Visual Circuits MC User manual

Mantis MC™
User Manual

Trademarks
The Focus Enhancements, Visual Circuits, and Mantis logos are
registered trademarks in the United States and other countries. All
other products, services or company names mentioned herein are
claimed as trademarks and trade names by their respective
companies.
©Focus Enhancements, 1999-2005.
All rights reserved. No portion of this manual may be copied by
any means without the prior consent of Visual Circuits.
Focus Enhancements
Midwest Headquarters
5155 East River Road, Suite 401
Minneapolis, MN 55421 USA
http://www.visualcircuits.com
Mantis MC User Manual
Publication Number: 813-0059c
All specifications, notices and warnings are subject to change
without notice.

i
Mantis MC™Safety Requirements
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:
The following safety instructions apply to the Mantis
Media Multi-Channel (MC):
1. Read and follow all warning notices and instructions marked on the
product or included in this manual. Opening or removing covers and/
or components may expose you to dangerous high voltage points or
other risks. Only qualified personnel should perform all servicing.
2. The maximum ambient temperature for the Mantis is 114 degrees
Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius). Care should be given to allow
sufficient air circulation or space between units when the Mantis is
installed in a closed or multi-unit rack assembly because the
operating ambient temperature of the rack environment must be
greater than room ambient temperature.
3. Slots and openings in the cabinet (chassis) are provided for
ventilation. To ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect
it from overheating, maintain a minimum of 1-inch (2.5-cm)
clearance on the top and sides.
4. Installation of the Mantis in a rack without sufficient airflow can be
unsafe.
5. If installed in a rack, the rack should safely support the combined
weight of all equipment it supports. A fully loaded Mantis weighs 12
pounds (4.6 kg).
6. The connections and equipment of the Mantis should be capable of
operating safely with the maximum power requirements of the
Mantis. In the event of a power overload, the supply circuits and
supply wiring should not become hazardous.
7. Models with AC power inputs are intended to be used with the three-
wire grounding type plug (a plug that has a grounding pin). This is a
safety feature. Equipment grounding is vital to ensure safe operation.
Do not defeat the purpose of grounding type plugs by modifying the
plug or using an adapter.
8. If a three-wire grounding type power source is not available, consult
a qualified electrician to determine another method of grounding the
equipment.
9. Install only in restricted areas in accordance with Articles 110-16,
100-17 and 110-18 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70.

ii
10. Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord and do not locate the
product where persons will walk on or come in contact with the
power cord.
POWER AND GROUND REQUIREMENTS:
Determine that the cumulative power requirements of the Mantis
plus other equipment in the rack do not overload the supply circuits
and/or wiring.
If using a power strip or similar supply, make sure
the power requirements of the chassis, plus the
cumulative power draw of any other equipment in
the rack, do not overload the supply circuit.
For safe operation, this equipment must be properly
grounded.
The chassis should be reliably earth grounded to the
rack equipment. This earth ground connection must be
maintained when supply connection is other than direct
connection to the branch circuit.

iii
RACK MOUNTING AND
VENTILATION REQUIREMENTS:
If you are rack-mounting the Mantis base unit:
1. Always stack the rack from the bottom up to ensure a stable and safe
rack.
2. The installation of the Mantis and other units within the rack should
not reduce the airflow within the rack. The maximum recommended
ambient temperature for the Mantis is 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38
degrees Celsius).
3. Determine that the cumulative power requirements of the Mantis plus
the other equipment in the rack do not overload the rack supply
circuit and/or wiring.
4. When installing, consider the location of the Mantis in relation to
other devices located in an adjacent rack. Ensure that the Mantis air
intake is not drawing directly upon heated air from another unit.
Rack Depth: The minimum rack depth required to install the Mantis
is 16 inches (41 cm). If cables are used, the rack should be EMI/RFI
shielded. Ensure that the cables used meet EMI/RFI requirements and
are shielded if exposed.
Side Rails: The Mantis has side rails provided for mounting. If
different rail mounts or sliding rails are used, consult the original
manufacturer of this equipment to confirm they meet the weight and
stress requirements in order to support the Mantis chassis.

iv
User Manual Regulatory Documentation
The CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive contains a laser
system and is a ‘Class 1 Laser Product’ under a U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Radiation Performance standard, according to the
Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968.
Should a unit ever require maintenance, contact an
authorized repair location.
There is danger of explosion if the battery is
incorrectly replaced.
A lithium battery on the product provides backup power
for the device’s timekeeping capability. The battery has
an estimated life expectancy of ten years. When the
battery starts to weaken, the date and time may become
incorrect. If the battery fails, the unit must be sent back
to Visual Circuits for battery replacement.
An improperly grounded power supply can result in
electrical shock.
The AC power cord provided with your system has a
grounded plug. Always use a grounded power cord with
a properly grounded wall outlet.

