VBrick 8000-0188 User manual

VBrick Multi-Format Set Top Box
Multi-Format Set Top Box v2.2.5
Quick Start Guide
January 2016

Copyright
© 2016 VBrick Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
2121 Cooperative Way, Suite 100
Herndon, VA 20171, USA
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 Systems, Inc. Information in this document is subject to change without notice and VBrick assumes
no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies. VBrick, VBrick Systems, the VBrick logo, VEMS Mystro,
StreamPlayer, and StreamPlayer Plus are trademarks or registered trademarks of VBrick Systems, Inc. in the United States
and other countries. Windows Media, SharePoint, OCS and Lync are trademarked names 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. 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
About VBrick Systems
Founded in 1998, VBrick Systems 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. VBrick products are manufactured in an ISO certified manufacturing facility.

Multi-Format STB Quick Start iii
Contents
Multi-Format STB v2.2.5 Quick Start
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Font Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Environmental Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
1. Getting Started
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Creating STB Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Hardware Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Start Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Local Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Local Fullscreen Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Portal Server Mode (VEMS 5.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Portal Server Mode (VEMS 6.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2. Configuration
Displaying the Setup Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Changing the IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
STB Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Adjusting the Display Area of Output Devices (VEMS 5.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Adjusting the Display Area of Output Devices (VEMS 6.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Upgrade, Reset, Change Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3. Creating a Channel Guide
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Configuring channels.xml. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Sample Channels File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Sample URLs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Updating channels.xml . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Using wget. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Using vi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Hosting channels.xml on a PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Configuring a PC as a Web Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Putting the Files on a PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Configuring the STB Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Using Multiple channel.xml Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Configuring Multiple Channel Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Testing the Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

iv Contents
4. Managing the Set Top Box
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Telnet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
VBDirectory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Web Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5. Software Upgrade
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Using the Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Using Telnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Telnet Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Using an IIS Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Mass Upgrade Using a VEMS Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
1. Unlock the Upgrade Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
2. Configure the Global Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
3. Configure the Upgrade Server URL in VEMS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4. Configure the STB with the VEMS Upgrade Server URL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Cancelling the Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
6. Using the Remote Control
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Using the Remote Control (VEMS 5.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Portal Server Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Local Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Using the Remote Control (VEMS 6.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Portal Server Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Local Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Using the Remote Control to Change the Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
7. Editing Config.txt
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Setting Configuration Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Config.txt File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Multi-Format STB Quick Start v
Multi-Format STB v2.2.5 Quick Start
Preface
When you want to distribute high-definition IP video in cost-sensitive applications, the
VBrick Multi-Format Set Top Box (STB) is the solution. This unit is ideal for large-scale
deployment to plasmas, LCDs, projectors and other large format displays. It supports the
leading compression protocols, so it fits into most applications. And, it's designed to be
low-cost and easy to deploy, so it fits into most budgets. Part of VBrick's end-to-end
enterprise solution, the Multi-Format STB works seamlessly with the VBrick Enterprise
Media System (VEMS), delivering live and on-demand programming in a user-friendly format
for a rich and customized viewer experience.
Organization
This online help system provides access to Multi-Format Set Top Box documentation. If
you find errors or omissions in this manual, click the e-mail icon in the upper-right corner of
this window or send your feedback to [e-mail]. The information in this
document is arranged as follows:
Important Note The Multi-Format Set Top Box can be used with VEMS 5.x systems and
with VEMS 6.x systems. These systems are architected differently and as a result, the
interaction with the set top box is slightly different. When using this guide, be sure to note
whether the text applies to VEMS 5.x or to VEMS 6.x. If not specifically stated, the feature
or function works the same for both versions of VEMS.
1. Getting Started explains how to install the set top box and the differences
between Local Mode and Fullscreen Mode.
2. Configuration explains how to configure the Video and Output Settings
to match the requirements at your site.
3. Creating a Channel Guide explains how to configure a local channel guide and FTP
it to the set top box.
4. Managing the Set Top Box summarizes the various management tools available to
configure and manage the unit.
5. Software Upgrade explains how to update the software when an upgrade is
available.
6. Using the Remote Control explains how to use the remote control in Local Mode
and Portal Server Mode.
7. Editing Config.txt explains how to manually edit the config.txt file.

