anyVID-XC Release Notes

v9.4.2

2023 April 5

  • Reprioritized usage of source versus local timebase and associated timebase settings during transcoding and time stamping of video content
    • Provides smoother transitions and increased stability when inconsistent timebase stability occurs during ad splices, barker/picture insertions and other changes to a program
  • When creating multiple output variants, low bitrate variants are automatically scaled when incorrectly configured (excessive fps, audio bitrates, etc.) versus max bitrate permitted (primarily affects variants set to < 1 Mbps)
    • Significantly reduces the CPU resources required to heavily compress the variants to meet bitrate restraints
    • Can significantly increase picture quality of low bitrate variants - less compression required
    • Helps meet all App Store policies, which require low bitrate services to stream at low fps (and at main profile) to support low end devices.
  • Adjusted minimum thresholds during transcoding for stretching/shrinking audio frames to maintain audio sync
  • Increased the default threshold for taking action on excessive ram usage by individual transcodes (current threshold can prematurely take action during complex transcodes)
  • Streamlined the number and frequency of alarms generated by stream issues.
  • All program/stream alarms are now generated with a P3 priority (ERROR) alerts and system level alerts (high temp, 1005 ram, etc) are generated with a P2 priority (CRITICAL)
  • Audio Bitrate is now a dropdown of choices

v9.4.1

2023 March 21

  • Support for additional enWall referrers for integration of the Web App with specific customer sites.
  • Added a new default tuning filter designed to better balance CPU usage with video quality and device compatibility.
    • Lowers required CPU resources compared to previous defaults by dropping the use of several  lossless h.264 tools which are known to be CPU resource intensive.
    • Prioritizes use of several h.264 tools that most improve video quality within the default CPU settings
    • Drops use of several lossless tools which require heavy decoder (client) CPU resources (faster decodes).  This will help lower end devices (Firesticks, etc.) to better decode video with less issues.  Usage will potentially require higher bitrates to maintain the same quality, if the bitrate was already too low.  Estimated increased overhead approximately 10%.
  • Setting a maximum bitrate now requires setting a minimum bitrate (can be 0/ default is 40% of max).  This is important for streaming scenarios, since HLS requires less variance than other protocols.  This also ensures compatibility with lower end devices.
  • Added 3 new Bitrate Modes for use with output transcodes
    • Bitrate Only Mode - Allows you to choose transcode compression & quality based solely on minimum and maximum bitrate thresholds.
    • Capped Bitrate/Quality Factor Mode -  This is the default mode.  This mode let's you set a target Video Quality, while capping the Bitrate at a max level, regardless of the Constant Quality Factor setting.
    • Quality Factor Mode - This mode let's you set a target Video Quality.  Bitrate is allocated solely on the requirements of the current Constant Quality Setting.  Therefore, Bitrate may vary greatly.  However, this would produce the highest quality transcode.
  • Improved handling of source issues, which include audio dropouts, erratic pts timing, and buffer issues during program->program splices, ad insertions, and other splice points.
  • Adjusted audio resampling threshold for stretching/shrinking audio versus dropping frames to maintain video/audio sync in the face of source timing issues.
  • Updated Background Watchdog Monitor (MCC) to catch and fix services with excess RAM usage caused by source issues and the transcoder's attempts to buffer/compensate for them.
  • Updated Background Watchdog Monitor (MCC) to catch and fix lip sync issues in transcoded services caused by bad program->program splices, ad insertions, and other splice points.
  • Added improvements to overall video quality via newly balanced compression/artifacts, when bitrate allowance is available.
  • Fixed an issue where HLS Relays do not recover from restarts of remote services, when those services are encrypted.

v9.3.4

2022 December 22

  • Added support for using Source FPS for output transcodes
    • If issues exist in the input such as excessive jitter and variable FPS, this might cause unintended consequences
  • Added additional Engineering Global Override options in the hidden anyVID Tech Support Menu
  • Modified the CPU Threads Engine to support increased efficiency in CPU management
    • The new Engine increases the number of settings per service (and in some cases - increases the number services available) without dropping to less than real-time, to compensate for the increased CPU requirements of the new encryption engine
    • Only needed for heavily loaded XCs
    • Results in improved PSNR and VMAF measurements (improved picture quality)
    • Defaults can be adjusted by anyVID if required by anyVID without SW upgrades
  • Added a fix for using GoBack with HLS Relays in certain XC conditions
  • HLS Relays can now Relay from previous HLS Relays
    • It is better to point all Relays to a Source XC, since each HLS Relay jump introduces latency
  • Custom Playlists are now supported on GoBack and DVR Recordings
  • Added a fix for watching video with certain versions of Firefox and/or using Firefox with certain Add-Ons
  • Includes additional bug fixes, GUI updates, and stability improvements

