Channel Settings JIL (5.1)
The just:in linux Channel settings depend on the Channel input type:
SDI/HDMI Inputs
NDI Inputs
SRT Inputs
- 1 Channel Settings
- 1.1 SDI/HDMI
- 1.1.1 Channel Name
- 1.1.2 Input Mode
- 1.1.3 Device and Input
- 1.1.4 Video Mode
- 1.1.5 Chunk Length
- 1.1.6 Port
- 1.1.7 File Buffer Queue
- 1.1.8 File Buffer Size
- 1.1.9 Video Encoder Threads
- 1.1.10 AJA Frame Buffer
- 1.1.11 Restart On No Signal if Not Recording
- 1.1.11.1 Signal Loss while Recording Options
- 1.1.12 CPU Affinity, Capture Thread and Write Thread
- 1.1.12.1 CPU Affinity
- 1.1.12.2 Capture Thread
- 1.1.12.3 Write Thread
- 1.1.13 Preview Settings
- 1.2 NDI
- 1.3 SRT
- 1.1 SDI/HDMI
- 2 Add/Remove a NDI or SRT Channel
- 3 Starting/Stopping a Channel
- 4 UHD/4K Channel Input Modes
- 4.1 AJA 4x4K-Quad
- 4.2 AJA 4K-2SI
- 4.3 AJA 12G
Channel Settings
Below you can find information about all three different Channel Input types.
SDI/HDMI
Channel Name
Edit the Channel name by double clicking on the channel name label within the Devices & Channel List.
Input Mode
Here you can select the Input Mode of the Channel. Available options are:
SDI (Blackmagic Design) → Legacy option
SDI (AJA)
SDI (AJA 4x4K-Quad)
SDI (AJA 4K-2SI)
SDI (AJA 12G)
SDI (AJA 4x8K-Quad)
SDI (AJA 8K-2SI)
HDMI (AJA)
Device and Input
When the just:in linux appliance is running with multiple Video Devices, you can choose the Video Device and the Video Device Input for this Channel here.
Video Mode
Select the Video Mode here.
Chunk Length
Set the Chunk Length here. The maximum is 12:00:00:00. Default setting is 02:00:00:00.
Port
Edit the Channel Port here.
File Buffer Queue
This queue is for caching the encoded frames, before they get written to the destination(s). This queue size sets the limit for the “Storage too slow” error message as well. So when this queue is getting full, you will see an error within just:control’s Channel Viewer Window and it is an indication for I/O speed problems to the storage.
Lowest value: 16MB = 16777216 Bytes
Highest value: 4GB = 4294967295 Bytes
Default value: 1024 MB = 1073741824 Bytes
File Buffer Size
Amount of Bytes (in binary) which will be written to the destination at once (Default: 4MB).
4 MB = 4194304 Bytes (default setting)
8 MB = 8388608 Bytes
10 MB = 10485760 Bytes
50 MB = 52428800 Bytes
56 MB = 58720256 Bytes
128 MB = 134217728 Bytes
256 MB = 268435456 Bytes
512 MB = 536870912 Bytes
1000 MB = 1048576000 Bytes
1024 MB = 1073741824 Bytes
Please beware that you can overwrite this Channel Setting for every Main Path of a Destination Preset.
Video Encoder Threads
With the Video Encoder Threads setting you can adjust how many CPU cores the Channel will use for the encoding process. This setting was especially designed for multi-channel UHD/4K recording. Please only change this setting, after consulting a ToolsOnAir Support Engineer.
AJA Frame Buffer
This setting adjusts the internal Frame Buffer of each individual AJA input source. This setting was designed to improve the stability and performance for UHD/4K recording workflows. Please consult a ToolsOnAir Support Member, before changing this setting.
Restart On No Signal if Not Recording
This option is enabled by default, when using an AJA Video Device and can not be turned off. This setting makes sure that the Channel gets restarted automatically, if there is a signal loss while the Channel is in idle mode (=not recording).
Signal Loss while Recording Options
Furthermore you can define what should happen, if there is a signal loss while recording. Following options are available:
Close container, write to new: Recording container(s) will be closed and as soon as there is signal again, channel starts recording into a new file.
Please do not use “Close container, write to new” as option for Signal lose cases, when you are planning to use the Schedule Mode.
Close container and stop: Recording container(s) will be closed and channel stops recording.
Write black frames: Black video frames will be added to the Recording container(s), while there is no signal. Recording continues.
Duplicate last valid frame: The last valid video frame will be duplicated to the Recording container(s), while there is no signal. Recording continues.
CPU Affinity, Capture Thread and Write Thread
Please be very careful when changing the following three settings:
CPU Affinity (AJA only)
Capture Thread (AJA only)
Write Thread
Please only change it, when consulting a ToolsOnAir support member before.
CPU Affinity
This setting can be used to pin the Channel to specific CPUs, in order to gain performance improvements.
Capture Thread
The Capture Thread setting defines a specific CPU core for loading the video frames from the AJA capture device to the OS. This setting is important for cases, where the Channel dropped frames.
Write Thread
The Write Thread setting is similar to the Capture Thread setting and is used for setting a specific CPU core for handling the I/O process (=writing to the destination(s)).
