Epiphan Video PEARL User guide

Epiphan Pearl

Pearl Rackmount

Pearl Rackmount Twin



UserGuide

Release 4.3.0

September 5, 2017

UG100-22

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For additional terms and conditions, please refer to additional sections in this document.

Thank you for choosing Epiphan!

At Epiphan Video (“Epiphan”), product function and quality are our top priority. We make every effort to make

sure that our products exceed your expectations.

Product feedback

Your feedback is important! We regularly contact our customers to ensure our products meet your

performance and reliability requirements. We strive to continually enhance our products to accommodate

your needs. Please let us know how you think we can improve our products by emailing your suggestions to

info@epiphan.com.

Specifications

Go to the Recording and Streaming Systems page of the Epiphan website to get the most recent product

specifications and additional information about Epiphan Pearl.

Warranty

All Epiphan Systems products are provided with a 100% return to depot warranty for one year from the date

of purchase.

Technical support

Epiphan’s products are backed by our professional support team. If you are having issues with your product,

please gather details about your system and contact our team by:

l Emailing support@epiphan.com

l Live chat via the link on our support site https://www.epiphan.com/support/

l Phone toll free at 1-877-599-6581 or call +1-613-599-6581

Be sure to include as much information about your problem as possible. Including:

l Problem description

l Details of the video or audio source (type, connection, resolution, refresh rate, etc.)

l Product serial number

l Product firmware version (if applicable, from web admin interface)

What's new in release 4.3.0?

Firmware 4.3.0 adds feature enhancements to Pearl and exciting new features to expand your creative video

production possibilities.

Firmware 4.3.0

Chroma keying

Combine multiple frames or images using chroma keying. Apply different backgrounds for visual effects or

lower thirds using titling software that produces chroma key output, like New Blue

TM

. Any image or video

source that you normally use with Pearl can be used with choma keying. From the custom layout editor, you

can apply chroma keying downstream across all custom layouts in a channel or to just a selected input source

for an upstream chroma key effect.

Text overlay and custom layout editor enhancements

Get creative with text overlays and add finesse to custom layouts. We added TrueType fonts, highlighting, and

support for multiple lines of text. Other enhancements to the custom layout editor give you greater flexibility

to change font sizes and to adjust the color, line spacing, and padding.

Clone channels and custom layouts

Set up multiple channels and custom layouts fast. Don't set up each new channel or custom layout from

scratch. Duplicate it with a simple click. You can easily create multiple custom layouts that have a common

logo or setting, like the same audio source. Just create one custom layout that has all the common elements

you want and duplicate it. Then tweak each layout to your specifications.

Clone recorders and recorder metadata

Easily duplicate a recorder you've setup in one channel to another channel with a simple click.

For single-channel recorders, the channel branding configuration information you enter now gets used as the

metadata. For multi-channel recorders, the title, author, and copyright metadata is combined from all your

channels, whereas it used to be taken from only the first channel.

AFU enhancements

We added new options to make it easier for you to manage your AFU recordings:

l Automatically create a folder for your recorded files using the channel or recorder name.

l Save recordings to a folder that's labeled using the Pearl serial number. Now you can apply the same

configuration preset to several Pearl systems and not have to worry about file name collisions at the

AFU server side.

Dashboard controls to start and stop individual live streams

You can now start and stop individual live streams in a custom channel using the Epiphan Live dashboard.

