Visual Circuits Mantis Media Gateway User Manual Download

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Mantis

Media Gateway

™

User Manual

Summary of Contents for Mantis Media Gateway

Page 1: ...Mantis Media Gateway User Manual...

Page 2: ...trade names by their respective companies Focus Enhancements 1999 2005 All rights reserved No portion of this manual may be copied by any means without the prior consent of Focus Enhancements Focus E...

Page 3: ...intain a minimum of 1 inch 2 5 cm clearance on the top and sides 4 Installation of the Mantis in a rack without sufficient airflow can be unsafe 5 If installed in a rack the rack should safely support...

Page 4: ...the supply circuits and or wiring CAUTION If using a power strip or similar supply make sure the power requirements of the chassis plus the cumulative power draw of any other equipment in the rack do...

Page 5: ...circuit and or wiring 4 When installing consider the location or locations of the Mantis players in relation to other devices located in an adjacent rack Ensure that the Mantis air intake is not draw...

Page 6: ...f explosion if the battery is incorrectly replaced A lithium battery on the product provides backup power for the device s timekeeping capability The battery has an estimated life expectancy of ten ye...

Page 7: ...likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his or her own expense The Mantis complies with Part 15 EN61000 3 2 of the FCC rules Operati...

Page 8: ...gned 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 env...

Page 9: ...ntrol Buttons 10 Encoding Requirements and Recommendations 15 Standard Definition SD Encoding Requirements 15 SD Encoding Recommendations 16 High Definition HD Encoding Requirements 19 HD Encoding Rec...

Page 10: ...39 Using the Playlist Editor 42 Using the Schedule Editor 50 Using the Player Control Panel 61 Diagnostics 62 System Settings 71 HTTP Auto Update Settings 89 USB Devices 90 Multicast Settings 94 Smart...

Page 11: ...128 Log Default Playlist 128 Maximum Log File Size 129 Uploading Log Files 129 External Control Commands 131 Overview 131 Connecting via RS232 131 Connecting via TCP IP 132 Hyper Terminal Basics 133 V...

Page 12: ...splay Commands 154 osdLoadBMP 154 osdShow 156 osdHide 157 osdSetXYMix 158 Media Calls 159 mpgDir 159 mpgDelete 159 Information Calls 160 infoGetFile 160 infoGetPlaylist 161 infoGetSchedule 162 infoGet...

Page 13: ...ti Track Jump Reverse JR 185 Display Control DS 186 Frame Number Request F 187 Time Code Request T 188 Chapter Number Request C 189 Player Active Mode Request P 190 Mantis Model Request X 191 External...

Page 14: ...eventing Cabling and Connection Problems 203 Front Panel Display Error Messages 204 Bad FPL FSC 204 Bad FTP Dir 204 Bad IP Address 204 Bad User Pass 204 Cant List Media 204 Cant List Scripts 204 Downl...

Page 15: ...with Media Messenger and WebView software Mantis media players deliver scheduled live or interactive playback in almost any media format while supporting independent output whether in high or standard...

Page 16: ...d system log storage Smart Card for configuration and security Networking and Control 10 100 Mbps Ethernet SNMP Satellite and terrestrial multicast support Content updating via FTP or HTTP manual or a...

Page 17: ...in to a power source 2 Connect video and audio cables to the backplane following the appropriate Mantis connections guide on the following page 3 Connect the video and audio cables from the Mantis to...

Page 18: ...uring video output types see the Video menu in System Settings which is accessible from the front panel or WebView see Video Settings on page 73 Numbering of Channels and Expansion Card Slots Manits e...

Page 19: ...ne Video Audio Connections Video VGA Cable Figure 2 Vide VGA Cable CVBS Reserved for future use Component S video Analog Audio Out Left and Right Connectors Ch 1 Ch 2 Reserved for future use Reserved...

Page 20: ...stereo audio connection for Channel 1 connect a RCA M phono ended audio cable to the corresponding Audio Outputs Left 1 and Right 1 Repeat for Channel 2 To create a S PDIF digital audio connection for...

Page 21: ...ing a Laptop or PC Ethernet Connect the computer directly to the Mantis using an Ethernet crossover cable or Connect using standard Ethernet cables and a hub or switch Serial Use a null modem cable RS...

Page 22: ...e Mantis features and functions For information about the control buttons and display Front Panel on page 8 For information about changing TCP IP settings see Step 1 Connect to the Network on page 31...

Page 23: ...computer has an ASCII generating control program such as Hyper Terminal The parameters are Serial port 1 9600 Bps Echo typed letters locally Use the following Visual Circuits commands to configure th...

Page 24: ...3 Front View Mantis MG Menu Control Buttons The Front Panel Buttons provide the standard type of controls found on many DVD and VCR devices CD DVD Drive Smart Card Slot Menu Control Buttons Control Di...

Page 25: ...ENU SELECT and you go up one menu level Changing System Settings The Front Panel Display menu interface provides two methods for changing system settings changing a menu option choice and changing a m...

Page 26: ...esired option Press the Down Arrow to proceed to the next level of selections Press Menu Select to set selection An asterisk star appears Use either the Exit or Up Arrow to return to a higher level in...

Page 27: ...evel of selections Open the player menu tree by pressing the Menu Select button Use the Right Arrow to find the Date Time option Use the Up and Down Arrows to find the correct number Use the Right Arr...

Page 28: ...14...

