Groups of Channels in IP-TV
Description of the Situation
The SmartPlayer development team continuously improves the platform's functionality. This time, the IP-TV functionality has been expanded. Users can now create channel groups and assign them to devices through device settings in the personal account.
Procedure
First, the user must register or log in to the SmartPlayer personal account.
Next, the user must scroll through the list of sections on the left until they find the line IP Television (IPTV) and click it.
After clicking, the main page of the section containing the list of channels will open.
Four buttons will be available at the top of the screen. The user must select the Groups button and click it. After clicking, another page for managing channel groups will open, where groups can be created, edited, searched, and deleted.
Page Structure
The channel groups page can be divided into two areas:
- search and selection of groups;
- functional elements for working with channel groups (editing, creation, and configuration).
Searching and Selecting Groups
In the search field, the user can enter the name of a channel group to find it in the list.
To the right of the search field, there is also a button that allows users to select all groups or clear the selection from all groups.
After selecting groups, the user can delete them using the trash bin icon. This icon is active only when channel groups are selected.
Functionality for Working with Channel Groups
The following functionality is available for managing channel groups:
- Create a group using the + icon.
- View where the channel group is used.
- Edit a group using the pencil icon.
- Delete a group using the trash bin icon.
Creating a Channel Group
After clicking the + icon, a modal window opens where the user must:
- specify the group name in the corresponding field;
- click the Select Channels button and add the required channels to the group (select them, move them using the → icon, and click the Apply button);
- use the table displaying the number of added channels, where individual channels can be enabled or disabled.
To create the group, click the Create button at the bottom of the modal window.
Editing a Channel Group
When editing a channel group, a modal window opens where the user can change:
- the group name;
- enable or disable channel playback within the group.
After completing the editing process, the user must click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the modal window.
Channel Groups Table
The resulting channel groups table contains the following elements:
- a checkbox for selecting a group;
- display of the channel group name;
- number of added channels (numeric value);
- information about group usage (the View button allows opening the broadcast using the channel group).
Deleting a Channel Group Assigned to a Device
Configuring a Device to Use a Channel Group
To use channel groups on a device, the user must navigate to the Devices section of the personal account and select the required device.
After selecting the device, the device control panel will open on the right. In this panel, find the Settings line and click it.
A settings page divided into tabs will open. The required tab is IP Television.
By default, the IP Television mode is disabled. After enabling it, several additional configurable parameters become available:
- changing the volume level using the remote control in IP Television mode;
- channel display type (select the Channel Groups option);
- the Add Group button (available only when the Channel Groups display type is selected).
After clicking the Add Group button, a modal window opens where the user must select one of the previously created channel groups by checking the corresponding box and clicking the Apply button to save the settings. The added group will be displayed in the table named Assigned Groups List.
To complete the device configuration, the user must click the Save Changes button at the bottom left of the screen.
Channel Management
Channel management in IP Television mode can be performed through the device control panel. To do this, locate the special television-shaped icon next to the volume control icon.
After clicking the icon, a modal window will open containing the available channels. The user can click a channel to switch to it. After switching channels, the modal window can be closed using the Close button.
Functional Details and Nuances
Below is a list of non-obvious behaviors when working with this functionality:
- If an empty group without channels is assigned to a device, or if all channels in the group are disabled, a notification will appear on the device screen warning that no channels are available.
- If one of the channels is disabled during playback, the system will automatically switch to another channel available for playback.
- If the last or only currently playing channel in the group is disabled, a notification will appear on the device screen: No playable channels available.
- If a channel group is modified during playback, the current channel will continue playing until a channel switch occurs. This is due to the specifics of the functionality and its interaction with the SmartPlayer server application.
- The IPTV mode must be enabled in the device settings; otherwise, the functionality will not work.
Useful Information
While configuring this functionality, users will encounter other SmartPlayer platform features. To better understand the related functionality, it is recommended to review the following SmartPlayer knowledge base articles:
Video Tutorial
Additional Information
If this article does not help you use the functionality as intended or if you still have questions after reading it, you can ask them in the Discussions section at the top of the page.
Additional information can also be found on the page Как взаимодействовать пользователю с разделом "Обсуждения".