vi

Table of contents

What's new in release 4.3.0? iv

Table of contents vi

Start here 1

About this Guide 1

What is Pearl? 2

Using Pearl effectively 3

AV inputs 3

What's in the Box? 4

Front and back view 6

Pearl 7

Pearl Rackmount 9

Pearl Rackmount Twin 11

Tech specs 13

Quick start 17

Get started quickly with auto channels: 17

To view the auto channels: 18

Record the Channel 19

What’s Next? 20

Epiphan Live 21

Accessing Epiphan Live 22

Streaming, recording and monitoring using the Dashboard interface 24

Understanding the Dashboard interface 25

Configuring Dashboard panels for visual confidence monitoring 28

Monitoring video and audio sources 29

Configuring and monitoring video outputs 32

Controlling streaming and recording using Epiphan Live 35

Live switching using the Switcher interface 38

Understanding the Switcher interface 38

Switching while live streaming and recording 40

vii

Your Recordings 44

PART 1: Setup 46

Rackmount installation 47

The Admin panel 48

Connect to the Admin panel 48

Connect using the touch screen 48

Connect via DNS-based service discovery 49

Connect via the Epiphan discovery utility 51

Connect via persistent static IP address 53

User administration 54

User types and privileges 54

Set or change user passwords 57

Remove user passwords 59

Overcome lost passwords 60

Configure LDAP 60

Change the logged-in user 62

Restrict viewers by IPaddress 63

IPrestriction examples 65

Pearl's touch screen 67

Touchscreen overview 67

View system information 69

Channel monitoring 71

Individual channel monitoring 72

Grid-view channel monitoring 73

Pearl's audio jack 75

Control recording of individual channels 76

Control streaming of individual channels 78

One Touch streaming and recording control 79

Understand and use One Touch control 80

Specify channels and recorders for One Touch recording 82

viii

Specify channels for One Touch streaming 86

Customize how One Touch control is displayed 87

View AFU status 88

Configure the touch screen 91

Disable (or enable)the touch screen 91

Hide (or show) channel previews on the touch screen 92

Disable (or enable) system status on the touch screen 93

Block (or allow) configuration functions from the touch screen 94

Block (or allow) recording, streaming and switching from the touch screen 94

Set touch screen timeout 95

Configure touch screen PIN security code 96

View system information 98

Configure network settings 99

Verify IP Address and MAC address via the touch screen 99

Verify IP address and MAC address via the Admin panel 100

Configure DHCP 101

Configure a static IP address 103

Tether to a mobile network 107

Network ports used by Pearl 108

Perform network diagnostics 109

Configuration presets 112

Configuration presets overview 112

Configuration presets in action 113

Configuration groups 115

Create a configuration preset 117

Export and import configuration presets 118

Download a configuration preset 118

Import a configuration preset 119

Apply a configuration preset from the Admin panel 120

Apply a configuration preset using the touch screen 121

ix

Apply theFactory default configuration preset 125

Update a configuration preset 126

Delete a configuration preset 128

Configurationpreset considerations 129

Channel and recorder index number behavior 129

Recording and streaming states 130

Recorded files (in channels and recorders) 130

Deleting channels 131

Branding content 131

Configuration presets are not user profiles 132

Touch screen considerations 132

Configure date and time 133

Verify date and time via the touch screen 133

Verify date and time settings 134

Configure synchronized time (NTP, PTP v1 and RDATE) 135

Configure the date and time manually 136

Change the time zone 137

Configure a local NTP server 137

Video output ports 138

Important information about DisplayPort converters 139

Show a channel on the video output port 141

Show a source on the video output port 143

Select a resolution for the video output port 144

Preview the video output port 145

View the video output port status 146

Disable the video output port 148

Disable or enable the audio on the video output port 148

Configure the audio meter 149

Rename a video output port 150

PART 2: Capture 152

x

What is a channel? 153

Channels 154

Use the automatic channels Auto A and Auto B 154

Know which signal is used for Auto-A or Auto-B 155

Configure auto channels 156

Create a simple channel 157

Create a custom channel 162

Custom channel layout editor 163

Custom channel examples 167

Create a custom channel or layout 170

Add a video source (custom channel) 172

Add an audio source (custom channel) 176

Custom crop a source 177

Configure chroma keying 179

To upload an image 200

Add an image (custom channel) 202

Add a text overlay (custom channel) 206

Set the background color (custom channel) 212

Resize and position layout items using percents or pixels (custom channel) 213

Rename a layout (custom channel) 220

Delete, move, or duplicate a layout (custom channel) 221

Delete an uploaded image 223

Configure encoding 224

Configure video codec 224

Configure frame size 226

Fine tune stream settings 228

Configure audio codec 230

Codec and file format compatibility 232

Multi-Encoding 232

Add channel metadata 234

xi

Add channel metadata 234

Remove metadata from a channel 235

Preview a channel 236

Preview a channel from the Info page 236

Preview a channel from the Status page 237

Preview all channels at once 237

Rename a channel 238

Duplicate a channel 239

Delete a channel 240

Live video mixing / switching 241

Switching / mixing using the touch screen 241

Switching / mixing using the Admin panel 244

Switching / mixing using Epiphan Live 245

What is a source? 248

Video sources 248

Audio sources 249

Connect a source 250

Connect an RTSP source 251

List of tested RTSP-based IP cameras 254

List of fully supported Web cameras 256

Connect an AV.io video grabber 256

Preview a source 257

Configure a source 258

DVIand HDMIsignals 259

VGA signals (coming in via DVI port) 259

SDI signals 262

USB signals 263

RTSP sources 265

Add a No Signal image to a source 265

Rename a source 266

xii

Adjust audio gain (analog audio) and delay 267

Confirm audio levels (via the touch screen) 270

Troubleshoot capture 272

Remove black bars (matte) from the video 272

Match the output frame size to the aspect ratio of the source signal 273

Stretch the image 275

Force the capture card to use a specific EDID 275

Upload a new EDID 275

Restore factory default EDID 277

Unstretch the output video 278

Video not centered (VGAsources only) 279

Remove the combing effect on images 281

Video looks squished (VGA sources only) 282

Video too bright, too dark or washed out (VGAsources only) 283

PART 3: Stream 285

What is streaming? 286

Choose a streaming option 286

Supported streaming formats 287

Stream to viewers 288

Stream content using HTTPor RTSP 288

Configure HTTP and RTSP streaming ports 290

Stream content using HLS(HTTP Live Streaming) 291

Send stream URLs to viewers 292

View the Flash stream 293

View your broadcast using the View link on the Info menu 293

View your broadcast using the Live broadcast link on the Status page 294

Viewing with a web browser 296

Viewing with a media player (RTSP) 297

Disable (and enable) streams for viewers 298

Restrict access to streams for viewers 299

xiii

Restrict viewers by IPaddress 300

IPrestriction examples 302

Allow list with distinct IP addresses 302

Allow list with a range of IP addresses 302

Allow list with a range of IP addresses and one or more specific IP addresses 302

Deny list with distinct IP addresses 303

Allow list with a range of IP addresses, distinct IP addresses and an exception 303

