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Publish video layers

You can publish hosted video layers from video files and supported metadata files using ArcGIS Excalibur. You can also publish hosted live stream video layers from network video broadcasts and streams. To publish hosted video and live stream layers, you must have the appropriate privileges to create, update, and delete video layers.

Publish hosted on-demand video layers

Complete the following steps to publish a hosted video layer:

  1. On the ArcGIS Excalibur home page, click Publish New: Hosted Web Layers.

    Alternatively, from the left navigation menu, click Publish Layer.

  2. In the Video Layer section, click On Demand.
  3. Type a Item Name.
  4. Choose the folder that the new layer will be created in.
  5. Optionally, provide a Summary that describes the layer.
  6. Type Tags that describe the layer.

    Separate the terms with commas (for example, Federal land is considered one tag; Federal, land is considered two tags) .

  7. Specify whether to share the layer across the organization or to specific groups..
  8. Click Next.
  9. Choose the Data Source and provide the data files and associated metadata files needed to publish your new layer. You can browse to these files or drag-and-drop into the drop zone. Two publishing strategies are supported.
    • Video Layer from a Single Video File—Create a video layer from a single video file containing the required metadata.
    • Video Layer from a Video File and Metadata Files—Create a video layer from a collection of files containing video and sensor metadata information. Choose this option if the video file does not contain the required metadata. See ArcGIS Video Server metadata telementry requirements for more information on supported metadata files.
  10. Click Clear All Files to start over.
  11. Click Next.
  12. Configure the video service name. The service name can be different than the portal item name for this layer. Service names cannot contain spaces and invalid characters.
  13. View the Source Video Information which will provide the analyzed results of the first portion of the video. This will display which telemetry information is available and the source resolution of the video.

    It is important to note that only a small portion of the beginning of the video is being analyzed. This may return unknown or incorrect results such as unknown source resolution or noe metadata identified.

  14. Select the desired output video resolutions if available. When ArcGIS Video Server is installed and configured on an environment with GPU, videos can be published and encoded with multiple resolutions up to the source video resolution, but not above. If GPU is not enabled on the environment, the native resolution of the video is the only option available.
  15. Optionally, configure Layer Location Details. This will provide the initial startup extent and camera location and heading.
    • Initial Map Extent—Pan and zoom or use search to go to a specific location of intereste to define the initial extent of the video. This will be the starting extent of the map when the web map loads and will remain at this location if the video does not contain any additional metadata.
    • Sensor Position—Select a coordinate format and type or paste the coordinate of the sensor location if known. Additionally, use Capture Coordinate to click directly on the map to define the sensor location.
    • Heading—Type the heading in degrees, from 0 to 360, where the camera is facing. Where 0 degrees is North, 90 degrees is East, 180 degrees is South, and 270 degrees is West.
    • Field of View—Type the approximate field of view (FOV) in degrees, from 10 to 360. This is the area that can be seen by the camera, and is a value between a narrow (10 degree) FOV and a wide (360) FOV.
  16. Click Save.
  17. Click Next Step.
  18. View a summmary of your choices prior to establishing.

    Click Back to make any changes.

  19. Click Create Layer.

Once the video layer is published, click Connect to Canvas to work with the layer in the canvas in ArcGIS Excalibur.

Publish hosted live stream video layers

Complete the following steps to publish a hosted livestream video layer as a user with at least the privileges to publish live video:

  1. On the ArcGIS Excalibur home page, click Publish New: Hosted Web Layers. Alternatively, from the left navigation menu, click Publish Layer.
  2. In the Video Layer section, click UDP Livestream, RTSP Livestream, or RTMP Livestream.
  3. Select a Livestream Mode, modes are determined based on the livestream protocol you are publishing:
    • UDP Multicast—Use this mode for any network communication between many systems simultaneously. The allowed IP address must be between 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255
    • UDP Unicast—Use this mode for any network communication between one sender and one receiver. The allowed IP address is 0.0.0.0 or the IP address set by the Video Server for Unicast mode. In a UDP Unicast stream, Video Server starts the livestream process on one of it's nodes and opens a specific, user-defined listening port.
    • RTMP and RTSP Fetch—Use this mode to enable Video Server to pull livestream content from a remote source. Any IP address can be used.
    • RTMP and RTSP Listen—Use this mode to enable Video Server to listen for and receive livestream content. The allowed IP address is 0.0.0.0 or the IP address set by the Video Server for Listen mode.
      Note:

      In a highly-available Video Server environment, the listening machine for a livestream can be determined by navigating to ArcGIS Video Server Admin > Services > serviceName, which will display a listenURL parameter signifying the live endpoint on the node where Video Server livestream process is running.