v9.3.1

2022 December 12

  • *** New Feature *** Newly redesigned client-side encryption engine for HLS/DASH/more - simpler configuration & additional support
    • Encryption is fully compliant with CENC (Common Encryption) DRM Solutions [Widevine, FairPlay, PlayReady, etc.]
    • HLS Encryption employs AES-128-CBC as defined in the CENC (Common Encryption) Specifications
    • Encryption can now be enabled/disabled per service/stream (automatically updates all ABR outputs for that service)
    • Encryption can also be globally enabled/disabled in the Transcode Menu
    • Encryption includes an included keylist server for dynamic/rotating encryption keys
    • Retrieval of encryption keys is out-of-band and requires secure authentication on every request
    • Encryption keys also include an IV injection by default for additional protection from brute force decryption attempts
  • *** New Feature *** It is now possible to inline-edit basic Transcode Input Source Info by double-clicking a row (spreadsheet mode)
  • *** New Feature *** It is now possible to inline-edit basic HLS Relay Info by double-clicking a row (spreadsheet mode)
  • It is now possible to backup/restore all Stream Info directly from the Transcodes Menu
    • Fully supports adding streams from another XC to provide easy building of new XCs with similar Transcode Settings
    • In combination with easy spreadsheet-based editing of Source Info (above), new XCs can be fully configured in minutes
  • Output Transcode settings have been simplfied for h.264 video
    • GOP Settings have been hidden in favor of IDR usage to better adhere to the open GOP design of h.264
    • Several video options have been moved to Advanced Settings
  • Always-on scene-cut I-Frame support now exists for all h.264 applications including HLS for better picture quality (still requires IDR setup)
  • The Upgrade Dialog has been completely redesigned (only available after this upgrade)
    • You can no longer accidentally close the dialog during the upgrade
    • Now includes a progress bar, in addition to a cleaner progress window
  • Stream Inspection now decrypts encrypted HLS content on-the-fly (when key access available) to provide deeper analysis
  • HLS Relays have been updated to support the new encryption engine
  • enWall functionality no longer includes client-side encryption - and is only used for server-side security
    • enWall still provides packet interrogation and request fingerprinting
    • enWall still includes cryptographically generated on-the-fly URLs per user request & service
    • enWall is enabled/disabled globally in Settings, but a reference to the current status exists in the output settings for each stream
  • A warning alarm is no longer generated for XC's using a Linux OS with limited support
    • For XCs with limited Linux OS support, a message is displayed at the bottom of the screen next to the Software version
  • Updated the Alarm Thresholds screen to support newer functionality
  • Removed the dropped frames metric from the Chassis Monitor
    • This is because some applications intentionally require dropped frames, making the metric appear to flag an issue
    • A dropped frames count can still be seen in the Stream logs with certain logging levels
  • The xml-based Metrics API now requires credentials, as part of anyvid's DevLock Security Initiative
  • A second advanced json-based advanced Metrics API is now available to select partners, which contains hundreds of new Metrics
  • Fixed an issue with CPU Temp calculations
  • Fixed an issue where HLS Relays did not always stop completely, when deleted
  • Fixed an issue where  using a list of source IPs with IGMPv3 in combination with other settings could result in inability to start streams
  • In the Chassis screen, HLS relays now show the total aggregate bitrate of all ABR outputs and the scale has been increased to 15Mbps for charts
  • Includes additional bug fixes, GUI updates, and stability improvements

v9.2.2

2022 October 22

  • ***New Feature*** Updated the Chassis screen to include additional metrics that are specific to each Transcode/Relay Service to help determine optimum load and troubleshoot potential issues.
    • The CPU Core widget has been updated with even more granularity
    • The RAM Widget now gives a recommended limit and suggests causes of an issue.
    • A transcode Speed Widget has been added, which is the single most powerful widget for verifying too much load.
    • A FIFO Buffer Widget has been added which can pinpoint Network Latency issues.
    • A Dropped Frames Widget has been added to help determine Source Corruption issues.
    • The Output Bitrate chart has been updated with a better looking data background and verbiage has been added to clarify that it is a stacked chart, which shows both individual bitrates and total bitrate for all outputs.
  • *** Security Update *** Fixed an issue where the order that services come up in the OS during reboots may disrupt the full firewall implementation with certain customer database configurations.
  • Reduced the ZFS Filesystem buffer size to make room for future services, which will take advantage of spare RAM for buffering/caching data.
  • Added the ability for anyVID Support to temporarily whitelist an IP Address for SSH Access to an XC in situations where access requires a customer VPN and the whitelisted company IP Address cannot be used for access.
  • Increased the default Input FIFO buffer size to improve acquisition of packets on networks with high latency.
  • Added additional buffering for sites using the same Multicast/Port/interface combo for Input Sources
    • Using the same input Multicast IP, UDP Portand Interface for multiple transcodes is not recommended and can reduce the number of transcodes available per XC (dependant on content, as well as other services configured in the XC).  If MPTSs are used with multiple required programs, it is recommended to spread these across XCs to avoid reducing the number of transcodes supported in an XC.
    • This behavior is not a bug.  Most transcoders do not support MPTS inputs.  Of the ones that do, they typically use special "netfilters" which do not permit this behavior.  In our design, we decided to support this configuration understanding the limitations of Linux and UDP Sockets.  The limiting factor is that only one socket can be created per netfilter (Multicast IP/UDP Port/Interface).  Therefore, packets must be duplicated and distributed via CPU and RAM, reducing capacity and creating additional latency.  The tradeoffs are often worth it, when multiple programs must be used from the same MPTS.
  • Includes additional bug fixes, GUI updates, and stability improvements

NOTE - A new white paper with the latest advanced benchmarks and detailed help in using the latest Chassis Screen Widgets will be based on this version of software.  Engineering will notify all customers once it is available.

