Quick Start

This section will introduce you to NetUP Middleware 3. The manual contains the minimum set of actions required to connect a subscriber device and play a video stream on it. It describes how to download a license, create a video channel and user, activate and configure the set-top box using a simplified scheme.

The manual assumes that the server with the firmware has already been installed and the administrator has access to the web interface. If you need to install software on the server, create a request in personal account on the website, section "Support (HotLine)" → "IPTV". If you are unable to create a request there, contact your manager at info@netup.tv.

NetUP products use a modular architecture, so for small or test installations, many of our components, in addition to Middleware, can be installed on the same server or on a virtual machine.

The NetUP Android IP STB will be used as an example of a subscriber device, but other client options are also available (SmartTV, Mobile, Web portal).

Downloading a license

  • Go to personal account;

  • select "License keys";

  • download the archive with the license. Usually this is a file called security.tgz;

You do not need to unzip the .tgz archive.
If you have several different NetUP products, do not mix up the licenses when downloading, as you will not be able to replace the license without the help of technical support!

  • open a browser and enter the IP address of the server with the NetUP Middleware software installed;

  • log in. Default login / password: admin / netup123;

  • go to the "Server Settings" → "License" section;

  • upload the downloaded .tgz archive.

Creating a TV channel

In the future, before mass creation of channels, it is recommended to read the "Media groups" section.

  • Go to the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • click "TV Channels";

  • click "Add";

  • specify a multicast and / or unicast address in the Multicast URL / Unicast URL field and specify "Channel name";

  • click "Save".

In case of a multicast address, specify only the IP and port.

For example: 224.24.24.24:1234

Make sure that video streams from the added addresses are played on your computer using a player. For example, VLC. To do this, use a link of the following format: udp://@ip:port. For example, if the broadcast address is 224.24.24.24:1234, then to play it in VLC you need to specify udp://@224.24.24.24:1234.

Creating a user

  • Go to the "Users" page;

  • click the "Add" button;

  • set a login and password, save the changes. It is not recommended to use Cyrillic for these fields.

Granting access to channels

  • Go to the "Users" section;

  • select the user you created earlier;

  • click "Add media access";

  • in the "Type" field, select "TV channel";

  • in the "Name" field, select the TV channel you created;

  • click "+" to save. Now the user has been granted rights to view this channel.

Setting up a DNS server

For correct operation within the quick test setup, you need to enable the built-in DNS server:

  • go to "Server settings" → "Network";

  • select the interface behind which the set-top box is located;

  • enable the DNS server by moving the slider to the right.

Setting up a set-top box

There are various ways to bind subscriber devices. For testing and quickly checking the functionality in the local network, it is suggested to manually configure the IP address of the set-top box by setting a static address. Later, you can configure your DHCP server or use the DHCP server built into our solution.

  • Start the set-top box;

  • select the desired language;

  • select "System settings";

  • select "Network and Internet";

  • in the "IP address settings" menu, set the parameters so that the set-top box and the server are in the same subnet.

In the DNS1 and DNS2 fields, you need to specify the IP address of the NetUP Middleware 3 server.

Activating the set-top box and checking

After setting up the set-top box, follow these steps:

  • Start the set-top box;

  • select the language;

  • select "Local TV";

  • enter the login and password of the created user;

  • check the channel list - it should contain the channel you created;

  • select this channel.

If the channel does not start playing, it is recommended to specify the unicast address of the channel to eliminate problems with multicast distribution in your network.

TV Channels

This section provides a detailed description of how to configure streaming video content parameters.

  • Go to the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • Click "TV Channels";

  • Click "Add".

Let’s take a closer look at the parameters that can be set and what they are for:

  1. Media content code - internal system content number. Required for diagnostics and integrations.

  2. Number - serial number of the channel. When selecting a channel number on the remote control of the subscriber device, the channel corresponding to this number will be opened.

By default, channels are sorted by media content code. If you specify a channel number, then sorting will be by it.

  1. Name - displayed system name of the channel. If "Translations" from the item below are not added, then this name will be displayed on client devices.

  2. Add translation - clicking this button will open an additional menu with the fields "Language", "Translated title" and "Description"

  3. Groups - for convenience, channels can be combined into groups and then connected to the groups by users. In this regard, before creating TV channels, it is more convenient to first create all the necessary groups. For more details, see the section media groups.

