Streaming Server User Interface
Macula Streaming Server provides HTTP connections for Web browsers and native Macula Mobile applications, OS X Thin Client (similar in functionality to Macula Mobile), as well as services that use Macula HTTP API, which includes Macula own external services (VDS, License Plate Recognition, Face Recognition modules) and third-party integrations. While the Web browser client functionality is very basic, Macula Mobile applications support many useful features, such as two-way audio, push notifications, mobile edge recording, streaming from device camera to the Macula server and many more.
When configured, Macula Streaming Server is accessible via browser from the server itself and from computers on the local network, and, if system is not isolated, from the Internet. This is the simplest way to make sure your Macula Streaming Server is running and reachable. To access the Macula Streaming Server, open your browser and type:
<Server IP>:<HTTP port>
then press Enter. Your browser will connect to Macula Streaming Server, and user authentication will be requested: enter your user name and password to proceed.
After logging in, you will see Macula Streaming Server user interface:
left menu: channel list and setup tabs
main window: live-streaming area
upper-right-hand corner: layout templates and layouts
upper-left-hand corner: the Macula Streaming Server logo; click the logo to extend viewing area by minimizing the menu on the left
Access Permissions
The channel and feature availability depends on the user permissions; the built-in administrator has access to all resources. For the Web browser connections, only HTTP connection, live, archive and PTZ access permissions are applicable, as other functionality (e.g., audio) is not present.
In order to allow a user to connect to Macula Streaming Server, go to Configuration section of Macula Console, choose Users, then select the user or user group for editing and open the Administration profile tab:
add the Login via HTTP permission to allow Web browser and/or HTTP API connections
add the Login via Mobile permission to allow connections from mobile apps and OS X client
To allow channel access, add per-channel or per-channel group privileges in the Permissions tab:
View live Video: enables live view
Listen live audio: enables incoming audio (from the camera)
Send live audio: send audio to camera (talk back)
Control PTZ: pan, tilt and zoom controls
Use PTZ presets: access to existing PTZ presets
Use PTZ tours: access to existing PTZ tours
Video playback: enables access to recorded video data
Audio playback: access to the recorded audio data
Additional permissions for the Macula Mobile applications:
for User Buttons: the View permission allows you to see and use the user button
Channel, channel group and user button permissions can also be changed in the Channels section, by double-clicking the corresponding channel or channel group in the list and then selecting the Permissions tab.
Web Interface: Configuration
The menu on the left has two tabs: devices, which shows which channels are available, and setup, which contains streaming settings. Click on the titles to switch between them.
The video sources are loaded in a single list. To start streaming from a particular device, select layout template from the menu in the upper-right-hand corner, then click your desired viewport so that it is highlighted blue, and then click a device from the list.
The Setup tab allows you to choose PTZ control behavior and configure stream options:
PTZ controls:
Always: if the camera supports Pan-Tilt-Zoom, virtual PTZ sphere will be always shown as overlay control
When selected: if the camera has PTZ capabilities, the virtual PTZ sphere will be shown when the corresponding stream is selected
Never: do not show PTZ controls at all, meaning that PTZ functionality will be disabled
Stream options:
Main: only the first (main) stream, [usually] of a larger resolution will be used for all devices
Secondary: only the secondary stream (substream), [usually] of a smaller resolution will be used for all devices
Auto: the most appropriate stream will be selected automatically based on viewport size
Web Interface: Streams
The Web browser client allows you to view live video and to play back recorded video from the available channels. For live view mode, PTZ controls are available.
Live
To start live-streaming, select a layout template from the upper-right-hand menu (1x1, 1x2, 2x1 or 2x2), then click your desired viewport so that a blue frame selection appears around it, and then choose the target stream from the Devices list on the left. To replace the existing live stream, either select it and choose a device 'on top' of it, or click the X button in the upper-right-hand corner of the viewport to close it and then assign a new stream to this viewport.
Notice that some images may appear with horizontal or vertical black stripes at the sides: this happens because image aspect ratio is maintained instead of it being stretched to fill the viewport. When the picture size is smaller than the target viewport, there will be a black background on either sides.
Each live view item contains the following information and controls:
upper-left-hand corner: stream name (static info)
upper-right-hand corner: archive playback (if applicable), presets button (click to load preset list), X button (press to close the live stream and free the viewport)
bottom-right-hand corner: PTZ mode (if applicable), stream resolution, stream codec (MP4/JPEG/WEBM) (static info) and zoom mode ON (static info)
center: stream picture, virtual PTZ sphere (overlay control) (if applicable)
To pan and tilt the PTZ-capable cameras, use overlay PTZ controls: left-click and hold in the desired direction. By default, pan/tilt mode is enabled for PTZ cameras: notice the PanTilt label in the bottom-right-hand corner of live view.
In order to zoom IN and OUT: first, scroll your mouse wheel DOWN to enable zoom mode - in the bottom-right-hand corner, a Zoom label will appear. In this mode, virtual PTZ sphere works for zoom only: click and drag UP (upper hemisphere) to zoom IN, and DOWN (lower hemisphere) to zoom OUT. To release zoom mode and go back to the pan-tilt sphere, simply scroll your mouse wheel UP until the Zoom label disappears.
For some cameras, you may notice that the further you drag the cursor from the sphere centre, the faster the camera goes: in this way, PTZ speed is controlled; however, for other cameras, only the constant speed is supported either by software or device itself, and the pan/tilt speed will remain constant no matter what position your mouse cursor is in.
Archive Playback
If recording is enabled for the target channel, the stream overlay controls will include an archive playback button in the upper-right-hand corner. Press the button to begin playback: the target stream will be displayed in single channel mode. To switch back to live view, press the 'eye' button in the upper-right-hand corner; this will restore your previous layout.
Playback view contains the following information and controls:
upper-left-hand corner: stream name (static info)
upper-right-hand corner: 'eye' icon to go back to live view, X button (press to close the live stream and free the viewport)
bottom-right-hand corner: timestamp (current time and server time zone shift)
center: stream picture
center bottom: playback controls
Overlay controls allow you to start/pause playback and jump back/forward by ten seconds, one minute, ten minutes or an hour.
Web Interface: Layouts
Layout templates allow you to choose viewport layout: 1x1, 2x1, 1x2 and 2x2 are currently available options.
Click on any thumbnail at any time to immediately load the corresponding layout template on the screen. If there are any active streams, they will be discarded. If the target layout template has been already used in the same browser and cookies have not been cleared, previously used channels will be loaded; if not, an empty template will be displayed.
If you wish to save the layout currently being displayed, click on the 'portrait' button.
The layouts menu will appear, allowing you to save your layout under a user-defined name: enter the layout name and click the Save button. Note that, at this point, only Latin characters [A-Za-z] and Arabic digits [0-9] are supported for layout names; special symbols or characters from non-Latin alphabets are not allowed.
From here, you can also load previously saved layouts simply by clicking them; if your layout list is longer than the menu window, use the mouse wheel to scroll down.
The layouts are saved in your browser cookies, so:
Macula Streaming Server layouts cannot be transferred to other browsers, user accounts or computers
layouts are removed when browser cookie data are cleared
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