Page 29: ...nly e audio only 2 Use 4 2 0 encoding 3 With MPEG 2 both audio and video fields must be encoded This is the normal default 4 Audio only Dolby Digital or MPEG Layer 2 files cannot be mixed with files c...

Page 30: ...he test files using the original source tapes to confirm audio level This allows for calibration of the encoding system by obtaining a standard audio level 4 Program stream files should have one end c...

Page 31: ...ment compensates for some SMPTE information that may be lost during compression Sample testing should be done with all SMPTE tracks because not all encoders respond in the same way 10 For reference an...

Page 32: ...ill images or computer based graphics hardware based encoding systems are preferred However if a software encoder is needed we recommend encoders such as DVMPEG www darvision com Multiplexing a blank...

Page 33: ...hannel Layer II 3 Audio sampling rate of 48 kHz 4 Frequency response is 20 Hz 20 kHz 5 db 5 Audio output level up to 4v p p 6 Audio output impedance 620 Ohms 7 When creating a playlist of videos all f...

Page 34: ...there is no audio present on the source tape This will standardize all MPEG files and provide easy future management of video content 4 It is recommended that files be at least 30 seconds in length 5...

Page 35: ...the HD playback monitor is running vertically as opposed to standard horizontal positioning Focus Enhancements Focus Enhancements does not provide technical support for parties doing their own softwar...

Page 36: ...22...

Page 37: ...ancements and updates are released they are made available as upgrades to the Smart Card Saving and Loading System Setting Configurations The Smart Card facilitates easy setup and configuration of mul...

Page 38: ...ive Inserting the Smart Card To insert the Smart Card 1 Orient the card so that the label is facing up and the arrow points into the Smart Card reader slot 2 Insert the card into the reader until the...

Page 39: ...ve Config button The Mantis saves its system settings to the Smart Card Using the Front Panel To save the current configuration of system settings to the Smart Card 1 Press the MENU SELECT button 2 Us...

Page 40: ...onfig button The Mantis loads the configuration data from the Smart Card Using the Front Panel To load the system settings configuration from the Smart Card 1 Press the MENU SELECT button 2 Use the Le...

Page 41: ...Troubleshooting section for more information Storing the Smart Card The Smart Card is a digital medium storage device and as such should be handled and stored using common ESD procedures If the Smart...

Page 42: ...28...

Page 43: ...sts and schedules back and forth between the Mantis and the host computer 2 Media Review page 39 Use this file management application to review directory contents preview video and graphic content and...

Page 44: ...t frame timecode and file type c Playback Provides data flow information by channel such as interrupts last sync and disk and data underflows d Logging Mantis provides two types of logging Run and Dia...

Page 45: ...with the web browser must be on a common network For information specific to your network contact your Network Administrator Security Warning If using WebView over the Internet the user s network mus...

Page 46: ...P address use the Menu Control Buttons on the Mantis front panel 1 Press MENU SELECT to display the main menu 2 Press the Down arrow once to select Player Settings 3 Use the RIGHT arrow to find Networ...

Page 47: ...6 Press the Down arrow to go to mode level 7 Use the Right arrow to select DHCP 8 Press the Down arrow to display the dynamic IP address assigned to the Mantis 9 Record the IP address 10 Press EXIT r...

Page 48: ...30 characters All Mantis ship from the factory with the default user name of firefly and the default password 123456 If the defaults do not work contact your Network Administration for the correct use...

Page 49: ...ccess to WWW Main Menu Workspace changes according application in use Warning Only Use WebView Main Menu Buttons Do not use the Internet Explorer History function or its Backward Forward navigation bu...

Page 50: ...g fields Media 1 through 6 to locate and identify the files to transfer The WebView browse function provides the ability to search local and network hard drives for needed files Do Not Close or Change...

Page 51: ...portion of the page where the Visual Circuits logo normally appears The length of time required for the transfer depends on the size of the files and the transfer rate of the network Transfers can tak...

Page 52: ...necessary to edit the file and convert it to the 24 bit bmp prior to transferring it to the Mantis Webview Software Update 1 Download the Webview Update file upd from Visual Circuits web site and sav...

Page 53: ...e on the Mantis preview video and graphic overlay media and delete media from the Mantis By default the data displayed are video overlay playlist and schedule Figure 5 WebView Media Review Page If an...

Page 54: ...ently stored on the Mantis To review a file 1 Select the tab that represents the file type 2 Select the file from the list on the right The media review box on the left displays Maximum storage capaci...

Page 55: ...es at the same time use the standard Windows Shift Control method The media review box on the left displays the name of the file and its size in MBs In cases where several files are selected all of th...

Page 56: ...ng graphic overlays associated with specific videos The graphic overlay feature provides an effective way to display a company logo sale sign or other static image bmp jpg gif tga or png over a video...

Page 57: ...ed on the center buttons panel Removing Videos from a Playlist To remove video files from the playlist 1 Select the video s in the Video listbox 2 Click on the button located on the center buttons pan...

Page 58: ...us it is possible to Shuffle videos on a single or multiple channels Adding Graphic Overlays to a Playlist Adding a graphic overlay file to a playlist is similar to the process for adding video files...

Page 59: ...erties see the next section for details on this 5 Click the OK button The graphic overlay now appears across from its associated video in the Overlay list Working With Graphic Overlays in a Playlist W...

Page 60: ...lay Filename drop down menu to locate and select the graphic overlay from the Mantis Media list 8 Select a level of transparency between 0 and 100 Transparency is the extent that the graphic overlay a...

Page 61: ...ure that all existing graphic overlays for a given playlist always appear in the lower right corner set the screen position attribute to right bottom and check the Apply to All box to the right of tha...

