In this guide we will show you how to install a StreamShark customised firmware for the Pearl family of encoders (Pearl / Pearl 2 / Pearl Mini). This will allow the StreamShark agent to run directly on the Pearl encoder, connect to StreamShark, and be controlled by our Encoder Management capability.
This guide is for customers on Business and higher plans with access to StreamShark's Encoder Management solution. Please email support@streamshark.io for access to the custom firmware files for Pearl / Pearl 2 / Pearl Mini.
1. Introduction
StreamShark's Encoder Management feature allows you to onboard your encoders onto StreamShark once, then remotely configure and control them from your StreamShark Events. Your encoders can then be controlled securely and reliably across intranets (incl. strict firewalls) and the internet, all from the StreamShark interface.
This feature can be activated by installing a StreamShark supplied firmware for all Epiphan Pearl devices, and following this configuration guide.
2. Install the StreamShark custom firmware
Please email support@streamshark.io for access to the custom firmware files for Pearl / Pearl 2 / Pearl Mini. Once you have the firmware for your device type, open the Web UI for your Pearl unit in a web browser. Navigate to Configuration -> Firmware Upgrade and select the StreamShark firmware that matches your device. We recommend you uncheck the Automatically check for firmware updates option so you can use StreamShark supplied firmware going forward. Hit apply and once uploaded, your Pearl unit should reboot with the new firmware.
3. Configuring the built-in StreamShark Encoder Management Integration
Once your Pearl unit reboots, you will have a new option available to you under the Configuration side menu called StreamShark Management.
Select this menu item to configure your Pearl to "phone home" to StreamShark, to allow it to be remotely configured and managed via the StreamShark Encoder Management capability. The following items will be available for you to complete:
1. API Endpoint Base Domain (pre-populated - leave as-is): https://secure.metacdn.com
2. API Username: Available from the Account / Account Details section
3. Secret Key: Available from the Account / Account Details section
4. Encoder Name: Can be set to your desired value, but must exactly match what is used when you later add your Pearl encoder to the Encoder Management section of StreamShark after following this guide.
As noted in the StreamShark Management config screen on your pearl, the credentials denoted 1/2/3 can all be obtained by logging into your StreamShark account and viewing your API credentials from the Account -> Account Details section.
Copy and paste the values in 1/2/3 to the relevant sections on the StreamShark Encoder Management page inside the Pearl Web UI, give your encoder a name (4), then hit Apply.
As instructed on this same page, after clicking Apply, please reboot the encoder for changes to take effect.
You can reboot by opening Pearl Web UI in a web browser, navigating to Configuration -> Maintenance, and selecting the Reboot Now button under the Reboot and Shutdown subsection.
If you make any subsequent configuration changes to the StreamShark Encoder Management page, after clicking Apply, please reboot the encoder for changes to take effect each time.
3. Final Steps
Once your Pearl encoder has rebooted, please follow the guide here to perform the one-time on-boarding process to add your encoder to the Encoder Management page, which allows you to remotely configure all aspects of the encoder, and link/unlink this encoder to StreamShark events on-demand.