KVH Link User guide

Brand: KVH

Model: Link

Type: User guide

KVH, TracPhone, IP-MobileCast, CommBox, NEWSlink, SPORTSlink, MOVIElink, TVlink, MUSIClink, and TRAININGlink are trademarks,

and mini-VSAT Broadband is a service mark, of KVH Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

Protected by U.S. patents #9,838,749 B2 and #10,349,145. The information in this document is subject to change without notice. No company

KVH Link

User’s Guide

Technical Support

If you need technical assistance, please contact KVH Technical Support:

North/South America, Australasia:

Phone: 1 866 701-7103 (U.S. only)

Phone: +1 401 851-3806

Email: [email protected]

Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific:

Phone: +45 45 160 180

Email: [email protected]

This guide explains how to access the KVH Link

entertainment content that is delivered to your

vessel by the IP-MobileCast™ content delivery

service. This content may include movies, TV

shows, daily print and video news, sports

highlights, music, karaoke, podcasts, and/or

training videos, depending on your vessel’s

subscription.

Your vessel will receive new content over its mini-

VSAT Broadband satellite connection without using

your vessel’s monthly data plan or slowing down

onboard connections to the Internet.

Contents

Viewing KVH Link on Your Device ...................2

Loading Initial Content to the ICM..................... 3

Using the KVH Link Set-top Box.........................4

Updating the Set-top Box ..................................... 4

Set-top Box Troubleshooting................................ 5

General Troubleshooting...................................... 7

Figure 1: KVH Link App Icon and Home Page

Viewing KVH Link on Your Device

The TracPhone® system’s Integrated CommBox

Modem (ICM) stores all KVH Link content and

streams it locally to connected shipboard devices.

You can access KVH Link via one or more of the

following ways (see Figure 3 for compatible devices):

Option 1: Mobile App on Smartphone or Tablet

a. Install the KVH Link app on your Apple® iOS

or Android™ mobile device. Download the app

for free from the Apple App Store® or Google

Play™ Store (data fees may apply).

b. Connect your device via Wi-Fi to the vessel’s

network that is connected to the ICM.

c. Launch the KVH Link app.

Option 2: Web Browser on Computer or Android

Smartphone or Tablet

NOTE: Movies and TV shows cannot be viewed in a web

browser on an Apple iPhone® or iPad®. You need to use

the free KVH Link app for iOS.

a. Connect your Windows® or Mac® computer, or

your Android smartphone or tablet, to the

vessel’s network that is connected to the ICM.

b. Using a compatible browser (see Figure 3), go to

https://ipmobilecast.com.

Option 3: KVH Link Set-top Box Connected to TV

The optional KVH Link Set-top Box (KVH part no.

72-0876) (see Figure 4) allows you to view KVH

Link content on a 16:9 aspect ratio TV with an

HDMI input port. See “Using the KVH Link Set-top

Box” on page 4 for details.

Figure 2: Basic KVH Link Network Diagram

TracPhone V7-HTS or V11-HTS ICM

Crew LAN

Switch

KVH Link Set-top Box

WAP

HDMI TV (16:9)

LAN

AC Power

WAP

Android or iOS

Mobile Devices

Windows or Mac

Computers

Wi-Fi

User Ethernet 2*

Wi-Fi

* In standard HTS network configurations, ICM User Ethernet

ports 2 and 3 provide the High-speed LAN that is commonly

designated for crew use. If your ICM has a custom configuration,

connect to the appropriate port/VLAN assigned to the crew LAN.

Remember – you and your crew can enjoy

KVH Link entertainment without worrying

about consuming airtime data. All the content

is hosted locally on the vessel.

IMPORTANT!

The TracPhone system must be continuously

powered on and connected to the mini-VSAT

Broadband network, both to receive the latest

content and to support user playback.

IMPORTANT!

