.edge - Multicast IP Addresses

This topic describes how to define the multicast addresses for the IP senders.

Overview

In order to publish streams to the network, each IP sender must be assigned a unique multicast IP address. As there are many streams to configure, the system provides two ways of automating the process plus a third option to configure the addresses manually.

• Option 1 - SRC IP-Based. The multicast addresses are allocated automatically based on the source IPs of the media ports.
• Option 2 - Custom. The user must define a start address for each essence: Video, Audio and Meta. The rest of the multicast addresses are then allocated automatically (using the same rules as option 1).
• Option 3 - Manual. The user must define each multicast address manually.

The first option is the simplest as it offers complete automation. The second two options can be used if you need more manual control (e.g. to fit an existing multicast scheme). The tables below describe the formula used for options 1 and 2.

Source IP-Based Assign Mode

In this mode, the multicast IP addresses are generated automatically using the following formula:

Custom Assign Mode

In this mode, the multicast IP addresses are generated according to the Start IP values (entered in HOME).

Configuration via HOME

For options 1 and 2, the mode of assignment (and starting IP values) are defined using the IP Sender Multicast options (in HOME's Advanced parameters). Option 3 is handled in a different way (via the individual IP Senders for each SDI Input).

From the main "Devices" list, click on the processing blade label (to open the "Device Details" as described earlier).

For options 1 and 2, select the Advanced tab and IP Sender Multicast.

The Assign Mode field sets the method of assignment: either SrcIpBased (Source IP Based) or Custom. 

Option 1: Source IP-Based Assign Mode

If the Assign Mode is set to SrcIpBased, then the Video/Audio/Meta Stream 0 IP Range (Primary) and (Secondary) fields show the automatically-generated IP ranges. These are based on the media port source IPs (as described above).

To push all of the multicast addresses to the IP senders, click on Trigger Event beside the Assign all multicast (Src IP based) field. Addresses outlined in red are pushed to the primary network and those in blue are pushed to the secondary network. If you need to check the source IPs, then this can be done from the Network Ports tab. The screenshots below show the steps.

Option 2: Custom Assign Mode

If the Assign Mode is set to Custom, then you must manually define the IP Start values for each stream essence. In this instance:

1. Set the Assign Mode to Custom.
2. Enter an IP Start value for the Video streams, Audio streams and Meta streams. In each case, you must enter values for both the primary (red) and secondary (blue) networks.
3. Click on Trigger Event beside the Assign all multicast (Use Custom Ranges) field to push all of the addresses to the IP senders. The screenshots below show the steps.

Option 3: Manual Assign

If you wish to define each multicast IP address manually, then this must be done by opening the individual IP Senders for each SDI input.

1. Open the SDI Inputs branch of the Advanced parameters.
2. Open SDI#01, IP Senders and Video.
3. Type in the multicast addresses into the IP Primary Multicast and IP Secondary Multicast fields.
4. Repeat for each essence: 1 x Video, 4 x Audio and 1 x Meta
5. Then repeat for the next SDI input (up to 32 depending on the SDI Configuration).

SDI Inputs → SDI#01 → IP Senders → Video

Change the UDP Port, RTP and TTL Values

If you scroll further down the IP Sender Multicast page, then there are three sets of additional fields. These can be used to change the UDP Port, RTP payload or TTL (TimeToLive), globally, for all IP senders.

1. Start by entering the required values into each field. You can use the Reset button to enter the default value.
2. Then select the Trigger Event button(s) to push the values to the IP senders. There are two Trigger Event buttons so that you can update the UDP Port numbers and RTP/TTL values separately.

Important: Any changes applied to an individual sender will be overwritten once you select Trigger Event.

Please note:

• The UDP Port numbers can be different for Video, Audio and Meta streams. The default value is 5004 (for all essence types).
• The RTP payload values can be different for Video, Audio, Meta and Audio Router streams. The default values are RTP Video (96), RTP Audio (97), RTP Meta (98) and RTP Audio Router (97).
• There is one TTL value for all streams. The default value is 64.

Check the IP Senders

All of the settings above can be checked (and edited) for each IP sender from the Senders tab as follows.

1. From the main "Devices" list, click on the processing blade label (to open the "Device Details" as described earlier).
2. Then select the Senders tab to view all of the IP senders.
3. Select a sender (e.g. SdiIn1 Audio 1).
4. Click on Parameters to open the "Edit Sender" dialog.
5. From here you can check and edit all of the individual sender parameters, including the Primary and Secondary Multicast Address plus the Destination UDP Port, TTL and RTP Payload Type.

Please note: It is not possible to apply different RTP payload values to senders of the same type. 

This means that, if the RTP Payload Type is changed for an individual sender, the new RTP value is applied to all senders of the same type. e.g. to all Audio Senders.