Argus MX Next-Generation PCI MPEG-2 Encoder

Transcription

1 Argus MX Next-Generation PCI MPEG-2 Encoder Ver. 2.3 Installation and User Guide Argus MX Encoder Model (4:2:2 Video) Argus MX Encoder Model (4:2:0 Video) Document Part Number

2 Copyright 2005 Vela Research LP. All rights reserved. This document is written and published by Vela Research LP ( Vela ). All rights reserved. Vela reserves the right to make changes to this document and to the product(s) represented without notice. No portion of this document may be copied, reproduced, or transcribed without the express written authorization of Vela. Vela OEM Products Division 5733 Myerlake Circle Clearwater, FL Phone: (727) Fax: (727) World Wide Web Mailing / Shipping Address: 5733 Myerlake Circle Clearwater. FL All returns must be accompanied by an authorized RMA number obtained from Vela. NOTE: All trademarks, brand names or product names appearing in this publication are registered to the respective companies or organizations that own the trademarks or names. Vela, Argus and CineView are registered trademarks of Vela Research LP. FCC Information This product has been tested and found to comply with FCC Rules Part 15 and meets all FCC Class A requirements. Published in the United States of America June, 2005 Rev. AMX

3 European Union Declaration of Conformity Information Technology Equipment EU Directives Covered by this Declaration: 89/336/EEC Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive Product: Vela Argus MX MPEG-2 Encoder, Models & Standards on which conformity is being declared: EN 55022:1998 Class A EN :1996 EN :1995 EN :1995 EN :1995 EN :1996 EN :1995 EN :1995 EN :1996 EN :1994 The technical documentation required to demonstrate that this product meets the requirements of the stated Directive has been compiled by the EMC testing organization listed below and is available for inspection by the relevant enforcement authorities. The CE Mark was first applied to this model in Product Safety Engineering, Inc Bellamy Brothers Blvd. Dade City, FL USA Vela LP 5733 Myerlake Circle Clearwater FL Phone: (727) Fax: (727)

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5 Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables vii Chapter 1 Getting Started The Argus MX Encoder RecordAdvantage Lite Encode Applications Software Developer s Kit Argus MX Features The CineView Pro XLe Decoder Argus MX Minimum System Requirements EMI Certification Note Service Pack Availability Software Requirements Hardware and Driver Installation Preliminary Software Installation Procedures Installing Hardware Drivers Driver Installation Difficulties Software Installation Changing or Uninstalling Vela Software Product Licensing Argus MX Performance Issues Error Codes Customer Support Illustrations Chapter 2 Argus MX Encoding Introduction The MxClient Sample Application Setting Up Encode Properties Encoding with MxClient Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite Encoder Status Encode Component GUI Record Control Area Record Control Area Encode Options Table of Contents

6 vi Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Creating a New Clip Encode (Record) Lists Clip Information Encode Settings and Template Creation Appendix A Specifications Index Table of Contents

7 List of Figures and Tables Chapter 1 Getting Started Figure 1-1. Installation Wizard Welcome Screen Figure 1-2. Vela System Software Setup Screen Figure 1-3. Installation Wizard Feature Select Screen Figure 1-4. Installation Wizard Completion Screen Figure 1-5. Application Maintenance Screen Figure 1-6. Argus MX Board Layout Figure 1-7. Optional YUV & S-Video Bracket and Connector Figure 1-8. Argus MX Input Cable Assembly P/N Figure 1-9. Argus MX Input Cable Assembly Pinout Diagram Chapter 2 Argus MX Encoding Figure 2-1. Argus MX Multi-board Properties Screen Figure 2-2. Device Selector Window Figure 2-3. Encoder Status Window Figure 2-4. RecordAdvantage Encode Component GUI Figure 2-5. Record Control Area Layout\ Figure 2-6. Add Record Clip Window Figure 2-7. Encode List Window Figure 2-8. Encode Template Setup Main Window Appendix A Specifications Index List of Figures and Tables

