VPLAY 4 USER MANUAL (Edition 5) Content
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1 VPLAY 4 USER MANUAL (Edition 5) Content 1. Product information 2. Terminology 3. Installation 4. Launcher 5. Server settings & User settings 5.1 Directories for log files 5.2 Information about licenses 5.3 Live inputs 5.4 Channel setup 5.5 GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) 5.6 Server setup in User Settings 6. Channel Manager 6.1 OnAir tab 6.1.1 Information panels and tools for setup of broadcast 6.1.2 Setup of playlist 6.1.3 Setup of assets 6.1.4 Setup of schedule 6.1.5 Setup of blocks of media 6.1.6 Addition of URL for Web-based feeds 6.2 Editor tab 6.3 File tab 7. Scene Editor 7.1 File tab 7.2 Edit tab 7.2.1 Tools for creation of objects for logo/scene 7.2.2 Rectangle 7.2.3 PIP 7.2.4 Static text 7.2.5 Crawl 7.2.6 Titles 2 7.2.7 Dynamic pages 7.2.8 Analog and digital clock 7.2.9 Work with metadata 7.3 Preview tab 7.4 Assigning of logo and scene to elements of schedule 7.5 Manual control over scenes 8. Broadcast over internet 8.1 Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder 3.2 8.2 Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 8.3 XSplit Broadcaster 8.4 WOWZA Streaming Engine 8.5 VPlay Internet streaming 8.5.1 RTSP streaming 8.5.2 HLS streaming 8.5.3 RTMP streaming 9. SCTE-35 and DTMF marks 9.1 SCTE-35 marks 9.2 DTMF marks 10. Reporting Copyright © STREAM-Labs. The content of this document must not be copied on any media without permission of STREAM Labs Inc. in writing. Copying, distribution of partially or fully protected by copyright law software VPlay, produced by STREAM-Labs, is forbidden. This rule applies to server and client software VPlay as a whole; and to separate modules and files as well. 1. PRODUCT INFORMATION VPlay 4 is a further development of VPlay line of products and provides new and enhanced existing functionalities in comparison to Vplay 3. In addition, it tremendously increases efficiency, providing opportunity to broadcast more channel for the given PC. Many existing functions have been revised and become more user friendly. Thereby, Stream Labs proved again its dedication to constant development of its products. 2. TERMINOLOGY Dongle – proprietary flash drive with obtained licenses. Configurator – one of the application’s modules for major of channels, input and output 3 streams, etc. Scene Editor – one of the application’s modules for creation of overlay graphics for output streams. Context menu – drop down list, appearing at right mouse click. IP output – stream, formed according to internet protocols (UDP TCP/IP, RTMP, etc.). AV output – stream, formed according to standards for analog and digital TV. It is provided by special video cards for playout. Live – incoming IP or AV streams in real time. IP streams are provided via network cards, whereas AV via special capture cards. Slot – placeholder on a scheduler or some properties’ panels for the placement of media, logos, scenes into them. Canvas - special area in graphics applications (in our case Scene Editor) for creation of graphics, used for overlay, like logo, scenes, clock, etc. 3. INSTALLATION 1. Insert dongle in USB port. In order to make VPlay Server work, it is imperative to have USB key, manufactured by Stream Labs. This USB key must always be inserted into the PC where VPlay Server is installed. In case if the key is not inserted, then the software will function displaying watermark. 2. VPlay4 installation. Launch VPlay 4.0.xxxxx.exe, and follow instructions of Wizard. 4 Next screen presents opportunities for installation server and client modules selectively: - Include VPlay documentation - self-explicable; - Install server components – is a must for broadcasting PC; 5 - Install client components – is a must for broadcasting PC and is required for remote client PC (server components are not required on remote PC); - Install Demo Channel – gives you initial presentation of working VPlay. Demo channel could be later removed and replaced by custom channel; - Location – self-explicable; Next screen lets you work on VPlay service: - Set the folder for storing the server log files – self-explicable; - Start service after completion of installation – if checked, starts airing channel immediately; Follow further instructions of the wizard. And final screen which gives you an option for starting of VPlay Launcher: 6 NOTE: In some cases, Wizard may request reboot of PC because of some running services. Just do it. 4. (LAUNCHER) After installation, you will find VPlay icon for launch of the program. Double click on it and main interface shows up: 7 Server settings and User Settings relate to entire setup of VPlay; Channel Manager controls workflow of the channel(s); Scene Editor is for design of overlay graphics; OnAir preview provides instant preview of the channel (after it has been setup and is up and running). 