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:


1st Octet2nd Octet3rd Octet4th Octet
Media Port Source IPaaabbbcccddd





Multicast IP Address239cccdddxxx

Always 239 (this is fixed)Matches 3rd octet of the source IPMatches the 4th octet of the source IP

Generated automatically as follows:

  • 1 to 32 - assigned to video streams: 1 = video from SDI 1; 2 = video from SDI 2; etc.
  • 33 to 128 - assigned to audio streams: 33 = audio block 1 from SDI 1; 34 = audio block 2 from SDI 1; etc. 
  • 161 to 184 - assigned to meta steams: 161 = metadata from SDI 1; 162 = metadata from SDI 2; etc.

Custom Assign Mode

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


1st Octet2nd Octet3rd Octet4th Octet
Multicast IP Addressaaabbbcccxxx

custom-definedcustom-definedcustom-defined

Generated automatically by counting upwards from the IP Start value entered for each essence: Video, Audio and Meta. An IP Start value should be entered for both the primary and secondary networks.

In the example below, the Audio Stream IP Start value = 40. This means that 40 is used for audio block 1 from SDI 1; 41 = audio block 2 from SDI 1; etc.


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.

IP Sender Multicast

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

Option 1: Using 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: Using 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: Using 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

Changing 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 number (for the Video, Audio or Meta streams), the RTP payload value (for the Video, Audio or Meta streams) or the TTL (TimeToLive) value for all streams.

In each case, enter the required value(s) into each field, and then use the corresponding Trigger Event button to push the values to the IP senders.

Checking the IP Senders

All of the settings above can be checked 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 Audio Sender" dialog box.
  5. From here you can check all of the sender parameters, including the Primary and Secondary Multicast Address plus the Destination UDP Port, TTL and RTP Payload Type.

Checking the Multicast Address of an IP Sender