Getting Started with Video On-Demand
The purpose of this guide is to quickly bring you up to speed with the Video On-Demand extension. To do so, we will cover five key sections:
- Section 1: Adding your Content
- Section 2: Creating your Subscription
- Section 3: Application Themes
- Section 4: Remote Control Support
- Section 5: Getting a VOD Application onto your Device
Section 1: Adding your Content
Contents for any VOD application can be divided into two different types, Channel (streaming content) and On Demand (prepositioned/external content). When creating a Channel, you’ll need your EPG Provider details to allow your audience to view all upcoming programming schedules, very much like a TV Guide. Before we create a Channel, let’s begin by configuring the EPG Provider.
Configuring your EPG Provider
Step 1
From the VOD extension, select the Settings tab and click the EPG Providers sub-tab.
Step 2
Click the + (New EPG) icon to add your EPG provider.
Step 3
Key in your EPG provider details, as shown in the example below. Click save to save the EPG provider details.
Note
Valid EPG file formats are XMLTV and CSV. Duration refers to the channel’s upcoming programs.
Adding your Channel
Now that we have configured the EPG Provider, we can proceed to create a Channel for streaming contents.
Step 1
From the VOD extension, select the Channels tab and click the + (New Channel) icon.
Step 2
Key in your channel details, as shown in the example below. Click save to save the channel details.
Note
- Remember to select the EPG Provider (Schedule Provider) you created previously. It may take some time for the schedule to sync before you can select your Channel ID.
- At this point of time, both Default and EDGE340 content sources point to the Edge 340.
- Your content channel sources should be based on the Edge 340’s streaming formats which are VLC reliant.
Adding your On Demand Content
Besides adding live stream contents into channels, you can add on demand content as well. Note that for this example, all contents have been added to the Appspace Content Library prior to being added to the On Demand content listing.
Step 1
From the VOD extension, select the On-Demand tab and click the + (New Content) icon.
Step 2
Key in your on-demand content details, as shown in the example below. Click Save to save the on-demand content details.
Step 3
Upon saving your on-demand content details, the content tab will be visible. Click the + (New Folder) icon to create a new folder.
Step 4
Give your folder a name and proceed to key in the details of your folder under the information pane.
Step 5
Click the Content tab.
Step 6
Click the + button.
Step 7
Add content from one of three locations; the content library, uploading locally or any other (text, web page or external content). Click apply when you’re done selecting your contents.
Note
Media types are restricted to those supported on the Cisco Edge 340 only. For more information, refer to Media Player Capabilities.
Step 8
Your added content will be visible under the Content sub-tab. You can proceed to re-order your content by selecting the content (clicking along the row) and moving it up or down via the Up/Down radio buttons.
Step 9
Upon returning to the main On-Demand page, your newly created on-demand content and its associated information will be listed.
Section 2: Creating your Subscription
After your contents are created, we can proceed to create your subscription to list and manage all your contents. We’ll start first by creating a subscription plan.
Creating a subscription plan
Step 1
From the VOD extension, select the Subscriptions tab and click the + (New Subscription) icon.
Step 2
Key in the subscription details, as shown in the example below. Click save to save the subscription details.
Adding channels to your subscription plan
After you have created your subscription plan, you’ll want to start adding contents to that plan. At this point, you have the option to add channels and/or on demand content to your subscription plan.
Step 1
From the VOD extension, select the Subscriptions tab and click the + (New Subscription) icon.
Step 2
Select the channel(s) to be added by ticking the boxes next to the desired channel’s number. You may also use the search bar to find your desired channel. Click OK to continue.
Step 3
If you’re done adding your channels and do not have any on demand content to add, you may click save and move on to Section 3: Application Themes.
Adding on-demand content to your subscription plan
If you have on-demand content you can add it to your subscription.
Step 1
Click the On-Demand tab.
Step 2
Select the on-demand content(s) to be added by ticking the boxes next to the desired content’s title. You may also use the search bar to find your desired on-demand content. Click OK to continue.
Step 3
Click save to save your subscription plan.
Section 3: Application Themes
You’re now done with your subscription plans. You will now be able to apply these subscription plans to any VOD application.
Before creating your VOD application, you’ll have to decide if you’d like to use a ready-made theme template or import your own application theme.
Importing an Application Theme (Optional)
Step 1
From the VOD extension, select the Settings tab and click the Theme sub-tab.