v
Class A Statement
FCC Part 15 (EN61000-3-2)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits
for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 (EN61000-3-2) of the
FCC Rules. 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 this 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 his or her own expense.
The Mantis complies with Part 15 (EN61000-3-2) of the FCC rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Industry Canada
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 du Regulement sur le materiel brouilleur du Canada.
Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly
approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.

vi
EMC and Safety Directive Compliance
The CE mark is affixed to this Visual Circuits Corporation product
to confirm compliance with the following European Community
Directives:
Council Directive 89/336/EEC of 3 May 1989 on the approximation
of the laws of Member States relating to electromagnetic
compatibility.
And
Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973 on the
harmonization of the laws of Member States relating to electrical
equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits:
Each amended by Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993 on
the harmonization of CE marking requirements.
Class A Warning (EN55024, EN55022)
In a domestic environment this product may cause radio
interference in which case the user may be required to take
adequate measures.
All specifications are subject to change without notice.
Failure to provide adequate surge protection may
cause damage to the Mantis.
Visual Circuits does not warranty damage caused by
electrical surges to the system. Surge protection should
be provided when connecting any peripheral device and
power to the system.

vii
CONTENTS
Mantis Multi Channel™ Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Media Messenger and Webview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Mantis MC System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Plug and Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Connections Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Video/VGA Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Mantis Video Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Audio Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Configuring for a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Attaching a Laptop or PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Changing TCP/IP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Front Panel and Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Menu Control Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Encoding Requirements and Recommendations . . . . . 15
Standard Definition (SD) Encoding Requirements . . . . . . . . 15
SD Encoding Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
High Definition (HD) Encoding Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . 19
HD Encoding Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Encoding Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Smart Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Optional Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Using the Smart Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Inserting the Smart Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Saving a Configuration to the Smart Card . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Loading a Configuration from the Smart Card . . . . . . . . 26
Eject the Smart Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

viii
Contents
If Smart Card Does Not Eject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Storing the Smart Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
WEBVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Accessing WebView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Step 1: Connect to the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Step 2: Determine the IP Address of the Mantis . . . . . . 32
Step 3: Establish Communications with the Mantis . . . . 34
Step 4: Enter User Name and Password. . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Using WebView. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Transferring Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Webview Software Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Media Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Using the Playlist Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Using the Schedule Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Using the Player Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
System Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
HTTP Auto-Update Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
USB Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Multicast Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Smart Card Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Advanced Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Networking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Media Messenger™ Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Product Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Updating

ix
Contents
Video Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Overview of the Update Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Content Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Automatic Updating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Media Update Disc Updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Drop & Go Disc Updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
FTP UPDATING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
MULTICAST UPDATING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Manual Updating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
WebView Updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Standard CD/DVD Updating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Direct File Access Updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Log File Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Run Logs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Diagnostic Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Log Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Log Default Playlist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Maximum Log File Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Uploading Log Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
External Control Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Connecting via RS232 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Connecting via TCP/IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Hyper Terminal Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
VCC Control Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Playlist Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Playlistload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Playlistplay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
mpgLoad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

x
Contents
mpgLoadNext . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
mpgLoadDef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
mpgLoadNextDef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
mpgClearDef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
mpgPlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
mpgStop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
mpgPlayAll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
mpgStopAll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
mpgBlack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
mpgUnblack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Using Serial Commands To Create Playlists . . . . . . . 147
Firefly System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
FireflyFtpUpdate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
FireflyRestart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Callback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
mpgCallback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Audio and Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
mpgSetVolumeLeftRight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
mpgMute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
mpgUnMute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
On-Screen Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
osdLoadBMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
osdShow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
osdHide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
osdSetXYMix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
mpgDir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
mpgDelete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Cross-channel Syncronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
mpgPlay, mpgPlayAll, mpgStop, mpgStopAll. . . . . . . . 159
mpgSyncChannels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
mpgUnSyncChannels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
mpgPlaySyncChannels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
mpgStopSyncChannels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

xi
Contents
Information Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
infoGetFile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
infoGetPlaylist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
infoGetSchedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
infoGetState . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
FireflySetDefault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
FireflySetIpAddr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
FireflySetGateway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
FireflySetNetmask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
FireflySetNetworkType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
FireflySetWeb_Enable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
FireflyGetIpAddr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
FireflyGetGateway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
FireflyGetNetmask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
FireflyGetNetworkType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
FireflyGetWeb_Enable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
LDV Control Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
COM Port Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Command Language Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Command Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Address Arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Command Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Playback Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Play (PL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Load Playlist/Schedule (LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Reject “Stop” (RJ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Pause (PA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Still (ST) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Search (SE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Multi-Track Jump Forward (JF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Multi-Track Jump Reverse (JR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

xii
Contents
Display Control (DS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Frame Number Request (?F) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Time Code Request (?T) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Chapter Number Request (?C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Player Active Mode Request (?P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Mantis Model Request (?X) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
External Control Commands Quick Reference Guide: . 195
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
General Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Restoration Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
No Power to the Mantis (No LCD light or fan noise). . . 198
No Video Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Test File Does Not Play Properly On All Channels . . . 200
Test File Does Not Display On One Channel . . . . . . . . 200
Stuttering Files During Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Latent Images or Flashing During Playback. . . . . . . . . 203
Some Files in the Playlist Do Not Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
SMPTE Timecodes are Not Recognized Properly . . . . 204
File Related Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
File Copy Error Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Serial Command Fails, Returning NAK . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Update Fails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Smart Card Does Not Eject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Preventing Cabling and Connection Problems . . . . . . . . . . 207
Front Panel Display Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Bad FPL/FSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Bad FTP Dir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Bad IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Bad User/Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Cant List Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Cant List Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Download Fail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

