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System FAQ
1) What type of live encoder does DEVOS support?
DEVOS uses
Streamsie ,
Scorpion , Mantis , Spider ,
OBS with DV Plugin , or StreamEngine for live streaming and recording. DEVOS can remotely control and schedule these
encoders.
You can use 3rd party live encoders that support H264/AAC and RTMP push.
You can use many (but NOT all) 3rd party "Netcams" that support H264 with AAC audio and deliver live stream via RTSP.
For files (VoD), you can use virtually any encoded video file and it will be transcoded if necessary.
You can use Streamsie for your iPhone or iPad to stream live and to record and upload to DEVOS.
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2) Does DEVOS have any unique network dependency?
No, not really. Unlike many legacy systems, DEVOS does not depend on IP multicast (but can use it) or similar technologies.
Obviously, you must have adequate network capacity to deliver live streaming to the number of desired viewers, and most organizations have ample capacity.
DEVOS works well on systems that make use of modern WiFi networking.
DEVOS StreamPump can be placed anywhere, such as a remote branch office, and it automatically delivers live streams to viewers without using additional bandwidth.
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3) Can I view live and VoD content on my mobile devices (iPhone, Android, iPad, tablets)?
4) How many Digital Signage displays does DEVOS support?
5) Is DEVOS a streaming server?
Yes, DEVOS includes live/VoD streaming server. It is integral and not an additional server or service.
Of course, DEVOS is much more than merely a streaming server, but it is possible to use DEVOS only for this purpose.
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6) What is the difference between DEVOS cloud vs. DEVOS in my private network?
Both systems are the generally the same except for where they are located.
Cloud systems obviously depend on the public Internet, while systems on the premises do not.
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7) How many simultaneous viewers does the system support?
Capacity depends on the configuration, but generally you may have hundreds of simultaneous viewers up to the network bandwidth capacity of the system (e.g. 4 GBps)
For example, if you have a 1 GBps network and your video is encoded at 1000 Kbps then you can not have more than roughly 900 viewers (1,000,000,000 bps / 1,000,000 bps plus allowances for overhead, web page delivery, etc.).
The system puts no limits on the number of simultaneous viewers. Any dependancy is lead by network bandwidth and CPU performance.
Clustering increases capactiy because it performs load balancing
StreamPump increases capacity because streams may be delivered locally
Multicast from the server is supported for unlimited video delivery
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8) Can I use the system to deliver live announcements to desktops and signs without the viewer taking any action?
Yes.
At the touch of a button, an administrator can cause your live video, VoD content, web page, or text message to appear on one, some or all desktops and Digital Signage display stations without the viewer needing to do anything.
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9) How do I add VoD content to the system?
Use the built-in upload function to add any video file
Use the encoder to automatically upload just-recorded events automatically
Use conventional FTP. Every DEVOS admin has their own FTP account
Use a Dropbox account to simply drag-and-drop a video file
Automatically download videos from your YouTube account
Add most any of millions of YouTube or Vimeo videos
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10) Can I include Netcams in the DEVOS live video system?
Yes, DEVOS supports modern Netcams that deliver H264 with AAC audio via RTSP.
Popular Netcams from Axis, Global, and others have been sucessfully used with DEVOS
Most netcams can deliver the live video from the camera to existing security systems and to DEVOS at the same time.
Do not expect cheap netcams that only deliver mjpeg, snapshots, or H264 without AAC audio to operate correctly.
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11) How can I be sure only certain people can view my video?
You can make any video private so it does not appear in a listing page.
You can apply a password to any live or VoD content. The viewer would have to know the password to view.
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12) What is the live capacity and VoD storage capacity?
Storage depends on the DEVOS model or service. Most of our servers include at least 4TB of storage.
1000 hours of VoD content encoded at 700 Kbps requires only about 300 GB of storage.
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13) What is required for viewing live and VoD content?
Content is delivered via HTML5 or optionally via Flash.
Content can be viewed on PC, MAC, iPhone, iPad, Android, Roku, and other devices.
DEVOS is compatible with popular browsers including IE, Edge, Chrome, FireFox, and Safari.
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14) Can I authenticate using my existing Active Directory?
Yes.
You may assign any AD groups as "admins" in which case these users have their own publishing accounts, and you may assgin any AD groups as "users" in which case they only have viewing rights.
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15) Does the system support High Definition video?
Yes.
You can deliver live and/or VoD content in High Definition format.
The system supports 4K video and 360 video too.
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16) Should I install one DEVOS for all schools in a district?
Yes, this is possbile, depeding on required capacity.
Because DEVOS in inexpensive, you can install a DEVOS in each school.