Figure 3: Compatibility Matrix

Device App or Browser

Windows 7+ Chrome, Firefox

MacOS 10.10+ Chrome, Firefox

Android 6+ KVH Link App, Chrome

Apple iOS 10+ KVH Link App

Figure 4: KVH Link Set-top Box

Loading Initial Content to the ICM

If your vessel subscribed to the Entertainment

package, you may load an initial compilation of

movies, TV shows, and music to the TracPhone

system’s ICM for your crew’s enjoyment. This

initial content is delivered to your vessel on an

external hard drive. Follow the steps below to load

its content onto your ICM.

NOTE: The Entertainment package requires an ICM

equipped with a 1 TB internal hard drive, allowing it to

store numerous movies and TV shows. ICMs built since

May 2018 (serial number 180500001 or later) have a 1

TB hard drive. Earlier ICMs with a 500 GB hard drive

support NEWSlink and SPORTSlink only.

a. Make sure the ICM is powered on.

b. Connect the KVH Link Content Drive to the

USB port on the front of the ICM (see Figure 5).

c. Connect a computer or mobile device to the

vessel’s network that is connected to the ICM.

d. Using the Chrome or Firefox web browser, go to

https://ipmobilecast.com/info/loadmovies

e. At the Load Initial Content web page, select

Start Loading (see Figure 6). The content load

will take several hours to complete. You can

return to this web page at any time to check on

its progress.

f. When the content load is finished, disconnect

the KVH Link Content Drive and return it to

KVH as specified in the documentation

provided with the drive.

Figure 5: KVH Link Content Drive ICM Connection

ICM

KVH Link

Content Drive

USB Port

Figure 6: Load Initial Content Web Page

Using the KVH Link Set-top Box

Follow these steps to access KVH Link on a TV

using the optional KVH Link Set-top Box.

a. Turn on the TV and select the HDMI input that

is connected to the Set-top Box.

b. Press the power button on the Set-top Box

remote control (see Figure 7). The status light on

the front of the Set-top Box should be lit blue

(see Figure 8) and a splash screen should appear

on the TV.

c. Once the Set-top Box’s KVH Link app has

loaded, use the arrows, back, and OK buttons

on the remote control to navigate the onscreen

menus, browse titles, and play content.

d. When you are done using the Set-top Box, you

can set it to standby mode by pressing the

power button on the remote control.

Updating the Set-top Box

Whenever an update is available for the app

running on the KVH Link Set-top Box, an alert will

appear in the app’s header on the TV screen (see

Figure 9). To install the update, follow these steps:

a. Using the Set-top Box remote control, highlight

the “Set-top Box update available” message and

press OK.

b. In the pop-up dialog box, select Install Update.

c. When prompted to install the update, select

Install at the bottom of the screen.

d. When the installation is complete, select Open.

The KVH Link Set-top Box app should reappear

on your TV.

NOTE: Each Set-top Box on the vessel must be updated

separately.

To install the Set-top Box, refer to the detailed

installation instructions provided with the

Set-top Box.

IMPORTANT!

Figure 7: KVH Link Set-top Box Remote Control

On/Standby

Navigation

Home Screen

Back/Exit

Volume (keep set to high)

Mouse Mode (keep set to Off)

Select/Confirm

Not used in KVH app

Figure 8: Set-top Box Status Light

Set-top Box

Status Light

Figure 9: Set-top Box Update

Set-top Box Troubleshooting

This section covers basic issues related to the Set-

top Box unit’s operation.

WARNING

To avoid electric shock, do not open the Set-

top Box enclosure. If the unit becomes

damaged and/or no longer functions

normally, disconnect it from vessel power and

contact KVH Technical Support for a

replacement. Breaking the factory seal will

void the warranty.

Symptom Potential Solution(s)

The Set-top Box does not turn on. • Make sure the power supply is connected to the Set-

top Box rear panel and plugged into vessel AC power.

Check the cables for damage.

• Make sure power is applied to the outlet (the breaker

is on).