5. Server settings & User settings Press button Server settings and you will receive long anticipated opportunity to setup your broadcast: 1. Server controls. 2. Tree with all settings. 3. Properties for each setting Server status is in a right hand bottom corner (circled in red). Now it is up and running and 8 connection of client is established. 5.1 Directories for log files First, we need to designate location for log files: Click on the root of entire tree with settings for VPlay, and then in Properties designate directory using standard windows explorer interface. This directory might be created either in advance or on a fly. There is option for delay of VPlay service(circled in yellow). This option might be useful in some cases for correct work of VPlay with network services after “cold” start or reboot of the PC. 5.2 Information about licenses The program finds your licenses right after the launch. If there is no dongle or licenses have not been setup, the program will indicate a demo mode: 9 NOTE: it is imperative that VPlay service is up and running in order to view licenses. 5.3 Live inputs In this branch, you can add Live inputs. Live input could be either AV signal via capture card, or IP signal over network card. 1. Addition of IP input First step is addition of IP address of the network card from context menu for Assigned Lives branch: 10 Then use a context menu for just added network card and using pop up window enter IP address and port of incoming stream (see picture below): In our case, it is UDP stream 224.1.5.10:1234 Finally, addition of needed streams to configuration: 11 Click on IP address of incoming stream and press Search in context menu – and you will get a list of all streams, incoming from this address. Checkmark needed streams and press Save. The next step is an addition of live streams to the channel (creation of the channel will reviewed in the next chapter 5.4): Right-click on a “Channel live inputs” and select stream(s) from context menu. NOTE: after any change in configurator you must press button Save and restart 12 VPlay server! The big advantage of this version of VPlay is an opportunity to test incoming stream when VPlay server is not running: Stop the service, select needed stream and press button Test (red arrows). If the server has been started and running, then it is possible to check how VPlay accepts an incoming signal: Use context menu for selected stream and option Preview (red arrows). This context menu also 13 allows you start/stop/restart stream or remove it at all. The result of the preview is on a picture below: This preview window has its own context menu with important feature – enable/disable audio during preview. FPS (circled in yellow) is also very useful in some cases. 2. Addition of AV signal. Addition of AV signal is very similar to addition of IP signal from with the only difference –for AV signal you will need a capture card, compatible with VPlay. In addition, usually AV signal needs more settings than IP stream. Click on branch Assigned Lives and select needed video card input from the context menu and drop down list. Complete all settings for the card input (they are driven by the type of the card and not shown here): 14 Then you will be able to preview AV signal, using the same techniques as for IP stream. 15 5.4 Channel setup First, create a channel itself. Click on branch VPlay channels and select Add Channel from the context menu: 16 Select work folder for the channel, if it has been created beforehand, or create it on-a-fly: Once the channel has been setup (in our example test 2), three sub-branches will be created for the channel: 17 1. Channel live inputs – for addition to the channel of Live streams, earlier registered with Assigned Live branch (reviewed in a previous chapter 5.3); 2. GPIO – for managing of secondary events; 3. Outputs – channel outputs. They will be reviewed later in corresponding chapters. Now, we are done with the building of entire Channel branch, so let us review settings in Property panel. Since there are many self-explicable options, let us stop on those, which are either non-intuitive or very important: 18 1. Channel playout mode – allows designating broadcast mode; server will start and will work in this mode until you switch to a different mode (it will be explained in a chapter Channel Manager). 2. Select video adapter – deploys resources of PC’s video card, what allows increasing efficiency of encoding and setting up more channels for a given server.