You can have one DEVOS and StreamPump in each school.
You can use DEVOS Cloud if you have sufficent bandwidth, and/or DEVOS Cloud plus StreamPump to amplify your bandwidth .
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17) Should I install DEVOS inside or outside of my firewall?
Install Inside Firewall: your content is only available for viewing in your own network (and via VPN if desired)
Install Outside Firewall: your content is available to both viewers on your own network and to Internet viewers too.
Some customers decide to locate the system in their server room and place it on their "DMZ". This is usually the best choice.
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18) What is the warranty?
DEVOS servers generally come with a 5-year hardware warranty, with on-site 3rd party service.
Other products may have a 1 year return-to-factory hardware warranty.
Warranty period starts when the product leaves DiscoverVideo's shipping dock.
Software is supported via an annual software maintenance plan, and updates are generally automatic
Software maintenace has no relationship to hardware warranty
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19) Can I include video that already exist on YouTube?
Yes
You can import content by simply copying the YouTube URL into the DEVOS system.
Not only does this give you access to a vast library of content, it give you virtually unlimited storage too.
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20) Does the system support emergency communications?
Yes, you can send an alert to one, some, or all desktops and digital signage displays at a touch of a button
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21) Can I send my live video to a CDN service?
Yes
Any live stream can be pushed from DEVOS to our ARCUS service or to your existing CDN service for Internet distribution.
This allows you to support thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of live viewers without bandwidth concerns.
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22) Can I pull an existing live video stream into DEVOS?
Yes
DEVOS can pull a live RTMP or RTSP stream into the system.
This allows you to support local viewers without each viewer consuming Internet access bandwidth.
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23) How can I find a desired video?
Organize your content into collections (we call this a "channel").
You may find a video using several methods:
Enter search phrase
Sort view by date, popularity, alphabetical.
Select category.
Search by Tag.
Search by Closed Caption.
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24) How can I upload a recorded video from my iPad to DEVOS?
Download Streamsie from Apple iTunes
Enter the DEVOS streaming account information
Record your video
Select it for viewing, then press "Upload"
You can also use iPad/iPhone camera to record a video and then use any FTP program to upload it
You can also upload using web, FTP, or dropbox
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25) Can I remotely control and schedule encoders?
Yes, DEVOS controls encoders and can tell them to stream, to record, or to stream and record
You can schedule encoders for any day or duration
The encoders will automatically upload the video to DEVOS for VoD viewing
You can have as many encoders in use as desired and DEVOS will control them all, and even give real-time encoder status
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26) Can viewers rate each video and leave comments?
If you wish. The admin of the content can decide to enable or disable ratings, comments, and other features on a per-video basis
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27) What kind of organizations use DEVOS?
Customers range from small public schools to large Universities, large and small corporations, and government agencies
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28) Can I schedule when a video will appear?
Yes, every live and recorded video may have a "from" and "until" date/time, so that old content can expire and future events can be scheduled in advance
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29) Can I embed the video in my own web site?
Yes, DEVOS provides customizable embed code for each live video, each VoD, and for each channel.
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30) Is DEVOS expensive?
No, DEVOS is the most cost effecive system on the market today.
Depending your your needs, you can select DVExpress, Stinger, DEVOS Premises, DEVOS Cloud, or DEVOS on your own VM.
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31) Can I create custom channels?
Yes. Each admin can create an unlimited number of channels.
A 'channel' as a collection of content.
Content may be video-on-demand, live video, presentations, or training courses.
A 'TV channel' is a live stream and my be in a channel or in a IPTV program guide or both.
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32) Can DEVOS record live video on the server?
Yes. You can record any live stream and make it available for VoD viewing in minutes.
Streamsie, Manatis, StreamEngine, and Hornet encoders will also record and upload the recording to DEVOS automatically.
DEVOS server-side recording also allows you to make new recordings from other encoders without stopping the live encoder.
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34) Can I deliver live video to many branch offices?
Yes. Simply deploy StreamPump at desired branch offices.
StreamPump automatically connects to DEVOS and streams live and VoD to viewers locally, saving bandwidth.
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35) How can I deliver live video to a very large local audience, like 20,000 desktops?
For very large live video distribution, you can use IP multicast
DEVOS can deliver any live stream via IP multicast
Note that IP multicast does not typically operate over WiFi and does not work in the public Internet
You can deploy multiple StreamPumps in strategic areas to scale unicast delivery
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36) Does the system have a content library?
Yes, an award-winning professional content libary can be included with the system.
You can curate content from over 14 billion videos on YouTube and import them
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37) What are the most popular uses of DEVOS?
