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Hints & Tricks

Updated

This document brings you useful tips and practical tricks to help you get the most out of your Alta TS or Alta 2110 virtual encoder

Fixes & Workarounds 

General Approach

  • Always start with basics: Check logs, network connectivity, and recent changes before diving deeper.

  • Restart services early: A quick restart often resolves transient issues.

    sudo systemctl restart alta-encoder
  • Collect evidence: Screenshots, logs, and system reports make escalation smoother.

Licensing Issues

  • Hint: If you see “STOPPED – Licensing Failed”, it’s usually a network or firewall problem.

  • Tip: Test connectivity to the licensing server:

    curl -I https://licensing.eegapis.com
  • Quick Fix: Open port 443 and restart the encoder.

Encoder Offline in iCap

  • Hint: “Disconnected, Retrying” often means credentials or access codes are wrong.
  • Tip: Avoid special characters (#) in access codes.
  • Quick Fix: Resave credentials in Alta UI and restart services.

Caption Delay or Missing

  • Hint: Delays after silence? Buffer size is too small.
  • Tip: Start at 1000ms and increase by 400ms if needed.
  • Quick Fix: Disable PES smoothing and use H.264 for 50fps workflows.

Network Configuration Errors

  • Hint: Streams failing? Check NIC mapping and VLAN settings.
  • Tip: Use ip addr to confirm NIC assignments.
  • Quick Fix: Update NMOS installer if registration fails.

SRT/Streaming Instability

  • Hint: Frame skipping or jitter? Buffer underrun or wrong SRT mode.
  • Tip: Increase UDP buffer to 1600ms.
  • Quick Fix: Switch to RTP/UDP if SRT remains unstable.

Audio Channel Mapping

  • Hint: Wrong audio or distortion? PID mapping is likely incorrect.
  • Tip: Validate audio PIDs in Alta UI.
  • Quick Fix: Switch to mono tracks for >4 programs.

Diagnostic Shortcuts

  • View logs:

    journalctl -u alta-encoder --no-pager

  • Check network:

    ip addr

Hardware Requirements

  • Server Class: HP ProLiant or equivalent enterprise-grade hardware.
  • CPU: Minimum 4 cores (Intel Xeon or AMD EPYC recommended).
  • RAM: 8 GB minimum (16 GB recommended for multi-channel setups).
  • Storage: 100 GB SSD for optimal performance.
  • (refer to documentation for latest sizing guidelines)

Virtual Deployment

  • Supported platforms: VMware ESXi, VirtualBox, AWS EC2.
  • Recommended instance type for AWS: m5.xlarge or higher.
  • (refer to documentation for latest sizing guidelines)

Network Requirements

  • Stable connectivity with low latency.
  • Firewall rules: Allow outbound HTTPS (TCP/443) and UDP streaming ports.

Installation & Setup

Deployment Options

  • On-Premises: Deploy Alta using the provided OVA image.
  • Cloud: Use AWS AMI for EC2 instances.

Initial Setup

  1. Import OVA into VMware or VirtualBox.
  2. Configure VM resources (CPU, RAM, storage).
  3. Assign static IP addresses for predictable network behaviour.

Default Credentials

(contact support)

Change these immediately after initial login for security compliance.

Firewall Configuration

  • Open ports:
    • 443 for HTTPS and licensing.
    • 2022 for Alta control.
    • 49152–65535 for UDP streaming.

Example Command to Restart Services:

sudo systemctl restart alta-encoder

Licensing

Licensing is critical for Alta operation. Common issues include licensing failures after reboot or connectivity errors.

Activation Steps

  1. Navigate to License Manager in Alta UI.
  2. Enter the provided license key.
  3. Test connectivity using the Test Key button.

Connectivity Requirements

  • Ensure outbound HTTPS (TCP/443) to:
licensing.eegapis.com

Common Licensing Issues

  • Error: “STOPPED – Licensing Failed”
  • Cause: Firewall blocking HTTPS or incorrect DNS resolution.

