Introduction 

1. Summary 

This Quick Start Guide for the H200 is a basic overview of how to get this new STB up and running quickly and begin putting it to work for your business. More detailed documentation is available via the Amino customer support website. 

The STB has an ethernet port (10/100/1000) and an HDMI port. If you are using a hospitality TV, which can use TVI connectivity, there is also a serial port (but you will need to order a TVI connector/wiring kit). Additionally, is also an Optical S/PDIFA/V output and an IR extender port. 

You can power the device via the power supply or using power over ethernet via suitable PoE switch. 

This document also describes the applications features and usage under various geographic regions, as well as how it is hosted in the three main Networking Ecosystem environments. 

2. Background 

Amino STBs can be used in a variety of ways and the H200 is especially adaptable, having been made with flexibility in mind. The basic expectations are that you will connect the STB to a network so that it can contact either the Amino Device Management server (Orchestrate), or your own web server where you will provide the application firmware and configuration options for the STB to use.  

3. Assumptions 

The System Integrator setting up and configuring the Set Top Boxes must have the ability to either setup and configure the Amino Orchestrate Service Assurance platform, DHCP and HTTP servers, or configure the required system via editing text-based files for USB provisioning. 

4. Requirements 

• Orchestrate Service Assurance usage:
  • Login permissions to an Orchestrate account
  • Ability to edit and host a JSON file on a HTTP under their control. 
• Server based configuration/Hosting:
  • Ability to edit and setup local DHCP server
  • Ability to edit and host Firmware, Configuration and JSON files on a HTTP server under their control. 
• USB based provisioning:
  • Physical access to the STB
  • Ability to edit configuration files and copy to a compatible USB stick in the correct format and structure. 

*Please note: when you edit and save any of the files be sure to save them in 'unix' format, Windows users may need to select as 'save as unix' option to ensure the files are properly formatted.

5. Channel Zapper Lineup File 

For full Channel Zapper usage details please see H200 Zapper Application Setup and Usage Guide. 

The zapper firmware is able to read the channel lineup from a .Json file which can be pre-loaded on the STB or hosted on an accessible web server using the format in section 2.2. 

In a static IP configuration (or a DHCP IP addressed one, but the VCI-INI is not provided by any local servers), an updated channel lineup file, “lineup.json” for example, can be put on a USB stick and updated with the first provisioning. The Lineup will be copied and then deleted, and the contents will be stored in the browser cache and used after subsequent power cycle. 

5.1 Example JSON Lineup File 

Figure 1 - Example .json file

The zapper firmware is able to read the channel lineup from a Json file which can be pre-loaded on the STB or hosted on an accessible web server using the format shown in Figure 1. 

The basic fields for the lineup file equate to:

• "type" is the type of video streaming mechanism which can be rtsp, http, https, native dash.
• "name" is the name you want to assign to that channel and will be displayed when you call the menu in the default Amino zapper.
• "desc" is a description field for you to enter something meaningful to you.
• "addr" is where you specify the local of the stream, which can be local/usb, a local udp network/multicast address or an Internet url for your DASH/HLS streams.

Provisioning and Setup 

1. Ecosystem

For USB or LAN based setup you should download the relevant files from the Amino Support site as shown in Figure 2 and  Figure 3. 

For Orchestrate setup and configuration see Section 3.3. 

Figure 2 - Amino Support Site Landing Page

1. Click Digital Signage.
2. Select the latest available firmware in the Firmware section.
3. Click to download the necessary file(s).
     

1.1 USB Provisioning and Setup 

Format a USB stick with FAT32 filesystem1, unzipping a sample USB template; copying the necessary files and modifying the config text files, to specify the exact APP, INI and Channel Line-up files to be provisioned to the STB.  

At this stage it is not needed to have the STB connected to a network (Cat5) and it will make the provisioning easier if it is not. 

The USB template zip file can be downloaded from the Amino Support Site from the location shown in Figure. 3 Unzip the file and you will be left with a directory structure as shown in Figure 4.  

Figure 4 - Empty USB Provisioning Template 

The “amino_amigo_usb_upgrade.txt” file details what files will be provisioned by USB: 

• The Firmware APP image “--update_package=/udisk/<APP_FILENAME_ZIP>” 
• The STBs INI configuration file: “--update_ini=/udisk/usb_boot.ini” 
• The Channel Zapper JSON File: “--update_channel_list=/udisk/zapper_lineup.json” 

The INI and JSON filename should be as above, the entry for the APP Image should reflect the name of the firmware file which you want to load - this will probably be the same as you downloaded from the Amino support site, ie: “--update_package=/udisk/25.3.2011R.zip” 

A USB image can update one or all of the above items. For example, a USB that upgrades the H200 and installs default INI and channel lineup results in a directory structure on the USB stick as shown in Figure 7. Note the usb_boot.ini and zapper_lineup.json filenames must be as shown. 

 Figure 5 - Sample USB Files and Directories 

1.2 LAN Server Based Setup 

The H200 sends out a DHCP option60 VCI of “AMINO-APP-107” so with your DHCP server setup to handle that VCI with example class shown in Figure 6; The H200 will load the INI referenced in the AMINO.ENABLEINI option.  

Figure 6 - DHCP Option Space Configuration

With DHCP server correctly configured, the H200 will: 

• Use HTTP(S) to download the INI file from the URL specified in the AMINOINI options space parameter.  
• The INI file describes the required APP firmware image and any other STB parameter configurations 
• It will optionally upgrade the APP Firmware if it is not identical to that specified in the INI file 
• Reboot 
• Download the lineup.json file and leave the STB at the first channel as specified in the channel lineup.  
  
   

Figure 7 - Simple INI File

Assuming the web server is located on 192.168.1.1, a simple example INI is shown in Figure 7: 

Using the example HTTP server configuration above and a simple Two Channel configuration with two UDP IGMP Multicast streams, as well as the example “lineup.json” file from Figure 6, a minimal channel lineup file could look as follows: 
 
* Assuming json file located on your local HTTP server so it can be served from http://192.168.1.1/lineup.json. 

Figure 8 - Sample Minimal lineup.json file 

It is advised that you confirm the STB can GET the lineup.json file from your web server by attempting to download it using your PC’s web-browser. 

3 Orchestrate Configuration and Setup 

For Orchestrate configuration the INI file is replaced by the user-friendly “Add/Remove Parameters” feature in the Group Details area in Manage and also dropdown menus for the “Target Application” (APP). 

Figure 9 - Orchestrate Parameter Configuration 

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