Channel Guide

Topics in this section

Overview

Adding Channels

Playing and Recording Channels

Overview

The Channel Guide is an optional feature that requires a license and plays live video. It displays a live programming schedule that includes custom channels and TV channels. Custom channels are defined by any user who has privileges to edit both the content and the Channel Guide. Custom channels may also include programming data consisting of the scheduled programs names and times. TV channels are provided by a VBrick server and are auto populated with programming information from the server. When viewing the Channel Guide, use the left and right arrows or the search box (see Figure 18) to see what's on. You can view scheduled programming for the prior day and up to 13 days in advance.

 

Figure 18.

VEMS Mystro Channel Guide

The channels shown in the Channel Guide depend on the permissions associated with the user who is currently logged in. If a user does not have "view" permissions for specific content, it will not be shown in the Channel Guide interface. The Channel Guide displays a list of all the live (custom and TV) channels that have been explicitly defined as videos to be included in the Channel Guide. This includes live scheduled events (e.g. Webcasts) or rebroadcasts of previous live events. When a stream is playing, you can use the community tools in the preview window to add to favorites, recommend, make required, etc. Note that if a live stream is currently being shown in the Channel Guide, it will also be shown on the All Videos > Live Video page.

 

Notes

● The Channel Guide is an optional, licensed feature. If a Channel Guide license is not installed, the Channel Guide tab will not be displayed on the user interface. ● Channels Guide depend on the permissions associated with the user who is currently logged in. If a user does not have "view" permissions for a specific content, that content will not be shown in the Channel Guide interface. ● You can have a Channel Guide without a Channel Guide server as long as all of your channels are custom channels. See Adding Custom Channels.

VBrick Channel Guide Server

If you have a Channel Guide license, the VBrick Channel Guide Server is available to display news, information, and entertainment content. VBrick has partnered with a leading content provider, to provide news, information, and entertainment programming. The program listing includes some 80+ television programs. These programs are generally "network" listings, such as CNN, CSPAN, Animal Planet, etc. The program data comes from the VBrick Channel Guide Server. This server is a VBrick machine that connects to a third-party content provider. The available content is fixed and cannot be changed. As noted, you can have a Channel Guide without a Channel Guide server as long as all of your channels are custom channels. The VBrick Channel Guide Server must be enabled on the Portal Server admin interface (see Enabling the Channel Guide Server below) before it is displayed in the client interface.

Enabling the Channel Guide Server

A Channel Guide Server is required if you will be displaying TV channels from the default VBrick server which is the content provider. TV channels are typically sourced from the VBrick Channel Guide Server. The Channel Guide Server requires a license which must be purchased in advance. If you will be using custom channels only, sourced from VBrick encoders or similar live devices, you need a Channel Guide license but not a Channel Guide Server.

The Channel Guide Server is enabled by default and displays programming data in the Channel Guide. This programming data can be updated periodically (or on demand using the "Refresh Channel Guide" option in the Task Scheduler). As noted, the Channel Guide is an optional feature that requires a license and may not be supported at your site. If you have a Channel Guide license, the Channel Guide functionality must still be enabled by an administrator.

To enable or refresh the Channel Guide Server:

1.	Go to Devices > Channel Guide Server and enable the default VBrick server.

2.	Refresh the Channel Guide Server. Go to Systems Settings > Task Scheduler and run Refresh Channel Guide.

Adding Channels

Only those users who are assigned the role of "Channel Administrator" can add or modify channels. This administrator must have access to both the content and to the Channel Guide. As noted earlier the channel guide has two types of channels: custom channels and TV channels. Custom Channels are those for which you define program information and associate a stream. Custom channels are sourced from any available live source. TV Channels are those acquired from the VBrick Channel Guide Server. TV Channels already have program information generated by the server. The Portal Server discovers all available live streams on the network and any of these discovered streams can be configured and shown in the channel guide. On a network with numerous live streams, the easiest way to keep the list of channels organized is by assigning channel numbers. Channel numbers provide a TV-like experience for viewers and must be unique. When adding custom channels or TV channels, you can configure the channel number, and add a thumbnail as follows.

To add a channel:

1.	Go to the All Videos > Live Video page and click the Add Channel icon next to any live video source. (An alternate method is to play a live stream and select the Channel Guide tab from the Content Metadata tab.)

2.	Select the Channel Type, either TV Channel or Custom Channel.

 

 

3.	Configure the channel as explained below. Depending on the selected Channel Type, see Adding Custom Channels or Adding TV Channels.

 

Note	When creating a channel, if you have two programs with the same program name, they will both be mapped to a single program in the Channel Guide with the same Station Name and Channel Number.

