ZowieTek PCS4K NDI Video Streaming Encoder Decoder User Guide

June 15, 2024
zowieTek

ZowieTek PCS4K NDI Video Streaming Encoder Decoder User Guide
ZowieTek PCS4K NDI Video Streaming Encoder Decoder

Packing List

Item Unit Quantity
4K NDl®Video Streaming Encoder/ Decoder PCS 1
USB TYPE C Power Adapter PCS 1
USB-C Cable PCS 1
Cold Shoe PCS 1
Quick Start Guide PCS 1
Warranty Card PCS 1

Device Interface Description

Device Interface Description
Device Interface Description

  1. Tally
  2. USB TYPE C, Power Input Only
  3. LAN/PoE+/NDl®IHX3
  4. DC Out’
  5. HDMI In
  6. LCD Screen
  7. TF Card
  8. H DM I Out/Loop Out
  9. USB Port
  10. Audio Input
  11. Audio Output

Note:
It is forbidden to use the DC Out interface to supply power to ZowieBox. It may damage the ZowieBox. DO NOT remove DC Out Cap before reading the instruction manual
instruction

LCD Screen Information

ZowieBox alternately displays the status and system information in two screens.

The First Screen
LCD Screen

The Second Screen
LCD Screen

  1. Working Mode
  2. NDI Format/ Stream Format
  3. Input/ Output Resolution
  4. Encoder/ Decoder Bitrate
  5. NDI Name/ Stream Name
  6. IP Address
  7. DHCP Status
  8. CPU Temperature
  9. Memory Free
  10. Disk Free
  11. Loop Out
  12. 丁ally Color
  13. WIFI Status
  14. Hotspot Status
  15. LAN Status

Device Installation and Connection

Device Installation

Make sure the phone, PC or iPad is on the same LAN or WIFI as the ZowieBox

Connect Video Signal
Connect the HDMI signal from a video source (such as a camera) to the HDMI input port of the ZoweBox through a HDMI cable. Video formats and resolutions can be automatically detected by ZowieBox.
Device Installation

Connect Network
Use a LAN cable to connect ZowieBox to a network port of network switch or network router with DHCP.
Device Installation

Connect Power Supply

  1. USB-C
    Use the USB TYPE C power adapter to power the ZowieBox and then the screen will turn on
    Device Installation

  2. PoE
    ZowieBox can also be powered by Power over Ethernet (PoE/ PoE+). You needn’t prepare a power adapter. To take advantage of PoE, the LAN cable has to be connected to a PoE Network Switch, but at least a CAT5e LAN cable is required for PoE

Device Management

Login the Web Console
ZowieBox provides five easy, quick ways to login into the Web console.
Device Management

  1. IP Address
    The ZowieBox’s DHCP is turned on by default, so just find the IP address on the first screen C,and type IP into the browser.
    Device Management

  2. Login ZowieBox by mDNS
    Please enter http://ZowieBox-xxxxx.local in the browser of your computer or mobile phone. (mDNS URL is on the bottom of the ZowieBox.)
    Device Management

  3. Login ZowieBox by Hotspot
    Direct connect to ZowieBox without a LAN or WIFI network.
    Connect the mobile device to ZowieBox’s hotspot, it is default on Please find its SSID and password at the bottom of ZowieBox.
    After connecting to the hotspot, enter http://192.168.100.1 in the browser to log into the Web console. When connecting to the hotspot, the phone may plompt that the this no lnte「net, which is normal, please continue to connect.
    Device Management
    Device Management

  4. Login ZowieBox by Device Discover
    If you already own any ZowieBox or ZowiePTZ products, you can also log into a new device by Device Discover.
    Log in to the Web console, click “Setting > Dashboard” to use the discover function. After clicking the “Scan” button, find the device serial number on the bottom label corresponding to the new ZowieBox and click it to quickly」ump to the device’s Web console
    Device Management

  5. Failsafe IP
    When the connected network does not have the DHCP or directly connects ZowieBox to PC via LAN cable, or other unknown errors occur, the IP of ZowieBox will become a failsafe IP (192.168.5.168). Please add a 192.168.5.x address to the computer to log in to the Web console. Please refer to the user manual for detailed settings of the PC.

Notes:
Admin Login Username: admin; Password: admin

Control Device Switching
There are two ways, if the user needs to use a mobile phone to log in to the Web console after logging in the ZowieBox’s Web from a computer.

