Home media

Home Media is a file manager of the MAG STB Embedded portal. The main purpose of the Home Media is to provide the user with access to multimedia files and auxiliary files placed at local and network storage.
Folders and files are displayed in a hierarchical tree based on their directory structure.

Sections of Home Media

The next sections of Home Media are designed:

• Network - this section is used to connect and access shared network resources (directories and files) provided by SMB or NFS protocols.
  • Shortcuts to network computers, with nested directories, that connected by SMB protocol are situated in the Network menu (see below the example of Network menu). After a directory becomes mounted, it gets showing up on the top level of the Home Media menu.
    
  • Shortcuts to directories that connected and mounted by NFS protocol are situated on the top level of the Home Media (in the example of Home Media - these are data_AA and share directories).
    
• UPnP - includes shortcuts of network computers that contained directories shared by UPnP technology. UPnP shortcut becomes visible in the Home media window after enabling UPnP client in System settings.
• USB media - local storages connected to STB via USB port. Every USB drive connected to STB is represented with a single shortcut that displayed on the top level of the Home Media menu.
• Records - recordings of media files (located on a USB drive connected to STB, in record folder) that were created in Records Manager or IPTV channels applications. This section becomes displayed when a USB drive with the record folder is connected to STB.
  
• Favorites - list of favorites IPTV channels and playlists that selected by the user for later fast searching and running them.

Network

Network section of Home media is intended to configure connections and to get access to connected network resources (directories and files located at network computers).

Every shared directory must be connected to STB before use. STB connection to shared network directories can be set up automatically (when opening network folder) or manually (if the automatic connection is not provided or not possible). The manual connection is performed by command Connect by NFS/SMB.

Configuration of network directory connections is stored in STB flash memory, in User data. STB connection to network directory remains valid until it is disconnected on the STB side (manual disconnection or reset of User data), or until the corresponding settings on the server-side is changed.

Shortcuts to directories, shared by SMB protocol, are displayed by the next path: Home media ⇒ Network ⇒ Workgroup ⇒ <Computer name> ⇒ <Shared directory name>. When opening a network directory, it connects automatically. If it is impossible to automatically connect, the user is prompted to establish the connection manually. After automatical directory connecting to STB, the user can manually mount it (by Mount share command), and its shortcut will appear on the top level of the Home Media menu. In the case of manual directory connecting, it is mounted automatically.

NFS protocol connections are set up only manually. If a directory is connected correctly, it is mounted on STB automatically and its shortcut becomes displayed on the top level of the Home Media menu (in the example below, these are data_AA and share directories).

A network directory can be disconnected with Disconnect NFS/SMB command.
Reset User data command running causes all network directories disconnection.

Connecting a network directory by NFS protocol

In terms of NFS protocol, STB acts as the client and network computer - as the server. The description of how to set up an STB connection to the required directory is given below.

• In the Embedded portal, go to Main window ⇒ Home Media ⇒ Network
• Open Operations ⇒ Tools menu. Press Menu and Right buttons on the remote.
• In the Operations menu, click Connect NSF / SMB.
• In the Connect network folder window that opens enter the access settings and confirm the entering with the OK button:
  • Server address - an IP address of the networked computer that serves as NFS server;
  • Server folder - a name of the network folder to be connected to;
  • Local folder - a name that assigns to this folder on STB. If the value of this parameter is not specified, it is automatically assigned the value of Server folder option;
  • Connection type - you must set to NFS.
• If access settings are correctly configured on both sides (STB and computer), the info message Network folder successfully mounted displays. It means that the directory, its files and nested folders, is ready to be accessed from the STB side. Only files in valid format (multimedia, playlists, subtitles) are shown.

UPnP

UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) technology is used to play on STB media files (video, sound, pictures) located on network computers called as media servers.

To provide networking by UPnP technology:

• STB and network computer(s) must belong to the same local network (generally, connected to the same switch/router or linked via Wi-Fi Direct).
• On STB, the UPnP client should be enabled.
• On computers (media servers), corresponding directories with media content should be shared.

