Pearl - How to Configure - CMS - EchoVideo (Echo360)

Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Getting to know your Pearl device
3. Configure your Pearl device and Echo360
4. Register your Pearl device with Epiphan servers
5. Install Echo360 application and register Pearl device with Echo360
6. Deploy Epiphan Devices with Configuration Presets
7. Modify other CMS settings
8. Delete Echo360 integration

Overview

The Epiphan Pearl's capture appliance integration with Echo360 provides a seamless multi-source recording experience. Connect multiple video and audio sources directly to the rear panel of a Pearl device, or ingest IP based streams. The web-based Admin panel interface lets you set up Pearl devices to the exact specifications required and register as a capture appliance with Echo360. Once registered, the Pearl device is available for scheduled, recurring, and unscheduled ad-hoc events.

At scale, it is recommended to use Epiphan Edge to monitor and manage Epiphan devices. For some features a premium Edge team is required.

You can explore Epiphan Edge here

Getting to know your Pearl device

Before You Begin

 Pearl devices come preconfigured with two channels. Each channel is treated as a separate video encoding instance, like having multiple recording and streaming devices in one box with audio for multiple source recordings and livestreams. The two preconfigured channels are set up with auto-detection to get you started quickly. Simply connect one or more sources to start capturing video! 

Video sources and channels

 Video sources connect directly to the video input ports on Pearl's rear panel or via IP. The recommendations below are specific to Echo360 integration. 

Pearl devices support:

Audio Sources

Audio sources connect directly to the audio input ports on Pearl's rear panel, or you can simply use the embedded audio from a video source. Make sure you select the same audio sources on the layout for each channel using the Admin panel. 

Network ports

By default, Pearl devices use DHCP to automatically obtain an IP address over an Ethernet network. Simply connect Pearl's RJ-45 port and/or connected USB to Ethernet** adapter to your local network. Ensure at least one network interface has access to the Internet.  

**See Pearl Dual NIC / Helpful Information.

You can configure Pearl's network settings using the web-based Admin panel, enable 802.1x network security, configure LDAP, and more. If configuring an entire fleet, you can use Configuration Presets to apply settings across many devices, requiring you to configure just one device manually in many cases.

Configure your Pearl device and the Echo360 integration

 In this section we will discuss:

• Best practice and typical setup
• How to Register Pearl device with Epiphan servers
• How to Install Echo360 application and register Pearl device with Echo360

Best practices and typical setup

Typically, events are predominantly isolated recordings and streams of audio and video in separate channels. For example, three video sources connected to a Pearl Nexus, each being their own dedicated recording. 

This might look like this for a Pearl Nexus via Epiphan Edge:

 In this example, the events operated by this Pearl device can deliver up to three recordings to Echo360. If this were a Pearl-2, Echo360 supports up to four channels. 

 We recommend always associating the audio of the person speaking in the event to the primary video source when configuring your channel(s) in the Pearl Admin panel.** 

This might look like this:

• Primary video channel: Camera
• Secondary video channels: Content, Document Cam
• Primary video source: HDMI A
• Primary audio source: XLR/TRS Audio]

 **See the Pearl Basics video series for more help 

Register Pearl device with Epiphan servers

1. Navigate to Epiphan's Product Registration form and fill out the form.
   
2.  After you register your device(s) and if you receive a message from the Epiphan website to check your email, please check your junk and filtered email for a confirmation email. 
3. Confirm by clicking the link in the email. 
4.  Upgrade the firmware by clicking the banner at top of Pearl Admin panel, selecting devices in Edge and bulk updating, or individually in Edge, clicking through into the device.

Install Echo360 application and register Pearl device with Echo360

1. Log in to the Pearl Admin panel via Epiphan Edge, clicking the Admin login button or log in to the Pearl locally
2. Navigate down to Apps
   
3. On the Apps page click Install next to Echo360
   
4. After the Echo360 container finishes installing, navigate to Configuration, then CMS
   
5. In Choose CMS select Echo360 and click Apply
   
   
    After selecting Echo360 the app will load and you will be presented with an Echo360 box where you can enter your Echo360 Client ID and Client Secret. 
   
