On Prem Slicer

Install the Live Slicer #

Pre-requisites #

1. Verify System Requirements: Ensure that the desired computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements:

   Component	Description
   CPU	Quad-core x86-64 (2GHz)
   Memory	6 GB
   Storage	80 GB
   Upload Bandwidth	Your upload bandwidth should exceed the bandwidth generated by the encoder for the top ray by 25%. The amount of bandwidth generated by your encoder varies by encoding profile. For example, the default encoding profile (i.e., HD 720p25/30) requires 5 Megabits per second (Mbps). Insufficient bandwidth may affect performance and result in slate.
   OS	Optimized for: - Ubuntu Linux 14.04 LTS 64-bit or higher (tested on 14.04 LTS and 16.04 LTS) - CentOS 7 64-bit or higher
   Live Feed	The broadcasting infrastructure must transmit data to the Live Slicer using one of the following technologies: - UDP: Use either a UDP unicast or multicast MPEG2 transport stream. - SDI: Requires installation of one of the following Blackmagic DeckLink SDI cards: Decklink Duo 2 or Decklink Quad 2. Install Blackmagic DeckLink drivers from Blackmagic’s site. - RTMP: By default, the service expects your encoder to push the RTMP stream to a Live Slicer. You may configure a Live Slicer to pull the RTMP stream from your encoder through the enable_rtmp_pull setting. - SRT: Use a SRT MPEG2 transport stream. - TCP: Use a TCP MPEG2 transport stream. Ensure optimal data transmission rates by placing the source of the live feed in close proximity to the Live Slicer.
   Ports	Outbound connections on ports 80 and 443

2. Configure Firewall
   • Allow outbound connections on ports 80 and 443.
   • The Live Slicer relies on these ports to communicate with our services and to upload encrypted slices for encoding.
3. Verify System Time
   • Ensure that the system time on the computer hosting the Live Slicer is accurate.
   • Use Network Time Protocol (NTP) to sync your Linux server’s time with a public time server.

Install or Upgrade a Live Slicer #

1. Live Slicer version 21092100 or higher: Install the libnl-3.200 library.
   Command: sudo apt install libnl-3-200
2. Python and bzip2: Install the python bzip2 applications.
   Command: sudo apt install python bzip2
3. Download the Live Slicer by clicking Downloads from the bottom right-hand corner of the CMS and then clicking on the desired OS.
4. Extract the zip file to the desired directory.
   Command: $ tar -xvf uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01.tbz2

   1uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/
   2
   3uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/slicebot.cfg.example
   4
   5uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libfreetype.so.6
   6
   7uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libavcodec.so.57
   8
   9uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libcares.so.2
   10
   11uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/slicer
   12
   13uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/example.conf
   14
   15uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libcrypto.so.1.0.0
   16
   17uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libssl.so.1.0.0
   18
   19uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/liveslicer
   20
   21uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/font_i420.dat
   22
   23uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libavfilter.so.6
   24
   25uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/ca-bundle.crt
   26
   27uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/install_live
   28
   29uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libswscale.so.4
   30
   31uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libswresample.so.2.4.100
   32
   33uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libbeam-slicer.so
   34
   35uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libopus.so.0
   36
   37uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libopus.so.0.5.0
   38
   39uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/LICENSE.txt
   40
   41uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/slicebot
   42
   43uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/README.html
   44
   45uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libavformat.so.57
   46
   47uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libavformat.so.57.58.101
   48
   49uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/libavutil.so.55

5. Navigate to the newly created directory.
   Command: $ cd uplynk_slicer_linux_64-231114.04.01-master/
6. Run install_live.
   Command: $ sudo ./install_live

Configure the Live Slicer #

• SDI (Blackmagic DeckLink SDI card): Please review and/or update these Live Slicer configuration settings to reflect your installation. See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.

  Setting	Description
  input	Verify that this setting is set to blackmagic.
  card	Verify that this setting is set to the card number corresponding to your Blackmagic DeckLink SDI card.
  SCTE104_DID	Verify that this setting correctly identifies the DID for SCTE104 triggers.
  SCTE104_SDID	Verify that this setting correctly identifies the SDID for SCTE104 triggers.
  captions_DID	Verify that this setting correctly identifies the DID for closed captioning.
  captions_SDID	Verify that this setting correctly identifies the SDID for closed captioning.
  ancillary_lines	Verify that this setting accurately reflects the ancillary lines to be scanned.

• UDP: Please update these Live Slicer configuration settings to reflect your installation. See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.

