Pearl Nano's front panel control interface
The front screen and control key interface on Pearl Nano have many functions, including confidence monitoring, starting and stopping recording and streaming, configuring settings using the front screen menu, loading configuration presets, viewing system information, and more.
About the front screen and control key interface
Pearl Nano's front screen and control key interface has multiple uses, including confidence monitoring, basic configuration, diagnostics, plus quick access streaming and recording control.
When you power on , the Channel view displays the Auto channel by default. In this example, the auto channel shows a video source that is connected. Dashes in the footer indicate there is no record medium installed yet (i.e. no SD card or SATA M.2 SSD installed) and no streams are configured for the channel. Otherwise, the record and stream timers would appear at the bottom of the screen.
If no video sources are connected or your sources aren't sending a signal, the Channel view shows the no signal image.
You can use the control keys to change views on the front screen and navigate the front screen menu. Pressing the check mark key selects a highlighted menu option.
The Record and Stream control keys on the front panel are used to start and stop recording or streaming, respectively. Their color and brightness change under different conditions.
Table 7 Front panel record and stream control key conditions
| Icon | Description |
|---|---|
| Record control key used to stop and start recording the channel. Glows solid white when an SD card (or SATA M.2 SSD) is installed and formatted. Glows solid red when the channel is actively recording. Flashes red on/off if there is an error while recording. Solid off (white) when no storage medium is installed and formatted, or when Pearl Nano is powered off. | |
| Stream control key used to stop and start streaming the channel. Glows solid white when a stream is configured for the channel. Glows solid blue when the channel is actively streaming. Flashes blue on/off if there is an error while streaming. Solid off (white) when no stream is configured for the channel or when Pearl Nano is powered off. |
A default No Signal screen appears if no video sources are connect to Pearl Nano for the Auto channel to pick up. The No Signal screen also appears if the channel's layout does not include the video source when the Auto channel has been renamed and is no longer functioning as an automatic channel.
By default, full access to the front screen and control interface is enabled. To control access to the front screen and control interface, you can set a PIN using the Admin panel. When a PIN is set, the front panel controls are locked. Users must unlock the screen to access the different views on the front screen and to start/stop streaming or recording using the Record and Stream control keys.
A virtual keyboard for entering the PIN appears on the front screen; however, you can connect an external USB keyboard if Pearl Nano is configured to allow that.
The front screen Channel view
After you power on the Pearl Nano, the Channel view displays automatically.
You can hide the header and footer bars on the Channel view by pressing the check mark key. Press the check mark key again to show the header and footer bars.
Table 8 Parts of the front screen for the Channel view
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Channel resolution and frame rate. |
| 2 | Channel name. |
| 3 | Preview of the channel video source used for confidence monitoring. If no video source is connected or there is no video signal, the default No Signal screen displays. |
| 4 | Recording indicator and timer. The recording timer shows the length of time that recording has been in progress. If dashes appear in place of the timer, there is no SD card or SATA M.2 SSD installed and formatted. |
| 5 | Streaming indicator and timer. The streaming timer shows the length of time that streaming has been in progress. If dashes appear in place of the timer, there are no streams configured for the channel. |
| 6 | Audio VU meter using quasi-peak ballistics with samples averaged every 10 ms. The maximum average audio level in each 100 ms period is displayed using colored bars. RED = 0 to -9 dBFS Yellow = -9 to -18 dBFS Green = -18 dBFS and lower |
The front screen menu and control keys
The front screen menu lets you view Pearl Nano settings and do basic configuration, like setting a static IP address and choosing which video source appears on the HDMI OUT port. The control key interface on the front panel lets you change views on the front screen and navigate the front screen menu.
Pressing the left arrow key is mentioned throughout the user guide, but you could use either key to navigate.
Pressing the check mark key selects a highlighted option. In this example, pressing the check mark key while Channel is highlighted on the Menu screen opens the Channel screen. The small arrow head at the end of a row indicates more options.
The check mark key also toggles a switch on and off.
Darkened rows are not selectable and the fields are read only. In the example DHCP enabled screen, the IP address, Network mask, and Network gateway are all read only fields.
There are many functions you can perform using the front screen menu, like temporarily dimming the front screen and control keys when you select System > Controls > Front screen. Just press any key on the front panel of Pearl Nano to restore the screen and key luminance.
Record and stream using the control keys
Simply press the Record control key on Pearl Nano's front panel to easily start and stop recording a channel. The Record control key glows solid red and the recording timer on the Channel view increments while recording is in progress. When you're done, press the Record control key again to stop recording.
A formatted SD card (or SATA M.2 2280 SSD) must be installed and formatted before you can record video. If no record medium is available, dashes display in place of the recording timer and the Record control key does not light.
To start and stop streaming, simply press the Stream control key on Pearl Nano's front panel to easily start and stop streaming a channel. The Stream control key glows solid blue and the streaming timer on the Channel view increments while streaming is in progress. When you're done, press the Stream control key again to stop streaming. If multiple streams are configured for the channel, pressing the Stream control key starts and stops all streams at the same time.
A stream must already be configured for the channel. If no stream is configured, dashes display in place of the streaming timer and the Stream control key does not light.
Pearl Nano also features One Touch control, which lets you start/stop streaming and recording at the same time with the touch of a button.
Dim the front screen and control interface
You can temporarily dim the front screen and control keys using the front screen menu. Just press any key on the front panel of Pearl Nano to restore the screen and key luminance. Alternatively, you could set an inactivity timeout and automatically dim the screen and control keys using the Admin panel.
Dim the front screen and control interface using the front screen menu
- Press the left arrow key repeatedly on the control key interface until the Menu screen displays.
- Use the arrow and check mark keys to select System. Then from the System screen, select Controls to open the Controls screen.