  4. Genres - you can set the genre for the channel from the list.

  5. Multicast URL - set the multicast address of the channel (if any) in the ip:port format. For example: 224.24.24.24:1234

When activating via the "Home Network", the Multicast address will be selected by default first, if it is not available - the Unicast URL. When activating via Internet TV, only the unicast URL or CDN source will be selected.

  1. Unicast URL – specify any unicast address (HTTP/ RTMP/ RTSP/ HLS/ UDP Unicast) in the format supported by the player on the subscriber device.

Addresses like udp://224.24.24.24:1234 are not unicast, since they use the subnet 224.0.0.0/4 reserved for multicast.

  1. Catch-up TV enabled – this setting is needed to provide users with access to the TV channel archive playback service. When this option is enabled, another one appears - "Generate catch-up TV URL".

Detailed information on how to configure catch-up, set the storage duration and get the URL is available at link.

  1. Generate catch-up TV URL - when enabled, generates the correct link to catch-up. The link will be generated if the catch-up module is located on the same server as the Middleware module. Otherwise, enabling the option is not required, and the URL can be set manually. You can find out more about where to get the link to CatchUP in this guide below.

To record the TV channel archive, the NetUP CatchUP & Pause TV software module is required. If you do not have a license for it, you can take it for testing from your manager at info@netup.tv or request it from technical support.

  1. Token protection for live - when this option is enabled, all unicast streams coming from the server NetUP Stream Processor will be encrypted with a token.

  2. Token protection for Catch-up TV - when this option is enabled, all streams coming from the server NetUP Stream Processor will be encrypted with a token.

To enable token protection (for example, "NetUP token protection"), several conditions must be met:

  • the Middleware server and the server NetUP Stream Processor are available;

  • the stream is received from NetUP Stream Processor and broadcasting is in HLS;

  • the token2 module is installed on both servers;

  • on the Middleware server → System settings → Token protection is enabled and "Secret" is set;

  • on the Middleware server → In the TV channel - an HLS link is set from NetUP Stream Processor and "Token protection for broadcast" is enabled.

Read more about tokens in the section Content security.

  1. CDN type – the system supports 3 types of CDN: NetUP CDN, Wowza secure token and CDNetworks token. Integration with other CDNs is also possible.

  2. CDN URL – set the stream address via CDN. More details in the section on CDN setup.

  3. Keyframe URL – link to the keyframe generator. Can be used to organize a quick channel preview in some players.

  4. DRM profile – activation of support for CAS/DRM systems. Integration with Axinom DRM (Widevine and MS PlayReady) is offered as standard. When enabling this option, you will need to specify the DRM content ID.

You can use the NetUP CAS product for UDP encryption. You will need a separate server or virtual machine to install it.

To complete the setup and create a channel, click "Save", after which you can add an icon for the channel. To do this, click on the icon next to the channel and select a file in .jpeg, .png format.

The list of TV and radio channels on devices is automatically updated every 60 minutes (3600 seconds).

Radio channels

This section is dedicated to setting up streaming audio content parameters.

  • Open the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • click "Radio channels";

  • click "Create".

Let’s take a closer look at what parameters can be set and what they are for.

  1. Name is the displayed system name of the channel. If "Translations" from the item below are not added, then this name will be displayed on client devices.

  2. Number – channel serial number; when selecting a channel number on the remote control, the channel corresponding to this number will be opened. By default, channels are sorted by media content code. If you specify a channel number, the sorting will be by it.

  1. Multicast URL – specify the channel multicast address (if available) in the ip:port format. For example: 224.24.24.24:1234. When activating via the "Home Network", the Multicast address will be selected first by default; if it is not available, the Unicast URL. When activating via Internet TV, only the Unicast URL will be selected.

  1. Unicast URL – specify any unicast address in a convenient format: HTTP/ RTMP/ RTSP/ HLS/ UDP Unicast.

Addresses like udp://224.24.24.24:1234 are not unicast, as they use the subnet 224.0.0.0/4 reserved for multicast.

  1. Add translation – when you click this button, an additional menu will open with the fields "Language", "Translated name" and "Description". By default, the system has two languages: Russian and English. You can set another language on the page "System settings".

