iCOMPEL V9.0.3 Set up vibrant, real-time digital displays easily and affordably. All-in-one, plug-and-display unit works right out of the box. V9.0.
iCOMPEL Federal Communications Commission and Industry Canada Radio Frequency Interference Statements This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio-frequency energy, and if not installed and usedproperly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause inter-ference to radio communication.
NOM Statement Instrucciones de Seguridad (Normas Oficiales Mexicanas Electrical Safety Statement) 1. Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser leídas antes de que el aparato eléctrico sea operado. 2. Las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser guardadas para referencia futura. 3. Todas las advertencias en el aparato eléctrico y en sus instrucciones de operación deben ser respetadas. 4. Todas las instrucciones de operación y uso deben ser seguidas. 5.
Trademarks Used in this Manual Black Box and the Double Diamond logo are registered trademarks of BB Technologies, Inc. Any other trademarks mentioned in this manual are acknowledged to be the property of the trademark owners. All rights reserved. No parts of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems - without the written permission of the publisher.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Glossary Table of Contents 1. Welcome to......................................................................................................................................................10 Black Box Digital Signage 1.1 1.2 1.3 2. Terms you need................................................................................................................................... to know 10 Logging on ...........................................................
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 3.2.7 3.2.8 3.2.9 Understanding Media Types HTML web pages................................................................................................................... 52 Adobe Flash ................................................................................................................... 53 Folder Play ................................................................................................................... 53 - Folder Play...........
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 6. Ad hoc Content Enhanced Ad hoc ................................................................................................................................... Access Control 85 5.1.1 Remote Keypad Control ................................................................................................................... 88 Additional Ad hoc ...................................................................
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 9.4 Setup 9.3.2 Screen ................................................................................................................... 9.3.3 Players ................................................................................................................... 9.3.4 RS-232 Outputs................................................................................................................... 9.3.5 Interactivity ......................................
Part I Welcome to Black Box Digital Signage
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 1. Welcome to Black Box Digital Signage Welcome to the iCOMPEL user guide. There is plenty of information here to help you get started using your iCOMPEL. You can browse through the Table of Contents or the PDF bookmarks, use the Index at the end of the guide, or use the Adobe Reader search facility to find any term.
Welcome to Black Box Digital Signage Layout C runs at all other times, throughout the week More about Schedules... 19 Layout A Layout is the arrangement of all the different display areas (Zones) that are displayed together. Your Layout may include video in one Zone, scrolling text in another, a sequence of still images in a third Zone and full-screen zone behind the others showing your background image.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) iCOMPEL Channels You can set up multiple iCOMPEL players to display the same Layouts in a Channel. A Channel has one Publisher iCOMPEL, where Layouts are designed, and one or more Subscriber iCOMPEL players which simply display the Layouts from the Publisher. The Schedule for the Publisher iCOMPEL is then the Schedule for all the iCOMPEL that subscribe to the Channel. You can even configure a number of Channels into a Digital Signage Network.
Welcome to Black Box Digital Signage Layout Thum bnail view Layout icons view This shows you the arrangement of Zones in the Layout. Each Zone is represented by a different rectangle, and the colors indicate the Media players enabled for the Zone. Clicking a Zone takes you directly to the playlist editor for the selected zone in the Layout. Layout icons view The Menu bar can be used to access the playlist for all the other Layouts.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Action buttons You can perform common actions with Action buttons. Exam ple of Action buttons These actions include Audition (preview), Delete, Rename, Copy and Edit (usually edit properties) Items that show the Reorder icon example. can be dragged around to change their location - to reorder items in a playlist, for Command buttons Some general commands also use buttons that are common across many pages of the iCOMPEL interface.
Welcome to Black Box Digital Signage Once you drop the files, you'll see a green upload progress bar as the file is uploaded to the iCOMPEL . Files that are uploaded quickly such as small images may not display a progress bar. Files are uploaded to a folder based on the current Layout and Zone name. For example if you upload a file 'trees.jpg' to a layout 'Bears' into a Zone named 'Images' then the file will be stored as media/Bears/Images/trees.jpg.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Files and Folders The other place to drop files is in the Files & Folders tab within the iCOMPEL. This includes: The Files & Folders page found under the Media menu. The Files & Folders tab found on the Zone Edit page. Ad hoc users can also drag files into their Media Folder page. Dragging onto a Files & Folders tab works similarly to dragging into playlists.
