3. Release Notes

Future Releases

Features scheduled for the next release:

  • Logging system update

  • Licensing system update

[new products]

  • CodecWorks Muxer is a product for multiplexing video streams of cable, satellite, and digital terrestrial television as well as IPTV. The software supports statistical multiplexing using a connected CodecWorks transcoder to manage bitrates.

  • CodecWorks GateWay is a product for switching direct streaming protocols. It adapts the video stream to various network types.

Active Version

Release 4.11

  • Added support for Ubuntu 24.04.

  • Redesigned the Events System; implemented a web page for configuring actions in response to events in streams.

  • Implemented the ability for users to create transform sections, added a web page for configuring custom encoding profiles.

  • Reworked the system for recording input streams.

  • Improved the speed of handling multiple tasks: Users can now manage more than a hundred tasks instantly.

  • Improved web interface usability:

    • The system notifies users about task-related errors and puts faulty tasks on a separate list.

    • The UI highlights parameters with color if they are filled incorrectly.

    • Added the ability to set sound notifications for stream issues.

    • Added the ability to download and upload task schemas via the web interface.

    • Added the ability to download logs/DOT files/schemas/dumps via the web interface.

  • Added support for the CMAF packetizer.

  • Added support for packetizing based on the Low-Latency HLS and MPEG-DASH standards.

  • Implemented a video encoder able to switch codecs without restarting the task in case the input stream changes.

  • Implemented the DekTec SDK-powered plugin for capturing the SDI signal from DekTec cards on Ubuntu.

Changelog

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.9

  • Added support for Ubuntu 20.04;

  • Added support for receiving a stream over the MPEG-DASH protocol.

  • Added support for insertion of EBP (encoder boundary points) for third-party packetizers.

  • Implemented possibility to encrypt transport streams (TS) using Simulcrypt due to integration with DRM CAS of the GSLabs company.

  • Implemented possibility to encrypt OTT streams using CENC due to integration with DRM of the GSLabs company.

  • Added support for multiplexing HBBTV system information.

  • Enhanced the web interface:

    • schemas with a redundant source now can be created.

    • added possibility to specify redundant servers.

    • added segregation of user rights and authentication.

  • Improved failover protection when organizing server redundancy due to adding server concurrent queries over several interfaces.

  • The Linux version of CodecWorks now fully complies with the Windows version.

  • Added an algorithm that will automatically configure a redundant server in case of 1+1 server redundancy.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.8

  • Added support for an SRT stream encryption.

  • Added support for receiving a stream over the RTMP protocol.

  • Added support for receiving and broadcasting a stream over the RIST protocol.

  • Accelerated mechanisms of internal interaction for the software components.

  • Redesigned the logging system, added log rotation by size or creation time. Rotation events will be registered in the Log.

  • Added support for hardware transcoding via an Nvidia graphics card.

  • Added the possibility of the CPU-based real-time transcoding into HEVC.

  • Extended the list of SNMP events that can be notified by CodecWorks.

  • Added the possibility of manual generation for service information tables NIT, SDT, TDT.

  • Added searching schema by URL.

  • In the Manager, the new Input URL column has been added. The column value can be copied for further use.

  • Added the possibility of restoring backup schemas.

  • Implemented the Alpha version of the new Web interface featuring the following functionality:

    • Managing encoding server schemas.

    • Creation of encoding schemas.

    • Viewing the schema statistics.

    • Changing the schema parameters.

  • Minor software operation bugs.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.7

  • Added support for SRT broadcasting and receiving a stream in caller/listener modes.

  • Redesigned the server redundancy system. Now redundancy is configured on one redundant server and then the configuration is automatically sent to a group of servers.

  • Added functionality for automatic updating of encoding channel configuration by time on redundant servers.

  • Optimized the internal software algorithms that provide a more stable operation.

  • Enhanced the SPTS/MPTS multiplexing system: the output bitrate has become more constant.

  • Added possibility to choose a folder for recording journal files.

  • Added support for EIT/SDT/NIT/TDT tables forwarding; tables can also be forwarded from other sources.

  • Added teletext data parsing in VANC area of SDI according to the SMPTE-TT and OP42/47 standards.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.6

  • A mechanism of color bar generation (CBG) is added. It is enabled when there are problems with input streams. You also can enable it in a manual mode.

  • SNMP notification system is improved. CodecWorks uses SNMPv2 now.

  • Now Availability Start Time (AST) is saved automatically in template duration mode of MPEG-DASH and passed between sources and servers to continue segments numeration.