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9 Chapter 1 Getting Started The Argus MX Encoder Vela s Argus MX 4:2:2 and MX 4:2:0 encoders, Version 2.3, are designed for a broad range of professional applications. The Argus MX 4:2:2 supports serial digital (SDI) video and the MPEG-2 4:2:2 encoding profile, making it the ideal choice for applications that demand the highest possible video quality. Argus MX 4:2:0 is the ideal choice when 4:2:0-only encoding is desired. Both boards encode MPEG-1 SIF, MPEG-2 half-resolution and MPEG-2 full resolution formats. The hallmark feature of the Argus MX encoder line is embedded hardware stream multiplexing (mux) performed by an onboard PowerPC processor, resulting in system resource savings and more efficient mux operation. The encoders also feature the latest encoding chip technology plus a lower initial cost. Also new to the MX series is encoding of embedded audio in the SDI stream, and input of longitudinal time code (LTC). The Argus MX 4:2:2 encoder accepts composite and component serial digital (SMPTE 259M) video inputs and supports four channels of analog or digital (AES/EBU) audio. Argus MX 4:2:2 supports closed caption encoding for broadcast and cable applications. Both boards accept YUV and S-video inputs through an optional EMI bracket (Vela part number ). Refer to Figure 1-7 for an illustration of the bracket along with connection data. Argus Spectrum software is an available option that allows simultaneous real-time creation of Ligos MPEG-1, Real G2 and Microsoft Windows Media formatted streams. Applications and uses for the Argus MX can include advertising content distribution and cable ad insertion, video storage and retrieval, broadcast commercial and interstitial insertion, time delay/time shifting, archiving, local programming play-out, video-on-demand, Intranet multicast, and computer-based training. Be sure to review the readme files on the system software CD-ROM for the very latest information on installation and performance issues. NOTE: Argus, CineView, MediaAdvantage, and RecordAdvantage are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vela Research LP. Dolby is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories. Ligos is a registered trademark of Ligos Corporation in the US and/or other countries. Real and RealPlayer are the registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. Windows Media is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Other trademarks, brand names, or product names appearing in this publication are registered to their respective owners. The Argus MX Encoder

10 2 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide RecordAdvantage Lite Encode Applications An easy-to-use encode application, Vela s RecordAdvantage Lite, is included with the Argus MX encoder. It provides for basic operation of the MX encoder, including the ability to create playlists, clips and segments, and to create custom encoding templates. See Chapter 2 for details on using RecordAdvantage. Also supplied with the Argus MX encoder is a convenient sample application, MxClient, from which rudimentary encoding and playback functions can be accomplished quickly and easily. NOTE: Sample applications such as MxClient are included for development purposes only and, as shipped, are not designed or certified as production applications. Software Developer s Kit An available Software Developer s Kit (SDK) for the Argus MX encoder uses a powerful, full-featured Vela Application Programming Interface (API) for custom application development. Contact Vela for details and to obtain a license for the SDK. The Argus MX Software Developer s Kit and Application Programming Interface (API) is based upon two of Vela s newest professional MPEG-2 products: the full-featured Argus MX encoder and the advanced CineView Pro XLe decoder. Comprehensive, up-to-date SDK information, documentation, and sample applications can be found by clicking on Vela SDK Reference on the Software Setup screen (Figure 1-1), or by examining the VelaApiReference.chm Help-formatted file located in the Vela system software CD-ROM. Note that sample applications are included for development purposes only and are not designed or certified as production applications. Argus MX Features Embedded hardware multiplexing performed by an onboard PowerPC microprocessor. Embedded audio in the SDI stream. LTC input. New IBM encoding technology with env chipset. Multi-board support. Real-time encoding and multiplexing in MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-2 4:2:2 Profile formats. Composite and component (SMPTE 259M serial digital) video input. YUV and S-video inputs through optional EMI bracket. The Argus MX Encoder

11 Chapter 1 Getting Started 3 PAL or NTSC television formats. 4-Channel digital and analog audio. Automatic deck control via Sony 9-pin interface. Closed caption insertion into user data fields. The CineView Pro XLe Decoder A worthy companion to the Argus MX encoder, the CineView Pro XLe decoder is Vela s second-generation professional PCI MPEG-2 decoder. Based on the latest decoding technology available, the CineView Pro XLe supports advanced features such as SMPTE time code output, embedded audio within the SDI output stream, four-channel audio decoding, and Dolby Digital audio decoding and compressed audio output. The CineView Pro XLe supports PCI bus mastering, optional hardware VCXO for push model streaming applications, and dual time base support for genlock and push model simultaneously. The Pro XLe retains many of the features of the CineView Pro XL MPEG-2 decoder such as digital video output (SMPTE 259M) as well as composite NTSC and PAL video. The Pro XLe supports MPEG-2 data rates up to 50Mbps. Stream parsing is performed on board. For more information on the CineView Pro XLe decoder, consult the CineView Pro XLe Decoder Installation and User Manual included on the system CD. A full-featured SDK is available from Vela for those wishing to develop custom applications using the CineView Pro XLe decoder. Contact Vela for details. Argus MX Minimum System Requirements Microsoft Windows 2000, 2000 Server, 2003 Server, or Windows XP 800 Mhz IBM PC-compatible Pentium or equivalent (dual processors recommended when transcoding) 256 MB RAM, plus RAM used by video server application Fast (7200 RPM) IDE, serial ATA or fast/wide SCSI drive recommended CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive (for installation of system files) 200MB available hard disk space (for MediaAdvantage Lite installation, including Microsoft.NET Framework and Microsoft MSDE) plus disk space for clips and segments Argus MX Minimum System Requirements