UPnP shortcut is situated on the top level of the Home media menu.
UPnP shortcut becomes visible after enabling UPnP client on STB. UPnP section of Home media displays all network computers with nested directories that are accessed by UPnP.

USB media

USB drive access mode

Settings of access mode (rights) to USB drives connected to STB: System settings ⇒ Advanced settings ⇒ Storages access mode.

The following access modes can be set:

• full access - read (play) and write (record) from/to external memory drive are allowed;
• read only - only read (play) operation is allowed.

Full access to USB drives is required for the following services:

• Record channel (PVR);
• Timeshift (USB drive is used as a memory buffer);
• Export playlist (copying playlist from STB to the USB drive).

USB drives connecting and displaying

When the user connects a USB drive into STB that is in operation the corresponding message pops up on the screen. The message indicates that the USB drive has been successfully connected and mounted to STB (STB got access to USB drive's file system).
If a USB drive is connected to STB in off state, then after STB switching on, as well as after STB rebooting, USB drive is connected and mounted automatically.

Each connected USB drive's icon is displayed on the upper level of the Home media window. In the below example, the single drive is connected named Kingston Data Traveler 3.0.

Electrical current carrying capacity of USB interface

The number of USB ports and the maximum allowed current to supply connected peripherals for various STB models are shown in the table below.

Supported file system types

File system types that various STB models support (i.e. can be used on external USB storage devices and network resources that connected to STB) are listed in the table below.

Records

Records shortcut is located at the top level of the Home media menu. Records section displays the contents of the records folder(s) located in the root of the USB drive(s) connected to STB.
Note 1. Every IPTV channel recordings made on STB are saved in the records directory of the USB drive.
Note 2. If several drives with records folders are connected to STB, the Records section displays the contents of the records folders of all drives.

Records shortcut (in Home media menu) and records folder (on USB drive) are created automatically, at first channel recording. Records shortcut automatically deletes from Home media menu in case USB drive, containing records folder, disconnects from STB.

Recording IPTV channels

Recording can be created in one of the following ways:

• Record manager application. In Record Manager, you can start recording immediately or schedule a list of recordings in advance. Recordings being in progress can be deleted or altered (end of recording time can be changed) with Record Manager. Completed recordings can be played back in Record Manager application or in Home media application (in Recordings or USB drives sections).
• Recording feature of the IPTV channel menu. While playing a certain channel from the IPTV channels menu, users can start the recording current or other channels. The created recording is put in the Record Manager list. Recordings being in progress can be canceled or altered (end of recording time can be changed) with the Record Manager application. Completed recordings can be played back in Record Manager application or in Home media application (in Recordings or USB drives sections).
• Timeshift feature of the IPTV channel menu. Video fragments recorded in Timeshift memory buffer can be saved on the USB drive at the end of the recording. Completed recordings can be played back in the Home media application (in Recordings or USB drives sections).

Access to recordings in Records menu

Stored media records can be reached in the Records menu in accordance with the following structure of folders and files:

1 level - folders named of IPTV channels from which recordings were made (in the example below - Eurosport Live);
2 level - folders named of recording dates (in the example - 2018-06-01);
3 level - record file with .ts or .tspinf extension (last case for TimeShift recordings). File names that correspond to recording names are assigned automatically or chosen by the user during the creation of the recordings. By default, the recording name is a start time of the recording in form HH-MM-SS (in the example - files 09-43-11.ts, 10-16-41.ts).

Supported file types and formats

When users involve resources of network storage devices (network directories) and local storage devices (USB drives), STB displays files only types and formats supported by this model of STB.

The following file types are supported:

• Multimedia files (video, audio, image) - to be played back (viewed), the required file should be selected and started by OK key on RC. Multimedia files are played back with the STB player. Supported file formats are given in Specifications.
• Playlists - specially arranged list of media files with details of their playback that aimed for processing by the media player. Description of how to handle with Playlists see below. Supported formats of playlists are given in Specifications.
• External (connected) subtitle files - used to display subtitles during playing back video files. Formats of supported subtitles for various STB models are given in Specifications. Description of how to handle external subtitles see below.