  • Scheme search by name among all servers via GUI is added.

  • Distributed transcoding using QuickSync technology is added. You can encode a live 4Ê stream with multiple bit rates on several servers with stream synchronization.

  • Log rotation based on size and storage time is improved. Rotation of scheme backups and dump files is added.

  • Now schemas in the GUI are highlighted in different colors depending on the enabled operating mode. For example, if the CBG mode is switched on manually, it is highlighted in orange.

  • Functionality of various parameters in the GUI, such as SNMP configuration, is improved.

  • The setting system of server reserving is simplified. New version allows to add server to the reserved server list to automatically download the active schemas.

  • Server reserving system is improved. If enabled, a reserve server becomes a main one in order to reduce load on the service.

  • When reserving a source, you can make the sources equal, so the source is switched only if you have problems with the one you are working with. Alternatively, you can select one source as the main one. Thus, if there are problems with the main source, it switches to the reserve one. When the signal on the main source is restored, the encoding schema starts using it again.

  • The server polling is changed. Now no separate session is created for each polling, the pollings take place within one TCP session.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.5.

  • Added streaming protocol SRT.

  • Added transcoding into HEVC interlace video.

  • Integration with DRM system Verimatrix for OTT-HLS.

  • WebDAV OTT support.

  • Support of multi audio streaming for HLS.

  • The possibility to configure settings related to alert notifications and response (for example, restart or rebuild of the scheme) using GUI.

  • The possibility to configure SDI streaming scheme from Forward capture card using GUI.

  • GUI is powered by new added columns: “Broadcast output address” and “License condition”.

  • The user may choose one of available interfaces from a drop-down list while configuring a scheme.

  • Automatic removal of old logs.

  • Added possibility using NDI streaming protocol.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.4

  • Elecard HEVC Video Encoder support.

  • Support of new filters for Blackmagic WDM video capture cards.

  • Log of inactive consoles can be opened in the Manager.

  • SNMP: Elecard Enterprise Number changed.

  • Changes of the GUID parameter in QS components — MPEG2, AVC, HEVC decoders, encoders.

  • Source reserving can be used in schemas with streaming via IP, HLS and MPEG-DASH protocols.

  • Web UI is ON by default.

  • Fixed HASP detection when connecting via RDP.

  • Fixed connection of QuickSync decoder when building a QS source reserving schema, the schema performance check and console restart possibility.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.3.170202

  • First version of the new web client.

  • WebSocket support.

  • Support for building schemas with parallel remuxing.

  • Support for new AJA capture card drivers.

  • New Manager user interface is ON by default. It can be switched off by setting ‘UI’ global option to 0.

  • Fixed bug when incomplete product version for some components is displayed.

  • Fixed bug when language descriptors can’t be overridden.

  • New wrapping variable to limit the number of MPEG2 QS encoders.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.3.161117

  • Source reserving settings UI.

  • Order of reserving sources can be set.

  • Program names extracted from SDT shown on the Configurator Input page.

  • ‘Current stream’ indication in the Statistics column for schemas with reserving sources — Main, Reserve 1 or Reserve 2.

  • ‘Use PIDs of this source’ checkbox on the Input page selects which source PIDs will be used.

  • Reserving IP interface editable in the dispatcher config dialog.

  • Simplified building of source reserving schemas.

  • Source reserving — support for multi-bitrate encoding schemas.

  • Source reserving — added audio events.

  • DASH Sink — separate settings for AVC and HEVC encoding.

  • DASH Sink input pins ‘Name’ parameter is set automatically.

  • Graph is NOT stopped before terminating console to prevent console hanging. Can be changed by setting ‘SafeExit’ or ‘SafeExitConsoles’ global options.

  • Fixed bug with possible wrong order of reserving sources.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.3.55695.160930

  • More clear error message if CPU does not support QuickSync.

  • Fixed infinite ‘Waiting for input streams’ message.

  • Fixed possible missing push demuxer pins on the Input page when configuring multiple sources.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.3.55309.160826

  • RTMP Sink support (feature #812).

  • CodecWorks requires administrator rights to run — needed for GPU load calculation.

  • Fixed bug with wrong output file extension in Watch folder (only for ‘.ts’ files).

  • Fixed repaint problems in the new Manager user interface.

  • Fixed bug when a console process remained in Task Manager after CW shutdown or console restart.