Page 62: ...heck mark in the Load this playlist now check box found below the Mantis Media list the modified playlist begins playing as soon as it is saved The box is not check marked the playlist is saved but pl...

Page 63: ...To play a playlist at once click the Play button located in the lower right portion of the Playlist Editor screen This overwrites the original playlist file using the same file name and begins designa...

Page 64: ...ining which playlist or lists are in the schedule and setting the playlist s playback properties In addition the Video Dates Editor permits the setting of specific start and stop dates for individual...

Page 65: ...tes time to start playing playlist Example I d like to have my playlist start playing at 9 00 Stop Time Designates time to stop playing playlist Example I d like to have my playlist stop playing at 18...

Page 66: ...elow a Playlist Name Choose a playlist from the Select a Playlist drop down menu b Start Time Set the specific start time for the playlist using the number keys on your keyboard c Stop Time Set the sp...

Page 67: ...se to have a playlist played back only once regardless of Start Stop time settings that would permit looping g Interval Use the number keys on the keyboard to enter a periodic time interval HH MM This...

Page 68: ...mples for using the Video Dates Editor Start Stop Description 03 01 05 Start date with no stop date Example I want my product demonstration video available to playlists the day the product is released...

Page 69: ...dates These dates must be in numerical format 5 Repeat steps 2 through 4 to add date rules to additional videos if desired 6 When the date rules are completed save using the instructions found in Sav...

Page 70: ...the event to delete 3 Manually clear all of the event s properties including any date rules set in the Video Dates Editor 4 In the Playlist Name drop down menu choose Select a Playlist When done this...

Page 71: ...the filename click OK to save the modified schedule and to return to the Schedule Editor main page If there is a check mark in the Load schedule now checkbox found below the Mantis Media list the mod...

Page 72: ...ng files to other Mantis players doing backing ups To perform a local save 1 Click on the Save Local button at the bottom of the Schedule Editor screen An XML page appears displaying the file to be sa...

Page 73: ...a local load 1 Click on the Load Local button at the bottom of the Schedule Editor screen The following dialog box will appears Figure 15 WebView Load Local Browse Dialog Box 2 Click the Browse butto...

Page 74: ...ting the Schedule Editor At any point while working in the Schedule Editor you may exit by clicking on any of the menu navigation buttons on the left side of the screen However any unsaved changes mad...

Page 75: ...w These controls work on a channel by channel basis The controls Previous and Next provide for moving between playlists immediately before and after the list that is playing Figure 16 WebView Player C...

Page 76: ...ayback When an optional feature is installed a diagnostic page for that feature appears too By default clicking on the Diagnostics displays the Mantis Diagnostics General page This page provides basic...

Page 77: ...plays the file name of the currently loaded video on this channel Video loaded on Chan 4 Displays the file name of the currently loaded video on this channel Last CD DVD Update Displays the date and t...

Page 78: ...number of the channel monitored Horizontal Size Width of image in pixels Vertical Size Height of image in pixels Video Bitrate Rate of video bits transfer Kbps at time of monitoring Audio Bitrate Rate...

Page 79: ...individual frames or images displayed per second Current Frame The frame ID number for frame currently displayed Time Code Date time stamp for frame identified in Current Frame File Type Format of fi...

Page 80: ...yback was interrupted during the play period AV Syncs Number of times the decoder has had to adjust the audio video synchronization during the playback period Last Sync Timecode for the last time an A...

Page 81: ...ion see Encoding Requirements and Recommendations on page 15 Data Underflow The flow of data to the decoder cache has slowed and the decoder may not be able to efficiently decode and transmit frames T...

Page 82: ...ed Auto Refresh instructs the system automatically to update the log file with current data at regular intervals Refer to Uploading Log Files on page 129 for information on setting up the Mantis logfi...

Page 83: ...log includes FTP DVD Updating data Tracks date time of connection disconnection errors yes no files sizes percent transferred and FTP permission errors Storage Cleanup data Records what media files h...

Page 84: ...Use the Prev or Next links to move to the previous or next pages To view diagnostic data for a specific time of day entering either hours minutes and or seconds in the time boxes and click the Go butt...

Page 85: ...w System Settings General Site ID The Site ID uniquely identifies the Mantis as it updates via FTP or CD DVD ROM It is also used for Media Messenger software to enable automated management of the Mant...

Page 86: ...n which the Mantis operates The time zone is measured in hours and minutes plus or minus Greenwich Mean Time Version The current version of the Mantis software Uptime This value indicates how long the...

Page 87: ...g option channel Video Standards NTSC PAL NTSC cropped PAL cropped Scan Method RGB Modes 800 x 600 x 60 480p 640 x 480 x 50 1024 x 768 x 60 576p 800 x 600 x 50 1280 x 1024 x 60 720p 1024 x 768 x 50 16...

Page 88: ...Configuration NTSC and PAL Cropped When HD video plays on a non HD display a black border appears around the image Setting Video to a cropped option expands the image to fill the screen In the process...

Page 89: ...n a channel by channel basis For MPEGs with standard layer 2 audio setting channel audio to Dolby Digital the default turns on both the S PDIF and analog stereo outputs In this configuration MPEGs con...

Page 90: ...xternal Control Commands on page 131 Accept UDP Enable or disable the User Datagram Protocol As with Accept TCP IP caution is necessary in using this protocol For security reasons Accept TCP IP is fac...