   
    
6. Once you've entered the correct information and clicked Save your Pearl should now be paired with Echo360.
   
     
   
   
7. You may see the Echo360 application update
     
   
   

Deploy Epiphan Devices with Configuration Presets

 Epiphan provides tools that make deploying, monitoring, and managing fleets of Epiphan devices, small and large, easy and straightforward. 

In this section we will cover how to:

1. with Epiphan Edge
2. with the Pearl Admin panel
3. with a maintenance USB (Pearl Mini and Pearl-2)

 It's possible through the use of Configuration Presets, either through Epiphan Edge, the Admin panel, or a USB drive, to quickly configure multiple Pearl devices to use Echo360. 

The process, no matter the method, works like this:

1. Create a Configuration Preset
2. Transfer (download/upload) Configuration Preset to your chosen method of application
3. Apply the Configuration Preset to other devices of the same model

Creating and applying Configuration Preset using Epiphan Edge (premium required)

1. Log in to Epiphan Edge.
2. Navigate to All Devices under Epiphan Edge on the left side bar.
3. Choose the device you want to create the Configuration Preset from.
4. Click the Presets tab.
   
5. Click Create a configuration preset.
   
6. Name the preset and choose the groups of settings you wish to include.
   
7. Click Create.
8. You will see the new Configuration Preset populate under Local presets on device.
9. Click upload on the chosen preset.
10. The configuration preset will be seen in your Team presets.
    
11. Apply the Configuration Preset:
    
    1. For a single device: Choose another device of same model, click the Presets tab, click Apply on the chosen Configuration Preset
    2. For multiple devices: Choose all devices you want to apply the configuration preset to
       
       1. Click the Configuration Preset button on the bottom right, it looks like options sliders, as seen in the image below:
          
       2. Choose the Configuration Preset and click Apply

Creating and applying Configuration Presets using the Pearl Admin panel

1. Log in to the Admin panel
2. Navigate to Maintenance on the lower left
3. In the Create a Configuration Preset section enter a name for your preset, and check all the boxes next to whatever settings you want to save into your preset.
   1. We generally recommend deselecting System, Network, and Epiphan Edge if applying the preset to other units.
4. After you've chosen your settings click Save, this will save the preset to the unit.
5. You can find your newly created preset in the section above and download it.
6. Log in to the Admin panel for the other device you wish to configure
7. Navigate to Maintenance on the lower left
8. In the Import configuration preset section click on Choose file
9. In the dialogue box that appears navigate to a Configuration Preset you have downloaded to your computer and click Open.
10. Click the Import button
11. If the Configuration Preset is uploaded successfully it will appear in the list above alongside the Default Configuration Preset.
12. Click the Apply button next to a preset to apply it.

Apply configuration preset with USB

You can also use a Maintenance USB to apply it from the device display, this is not supported on Pearl Nexus as it has no display.

To create a Maintenance USB:

1. Start by formatting a USB stick to exFAT, FAT32, ext2, or ext4.
2. Insert the USB stick into your computer and rename the USB drive to EPIPHAN (case-sensitive). 
   
     
   
   
3. Create a new folder on the USB stick. Name it EPIPHAN (case-sensitive).
   
     
   
   
4. Copy your Configuration Preset to the EPIPHAN folder on the Maintenance USB.
5. Insert the Maintenance USB into your Pearl device.
6. Access your Pearl's built-in display.
7. Navigate to the Configuration Preset section of the screen
8. Tap the Cog in the lower right corner.
9. Tap Configuration Presets.
10. Select your preset and Apply it. This will overwrite any existing settings on the device with all the settings stored in the preset. The Pearl will warn you of this and you must acknowledge that you want to proceed.

Modify other CMS settings

Delete your Echo360 integration

1. Log in to the Pearl Admin panel via Epiphan Edge, clicking the "Admin login" button
   
2. Navigate to Configuration, then CMS
   
3. In the Echo360 click Delete Configuration. This will disconnect the Pearl from Echo360.
4. Navigate to the Apps page
5. In the Installed section click the Delete button to delete the Echo360 integration.