ADENA Hack: How to enable and use the FBVLC preview plugin in AREC Stations.

All current AREC stations offer a preview method that is supported by modern browsers. Some stations rely on WebRTC, whereas others use a technology that shows the recording and streaming layout. As we described in the previous ADENA Hack, there are certain advantages and disadvantages to each preview method, and that is why an alternative preview plugin called FBVLC is available. In this post, we will describe in detail how to install and start using this plugin in Edge and Chrome browsers.

To begin with, you can download FBVLC directly from our website www.a-dena.com → “Firmware & Resources” page or from the AREC station itself. This plugin requires Internet Explorer (IE) compatibility mode to use it or an extension that allows you to open web pages in this mode.

Enabling IE compatibility mode in Edge

On Edge, IE compatibility mode is enabled by opening “Settings and more” → “Settings” → “Default Browser” and setting “Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode)” to “Allow”. After the browser is restarted, the option to reload in IE mode will appear in the “Settings and more”. You can also enable a button to reload pages in the IE mode by opening “Settings” → “Appearance” → “Toolbar” and clicking “Internet Explorer mode (IE mode)”.

However, as of the moment this article was written, the option to directly reload websites in IE mode is hidden for non-commercial users (for whom access to IE mode is controlled by enterprise policies). Instead, users can add pages that need to be reloaded in IE mode by going to “Settings” → “Default Browser” → “Internet Explorer mode pages” and clicking “Add a page”. Paste the device’s URL and click “Add”. With that done, the next time this URL is opened, it will be in IE mode.

Alternatively, the option to reload a page in IE mode can be unhidden by editing registry keys in Windows PowerShell. This method will work only if you have administrator permissions on the computer, and is not recommended for inexperienced users.

To unhide the mode, run Windows PowerShell as administrator. Copy, paste, and execute the following line:

New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" -Force

Then do the same for the following line:

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" -Name "InternetExplorerIntegrationLevel" -Value 1

PowerShell can be closed after this, and the option to restart pages in the IE mode will appear once the browser is restarted.

Enabling IE compatibility in Chrome

IE compatibility in Chrome is achieved through extensions downloadable from the Chrome Web Store. For the purpose of this guide, we will focus on one such extension – IE Tab. To download it, open the “Extensions” page in Chrome by entering chrome://extensions/ in the address bar or click “Extensions” → “Manage Extensions” → “Chrome Web Store”. Search for IE Tab, add it and open it. This will open a page with IE Tab installation steps and automatically download an .exe that is necessary for this extension to work. Run this .exe to finish IE Tab installation.

At this point, IE Tab is installed and ready to use. Enter any URL, click “Extensions” → “IE Tab” and the page will reload in IE compatibility mode.

FBVLC turns on automatically when a window with a preview function is opened. It works for individual source preview in the Administrator page, as well as mixed video and individual source preview in the Online Director.

If you would like to know more about how to enable or use other functions of AREC devices, don’t hesitate to contact us at www.a-dena.com or info@a-dena.com, and we will be happy to help you.