  1. Groups – a channel can belong to a media group. For convenience, channels can be combined into groups and then groups can be connected to users. For more details, see the section "media groups".

Click "Add" to create a channel

To complete the setup and create a radio channel, click "Save", after which you can add an icon for the channel. To do this, click on the icon next to the channel and select a file in .jpeg, .png format.

EPG - program guide

EPG - Electronic Program Guide.

First of all, you need to decide where you will get the program guide from. If you use a headend to receive satellite or terrestrial TV channels, then the EPG is often included in the streams, which allows you to separate and save the program guide for further use.

For example, if you have a receiver NetUP Streamer Mini, 8x or 16x, you can get the EPG from the stream (if it is there). How to set up a NetUP headend, you can read here.

If you cannot get the EPG from the stream yourself, you need to select any external service that provides it as XMLTV (this is a popular standard).

To add an EPG, open the Middleware 3 module menu and Click "EPG". There are two ways to add a program guide:

Add URL. Recommended. Updated at a specified time. Use this mode to download EPG from external services or headend stations.

Upload file is recommended for testing, since it is inconvenient to upload files manually on a regular basis. Please note that you must specify a link to the XMLTV file or upload the file itself. A link to an archive will not work.

After adding a file or URL, you can add a channel:

  • Click "Add channel";

  • A list of channels from the EPG will appear in the "TV channel" column, and a list of TV channels created in the Middleware will appear in the "Media content" column. You need to match these lists;

  • Then click "+" and "Save and process". After saving the EPG from the file, the message "Information processed and added" will appear, and the original file will be deleted. If you add a URL, the entry will be visible in the list.

When specifying the URL, you must specify "Periodic update" to always have an up-to-date program guide. To avoid unnecessary load on the server, it is not recommended to set the periodic update too often. Usually, the program is updated once every few days. If you need to update the EPG in the Middleware immediately, use the "Update now" button. Keep in mind that the update on the end devices will occur as they request the EPG.

Movies

The "Movies" section is available if you have a NetUP VoD license or the product NetUP Combine.

  • Open the Middleware 3 menu;

  • click "Movies";

  • click "Add".

Let’s take a closer look at the parameters that can be set and what they are for:

  1. Title - the displayed system name of the channel.

  2. Genres - you can select the genre of the film from the list.

  3. Unicast URL - set the Unicast URL from the VoD module. You can also set the unicast URL to a third-party service.

  4. Groups - the channel can belong to a media group. For convenience, channels can be combined into groups, and then the groups can be connected to users.

  5. CDN type – the system supports various CDNs: NetUP CDN, Wowza secure token and CDNetworks token.

To localize movies, add the required language in the section «System settings» - «Languages».

After that, the code of the created language will appear to the right of the «Main» tab.

Click on the language code to add the translation.

After saving, you can add an icon for the movie. To do this, click on the icon next to the movie title and select a file in .jpeg, .png format.

Media groups

Media groups allow you to combine TV channels, radio stations and movies or other services into one group for easy access to them users. A user can have any number of groups.

Content groups are also used in the NetUP application interfaces for viewing and sorting.

  • Open the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • select "Media Groups";

  • click the "Add" button;

  • in the "Name" field, specify a name for the new group;

  • in the "Type" field, select the group category: TV channel group, movie group, and Radio channel group. You can only add media content to a group that it belongs to. For example, a TV channel group can only include TV channels and nothing else;

  • expand the created group and go to "Media content";

  • in the "New content" field, specify what content will belong to this group.

You can also add a TV channel, radio station, or movie to the created group from the corresponding menus. For example, to add a channel to a group, go to the TV channels menu, select the desired channel, and in the "Groups" field, mark the created group.

To delete media content from a group, go to the desired group and click the corresponding icon opposite the content to be deleted.

Users

This section describes how to create a user and grant them access to content.

  • Open the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • go to the "Users" section;

  • click the "Add" button;

  • enter the login and password for the new user;

  • if necessary, in the "Comment" field you can specify some reference information for the Administrator. For example, the physical location of the device on the site. This line is also displayed in the list of connected devices;

The user being created can be immediately added to "User group" by clicking on "Groups".