vi Welcome
Getting Help
If you can't find the information you need in this document, or from your reseller, you can
contact VBrick Support Services on the web, by e-mail, or by calling 1-203 303-0222. For
faster service, be sure to have your VBrick product serial number or support contract
number. Support Services can usually answer your technical questions in 24 business hours or
less. Note that all VBrick documentation is on the web. For more information about any
VBrick product, go to www.vbrick.com/documentation
Font Conventions
Arial bold is used to describe dialog boxes and menu choices, for example: Start > All
Programs > VBrick
Courier fixed-width font is used for scripts, code examples, or keyboard commands.
Courier bold fixed-width font is used for user input in scripts, code examples, or keyboard
commands.
This bold black font is used to strongly emphasise important words or phrases.
Folder names and user examples in text are displayed in this sans serif font.
User input in text is displayed in this bold sans serif font.
Italics are used in text to emphasize specific words or phrases.
When used in file names or other strings, a percent20 "%20" indicates a space.
Environmental Considerations
At VBrick, we believe that running our company with a "green" conscience is good for the
environment and good for business and that environmental awareness is an important part of
the value we deliver to our customers. We recognize our responsibilities to our customers,
partners, and employees, and also to the communities in which we live and work. We believe
that the same ethics and principles that guide our daily business decisions should be applied
to the environment as well. We design superior quality, high performance, and energy-
efficient products and are continually looking for ways to conserve energy and reduce waste.
As a company, we look for ways to be environmentally friendly in designing our products and
operating our facilities, and by choosing partners and suppliers who are committed to
sustainable development. You can help by recycling batteries and other consumables and by
finding new and better ways to protect and preserve our environment. If you have ideas or
suggestions that will help to reinforce our commitment to these goals, please let us know.

Multi-Format STB Quick Start 1
Chapter 1
Getting Started
Topics in this chapter
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Start Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Overview
This document describes the VBrick Multi-Format Set Top Box. It's called "multi-format"
because it plays most of the video codecs commonly in use today. It plays live or stored
streams—it records streams in VEMS Server Mode only. It delivers both Standard
Definition and High Definition output at resolutions up to 1080p30. These pages explain
how to connect and configure the Multi-Format set top box. There is no software installation
required—simply connect and configure the device as explained in this document and you
are done. The Multi-Format STB decodes and plays the streams shown in Table 1. These
streams can be sourced from VBrick encoding appliances or from VBrick VOD-W (MPEG),
VOD-WM (Windows Media), VOD-D (Darwin), and DME (Distributed Media Engine)
VOD servers.
Figure 1. Multi-Format Set Top Box (front)
Creating STB Users
In a VEMS Mystro environment, each STB must be associated with a VEMS user and each
VEMS STB user must be unique. In large-scale deployments with hundreds of boxes, creating
these users is a time-consuming and error-prone manual process. The STB Users Utility is a
program that automates this process and automatically creates users and assigns them to each
STB in your environment. For an explanation of how to install and use this utility, see the
"STB Users Utility" topic in the Portal Server Admin Guide.
Table 1. Supported Stream Formats
Format Description
H.264 RTSP Interleaved, RTSP (Transport Stream and RTP)
Windows Media HTTP and RTSPU (ASF Format)
MPEG-2 Multicast, Unicast (Transport Stream)
MPEG-4 RTSP, RTSP Interleaved (RTP)

2© 2016 VBrick Systems, Inc.
Hardware Specifications
Table 2. Hardware Specifications
Installation
The Multi-Format Set Top Box is shipped with Audio/Video, S-Video, Ethernet, and power
cables. It also has a handheld IR remote control unit with batteries. Connect the STB to a
standard or high definition TV as explained below. Check the components for damage as you
unpack the device and contact VBrick if anything is missing or damaged. Use common sense
when installing the set top box. Do not expose the unit to direct sunlight, high humidity or wet
conditions. Do not block the air vents or impede the airflow in any way.
Video Decoder and
Transport Protocols
• Windows Media in ASF over HTTP
• H.264 in RTP and MPEG-2 Transport Stream
• MPEG-4 part 2 over RTP
• MPEG-2 over Transport Stream
Network Connectivity 10/100 Base T
Video Outputs • NTSC 720x480 @ 30fps
• PAL 720x576 @ 25fps
• HD Outputs: 720p and 1080i
• HDMI, Component Video, S-Video, and Composite Video
• Resolutions up to 1920x1080
Audio Outputs • Stereo audio
• Embedded audio on the HDMI interface
Front Panel Display • IR Window
• LAN connectivity monitor LED
Rear Panel • CVBS composite out (RCA jack yellow)
• Component out (RCA jacks green, blue, and red)
• Audio out port (RCA jack white, red)
• RJ-45 LAN port
• USB port for keyboard
• HDMI
IR Interface Yes
Dimensions L 9.4in x D 6in x H 2.2in (L 23.9cm x D 15.2cm x H 5.6cm)
Power Supply 18W
Weight 1.8 lbs
Regulatory Approvals FCC Part 15, CE
Operating Range • Temperature from 0 to 40C
• Humidity 5% ~ 95%