Page 91: ...or the appropriate channel Baud Rate Select an identical value to your external controller The following options are available 1200 4800 9600 38400 115200 It is recommended starting with a baud rate o...

Page 92: ...nts address conflicts and helps conserve the use of client IP addresses on the network DHCP uses a client server model where the DHCP server maintains centralized management of IP addresses that are u...

Page 93: ...ated subnet will be larger than the range that you specified To avoid this specify a range that falls on subnet boundaries For example if you are using the 10 0 0 0 private network ID for your intrane...

Page 94: ...System Settings Network NTP Client Configuration Enable NTP Network Time Protocol NTP must be enabled and set At regular intervals the NTP synchronizes the internal clocks of all systems on a local n...

Page 95: ...machine to control the Mantis set to a specific IP address for example 192 168 0 100 To allow a group of machines to control the Mantis set the IP to a range 192 168 0 0 SNMP Netmask Designates the N...

Page 96: ...trols allows the Mantis to send diagnostic messages to a SNMP trap daemon operating on a client or a SNMP trap server Mantis does not require a trap server to use SNMP trapping see Engine ID for detai...

Page 97: ...information Priv Passphrase It provides authentication and encryption on SNMP information Software Watchdog Enabling permits the Mantis to send watchdog events for all channels Playlist Content Missi...

Page 98: ...with which graphic overlays if applicable starting at what dates times playing back what percentage of the video and for how long Diagnostic Log Turns On or Off the Diagnostic log which makes a record...

Page 99: ...mum size MB that a log file may become The default value is 10 MB Keep this value relatively small if maintaining a large amount of free space for videos and graphic overlays If there is not enough re...

Page 100: ...Mantis directly with an FTP client Username Enter at least 6 but no more than 15 alphanumeric characters here This field is case sensitive Password Enter at least 6 but no more than 15 alphanumeric c...

Page 101: ...ars this field Username Enter the FTP server username Leave this blank if no username is present Password Enter the FTP server password Leave this blank if no user password is present Directory Leave...

Page 102: ...it is necessary to update multiple players and it is necessary to use the Delete Content function there are two methods to consider a Because Delete Content does not touch files in other directories...

Page 103: ...Leave this blank Use the home directory of the HTTP account to place media playlists schedules and or updates folders In the case where multiple Mantis with different content are used directories may...

Page 104: ...nable if dialup is required Setting Mantis IP Address when Accessing Network via USB When using the USB port to access a network acquire an IP address it is necessary to go to the USB Network window t...

Page 105: ...e Timeout Set time limit for how long the connection may be idle before timing out Connect Type Permits setting method for connecting to USB network Set to Use Fixed Time if using an automated connect...

Page 106: ...the USB server Auth Type Select the type of authentication protocol used Server Address IP address of USB dialup server if Mantis is client Client Address IP address of client if Mantis is server Use...

Page 107: ...stem Settings USB Devices Configuration Network Node Enter node ID for the USB server IP Address Enter the USB server s IP Address Netmask Enter the USB server s netmask Gateway If a gateway is used e...

Page 108: ...lticast Updating on page 117 Allow ICMP Internet Control Message Protocol Set to allow ICMP if using a gateway Channel Like presets you can assign a Channel number for each Listen configuration This a...

Page 109: ...amount of the Mantis internal storage space for receiving a multicast update To determine this value estimate the largest multicast update likely to be received i e 1000 MBs Next double that amount t...

Page 110: ...ings and changes any necessary system settings according to the configuration stored on the Smart Card Save Config Permits saving the current Mantis configuration with all its system settings to the S...

Page 111: ...f the problem continues Merge Playlists The behavior of the Merge Playlists feature depends on which mode the Mantis is operating in Single Playlist vs Schedule When in Single Playlist mode the existi...

Page 112: ...te procedure appears to be lagging use this control to set the Mantis to a specific network media content combination The observed increase in update performance depends on actual network configuratio...

Page 113: ...management and control of the media players from a central location To manage and control a Mantis network use the Visual Circuits Media Messenger software Media Messenger is a suite of tools for the...

Page 114: ...ntis media players and update method Bandwidth of communication to each media player Playback programming scripted show controller combined Creation of MPEG2 videos pre production post production Serv...

Page 115: ...via FTP Media Messenger CD DVD Creator for creating Media Update Discs for global or site specific content distribution Benefits Provides centralized management of a network of Mantis media players C...

Page 116: ...102...

Page 117: ...discs using common CD DVD writing programs no special applications are required Once videos are copied to the Mantis playback begins automatically FTP HTTP Multicast Auto Update page 113 Use the netwo...

Page 118: ...not a valid update disc the Mantis ignores it and does nothing 2 Determines best method to process the update content see below 3 Uses the updating routine order to determine what type of file it must...

Page 119: ...to the playlist parsing routine see next page 2 If the Mantis does not detect an update packet with a name matching the site ID it searches for a generic package file with the filename of firefly tar...

Page 120: ...s the list to determine which MPEG video files it needs The Mantis then checks its own storage to determine if any of these videos are already present Any files that are not present already present an...

Page 121: ...he oldest and determines if they are used by any of the incoming playlists If the MPEG file is not used the Mantis deletes it 6 System Update Check After the Mantis finishes its content update routine...

Page 122: ...upd file is found Mantis takes no further action Content Log Once every 24 hours the media player creates a content log that lists all of the content files stored on the player This log is an ASCII d...

Page 123: ...uits Media Messenger application and CD DVD writer software Media Messenger generates an update packet file tar which can be copied to a CD DVD using any standard CD DVD writing program such as Nero o...