Resolution Steps:

  1. Verify firewall rules for port 443.
  2. Confirm DNS settings allow resolution of licensing.eegapis.com.
  3. Restart encoder after fixing network issues.

Configuration

Encoder Setup

  • Configure channels in Alta UI.
  • Assign unique iCap credentials for each instance.
  • Avoid special characters (e.g., #) in access codes.

Audio/Video Settings

  • Use constant bitrate (CBR) for stable captioning.
  • Validate PID mapping for audio tracks.

Example Command:

sudo systemctl restart alta-web

 

Workflow Diagrams

Signal Flow

Input → Alta Encoder → iCap → Output
  • Input: SDI or IP feed.
  • Alta Encoder: Adds captions and metadata.
  • iCap: Cloud-based caption distribution.
  • Output: Encoded stream to downstream systems.

Network Setup (2110)

NIC ens33 → Unicast
NIC ens35 → Multicast
NIC ens37 → VLAN Config
(might vary slightly based on platform)
  • Assign NICs based on traffic type.
  • Configure VLANs for isolation and QoS.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ALTA encoder used for?
ALTA is a next‑generation, software‑defined encoder platform designed for IP‑centric workflows, supporting Lexi AI captioning, live caption input, and modern broadcast and streaming environments.

How is ALTA licensed?
ALTA licensing is applied digitally and tied to the system instance. Licenses define captioning capabilities and concurrent usage limits.

Does ALTA support Lexi Cloud and Lexi DR?
Yes. ALTA integrates with Lexi Cloud and supports Lexi DR failover when properly licensed and configured.

How are software updates applied?
Updates are applied through the ALTA management interface using support‑provided update packages. The system must not be powered off during upgrades.

Can ALTA be deployed as a virtual machine?
Yes. ALTA is designed to run on approved virtualized, physical and cloud infrastructure.

What caption formats are supported?
ALTA supports CEA‑608/708 captions and IP‑based caption workflows, depending on configuration.

Does ALTA support IP audio inputs?
Yes. ALTA is optimized for IP audio and video workflows.

Why are captions not appearing on output?
Common causes include incorrect service selection, inactive caption instances, or upstream audio issues.

Can ALTA handle multiple channels?
Yes, subject to licensing and available system resources.

Is ALTA suitable for live broadcast?
Yes. ALTA is widely used in live broadcast and live streaming environments.

How do I verify audio is present?
Audio meters and diagnostic tools are available in the management interface.

Does ALTA support redundancy?
Redundancy is achieved through multi‑instance deployment and Lexi DR integration.

Can firmware be rolled back?
Rollback is not supported once an update is applied.

What network ports are required?
Required ports depend on captioning and IP workflows; refer to deployment documentation for specifics.

How are logs collected?
Logs can be downloaded directly from the management interface for support analysis.

What happens if licensing expires?
Captioning services will stop until a valid license is applied.

Does ALTA support translation?
Translation support depends on Lexi Cloud capabilities and licensing.

How does ALTA handle system time?
Accurate system time is critical. NTP synchronization is strongly recommended.

Can third‑party software be installed?
No. Only supported components are permitted.

How do I reset administrative access?
Administrative resets require support assistance.

Is ALTA monitored remotely?
Yes, subject to customer security policies.

What causes caption latency?
Latency is usually related to audio quality, network conditions, or processing load.

Can ALTA run 24/7?
Yes, with appropriate infrastructure and monitoring.

What happens during a power loss?
The instance stops immediately and resumes when power or compute resources are restored.

How often should ALTA be rebooted?
Routine reboots are not required unless recommended by support.

Can ALTA be shared across accounts?
No. Each deployment is tied to a specific account.

How do I validate caption output?
Use downstream decoders or monitoring tools compatible with the output format.

Does ALTA replace hardware encoders?
In many workflows, yes, depending on customer requirements.

What support contracts apply?
Active support is required for updates and escalation.

How do I escalate ALTA issues?
Provide logs, deployment details, and timestamps to support.

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