocks or stutters when starting
playback
❏ Be sure buffers are fully loaded before calling a playback
command. Usually following the initial buffer load, a delay
is required.
Overall block or distorted playback
❏ Make sure the file is not a transport stream. These files
typically have a .m2t extension. Visual Circuits MPEG
decoders do not support transport stream files.
❏ Try playing another file or a Visual Circuits demo file to see
if the problem is specific to a file. If so, the data may be
corrupt.
❏ Make sure that NTSC is not being played to PAL or vice-
versa (the vertical resolution is 576 in PAL and 480 in
NTSC). Set the PAL setting in Harmony VCC Reg to agree
with the type of video monitors you are using.
❏ Possible damage or faulty channel or decoder card. Use test
files and try other channels to verify. Always try one file
and one channel first as a base line for troubleshooting.
❏ Verify ATA 133 to ATA 33 compatible components and
drivers. A different IDE bus driver may be required for
proper system performance.
Problems using the API
❏ Make sure you are using the standard C calling convention.
Refer to the SDK documentation for questions.
28
Troubleshooting Tips
Mouse lags and overall poor system
performance
❏ Verify ATA 133 to ATA 33 compatible components and
drivers. A different IDE bus driver may be required for
proper system performance.
MPEG will not play on mapped network drive
❏ This will not work unless you set network=1. (See Network
on page 16 for details).
Harmony Vidserve does not work at all
❏ Only one program can access the driver at a time. Close all
programs using the Harmony driver and run Harmony
Vidserve again.
All channels pause when a new file is started
on a channel
❏ Be sure buffers are fully loaded prior to playing. As the
number of channels being used increases, this delay may
need to be increased depending on individual server system
resources. Test with maximum channels playing to
determine the system’s threshold and maximum delay
required.
No audio
❏ Make sure mute button is not checked.
❏ Check cables and test with other audio source.
❏ When a Dolby Digital encoded file is playing, the analog
audio output will be muted.
29
Troubleshooting Tips
More than one board will not play or make a
few horizontal lines on the screen
❏ Make sure BIOS is not set to PnP operating system.
❏ Verify number of boards and number of channels using
Harmony VccReg.exe driver editing utility.
30
CONTACTING VISUAL
IRCUITS CORPORATION
C
Contacting Technical Support
If you are experiencing problems with the decoder board, consult
the Troubleshooting section on
information available at www.visualcircuits.com first. If you need
further assistance, please contact your Visual Circuits Value Added
Reseller or Distributor.
What You Should Have Ready
When You Call
Before you call your supplier for support, collect the following
pieces of information:
❏ The serial number of the decoder board.
❏ The date of purchase of the unit.
❏ The name of the distributor or sales representative who sold
the unit.
❏ A complete description of the problem.
page 23 and the support
What You Can Expect When You
Call
As a Value Added Reseller or Distributor, you may contact Visual
Circuits technical support. Your call will be handled in the
following manner:
1. A technical support representative will record several pieces of
information (see What You Should Have Ready When You Call,
above).
2. The representative will attempt to resolve your problem.
31
Contacting Visual Circuits Corporation
3. If your problem is too complex to be resolved during your
initial conversation, the representative will arrange for you to
be called back at a later time. You will receive an inquiry
number that you can use to refer to your problem in the future.
NOTE
After regular business hours, the technical
support representative will always arrange for you
to be called back the next business day if your
problem is unresolved.
Technical Support Contact
Information for the Value Added
Reseller (VAR) or Distributor Only
The e-mail address for Visual Circuits technical support is:
❏ techsupport@visualcircuits.com
The telephone numbers for Visual Circuits technical support are:
❏ In the United States, 1-800-250-5533
❏ Outside of the United States, 763-571-7588
Returning Materials to Visual
Circuits Corporation
If the decoder board has problems that cannot be corrected over the
telephone by Visual Circuits technical support, you may need to
return the board to Visual Circuits Corporation. All materials
shipped back to Visual Circuits Corporation must be accompanied
by a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) number. A Visual
Circuits technical support representative will provide you with an
RMA number. Please write the RMA number clearly on the
shipping label.
32
APPENDIX
Hardware Specifications
PHYSICAL
DESCRIPTION
Dimensions: Length = 9.4'' (239mm)
Height = 4.25'' (108mm)
Connectors: 25-pin D-Sub for use with universal
breakout cable
Dual 3.5 mm jacks for digital audio output.
POWER
All four channels
active =
PCI Voltages +3.3V 2.8A (TV)
AUDIO PARAMETERS
Sampling rates
supported:
Frequency
response:
MPEG layer 2 audio, Dolby Digital
Stereo 16 bit, 20 bit, and 24 bit output, Passes Dolby Digital
via S/PDIF connector
Volume, balance software controllable
Software controllable mute
10.5w Typical (playback to TV)
+12V 0.09A
-12V Not used.
