Video Preview Issues

If video preview isn’t appearing in the Birch interface, or streams are dropping, work through these steps.

No video preview available

Check that services are running

Open the admin panel and verify all services show as running in the System section. If any services are stopped, restart them.

Verify video sources are connected

Preview requires an active video signal from your source equipment. Confirm that:

• The source device is powered on and producing video
• The video connection to the appliance is active

Try a different browser

Video preview requires a modern browser. If preview isn’t working in your current browser, try Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.

Preview shows a black image

• Verify the source signal is active — a black image may indicate the source device is on but not producing a signal.
• Check the video connection between the source and the appliance.

Preview works locally but not remotely

When accessing Birch through the cloud (not on the local network), video preview is relayed through the cloud infrastructure.

If preview works when connected to the local network but not when accessing remotely:

• This is typically a cloud relay configuration issue. Contact support for assistance.
• Some corporate firewalls may block the video relay traffic. Check with your IT department if you’re on a restricted network.

Tip

If preview works locally, the appliance and video source are configured correctly. Remote preview issues are almost always related to the network path between your browser and the cloud.

Choppy or high-latency preview

• Remote access — Some additional latency is expected when viewing preview through the cloud compared to local access.
• Network bandwidth — Preview streams require sufficient bandwidth. High-resolution sources may need several Mbps per stream.
• Multiple viewers — Many simultaneous viewers increase the load on the appliance. Reduce the number of active preview streams if performance is an issue.