v9.2.1

2022 October 14

  • Moved logs and additional processes into RAM only.  The benefits included:
    • Reduced I/O wait times
    • Improved transcoding speed when there 20+ services
    • Improved transcoding speed when there is complex video and less than 20 services
  • ***New Features*** Updated the Chassis screen with greatly enhanced metrics and other features [except unsupported core OS XCs]
    • All charts now have extended explanations with suggested ideal values  [does not apply to XCs with unsupported core OSs]
    • Load has completely been replaced with more meaningful System Pressure (PSI) metrics
      • Linux-based Load values become less reliable & helpful as the number of CPU cores increase, due to factors such as mixing of CPU and IO, limited tracking of IO Wait Processes, etc.
      • CPU Pressure, Memory Pressure, and IO Pressure Charts have been added, which show the percentage of time 1 or more processes are waiting for resources
      • Older XCs with unsupported core OSs do not have this feature, due to lack of intergration in the Linux Kernel
    • Bitrate Charts are now broken out per service.
    • Sections have now been cleanly divided between CPU, Memory, IO, and Services
    • Drive space is now shown for every partition  [does not apply to XCs with unsupported core OSs]
  • [Security] Phase 1 of our new DevLock Security Initiative has been implemented DevLock is company-wide effort to review and heavily invest in additional security measures across our products wherever possible via internal reviews, 3rd parties and via the newest Industry-wide Guidelines
    • Implemented the latest recommended TLS Encryption Ciphers and disabled deprecated Ciphers
    • Added full TLS 1.3 support [when supported by the core OS]
    • Installed a new advanced firewall with greater support for hacker attacks
    • SSH is no longer available publicly or privately on any IP Address via port 300 (blocked by the new firewall), except 1 dedicated IP Address used only by anyVID Tech Support
      • This means that the user "configure" can no longer access the XC over open networks.  However, the "configure" user is still available via Console Port.
    • Multiple methods of metrics retrieval have also been blocked with full blockage in the next phase (including the current XML method) - a replacement access point will be provided
    • Network Adapter based Checksum Offloading is now disabled by default to prevent DDoS attacks via overflow of the Interface
    • Network Adapter based Segmentation Offloading is now disabled by default to prevent DDoS attacks via overflow of the Interface
    • As a part of our new security initiative and in accordance with the Linux Foundation, and associated package maintainers, the core OS of some older XCs  is no longer supported by anyVID Solutions until an upgrade has been implemented, due to lack of new security and kernel updates.
      • An alarm is automatically raised and an announcement is visible on the Chassis Page, when an XC is running on a non-supported core OS
      • We will continue to provide security updates for a limited number of internal items under our control, but do not have the ability to support critical items
      • Moving forward, some new features will not be backwards compatible to XCs with older core OSs
    • Includes additional security enhancements
  • Added full http2 support.  http2 support benefits include:
    • Increased loading speed for apps and GUIs
    • Reduction of header bloat and requests
    • Improved video on slow networks
  • Added additional checks to detect and purge orphaned services/processes
  • Fixed a minor bug that prevented proper stream analysis when privileged ports (1-1024) are used
  • Fixed a minor bug that would prevent proper stream analysis for audio-only streams
  • Includes additional bug fixes, GUI updates, and stability improvements

v9.1.4

2022 September 27

  • ***New Feature*** Added both transcoding and monitoring support for Multicast Sources using privileged ports of 1 -1024.
    •  While use of these ports may sometimes be necessary due to third party services, anyVID does not encourage use of these ports if at all possible for the following reasons -
      • Use of these ports in devices require privilege elevation of processes, which opens an unnecessary security vulnerability.
      • Many devices including some multiplexers and transcoders do not support use of these ports
      • This design goes against many Industry Multicast Video "Best Practices" Guides
  • ***New Feature*** Replaced the generic Linux-style load average with more meaningful gauges, that show a complete breakdown of all potential contributing factors to system load, helping pinpoint exactly where any potential issues may be.
    •  Includes the original more limiting 5 minute Linux-style load average, which is an aggregate of every process over time.
    • Shows RAM usage without Cache, which is a better representation of RAM available.
    • Shows Network IP Packet errors, which can point to Network-related issues. [Ideally, this should always be zero.]
    • Compares all running processes versus all waiting processes to verify any potential slowdowns [Ideally, this should always be less than 10% of services and should be at/near zero most of the time.  Under heavy load, several services may occasionally be in waiting status. This is often ok, since the "NICE" status of some services gives the system permission to pause them.]
    • Shows IO processes waiting for CPU.  [as the above waiting processes rise, so will this percentage.  They are often (but not always) the same process.  When both rise proportionately, it indicates a drive writing slowdown.  When only the first gauge rises and not the IO gauge, it indicates other software issues.  This should be under 2% most of the time.]
    • Show a Page Fault gauge.  [This indicates problems in RAM, which can be either hardware or software related.  This should typically be zero.]
  • Merged the existing code for the "File-Only" XC Transcoder with the "Live" Transcoder to support both types of Transcoding simultaneously in a single chassis.
  • Adjusted and staggered timing of metric collections and alarm monitoring to further optimize RAM/CPU usage in heavy transcoding environments.
  • Fixed an issue where momentary glitches in Audio-only services can cause repeated alarms and attempts to fix the issue, well after the original issue appears.
  • Fixed a minor bug that could cause excessively long timeouts inspecting streams with several corner case issues in them.
  • Includes additional bug fixes, GUI updates, and stability improvements

v9.1.1

2022 August 31

  • ***New Feature*** Added chassis redundancy, which works in conjunction with the anyVID-AC
    • When in Standby Mode (both Primary and Backup), all transcodes & relays are automatically stopped
    • Stream Configuration backups are created for Primary XCs upon any Stream Configuration change and securely stored in the anyVID Cloud
    • Backups are created for Primary XCs upon any Stream Configuration change and securely stored in the anyVID Cloud
    • Backups of Stream Configurations are also taken once a day (late night). In emergency situations, you may contact AVS Support about retrieving the latest.
  • ***New Feature*** Added stream-only backup option to the database backup / recovery feature
    • This will make cloning Transcoder configurations very easy; simply backup streams and reapply elsewhere
  • ***New Feature*** Full XC backups are automatically created each night and backed up securely in the anyVID Cloud
    • In emergency situations, you may contact Support about retrieving the latest.
  • ***New Feature*** The Shell Menu Login (configure) has been expanded to include many new commands for troubleshooting
    • New commands include free, iostat, nslookup, new top features, traceroute, date, uptime, ntpdate syncing, more...
  • ***New Feature*** Dynamic URL support has been added to HLS Relays - feature already present in transcodes which creates a powerful new layer of security
  • ***New Feature*** The Stream Bitrate Over Time graph in Monitoring now includes real-time bitrate bars for every output stream
  • In Monitoring, Stream names are now the stream labels instead of Process IDs
  • Cosmetic changes made to Data Table grids throughout the GUI
  • Added support for v5 hardware monitoring
  • Added support for monitoring HLS relays
  • Added back the Samsung audio fix to address new 5.1 surround issues in the latest Samsung Android updates (it had been removed previously)
  • Added additional triggers to the process that automatically creates a new TLS certificate, when required, for any device using an anyVID supplied certificate
  • Minimized situations where 7.1 ch surround is used (source dependent)
    • This was necessary due to heavy lack of compatibility and known bugs across devices with 7.1 ch surround, especially when using AAC
  • Fixed bug that prevented some HLS Relays from being created
    • Live Stream Key has been added that allows any Relay to be added easily
  • Fixed bug with custom TLS certificates not uploading correctly
  • Added Feature Level tracking per software version - allows quicker adds of features at the AC without having to wait for customers to upgrade XCs
  • Includes additional bug fixes, GUI updates, and stability improvements

v9.0.2

2022 June 14

  • Fixed an issue where it was possible for the CPU processes to go into a runaway mode creating 100% CPU usage and resulting in tiling video
    • This issue only affects XCs with intel CPUs manufactured before December 2019, which have not had a recent internal out-of-band Linux update.
  • Fixed an issue where some audio only services were being detected as invalid by the Mission Control Watchdog Service, causing audio disruptions.
  • Includes additional bug fixes, GUI updates, and stability improvements.