12 4 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide EMI Certification Note Vela does not certify EMI requirements for cable lengths greater than one meter (39 ). This includes network cables, keyboard extension cables, etc. Service Pack Availability Vela no longer includes Windows operating system Service Packs with Vela system software, due to file size constraints and the increasingly frequent need to update or patch the service packs. To find out if your system is a candidate for a service pack or other system upgrade, and to download the latest versions, please contact the Microsoft Web site at Software Requirements Argus MX system software, version 2.3 or higher Argus MX Encoder Software Developer s Kit (SDK), version 2.3. Compiler with COM support: Microsoft Visual Studio.NET is recommended. Hardware and Driver Installation Power off the PC, unplug it from the AC source, and remove the cover to expose the chassis and motherboard. It is important that the Argus MX encoder board be plugged into a PCI bus master slot, making sure the edge connectors are fully engaged. Secure the board s mounting bracket to the PC chassis. Connect the audio and video cables as needed, and power up the PC as usual. The audio/ltc cable assembly, part number , connects to the 26-pin D-sub connector on the rear of the encoder. See illustrations at the end of this chapter for connector drawings and pinouts, and an outline of the board itself. Preliminary Software Installation Procedures NOTE: If you intend to run Windows 2000 as your operating system, it is recommended that Service Pack 4 be installed for proper system operation. See Step 2 below if you need to install Service Pack 4. All of the software that you need to install the Argus MX is located on the single CD-ROM. Just follow these steps, remembering that a number of reboots may be required during the installation process. Do not remove the CD-ROM disc from the drive until you've completed the last step. Service Pack Availability

13 Chapter 1 Getting Started 5 1. Uninstall any Argus (and CineView) software currently on the system. Use the Windows Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs application, following instructions in the user manual that accompanied the already-installed software. 2. For Windows 2000, install Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, if it is not already installed on your system. You can download this service pack and its installation instructions from the Microsoft Web site on the Internet. 3. Following installation of SP4, install Argus MX drivers and application-level software (see next section). Installing Hardware Drivers If you have never installed the Argus MX encoder on your system, you must install the device drivers before attempting to run the encoder. The drivers are located on the installation CD-ROM disc, in the following folder: Drivers\CvProXle and ArgusMX. (This installation will also fulfill the need for CineView Pro XLe drivers, should you wish to use that product.) 1. Install the Argus MX board and power up your system, as instructed above. 2. If the Add New Hardware Wizard appears when you boot your system, click Cancel. 3. If the Digital Signature Not Found screen appears, click Yes to continue with installation. 4. Insert the Argus MX installation CD-ROM disc into the CD-ROM Drive. 5. Exit the System Software Setup screen (Figure 1-1) if it appears. 6. On your desktop, right click on My Computer and a menu should appear. Select Properties. 7. Click on the tab labeled Hardware. 8. Click on Device Manager. 9. Search for the Multimedia Controller device. This device can usually be found in one of the following directories: Sound, Video and Game Controllers, or Other Devices. Right-click on Multimedia Controller. 10. Select Properties from the Menu. 11. Under the General tab, click on Reinstall Driver. 12. Prompt: Upgrade Device Driver Wizard. Click Next. Hardware and Driver Installation

14 6 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide 13. Prompt: Install Hardware Device Drivers. Select the radio button Search for my suitable driver for my device, then click Next. 14. Prompt: Locate Driver Files. Check Specify a Location, uncheck everything else and click Next, or, if you are installing the software from the CD, select the CD Drive option (if you choose this second option, you can skip step 15.) 15. A message box will appear that will allow you to browse your computer until you find a driver for the Multimedia Controller. Check Browse to select the device from the following path on the CD: Drivers\CvProXle and ArgusMX. 16. Click OK. 17. If prompted, you will need to perform these additional steps: a. Prompt: Driver Files Search Result. Message displays Windows found a driver that is a closer match for this device than your current driver. Click Next. b. When the Digital Signature Not Found screen appears, click Yes. c. The Files Needed screen will ask for saa7146wdm.sys. Browse the CD-ROM until you find that driver file, then click OK. 18. When the driver installation is complete and the prompt Completing the Upgrade Device Driver Wizard appears, click Finish. Close the screens and return to Device Manager. 19. The Software Setup screen should pop up after the reboot. If it does not, run setup.exe from the CD-ROM or Start > Run. Driver Installation Difficulties If you experience difficulty installing the drivers under Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 please follow the following steps. 1. From Start > Run, run gpedit.msc. This will launch the Group Policy Editor. 2. Go to Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options. 3. Change the policy for Unsigned driver installation behavior to Warn but allow install. 4. Close the Group Policy Editor and reboot the computer. 5. Install the driver as normal. Hardware and Driver Installation