Getting Started
Multi-Format STB Quick Start 3
Figure 2. Multi-Format Set Top Box (rear)
To setup and connect the Multi-Format STB:
1. Place the device in a suitable location.
2. Connect the device to your network using the provided Ethernet cable with an RJ-45
connector.
3. Connect the STB to the display device(s). You can output to multiple standard or high
definition devices using the composite, component, or HDMI connectors.
4. Connect the audio outputs as necessary.
5. Connect the power supply to the STB and install two AAA batteries in the remote
control.
Table 3. Rear Panel Connectors
Table 4. Front Panel LEDs (left to right)
Connector Description
USB port Use to connect a USB keyboard.
IR Supports an IR extender for the remote control.
A/V Output • Y, Pb, Pr – component connectors.
• SPDIF – used with 5-in-1 audio cable.
• VIDEO – composite connector.
• R-AUDIO-L – left/right audio out.
• S-VIDEO – S-Video connector.
Optical Not used.
HDMI HDMI output. Connect to an HDMI-compatible TV.
LAN1/LAN2 Use LAN 1 to connect to your Ethernet network. LAN 2 can be used as a
second network connection but may impact performance.
DC12V Connect to power supply.
LED Color Description
Standby Red Flashes red when power is applied.
Power Green Steady green when power is applied.
Link Green Steady green when power is applied.
IR Remote Red Flashes red when using IR remote control.

4© 2016 VBrick Systems, Inc.
Start Mode
The Start Mode indicates how the set top box is populated with channel content. It
determines the look-and-feel of the interface and controls which channels are displayed and
available for viewing. STB Configuration on page 10 explains how to configure the Start
Mode.
Table 5. STB Start Modes
Local Mode
In Local Mode the Multi-Format STB plays "channels" that are hard-coded in an .xml file and
FTPed to the STB. The box will then display a "channel guide" as shown in Figure 3. Local
Mode (or Local Fullscreen Mode) is configured in the channels.xml file. See Configuring
channels.xml on page 17 for details.
Figure 3. Local Mode
Local Fullscreen Mode
In Local Fullscreen Mode the set top box plays one channel that fills the entire screen. A set
top box configured for Full Screen Mode is shown in Figure 4. Local Fullscreen Mode is
configured in the channels.xml file.
Start Mode Description
Local Host the channel guide directly on the set top box using channels.xml.
Server Populate the channel guide from VEMS. Enter the IP address or hostname
of the VEMS server. Use https in the URL to configure for SSL.
Other Host the channel guide on local PC using the IIS server. Enter the IP
address/URL pointing to the location of the pages.

Getting Started
Multi-Format STB Quick Start 5
Figure 4. Local Fullscreen Mode
Portal Server Mode (VEMS 5.x)
In Portal Server Mode the set top box has a complete "channel guide" populated by the
VEMS Portal Server. The channel guide displays both live streams and stored streams from a
VOD server. You will typically use the handheld Remote Control to navigate through various
menu options (see Using the Remote Control on page 41 for more about using this device).
You can also connect and use a USB keyboard.
Figure 5. Portal Server Mode (VEMS 5.x)
In Portal Server Mode all live and stored content is hosted from the Portal Server and the
MENU button provides a subset of Portal Server functionality. To display menu options,
Note As noted in the Preface, there are important differences in behavior depending on
whether you are using the set top box with a VEMS 5.x system or with a VEMS 6.x
system. Whenever there is a difference in behavior, it will be noted in the text.
Note In Portal Server Mode you may be prompted for a PIN when the set top box is
powered on or rebooted. PIN numbers are enabled by default and are assigned to each
user in VEMS. To change or disable the PIN, see Users > Add /Modify User
Information in the Portal Server Admin Guide.