Adding Custom Channels

Custom channels are typically sourced from a VBrick encoder or a similar live source. In all cases you will have to manually add programming data for custom channels. When using the Scheduler to create a live event (i.e. a Live Broadcast, Rebroadcast Content, or a Live Webcast), you will have the option to define channel guide information for the event. If you don't enter programming data, the system will automatically generate programming data for the Channel Guide based on the schedule and other data.

To add a custom channel:

1.

Go to the All Videos > Live Video page and click the "Add Channel" icon next to any available live video source. Available streams (those not already configured) are shown with a plus sign (+) next to the Add Channel icon. Streams already configured are shown with the unique channel number that was assigned.

2.	Select Custom Channel from the dropdown, then add a Channel Number, a Station Name, and click Save & Continue. This will display the Add/Edit Custom Programming pane (Figure 19).

3.	Use the Add/Edit Custom Programming pane to manually create programming data for the new channel. For example, you may want to add "Monday Night Football" in the 8–10 P.M. time slot on Monday nights, recurring from September through January.

4.	Click Submit when done.

5.	Optional. Click on the Thumbnails tab and click Add Thumbnail to select an image as the thumbnail for this channel. (When the channel is actually playing you can use the "create thumbnail" icon in the player controls to create a thumbnail from the stream itself.)

 

Figure 19.

Add/Edit Custom Programing

 

Channel Type	Select Custom Channel
Channel Number	Enter a unique number (one that is not already being used).
Station Name	Enter a unique name that will be shown in the tooltip when you mouseover the thumbnail or in the Info popup.
Update Channel	Click on this button to update the channel with new information.
Timezone	Select your local time zone. Note: When displayed in the Channel Guide, the time is converted to each viewer's local time zone.
Program Title	Select a title that will be shown in the Channel Guide.
Start Date/Time	Use the calendar to select the start date and start time. Alternately, you can manually enter the values in the proper format configured for your system: for example this is a typical U.S. format. 3/10/2012 5:30:00 PM
Duration	Required. Program length in minutes. Maximum = 1440 (24 hr.). To add a custom channel that never ends, set Duration = 1440, with a daily Recurrence, and no End Date.
Recurrence	None | Daily | Weekly. If weekly, occurs on the same day as specified in Start Date.
End Date	Use the calendar to select recurrence end date.
Description	Shown on the popup when you click the Info button in the Channel Guide.

Adding TV Channels

TV channels are typically sourced from the VBrick Channel Guide Server and programming data is automatically provided by the server. Adding a TV Channel is the same as adding a Custom Channel (see above) with two important distinctions. First, you must select a Station Name from the pre-populated list, an example of which is shown below. Second, there is no pane that will allow you to create custom programming. The programming for TV channels is automatically provided by the server and updated at a regular, configurable interval (see the "Channel Guide Servers" topic in the Portal Server Admin Guide for more information).

 

 

 

Channel Type	Select TV Channel
Channel Number	Enter a unique number (one that is not already being used).
Server	The VBrick server is the only current option.
Station Name	Enter a unique name that will be shown in the tooltip when you mouseover the thumbnail or in the Info popup.
Update Channel	Click on this button to update the channel information when you modify any information in the Add/Edit Channel pane.

Editing Channels

There are two way to edit an existing channel. You can click on the channel number on the All Videos page or you can launch a stream from the Channel Guide and click on the Channel Guide tab in Content Metadata. Either method will display the channel information (e.g. Channel Number and Station Name) and all currently defined programming data for the selected channel.

Editing Custom Channels

To edit a custom channel:

1.	Open the Channel Guide and click on the custom channel you want to edit.

2.	Use the Add/Edit Channel pane to modify the channel information and click Update Channel when done.

3.	In the Add/Edit Custom Programming pane, select the program you want to modify by clicking the Edit button. This will let you edit the programming information.

4.	Modify the program data as desired and click Submit when done.

 

Editing TV Channels

TV channels are sourced from the VBrick Channel Server and you cannot change the program data. You can only change the channel information (e.g. Channel Number and Station Name) and/or you can select a different Station from the dropdown.

 

Playing and Recording Channels

The Channel Guide interface shows what's currently on, or what will be on, up to 13 days in advance. When viewing the Channel Guide, use the right or left arrows (or the search box) to search for programming information in different time slots. If desired you can use the check boxes (Figure 18) to show Webcast Only events or to Exclude Pending Scheduled Events. If you click on a channel before or after a scheduled program, you will play whatever is currently being broadcast—just like a regular TV. Click the Info button on the far right to schedule a recording or display channel information (Figure 21) entered by an administrator. This popup also has options that let you record an entire program in progress or schedule a future recording. You can also perform pushbutton recording using the "record" pushbutton in the preview window. If you have the right permissions, you can perform all of the following tasks from the Channel Guide:

●	Navigate and view program information

●	Play and record programs

●	Schedule program recording

●	View recording information

●	View channel information

The message "Program Unavailable" in the Channel Guide (Figure 18) means there is no programming data associated with the stream. It does not mean the stream itself is unavailable. You can still click on the stream to launch it in the preview window. The message "Off Air" means a network TV Station (for example CNN or Animal Planet) does not have programming scheduled in that time slot. When a station is off the air, TV stations typically air local content.