Step 2
Click the import theme radio button.
Step 3
Key in the theme details, as shown in the example below. Click save to import the theme.
Note
Theme files are in .tpkg format.
Creating your VOD application and assigning your theme and subscriptions
Let’s create a basic VOD application.
Step 1
From the VOD extension, select the Apps tab and click the + (New Application) icon.
Step 2
Key in the application details, as shown in the example below.
Step 3
From the theme drop down, select your theme.
Step 4
Click the + (Add Subscription) to add subscriptions to your VOD application.
Step 5
Select the on subscription(s) to be added by ticking the boxes next to the desired subscription’s title. You may also use the search bar to find your desired subscription. Click OK to continue.
Step 6
Click save to save your VOD application.
Step 7
Click the eye icon to preview your VOD application. The preview will be opened in another tab.
Note
For preview to work, you’ll have to enable WebGL support in your browser.
Step 8
Additionally, you can allow unregistered devices to stream your VOD by enabling the Public URL option.
Checklist
At this stage, you would have already:
- Added your contents
- Created a subscription
- Created an application
- Assigned a theme to the application
- Assigned a subscription to the application
- Previewed your application
The next thing you’d want to do is to use a remote control to navigate your VOD application.
Section 4: Remote Control Support
The VOD extension comes out-of-the-box support for the Digital Media Player (DMP) remote control and Apple TV remote control. While the VOD extension is not limited to these two types of remotes, these two out-of-the-box remotes are sufficient for VOD navigation.
The following tables list the button functions of each remote.
Apple TV Remote
| Name | Button | Mapped Functionality |
|---|---|---|
| Menu | 
|
Go back to previous page |
| Play/Pause | 
|
(not programmed) |
| Enter | 
|
Confirm/make selection (enter); functions as play/pause when viewing On-Demand content in full screen |
| Up | 
|
Navigate up; functions as next channel (channel up) when viewing live content |
| Left | 
|
Navigate left; functions as rewind when viewing On-Demand content in full screen |
| Down | 
|
Navigate down; functions as previous channel (channel down) when viewing live content |
| Right | 
|
Navigate right; functions as fast forward when viewing On-Demand content in full screen |
Cisco DMP Remote
| Name | Button | Mapped Functionality |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 
|
Turns off/on the DMP device |
| Input | 
|
Change/switch current input |
| Menu | 
|
Jump (direct access) to Menu page |
| Help | 
|
(not programmed) |
| Rewind | 
|
Rewind VOD content |
| Play | 
|
Play VOD content |
| Fast Forward | 
|
Fast forward VOD content |
| Stop | 
|
Stop VOD content |
| Pause | 
|
Pause VOD content |
| Skip Forward | 
|
(not programmed) |
| Channel Up | 
|
Go to next channel (channel up) |
| Channel Down | 
|
Go to previous channel (channel up) |
| Last | 
|
Go back to previous page |
| Mute | 
|
Mutes the audio |
| Volume Up | 
|
Increases audio volume |
| Volume Down | 
|
Decreases audio volume |
| Guide | 
|
Launches electronic programming guide |
| Exit | 
|
(not programmed) |
| Page Up | 
|
Go to next page |
| Page Down | 
|
Go to previous page |
| OK | 
|
Confirm/make selection (enter) |
| Up | 
|
Navigate up |
| Left | 
|
Navigate left |
| Down | 
|
Navigate down |
| Right | 
|
Navigate right |
| 0-9 | 
|
Input number (digit) 0 through 9 |
| A | 
|
-24 hours navigation on EPG |
| B | 
|
(not programmed) |
| C | 
|
(not programmed) |
| D | 
|
+24 hours navigation on EPG |
| Information | 
|
Displays information regarding current channel/content |
Section 5: Getting a VOD Application onto your Device
Now you are ready to assign you VOD application to your Appspace registered device.
Step 1
From the Network Management Extension, select the Players tab.
Step 2
Select (check the box next to) the desired device to be associated with your VOD application and click the + button in the toolbar to assign a device to your VOD application.
Note
Remember that you are only able to select Edge 340 devices.
Step 3
On the pop-up screen, select your newly created VOD application. Click Proceed.
Note
Your VOD application will be displayed when your device has completely downloaded its content items.
Recap
Now that your VOD application is now fully set up, you should be able to:
- View your application on your device
- Navigate through your application
- Play your selected contents