What is a channel?

Networked VGA Grid uses Channels to organize and display content captured from DVI, VGA, HDMI, SDI and audio.

Channels make your sources (DVI, VGA, HDMI, SDI, and audio) available for streaming and recording. You choose how you want to configure your sources (and extras like images and text overlays) into layouts within your channel.

Networked VGA Grid has two kinds of channels:

1. HD Encoder channels (see Create an HD Encoder channel) and
2. Custom local channels. Custom local channels use one or more HD Encoder channels and provide multi-source capabilities and layout/ live switching ability (see Add an HD Encoder as a source (custom channel)

Networked VGA Grid gives you a lot of control over how your sources are streamed. You are not limited to creating a Channel list that is a one-to-one reflection of your HD Encoders Sources list. You can make channels from some or all of your sources and you can add the same source to multiple single-source or multi-source layout channels.

For example, you could use the same source in all three of these situations, concurrently:

- as the only source in Channel 1 at 1080p, 30fps, 10,000 kbps;

- decoded and re-encoded as the only source in Channel 2 at 720p, 15 fps, 2,000 kbps;

- decoded and re-encoded in Channel 3 as part of a multi-source layout with picture in picture.

All channels can be streamed and recorded simultaneously. Following the example above, you could record any combination of those three channels, and stream one, two or all three of them using any available streaming methods.

In addition to creating multi-source channels, you can customize your channels by adding images, company information, corporate colors and time stamps. Networked VGA Grid has a visual layout editor to help you create exactly the layout you want to stream.

Although Networked VGA Grid's main purpose is to receive, synchronize, stream and record from VGA Grid HD Encoders, you can also use the data from the HD Encoders in customized local channels. Networked VGA Grid has a visual layout editor to help you design your custom channel exactly how you want it.

For each custom local channel you create, you can use the layout editor to create one or more channel layouts. Then, while recording and/or streaming, you can switch live between different layouts. To learn about creating layouts, read Create a custom channel and Custom channel layout editor. To learn how to do live video mixing / live video switching, see Live video mixing / switching.