 

Note	The message "Program Unavailable" in the Channel Guide means there is no programming data associated with the stream. It does not mean the stream itself is unavailable. You can still click on the stream to launch it in the preview window.

Playing Channels

To play a channel:

1.

Open the Channel Guide and click on any channel icon (or thumbnail) to launch that channel in the preview window (Figure 20). Once the channel is playing you can use any of the player controls (e.g. volume, record, full screen, closed captions) or the community tools (e.g. favorites, recommend, make required). See All Videos for a description of all tools and options.

 

Figure 20.

Preview Window

2.

An alternate way to play the channel is to click on the Info button (or on the hyperlinked Program Name) to display the Info page (Figure 21). You can use this page to play the stream (Watch Channel Now) or to record the stream at a later date and time. Note that the hyperlink will only play the channel if it is currently active; if not active you will get the Info popup (Figure 21) and the Watch Channel Now option will not be shown. Also, if the program is currently active you can click on the hyperlinked program title to launch the stream.

 

Figure 21.

Info Popup

 

Record without Options		Starts (or schedules) a recording that will continue for the duration of the program. There are no other options available. (This is similar to pushbutton recording except that a pushbutton recording must be manually stopped.) Recordings made with this option are not shown on the calendar. You must have a Scheduler license and content publisher permissions (i.e. push button record privileges) to use this option. Permissions to use the "scheduler" are not required. A red icon indicates a recording is in progress or scheduled. Click on the icon to cancel the recording.
Record with Options		Lets you schedule and customize a recording for the current program or at a future date and time. See below Record with Options for more about this option. Click on the icon to cancel the recording. When you mouseover over the icon it turns green and you can cancel the recording.
Watch Channel Now	Launches the channel in the preview window for immediate viewing.

3.	To play a different stream, simply click on the Channel Guide tab and choose another channel. To change channels you don't have to stop whatever stream is currently playing.

Recording Channels

The easiest way to record a stream is to use pushbutton recording. Simply play a stream and click the "record" button (it turns red when a recording is in progress). This only records what's currently in progress. As soon as you click the "record" button you will be prompted for content information (Figure 22) that will be saved with the recording. You can enter searchable information in the Description field and select Categories (i.e. folders) with which the content will be associated. Use click, Ctrl-click, or Shift-click to select multiple categories for the recording. If you select Use Default Info, the recording will be saved with a generic title in the Uncategorized folder.

 

Figure 22.

Recorded Content Information

 

Note	If Advanced Content Distribution has been enabled, a category must be assigned to content before it may be uploaded or recorded.

Record with Options

An alternate recording method is to find the program you want to record in the Channel Guide and click the "Info" icon in the far right column (Figure 18). The Info popup has options that let you record the entire program currently in progress or schedule a future recording. When you select Record with Options, it launches the Scheduler page (Figure 23), prepopulated with relevant information about the stream. Use this page to configure or modify the scheduling options or to add content metadata (see the Scheduler for more about using the Scheduler). Schedules created with this page will be shown on the Scheduler calendar along with other scheduled events. Note that this feature requires a Scheduler license as well as a Channel Guide license. In addition, you must also be logged in as a user with Schedule Privileges.

To Record with Options:

1.	Use the controls at the top of the Channel Guide to search for the program you wish to record. You can use any of the search controls; you can search for Webcasts only; you can also exclude pending scheduled events.

2.	Navigate to the date/day and time of the program (alternately you can use the left and right arrows in the program list below) and click the search button. You can only record programs which are occurring now or in the future.

3.	Choose a program to record: click on the Info button to the right of the selected program and choose an option.

○	Select Record without Options to display a record icon  next to the Info button in the Channel Guide indicating a recording has been scheduled at the specified date and time. You can click on this icon to cancel the recording.

○

Select Record with Options to display the Scheduler page (see below), prepopulated with information derived from the Channel Guide. You can use this page to modify any of the event information (Start Time, Content Metadata, Thumbnails, etc.) associated with the event. When done click Submit and the record icon will display next to the Info button. This event will also appear in the Scheduler calendar as scheduled recording.

 

Figure 23.

Scheduler Page

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