Page 124: ...s the disc automatically Conversion of Graphics Files to 24 bit Format When WebView makes a copy of a jpg gif tif tga or non 256 color bmp image file to the Mantis it converts the file to a standard 2...

Page 125: ...ed computer with a CD or DVD writer 1 A Drop Go disc must contain 4 root level directories with the names channel 1 channel 2 channel 3 and channel 4 These names are not case sensitive Moreover the na...

Page 126: ...back of the new content begins 6 Manually eject the Drop Go disc Mantis Cleanup Routine When writing MPEG files to its internal storage the Mantis runs a cleanup routine to insure that there is enough...

Page 127: ...om a LAN requires the use of a proxy server and fire wall permissions FTP Server FTP servers are programs that reside on a PC and may be Windows Unix or Linux based A FTP server monitors users that lo...

Page 128: ...ies for updating All media files are posted in the Login directory unless the Directory control in the FTP Auto Update settings is used see Directory on page 87 in which case the Mantis changes that d...

Page 129: ...ID of the Mantis is location1 the Mantis looks for a file location1 tar When the Mantis finds the file it copies it and then progresses to the playlist parsing routine see page 106 However if the Mant...

Page 130: ...le size does the Mantis copy it and overwrite the pre existing file see page 106 for file size criteria Once all of the required video files are copied from the FTP site the Mantis begins playing the...

Page 131: ...ved the licensing and all multicast functionality is disabled It is necessary for the Smart Card to be in the card reader for the application to work For more information about Smart Card see Smart Ca...

Page 132: ...sary content by using the standardized site ID naming convention for the scripts used see Overview of the Update Process on page 104 for more information Script Last Mode 1 In Script Last Mode individ...

Page 133: ...the multicast client listens to The value must be a Class D multicast address which typically starts with 224 xxx xxx xxx Because some addresses may be reserved see below consult the network administr...

Page 134: ...ng a multicast update To determine this value you will need to estimate the largest multicast update you will ever receive example 1000 MBs Then double that amount example 1000 MBs x 2 2000 MBs to all...

Page 135: ...e used to manually update the media on your Mantis Use any standard CD DVD writing program and CD DVD writer to create a disc 1 Copy MPEG and graphic overlay files to a folder on the PC with the CD DV...

Page 136: ...ith the Mantis Using a program such as FlashFXP the local PC hard drive or computer network appears on the left pane with the Mantis appearing on the right Security Warning The File Access feature is...

Page 137: ...om the Mantis to a PC or network Uploading files from a PC or network drive to the Mantis Caution While using an FTP client keep in mind that you will be able to view and access special system file su...

Page 138: ...124...

Page 139: ...available are Run and Diagnostic They can be run singly or together The settings for log file reporting are in the System Settings menu which is accessible via WebView or the system front panel see L...

Page 140: ...ck of any associated graphic overlays Channels on which playback occurred Starting dates and times Percentage of the video played back Duration of play Typical uses for Run Logs are to Verify playback...

Page 141: ...torage Cleanup This record notes what files have been deleted by the automatic storage cleanup routine and include their filenames sizes and dates Missing Elements This record lists all missing media...

Page 142: ...01 01 percent 100 Diagnostic Logs The format of a Diagnostic Log is in a time event per line format DTDs Document Type Definition To import data from a log file into a database use one of the DTDs av...

Page 143: ...og file In addition files are deleted after they are transferred to the FTP server or downloaded from the Mantis player Uploading Log Files The Mantis offers the ability to access its log files locall...

Page 144: ...130 Download to Local Computer The Media Messenger application provides the ability to download and access the Mantis log files on a local computer Refer to the Media Messenger User Manual for details...

Page 145: ...ayback Any standard show control system or ASCII generating control program may be used For RS232 it is recommended to use a null modem cable For TCP IP connections consult the control device specific...

Page 146: ...anyone on the network to send commands to the Mantis if they know its network address The TCP IP ethernet connector is located on the back of the Mantis to the right of the RS232 connector 2 Configure...

Page 147: ...n and verify that COM 1 is enabled in the computer s BIOS Verify that no other application is using COM 1 c After establishing the connection select the File Properties Settings Tab ASCII Setup button...

Page 148: ...pl It is not necessary to include the fpl extension once 0 loads the playlist endlessly default 1 loads the playlist once through and then stops Filename Conventions The Mantis provides three interfac...

Page 149: ...ands is that Playlistplay starts playback automatically whereas Playlistload only loads the playlist and then requires the mpgPlayall command to start playback Playlistload provides precise control of...

Page 150: ...re stored locally on the player no storage path designation is required Syntax mpgLoad 0 channel videoname Parameters channel The channel on the media player 0 3 videoname The storage path and video n...

Page 151: ...l path and video name of the MPEG file to load See description for mpgLoad Return Values This command returns ACK to indicate that the file was loaded successfully or NAK to indicate that the file cou...

Page 152: ...e path designation is required This command loops the file indefinitely Syntax mpgLoaddef 0 channel videoname Parameters channel The channel on the media player 0 3 videoname The storage path and vide...

Page 153: ...aylist Syntax mpgLoadNextdef 0 channel videoname Parameters channel The channel on the media player 0 3 videoname The full path and video name of the MPEG file to load See description for mpgLoad Retu...

Page 154: ...defined by mpgLoadDef and mpgLoadNextDef and the playlist loaded by the media player at startup Syntax mpgClearDef 0 channel Parameters channel The channel on the media player 0 3 Return Values This...