  1. Make sure the phone is on the same LAN as the ZowieBox, then scan the first QR code to log in to the mobile Web console.
  2. Click the hotspot icon and scan the QR code that appears to connect to the hotspot. And make sure the phone is on the same hotspot as the ZowieBox. Then, scan the first QR code to log in to the mobile Web console.
    QR Code
    Device Management

Device Operation

Tally Indicator

The Tally on the ZowieBox can indicate the Tally working status when it is in the automatic mode.
The indicator status as follows:

AUTO
Green| NDI Encoder| Encoder| Decoder
---|---|---|---
Preview (PVW)| /| /
Red| Program (PGM)| /| /
Blue| /| Push Streaming| Pull Streaming
White| /| No Push Streaming| No Pull Streaming

Note:
When the mode of ZowieBox is NDI encoding mode and output to other NDI receivers, such as vMix, OBS, etc. ZowieBox will change the color of the tally light according to whether the receiver switches to program or preview.

Working Mode

ZowieBox has two working modes, encoder mode and decoder mode. ZowieBox supports resolutions up to 4K30. It also supports encoding or decoding RTSP, RTMP, SRT and NOi streams. Log into the Web console and click “Setting > System > Mode” to switch the working mode.

  1. General Encoder
    When NOi is not turned on in encoder mode, it supports 4K30 input and output, and the bitrate can reach up to 50Mbps. It supports RTMP, RTSP and SRT internet streaming. Users can modify the encoding resolution and bitrate on the encoder page.

  2. NDI Encoder
    After turning on NDI, ZowieBox supports 4K30 input and output, and the quality can reach up to HX3. Internet streaming is not supported in this working mode. Users can modify the encoding resolution and bitrate according to the input resolution on the encoder page and modify the NDI quality (HX/HX2/HX3) and NDI Device Name on the NDI pag

  3. Decoder
    In decoder mode, ZowieBox can decode RTSP, RTMP, NDI and SRT streams, and then output them.

NDI Connection

Compatible software:
NDI Connection

ZowieBox is also compatible with other NewTek NOi-enabied encoding or stream media software.
After ZowieBox switches to NDI encoding mode, the software that supports NDI can automatically discover it when it is on the same LAN. For example, directly select the ZowieBox that needs to be displayed on the screen in the NDI 5 tool.
NDI Connection

Notes:
If the computer cannot find all NDI devices:

a. Check whether the computer can log into the ZowieBox Web console.
b. Please close the VPN and other related software.
c. Please check whether the computer is using a private network or a public network, and check whether the all the NDI software is allowed to pass in “Allow an app through firewall”.

Firewall & network protection
Who and what can access you, netwocks.
Firewall & network protection

Local Stream

Through local stream, users can view the effect of encoder settings in real time on the same LAN.

  1. Click “Streaming > Local” on the Web console.
  2. Click the icon on the right to copy the URL of the main or sub stream.
    Local Stream

How to play the stream in VLC:

  1. Click “Media > Open Network Stream”, copy the URL into the text box and play it.
  2. The playback resolution, bitrate, and f「ame rate are the same as those sets in the encoder page.
    Local Stream

Internet Stream

  1. On the Web console, click “Streaming > Internet” .
  2. Click “+ Add” to create a new stream task.
  3. Select the same protocol as the Stream URL and enter the Stream URL and Stream Key. If there is no Stream Key, skip it
  4. Input a proper alias name that will also show on the live preview page, then click “Save”.
  5. Turn on the Stream button to start streaming
    Internet Stream

Restore Factory Setting and Reboot

  1. Reboot ZowieBox:
    Click “System > Default > Reboot” on the Web console to reboot ZowieBox.

  2. Restoring factory setting:
    Click “System > Default > Restore factory default settings” on the Web console.

Notes:
a. Restoring factory settings will reset all information except record and WIFI, please choose carefully.
b. The username and password of login will be “admin”.

Restore Initial Password

After entering the wrong password five times, click to enter the ZowieBox reset page, and a dynamic verification code will appear on the LCD screen. After entering the verification code, the ZowieBox will be restored to factory settings. Then, the username and password will be both restored to “admin”.

Firmware Upgrading

  1. Click “System > Update” on the Web console
  2. Click “Choose file” to upload the correct firmware file.
  3. Click “Upgrade” to start the upgrade.

Note:
After clicking upgrade, ZowieBox will automatically upgrade the firmware and restart, and the LCD screen will also prompt the upgrade information. Please do not perform any operations or disconnect the power before the restart is complete. It may take several minutes, please be patient.

Warranty

4K NOi Video Streaming Encoder/Decoder with the highestquality givies us the confidence to provide you with:

Hardware warranty for one year Software warranty for lifetime

For FAQs and more information, please visit:

https://www.zowietek.com/knowledge-base/

https://www.zowietek.com/

Or you can contact us:

support@zowietek.com

A professional video camera, streaming, recording solution provider Since 2004

Zowietek Electronics, Ltd.
2218 Hunan Road, West Wing 1701
Pudong, Shanghai, China
PN: 30621-lOX
Zowietek  1s a registered trademark of Shanghai Zeweite Electronics, Ltd

ZowieTek logo

References

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)  >>

Download This Manual (PDF format)

Download this manual  >>

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