1.334 MFM-IpDecoder

The MFM-IpDecoder logical device is part of the sat-nms MFM framework which interconnects a sat-nms VLC to the ND SatCom Media Fleet Manager.The MFM-IpDecoder is a so called translation device which interconnects the MFM-PlayList device to a sat-nms IP decoder device driver.

Internally the Media Fleet Manager codes all equipment settings in binary enumerations (for choice parameters) and scaled integers for numeric values. The MFM-IpDecoder translation device takes these settings and translates them into the parameter representation expected by the sat-nms device driver. For this, it inspects each parameter's range definition and matches the settings against the MFM encoding of the parameters.

Overview

The sat-nms MFM framework consists of the MFM-PlayList device and a number of so called translation devices. The MFM-PlayList device does the communication with the Media Fleet Manager using the proprietary protocol of this. It manages the sequence control of transmissions, even if there is no connection to the MFM.

Beside this, there are translation devices which have to be configured with one instance for each DVB uplink or downlink chain, for each IP encoder or decoder. The task of translation devices is to translate the settings commanded by the media fleet manager in it's own format into the individual format each sat-nms device driver expects. The translation devices also check if parameters have been set properly and forward this information to the MFM-PlayList device.

Adding a translation device for a certain physical device to the configuration automatically makes this device known to the MFM. The following types of translation devices are available with the sat-nms MFM framework:

• MFM-IpDecoder --- Connects an IP decoder device to the MFM-PlayList.
• MFM-IpEncoder --- Connects an IP encoder device to the MFM-PlayList.
• MFM-Ird --- Connects a (DVB) IRD to the MFM-PlayList.
• MFM-PlayList --- Connects a satellite modem for intercom purposes to the MFM-PlayList.
• MFM-SkyWANIdu --- Connects a ND SatCom SkyWAN IDU to the MFM-PlayList.
• MFM-Upc --- Connects a (DVB) uplink chain consisting of encoder, modulator, upconverter and power amplifier to the MFM-PlayList.

Device window pages

The following table shows which device window pages are available with this individual device type. Tool-bar functions not mentioned here are described at the general description of device windows .

• --- General status.
• --- The device info page.
• --- The maintenance page. The configuration parameters described below are set at this page.

Configuration parameters

At the page 'Maintenance' the setup dialog contains some settings to configure this logical device.

All message ID settings above may be left empty. The MFM-IpDecoder device will not control a parameter with an empty ID setting and it will not check if it is set properly.

Session word and encryption key parameters are not read back and compared to the commanded values, as decoders normally do not support a readout of these values.

Remarks

• The device does not provide individual alarm flags. It reports a summary fault state which resembles the state of the decoder configured with the 'decDevice' configuration setting.
• Setting the device to the FAULT-SUPPRESSED mode will suppress alarms or warnings of the decoder which would normally lead to ONAIR-ALARM or ONAIR-WARNING alerts at the Media Fleet Manager. FAULT-SUPPRESSED does not suppress the communication fault check the MFM-PlayList device does before configuring the device nor does it suppress the check of correct parameter setting at the end of the configuration process.
• Setting the device OUT-OF-SERVICE switches it to a simulation mode in which it does not send any command to the decoder and reports to the MFM-PlayList 'everything OK' all the time.

Variables defined by this device driver