Page 155: ...oaded using the mpgLoad command Syntax mpgPlay 0 channel Parameters channel The channel on the media player 0 3 Return Values This command returns ACK if playback was started successfully or NAK if pl...

Page 156: ...3 Return Values This command returns ACK if playback was stopped successfully or NAK if playback could not be stopped e g no file currently playing Remarks The MPEG must have been started with mpgPlay...

Page 157: ...ack on all channels on all installed cards Syntax mpgPlayAll Parameters None Return Values This command returns ACK to indicate that playback started successfully or NAK to indicate that playback did...

Page 158: ...arameters None Return Values This command returns ACK to indicate that all channels stopped successfully or NAK indicates that all channels did not stop Unlike other APIs from Visual Circuits once a f...

Page 159: ...playback is independent of whether the video is muted with mpgBlack or not The videos continue to play underneath the black audio is unaltered and callbacks continue being sent normally If a playlist...

Page 160: ...mand To cover the video again use the mpgBlack command Syntax mpgUnblack 0 channel Parameters channel The channel on the media player 0 3 Return Values This command returns ACK if mpgUnblack started s...

Page 161: ...e a playlist that only plays once use the mpgLoad and mpgLoadNext commands as follows 1 call mpgClearDef to clear the old default playlist 2 call mpgLoad to specify the first file in the list 3 call m...

Page 162: ...list of files specified with these commands interrupts the default playlist and plays it once When the last specified file ends the default playlist resumes from the point where it was interrupted The...

Page 163: ...d enables the media player to update video content playlists schedules and software via an FTP server See FTP Update Process on page 115 for more information FireflyRestart This command restarts the e...

Page 164: ...o hwnd Syntax mpgCallback on Parameters on on 1 send callbacks default off Play Complete Callback Each time a file ends on a channel and another file is started a string is sent back to the controller...

Page 165: ...olumes independently The default volume level is 124 the lower the number the softer the volume Syntax mpgSetVolumeLeftRight 0 channel leftVolume rightVolume Parameters channel 0 based index of the ch...

Page 166: ...External Control Commands 152 mpgMute The mpgMute command turns off the audio Syntax mpgMute 0 channel Parameters channel 0 based index of the channel on the media player 0 3...

Page 167: ...External Control Commands 153 mpgUnMute The mpgUnMute command turns on the audio Syntax mpgUnMute 0 channel Parameters channel 0 based index of the channel on the media player 0 3...

Page 168: ...index of the channel on the media player 0 3 filename Path of BMP file XPos Position along x axis 1 to center horizontal 2 to align on the right edge YPos Position along y axis 1 to center vertical 2...

Page 169: ...the transparent color is completely transparent When it is 255 the transparent color is not transparent at all When it is a number in between the transparency level is also somewhere in between Use th...

Page 170: ...dShow command will display a previously loaded on screen BMP Syntax osdShow 0 channel Parameters channel 0 based index of the channel on the media player 0 3 Remarks The channel must first have an ima...

Page 171: ...ge which is currently being shown on the specified channel Syntax osdHide 0 channel Parameters channel 0 based index of the channel on the media player 0 3 Remarks The channel must first have an image...

Page 172: ...of the channel on the media player 0 3 XPos Position along x axis 1 to center horizontal 2 to align on the right edge YPos Position along y axis 1 to center vertical 2 to align on the bottom edge Mix...

Page 173: ...files on the media player Syntax mpgDir mpgDelete The mpgDelete command permanently removes a media file from the media player Syntax mpgDelete name Parameters name The full name of the media file vid...

Page 174: ...Control Commands 160 Information Calls infoGetFile The infoGetFile command returns the file playing on the specified channel Syntax infoGetFile 0 channel Parameters channel The channel on the media pl...

Page 175: ...External Control Commands 161 infoGetPlaylist The infoGetPlaylist command returns the current playlist Syntax infoGetPlaylist Parameters None...

Page 176: ...mmands 162 infoGetSchedule The infoGetSchedule command returns the current schedule or None if no schedule is in use Syntax infoGetSchedule Parameters None Returned Values Current schedule None If no...

Page 177: ...te The infoGetState command returns the current playback state on the specified channel Syntax infoGetState 0 channel Parameters channel The channel on the media player 0 3 Return Values STATE_PLAY ST...

Page 178: ...nistration tasks FireflySetDefault The FireflySetDefault command resets the media player network settings back to factory default state IP Address 10 0 1 1 Gateway 0 Netmask 255 255 255 0 Network Type...

Page 179: ...mmands 165 FireflySetIpAddr Use the FireflySetIpAddr command to change the IP Address of the media player Syntax fireflysetipaddr IP Address Parameters IP Address 32 bit address used to identify a pla...

Page 180: ...network gateway of the media player Syntax fireflysetgateway gateway Parameters Gateway A service that allows media player to connect to other NetWare servers Creating a gateway also allows client co...

Page 181: ...ternal Control Commands 167 FireflySetNetmask The FireflySetNetmask changes the Netmask parameter for the media player Syntax fireflysetnetmask netmask Parameters Netmask Defines a subnet boundary ran...

Page 182: ...ysetnetworktype 1 Parameters networktype 1 DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol A TCP IP service protocol that offers dynamic leased configuration of host IP addresses and distributes other config...

Page 183: ...reflySetWeb_Enable command offers the option to turn On or Off network communication to WebView Syntax fireflysetweb_enable 0 Parameter enable 0 enable 1 disable FireflyGetIpAddr The FireflyGetIpAddr...