  • select the created user and click "Add media access";

  • select the access type from the proposed options:

    1. TV channel group;

    2. movie group;

    3. radio channel group;

    4. Catch-up TV group;

    5. individual TV channel;

    6. movie;

    7. radio channel;

    8. Catch-up TV: by default, the user does not have access to catch-up (channel recording archive), even if the link to catch-up is specified in TV channels. You need to add the catch-up service separately.

  • Select a name and set the access validity period.

  • Click on the "+" icon and save the changes.

To remove access, click on the delete icon opposite the already added service.

User groups

User groups are designed to perform mass actions on subscriber accounts:

  • channel switching;

  • rebooting all devices in the group;

  • changing the volume;

  • other commands from the "Remote control" section.

For more information on managing user groups, see the "Connected devices" page. Remote control, when using the recommended versions of applications, will work fully on NetUP STBs, partially on third-party STBs (fully if you install the NetUP application as a system one) and on professional TVs.

To create a new user group

  • open the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • go to the "User groups" section;

  • click the "Add" button;

  • specify a name for the group;

  • then click on "Add user to group" and select the desired user.

You can add a user to the created group from the section "Users" by clicking on "Groups".

Emergency messages

Emergency messages pause content viewing and display the sent message until the administrator disables the alert. Any of the created alerts are also available for managing external systems via API. Alerts are designed and sent based on templates. You can create several alert templates for different groups of devices and different situations. To add an emergency alert:

  • open the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • select "Emergency messages";

  • select "Create message Template".

  • In the "Template name" field, specify a name for the template

  • In the "Recipients" field, select the group of users to whom the alert will be sent; sending an alert is only possible to a group of users;

  • To activate the notification, move the slider to the right.

The web interface has a simplified editor. In it, you can create the necessary texts with images and markup. Notifications are HTML pages. The editor allows you to insert more complex markup if the basic functions are not enough.

The "History" tab has a function for enabling and disabling the notification history.

System messages

System messages are sent by the administrator to subscriber devices to inform users about changes, work or other reasons. To create a system message:

  • open the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • select "System messages";

  • select "Create";

  • in the "Message system name" field, specify a name for the message;

  • in the "Template" field, you can select a previously created message template.

To create a template:

  • go to the "Templates" tab;

  • click "Create";

  • specify "System template name" and select "Recipient type", this field allows you to select a group of users or an individual user to whom the message will be sent;

  • create a message and click "Save".

The web interface has a simplified editor. In it, you can create the necessary texts with images and markup. Notifications are HTML pages. The editor allows you to insert more complex markup if the basic functions are not enough.

To start the mailing, click "Send"

Client settings

This section contains parameters that allow you to configure the interaction of the NetUP solution with clients based on the Android OS.

  • Open the Middleware 3 menu.

  • Select "Client settings", "STB settings" tab.

Update settings

Here are the parameters that determine the behavior of the subscriber device during updates:

  • enable firmware updates;

  • request confirmation before installing updates;

  • install updates when download finishes;

  • install updates at next reboot;

  • hide the "Check for updates" item from the settings menu;

  • download updates automatically;

  • enable launcher updates;

  • use customt updates hostname.

For more information on the process of updating set-top boxes, see the sections Firmware update and Software update only without firmware, available settings

The update server can only be another NetUP server with the Middleware module. The ability to specify a URL to a third-party resource is not implemented.

Player settings

Use ExoPlayer as default player. If this option is disabled, the system player of the current version of Android is used. Enabling this option is recommended in cases where the standard player does not play streams correctly or subtitle support is required.

Stop playback when idle. Specified in minutes. If the user is inactive, the application will switch from viewing TV channels to the main menu.

Launch settings

There are three launch modes:

  • normal launch - the main menu will load;

  • resume TV playback - the TV channel that was being watched before turning off the device will turn on;

  • play channel at startup - you can specify the URL of a specific channel.

Security settings

Personnel password - the user will need to enter a password to access protected applications. For more information about such applications, see the "Application settings" section.

Application settings

In this section, you can set one of the possible application launch policies:

  • users can launch all applications;

  • Users can only launch applications from the list.

To set up access to a single application, click "Add application" and enter the package identifier, for example "com.google.android.youtube.tv". The list of package identifiers depends on the device model, to clarify it, contact technical support.

If you activate the "Protected by staff password" option, then when accessing the application, the user will need to enter the password that you set in the "Security settings" section.