15 Chapter 1 Getting Started 7 Software Installation Be sure to review the readme files on the system software CD-ROM for the very latest information on installation and performance issues. The current version of software has been qualified to run under Windows 2000 (SP 4) or Windows XP. Windows NT, Windows 95 and Windows 98 are not supported. Note that this software can be used only with the Argus MX encoder; it cannot be applied to Vela's other encoder products. If you are upgrading a previous version of software with this release, Version 2.3, you must first uninstall the existing version of Argus MX software. To do so, select the Add or Remove Programs option on the Control Panel, select the Vela System Software Version 1.xxx or Argus MX Version SDK 1.0, Beta x, or similar, then click Change/Remove. Now you're ready to install this latest version of MX software. All of the software that you need for the Argus MX encoder is located on the Argus MX installation CD-ROM. Just follow the steps that follow, remembering that a number of reboots may be required during the installation process. Do not remove the CD- ROM disc from the drive until you've completed the final step. 1. Insert the supplied system CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. The Vela Software Setup screen should appear. If it does not, run setup.exe from the CD-ROM or Start > Run. Select Install Vela System Software. 2. Next, an Installation Wizard screen (Figure 1-1, page 9) will appear. For the most part, all the screens are self-explanatory and guide you from one install point to the next. Click Next. 3. (Figure 1-2, page 9) Select the type of installation you prefer (Typical, Complete, or Custom). At this point the required Microsoft.Net Framework v1.1 may automatically be installed if it is not detected. Click Next. 4. The Select Features screen appears next (Figure 1-3). Select the requested features for installation by selecting the disk drive icon displayed before each option. Select either the will be installed on local hard drive option or entire feature will be unavailable option. You may also select any licensed features desired. Some options may not be currently supported. Common files will be installed when needed. Click Next. NOTE: If you plan on confidence monitoring using the Vela CineView Pro XLe decoder, you should choose to install the XLe software at this time. As with the Argus MX encoder, you must first uninstall any previous versions of CineView Pro XLe software. Software Installation

16 8 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide 5. Keep the suggested location (C:\Program Files\Vela Research) as the installation folder for each application. Click Next. 6. The progress of the installation will be graphically displayed. Throughout the installation, you may be asked to accept product license agreements. Please review the license agreements and accept them if you concur. 7. (Figure 1-4, page 10) The Install Wizard notifies you that the install is complete and that it is necessary to restart your system in order for the installation to take effect. Click OK to reboot. Software Installation

17 Chapter 1 Getting Started 9 Figure 1-1. Installation Wizard Welcome Screen Figure 1-2. Vela System Software Setup Screen Software Installation

18 10 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Figure 1-3. Installation Wizard Feature Select Screen Figure 1-4. Installation Wizard Completion Screen Software Installation

19 Chapter 1 Getting Started 11 Changing or Uninstalling Vela Software To modify or remove Vela system software, go to the Windows Control Panel and open the Add/Remove Programs application. Look for an entry containing the phrase Vela System Software and click on it, then click on the Change button. A versatile and helpful Application Maintenance screen (Figure 1-5) will appear. From this application you can choose to: Change which application features are installed. Basically, it displays the Select Features screen, explained earlier, which configures individual features and applications. Reinstall corrupt or missing files, Registry keys and shortcuts. Note that preferences stored in the Registry may be set to default values. Completely uninstall and remove Vela system software. If this selection is made, an uninstall screen will appear. Click Next on the window to uninstall all Vela system software. Note that a checkbox allows you to keep the current application database(s) you may have created for clips, playlists, etc. Note that if the checkbox is cleared, all Vela-specific databases will be deleted. Figure 1-5. Application Maintenance Screen Changing or Uninstalling Vela Software