Deny list with a range of IP addresses 304

Stream to a server 305

Stream to a CDN 306

Start and stop streaming to a CDN 307

To stream content to a CDN using RTSP announce 312

To stream content to a CDN using RTMP push 313

Stream to a CDN using an XML profile 315

Stream to Wowza Streaming Cloud 316

Stream to Original Livestream 319

Stream content using multicast 321

MPEG-TS streams using RTP/UDP push 321

MPEG-TS streams using UDP push 323

Multicast streaming using RTP/UDP 325

Viewing with Session Announcement Protocol (SAP) 326

Stream to a media player or smart TV 328

Stream content using UPnP 328

Enable UPnP 329

Disable UPnP 333

Viewing with UPnP 334

Play directly to a media player 335

Auto-restart playback to a UPnPdevice 335

Change UPnPdevice name 336

Samples of stream settings 337

xiv

Streaming video content 337

Streaming slide content 337

PART 4: Record 339

What is a recording? 340

Recording basics 340

Record a channel via the Admin panel 341

Record channels and recorders (using One Touch control) 343

Record a channel via Epiphan Live 345

Record a channel via the touch screen 346

Configure recording file size and type 348

Restart recording 351

Recorders 353

Add a recorder 353

Change the channels recorded by a recorder 354

Record with a recorder (using the admin panel) 355

Record a recorder (using One Touch control) 357

Record a recorder (using Epiphan Live) 358

Rename a recorder 359

Duplicate a recorder 359

Delete a recorder 360

Recorded files 362

View list of recorded files 362

Download recorded files manually 363

Concatenate files 364

Extract tracks from a recording 365

Rename recorded files 367

Delete recorded files manually 368

File and recording transfer 370

Automatic file upload (AFU) overview 370

Choose files to include in AFU 372

xv

Enable AFU and set parameters 374

AFU to an FTP server 377

AFU using RSync 378

AFU using CIFS 379

AFU using SCP 381

AFU to a secure FTP server 384

AFU to Amazon Web Server (AWS) 386

AFU to a WebDav server 387

AFU or copy to USB 388

AFU to a USB drive 389

One-time copy/move of all recorded files to USB drive 390

Manually copy recorded files to USB drive 392

View available USBstorage space 394

Safely eject the USBdrive 394

View the AFU log 395

View AFU status 396

Manage the AFU queue 398

Access the AFU queue 398

View content in the AFU queue 399

Delete content in the AFU queue 400

Local FTPserver 401

Configure the local FTP server 401

Using the local FTP server 403

PART 5: Maintenance 405

Power down and system restart 406

Restarting the device via the Admin panel 406

Shutting down the device via the Admin panel 406

Shutting down the device manually 407

Save and restore device configuration 408

Perform factory reset 409

xvi

Restore factory configuration via the Admin panel 409

Firmware upgrade 411

Check for firmware updates 411

Install firmware 412

Install firmware directly from the Admin panel: 412

Install firmware from a file 414

Support 416

Download logs and "allinfo" 416

Configure remote support 418

Disable remote support 419

Storage disk maintenance 420

Check disk storage space 420

Check disk storage space via the touch screen 421

Schedule disk check 421

Perform disk check 422

Third party integration 423

Control with RS-232 / serial port 424

Connect and configure the RS-232 cable 424

Control Pearl with RS-232 425

RS-232 / Serialport command examples 428

Control with HTTPcommands 430

HTTP command syntax 430

HTTP command examples 432

Global variable HTTP command syntax for custom layouts 433

Configurationkeys forthirdparty APIs 436

System-level settings keys (read-only) 437

System-level settingskeys (read/write) 437

System-level custom layout keys (read/write) 438

Touch screen settings keys (read/write) 438

Recording configuration keys 439

xvii

HTTP server configuration keys 440

IP-based access control configuration keys 440

UPnP configuration keys 441

Broadcast configurationkeys 441

Channel encoder configuration keys 442

Channel layout configuration keys 443

Audio configuration keys 444

Stream publishing configuration keys 444

RTSP Announce configuration keys (Publish type 2) 445

RTP/UDP configuration keys (Publish type 3) 446

MPEG-TS configuration keys (Publish types 4 and 5) 446