K-12 Schools:
Each scool in a district conducts their own live "Morning Annoucements"
TV Distribution "IPTV"
Delivering curriculum content via VoD
Digial Sigage in lobbies and common areas
Higher Education:
Lecture Capture
TV Distribution "IPTV"
Delivering currriculum content via VoD
Healthcare:
Clinical Skills Assessment
Grand Rounds
Digital Signage in Waiting Rooms
Delivering content via VoD
Corporate:
Live "Town Hall Meeting"
Training
TV Distribution "IPTV"
Executive Broadcasts
Digial Sigage in lobbies and common areas
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38) Can I stream from my desktop?
Yes. Streamsie and OBS for Windows or Mac streams live, captures your dekstop, and records.
Streamsie and OBS both include high production value including Titles, Watermark/Image, Chroma-Key, and file streamng.
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39) Can I stream to Facebook and YouTube?
Yes. And you can do both at the same time while also streaming locally.
You can stream directly to YouTube only.
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40) Can I have a multi-view?
Yes. You can have a set of multiple live videos that the viewer can arrange as desired.
Recording the live multi-view set creates a Video-on-Demand that is synchronized and the viewer can still arrange it as desired.
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41) What can I use to display signage?
SignStick - simple device that plugs directly into HDMI port of a TV. Caches content so it can work even without network.
Media Player - same as SignStick but on a more powerful compact device.Caches content so it can work even without network.
Web Browser - display signage on a web browser.
Roku - consumer device but with important limitations.
Samsung SmartTV - consumer device but with important limitations.
Set Top Box - connect a Media Player or SignStick to an encoder, then tune in to a live channel to display signage
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42) What is Learning Path?
Learning Path allows you to assemble multiple videos, images, documents, and questions into a multi-lesson course
Measure the results of learners.
Assign courses to users.
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43) Is IPTV supported?
Yes, the system delivers live TV channles and a program guide to desktops and mobile devices
Any number of channles.
Live TV channles aviable on the Set Top Box with simple up/down channel change
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44) What is DVExpress
DVExpress is a lower cost, limited DEVOS.
It has the most popular DEVOS features. Live, VoD, Sigange, Channels.
Does not support AD and has only one user/administrator
Ideal for small offices, departments, and small schools
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45) Are Captions supported?
Yes, of course
You can add captions to any VoD using built-in caption editor.
You can upload conventional webvtt files
Content can be closed captioned using any of serval methods
You can create your own CC within the system
You can upload your own CC files
You can use the DV Artificial Intelligence option to create CC
You can use the our built-in partner feature to create near-perfect CC
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46) What is a StreamPump?
StreamPump is a small appliance used at remote locations
StreamPump caches and reflects live video content, vastly reducing the bandwidth needed at that location.
StreamPump can also be used as a stand-alone, small streaming server for live video delivery from two included encoder accounts.
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47) Is IP multicast requred?
No. Multicast is supported but 95% of all installs use conventional unicast.
You can setup any video for multicast if desired
You can ingest IP multicast streams
You deliver and view multicast streams
The DVPlayer can automatically try and will roll-over to other protocols if multicast is not available
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48) Is Adaptive Bit Rate (ABR) supported?
Yes
VoD can be automatically transcoded to multiple lower rate/resolution streams
Scorpion and Spider each support multiple rate live streaming and DEVOS supports this
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49) Can questions and documents be embedded in a video?
Yes
Enbedded questions are measured and scored
Documents, such as pdf, Word, PowerPoint, Zip, and be associated with any video
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50) Can DEVOS run on a Virtual Machine?
Yes
The system requires Windows 2016, sufficient CPU, disks, and network I/O
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51) Is low delay live streaming supported?
Yes
Live low delay streaming is supported in web browser and in DVPlayer
Low delay is typically 1 second
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52) Can I upload audio files?
Yes
The system supports .mp3, .m4a, and .wav files
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53) Can SignStick turn TV power on and off?
Yes, using the optional CEC device.
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54) Can I record live streams?
Yes, you can record live streams on the server and you can also record in the encoders.
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55) Does the system support Set Top Box (STB)?
Yes, the DiscoverVideo Set Top Box is a multi-protocol live video player.
The STB supports simple channel up/down and select navigation for any live or on-demand video.
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56) What is "belt and suspenders" recording?
We refer to simultaneous recording on both the encoder and the server as "Belt and Suspenders".
Server recording will always be subject to potential network faults, but automatic recording on encoders is not.
Both recordings are put on the server, and the owner can swap which one is active.
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57) Can I search all content for spoken words or phrases?
Yes.
All videos that have captions can be searched in several ways.
You can quickly find a video that has any desired word or phrase.
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(email to info@discovervideo.com)