v9.0.1

2022 May 27

  • ***New Feature*** Added ability to backup and restore the database.
    • The backup file can be downloaded to a local computer
    • The backup file does not contain any device-specific information, so it can be applied to another anyVID-XC, if desired
  • ***New Feature*** Ability to manually check for software upgrades
  • ***New Feature*** Added support for 7.1 Surround Sound and 8 channel audio on all levels/platforms.
  • ***New Feature*** Added ability to export Live Transcoding settings / information
    • Currently limited Beta for select customers - available GA in next minor release
  • ***New Feature*** Added dynamic URL support to HLS streams for increased security
    • Master Playlists no longer have an absolute URL
    • Urls are generated randomly on the fly and destroyed after customers stop watching a channel.
    • More secure than tokens for additional security
    • More compatible with iOS (no proxies required like tokens)
  • ***New Feature*** Added XC Transcoder support for StreamRoute Channels, which are created on-the-fly in available Transcoders with excess CPU capacity to increase the number of live channels without increasing the number of transcoders
    • The CPU is verified in real-time before allowing a StreamRoute Channel on the XC
    • An XC is only used if it is at Software Version 9.0+ and StreamRoute is enabled for the XC in the AC Headend Devices Dialog.
    • The size of Hls Chunks, buffers, etc. are optimized for maximum robustness to ensure a lack of buffering issues.
    • Because Chunk/Buffer settings are very conservative, the "time-to-viewing" is about 5-8 seconds, versus 1-2 for normal live channels.  This ratio will be improved in future versions, as more real-time field testing continues, and newer low-latency universal specifications are released
    • There are currently 3 "competing" LL-HLS (Low Latency) specifications in the wild and all three change rapidly.  The XC uses aspects of each, but currently avoids the thrust of each, which includes 1 sec to sub-sec chunks, after extensive testing demonstrated too many potential buffering issues in the many varied scenarios in a real Cable/Telco deployment.
    • Future Low Latency improvements being tested include "progressive chunks" pre-fetching chunks, etc.
  • ***New Feature*** Completely overhauled Background Monitor Process (Mission Control) including new Chassis Monitoring Screen.
    • System level metrics (CPU, RAM, Processes, etc.), as well as Stream Health and Bitrate are now monitored every ~2 seconds providing near-real-time detection of issues
    • All Chassis View Graphs and charts are automatically updated on-the-fly every 2 seconds with the latest data available.
    • Additional advanced metrics are available directly on-screen in Chassis View
    • All Metrics are now stored in a custom Big Data file-based database separate from the Software database, which supports storage/access of millions of metrics without speed or CPU penalties.
    • Additional Alarms and Alerts have been added within the Mission Control Process
  • Updated/refreshed the look of all Gui Data Tables
  • ***New Feature*** Changed how tool tips are displayed for most pop-ups; it is now possible to keep the tip displayed for an indefinite period of time
    • Any item with associated Help will have "?" icon.
    • Clicking it will both reveal and hide help for the section
  • Renamed the "Logs & Alarms" menu to "Alarm Thresholds"
  • The transcoding Engine has been updated with many new improvements and bug fixes
    • Modified how the transcoder processes closed-captioning to help compensate for streams that are non-compliant with the standards [Improper Headers and Improper resizing of content from third-party devices].  Examining 50 provider streams known to have past issues, a 100% success rate was verified.
    • Improved the efficiency of multiple h.264 tools to reduce CPU and improve quality
    • Adding additional (non-standard) Audio Metadata 9similar to what Spotify and other Vendors have done), and other tweaks to AAC Transcoding appears to have fixed any lingering Samsung Audio Issues with 5.1 Surround Sound.
  • Added support for an advanced "-legacy' switch to force use of the older transcoding engine, in the event of unexpected issues.
    • Contact Support for details on how to implement it, if needed.
  • Added support for an advanced "-samsung' switch, which reverts to the old method of sending Matrix Stereo to Samsung devices and 5.1 Surround to others.
    • Contact Support for details on how to implement it, if needed.
  • Added additional information to the Inspect Stream feature
  • Fixed bug where certain transcoders where not able to inspect streams
  • Fixed bug on the Inspect Stream popups where "===========" were shown incorrectly
  • Includes additional bug fixes, GUI updates, and stability improvements.