- From the Controls screen, press the check mark key to select Front screen.
- Press the check mark key to Turn off front screen or press the left arrow key to return to the previous screen without dimming the front screen and control key interface.
Set the Pearl Nano screen timeout
Initially, the Pearl Nano screen is always on for easy monitoring. However, you can set the screen to shut off after a given amount of time. To re-enable the screen after it times out and shuts off:
- Press any key on the front panel of Pearl Nano.
Set the screen timeout using the Admin panel
Log in to the Admin panel as admin.
From the Configuration menu, select Touch Screen (Front Screen for Pearl Nano). The Touch screen/Front screen configuration page opens.
Enter the number of seconds before the screen automatically shuts off in the Timeout field. A value of 0 keeps the screen on at all times when the system is on.
Click Apply.
Set a PIN security code
You can set a PIN code to protect the Pearl Nano screen from unauthorized access. By default, the PIN is not set.
If a PIN is configured, users are prompted to enter the PIN code whenever:
You power on or restart the Pearl Nano.
The Pearl Nano recovers from display timeout mode.
If you set a PIN when the start screen is in locked mode, a lock appears in the top right of the start screen. You must enter the PIN to unlock the start screen, access other screens, and use the Record and Stream Control keys to start and/or stop recording or streaming. When you return to the Single Touch control or CMS start screen, the Pearl Nano automatically locks itself and you must re-enter the PIN to unlock the screen.
If no PIN is set when the start screen is in locked mode, you can access the configured start screen right away. Anyone can quickly start/stop streaming and recording if the Single Touch control start screen is configured, or start/stop an event if the start screen is configured for Content Management System (CMS). However, no other screens are accessible using the Pearl Nano screen.
Set a device screen PIN security code using the Admin panel
Log in to the Admin panel as admin.
From the Configuration menu, select Touch Screen (Front screen for Pearl Nano) . The Touch screen/Front screen configuration page opens.
Enter a 4 to 12-digit PIN code in the PIN field, then click Apply. The Pearl Nano can only accept 4 digits.
Record the PIN code in a safe location for future reference. You need this PIN to access the Pearl Nano screen.
Set a Reset PIN security code
You can set a Reset PIN code to protect the Pearl Nano from unauthorized use of the front screen menu to apply the built-in configuration presets, such as the Default Configuration preset, or to perform a factory reset. By default, the Reset PIN is not set.
If a Reset PIN is configured, users are prompted to enter the PIN code whenever:
You want to use the front screen menu to apply the Default Configuration preset.
You want to use the front screen menu to perform a factory reset.
Set a Reset PIN security code using the Admin panel
Log in to the Admin panel as admin.
From the Configuration menu, select Touch Screen (Front screen for Pearl Nano). The Touch screen/Front screen configuration page opens.
Enter a PIN code in the Reset PIN field, then click Apply. The Pearl Nano can only accept 4 digits.
Record the PIN code in a safe location for future reference. You need this PIN to apply the built-in configuration presets or perform a factory reset using the front screen menu.
For the full factory reset procedure, see "Perform a factory reset" in the Pearl Family shared guide.
One Touch streaming and recording control
You can easily control both streaming and recording with the press of a single button on the front panel of Pearl Nano.
About One Touch streaming and recording
The One Touch feature lets you control both streaming and recording at the same time with the press of a single button. Once enabled, simply press either the Stream control key or the Record control key on the front panel of Pearl Nano to start/stop streaming and recording the channel.
The Record control key glows solid white when an SD card (or SATA M.2 2280 SSD) is installed and the Stream control key glows solid white if there are streams configured for the channel.
The colors of the control keys change when the channel is actively streaming and recording. A flashing control key means there's a problem with the settings for that particular function and the stream (or the recording) did not start.
You can enable and disable One Touch control using the Admin panel when you select Configuration > Front screen or using the front screen menu when you select System > Controls.
The following table describes the One Touch control state changes when you press the Record and Stream buttons on the front panel of Pearl Nano.
Table 9 Button control when One Touch streaming and recording is enabled
| Condition | Button action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming and recording are Off. | Press Stream or Record. | Streaming and recording starts. |
| Streaming and recording are On. | Press Stream or Record. | Streaming and recording stops. |
| Streaming is started using the Admin panel and recording is Off. | Press Stream. | Streaming stops. |
| Streaming is started using the Admin panel and recording is Off. | Press Record. | Recording starts and streaming continues. |
| Recording is started using the Admin panel and streaming is Off. | Press Stream. | Streaming starts and recording continues. |
| Recording is started using the Admin panel and streaming is Off. | Press Record. | Recording stops. |
| While streaming and recording are On, stop recording using the Admin panel. | Press Record. | Recording restarts and streaming continues. |
| While streaming and recording are On, stop streaming using the Admin panel. | Press Record. | Recording stops (the stream remains stopped) |
| While streaming and recording are On, stop streaming using the Admin panel. | Press Stream. | Streaming restarts and recording continues. |
A storage medium must be installed in Pearl Nano before you can record any content using One Touch control and streaming destinations must already be configured for the channel.
Enable One Touch control
One Touch streaming and recording control is disabled by default. You can enable and disable One Touch control using the Admin panel or from the front screen menu on Pearl Nano.
**Enable or disable One Touch control using the Admin panel **
Log in to the Admin panel as admin.
From the Configuration menu, select Front screen. The Front screen configuration page opens.
Check One Touch control and click Apply.
Enable One Touch control using the front screen menu
Press the left arrow key repeatedly on the control key interface until the Menu screen displays.
Use the arrow and check mark keys to select System. Then from the System screen, select Controls to open the Controls screen.
From the Controls screen, use the arrow keys to highlight One Touch control and press the check mark key to toggle the switch on or off.