Setting Up the Observer Client¶
PC Client Minimum Requirements checklist¶
Before you install the Observer Media Player, check that your computer meets or exceeds the PC Client Minimum Requirements, listed below:
Windows 7, 64 bit OS or above
3.5 GB of RAM or greater
Sound card
Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) 8 or above
Alternatively, Silverlight support if you are using a non-IE browser
Windows Media Player 11 or above
Pentium 4 3.0 GHz or equivalent processor (recommended)
NVIDIA or ATI video adapter or better
Minimum of 10 Mbps network connection bandwidth
(You will need bandwidth greater than or equal to 1.2-1.5x the sum of the bandwidth of the streams you are viewing. For example, to view two 512 Kbps streams smoothly, you will need between 1.2 Mbps and 1.5 Mbps of available bandwidth.
In addition to the physical requirements listed above, you must also:
Place the URL or IP address of the Web server in your browser’s “Trusted Sites” zone
Be a user with local administrative privileges on your machine, to install the signed ActiveX control
Installing the Observer Media Player¶
To connect to Volicon Observer for the “first time”, launch your Internet Explorer web browser. If you are using IE 10 or IE 11, you must add the URL of the central server to compatibility view. In the address bar, type in the IP address or domain name of the Volicon server provided to you by your Volicon Administrator. In the example below, we are connecting to the Volicon demo server at http://observer.volicon.com.
Figure: Initial Connection¶
TECH TIP
First time installation requires Administrator Rights on your PC.
If your Volicon Administrator has not previously loaded Observer on your PC/laptop, you must have administrative rights, (the ability to install software on your PC) for the initial install of the Observer Media Player software. Any subsequent logins will require only the permissions you currently have on your PC/laptop. The first time you connect to the Observer solution, IE will take approximately 30 seconds to load the Observer Media Player install software. Click Install to begin the installation process. IE will continue to calculate and will present you with a Security Warning.
Figure: Security Warning¶
Accept the warning by clicking Install. Observer will launch the Observer Media Player Setup Wizard.
Figure: Observer Media Player Setup Wizard¶
Click Next to continue.
Accept the terms of the License Agreement and click Next to continue.
Figure: License Agreement¶
You now have the option of choosing the folder into which Observer will install the Media Player. Unless Volicon Support has instructed you otherwise, accept the default folder by clicking Install.
Figure: Choose Install Location¶
Setup will give you a success message. Click Next.
Figure: Installation Complete¶
TECH TIP
The option of creating an Observer Shortcut button has been added to the Internet Explorer tool bar.
OPTIONAL SETTINGS/SELECTION
Observer will present you with the Optional Settings window.
Figure: Optional Settings Window¶
Optional Setting/Selection: Internet Explorer shortcut
If you want to add a quick connect button to your Internet Explorer tool bar, enter the URL or the IP address for your Volicon Observer in the field provided. Leave the field empty if you do not want Observer on your tool bar.
Optional Setting/Selection: Intel video adapter workaround
Volicon does recommend that if your computer has an Intel video card, or a video card with an Intel chipset, that you enable the Intel “flickering video” workaround checkbox as a precaution. Enabling the checkbox will not affect the performance of the Intel chip sets that do not have issues with multiple video streams, and will protect you in the event that your chipset is one of those with known issues.
Optional Settings/Selection: Favor Quantity over Quality
Volicon also recommends that you check the Enable “Favor Quantity over Quality” checkbox for the best experience using Internet Explorer to run multiple players.
Make your choices, and click Next.
Observer presents you with the “Completing the Observer Media Player Setup Wizard” window.
Figure: Completing the Observer Media Setup Wizard Window¶
Click Finish to exit setup.
Graphical User Interface (GUI): Initial Login¶
Internet Browser Support¶
Internet Explorer Support¶
For full functionality, the Observer Media Player currently supports Internet Explorer 8, 9, and 10 in both 32-bit and 64-bit format. When you are using Internet Explorer 10; you must set “compatibility mode”. From your browser window select Tools>Compatibility View. Set your options to “compatibility view options.”
You must run a specific procedure to use Observer with IE11. To do so:
Open Internet Explorer. Click on the Tools icon (Alt+X) → Internet Options. Make sure that the following window opens:
Click on Alt→ Tools→ And then choose “Compatibility View Settings.”
Under “Add this website:” insert the client’s IP address and then click on Add.
Compatibility view mode is now enabled.
Multiple Browser Support using Clientless Mode – Silverlight and Flash Players¶
The Volicon Observer now supports a clientless mode for use with Chrome, Firefox, and Safari browsers. Clientless mode allows you to avoid installing the Active-X player.
To use clientless mode, you must perform some local php configuration:
define("CLIENTLESS_PLAYER", "FLASH"); // SILVERLIGHT or FLASH (using Flash if undefined )
Please read the Clientless configuration documentation for complete details.
Steps to Log In¶
At the top of your Browser search bar, enter the IP or URL address provided from your Administrator.
You will then be Prompted for your log in credentials (Username/Password). This will also be provided to you by your Observer System Administrator.
TECH TIP
Add the IP address or the Observer domain name to the “Trusted Sites” list in Internet Explorer.
Your Initial LogIn Screen¶
For your initial login, choose Home, and enter the Username and Password your administrator provided you and select “Log In” In future logins, you will be able to select your starting screen from the drop-down menu on the left; options include-Home, Clips, Search, User Preferences, and Settings.
Figure: Initial Login Screen¶
Click Login.
Installing player cab file¶
When a firewall blocks Volicon player download from a Web server or you need to install players on multiple machines, it might be more convenient to use an installation file. You can download a cab file from the Observer Web server: https://ObserverURLaddresss/observer.cab. Then for the installation to proceed, double click on the installation file and accept all the prompts.
Note
YOU MUST SET THE CORRECT TIME ZONE ON YOUR PC/LAPTOP IN ORDER TO DISPLAY VIDEO IN ITS ORIGINAL TIME.