Integrator's Manual

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5.1.3 Video Playback
During the configuration and installation process, it may be necessary to verify the COM24
video streams in the absence of a Pro:Idiom enabled television.
The COM24 card can facilitate this type of debug activity by allowing the user to bypass the
Pro:Idiom encryption process temporarily. It should be noted that this feature is only available
when tuning to DIRECTV channel 100. Please refer to Section 6.8.1 (“Security_Mode” setting)
for additional information on this feature.
If you wish to take advantage of this feature, you will need a video player on the PC that is
capable of decoding MPEG video transferred via IP Packets. VLC Media Player, which is a free
download, can decode MPEG video and can be found at the following URL:
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/.
5.1.4 System Logging
The COM24 cards have the ability to send logging data to a remote destination. This is
especially useful in situations where a management PC will remain with the COM1000 systems
at all times, but it can also prove helpful when setting up and troubleshooting a system.
One simple solution is the syslog feature of the previously referenced Tftpd32, but it is limited in
terms of features. A more feature-rich option might be considered for a more robust debugging
capability. One alternative solution is an offering from Kiwi Enterprises (available at
http://www.kiwisyslog.com/), but this option carries a licensing fee for a full version of the
software, so it may not be a viable option for the casual user.
Furthermore, for software releases ST02.00.03 and above, each COM24 card provides a limited
syslog capability. The cards are only capable of displaying 500 lines worth of log-data, so this
may not be an appropriate tool for long-term system troubleshooting. However, the syslog
feature can be quite useful if the system operator is able to access it within that window of time
after a card begins to exhibit some unexpected behavior.
5.1.5 TFTP/FTP Server
The COM24 cards have the ability to transfer data to and from an external source via either an
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or a TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) server. The data
transferred will typically take the form of software upgrades, but it is also possible to configure
the system to log system status messages remotely for troubleshooting.