6© 2016 VBrick Systems, Inc.
click the MENU button on the remote control. Click MENU again to hide menu options. Note
that the items shown on the menu vary depending on which page is currently displayed.
Portal Server Mode (VEMS 6.x)
The set top box has different features and functionality when used with VEMS 6.x systems.
In VEMS 6.x you navigate and search using the labeled buttons on the remote control device.
These buttons are explained in detail in Using the Remote Control on page 41 and
summarized below in Table 6. You may be prompted for a PIN number when the set top box
is powered on or rebooted. PIN numbers are assigned to each user in VEMS. To change or
disable the PIN, see Access Control > Users in the Portal Server Admin Guide.
Live Media Goes to the top level of the Live Media pages.
Scheduled Displays any scheduled programs currently available for viewing.
Media Library Goes to the top (root) level of the Media Library. Click on any folder to
display the contents of the folder. Click Up to return to previous display.
Search Lets you search for media by Title, Tags, Description, or Custom Fields
created by a VEMS administrator.
Status Displays status info for any video ingestions currently in progress.
Bookmark Media Library. Use to bookmark any point in a stream. Click once to
start and once to stop and save.
Info Media Library. Displays Title, Description, and Keywords for any stored
stream in the library.
Full Screen Go to full screen. Click Full Screen on remote to exit.
Logout Stops streams, exits application, and displays login page.

Getting Started
Multi-Format STB Quick Start 7
Figure 6. Portal Server Mode (VEMS 6.x)
In VEMS 6.x you perform a search using the Search button on the remote control. You can
filter by category, type, or keyword (Figure 7) and any stream currently in progress will
continue to play when the search results are displayed. When paging through live or stored
video, press the Live or VOD button to return to page one of the respective live or stored
pages.
Table 6. Remote Control Navigation (VEMS 6.x)
Button Description
Search Search for live or stored content.
Live Video Go to the Live Video page.
Stored Video Go to the Stored Video page.
Info Displays information about the currently selected stream.
Full Screen Go to full screen or exit full screen.
Logout Logout from the STB

8© 2016 VBrick Systems, Inc.
Figure 7. Search Live or Stored Content (VEMS 6.x)

Multi-Format STB Quick Start 9
Chapter 2
Configuration
Topics in this chapter
Displaying the Setup Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
STB Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Upgrade, Reset, Change Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Displaying the Setup Page
The Setup pages are used to set various configuration options such as IP Address and Start
Mode. As shown in Table 7, different setup pages are displayed depending on the password
you enter.
To launch the Setup pages:
1. Connect the STB to the display device.
2. Power the STB off and on with the red power button on the remote control.
3. Wait until the VBrick logo is replaced by a black screen.
4. When the animated "Starting" circle is displayed, start pressing the Help (?) button on the
remote and continue until the Password page is displayed.
5. Enter the password corresponding to the pages you wish to edit.
Table 7. Setup Program Passwords
Changing the IP Address
By default, the set top box is configured for DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
and will automatically retrieve an IP address from a DHCP server if present. If a DHCP
server is not present or unavailable, you can configure the set top box with a static IP address
and other network options. If you have the VBDirectory management program installed you
easily find any networked VBrick devices. See VBDirectory on page 30 for more information.
To find the IP address launch the Setup program as explained below or in Local Mode use
the remote control (use the unlabeled third button down on the right). Then move the cursor
to the Information icon in the lower left area of any page and click on the Info icon This will
display the IP Address, MAC Address, Firmware Version, and other data (see Figure 8). The
set top box is configured for DHCP by default and will automatically acquire an IP address
when plugged in if your network is DHCP-enabled.
Password Use To ...
1234 Set IP Address, Start Mode, Video & Audio Output Setting, etc.
5678 Upgrade, Reset Factory Defaults, change Password.