The remote control does not work. • Make sure you are pointing the remote directly at the

front of the Set-top Box.

• Make sure the IR receiver on the front of the Set-top

Box is not blocked.

• Check the batteries in the remote control. If installed

properly, try replacing them with fresh batteries.

• Make sure the Set-top Box is turned on (its blue status

light is lit).

The Set-top Box is turned on, but the KVH

Link app does not appear on the TV.

• Make sure the correct HDMI input is selected on the

TV. Using your TV’s remote control, change the input

source until the KVH Link app appears.

• Make sure the HDMI cable is connected properly

between the Set-top Box and TV.

• Check the HDMI cable for damage.

• Make sure you have installed the correct KVH Link

Set-top Box, and not the KVH linkHUB Set-top Box.

They host different apps and are not interchangeable.

No KVH media content appears in the app. • Check the Set-top Box connection to the vessel

network.

• If the Set-top Box is connected via Wi-Fi, make sure

the correct Wi-Fi password was entered.

• Make sure the ICM is powered on and the Set-top Box

is connected to its designated crew network.

Unable to play any media content. Check the current date and time reported by the Set-top

Box. Go to Menu > Android STB Settings then scroll

down to System: Date & Time. If the displayed date or

time are incorrect, contact KVH Technical Support. (The

NTP server needs to be configured on the ICM. KVH can

configure this for you over the air.)

Playback of KVH media content is poor. • Check the Set-top Box connection to the vessel

network.

• If the Set-top Box is connected via Wi-Fi, try switching

to a wired Ethernet connection.

• Try rebooting the ICM (turn it off then turn it back on).

The volume is low or muted. • Set the volume of the Set-top Box to its maximum

setting, so you can control the full audio range using

your TV’s remote control.

• Make sure your TV’s remote control is not set to Mute.

The TV does not display the entire picture. Set the screen ratio on your TV to automatic (or change

the screen size on the Set-top Box under its Android STB

Settings).

Symptom Potential Solution(s)

General Troubleshooting

This section covers general issues that could

interrupt KVH Link service.

Symptom Potential Solution(s)

The KVH Link web page does not appear

when browsing to ipmobilecast.com.

• Make sure your device is connected to the vessel

network that is connected to the ICM.

• Make sure you typed “ipmobilecast.com” correctly.

• Make sure the ICM is powered on.

No KVH media content appears in the KVH

Link app on my smartphone or tablet.

• Make sure your device is connected to the vessel

network that is connected to the ICM.

• Make sure the correct Wi-Fi password was entered.

• Make sure the ICM is powered on.

Movies and TV shows do not play on my

iPhone’s or iPad’s web browser.

You must use the KVH Link app to view subscribed

movies and TV shows on an iOS device. You can

download the app for free from the Apple App Store.

No videos play in my web browser. • Be sure you are using a compatible web browser. On

Android, you must use Chrome. On a computer, you

can use either Chrome or Firefox. On iOS, browsing is

not supported; you must download the KVH Link app

from the Apple App Store.

•Make sure your device is powered up and running a

recent version of its operating system. See Figure 3 on

page 2 for a compatibility matrix.

Playback of KVH media content freezes. If connected via Wi-Fi, signal strength may have

dropped too low. Make sure you’re connected to the

correct vessel network and that you have a strong

signal; moving closer to the nearest wireless access point

may help improve signal reception.

The new content I expected is not showing up

in the KVH Link app.

Make sure the TracPhone system is online. The ICM

receives new content via the mini-VSAT Broadband

satellite network.

The ICM does not recognize the KVH Link

Content Drive for initial content load.

Verify that the label on the drive’s packaging shows

your vessel’s name. If it shows a different vessel name,

or the drive’s serial number does not match the serial

number on the label, you received the wrong drive.

Contact your fleet manager or KVH Technical Support.

KVH Link User guide

Brand: KVH

Model: Link

Type: User guide

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KVH Link User guide

KVH Link User guide

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