20 12 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Product Licensing After you have installed your Argus MX encoder software, it may be necessary to license the product and/or software purchased, including any options such as SDKs, machine control, etc. From the Start menu, select Start > Programs > Vela Research > Licensing. Enter the strings in the shaded box of the licensing form shipped with your product into the dialog box exactly as they are given, one at a time, by selecting the + key, entering the string and pressing OK. If you have any difficulty entering a license during the install process, you can re-enter it anytime using this process. The new key will supersede any previous key that you may have entered. Contact Vela technical support if you lose or require additional license keys, or if you need additional help. See the Customer Support contact methods below. Argus MX Performance Issues Please refer to the Readme.txt file on the Vela system CD for the latest Argus MX performance issues errata, and bug fixes, if any. Error Codes Occasionally the Argus MX encoder may encounter a problem and report an error. In most cases when an error occurs, the system returns an error code (usually a negative number) and a short error message. You can obtain an up-to-date listing of these error codes by referring to the Vela- ApiReference.chm Help-formatted file located on the Vela system software CD. Look in the Help file index there under Vela API Error Code Table. Customer Support In the event of problems with your encoder, you may be able to aid trouble-shooting efforts by referencing error codes that may appear. See the above Error Codes section for more information. If the problem cannot be resolved locally, please contact Vela Customer Support as follows: Toll-free: (800) Phone: (727) Fax: (727) support@vela.com World Wide Web Product Licensing

21 Chapter 1 Getting Started 13 Illustrations Figure 1-6. Argus MX Board Layout Illustrations

22 14 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Figure 1-7. Optional YUV & S-Video Bracket and Connector Illustrations

23 Chapter 1 Getting Started 15 Figure 1-8. Argus MX Input Cable Assembly P/N Illustrations

24 16 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Figure 1-9. Argus MX Input Cable Assembly Pinout Diagram Illustrations

25 Chapter 2 Argus MX Encoding Introduction Supplied with the Argus MX encoder is a convenient sample encode application, MxClient, from which MPEG files can be created It allows you to control most of the available functions of the Argus MX encoder. NOTE: Sample applications such as Argus MxClient are included for development purposes only and, as shipped, are not designed or certified as production applications. Another encoding application included with the Argus MX is called Record- Advantage Lite, and is the same GUI-enabled encode component included in the powerful, full-featured Vela MediaAdvantage media server. A more feature-rich version, RecordAdvantage, is available at extra cost from Vela. Call for details and to obtain a licensing key. See Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite, page 19, for information on using RecordAdvantage Lite with the Argus MX. The MxClient Sample Application Setting Up Encode Properties It is suggested that you run the Argus MX Multi-board properties application before running the MxClient application for the first time on a system. Go to Start > Programs > Vela Research > Argus MX > MXProps to start the application. The user can set or adjust various a large number of encoder properties as desired. A typical view of the Properties screen is shown in Figure 2-1. Argus Spectrum multi-stream encoding properties can be set here, as well as parameters having to do with multi-board usage. Information on setting the properties can be found by examining the VelaApiReference.chm Help-formatted file located in the Vela system software CD-ROM. Specifically, make certain that: The audio and digital input types are correctly set for your system. A valid pathname is set for the encoded MPEG file. If you want the start of each encode to be triggered by the detection of a preset mark-in, you will need to select VTR or LTC Reader, depending on your setup, as the time-code source. When you use MXProps, the corresponding control is located on the Time Control property sheet. Introduction

26 18 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide On the same (Time Control) property sheet, make certain to check the time-code start option and to set the mark-in, mark-out, and drop-frame controls correctly. Refer to on-line Help for more information on any of the functions described. Figure 2-1. Argus MX Multi-board Properties Screen Encoding with MxClient To launch the MxClient encode application, go to Start > Programs > Vela Research > Argus MX > MxClient. A window will appear which allows you to perform simple encoding of video and audio. The MxClient Sample Application

27 Chapter 2 Argus MX Encoding 19 Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite This section looks at the encoding application included with the Argus MX encoder, called RecordAdvantage Lite. It is the same encode component included in the powerful, full-featured Vela MediaAdvantage media server. A more feature-rich full version, RecordAdvantage, is available at extra cost from Vela. Call for details and to obtain a licensing key. RecordAdvantage Lite facilitates the encoding process by including a broad array of features including segment creation from a master file, encoding templates (default and self-created), time-code aware recording, support for LTC time code, confidence monitoring on video output or VGA display, and easy access to recorded clip information, all greatly increasing convenience and reducing the time associated with the encoding process. RecordAdvantage Lite supports Vela s Spectrum encoder plug-in, which facilitates the simultaneous creation of Ligos MPEG-1 streams, Real G2 streams, and Windows Media Player (V.9) formatted streams in addition to MPEG-2 files. Contact Vela for more information on this useful option and to obtain a licensing key to unlock it. If encoding for the first time on a fresh system, you may want to run MXProps to set up some basic encode parameters. Refer to Setting Up Encode Properties, page 17. To start up RecordAdvantage Lite, go to Start > Programs > Vela Research > Argus MX > MxClient. The RecordAdvantage encode component GUI will appear (Figure 2-4). which controls the encoding and indexing of video clips, segments and playlists. Major functions are described on the following pages. The view is shown with the Record tab selected. The other tab, Template Setup, is used to create or modify custom encode templates. See Encode Settings and Template Creation, page 28, for details on this operation. Refer to on-line Help for more information on any of the functions described. Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