  Setting	Action	Description
  card	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to UDP streaming and will be ignored.
  SCTE104_DID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to UDP streaming and will be ignored.
  SCTE104_SDID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to UDP streaming and will be ignored.
  captions_DID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to UDP streaming and will be ignored.
  captions_SDID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to UDP streaming and will be ignored.
  ancillary_lines	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to UDP streaming and will be ignored.
  input	Modify	Set it to udp.
  unicast or multicast	Add	Add either a unicast or multicast setting to the configuration file. Set it to the IP address of the computer generating the UDP stream.
  port	Add	Add this setting and set it to the port on which the Live Slicer will listen for the UDP stream.
  rtp_headers	Add	RTP Only: Add this setting and set it to 1. If you do not plan on using RTP and this setting is present in your configuration file, then either remove this setting or set it to 0.
  rtp_readahead_dur	Add	RTP Only: Add this setting and set it to the number of seconds (e.g., 2.0) that the Live Slicer will wait before uploading the stream to the cloud.
  rtp_backlog_dur	Add	RTP Only: Add this setting and set it to the number of seconds (e.g., 1.4) for which packet history will be preserved to reduce dropped packets.
  rtp_redundant_feed	Add	RTP Only: Add this setting and set it to a URL that points to a redundant RTP feed through which the original stream will be reconstructed. A redundant RTP feed requires the source computer to have two network routes (e.g., 2-port network card). Sample configuration: rtp_redundant_feed: rtp://stream.example.com:1234

  If you plan on streaming RTP over UDP, then use the Status endpoint of the Live Slicer API to monitor your RTP feeds and FEC status.
  Multiple Ethernet Adapters
  The Live Slicer listens for data on all interfaces. If multiple interfaces are available, then a packet may be received on one interface and then routed to a different one. This may cause the Linux kernel to apply reverse path filtering and therefore drop inbound packets that would have been routed to a different interface.
  Example:
  A packet is received from 239.0.0.0 on eth1. Sending a packet back to 239.0.0.0 would result in the packet being routed to eth0. This would trigger reverse path filtering and the inbound packet from eth1 would be dropped.
  Solution:
  The solution for this issue is to ensure that the desired multicast IP address is routable to the interface on which the Live Slicer will be listening.
  An alternative solution is to disable reverse path filtering. However, it is important to become acquainted with the security implications of this solution prior to its implementation.
• RTMP
  Please do not publish your stream until after you have configured the Live Slicer to ingest RTMP, restarted it, and it is in the waiting for data state. Please restart stream encoding when your encoder cannot connect to the Live Slicer.
  The RTMP source is incompatible with SCTE, ad breaks, or Action Message Format (AMF).
  Please update these Live Slicer configuration settings to reflect your installation.

  Setting	Action	Description
  card	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to the RTMP source and will be ignored.
  SCTE104_DID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to the RTMP source and will be ignored.
  SCTE104_SDID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to the RTMP source and will be ignored.
  captions_DID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to the RTMP source and will be ignored.
  captions_SDID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to the RTMP source and will be ignored.
  ancillary_lines	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to the RTMP source and will be ignored.
  input	Modify	Set it to rtmp. See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.
  rtmp_url	Add	Add this setting and set it to the URL for the RTMP stream that your encoder will push to the Live Slicer. You may configure the Live Slicer to pull the RTMP stream from your encoder through the enable_rtmp_pull setting. See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.

• SRT: Please update these Live Slicer configuration settings to reflect your installation.

  Setting	Action	Description
  card	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to SRT streaming and will be ignored.
  SCTE104_DID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to SRT streaming and will be ignored.
  SCTE104_SDID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to SRT streaming and will be ignored.
  captions_DID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to SRT streaming and will be ignored.
  captions_SDID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to SRT streaming and will be ignored.
  ancillary_lines	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to SRT streaming and will be ignored.
  input	Modify	Set it to srt. See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.
  input_addr	Add	Set it to the IP address of the computer generating the SRT stream. See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.
  port	Add	Add this setting and set it to the port on which the Live Slicer will listen for the SRT stream. See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.

• TCP: Please update these Live Slicer configuration settings to reflect your installation.

  Setting	Action	Description
  card	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to TCP streaming and will be ignored.
  SCTE104_DID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to TCP streaming and will be ignored.
  SCTE104_SDID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to TCP streaming and will be ignored.
  captions_DID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to TCP streaming and will be ignored.
  captions_SDID	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to TCP streaming and will be ignored.
  ancillary_lines	Remove/Ignore	This setting does not apply to TCP streaming and will be ignored.
  input	Modify	Set it to tcp. See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.
  input_addr	Add	Set it to the IP address of the computer generating the TCP stream.See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.
  port	Add	Add this setting and set it to the port on which the Live Slicer will listen for the TCP stream. See Live Slicer Configuration File Settings for setting details.

  The Live Slicer must be restarted for configuration changes to take effect.
  Additional settings may be added to define the audio/video tracks to be processed, define the language for audio tracks, and to specify a description for audio tracks. View a comprehensive listing of settings.