You can also view channels and perform live switching using the Epiphan Live control interface. See Networked VGA Grid User Guide You are here: Start here > Epiphan Live > Streaming, recording and monitoring using the Dashboard interface > Configuring Dashboard panels for visual confidence monitoringStreaming, recording and monitoring using the Dashboard interfaceUnderstanding the Dashboard interfaceConfiguring Dashboard panels for visual confidence monitoringMonitoring video and audio sourcesControlling streaming and recording using Epiphan LiveConfiguring Dashboard panels for visual confidence monitoringYou can customize each Dashboard panel to display a specific channel, or source. Epiphan Live allows you to configure up to 8 different panels for comprehensive live preview confidence monitoring of channels and sources. Note that when Dashboard panels are configured, other users idle on the Dashboard interface must refresh the page in their web browser to display the updated panels.The limit of 8 live preview panels applies across all other open instances of Epiphan Live (additional users may access Epiphan Live simultaneously from separate locations, for example, or an operator may accidentally open a duplicate Epiphan Live interface.)You can also display the following set of basic system information in your panels:CPU load (%).Quantity of streaming connections.The current streaming bandwidth (bitrate).Automatic file upload status (enabled or disabled). See File and recording transfer.Storage available on your Networked VGA Grid.To configure your Dashboard panels:Log in to Epiphan Live (see Accessing Epiphan Live).Click the drop down box under your desired panel (text says "None" if the panel is not yet configured), and select a channel, source or output from the dropdown menu. Control streaming and recording directly from the Dashboard panel! When a channel is applied to a Dashboard panel, streaming and recording control buttons appear under the panel.Click Save in the upper-right corner of the page to preserve your changes (if you don't save, then your panel configuration changes are lost when you refresh or navigate away from the Dashboard).You can navigate between 3 separate sets of Dashboard panels by clicking the circle icons above the first row of panels. You can also configure each panel set to display either 2 or 4 panels by clicking the 2x/4x icons above the upper-right Dashboard panel. and Networked VGA Grid User Guide You are here: Start here > Epiphan Live > Live switching using the Switcher interface > Switching while live streaming and recordingLive switching using the Switcher interfaceUnderstanding the Switcher interfaceSwitching while live streaming and recordingSwitching while live streaming and recordingThe Switcher interface lets you easily live switch between custom layouts with the simple press of a button.To switch a layout while live streaming and/or recording:Log in to Epiphan Live; the Dashboard view opens by default. See Accessing Epiphan Live.Click the Menu icon in the upper-right corner of the Dashboard screen and click Switcher to navigate to the Switcher interface.Click the text box next to the "Switcher" header and select your desired channel from the dropdown list (the text box will appear blank if this is your first time configuring the Switcher interface). Note that in the channel dropdown list, channels containing only a single layout are grayed-out and are not selectable.After selecting your channel from the dropdown, the Switcher interface appears with all of your channel's layouts displayed along the bottom of the page. The layout currently being streaming and/or recorded is displayed in the Live view panel on the right side of the interface (see Networked VGA Grid User Guide You are here: Start here > Epiphan Live > Live switching using the Switcher interface > Understanding the Switcher interfaceLive switching using the Switcher interfaceUnderstanding the Switcher interfaceSwitching while live streaming and recordingUnderstanding the Switcher interface The Switcher view is a simple interface used to seamlessly switch between a channel's custom layouts while live streaming and/or recording. (See Create a local custom channel or layout for more information on creating custom layouts.)The Switcher interface is accessed from the Menu button in the Dashboard interface (see Networked VGA Grid User Guide You are here: Start here > Epiphan Live > Streaming, recording and monitoring using the Dashboard interface > Understanding the Dashboard interfaceStreaming, recording and monitoring using the Dashboard interfaceUnderstanding the Dashboard interfaceConfiguring Dashboard panels for visual confidence monitoringMonitoring video and audio sourcesControlling streaming and recording using Epiphan LiveUnderstanding the Dashboard interfaceYou are first presented with the Dashboard interface upon logging in to Epiphan Live. The Dashboard interface contains many helpful elements used for confidence monitoring and streaming/recording control, described in the Elements in the Dashboard interface table below. The Dashboard view is responsive and automatically adjusts and repositions its elements to fit cleanly within any size web browser window.Elements in the Dashboard interfaceNumberTitleDescription1Dashboard header iconsWarning – This icon displays only if there are any configuration errors in your channels, sources, streams or recordings. Clicking the icon displays more detail about the errors.Save – Saves any Dashboard layout changes. Note that you need to press Save to preserve your layout setting. When a layout is saved, all other operators and administrators will see your configured Dashboard layout when they log in or refresh their Epiphan Live page.Menu – When clicked, displays links to the Switcher view and Admin panel.2Dashboard monitoring panels Configurable panels used for confidence monitoring. You can set each panel to display a source, channel, output or basic system information. Note that the Dashboard monitoring panels appears blank by default when logging in for the first time. 3Dashboard panel navigation iconsClick to navigate between three different sets of Dashboard monitoring panels. The illuminated icon represents your currently displayed panel set.4Dashboard panel set quantity icons2x – Changes the quanity of Dashboard panels per set to 2 (as in the screen shot above).4x – Changes the quantity of Dashboard panels per set to 4.5Video inputsDisplays a list of your