Separate lists of allowed applications for active and blocked users, similar to launching individual applications, allow you to create two lists:

  • a list of allowed applications for active users;

  • a list of allowed applications for blocked users.

Appearance settings

Homepage URL specifies the address where the HTML page is located, which will be displayed in the main menu on the subscriber device. This setting is intended only for a separate version of the solution.

Home page background contains a link to an image in .jpeg or .png format. You can use an internal or third-party resource.

Common settings

If necessary, you can redefine the time zone for all STBs.

System settings

This section includes a menu for adding a language, token protection, and individual integration (if you have the appropriate license).

Adding a language

This menu configures the option that allows you to localize the description of media content for the user. By default, the system includes Russian and English languages.

  • Open the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • select "System settings";

  • go to the "Languages" submenu;

  • select "Add language";

  • in the "Code" field, specify the language code number according to the ISO-639 standard.

The list of all codes is available at link.

  • In the "Name" field, specify the display name of this language.

  • Click "Add" to add the language to the system.

Token protection

To protect your unicast streams from unauthorized access (UA), Middleware synchronizes tokens with the broadcast server, so you need to use one of the supported integration options.

If you use NetUP products, you can use NetUP CDN or NetUP Stream Processor as a broadcast server (hardware platform or only software module).

To encrypt UDP multicast streams, a separate NetUP CAS module is required.

The NetUP solution supports 3 types of tokens:

  • NetUP token protection;

  • Wowza token protection;

  • CDNetworks token protection.

Enable the necessary protection and set the parameters.

NetUP token protection is configured in conjunction with technical support.

Content View Rate

  • Open the Middleware 3 menu;

  • select "Content View Rate";

  • click on the menu with the date and select the period for which you want to see statistics: day, week or month;

  • click on the "Refresh data" button.

The following information will be displayed: channel name, total viewing time in hours, unique subscribers and views. You can also sort the data by these parameters and export statistics in CSV format.

By default, the maximum storage time for statistics is 30 days. If you need to increase the storage time, contact technical support.

Connected devices

Open the Middleware 3 module menu and go to the "Connected devices" section. Here is a list of all connected devices online. If devices of different types are connected (web client, set-top boxes, Smart TV, etc.), a quick filter is available on the right side of the screen. The table shows the following parameters:

  • access card – internal user number that allows to quickly find the device in the system;

  • comment – ​​you can sign reference information visible only to the Administrator. It is signed in the "Users" menu;

  • device IP;

  • connection time;

  • login;

  • client name;

  • device MAC address;

  • device type;

  • device ID.

Remote control

NetUP Middleware 3 contains tools for sending commands to subscriber devices running Android OS

  • Open the Middleware 3 module menu;

  • Go to the "Connected devices" section;

  • Click the "Control" button;

  • Specify the recipient: user or group;

  • Select an action from the suggested ones: reboot the set-top box, change the channel or change the volume;

  • Click "Run".

The corresponding command will be sent to the set-top boxes.

Downloading the license

See the section "downloading the license" in the chapter "Quick start".

Activating the Android application

To activate the application, you need the Middleware 3 module and a user created in it.

When you first launch the application, you will be able to choose one of two activation options: "Internet TV" or "Local TV".

"Internet TV" (using OTT technology). For this option, you will need to enter the "IPTV provider ID", which is provided by NetUP technical support. In order for subscribers to be able to correctly connect, the server must have access to the Internet via a public IP address. Instead of IP addresses, it is recommended to use domain names to access servers. The server should also be accessible via the Internet on ports: 80, 443, 50112 and 50171.

"Local TV" is a special mode for simplified activation in local networks. Several network settings options are available in this mode:

  • Static address. As a quick start and check of functionality, it is suggested to manually configure the IP address of the set-top box, by setting a static address.

  • Using DHCP/DNS NetUP. NetUP solutions have a built-in DHCP server, but by default it is disabled for each interface. To enable it, go to the "Server Settings" section → "Network" → select the desired interface and move the slider to the right for the "DHCP server" option. You will also need to set the address range for this network. Enable the "DNS server" option in the same way. Now when you connect the device to the network, provided that there are no third-party DHCP servers, an IP address from the specified range will be issued.

  • Using your own DHCP\DNS servers. You need to configure your DNS server so that the domain name mw.iptv is converted to the IP address of your Middleware server.