v8.2.1

2021 December 15

  • ***New Feature*** Added the ability to define a Data Saver playlist for App users using devices on limited data plans, typically mobile phones, etc.
    • The Data Saver feature lets you define a special custom playlist for HLS Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) outputs with lower bitrates (and lower resolutions). In Video Apps with support for Data Saver Mode, customers can enable Data Saver, which forces phones, mobile devices, and other devices with limited data plans to use playlists with lower bitrates, saving data, while watching video.
    • Not all anyVID Video Apps have a Data Saver Setting within Settings
    • If a Data Saver playlist is not defined for a Channel (Program) and Data Saver is enabled in the App, the device will automatically use the master playlist instead, and no disruptions will be experienced by the customer.
  • ***New Feature*** Added support for up to 5 custom Playlists per Channel (Program). Custom Playlists can be assigned to groups of devices within each Channel Lineup Package in the anyVID-AC.
    • This powerful feature lets you create Video Quality Tiers of Service. For example, a Channel Lineup can be created using ABR Outputs configured with SD level Resolutions and a second with HD Resolutions, all using the same anyVID-XC Channel (Program). This creates the ability to up-sell customers to higher levels of service. This can be done with Audios, too.
    • Separate Playlists could also be created for Leanback Devices (Smart TVs, Set Tops, Firesticks, etc.) with higher Bitrate ABR Outputs and a second Playlist with lower Bitrates could be defined for Mobile Devices.
    • If a Channel Lineup Package is configured for Custom Playlists, and one of the anyVID-XC Channels (Programs) is not configured here within that Lineup, the system is smart enough to switch to the Master Playlist for that Channel, avoiding disruptions.
    • This feature is supported across all anyVID Video Apps that use the anyVID-AC for Channel Lineup management.
  • ***New Feature*** You can now reorder and remove any audio PID within the PMT of output programs, to support devices where PMT PID Order matters.
  • ***New Feature*** You can now define custom Audio languages within a stream's metadata to handle Set Tops and other devices, which require Language Tags for Language selections, and the Language tag was never (or improperly) defined in the Input Source.
  • ***New Feature*** The Inspect Stream Feature (TS Analyzer) has been significantly upgraded in functionality. Over 30 new data metrics have been added to help in troubleshooting.
  • ***New Feature*** The Inspect Stream Feature (TS Analyzer) can now be used to analyze all Outputs, as well as Input traffic. This includes both Multicast Analysys and HLS Analysis. Every HLS ABR variant can also be analyzed independently.
  • A fix has been added to handle input sources which are MPEG-II (typically Interlaced) with invalid Headers, which was resulting in corrupted/duplicate Closed Captioning characters.
    • An investigation has indicated most of the input sources with invalid headers were from Satellite Receivers, which convert MPEG-4 to MPEG-2 on the fly, though any lower end transcoder could cause this condition.
    • We were respecting the Header previously, which resulted in the corruption. We now attempt to calculate the Header info directly, when needed.
  • A fix has been added to handle situations where we were dropping Closed Captioning from input sources, because of different interpretations of CEA-608/708.
    • It is believed that there may still be additional corner cases, where we are still dropping source Closed Captioning. As these issues are investigated, they will be addressed and fixed (when possible) in future updates.
  • The XC Transcoding engine has been updated to support the latest HLS Draft Specifications.
  • The XC Transcoding engine has been updated with further enhancements to the buffering model for UDP Multicast Outputs.
  • The LCD Display has been temporarily disabled to prevent issues related to CVS-2021-44228, known as the Log4J vulnerability, which carries a critical (10.0) threat level assessment, as an overly cautious measure.
    • While the driver used for the LCD Display does use the log4j Java class, it is not believed to actually be vulnerable to outside attack. It cannot be accessed via outside communications and all related ports are blocked.
    • While the third party vendor which manages the driver does not currently plan to provide a fix, an internal anyVID driver is currently being designed to replace it.
  • Includes additional bug fixes and stability improvements.

v8.1.1

2021 August 24

  • Added support for installing Beta Software on-demand
    • Software is delivered at the same time as normal upgrades
    • By default, beta upgrade capability is hidden and must be activated by anyVID Support
  • Ability to create Multicast Routes per Interface has been removed
    • Streams can still be mapped to a specific Interface, but can now be mapped per stream in Live Transcoding Input/Output Settings
  • In Global Network Settings, you can now select a Default Multicast Interface, when Interfaces are not selected in a Transcoded Stream
  • In Live Transcoding Settings, you can now choose a specific Interface to join streams from, regardless of Default Multicast Interface
  • In Live Transcoding Output Settings, you can now choose a specific Interface to deliver streams to (when using Multicast, Unicast, RTP outputs), regardless of Default Multicast Interface
  • Monitoring of Multicast streams now occurs in a quicker timeframe
  • Live Transcoding Input Settings has been reorganized to better group settings
  • Live Transcoding Output Settings has been reorganized to better group settings
  • In Live Transcoding Input Settings, you can now set the fifo to any setting
  • In Live Transcoding Input Settings, you can now set the udp buffer
  • In Live Transcoding Output Settings, you can now set the fifo
  • In Live Transcoding Output Settings, you can now set the udp buffer
  • In Live Transcoding Output Settings, you can now set the TS Clamp Bitrate (Rate Control) independent of the Transport Stream Mux Rate
    • In most cases, it is recommended to use the same value for both
  • In Live Transcoding Output Settings, you can now set the Pcr Rate for Multicast, Unicast, RTP Transports
  • In Live Transcoding Output Settings, you can now set the Pat/Pmt Rate for Multicast, Unicast, RTP Transports
  • In Live Transcoding Output Settings, you can now set the Sdt Rate for Multicast, Unicast, RTP Transports
  • Fixed an issue where output transcoding logs are sometimes delayed several minutes before being visisble
  • Relaxed restart times for transcodes that immediately fail, to reduce system resources when a service is started without a valid input source
  • Support now exists for transcoding of every Audio in Multicast, Unicast, RTP Transports
  • In Maintenance, Software Images can now be reverted (downgraded) to the previous Software Image
    • Only one level of downgrade is currently supported
    • Database changes will remain, but all database changes are backwards compatible
    • Some Linux updates cannot be reverted, due to other dependancies
  • Fixed a bug where deleting a transcode did not remove it from the Chassis Monitor Streams Widget for 2 days
  • Fixed an issue where orphan alarms would never clear
  • Fixed an issue where monitoring of Multicast Streams is intermittent
    • Issue only occurs when more than 20 Output Multicast streams are active
  • Other minor features and bug fixes