video inputs configured in the Admin panel and includes basic status information for each input.6ChannelsDisplays a list of your channels configured in the Admin panel and includes streaming and recording control buttons for each channel.7Audio inputsDisplays a list of your audio inputs configured in the Admin panel. Includes basic status information and a VU meter for each input.8RecordersDisplays a list of your recorders configured in the Admin panel and includes a recording control button for each recorder.).The Switcher view is responsive and automatically adjusts and reposition its elements to fit cleanly within any size web browser window.See the Elements in the Switcher view table below for a description of each visual element in the Switcher interface.Elements in the Switcher viewNumberTitleDescription1Channel selectorSelect from a list of channels (configured via the Admin panel) to display custom layouts specific to your selected channel. Note that when a channel is selected, you can only switch between layouts within that channel.2Menu iconDisplays links to the Dashboard view and the Admin panel when clicked.3Preview panelDisplays a preview of a selected layout, outlined with a green border. When the Switch button is clicked, this preview layout becomes the live layout. See Networked VGA Grid User Guide You are here: Start here > Epiphan Live > Live switching using the Switcher interface > Switching while live streaming and recordingLive switching using the Switcher interfaceUnderstanding the Switcher interfaceSwitching while live streaming and recordingSwitching while live streaming and recordingThe Switcher interface lets you easily live switch between custom layouts with the simple press of a button.To switch a layout while live streaming and/or recording:Log in to Epiphan Live; the Dashboard view opens by default. See Accessing Epiphan Live.Click the Menu icon in the upper-right corner of the Dashboard screen and click Switcher to navigate to the Switcher interface.Click the text box next to the "Switcher" header and select your desired channel from the dropdown list (the text box will appear blank if this is your first time configuring the Switcher interface). Note that in the channel dropdown list, channels containing only a single layout are grayed-out and are not selectable.After selecting your channel from the dropdown, the Switcher interface appears with all of your channel's layouts displayed along the bottom of the page. The layout currently being streaming and/or recorded is displayed in the Live view panel on the right side of the interface (see Understanding the Switcher interface).Click your desired layout at the bottom of the page to dock it in the Preview panel. This is the layout that will be used next in your program.Click the Switch button in the center of the screen to apply your layout in the Preview panel into your live stream/recording program.From here, you can prepare to apply another layout to your program by selecting a new layout from the list and docking it into the Preview panel.Networked VGA Grid User Guide You are here: Start here > Epiphan Live > Live switching using the Switcher interface > Switching while live streaming and recordingLive switching using the Switcher interfaceUnderstanding the Switcher interfaceSwitching while live streaming and recordingSwitching while live streaming and recordingThe Switcher interface lets you easily live switch between custom layouts with the simple press of a button.To switch a layout while live streaming and/or recording:Log in to Epiphan Live; the Dashboard view opens by default. See Accessing Epiphan Live.Click the Menu icon in the upper-right corner of the Dashboard screen and click Switcher to navigate to the Switcher interface.Click the text box next to the "Switcher" header and select your desired channel from the dropdown list (the text box will appear blank if this is your first time configuring the Switcher interface). Note that in the channel dropdown list, channels containing only a single layout are grayed-out and are not selectable.After selecting your channel from the dropdown, the Switcher interface appears with all of your channel's layouts displayed along the bottom of the page. The layout currently being streaming and/or recorded is displayed in the Live view panel on the right side of the interface (see Understanding the Switcher interface).Click your desired layout at the bottom of the page to dock it in the Preview panel. This is the layout that will be used next in your program.Click the Switch button in the center of the screen to apply your layout in the Preview panel into your live stream/recording program.From here, you can prepare to apply another layout to your program by selecting a new layout from the list and docking it into the Preview panel.4Live view panelDisplays the layout currently being streamed and/or recorded, outlined with a red border. When the Switch button is clicked, this live layout is replaced with the layout in the Preview panel.5Layout selection panelDisplays small previews for all layouts contained within your selected channel. Click a layout from this list to add it to the Preview panel. Note that the layout selected for the Preview panel has a green border and the layout in the Live view panel has a red border.6Switch buttonWhen clicked, the layout in the Preview panel replaces the layout in the Live view panel, and is immediately reflected in your streaming and/or recording.).Click your desired layout at the bottom of the page to dock it in the Preview panel. This is the layout that will be used next in your program.Click the Switch button in the center of the screen to apply your layout in the Preview panel into your live stream/recording program.From here, you can prepare to apply another layout to your program by selecting a new layout from the list and docking it into the Preview panel. for more information.

You can now create and upload customized “No Signal” images for use in your custom local channels. These images are assigned to a specific source and display in any custom local channel where the source is used but has no input detected. For more information on how to create a "No Signal" image, see Add a No Signal image to a source .

Through channel configuration and fine-tuning you can maximize your stream quality, minimize your processing requirements and bandwidth. You can also specify how the video is presented and streamed to sharing destinations and viewers.