To complete the activation, enter the login and password of the created user.

Content Security

There are several methods of content protection in NetUP digital television solutions:

  • Token protection — the best option for unicast streams. It works by inserting a randomly generated string (key) into the link to the stream. This complicates the theft of the link, since the key is updated regularly.

  • Axinom DRM encryption — an option when accredited protection with encryption of video and audio tracks is required. Requires a separate license. Uses Widevine (L3-L1) and MS PlayReady. Instructions are issued separately as part of the integration.

  • UDP CAS The NetUP CAS\DRM solution is designed to protect broadcast multicast channels in a local network. Audio and video tracks are encrypted using AES-128, keys are transmitted over a secure channel between the CAS server and Middleware. Instructions are issued separately as part of the integration. The solution requires hosting on a separate server.

Token protection

The token protection option can only be used for unicast streams. By default, tokens are rotated once every 24 hours, but this parameter can be configured depending on the task. Tokens can be applied to TV channels, TV channel archives, and video on demand (movies or series). Token protection is not enabled by default. Tokens are configured separately in the "System Settings" → "Token Protection" section.

There are three token protection options available:

  • NetUP token protection — configuration is carried out through configuration files, depends on the set and settings of other equipment in the complex, instructions are requested personally from technical support;

  • Wowza token protection — you must specify the "Prefix" and "Secret" received from Wowza;

  • CDNetworks token protection — you only need to set the "Secret" received from CDNetworks.

All options allow IP binding to a specific client and setting the token expiration date.

After setting up the tokens in the TV channels section, the corresponding CDN type will be available in the "CDN Type" field. You only need to add a unicast link.

For the tokens to work, a supported broadcast server from the list above is required. If TV is built on the basis of our products, then you should use the software NetUP Stream Processor. It can be installed on any suitable server. Enabling tokens only on Middleware will not be enough; settings must also be made on the NetUP Stream Processor side.

Firmware update for STB

Firmware assembly and delivery is carried out by NetUP technical support.

There are two ways to update the software of the set-top box: via USB flash drive and OTA — mass remote update via the server (the set-top box must be activated on Middleware).

OTA update:

  • Launch an FTP client (for example, Filezilla) and connect to the server via port 22.

  • Go to the directory /netup/common/assets/update/

  • Upload the firmware to the server

More detailed information about update modes can be found in the section «Client settings».

Update via USB flash drive

  • Download the firmware;

  • For NetUP set-top boxes version 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3, you must assign the archive with the firmware the name "update.". You do not need to unpack the archive.

  • Format your flash drive in FAT32;

  • Download the firmware to the flash drive in the root section by simply copying it.

  • Connect the flash drive to the set-top box:

    • for set-top boxes version 3.1 to USB-4;

    • for set-top boxes version 3.2 and 3.3 to the blue USB port;

    • for set-top boxes version 4.2 - to any port.

  • A message will appear on the set-top box offering to update. Agree to the update.

For set-top boxes version 4.2, you must perform additional actions:

  • go to the "Applications" section;

  • select the "Update" function;

  • select "Local update";

  • then select the desired firmware.

During the update, the set-top box cannot be disconnected from the power source.

Android application update

NetUP Middleware version 3 has a special mode designed to update only the Android application without affecting the rest of the environment. The advantage of this mode is that it allows you to avoid the need to fully download the firmware to devices, significantly reducing the load on the network.

Updating only the application is used on certain software versions upon agreement with technical support. The application is assembled and issued by technical support.

Additional modules

NetUP VoD System

The NetUP VoD (Video-on-Demand) solution allows viewers to purchase movies, TV series and other video content from the library and watch it on various devices. The video-on-demand system in NetUP products is available in two versions:

  • Separate license for NetUP VoD software. At the moment, this license has no restrictions on the number of users, but there is a limitation: one license for one hardware or virtual server.

  • The license for the NetUP VoD system is included in the license at NetUP Combine. In this case, the number of users is limited in accordance with the ordered device configuration.

To download stored video content (a movie or other video):

  • open the VoD menu;

  • select "Download";

  • select the file to be downloaded to the server;

  • after downloading, click the "Copy URL" icon to the right of the title;

  • now your clipboard contains a link to the downloaded content;

  • this link must be added to Films in the Middleware 3 section.