32khz, 44.1 khz, 48khz, 96 khz
20hz - 22khz +/- .5db
33
Appendix
Software controllable stereo channel routing (mono, dual
mono, right or left, etc.)
Audio output
-10dBv
level:
Audio output
10K Ohms/unbalanced
impedance:
VIDEO PARAMETERS
Output level
composite
1 volt peak-to-peak when terminated with
75ohms
video:
Output level
RGB (RT+):
.7v peak-to-peak when terminated with
75 ohms
Standards: NTSC or PAL software selectable
Encoder: Broadcast quality digital video encoder
with post filtering
Resolution: CCIR 601 720x480 NTSC or 720 x 576
PAL Driver supports automatic selection
of SIF format for MPEG1
STANDARDS SUPPORTED
ISO 11172 (MPEG-1)
ISO 13818 (MPEG-2)
Maximum
bitrate:
BUS INTERFACE
Conforms to PCI-bus electrical specifications 2.1. Operates in
bus master mode. Can make use of 3.3v if available on bus
ENVIRONMENTAL
34
Individual channel can play up to 10mbps.
Maximum data transfer rate to card is
40mbits/second - total per card.
Appendix
Ambient
temperature:
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Minimum
processor:
Minimum
system memory:
Hard disk: Ultra ATA/66 or higher.
Audio receiver Dolby Digital audio receiver/decoder and
Operating: 0 deg C to 40 deg C
Non-operating: -40 deg C to 60 deg C
Intel or AMD-based 600MHz/equivalent
(1 GHz or higher recommended)
256 MB PC-100 (PC-133 recommended)
speakers required for surround sound.
Audio Video Breakout Cables
For all cables, 75-ohm cable is recommended for all video outputs
and inputs if applicable.
When attaching the leads, solder cup connectors work fine, but
crimp type pins provide more durability and hold up better under
strain. An example of a cable that works well for video is the
Belden series 9221 mini-coaxial cable, but other cable
manufacturers can also be used.
35
Appendix
Audio lines need to be quality audio wire. An example of a
compatible audio cable is the Assmann Electronics AK243-2 3.5
mm stereo to 2 phono plugs cable. Note that two separate audio
cables will be required to connect all 4 channels: one cable for
channels 1 & 2 and the other for channels 3 & 4.
NOTE
Visual Circuits does not sell or stock cable-building
supplies or components. Visual Circuits also does not
stock patch cables or related accessories. Please
contact an Audio/Video specialist for assistance.
Ensure that all leads are properly grounded within the D-Sub and
that proper strain relief is provided to prevent separation of wires
from the pins or connectors. Also ensure that all connectors,
whether BNC, RCA, or other are of high-quality material so as not
to break the 75-ohm impedance of the line. Refer to the following
chart for pin-out connections.
36
Appendix
PIN-OUT CONNECTION TABLE:
Pin No. Harmony
1 GROUND
2 AUDIO L/3
3 COMP 3
4 LUMA 3
5 AUDIO L/2
6 COMP 2
7 LUMA 2
8 AUDIO L/1
9 COMP 1
10 LUMA 1
11 AUDIO L/0
12 COMP 0
13 LUMA 0
14 NOT USED
15 AUDIO R/3
16 CHROMA 3
17 AUDIO IN R
18 AUDIO R/2
19 CHROMA 2
37
Appendix
Pin No. Harmony
20 AUDIO IN L
21 AUDIO R/1
22 CHROMA 1
23 VIDEO IN
24 AUDIO R/0
25 CHROMA 0
38
INDEX
A
ambient temperature 34
audio 33
AuxSkip 17
B
BIOS 30
buffers 29
BufferSizePerChannel 17
C
chassis 3, 4
connecting
cable 2, 35
universal cable 2
contacting Visual Circuits 31
E
environmental 34
extention bracket 4
F
flashing images 27
H
hardware description 33
I
InitOnOpen 19
installing 4
L
latent images 27
M
MaxDisks 17, 21
MaxDMA 17
MaxFileRead 17
MinDMA 17
MinFileRead 17
mounting bracket 3
MPEG 21, 26, 29
multiple drives 21
N
Network 16
NoCache 17
NonPagedPoolSize 18
NoReadBuff 18
NTSC 28
NumberOfChannels 16
P
PAL 16, 28
pin-out 38
power 33
S
set-screws 5
SMPTE 27
standards 34
StarveCheck 18
system requirements 34
T
technical support 32
timecode 27
V
VccMPEG2 driver 15
video 2, 34
1
VideoVSize 19
Vidserve 29
2
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