  • Fixed bug when consoles appeared as ‘stopped’ in Manager for a few seconds.

  • Console state is ‘Not responding’ (colored red) in Manager if it’s not responding.

  • Fixed bug when reserving schema could not be built because of Null Renderer.

  • Fixed Manager freezing at start for 10—20 seconds.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.3.54946.160715

  • GPU load column (invisible by default — set ‘GPU’ option in config_w.xml to enable).

  • Nginx web server can be configured to start when CW starts.

  • Fast schema creation with ‘Create Encoding Schema’ channel context menu item.

  • Double-click on a channel without schema opens ‘Create Encoding Schema’.

  • Double-click opens statistics in a running console.

  • Configurator does not allow to save schema if required parameters are not set.

  • ‘Schema name’ box is auto-filled with the name ‘default’ when asking for schema name before saving schema in Configurator.

  • Trace filter: ‘Current dump file’ parameter gives the name of the samples dump file if ‘Dump sample times’ is ON and ‘Dump to file’ is OFF.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.3.54403.160607

  • Easy source reserving configuration.

  • Fixed reserving licensing limits.

  • Fixed problems with RTSP Source.

  • New Manager user interface can be switched on by setting ‘UI’ global option to 1.

  • Logs auto-reloading (feature #926).

  • Console will try to start graph if it failed to start — ‘GraphRestartInterval’ option (in seconds).

  • Graph is NOT stopped at console restart by CPU or timeout if ‘SafeRestart’ option is ‘0’.

  • Fixed bug #830 Can’t connect more than 15 pins to Muxer.

  • Fixed crash when switching reserving sources.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.3.53943.160419

  • Source reserving — source stream is monitored and if an error occurs the source is switched to a reserving source.

  • CC errors of single programs (PIDs) can be monitored, using Push Demuxer’s ‘TS Lost count by PID’ parameter.

  • Reserving by a separate IP interface (feature #716), can be specified in config_w.xml: <Connection ... reserving_interface="" />.

  • MPEG4 video decoding support, using ffdshow.

  • HEVC QuickSync decoder support (feature #764).

  • HEVC Decoders limit can be set (‘hevc_d’ wrap variable).

  • AVerMedia DVB Source — support for 4 slots.

  • StreamLabs MH4L support.

  • A filter can be loaded by its name, category and index in category (‘IndexInCategory’ xml attribute). Used for StreamLabs and AVerMedia filters.

  • AC3 audio support in AVI files.

  • Fixed bug #735 (Service not started if spaces in path).

  • Fixed crash when right-clicking inside the configurator Input tab when the source template had no parameters.

  • Graph Export/Import Filter — check box ‘Use only DirectShow-registered Elecard filters’.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.3.53025.160203

  • Support for AVI, MKV input files.

  • Support for MP3, WAV, Windows Media input files.

  • Clock filter can be specified in options if there is more than one clock in the graph: <Options ... PreferredClock="Push Demuxer" />.

  • Desktop Capture source: video parameters can be set in Configurator.

  • DASH Sink: “Segment duration” parameter is in milliseconds now.

  • Web server is OFF by default.

  • Manager: Default preferences are always available in registry (no need to create them manually).

  • QS VPP filter parameters changed — ‘Crop rect’ parameters replaced by ‘Crop offset’.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.2.131016

  • Web interface for management and monitoring of the transcoding process.

  • N+M redundancy model.

  • Input stream back-up (automatic switch to alternative source if the main source fails).

  • Fail-safety of output stream upon video signal loss.

  • HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) and HTTP support.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.1.121109

  • More flexible approach to encoding schema building with the help of separate sections (source, decoding, transform and render) is implemented.

  • Encoding parameter values can be set while building the schema.

  • More than 1 input stream source can be selected.

  • TBS interface card support is implemented.

  • Product robustness and performance has been enhanced.

MAIN CHANGES, FIXED BUGS AND NEW FEATURES AVAILABLE IN VERSION 4.1.120505

  • New Elecard AVC Video Encoder MediaSDK component that uses Intel Quick Sync Video technology. The component enables encoding up to 5 Full HD channels or up to 20 SD channels in systems based on Intel CPUs that support embedded Intel HD Graphics processing.

  • The encoding schema configurator is improved.

  • Encoding schema is adjusted automatically, if input multicast/unicast address is changed.

  • Manager operation with large quantity (50+) of encoding consoles is improved.

  • Support of AJA, Blackmagic, DekTec, SoftLab, StreamLabs interface boards.