Preview Settings
These settings are related to the Video Preview of the Channel.
Resolution: two resolution options are available:
High: 640x360px
Low: 480x270px
Frame rate: the preview frame rate can be changed between 0 (=native framerate) and 30 (if the channel framerate is higher then 30, then the preview will be limited to 30fps).
Quality: can be changed between 10 and 100% (Default value is 50%).
NDI
An NDI Input Channel looks similar to a SDI Input Channel. Such an Input Channel misses of course the Video Device related settings and it has one NDI related setting which will be addressed below.
Allow conversion from different modes and/or frame-rates to the above video mode
In general a Video Mode has to be selected for a NDI Channel, which is important for the actual recorded files of that Channel, as the Video Mode setting defines the output format.
With the “Allow conversion from different modes and/or frame-rates to the above video mode” setting, you can make sure that the incoming NDI stream gets converted to the given Video Mode. Which means, that an incoming NDI signal in the format of 1080i2997, will be converted to 1080p25 (Video Mode), if this setting is enabled.
When this setting is disabled for a NDI channel, then you will see a No Signal Error Message within just:control, when the Channel switches to a NDI Channel, which does not match the actual Video Mode of the Channel.
SRT
In general a Video Mode has to be selected for a SRT Channel (same as for NDI Channels), which is important for the actual recorded files of that Channel, as the Video Mode setting defines the output format.
Allow conversion from different modes and/or frame-rates to the above video mode
With the “Allow conversion from different modes and/or frame-rates to the above video mode” setting, you can make sure that the incoming SRT stream gets converted to the given Video Mode. Which means, that an incoming SRT signal in the format of 1080i2997, will be converted to 1080p25 (Video Mode), if this setting is enabled.
When this setting is disabled for a SRT channel, then you will see a No Signal Error Message within just:control, when the incoming signal/stream does not match the selected Video Mode.
Connection Mode
The SRT Connection Mode (SRT Stream Type) is a very important setting, as it has to match with the SRT source. You can choose between three different options:
Caller: Connect to the specified host and port.
Listener: Listen on the specified port on all network interface adapters of the just:in linux appliance. The host will be ignored.
Rendezvous: Connect to the specified host and port. The other side has to be set to Rendezvous Connection Mode as well with an identical port number specified. This Connection Mode allows connecting through most firewalls automatically.
Minimum Latency in ms
This setting specifies the latency of the SRT connection in milliseconds to adapt to network congestion.
Passphrase (Optional)
Here you can specify a password to encrypt the SRT connection. The password has to be used on both sides.
Stream ID (Optional)
Stream ID that may be required by the streaming provider to uniquely identify the SRT stream.
Add/Remove a NDI or SRT Channel
You can add or remove NDI or SRT Channels at any time. Open the Configuration Panel and select one of the connected just:in linux devices. Then use add the Plus button to add a NDI or SRT Channel.
Then a new window appears, where an IP-Address and Port are already entered. Make sure that this IP-Address matches the just:in linux IP-Address and press the Add button.
Once the new Channel is added, you can adjust the settings and enable it, so that you can use it within just:control. To delete a Channel, select the Channel within the Devices & Channel list and press the Minus button.
Starting/Stopping a Channel
After changing the settings of a Channel you have to enable it again by clicking on the corresponding checkbox. You can only activate Channels with valid Video Modes.
Once the channel is activated/enabled, it will be available in the Connections-Tab within the Inspector. To change Channel Settings deactivate the desired Channel(s) by unchecking the corresponding checkbox(es) on the left side of the Config Panel.
UHD/4K Channel Input Modes
As mentioned in previous chapters, just:in linux is capable of working in different UHD/4K Channel Input Modes. This page will focus on the configuration of such Channels and how to use them.
AJA 4x4K-Quad
The following two UHD/4K Channel Input Modes are working with 3G-SDI infrastructures:
AJA 4x4K-Quad
AJA 4K-2SI
Both Channel Input Modes are supported by just:in linux. In order to set up one ore multiple Channels in that way, open the Configuration Panel in just:control and make sure all available SDI Input Channels are disable, so the settings can be adjusted.
In the screenshot above you can see a eight Channel setup (JIL8), where all Channel Inputs are disabled. Now you can use Channel SDI 1 and Channel SDI 5 to set up two UHD/4K Channels in AJA 4x4K-Quad or AJA 4K-2SI Input Modes.
Select Channel SDI 1 and select SDI (AJA 4x4K-Quad) as Input Mode, then select a UHD Video Mode, like 2160p5994. Note that the Input setting is set to Input #1 in that case, that is very important, as in this special Input Mode four physical SDI Inputs will be used to create the Channel (Input 1-4 will be used for Channel 1 and Input 5-8 will be used for Channel 2). Next enable Channel SDI 1 and SDI 5 and move back to just:control.
AJA 4K-2SI
With the same way (as above) you can set up Channels in AJA 4K-2SI Channel Input Mode. Please remember that this Input Mode is using four 3G-SDI Inputs for one Channel as well.
AJA 12G
With the SDI (AJA 12G) Channel Input Mode a single 12G-SDI Input can be used for a single Channel. This Channel Input Mode works the same way as HD Channels.