Page 184: ...ol Commands 170 FireflyGetGateway The FireflyGetGateway command retrieves current setting Syntax fireflysetgateway FireflyGetNetmask The FireflyGetNetmask command retrieves current setting Syntax fire...

Page 185: ...orkType The FireflyGetNetworkType command retrieves the current setting Syntax fireflygetnetworktype FireflyGetWeb_Enable The FireflyGetWeb_Enable command retrieves the current setting Syntax fireflyg...

Page 186: ...ramming the show controller COM Port Settings Any serial device can control the Mantis manufacturers of these controllers include Crestron AMX Triad Alcorn McBride and Sky Skan This list of controller...

Page 187: ...the control device and the Mantis COM port settings are the same Field Setting Baud Rate 9600 Parity None Stop Bit 1 Data Bit 8 Field Setting Baud Rate Either 4800 or 1200 Parity Odd or Even Stop Bit...

Page 188: ...ld a channel experience problems the Mantis reports the specifics with an error code while the other healthy channels acknowledge command completion with R Error Codes The Mantis acknowledges a comman...

Page 189: ...s optional it is shown as address Address Arguments Some commands permit or require address arguments These arguments can be used to specify a position frame or timecode address within a video or an a...

Page 190: ...tes a time code value using the format HHMMSSFF within the video H Hour M Minute S Second F Frame For example TM1263212 refers to the point at 1 hour 26 minutes 32 seconds and 12 frames in the video T...

Page 191: ...nd it defines the point at which playback automatically pauses When the media player receives a PL command with an address while playback is in progress playback continues uninterrupted and the pause...

Page 192: ...0 seconds 0 frames and then pause 1 CH5PL CR Play channel 1 from the current file position until the head of chapter 5 is reached and then pause PL CR Start all channels playing from their current fil...

Page 193: ...If the specified playlist schedule is found on the hard disk then playback of the previous playlist schedule is halted and the new playlist schedule is loaded If Auto Play is enabled playback will au...

Page 194: ...tops playback and resets the file pointer to the head of the playlist equivalent to a stop button on a DVD or CD player Syntax RJ CR Response R CR Examples RJ CR Stops playback on all four channels an...

Page 195: ...he disc without actually beginning playback By transitioning from Stop to Pause the media player will give the control system the expected response if a status request is made later In all cases PA re...

Page 196: ...t video frame is held on screen If an ST command is received after a PA the effect will simply be to unmute the video output for the target channel s Likewise if a PA is received after an ST the effec...

Page 197: ...transitions to Still Mode until another command is received In the event that a search command is received with an out of range address value i e chapter number higher than the number of files in the...

Page 198: ...n In the event that a JF command is received with an out of range address value i e chapter number greater than the remaining number of files in the playlist the JF command will not be processed and t...

Page 199: ...current file in the playlist the JR command will not be processed and the error code E12 will be returned Examples 2 CH1JR Jumps channel 2 to the head of the current file and then transitions to stil...

Page 200: ...les the graphic overlay display 1 enables the channel status display and disables the graphic overlay display Any other value is invalid and returns an error code of NAK without changing the state of...

Page 201: ...framenumber CR Remarks This command can be global or channel specific If received as a global command the media player responds with the file position for all 4 channels in order 1 2 3 and 4 If a cha...

Page 202: ...cific If received as a global command the media player responds with the file position for all 4 channels in order 1 2 3 and 4 If a channel is specified only that channel s time code position is retur...

Page 203: ...ber CR Remarks This command can be global or channel specific If received as a global command the media player will respond with the playlist position for all 4 channels in order 1 2 3 and 4 If a chan...

Page 204: ...layer will respond with the mode for all 4 channels in order 1 2 3 and 4 If a channel is specified only that channel s mode is returned Examples Response P01 indicates channel is stopped P04 indicates...

Page 205: ...n the Mantis and the software version Syntax X CR Response channels V softwarever CR Remarks This command is always global and therefore should never include a target channel Examples Command Response...

Page 206: ...sGetIPAddr MantisGetGateway MantisGetNetmask MantisGetNetworkType MantisGetWeb_Enable mpgCallback Play Complete Callback mpgSetVolumeLeftRight osdLoadBMP osdShow osdHide osdSetXYMix genSetVideo genSet...

Page 207: ...the Mantis sometime before video playback normally occurs approx 30 sec 2 Press and hold the Menu Select key on the front panel 3 After the front panel display shows the message Checking Content Plea...

Page 208: ...ive function 1 Confirm power outlets are live by plugging in another electrical device 2 Verify that power cord is fully seated both at the outlet and to the Mantis player 3 Verify that the Mantis pow...

Page 209: ...ess any button on the front player For further instructions refer to Front Panel on page 10 4 Wait to see if the Mantis player automatically initiates playback 5 If the test file plays properly but th...

Page 210: ...formation about MG video and audio connections 2 Check the patch cable connections to ensure that they are firmly attached Be sure to tie down cables for proper strain relief Cables with no strain rel...

Page 211: ...mpatibility should MPEGs with audio video information be introduced at a later date 2 Use of Dolby Digital files Do not mix Dolby Digital files can with any other type of file on the same channel All...

Page 212: ...uneven tracks will result in poor performance Through digital editing MPEG 2 files can be de multiplexed i e separating the audio from video information The audio and video tracks can then be edited t...