RTMP push configuration keys (Publish type 6 and 7) 447

Livestream configuration keys (Publish type 8) 447

Content metadata configuration keys 447

PART 6: Troubleshooting 449

Limitations and known issues 453

Previous releases and features 457

Software license 460

Pearl User Guide Start here

Start here

Welcome, and thank you for buying Epiphan Pearl™, Pearl Rackmount™ or Pearl Rackmount Twin™. This guide

is designed to help you configure your new system.

The three Pearl models are described in the What is Pearl? and What's in the Box? sections. Read the Quick

start guide for the basic steps to get a single video (and optional audio) source configured as a streamable,

recordable output from Pearl.

Following the quick start section, a set of task-based procedures help you to tweak the system exactly how

you want it. These procedures are broken into five categories: Setup, Capture, Stream, Record and

Maintenance.

About this Guide

Throughout this guide there are situations where more than one solution will complete a task. In those cases

the guide describes the simplest or most common variation first. Warnings, tips and notes are depicted as

follows.

This is a warning. Pay special attention to information in red boxes.

This is a tip or note. Data in green boxes help you get the most from your new system.

1

Pearl User Guide What is Pearl?

What is Pearl?

Pearl, our most versatile live video production switcher, is a video encoder, video streamer, live switcher and

video recorder that comes in three models.

All three models have the same functionality, and this guide applies for all three models. Where used in this

guide, the product namePearl is interchangeable for Pearl Rackmount or Pearl Rackmount Twin, except in a

few cases where physical differences are explicitly called out.

Pearl

Pearl Rackmount

Pearl Rackmount Twin

A small, silent, portable

system that comes with a

hard-shell carry case.

A 2U rackmount server with all the

same functionality as the portable

Pearl, but designed for installation

and operation in a rack.

A high density 2U rack mount

variation that contains two complete

(and independent) Pearl systems.

With Pearl, you can capture, record and stream computer monitors, radar displays, or anything that outputs

to SDI, HDMI™, USB, HDMI 4K

4K

or DVI-I(single link). Accompanying audio capture is supported via TRS, USB,

SDI or HDMI.

Simultaneously capture four audio visual sources and choose how you want to record and stream them. Keep

them separate, configure them in multi-source layouts for live switching, or do both!

The resulting streams can be viewed a number of ways through media players, browsers, on mobile devices

and through Content Distribution Networks (CDNs). Recorded files can be downloaded via FTPor set to

automatically upload via FTP, RSYNC, or CIFS and can be integrated into your Content Management System

(CMS).

2

Pearl User Guide Using Pearl effectively

Pearl does not capture from HDCP encrypted sources.

Using Pearl effectively

Pearl, Pearl Rackmount and Pearl Rackmount Twin are powerful live video production systems. They can

perform many different tasks, however, like any other computer system, there is a limit to the number of

concurrent tasks they can run smoothly.

For best results, we recommend you always keep Pearl's CPU usage under 70%. You can check the Overall

system load from the Info page

.

The actual number of tasks your Pearl can complete concurrently depends on many factors including how

many channels you have, how many layouts you have per channel, how often you are switching layouts,

whether or not the system is resizing input signals, frame rate and bit rate per channel, whether or not you are

using the video output ports etc.

If you find that system load is higher than recommended, disable any unused video output ports, remove

unused channels or layouts, reduce the number of channels created or ensure sources come in at the right

resolution to avoid CPU time spent scaling.

AV inputs

Pearl supports the following AVinputs directly. Nearly every other AV input is supported provided you have

the correct converter or adapter.

When using Pearl it is recommended you use a maximum of four simultaneous input sources.

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