  4. Enter the Stream Address.
    • UDP: enter a fully qualified UDP address to include the IP address and Port.
    • RTMP and RTSP: enter a full qualified RTMP or RTSP address to include the IP address or FQDN, Port, and Path.

    The same Port cannot be used in multiple livestream services.

  5. Type a Layer Name.
  6. Choose to Record Livestream Content. This is enabled by default.

    If disabled, there will be no ability to convert the livestream video layer into an on demand video layer for future use once the livestream has concluded.

  7. For Start Stream Options, choose how to start the livestream.
    • Start On Request-Start the livestream receiver whenever needed. This option provides the most control over when livestreaming ports are active and listening. You can manage the configuration status through the list of livestream services.
    • Start Automatically-Open the receiving port and initialize the livestream when the connection is configured and the video layer is created. Use this option if the livestream is available when the configuration and live layer are made. The receiving communications port on the server opens immediately.
  8. For Stop Stream Options, choose how to stop the livestream.
    • Stop On Request-Stop the livestream receiver whenever needed. This option provides the most control over when livestreaming ports are active and listening.
    • Stop Automatically-Stop the livestream connection and close the port when ArcGIS Video Server detects that the livestream has ended.
  9. Optionally, provide a Summary that describes the layer..
  10. Optionally, type Tags that describe the layer.

    Separate the terms with commas (for example, Federal land is considered one tag; Federal, land is considered two tags).

  11. Specify whether you want to share the layer across the organization or to specific groups.
  12. Click Create Layer

Once the layer is published, it appears on the Analysis Layers page where it can be opened in the canvas in ArcGIS Excalibur or can be managed where you can start or stop the livestream as well as delete the layer.

Publish external video provider layers

To publish an external video provider layer, complete the following steps:

  1. Click Publish Layer from the left navigation menu.
  2. Click External Video Provider in the Video Layer section.
  3. Type an Item Name.
  4. Choose the folder that the new layer will be created in.
  5. Optionally, provide a Summary that describes the layer.
  6. Type Tags that describe the layer.

    Separate each term with commas. For example, federal land is considered one tag, and federal, land is considered two tags.

  7. Specify to share the layer to the organization or to specific groups.
  8. Click Next.
  9. Select the type of external video source being published:
    • On Demand Video Link—A direct URL to an accessible video resource such as an mp4 or m3u8 file.
    • Livestream Video Feed—A direct URL to an accessible HLS video source such as a traffic or security camera or other live source that is streamed using the HS protocol.
  10. Type the URL for the Video Source you have selected. These should be URls linked to m3u8 or mp4 files, or if a Livestream Video Feed is selected it must be using the HLS protocol.
  11. Click Next.

    A small portion at the beginning of the video will be analyzed to determine the source resolution, format, and available metadata.

  12. Configure the video service name. The service name can be different than the portal item name for this layer. Service names cannot contain spaces and/or invalid characters.
  13. View the Source Video Information which will provide the analyzed results of the first portion of the video. This will display which telemetry information is available and the source resolution of the video.

    It is important to note that only a small portion of the beginning of the video is being analyzed. This may return unknown or incorrect results such as unknown source resolution or noe metadata identified.

  14. Type a name for the service which will be published on Video Server. This does not have to match the initial name given to the layer.
  15. Optionally, configure Layer Location Details. This will provide the initial startup extent and camera location and heading.
    • Initial Map Extent—Pan and zoom or use search to go to a specific location of intereste to define the initial extent of the video. This will be the starting extent of the map when the web map loads and will remain at this location if the video does not contain any additional metadata.
    • Sensor Position—Select a coordinate format and type or paste the coordinate of the sensor location if known. Additionally, use Capture Coordinate to click directly on the map to define the sensor location.
    • Heading—Type the heading in degrees, from 0 to 360, where the camera is facing. Where 0 degrees is North, 90 degrees is East, 180 degrees is South, and 270 degrees is West.
    • Field of View—Type the approximate field of view (FOV) in degrees, from 10 to 360. This is the area that can be seen by the camera, and is a value between a narrow (10 degree) FOV and a wide (360) FOV.
  16. Click Save.
  17. Click Next Step.
  18. View a summary of your choices prior to publishing.

    Optionally, click Back to make any changes.

  19. Click Create Layer.
  20. Click Connect to Canvas once the video layer is published to work with the layer in the ArcGIS Excalibur canvas.