28 20 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Encoder Status The status of each installed encoder can be displayed by selecting clicking on the RecordAdvantage line in the top left window of the main GUI screen (see Figure 2-2). Note that clicking on an individual encoder name will open up the encode GUI, not the encoder status. By clicking on the RecordAdvantage line, a window will appear for each installed encoder (Figure 2-3). You can Figure 2-2. Device Selector Window expand the status panels one at a time by clicking on the individual title bars, or, by selecting the expand arrow atop the window, all status panels will expand. Reverse the process to close the windows. The status log detail pane shows a log of activities specific to the encoder. The Reset Board button performs a software reset on the encoder. The Update Firmware button activates the process to update the current encoder firmware. See online Help for more information on any of these functions. Figure 2-3. Encoder Status Window Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

29 Chapter 2 Argus MX Encoding 21 Encode Component GUI (Figure 2-4) This is the view shown of the encode component window when you select an encoder from the device selector list (top left of GUI). Figure 2-4. RecordAdvantage Encode Component GUI Record Control Area (Figure 2-5. below) Near the top of the GUI is the Record Control area, which stops, starts and manages the recording process using dialog boxes and standard VTR-type controls patterned after familiar machine controls for Start, Stop, Pause, etc. An encode progress bar atop the controls shows the amount of encoding completed. During playback, a convenient shuttle slider allows for quick access to any point in the video. Confidence monitoring options and encode source type selections are also made in this area. Record Control Encoding supports two modes of encoding: VTR and Live. Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

30 22 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide The area to the right of the VTR-type buttons are controls and options to set mark-in, mark-out, encode duration, and other parameters of the encode process. Figure 2-5. Record Control Area Layout\ Fast Rewind Click on the Fast Rewind button to rewind the tape at high speed. Record Click on the Record button to begin encoding. Start Playback Click on the Start Playback button to begin playing the tape. Pause Playback Click on the Pause Playback button to pause while playing the tape. Stop Playback Click on the Stop Playback button to stop playing the tape. Slow Motion Click on the Slow Motion button to play the tape in slow motion. Fast Forward Click on the Fast Forward button to advance the tape at high speed. Frame Reverse Click on the Frame Reverse button to rewind the tape one frame at a time. Frame Advance Click on the Frame Advance button to advance a clip one frame at a time. Progress Bar The progress bar sits atop the VTR-type controls and indicates the progress of the current file encode. Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

31 Chapter 2 Argus MX Encoding 23 Shuttle Slide the Shuttle control forward or backward to advance or rewind the tape. As you hold and move the shuttle control the rate of forward or reverse motion will increase. Hold Click the Hold check box to prevent the Shuttle control from being reset to the center when the Shuttle control is released. Record Control Area Encode Options Confidence Monitor Select the channel to view the clip during recording. This channel equates to the channel you selected in the VGA Display. Because of this, the channel cannot be used to decode or play back clips while encoding. Source Type The Source Type determines the encode mode. You can record from a live feed or from a VTR (tape deck, DVD player, etc.). If you select Live Feed, set the Duration of the clip. If you select VTR, set the Port and any Frame Adjustment value required, then set the mark-in and mark-out times related to the time on the tape that correspond to the clip you wish to encode. Live Source Type When Source Type is Live, Record Control can be used to perform the following: Specify a duration Start the encode Stop the encode VTR Source Type When Source Type is VTR, Record Control can be used to perform the following: Control the VTR (tape deck) source to the encoder Specify and/or calculate a Mark In, Mark Out, or Duration for the encode Position the VTR at a specific time code setting Start the encode Stop the encode Current Indicates the current time code position of the VTR device. Drop Frame The Drop Frame check box indicates whether the tape in the VTR source is encoded using drop frame or non-drop frame NTSC time code. This option is valid only for NTSC. Calculate Mode If Source Type is Live, then this is set to Mark Out and is read-only. If Source Type is VTR, then this setting lets you to calculate one of the following: Mark In, Mark Out, or Duration. For example, selecting Mark Out allows you to enter Mark In and Duration; the system will calculate Mark Out. Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