10 © 2016 VBrick Systems, Inc.
Figure 8. System Info page.
Setting a Static IP Address
To set a static IP address:
1. Launch the setup program (see below) to display the IPv4 Network Setting page.
2. Use the remote control to enter a static IP Address as well as Netmask, Default Gateway,
and DNS information. If in doubt, get this information from your system administrator.
3. When done navigate to Finish and click OK on the remote control.
STB Configuration
This topic explains how to configure various STB parameters such as start mode and SD or
HD Output resolution.
To configure the set top box using the remote control:
1. Power up the box and wait for screen that looks like this.
2. When the animated "Starting" circle is displayed, start pressing the Help (?) button on
the remote and continue until the Password page is displayed. (For more details see
Displaying the Setup Page on page 9.)

Configuration
Multi-Format STB Quick Start 11
Note: Click the Info icon in the lower left area of the page to display the MAC address
and other information (see Figure 8) without entering a password.
3. Enter the default password 1234, move the cursor to the OK button, and press the OK
button on the remote.
4. When the page shown above is displayed, move the cursor to Next and press the OK
button on the remote control to continue. (Note that DHCP is enabled by default.)
5. Portal Page – Use this field to select the Start Mode (Local, Server, Other). See Table 5 on
page 4 for more about these options. Use https in the URL to configure the STB for
SSL. SSL applies when the STB is in Portal Server Mode only. When configured for SSL,
all management communication between the Portal Server and the STB is encrypted. To

12 © 2016 VBrick Systems, Inc.
implement SSL you will also need to configure SSL on the Portal Server. If SSL is
enabled and there is no root certificate, you can disable validation (and eliminate the
warning pop-up) in the config.txt file. See Setting Configuration Parameters on page 49
for more about this.
Upgrade URL – 6.x only. Use this field to take advantage of the upgrade server. Each time
the unit starts it checks this location for software updates. If you do not have an upgrade
server (and do not plan to have one), leave this field blank. If this field is populated by an
offline server, the unit will make 5 attempts to connect and then bypass the upgrade step.
6. Set UTC to your local time zone. (U.S. Eastern Time = -5)
7. Click Next to continue.
8. Click Next to continue.
9. Click Next to continue.

Configuration
Multi-Format STB Quick Start 13
10. Click Next to continue. (Note: the Display Region is used for Channel Guide graphics—
not the video resolution. The 640x480 setting may not work properly on some screens.)
11. Click Next to continue.
12. On the Video & Audio Output Setting page, set HD Output and SD Output to match the
display device(s) you have connected to the set top box. You can have multiple devices
(for example composite and HDMI) but the HD and SD outputs must match; that is
they must both be NTSC or must both be PAL. Refer to the table below; do not mix and
match modes. (If necessary you can also fine tune the display area for set top boxes; see
Adjusting the Display Area of Output Devices (VEMS 5.x) on page 14 for details.)

14 © 2016 VBrick Systems, Inc.
You can also set the display area and other parameters by modifying the config.txt file,
either manually or via Telnet (see Setting Configuration Parameters on page 49). For
example, the Video/Audio Output Setting section lets you modify saturation, contrast,
hue, brightness, and aspect ratio.
13. Click Finish and then OK to save your changes and reboot.
Adjusting the Display Area of Output Devices (VEMS 5.x)
VEMS 5.4 or higher. If necessary, you can fine tune the channel guide graphics display area
for output devices (i.e. monitors) connected to each set top box in your network. You can
shrink the display area of the output by up to 20 per cent to match the unique specifications
of each monitor. This does not affect the full screen size of the video—it only affects the
channel listing and VEMS page display.
Portal Server Mode
You can adjust the display area of output devices by modifying the adjust.xml file in VEMS.
This file is located in the following folder on the VEMS Portal Server:
C:\Program Files\VBrick\MCS\VEMSPisces\adjust.xml
NTSC PAL
HD Output 1080P30 x
1080P24 x
1080i x
1080i50 x
720P * x
720P50 x
576P x
SD Output 480i x
576i x
* Default
Note At STB startup, HDMI output format is based on the EDID signalling between the
TV and the STB. If the TV does not report that it supports 1080P, the STB will fall
back to a lower resolution. In some cases you may wish to force 1080P regardless of
the EDID signalling. This will support TVs that play 1080P but do not perform EDID
signalling correctly. To force output to 1080p, set the following parameter in /root/
data/config.txt: stb.hdmi.validate_edid_format: 0 (This parameter is in the
"Video/Audio Output Setting" section. See Config.txt File on page 50.)