Remote User Interface

Connecting to the SDI AoIP Node

As previously mentioned, certain settings and configurations can be accessed and performed using the front panel buttons and screen, but the SDI AoIP Node is designed to be connected to a network and operated through its HTML-5 web-based interface.

Important: Please refer to the Quick Start Guide or the Network Configuration page for important information on proper network configuration.

No special client software is required, and the HTML-5-based GUI is device-, operating system-, and browser agnostic. We recommend using Google Chrome or Apple Safari. The computer or tablet should be on the same network and subnet as the SDI AoIP Node.

Once the SDI AoIP Node and your computer are connected to your network, enter the IP address of the node to which you want to connect in the URL field of your browser. Once connected, the Home Screen will appear.

As you navigate through the user interface, clicking on the SDI AoIP Node logo (A) in the top left corner will always return you to this screen.

Multiple users can connect to the same ARC hardware simultaneously. Anyone connected to the unit will be able to see the information on this screen including the unit’s name (B) and physical location (C).

Additionally, all users can access the Meters screen (D) which shows loudness measurements and input/output levels for both programs. See the section "Home Screen When Logged In” below for detailed information.

The Locate Unit feature (E), which causes the front panel display of the unit to flash for easy identification in a crowded rack, can also be activated without logging in.

Additional information about installed options, clock sync, network status and IP address, power supply status, software and FPGA versions, and unit uptime are displayed to the right of the screen (F).

User Accounts and Logging In

Making modifications to the SDI AoIP Node's configuration and signal routing via the remote user interface requires logging into the unit. At this time, only one user account with one password and one level of access is supported.

Enter the default password of 1234 into the Password field (G) then click on the Log In button (H). The ability to change the password will be included in a future software update.

Home Screen When Logged In

Additional menus become visible once you are logged in. These include I/O menus (A) for the SDI and AES67 inputs and outputs, detailed system-wide information and configuration settings (B) including IP, sync, and QoS, and detailed I/O metering (C).  

I/O Menu

The process for configuring inputs and outputs is covered in detail in the section on I/O Configuration and will not be duplicated here, however, an explanation of the information on the main I/O page is provided below.

Input Status and Reference Clock

The Input Status section (A) shows the sync status, signal format, and video format for both SDI inputs as well as the AES67 input. It also displays the primary and secondary reference clocks alone with their status.

The Reference Clock section (B) includes the dropdown menus for selecting the primary and secondary reference clocks and an indication of the last time the reference changed.

Important: At the risk of stating the obvious, proper reference is critical for trouble-free operation. This is true for the SDI AoIP Node and every other digital audio device in your plant. Improper clocking is one of the most common causes of clicks, pops, audio dropouts, and other anomalies, and is at the root of a high percentage of support inquiries.

Details about clocking and reference are outlined in the I/O Clocking and Reference section. A moment spent reading and understanding this information now will save you time and grief down the road.

System Menu

The System Menu is home to the System status screen. It also contains the menus and controls for configuring the Control and AES67 Ethernet ports.

The main system screen contains a wealth of technical status information about the device hardware and software (A). Some of it relates to the overall health of the unit (such as Power Supply status and unit uptime) but most will only be required during the course of troubleshooting an issue with our support team or performing software updates.

The Unit Name and Location (B) are entered on this screen. These are “friendly” fields to be used in any way that makes sense for your particular operation. Click inside the field, type the desired information, then click on the green checkmark to save.

Clicking on the Master Unit Bypass button (C) engages a hard relay bypass that removes all internal circuits and processes from the signal path and connects each input directly to its corresponding output. This button will turn red when the SDI AoIP Node is in bypass mode. Note that this same hard relay bypass automatically engages when the unit is powered down.

Clicking on the Locate Unit button (D) will cause the front panel of this particular SDI AoIP Node to change color, making it easy to identify it amongst the dozens of them we hope will populate your racks. A second click will stop the light show. Note that enabling Locate Mode will not affect the audio.

It should come as no surprise that clicking on the Reboot Unit button (E) – wait for it – reboots the SDI AoIP Node and engages the hard relay bypass for the duration of the reboot process.

Clicking on the Reset Unit to Factory Defaults button (G) resets all parameters to the factory default state with the exception of IP settings which will be retained so that you can remotely connect to the SDI AoIP Node even after performing a reset.

If you wish to reset IP settings as well, enable the Include IP Settings in Reset button (F) prior to the reset.

Important: Performing a factory reset will erase all user settings. This information cannot be reclaimed once you reset the SDI AoIP Node; not by you, not by customer support, not by being genuinely remorseful, and not by conjuring help through supernatural ceremonies involving bones and an Ouija board.  

Software Updates

The SDI AoIP Node has two software banks. Both can be populated with different software versions, but only one version can be active at any given time. The Active bank (H) is indicated in red. Instructions for uploading and selecting different software versions are provided along with the software when you either download it from the customer portal or website or it is provided by our customer support team.

Meters

Input meters (A) are provided for the SDI1, SDI2, and AES67 inputs. Individual bar graphs show the levels of each channel (1-16).

Likewise, Output meters (B) show the levels of each channel from the SDI1, SDI2, and AES67 outputs.