SCTE 35/104 Signal Processing #

Metadata #

• Live Slicer Configuration File: Use the meta configuration parameter to define a key/value pair for the desired metadata field. By default, the metadata defined by this parameter will be assigned to assets generated by the Live Slicer.
  Define additional metadata fields by specifying this configuration parameter on a separate line for each desired field.
  Example:

  1meta MyField1=ValueA
  2
  3meta MyField2=ValueB

• Live Slicer API: Assign metadata to a particular asset through the add_meta method.
  The add_meta method takes precedence when the same metadata field is defined by both methods.

Color Space #

Custom Color Representation #

• Verify that your LUT adheres to Adobe’s Cube LUT Specification 1.0. You may define multiple RGB LUTs to adjust for different input signals. The Live Slicer determines which configuration to use based on the output signal’s color standard (i.e., HDR10 or SDR). If multiple LUTs have been defined for that color standard, then it will use the configuration that best matches the input signal’s color space and range.
• By default, the output signal’s color space uses a narrow (i.e., limited) range (16 - 235). You may define the desired range when configuring the rgb_lut setting.
  Example:
  The following configuration uses a custom LUT to generate an HDR 10 output signal with a full range when the input signal is HLG:
  rgb_lut from hlg to hdr10,full /path/mylut.cube
• Alternatively, you may explicitly define a color space, a color primary, the transformation characteristics, and the range.
  Example:
  The following configuration is equivalent to the above sample configuration:
  rgb_lut from colorspace:bt2020nc,primaries:bt2020,trc:arib-std-b67,range:tv to colorspace:bt2020nc,primaries:bt2020,trc:smpte2084,range:pc /path/mylut.cube

Audio #

Audio Ingest #

• UDP / RTMP / SRT / TCP
  You must specify each audio track that will be ingested via the pids parameter.
  
  Example
  
  The following configuration initializes the audio tracks that correspond to the packets with identifiers 308, 256, 257, and 258:
  pids: 308,256,257,258
• SDI: The Live Slicer automatically ingests the audio tracks that correspond to SDI channels 0 - 15.

Audio Codec #

• UDP: The following configuration will encode track 257 as DD+ and encode all of the other tracks (i.e., 257, 258, and 308) defined by the pids parameter as AAC:

  1pids: 308,256,257,258
  2audio_lang_256: eng
  3audio_desc_256: primary
  4audio_lang_257: eng
  5audio_desc_257: secondary
  6audio_dolby_257: 1

• SDI: The following configuration will encode the audio track for SDI channel 7 as DD+ and encode all of the other tracks (i.e., SDI channels 0 - 6 and 8 - 15) as AAC: audio_dolby_7: 1

Audio Normalization #

Audio Channel Layout (SDI Signal) #

Standard Layout (SDI Signal) #

Custom Audio Layout (SDI Signal) #

Terminology #

• SDI Channel: Identifies a single unit within a representation of an audio stream. For example, the left portion of a stereo feed may consist of one or more SDI channels.
• Track: Identifies the set of channels required to produce a single representation of an audio stream. For example, an audio track for a stereo feed may consist of two or more SDI channels.

Setup #

1. Replace {Track} with the ID of the audio track that will be assigned a custom audio layout.
2. Set X or L and R (Left and Right) to an ampersand delimited list of SDI channels that will serve as the source for the specified audio track. The valid range for each channel is 0 - 15.
   
   The following sample mono configuration sets the source for audio track 0 to SDI channels 0, 1, and 3.
   audio_custom_layout_0: mono|X=0&1&3
   
   The level for each assigned SDI channel may be defined by appending the @ symbol followed by the desired value. Use the following formula to calculate level:
   {Volume %} * 10
   
   The following sample stereo configuration sets Left to SDI channel 0 at 70.7% and SDI channel 2 at 80%, while Right is set to SDI channel 4 at 20.2%.
   audio_custom_layout_0: stereo|L=0@707&2@800,R=4@202
   
   If the audio level is missing, then it will be set to 100%. The following sample stereo configuration sets Left to SDI channel 0 at 100% and Right is set to SDI channels 3 and 4 at 100%.
   audio_custom_layout_0: stereo|L=0,R=3&4

Multiple Track Setup #

Audio Channel Layout #

Log Data #

Verbosity #

Live Slicer Failover #

1. Create a failover group and assign it Live Slicers and live channel(s).
2. Instruct each desired Live Slicer to join this failover group by updating its configuration file. Learn more.

Administration (initcl Commands) #

Configuration File Settings #

Hashtags #

1description: Live Capture # A description that will be assigned to new assets.
2
3...

1verbatim_description: #1 Videos by Genre
2
3...

More Information #

• Live Slicer Health Monitoring
• Live Slicer Health Notifications
• Media Player Setup
• Latency (Live Linear)
• Latency (Live Events)