32 24 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Mark In Sets the Mark In time to begin recording at the specified time. If using a VTR as source input, the device will be rewound or forwarded to this time to begin recording. When you have found the point in the input stream where you want to begin recording you can click the Mark In button to set the Mark In time code. You can also manually enter a time code or a frame count. Mark Out Sets the Mark Out time to end the recording at the specified time. If using a VTR as source input, the encoder will stop recording when the VTR reaches this time. When you have found the point in the input stream where you want to end recording you can click the Mark Out button to set the Mark Out time code. You can also manually enter a time code or a frame count. Goto Mark-In Forces the VTR to be positioned at the Mark In time code. Goto Mark-Out Forces the VTR to be positioned at the Mark Out time code. Duration Sets the duration of time to record a clip. You can enter a time code or a frame count. If using a VTR as source input, the duration is determined by the Mark In and Mark Out times. If using a live feed as source input, set the duration; this determines the length of the recorded clip. Creating a New Clip The following settings can be found upon clicking the Append New Clip button (shown at left), which brings up the Add Record Clip window (Figure 2-6). Figure 2-6. Add Record Clip Window Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

33 Chapter 2 Argus MX Encoding 25 Clip Name Enter the name to use for this clip. Segment Name Enter the segment name to use for this clip. Description Short description of clip. File Path Where clip will be located. Template Select the template to use for the record settings for this clip by choosing the desired template from drop-down list. Category None or choose from user pre-defined list (which can be edited). Use the Category Editor to add or remove clip categories. Source Type VTR or Live (see Encode Options Source Type, page 23). If Live, the following below items will be grayed out; if VTR, they are active. Source ID Specify the ID of the source. This determines if a tape change is necessary during Pause/Resume encoding. If all segments contain the same source ID, then the encode will not require any user interaction. If the IDs are different, the encoding process will pause until the user tells the encode to continue. This allows the user to change the source in the middle of the encode. PreRoll Enter the number of seconds, prior to the start of recording, that the VTR will begin playing. This allows the VTR to come up to speed before recording begins. Frame Adjustment VTR devices vary in their response time. Due to a lag in their response time some devices may require an indication to start playing before the required Mark In time. Use the Frame Adjustment value to indicate to the encoder to begin recording one or more frames before the actual Mark In time to allow for this lag. Port Select the COM port on the system machine that the VTR device is connected to. Values are limited to 1 through 5. OK/Cancel Buttons Click the OK button to add the clip to the list. Click Cancel to return to the Record List without adding the clip to the list Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

34 26 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Encode (Record) Lists Use the Encode List to manage recording lists. The user can create, open, modify, and save encode lists in this control. Clicking on the list will update the other controls on page with more detailed information about the clip. This allows the user to edit the details. Some entries in the list may contain a light blue highlight. This indicates that the entries highlighted are segments of the same clip. A record segment allows a user to pause and resume an encode at a specified mark-in and mark-out with the result being a single MPEG file. Figure 2-7. Encode List Window The buttons and list box along the top of the window provide encode list options: List Type Selection Select the type of list to be used by clicking on the drop down in the upper right corner. Encode All will encode all clips and segments that are in the list. Encode Selected will encode just the clips that the user has selected. Select multiple clips by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking the mouse button. Create New List Click on the New button to create a new record list. If an existing list is open, the user will be shown a warning message that the current list will be removed. The warning indicates the current list will not be saved. If the current list has been previously saved it will still be available to open at a later time. NOTE: If an encode list is open, you will be shown a warning message that the current list will be removed. The warning indicates the current list will not be saved. If the current list has been previously saved it will still be available to open at a later time. Open Existing List Click on the Open button to open an existing list. If a list is open you will be shown a warning message that the current list will be removed. The warning indicates the current list will not be Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

35 Chapter 2 Argus MX Encoding 27 saved. If the current list has been previously saved it will still be available to open at a later time. When the user clicks this button the Open List dialog appears and allows them to select an existing list. Save List Click on the Save button to save the current list. If the user has not previously saved the list the New Record List dialog appears and allows them to name the new list. Add Clip Click on the Add Clip button to add a clip to the record list. When the user clicks this button the Record List Add Clip dialog appears to allows them to set up a new clip. Add Segment (Pause/Resume) Click on the Add Segment button to add a Pause/Resume segment to a clip in a record list. When the user clicks this button the Record List Add Clip dialog appears to allows them to set up a new segment. This button will only be enabled if the clip that is selected in the record list is a VTR encode. Pause/Resume is only allowed with VTR encodes. Delete Clip Click on the Delete Clip button to remove the selected clip or segment from the record list. Clip Information The following columns are found in the clip encode list: Clip Name The name of the clip. Segment Name The name of the segment within a particular clip. Description Brief descriptive remarks to identify the file. File Path The path and name of the file. Mark In The time code position the clip will begin to encode. Mark Out The time code position the clip will stop encoding. Duration The length of time the clip will encode. Status The status of the clip ( Pending, Encoding, Encoded, etc.). Category The category as determined by the Add Record Clip window. Template Name of the template in use for current clip. Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

