VB4000-5000-6000 Series Network Video Appliances VBrick v4.1 WM Appliance Admin Guide August 21, 2007 4410-0151-0003 Copyright © 2007 VBrick Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 12 Beaumont Road Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, USA www.VBrick.com This publication contains confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information. No part of this document may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any machine-readable or electronic format without prior written permission from VBrick. Information in this document is subject to change without notice and VBrick Systems assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies. VBrick, VBrick Systems, the VBrick logo, StreamPlayer, and StreamPlayer Plus are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and other countries. Windows Media is a trademarked name of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other products or services mentioned in this document are identified by the trademarks, service marks, or product names as designated by the companies who market those products. Inquiries should be made directly to those companies. This document may also have links to third-party web pages that are beyond the control of VBrick. Use these links at your own risk. The presence of such links does not imply that VBrick endorses or recommends the content of any third-party web pages. VBrick acknowledges the use of third-party open source software and licenses in some VBrick products. This freely available source code is posted at http:// www.vbrick.com/opensource. FCC Notice This equipment carries the CE mark and is UL listed in the U.S. and Canada. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules, Class A for OC- 3C Interface, Class A for the SDI Interface. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at their own expense. This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations. Cet appareil numerique de la Classe A respecte toutes les exigences do reglement dur le materiel brouilleur du Canada. About VBrick Systems Founded in 1997, VBrick Systems, an ISO 9001 certified vendor, is a privately held company that has enjoyed rapid growth by helping our customers successfully introduce mission critical video applications across their enterprise networks. Since our founding, VBrick has been setting the standard for quality, performance and innovation in the delivery of live and stored video over IP networks—LANs, WANs and the Internet. With thousands of video appliances installed world-wide, VBrick is the recognized leader in reliable, high-performance, easy-to-use networked video solutions. VBrick is an active participant in the development of industry standards and continues to play an influential role in the Internet Streaming Media Alliance (ISMA), the MPEG Industry Forum, and Internet2. In 1998 VBrick invented and shipped the world's first MPEG Video Network Appliance designed to provide affordable DVD- quality video across the network. Since then, VBrick's video solutions have grown to include Video on Demand, Management, Security and Access Control, Scheduling, and Rich Media Integration. VBrick solutions are successfully supporting a broad variety of applications including distance learning and training, conferencing and remote office communications, security, process monitoring, traffic monitoring, business and news feeds to the desktop, webcasting, corporate communications, collaboration, command and control, and telemedicine. VBrick serves customers in education, government, healthcare, and financial services markets among others. Contents WM Admin Guide Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii Getting the Best Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii Font Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Printer-Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix 1. Introduction Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 System Requirements for Windows Media Player. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Standard Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Typical VBrick Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Multicasting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Unicasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Reflecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 VBrick Reflecting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Reflecting from VBrick Appliances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Push Reflecting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Pull Reflecting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Using Multiple Bit Rate Streams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 MBR Output Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 MBR Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 MBR Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Using On Demand Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Optimizing System Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Mixed Model Appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Archiver and Recorder Functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 2. WM Configuration Configuration: Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Configuration: Network > Ethernet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Configuration: Network > Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Configuration: Network > Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Configuration: Encoder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Configuration: Encoder > Template. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Configuration: Encoder > Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Configuration: Encoder > Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Configuration: Encoder > Multicast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Multicast Playback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Configuration: Encoder > Announce (SAP). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Configuration: Encoder > Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Unicast Playback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 VBrick WM Appliance Admin Guide iii ASX Rollover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Creating Publishing Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Configuration: Encoder > Archiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Progressive Download . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Configuration: Encoder > Push . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Configuration: Reflector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Configuration: Reflector > Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Configuration: Reflector > Multicast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Configuration: Reflector > Announce (SAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Configuration: Reflector > Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Configuration: Reflector > Archiver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Configuration: Reflector > Push. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Configuration: FTP File Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Configuration: FTP File Transfer > Servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Configuration: FTP File Transfer > Transfers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Hard Drive Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Configuration: Passthrough. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Configuration: Passthrough > COM1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Configuration: Passthrough > COM2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Configuration: System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Configuration: System > General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Configuration: System > SNMP Traps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Configuration: System > Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Configuration: System > Logging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Configuration: Script Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Configuration: Script Management > Event Triggering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Configuration: Script Management > Auto Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 3. SDI Configuration Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 SDI Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Configuration: Encoder > Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Configuration: Encoder > Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 SDI Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 4. Status Status: System Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Status: Network Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Status: Network Status > Codec. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Status: Network Status > Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Status: Network Status > Network Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Status: Encoder Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Status: Reflector Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Status: Reflector Status > General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Status: Hard Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Status: Hard Drive > General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 iv Contents Status: Hard Drive > Archiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 Status: Server Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Status: Server Status > General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Status: Server Status > Encoder Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Status: Server Status > Reflector Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Status: Push Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 Status: FTP Server Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Status: System Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Status: System Log > Config. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Status: System Log > System Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Status: System Log > Traps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Status: System Log > System Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Status: User Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Status: User Information > Main Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Status: User Information > Slot1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 5. Diagnostics Diagnostics: Network Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 Diagnostics: Network Tests > Ping Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 Diagnostics: Network Tests > Trace Route Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108 Diagnostics: Device Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Diagnostics: Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 6. Maintenance Maintenance: Device Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Maintenance: Default All Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Maintenance: Read/Write Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Maintenance: Read/Write > Read From Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Maintenance: Read/Write > Write To Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116 Maintenance: Usernames & Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 Maintenance: Usernames & Passwords > Change Usernames & Passwords . . . . . . . .117 Maintenance: Usernames & Passwords > Change SNMPv3 Passwords. . . . . . . . . . . .119 7. Maintenance Mode Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 Maintenance Mode Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 Maintenance Mode Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 Maintenance Mode CLI Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 8. WM Templates Best Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 LAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 Cable/DSL-300K, High Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 Cable/DSL-300K, Low Motion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Cable/DSL-128K, High Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 VBrick WM Appliance Admin Guide v Cable/DSL-128K, Low Motion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Modem 56K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 Security & Surveillance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 9. Stream Prioritization Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 Stream Prioritization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 Non Bitrate Constrained. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Bitrate Constrained. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 How the WM Appliance Creates Priority Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 For Group Serving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 For Archiving, and Pushing to or Pulling from a WM Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 Configuring Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Safe Group Configurations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Index vi Contents WM Admin Guide This VBrick WM Admin Guide is written for anyone who will be using or configuring a VB6000 Series WM appliance. This includes system administrators, network technicians, and anyone who will be using or configuring a VBrick network video appliance. The VBrick WM Appliance is compatible with Microsoft Windows Media and converts analog video and audio from any source into digital Windows Media streams. It attaches to your network and delivers the streaming video and audio directly to any Windows Media-compatible player or server. The VBrick can deliver the streams via multicast to any number of players on the network and it can serve the stream via unicast to up to 200 players or servers. The WM Appliance is part of VBrick's award winning VB6000 series of products with a proven track record of quality, reliability and flexibility. VBrick's WM Appliance is an industrial strength, versatile, and reliable video appliance for one-way communication over low and medium bandwidth IP networks using the widely deployed Windows Media format. The WM Appliance can be deployed in a variety of ways and integrates seamlessly into existing Windows Media deployments. This powerful, yet inexpensive product can reach thousands of people on your enterprise network, VPN, or the Internet. The Windows Media appliance provides both Windows Media encoder functionality and Windows Media server functionality for live video. A key benefit is its compatibility with the Windows Media Player, thus eliminating the need for a desktop player installation. Organization Introduction provides an overview of the WM Appliance and typical VBrick applications. It explains how to optimize performance and how to deliver multiple bit rate streams. WM Configuration explains all configuration windows for the encoder. These include encoder audio and video settings as well as passthrough, SNMP traps, script management, etc. Status explains the status screens that provide information about the system, the encoder, the server. It also explains how to view the system and event logs and traps. Diagnostics explains how to run various diagnostic tests. These include ping, traceroute, and loopback. Maintenance explains how to manage device information and reset all configuration parameters to the defaults. It also explains how to save configuration data and/or rewrite it back to the encoder. Maintenance Mode explains how to use a limited subset of the IWS interface to manage appliance configuration parameters when there is a firmware download failure. WM Templates shows each setting on the pre-configured audio and video templates that are provided for common encoder configurations. VBrick WM Appliance Admin Guide vii Stream Prioritization describes the Windows Media Player logic that determines what stream the player will select and play when multiple bit rates are configured. Getting Help If you need help, or more information about any topic, use the online help system. The online help is cross-referenced and searchable and can usually find the information in a few seconds. Use the tree controls in the left pane to open documents and the up and down arrows to page through them. Use the Search box to find specific information. Simply enter one or more words in the box and press Enter. The search results will return pages that have all of the words you entered—highlighted in yellow (Internet Explorer only). The Search box is not case-sensitive and does not recognize articles (a, an, the), operators (+ and – ), or quotation marks. You can narrow the search by adding words. If you can't find the information you need from the online help, or from your certified VBrick reseller, you can contact VBrick Support Services on the web. Support Services can usually answer your technical questions in 24 business hours or less. Also note that our publications team is committed to accurate and reliable documentation and we appreciate your feedback. If you find errors or omissions in any of our documents, please send e-mail to [email protected] and let us know. For more information about any VBrick products, all of our product documentation is available on the web. Go to www.vbrick.com/ documentation to search or download VBrick product documentation. Getting the Best Video Video quality is a subjective concept that depends on a variety of factors. VBrick's philosophy is to make our network appliances as flexible as possible so they can be used effectively in different applications on a wide variety of networks. This means you can configure an appliance for maximum performance but you can also configure it in such a way that it will only work well in a very limited environment. Video quality is also relative. What is acceptable quality for a surveillance application on a low-bandwidth network is most likely unacceptable for a corporate presentation or a two-way video conference on a high-speed LAN. Much depends on your network, the bandwidth you have available, and the audience you are trying to reach. VBrick tries to anticipate as many obstacles and limitations as possible and provides custom- designed MPEG-4 and WM (Windows Media) templates for a variety of applications. These templates are designed to provide the highest quality audio and video—using bit rate, frame rate and resolution settings that are tailored for a variety of common network environments. We encourage you to override specific template settings in order to meet the unique requirements of your own site, but in doing so, be aware that you can also degrade the quality and/or performance of the audio and video you are trying to deliver. For best results, start with a pre-built template and then adjust the bit rate, frame rate, resolution, and other parameters with care. Experiment with different settings to see the trade-offs in quality and performance. You can track your changes by periodically saving the configuration file using the Read/Write option on the Maintenance page in IWS. If the audio and video quality is still less than you would expect, re-apply one of the standard templates and try again. Keep in mind that the VBrick is stable, reliable and flexible. In most cases a small amount of experimentation will help you find the configuration settings that will deliver the best audio and video your network can support. For more information, or help configuring your appliance, contact VBrick Support Services. viii Preface Font Conventions Arial bold is used to describe dialog boxes and menu choices, for example: Start > All Programs > VBrick Green Courier fixed-width font is used for code elements (C++, HTML) as well as filenames, directories, etc. Black Courier fixed-width font is used to indicate user input in keyboard commands, scripts, etc. Folder names and user examples are displayed in this sans serif font. Folder names and user input are displayed in this bold sans serif font. Italics are used to emphasize specific words or phrases. Printer-Friendly VBrick WM Appliance Admin Guide (cid:84) To save or print a PDF document: 1. Click once to open the PDF document in Acrobat Reader. 2. To save or print a PDF document, right-click and select Save Target As or Print Target. VBrick WM Appliance Admin Guide ix x Preface