v8.0.3

*** not required for most sites, but recommended***

2021 June 27

  • Reverted Reverse Path Filtering support on all ports, due to incompatibilities in at least one customer network
    • After identifying a customer site which could no longer properly join Multicast Streams (IGMPv2) after an 8.0.2 upgrade, we have removed this functionality moving forward
    • We do not expect other customers to be affected, but recommend all customers upgrade to ensure no issues
    • The issue relates to IP Addressing and routing configurations within a complex network
    • IGMPv3 networks are likely to never be affected
    • Filtering has been replaced with additional internal checks and alarms, which provides monitoring protection without active filtering (except in cases that meet our existing filtering in place since 3.x)

v8.0.2

2021 June 23

  • Analytics chart improvements & feedback-related changes:
    • Additional left/right padding has been added on all chart windows for easier scrolling of window data via mouse wheels without accidentally zooming in/out of charts
    • Network load charts now show TX/RX Traffic in separate charts for easier reading
    • Network load charts now use "line fill" mode in charts
    • Ethernet port charts are more clearly labeled from port to port
    • Transcode bitrate charts now use "line-fill" mode in charts
    • The Cpu chart now uses 2 second averages to make Cpu data more meaningful versus momentary captures, which might spike, but doesn't necessarily indicate an issue
  • Fixed a bug where the Ram analytics chart and Storage analytics chart could show the same data
  • Increased the default fifo buffer settings for incoming UDP traffic
    • This change will reduce breakup and corruption on networks with too much switch/router buffering, too much jitter network-wide and other challenging conditions
    • This change will lower overall Cpu usage on an XC already nearing 100%
    • This change will improve efficiency and capabilities on a loaded 10G network
  • Added a new console login user for initially setting up an XC and advanced troubleshooting of issues, which is available to any operator of this XC, who wishes to use it
    • The new login can be accessed via SSH or directly on the XC using a monitor and mouse
    • SSH login require using port 300, instead of the SSH default port
    • In the next software release, Admin Interface users with Admin privileges will be able to change the password of this user through the GUI in SETTINGS
    • In the next software release, an ongoing alarm will be generated until the default password has been changed
    • This powerful menu driven Interface will receive ongoing additional tools over time
  • Mission Control now alarms when it detects circular buffer overflows and attempts to correct the issue
  • Fixed a minor display bug where some popup windows appear empty on certain high resolution monitors or if Google Chrome is using its "Zoom" settings
    • Note- Not all high resolution monitors were affected
  • Enabled Reverse Path Filtering support as an additional measure to prevent the newest methods of external IP spoofing, as mitigation to multiple advisories over recent months
    • Our filters follow the RFC-3704 definition
    • We use Loose Mode to help ensure zero disruptions with current customer configurations
    • To be compatible with multi-port Multicast requirements, we obtain source addresses (when not already configured in the GUI) through the sockets API and employ the most common settings used for compatibility in Multicast setups using reverse path filtering
  • Reduced upgrade package size and added support for it in the upgrade process
  • Reduced overall ZFS memory cache availability
  • Other minor features and bug fixes

