MAX-CSE Encoder and Modero VG Touchpanel Streaming Video (^STM Command)

Reese Jacobs

I am implementing video streaming between a MAX-CSE encoder and a Modero VG panel. When creating a video button in TPDesign and setting the "Video Fill" attribute to "streaming video", the "Steaming Source" button attribute becomes visible and must be set to the streaming protocol to be used along with the source IP address and network port. The streaming source would be set, for example, to "udpmpeg2://192.168.1.108:5000" to match the IP address of the MAX-CSE along with the current audio/video profile configured for that encoding device.

This appears to be the only binding of a streaming video button to a specific streaming source from the TPDesign and touchpanel points of view. If you have multiple streaming video buttons, presumably they could each be set to a different streaming sources assuming you had multiple MAX-CSE encoders on the network.

A few questions for the experts that may have some experience using the MAX Encoder with a Modero panel:

1. Can a panel have multiple MAX-CSE streaming sources assuming the panel buttons and the MAX devices are all properly configured?

2. The MAX device allows changes to its current audio and video profiles through SEND_COMMANDs which may alter the protocol used to communicate with the touchpanel (UDP or RTP). Since the network protocol and video encoding format are embedded in the button attributes and may need to be changed to match the new MAX-CSE configuration, is there a way to do this dynamically through a SEND_COMMAND to the panel?

3. The only SEND_COMMAND code I could find that alters the stream source configuration is the ^STM code that is used to specify only a subset of what appears in the "Streaming Source" button attribute. This command will set the protocol, IP address, and port for a stream but there are two problems with it. It does not allow specification of the encoding format (MPEG2 or MPEG4) and the device is sent to the panel and not to a specific button on the panel. The command is described as being able to immediately start a stream to the touchpanel from the device specified as the argument of the ^STM. Does this mean every button on the touchpanel now uses the specified streaming source regardless of how the buttons are configured in TPDesign? Additionally, if the MAX-CSE has now been set to use a different encoding profile, it would seem the incomplete ^STM command won't work as expected.

Any thoughts on the above would be appreciated. I can not find a touchpanel command to update the "Streaming Source" field for a button and the ^STM panel command does not seem like it will accomplish what is desired. Short of re-building and uploading the TPD file for the panel to reflect any configuration changes, I don't see other options. Thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

The streaming source would be set, for example, to "udpmpeg2://192.168.1.108:5000" to match the IP address of the MAX-CSE along with the current audio/video profile configured for that encoding device.

The video fill URL in the TPD page should be either udp://0.0.0.0:<port> OR a multicast address - ie udp://234.1.2.3:5500. That essentially tells the panel what address to listen on (0.0.0.0 being any interface on the panel, or a multicast address). In general, you should not use the panel IP address in the TPD file (makes it difficult to share that page with other panels). Use 0.0.0.0 for unicast (one to one) or a multicast address.

1. Can a panel have multiple MAX-CSE streaming sources assuming the panel buttons and the MAX devices are all properly configured?

One, and only one video URL can be playing at any given time. Last one in wins.

2. The MAX device allows changes to its current audio and video profiles through SEND_COMMANDs which may alter the protocol used to communicate with the touchpanel (UDP or RTP). Since the network protocol and video encoding format are embedded in the button attributes and may need to be changed to match the new MAX-CSE configuration, is there a way to do this dynamically through a SEND_COMMAND to the panel?

You can use the ^SDM command to change a video window URL. send_c 10001, '^SDM-1,0,udp://234.1.2.3.4:5500', or '^SDM-1,0,none' to 'turn off' video. You /should/ stop one before starting another to ensure things go smoothly. Since there is really only one supported config from MaxCSE, this shouldn't matter, but I would suggest disabling video on the panel before stopping it from the encoder. Likewise, start the encoder and make sure it is active prior to showing video on the panel.

3. The only SEND_COMMAND code I could find that alters the stream source configuration is the ^STM code that is used to specify only a subset of what appears in the "Streaming Source" button attribute. This command will set the protocol, IP address, and port for a stream but there are two problems with it. It does not allow specification of the encoding format (MPEG2 or MPEG4) and the device is sent to the panel and not to a specific button on the panel. The command is described as being able to immediately start a stream to the touchpanel from the device specified as the argument of the ^STM. Does this mean every button on the touchpanel now uses the specified streaming source regardless of how the buttons are configured in TPDesign? Additionally, if the MAX-CSE has now been set to use a different encoding profile, it would seem the incomplete ^STM command won't work as expected.

I believe ^STM is for the older Modero panels. SDM was implemented to deal with the new way of handling video in ModeroX. If you have a mixed environment of Modero and ModeroX, you will unfortunately have to use different commands for setting video fill. The ModeroX will only do mpeg2/udp transport streams from Max-CSE.

HTH.

My mistake. Re-reading your question you are in fact asking about the ModeroVG and not the ModeroX. In the event you upgrade to the ModeroX, then the above info might be helpful.