36 28 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Encode Settings and Template Creation By selecting the Template Setup tab from the main encode GUI window. you bring up a window that easily lets you create, edit and save templates (or reuse previously saved templates) for custom encoding sessions (Figure 2-8). To use a previously-created template, click on the drop-down box and select the template name. To create a new template, click on the New button, type in a template name and make your desired changes to the properties. Note that you can base the new template on an existing one, if desired. Save the new template by clicking OK. Templates can be deleted by selecting the template name and clicking Delete. Note that some properties of certain default templates, such as NTSC and PAL, are specifically created for those formats and cannot be changed by the user ( grayed out ). However, properties of new templates based on those templates can be changed as desired to create a custom template. Properties are displayed by clicking on the + check box to the left of the desired property. Context-sensitive parameter information and available settings are displayed on the blue colored area just below the property section of the window. The values of most properties are changed by clicking on the property, then clicking on the down-arrow at the far right of the screen and selecting the desired value. Note that Spectrum multi-stream encoding properties can also be set here. For detailed information on each of the template properties, consult on-line Help by clicking on Help on the GUI menu bar. Figure 2-8. Encode Template Setup Main Window Encoding with RecordAdvantage Lite

37 Appendix A Specifications Argus MX Model Encoder Board System Requirements Microsoft Windows 2000, 2000 Server, 2003 Server, or Windows XP 800 Mhz IBM PC-compatible Pentium or equivalent) dual processors recommended when transcoding) 256 MB RAM, plus RAM used by video server application Fast (7200 RPM) IDE, serial ATA or fast/wide SCSI drive recommended CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive (for installation of system files) 200MB available hard disk space (for MediaAdvantage Lite installation, including Microsoft.NET Framework and Microsoft MSDE) plus disk space for clips and segments Supported Formats MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-2 4:2:2 Profile ISO/IEC (MPEG-1 System), ISO/IEC (MPEG-2 Program and Transport), plus audio and video Elementary streams Video Bit Rate MPEG-1: 1.5Mbps to 5Mbps MPEG-2 Main Profile: 3Mbps to 15Mbps MPEG-2 4:2:2 Profile: 15Mbps to 50Mbps, system dependent Support for variable bit rate encoding GOP Structure: I, IBP, IBBP, IP open or closed GOP Size: Programmable up to 29 frames Video Features Video Signal Inputs Composite NTSC and PAL Component serial digital (SDI) video (SMPTE 259M) YUV and S-video via EMI bracket Audio Features MPEG-1 layer 2 Audio Sample Rate: 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz Audio Bit Rate: 32kbps to 384kbps Audio Signal Inputs AES/EBU digital audio (4 channel / dual stereo) Specifications

38 30 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide SMPTE 272M audio embedded in the SDI stream (4 channel / dual stereo) Stereo analog audio (4 channel / dual stereo) Physical Full length PCI form factor board Power Requirements +3.3VDC 2.4A (typ) +5VDC 0.6A (typ) +12VDC 0.04A (typ) -12VDC 0.04A (typ) Total Power Dissipation: 11.9W External Connectors 26-Pin D-Sub for audio and LTC input BNC: Composite video input BNC: Digital video input Optional EMI bracket for YUV and S-video input Operating Environment Operating Temperature: +10 C to +40 C (+50 F to % RH All specifications subject to change without notice. Specifications

39 Index 4:2:0 Encoding :2:2 Encoding A AES/EBU Audio API Information , 12, 17 Argus Spectrum Audio Cabling C CD-ROM Installation Disc CD-ROM System Files CineView Pro XLe Decoder CineViewClient , 17 Clip Indexing Closed Caption Encoding COM Compiler Confidence Monitoring Customer Support D Dolby Digital E Embedded Audio , 3 Embedded Hardware Stream Multiplexing Encode Application Encode Clip Information Encode Options Encode Template Creation Encoding Resolutions env Chipset G Genlock H Hardware Driver Installation L Licensing Keys Ligos MPEG-1 Stream Longitudinal Time Code LTC M MediaAdvantage , 19 Microsoft Visual Studio.NET N NTSC P PAL PCI Bus PowerPC , 2 Push Model Streaming R Real G2 Stream RecordAdvantage Lite , 19 S Sample Playback Application , 17 SDI Serial Digital Video SMPTE 259M , 3 SMPTE Time Code Software Developer s Kit Software Installation Index

40 32 Argus MX Encoder Installation and User Guide Sony 9-pin Interface Spectrum Stream Parsing T Template Setup Tab U Uninstalling Software V VCXO Video Cabling VTR Controls W Windows Media Format Stream Y YUV Video Index