v8.0.1

2021 June 8

  • Brand new Graphical Management Interface:
    • Entire layout is refreshed with better colors, easier to read fonts, and widget blocks for all Admin functions
    • Menus are now located in a side bar, instead of at the top with drop-down menus
    • Tables have been improved and now support a global search feature
    • Updated all popups for a consistent feel
    • Alarm notifications are now always visible at the top of the screen
  • Completely revamped the Chassis Monitoring screen
    • Pages loads are nearly instantaneous
    • New data is available in the Chassis screen every minute
      • Using "last run" data provides for quicker load times
      • Using "last run" data avoids overtaxing system resources from multiple page loads from multiple users/locations
      • Using "last run" data provides more accurate info for restarted programs, etc., since system impact is often not visible for 10-20 seconds after a program change
    • All key datapoints (CPU, RAM, Storage, etc.) are now graphically represented with colored-coded graph indicators for easier troubleshooting
    • The Alarms are now near the top of the page for quick glances at login, etc.
    • The alarms follow a new color-coding system in the Alarms table
    • The Alarms table now includes a button to view historical alarms
    • Data points from every minute over the last 24+ Hours are now available for CPU usage in an Analytics Graph Window by clicking the button in the CPU Widget
      • Graphing CPU usage lets you troubleshoot intermittent CPU issues related to content changes in programs at certain times of the day, which might affect CPU
      • Graphing CPU usage lets you know if you have an appropriate number of programs being transcoded
      • All Graphs can be zoomed in/out with the mouse wheel by moving the mouse over a desired time to troubleshoot issues at certain times of the day
    • Data points for every minute over the last 24+ Hours are now available for RAM usage, Storage usage, and Chassis Temperature in an Analytics Graph Window by clicking the button in the System Stats Widget
      • Graphing RAM usage lets you troubleshoot intermittent RAM issues related to content changes in programs at certain times of the day, which might affect RAM
      • Graphing storage usage lets you know you have issues with storage space at any point of the day
      • Graphing Chassis Temperature lets you know about Building Cooling issues over a 24 Hour period
      • All Graphs can be zoomed in/out with the mouse wheel by moving the mouse over a desired time to troubleshoot issues at certain times of the day
    • Data points for every minute over the last 24+ Hours are now available for all Network Interface usage in an Analytics Graph Window by clicking the button in the Network Load Widget
      • Graphing Transmit/Receive Network Traffic over 24 Hours lets you identify peak usage periods for your customers on a per Transcoder basis
      • Graphing Transmit/Receive Network Traffic over 24 Hours lets you know when its time to expand capacity using HLS Relays (building a Load Balanced Network)
      • All Graphs can be zoomed in/out with the mouse wheel by moving the mouse over a desired time to troubleshoot issues at certain times of the day
    • Data points for every minute over the last 24+ Hours are now available for Output Transcodes on a per-program basis in an Analytics Graph Window by clicking the button in the Output Transcodes Widget for each program
      • Graphing Transcoding Bitrates lets you view Bitrate peaks and valleys per program over 24 Hours
      • A helpful Max Bitrate line in the Graph lets you know the current Max Bitrate Setting
      • A helpful Bitrate Average Line in the Graph helps you identify services where the Bitrate should be lowered or risen, allowing for optimization of Transcoding for every program, resulting in better bandwidth usage and better quality
      • Note - It is normal to see Bitrate spikes above the Max Bitrate. This is an important tool for MPEG Transport streams. Bitrate is a measure over time, not an instantaneous measure. Max Bitrate plus the Client Buffer work together to ensure that regardless of Bitrate spikes, the average Bitrate will always be under the Max Bitrate (averaged) for the time period selected for the client buffer (provided the buffer is not too large/small for the device)
      • All Graphs can be zoomed in/out with the mouse wheel by moving the mouse over a desired time to troubleshoot issues at certain times of the day
    • A new Output Transcodes Widget has been added which let you visibly see alarming programs, view Bitrates across programs and more
  • Added the ability to generate HLS Relays, which previously only existed in the anyVID-STOR product
    • Relay streams must originate from outside the transcoder in order for the HLS Relay feature to work
  • Added a powerful advanced custom Watchdog Service known as Mission Probe, which performs many new functions not found on most Transcoders
    • Mission Probe monitors System Hardware, all Transcodes, and all HLS Relays
    • Advanced detailed data from every scan is kept for several days (minimum) to help support troubleshoot difficult intermittent issues
    • Datapoints can be made available to select providers wishing to also integrate our Transcoders into their own Monitoring solution
    • Mission Probe is the new Alarms Guardian, triggering Alarms, clearing Alarms, and managing Alarm History
    • Mission Probe internally includes a new Transport Stream/MPEG Analyzer that monitors multiple Out Transcode metrics including
      • P1 Transport Errors
      • Discontinuity Errors
      • TS Sync Errors
      • PCR Errors
      • Lip Sync Errors
      • Video/Audio corruption issues
      • and more
    • Mission Probe attempts to "heal" faulty Transcodes by correcting issues such Lip Sync, PCR Drift, Packet Corruption and more through multiple means, which are often barely perceptible to customers
    • All alarms are tied to a new Thresholds table which will be configurable in a future version
  • Many new Client Buffer options have been added for handling a wider range of devices and situations
  • The Client Buffer Settings are now reflected as time versus bits
  • A new Burst Rate Setting is available for outputs utilizing CBR Transport streams
  • Many Help Tips have been added for Output Transcodes to help in determining the best settings for each situation
  • Audio levels can now be adjusted per-program with code that attempts to avoid excessive amplification or significant changes to Dialnorm, etc., like in many other Transcoders
  • Added key internal code to help with upcoming support of N:1 Redundancy across the entire System/Provider
  • Lowered required RAM usage for transcoding
  • Lowered required CPU usage for transcoding
  • A new per-program internal daemon wrapper has been developed for easier starts/stops and instantaneous relaunches on crashes, more efficient logging, and overall improved reliability
  • The Transcoding Engine includes many new improvements resulting in better buffer management, higher quality video transcodes, improved audio management, and more
  • Implemented a permanent fix for a Linux bug that could cause Log Files to be continuously generated, which would fill up the hard drive and render the Transcoder unusable
  • Implemented a permanent fix for an intermittent issue that could cause loss of a Transcode under certain intermittent conditions
  • Updated the Maintenance code to seamlessly reboot key linux processes without needing to fully reboot of the Transcoder
  • Updated how internal transcode communications operate, to better handle both live transcoding and VOD transcoding (via the anyVID-VM)
  • Streamlined the process to upload custom TLS/SSL certificate files to support use of a custom domain name for the transcoder
  • Implemented a permanent solution to address Samsung Audio Codec issues (Samsung phones/tablets only) that were introduced in their Android 10 release
  • Other minor features and bug fixes

v6.8.7

2021 February 12

  • Modified how Source 5.1 [side] Audio is internally mixed to work around Samsung Audio issues introduced in their Android 10 release
    • Continuing to test additional solutions with possible GUI-based options
    • Opened a feature Request to support multiple Audio configurations of the same Audio Source/PES with front end anyPlayer App support for switching per Device Manufacturer/Model for upgrade-less future workarounds to other Vendor audio issues.
  • Addressed issues with recoding Fast Relay Streams
  • Addressed issues watching Recordings, while they are being recorded
  • Added enhancements to better handle poor source switching between Networks and ads or between Networks and Program Substitution Sources
  • Streams now reorder the PTS from zero versus using the source, in an effort to combat "dirty source" issues
  • Fixed an issue where improperly configured multi-audio sources could result in the wrong audio playing on the output
  • Updated the Audio Codec for better compression at lower bitrates
  • Added additional support for anyVID-VM (VOD Manager) to anyVID-XC communications
  • Miscellaneous Bug Fixes and Improvements

v6.8.3

2020 November 7

  • Updated enWall Security to work around a known Apple iOS 14, which triggered enWall's Theft Protection Module, denying Video for some Live and DVR Streams on iOS 14 iPhones and iPads.
  • Updated enWall Security to work around a known Apple iOS bug in iOS 13 - 14, which can cause loss of Video and potential App crashes on iPhones and iPads that keep bouncing between weak Wifi and Mobile Networks, while watching content.
  • Fixed minor visibility issues in anyServer Monitor.
  • Fixed an error that could cause an Alarm for low RAM, when RAM was normal.
  • Cleanup of old GoBack files
  • Miscellaneous Bug Fixes and Improvements

v6.8.2

2021 July 28

  • Added a second Audio Loudness Normalization Option called Advanced Dynamic Audio Normalization, which serves as an excellent alternative to the Strict EBU R128 Normalization Option. This new Option normalizes Audio in much the same way as the existing Option, but with several key enhancements.
    • This Option attempts to bring the highs and lows, such as special effects versus voices, closer together while better respecting the dynamic range of each as much as possible, which can result in a more pleasing Audio Track.
    • This Option attempts to more gradually increase/decrease Audio over time using Gaussian methods, making changes less noticeable for end users.
    • This Option employs a separate digital noise filter to clean up Audio Artifacts, particularly at higher frequencies.
    • This Option is more resilient to poor Network Conditions (such as excessive Jitter and Switch Buffering) and requires less Buffer than the EBU R128 Option, and therefore it is less likely to result in potential Buffering Issues in unsatisfactory Network Conditions (real-World testing confirms this result).
  • Added Advanced Input FIFO Settings. While not required (and should not be used) by most Users, when very Poor Network conditions have been confirmed, resulting in excessive packet delays and extreme reordering of network packets, increasing the FIFO size can be a solid workaround, until the Network issues have been addressed.
  • Defaults have been updated to the latest recommended Settings for adding new Streams.
  • Miscellaneous Bug Fixes and Improvements.