Catch-UP - recording TV channels

Catch-UP is not included in the basic delivery set and is licensed separately.

The Catch-Up system in IPTV and OTT solutions is used to allow users to watch TV shows that have already ended live, but are stored in a recording on the operator’s server. An important condition for Catch-Up to work is the availability of the EPG program guide. Without it, navigation through the recordings is significantly complicated and is only possible with the indication of a specific date and time.

Recording multiple TV channels and broadcasting them to a large pool of users requires a high-performance server with a good SSD disk subsystem, as well as a significant (from 32 GB) amount of RAM for automatic caching of the most requested recordings. The server configuration is selected by technical support or the NetUP sales department.

Catch-Up works as follows:

  • a copy of the broadcast channels is routed to NetUP Stream Processor with a Catch-Up license or another recording server;

  • HLS broadcasting is configured and the storage duration in hours is specified;

  • a special link is generated to access the recording;

  • this link must be added in the TV channels section.

"Server settings" module

Log in to the NetUP.tv web interface and click on the "Server settings" button on the Home page to go to the module and configure the general server settings. The side menu will display a list of pages with settings, the contents of which will be described in this section. To hide or show the side menu, click icon-menu. To return to the Home page of the web interface, click Home

Modules

There are two tabs on the page: Modules and Services.

The Modules list displays independent software components of the NetUP.tv solution. Each module on this tab has a large colored button on the home page. For example, the dvb-gw module is responsible for the operation of NetUP DVB IP Streamer. Modules can be installed or updated as part of the firmware, which includes a full set of server software (including the OS and the entire environment), or separately.

To download a new module, drag the files directly to the page and the download window will open automatically. After downloading and installing a new module, go to the Services tab to launch it. Click the corresponding button opposite the service responsible for the module and confirm the action in the window that opens. Similarly, you can stop the service if you do not plan to use any of the modules.

Service is a utility that is responsible for starting or stopping a module.

Firmware

Go to this page to download, install or remove the firmware. The firmware contains a full set of software for the server, including the OS and related environment. Firmware of different versions of the NetUP.tv system may not be compatible with each other.

Drag the files directly to the page and the download window will open automatically. If you need to return to using the firmware related to previous releases, contact the technical support department of NetUP.

Please note that you can download incompatible firmware and it will appear in the general list. The warning message will appear only when you try to install it.

Backups

The NetUP.tv system provides automatic backups once a day.

Backups are archives with system settings in tar.bz2 format.

The latest automatic backup is available for download via the link. You can open or close access to the archive, as well as copy or reset the link.

Backup page

To create or download a backup copy manually, click btn-create in the lower right corner of the page and select the required action.

To restore system settings, select one of the archives, click icon-update and confirm the action in the window that opens.

Before restoring settings from an archive, make sure that this archive was NOT created during the period of using firmware related to a different release. Release number is the first two digits of the firmware version, for example, 2.0, 2.2, etc.
For detailed information about the firmware used, see the web interface, in the module System settings ⇒ Firmware

License

This page displays information about the downloaded licenses (components, numbers, expiration dates and restrictions).

To update the license, click btn-upload at the bottom of the page
In the window that opens, specify the path to the files or drag them into the window, wait until the download is complete and close the window.

Before updating the license, make sure that the new license is fully compatible with the old one

Connections

NetUP.tv solution software modules interact with each other via an IP network even if they are hosted on the same server. The "Connections" page displays the state of connections between software modules. Each system has a separate block containing a list of services with which interaction is possible. The addresses of the interacting services are links.

Expand one of the blocks and click on the pencil icon opposite the service whose address you want to change. In the window that opens, enter the address manually or select the Auto detect option to detect the address automatically, and then click Save.

Network

Configuring interfaces

If there is no port number 0 on the front panel of the streamer, port #1 corresponds to the eth0 interface in the web interface, port #2 is eth1, port #3 is eth2, port #4 is eth3. In headend versions released since 2025, port numbering starts with 0 and corresponds to interface numbering.

Numbers front

The interface settings panel contains a list of all IP addresses assigned to the interface, as well as buttons for adding an IP address in the IPv4 and IPv6 formats._ Click one of the buttons to add a new IP address or click on a previously added IP address to edit it. Enter or edit the address and click icon-check, then APPLY.