xiii
Contents
FTP Failed Networking Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Invalid FTP IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Missing MPEG/Overlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
No Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
No IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
No Local FPL/FSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
No Valid TAR/FPL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Proxy Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Transfer Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Returning Materials to Focus Enhancements Inc.
(VAR/Distributor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Mantis MC Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

xiv

1
MANTIS MULTI CHANNEL™
QUICK START
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Mantis Multiple Channel (MC)
media player.
Mantis media players are flexible and scalable digital media
delivery systems that are designed for enterprise-wide applications.
Bundled with Media Messenger™and WebView™software,
Mantis media players deliver scheduled, live, or interactive
playback in almost any media format. In addition Mantis media
players support independent output, whether in high or standard
definition or a combination of both.
Media Messenger and Webview
Included with the Mantis MC are the powerful Media Messenger
and WebView applications for creating, scheduling, distributing,
managing, and auditing digital content throughout the enterprise.

Mantis Multi Channel™Quick Start
2
Mantis MC System
The basic Mantis MC system includes:
Features
❏32-bit accelerated graphics output, supporting
Multi-Zone™ functionality
❏Expandable up to 2 channels
❏CD/DVD drive
❏Hard drive for media and system log storage
❏Standard and high-definition video output
❏Smart Card for configuration and security
Networking and Control
❏10/100 Mbps Ethernet
❏Content updating via FTP or HTTP (manual or automatic)
❏SNMP, Satellite and terrestrial multicast support
❏TCP/IP or serial control with Visual Circuits protocol
❏UDP/IP broadcast
❏Media Messenger™ software for scheduling and content
distribution
❏WebView™ browser-based user interface with WebView
User Manual (pdf) stored on Mantis
Audio
❏Stereo or Dolby Digital™ via S/PDIF
❏Stereo analog MPEG Layers 1, 2, 3
Video
❏MPEG 1 and 2,
❏NTSC/PAL transcoding

Mantis Multi Channel™Quick Start
3
Plug and Play
The Mantis comes loaded with sample videos that are useful as you
become familiar with the Mantis features and for diagnostic
purposes. Video playback is typically controlled through a
“playlist” that defines which videos are played, on which channels,
and in what order. Only one playlist can be active at any time,
though any number of playlists can be stored on the Mantis for
later use. Whenever the Mantis is turned on, the playlist that was
last in use reloads and playback begins automatically.
To quickly test the Mantis, plug it in, connect the cables, and turn
it on.
1. Connect the power cable to the back of the Mantis and plug it
in to a power source.
2. Connect video and audio cables to the backplane following the
appropriate Mantis connections guide on the following page.
3. Connect the video and audio cables from the Mantis to the
video and audio inputs on the video monitor(s) and audio
components.
4. Connect the Mantis to a network, see Configuring for a
Network on page 7.
5. At startup, the Mantis runs through a short series of self-
diagnostics before beginning automated playback.
Mantis Default Factory Settings
By default, the Mantis plays Component, 1080i and line-level audio
on all channels. If your application requires the Mantis to use a
different video standard and/or video output type, use the Front
Panel or WebView to change the system settings as required.
Consult the section on Video Settings on page 73 within the main
body of the user manual for more information about changing these
settings.
Reboot Mantis MC After Changing Video Output Type
Whenever the video output type is changed, on one or more
channels, it is necessary to reboot the Mantis MC. If this is not
done, incorrect colors may be displayed.

Mantis Multi Channel™Quick Start
4
Connections Guide
Video Output Configuration
The basic configuration of the Mantis MC provides multiple types
of video output simultaneously, on a channel-by-channel basis. For
example, it is possible to configure the MC so that Channel 1
outputs to a composite monitor, while Channel 2 goes to a
component or RGB monitor. For more information on configuring
video output types see Mantis System Settings, Video menu, which
is accessible from the front panel or WebView, Video Settings on
page 73.
Video and Audio Connections
Figure 1. Mantis MC Backplane Audio/Video Connections
CVBS Connections
Connect a composite cable to the corresponding Channel 1 or 2
connector. The Mantis MC uses BNC connectors.
CVBS Input
Video 2
Component
RGB
S-video
Video 1
Component
RGB
S-video
CVBS Audio Out (Left)
CVBS Audio Out (Right)
CVBS Output
Channels
1 2
3 4
Channels
Channels
1 2
3 4
Reserved for future use.
1 2
Channels
3 4
Reserved for
future use.
S/PDIF
Network 10/100
Reserved for
future use.
Serial
RS-232
Analog
Audio