v6.8.1

2020 July 6

  • Audio Loudness Normalization is now enabled by default in new Transcodes and is recommended for all Transcodes.
  • Added new Advanced Settings to Audio Loudness Normalization to further normalize Audio from Program to Program, as well as from Channel/Transcode to Channel/Transcode.
    • Target Loudness has been added as a setting for Loudness Normalization. This allows Users to increase or decrease Audio across all programs in a Transcode, while balancing peaks/lows. When using the same/similar numbers across all Transcodes, a more uniform consistency of Audio can be achieved across a Lineup. Range: -70 through -5 LUF
    • Loudness Range has been added as a setting for Loudness Normalization. This allows users to increase decrease the range between the loudest and softest points across multi-channel audio. For Advanced Use only. Range: 1 through 20 LU
    • Maximum True Peak has been added as a setting for Loudness Normalization. This allows Users to manage Maximum Peaks over time. For Advanced Use only. Range: -9 through 0 dBTP

v6.7.3

2020 June 20

  • Fixed a configuration scenario which prevented a previous bug fix from being triggered.
    • When using HLS in an Adaptive Bitrate Configuration with a specific set of parameters, a previous fix for handling invalid (bad) MPEG Descriptors on Input Streams was not being triggered. This resulted in failure to transcode Input Streams from improperly configured Upstream Encoders.

v6.7.2

2020 June 1

  • Improved support for incorrectly formatted and unknown PIDs within a Source Program.
  • Added a button in Maintenance to allow simultaneous restarts of all Transcoding Services.
  • Additional granular settings have been added to the Client/Decoder VBV for additional use cases.
  • To support finicky and less MPEG compliant Cable Set Tops & QAMs (when using Multicast Out), improvements have been made to the Output Transport Stream Bitrate to allow for less headroom necessary between the total of all Elementary Stream Bitrates and the Transport Stream Bitrate. Previous fixes designed for finicky Set Tops have also all been incorporated into the TS Bitrate Option.
    • For h.264/MPEG4 Multicast Out, the Transport Stream Bitrate should be set at a minimum of 2Mbps above Video Bitrate to allow headroom for multiple Audios, Data, Encryption, and other Metadata. It is also important to set the Client/Decoder VBV to "Tight Bitrate" to minimize Video Bitrate fluctuations over time for finicky Set Tops and QAMs.
    • For h.262/MPEG2 Multicast Out, the Transport Stream Bitrate should be set at a minimum of 3Mbps above Video Bitrate to allow headroom for multiple Audios, Data, Encryption, and other Metadata. It is also important to set the Client/Decoder VBV to "Tight Bitrate" to minimize Video Bitrate fluctuations over time for finicky Set Tops and QAMs.
  • The anyServer Monitor component of the Monitor Page has been updated to ver 1.5, which brings multiple improvements:
    • The Widget Title colors have been muted to be less intense, when viewing.
    • Support for monitoring AMD CPUs has been added with a minor Linux Kernel update (only affects Hardware Ver 4).
    • Disk usage has been updated to hide unnecessary Containers.
    • Disk usage now reports filesystem shares versus mounts, which make distinguishing Storage, Database, and Software easier (only affects Hardware Ver 4).
    • Fixed a bug in Memory Widget, where ZFS cache was not accounted for in Free RAM (only affects Hardware Ver 4 and Hardware Ver 3 using Redundant Drives).
    • Network Usage now lists Interfaces by GUI Name.
  • Miscellaneous Bug Fixes and Improvements.

v6.7.1

2020 May 7

  • Replaced the "Monitor" screen with our new anyServer Monitor Widgets, which provide a new extensive monitoring experience.
  • Modified the Output Stream Video Settings area for easier navigation
  • Added new Tuning Filters for MPEG-2 including an Artifact Compensation Filter.
  • Added new Tuning Filters for MPEG-4 including a Movie Filter, an Animation Filter, a Grain Filter, a Fast Decode Filter, and a Zero Latency Filter.
  • Added expanded Constant Rate Control Factor granularity.
  • Removed Variable Bitrate Range and added Client/Decoder Video Buffering Verifier (VBV)
  • Added the ability to cap the maximum Quantization Value for MPEG-2.
  • Added improvements to the automatic B-Frame option.
  • Removed the "Disable CABAC" option (replaced by Fast Decode Filter).
  • Added the ability to view Release Notes through the GUI.
  • Miscellaneous Bug Fixes and Improvements.

v6.5.1

2020 April 12

  • Adjusted PCR Rate for networks with challenging conditions
  • Updated PAT/PMT intervals for quicker Multicast acquisition
  • Positioning PAT/PMT interval at the start of frames for quicker Multicast acquisition
  • Fixed a potential issue where enabling Audio Loudness Normalization may not work when going from interlaced inputs to progressive outputs
  • Fixed an issue where testing enWall Compliance may fail in situations where a private IP is used with NAT through a firewall
  • Added ability to capture Multicast Transport Streams through the GUI.
  • Miscellaneous Bug Fixes and Improvements.
  • Miscellaneous Bug Fixes and Improvements.

v6.4.1

2020 February 10

  • Modified default settings for better video/audio quality.
  • Added settings for better Interlace support.
  • Added audio leveling/normalization.
  • Multiple internal changes to eliminate lip-sync issues found only on certain channels.
  • Miscellaneous Bug Fixes and Improvements.
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