System interface panel

If the address is not the only one and is not the main one, it can be deleted. To do this, next to the IP address, click icon-close and at the bottom of the panel APPLY.

Do not delete the address assigned to the primary interface. It is used for interaction between components and is necessary for the system to function. By default, eth0 is assigned as the primary interface

To delete interface settings, click icon-more_vert and select the appropriate option.

Next to the interface name, its status is indicated: UP - the network cable is connected and the interface is configured or DOWN - the interface is not configured. If the interface is not configured, click icon-more_vert and create an empty configuration for it to be able to see whether the cable is connected to the corresponding streamer interface.

Create VLAN, VTUN, bond

To create a virtual interface, click the btn-add button at the bottom of the page, and then select the interface type: VTUN, bond or VLAN. In the window that opens, fill in the required fields and click CREATE.

To delete a virtual interface, expand its panel, click icon-more_vert and select the Delete interface settings option.

Specify the IP address of the DNS server

By default, the streamer uses its own built-in DNS server. If you need to use another (external) DNS server, expand the corresponding panel, enter and save the IP address of the third-party DNS server.

Tunnel for technical support access

Expand the corresponding panel at the bottom of the page, enable or disable the tunnel to grant or terminate NetUP technical support access and click APPLY.

Routing

The page contains two lists of routing rules: System and Custom. You can edit, add or delete custom rules. System routing rules are necessary for the correct operation of the entire system, so they cannot be edited or deleted.

Users

The page has two tabs: Users and Roles. These are system users, not subscribers. Here you can add/delete administrator accounts, change their passwords, assign roles, that is, configure access rights.

Time

Open the page to set the date and time for the server, and select the time zone.

Set the correct time zone before loading the license. The time zone change takes effect after the server is rebooted

The web interface provides the ability to enable time synchronization with the exact time server of your choice. By default, date and time are synchronized with 2.debian.pool.ntp.org

Integration and REST-API

NetUP Middleware 3 has a REST-API for integration with external systems. You can view the documentation on the REST-API in the API section of the Middleware 3 module. You can also request documentation on the API from the sales department at info@netup.tv or from technical support.

Troubleshooting

Before starting any work, create a backup copy and save it on your computer using the following instructions:

  1. Go to the "Server Settings" section;

  2. select "Backups";

  3. click the "Create" button;

  4. download the created backup copy.

Remote access setup

For diagnostics and troubleshooting, provide technical support specialists with remote access to the server via a real (external, public, white) IP address with SSH protocol access. It is acceptable to either assign a real address directly on the device or organize port forwarding from another network device.

If it is impossible to provide access via a real IP address, the server has the ability to automatically create a virtual tunnel for access to the device by NetUP technical support specialists:

  • go to "Server Settings";

  • then - to the "Network" menu;

  • then - to the "NetUP Technical Support" menu;

  • enable the "Provide access to technical support" option;

  • Click "Apply" to enable the tunnel.

You can specify the "Host name" tuns.netup.tv or IP address and specify the "Port" 5000 or 443. In most cases, it is recommended to leave the values ​​"Default", then the system itself will determine the possible connection option.

In exceptional cases, activate the "Use browser as a proxy" option. Access will be organized through an open browser page on your computer - if you close it, then access for technical support will be closed. Please note: the computer on which the web interface is open in the browser must have access to the Internet.

Activation of the virtual tunnel does not guarantee access to the server, since there may be restrictions on the part of your network, such as closed ports, DPI restrictions on the operator’s side, or traffic blocking by a firewall.

The indicator of a successful tunnel connection will be the inscription "status up" and the IP address of the interface in the tunnel.

How to contact technical support

To interact with NetUP technical support, you must have an active subscription to this service. If you cannot create a request (ticket) in personal account on the website, please contact info@netup.tv.

To promptly resolve your issues and maintain order, we strongly recommend creating separate requests for each problem. To do this:

  • go to personal account;

  • go to the "Technical Support (Hotline)" section;

  • then — to the "IPTV" section;

  • click "Create a request" and describe your problem in detail.

To perform remote diagnostics and other work by technical support specialists:

  • enable the tunnel or provide access to the server via a public IP address;

  • provide the server password, license number, and assigned public IP address (or tunnel interface address).