Specifications

Supported multimedia formats are given in the Specifications:

* - If the page contains specifications for several STB models, you must select the appropriate tab

Playlist operations

Playlist files contain references to channels and files intended to be played with a media player. Playlist files mostly have m3u format and look like <file name>.m3u. Users can deal with playlist files located on network storage as well as on USB memory drive connected to STB.

When the user opens a playlist file, Open playlist window brings up where the user is prompted to make one of the following operations:

• See playlist content (F1 on RC) - opens the playlist file to perform the next operations with playlist entries:
  • Open (ОК on RC) - starts playback of selected list entry. To switch to adjacent channel of the list during channel playback user should use Up and Down buttons on RC. To stop playback and return back to the playlist user should press Back on RC;
  • Add entry to favorites (F3 on RC) - adds selected entry (channel or file) to Favorites;
  • Copy - copies selected entries to add them to IPTV channels list (for this purpose go to IPTV channels section and use Paste operation to add copied playlist entries);
  • Sort - sorts list entries (changes their order) by name, size, file type or file extensions;
  • View - display only particular entries (streams or local files).
• Start playing all records (F2 on RC) - starts playback from the first entry. See also the above description of the Open operation.

• Add all records to IPTV channels (F3 on RC) - adds all playlist entries to the IPTV channels list.

  

  

  

  

External subtitles use

Unlike subtitles built-in in media streams, external subtitles are created as a separate file. Each single subtitle file corresponds to a particular media file. The subtitle file should be manually joined the video file during playback and, thus, subtitles will be displayed on the picture foreground.
Several subtitle files (for example, in different languages) can correspond to one video file.
Supported subtitle types are described below.

Note. Built-in subtitles use is described in Subtitles subsection of IPTV channels menu section.

Location of video files and subtitle files

Video files and corresponding subtitle files are put on the local storage (USB-drive) or network storage (accessed by SMB or NFS protocols). As a rule, a video file and its subtitle files are placed in the same directory. For ease matching, the subtitle file is usually called the same name as the corresponding video file. In case of several subtitle variants (languages) for one video file, the subtitle files should be named in the format

<file name>.<language>.<extension>

For example, if the video file name is test.mkv, then subtitle files can be called like: test.eng.srt, test.rumunian.srt, test.serb.srt, etc.

External subtitles adding to video file

A subtitle file can be added to the video file in two ways described below.

1. Choosing subtitles during watching a video file:

• During video file playback (in the example - test.mkv), bring up Subtitle menu (use Menu, Left, Right buttons on the remote control) and choose the required subtitle option (in the example - test_eng.srt).
• As confirmation of proper adding subtitle file, its name displays for some time in the lower-left corner of the screen.
  Note. Video file and subtitle file must be placed in the same directory. If the directory contains only one subtitle file variant and its name is the same as the name of the video file, the subtitle file will be automatically added as soon as the video file is opened.

2. Choosing subtitles before video file opening. This method can be used, for example, if a video file and subtitle file are located in different directories:

• Open required subtitle file (in example - law.and.order.401-test.srt).
• After file opening, the warning appears: 'Selected subtitle will appear during next player launch'.
• Open required video file (in the example - law.and.older.401-test.avi). The subtitle file will be auto-added.
• As an indicator of the proper adding subtitle file, its name is displayed for some time in the lower-left corner of the screen.
  

Supported external subtitle types

Supported external subtitles types for different STB models are shown in the table below. Each subtitle type can be combined only with particular media file formats/containers. For example, .srt subtitle files can be added to mkv files.

Favorites

This feature makes users possible to select your Favorites list of media resources for later fast retrieval and accessing them. Favorites menu may contain links to media streams (contained in IPTV channels or in external playlists), media files (pictures, video, audio) and entire external playlists (m3u and other permittable formats).
Note. Favorites menu can contain only links to media files and playlists located at USB drives connected to STB.