Page 213: ...e encoding session was actually closed on the proper frame 2 Playing MPEG 1 and MPEG2 files back to back The resolution switch from MPEG1 files 342X240 to MPEG2 files 720X480 causes a latent image or...

Page 214: ...SMPTE time codes are not recognized properly Some SMPTE tracks loose information during compression and may not initiate events as required It is recommended to encode these tracks hot adding approxi...

Page 215: ...ystem checks to see that there is sufficient internal storage available to write the files to disk and have an additional safety margin of 300MB If this condition is met the copy continues If there is...

Page 216: ...e is a card in the slot this likely means either that The Visual Circuits Smart Card is inserted incorrectly The card in the slot is not a Visual Circuits Smart Card To force an ejection of the conten...

Page 217: ...ble For s video standard inexpensive cables allow operating distances of 5 7 meters Very little deterioration is apparent For component video RG 59 cables are suitable for up to 10 meters For longer d...

Page 218: ...Bad IP Address The FTP server at this address could not be located Verify the IP address and proxy settings with the network administrator Bad User Pass The FTP user name and password were not accepte...

Page 219: ...ddress is in the incorrect format Correct the IP address found in the FTP Auto Update Settings screen see FTP Auto Update Settings on page 87 Missing MPEG Overlay During CD DVD or FTP updating an MPEG...

Page 220: ...te a new TAR FPL and post it on the server following the naming and updating requirements found in FTP Updating on page 113 Proxy Settings The IP address of the proxy server is invalid Correct the pro...

Page 221: ...ters All materials shipped back to Focus Enhancements must be accompanied by a Return Materials Authorization RMA number Contact Focus Enhancements Technical Support to receive a RMA number Write the...

Page 222: ...208...

Page 223: ...and LDP protocol libraries Audio Stereo or Dolby Digital via S PDIF stereo analog MPEG Layers 1 2 3 Video MPEG 1 ISO 11172 MPEG 2 ISO 13818 2 Program transport and elementary streams NTSC PAL transco...

Page 224: ...Technical Specifications 210 Temperature Range 0o 40o Celsius continuous operation 0o 65o C short term Certification Regulation FCC Part 15 Class A CE Features Description...

Page 225: ...og 131 ATSC troubleshooting 196 audio bit rate 64 bit rate SD 16 cabling 203 connection 6 digital 6 Dolby Digital 15 197 filter out noise 200 frequency 64 line level 3 off 152 on 153 output impedance...

Page 226: ...stuttering video 197 CHx LDV playlist 175 cleanup routine 107 client multicast 94 USB devices 90 client enable 94 119 code security 98 color bars 17 command control audio 151 callback 150 Firefly syst...

Page 227: ...ill ST 182 communication error 174 component 74 component video 203 composite 74 203 configuration video card 74 configuration settings save 25 connecting audio cables 203 video cables 203 connections...

Page 228: ...channel monitored 64 video current frame 65 video file type 65 video frame rate 65 video image size H 64 video image size V 64 video time code 65 diagnostic log 69 84 DVD updating 127 error summary 12...

Page 229: ...ations 10 15 recommendations SD 16 requirements 10 15 requirements SD 15 SMPTE 17 encoding software Pixel Tools 20 Video Clippro 21 end code 16 error summary diagnostic log 127 error summary log 69 er...

Page 230: ...time 13 error messages 204 menu 12 system settings 11 video output 12 FTP auto update settings 94 client 123 date time last update 63 diagnostic log 127 directory 87 directory error 204 download fail...

Page 231: ...are version 63 hardware encoding service 21 HD see high definition 19 high definition encoding 19 high definition recommendations 20 host name 78 HTTP address 89 directory 89 port 89 proxy address 80...

Page 232: ...log 108 diagnostic logs 84 127 log default playlist 85 log format 85 max log MBs 85 run logs 84 126 upload 108 upload logs 85 uploading 129 WebView 68 log format 128 log content 108 logging default p...

Page 233: ...stream 15 transport stream 15 mpgCallback 150 mpgPlayall 135 mpgSetVolumeLeftRight 152 153 mtime 108 multicast client 94 client enable 94 119 delete channel 95 Fazzt 117 ICMP 94 KenCast 94 117 listen...

Page 234: ...lay 61 playlist 135 play a file 141 143 play button 49 playback a v sync 66 all channels 143 all channels resume 143 all channels start 143 all channels stop 144 all installed cards stop 144 audio dat...

Page 235: ...tting troubleshooting 204 type FTP 79 type HTTP 80 proxy address 206 proxy settings IP address invalid 206 PTS 15 Q quadrant display 199 queue file to play 139 R rate audio bit rate 64 frame 65 video...

Page 236: ...guration 23 saving settings using the front panel 25 settings configuration saving 25 using the front panel to load settings 26 using WebView to load settings 26 using WebView to save settings 25 SMPT...

Page 237: ...es 90 video 73 video output front panel display 12 WebView 86 system software updating 113 system starts 63 system stream MPEG1 15 system update check updating system 108 116 system uptime 72 T tar fi...

Page 238: ...86 204 V VCC control commands 134 version hardware 63 software 63 72 video bit rate 64 cabling 203 connections 5 content update 149 cover 145 dates 54 flashing 199 mode 3 moving on playlist 44 no pla...

Page 239: ...g files 68 logging 68 password 34 Player Control Panel 61 playlist editor 42 previewing media 39 reviewing media 39 schedule editor 50 settings 86 setup procedures 31 system settings 71 system setting...

Page 240: ...226...

Page 241: ......

Page 242: ...813 0053b 2005 Focus Enhancements...

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