Favorites list is stored in STB flash memory, in User data.

Access to Favorites menu

Favorites shortcut is located at the top level of the Home Media menu.
In the Favorites window the user can run IPTV channels (i.e. start its playback), either single one or contained in playlists, that were pre-added to Favorites. The user may also remove items from the Favorites list (by F3 key of RC) in this window.

Options for adding channels to Favorites

Channels from the following sources can be added to Favorites:

• From the internal STB playlist, which is stored in the IPTV channels menu - see description in the IPTV channels section.
• From external playlists that are written on a USB drive or network directory (shared by SMB or NFS protocols). The description is below.

Adding channels to Favorites from playlist during playlist content view

• Open the USB drive or a network directory contained a playlist (in the example, m3u-playlist is given).
• Open playlist (OK on RC) - this opens the Open playlist window.
• Press F1 on RC (See playlist content command) - this opens the contents of the playlist.
• Go through the playlist and select (or unselect) required channels to be included (or excluded) of the Favorites list (use F3 of RC).
  Note. The channels already added to Favorites (during the current edit session or previously) are marked in the list by an asterisk.
• When the channel selection is completed, leave the contents of the playlist by pressing Exit on RC.
• Open the Favorites menu to check out the Favorites list.
• When you exit the Favorites menu, if the Favorites list was changed, you will be prompted to confirm changes.
• Сonfirm to save changes of Favorites list (OK on RC).

Adding channels from playlist to Favorites during channel playback

• Open a USB drive or network directory contained a playlist.
• Open the playlist (OK on RC) - this opens the Open playlist window.
• Press F2 (Start playing all records) on RC - this starts playback the very first channel of the playlist.
• You can move through the list. While watching a particular channel, press F3 on RC to add it to Favorites.
  Note1. If a channel was pre-added to Favorites, F3 command, on the contrary, removes it from the Favorites list.
  Note2. Immediately after running the channel (for about 4 sec.) the F3 icon and suitable command name are prompted in the upper right corner of the channel screen.
• Similarly, being watching other channels of a playlist, select (by pressing F3) all required channels that are to be added in Favorites.
• After you finish watching channels of the playlist, press Exit on RC to open the playlist contents. The channels already added to Favorites are marked in the list by an asterisk.
• Go through playlist contents and make sure that all required channels are marked by an asterisk. Use F3 key to add/remove channels to/from Favorites (if required).
• Stop playlist viewing by pressing Exit on RC. If the Favorites list was changed (during the current edit session), you will be prompted to confirm the changes.
• Сonfirm to save changes of Favorites list (OK on RC).

Adding channels from playlist to Favorites during seeing playlist contents

• Open the USB drive or network directory contained playlist.
• Open playlist (OK on RC) - this opens the Open playlist window.
• Press F1 (See playlist content) on RC - this opens playlist contents (list of channels).
• To add required channels to Favorites, choose them by pressing F3 on RC. Already added channels are marked by an asterisk.
  Note. If the channel was added to Favorites, F3 command removes it from the Favorites list.
• Exit from the playlist and go to Favorites menu to check out new entries adding.
• If the Favorites list was changed, you will be prompted to confirm changes.
• Сonfirm to save changes of Favorites list (OK on RC).

Adding playlist to Favorites

• Open the USB drive containing the required playlist (in the example, m3u-playlist is given).
• Set focus on the required playlist and press F3 on RC to add it to the Favorites list.
  Note1. On the contrary, if the playlist was added to Favorites already, F3 command removes it from the Favorites list.
  Note2. The playlist file that added in Favorites is marked in the file list by an asterisk.
• Similarly, add or remove particular playlists to/from Favorites.
• Pressing Exit on RC to leave USB-drive.
• Open Favorites menu to chek out Favorites list.
• If the Favorites list was changed, you will be prompted to confirm changing when you exit Favorites.
• Сonfirm to save changes of Favorites list (OK on RC).