Welcome to Black Box Digital Signage Supported Browsers Dragging and dropping is a new feature that requires features that are new to more modern browsers. Operating System Windows (any) Mac OS X Supported Browsers & Minimum Versions Mozilla Firefox 6.0.2, Google Chrome 14 Mozilla Firefox 3.6.19, Google Chrome 14.0, Apple Safari 5.0.6 Linux Firefox 6.0.2 This table assumes you have the latest browser version. Opera and current versions of Internet Explorer do not support this feature yet.
Part II Creating Digital Signage
Creating Digital Signage 2. Creating Digital Signage This section describes how to create your digital signs. If you are new to the iCOMPEL see Terms you need to know before you begin. 10 The details in this section apply equally to creating content for a stand-alone iCOMPEL and for creating content for a channel publisher 111 .
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) You can use the Copy button to copy a Schedule, and the Delete button Schedule. Deleting a Schedule does not delete any associated Layouts. to permanently delete a You can view and modify the Schedule contents by clicking the Edit button . You can change the name of a Schedule on the Properties tab. Each Layout change in a Schedule is defined by a Schedule Entry. 2.1.
Creating Digital Signage 2.1.2 Schedule entries A Schedule Entry is a set of one or more actions for the iCOMPEL to perform at specified times. The actions that a Schedule Entry can specify are displaying a Layout, switching a Screen on or off, switching Audio on or off, or performing an Advance To command. Schedule Entries repeat over a weekly cycle. A program of Schedule Entries make up a Schedule.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Details of second Schedule Entry In the third Schedule Entry, the screen is on and a different Layout is shown every hour for 10 minutes. Details of third Schedule Entry Schedule Entry settings You can define the following settings for a Schedule Entry: Period Defines the time window during which the specified Actions 23 are to be applied. The time window starts at From time and ends at the Until time, and is applied on the specified days of the week.
Creating Digital Signage Repeat Use this option to restrict the Schedule Entry to a repeating time window within the overall Period. The minimum Repeat For duration is 30 seconds. Repeat Every must be at least 30 seconds more than the Repeat For setting. To set up a repeating Schedule of, for example, three Layouts lasting 10 minutes each, you would give the Layouts start times 10 minutes apart, repeat intervals of 30 minutes, and durations of 10 minutes each.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Changing the Layout in a Schedule Entry To change the Layout in a Schedule Entry follow these steps: 1. Either: select Schedules, then Manage Schedules, and click Edit for the Schedule you want to work with. or select Schedules, then the name of the Schedule you want to work with. 2. Click Edit for the Schedule Entry you wish to change. 3.
Creating Digital Signage 2.2 Using Layouts A Layout is an arrangement of various different display areas, called Zones 27 , that are displayed together. Your Layout may include video in one Zone, scrolling text in another Zone, and a sequence of still images in a third Zone. You may also have a Zone that is the same size as the Layout that contains a background image, on which all the other Zones are superimposed.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 2.2.2 Adding a new Layout To add a new Layout, follow these steps 1. From the menu bar, select Layouts, then Manage Layouts. 2. To add a new Layout, click the Add Layout tab. 3. Type in a name for the new Layout and click Add. 4. Scroll to your new Layout in the Layouts list and click Edit. 5. Use the graphical Layout editor (GLE) 28 to add one or more Zones and to set the properties for each Zone.
Creating Digital Signage 3. In the Select Action pop-up dialog, click Edit Layout. 4. Click the Layout Properties tab, which allows you to: enter a description for the Layout. enable this Layout's Ad hoc Page enable plasma screen mitigation add a Soundtrack 27 79 for the Layout to the Layout 5. Click the Interaction tab to set touch screen interaction properties 74 . 6. Click Save all changes to make your changes permanent. See also Editing a Zone's properties 2.2.4.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 2.3.1 The Layout editor You can create and manage the Zones in a Layout directly using the graphical Layout editor. From the menu bar, select Layouts, then click the Layout you want to edit. Then select the Zones tab The Zones tab on the Layouts page is a graphical editor that you can use to adjust the position and size of each Zone in the Zones Tab directly, using your mouse.
Creating Digital Signage Zones in this editor are displayed with a slight transparency e.g. to aid in aligning with background images. The opacity of a Zone on this page is no indication of how it will appear on screen when being played. Saving your layout Your changes to the layout are not saved until you press the save button. Here you have two choices: Pressing the Save button reveals the Save options Save Layout - Simply saves the current layout.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 2.3.2 Editing a Zone To edit a Zone's properties, select it, then press the Zone Properties button. You can either simply click on a Zone to select it or use the Select Zone dropdown to select a Zone. Select Zone Select Zone list Clicking on the Select Zone button will show a list of zones in the current layout. The currently selected zone is highlighted. The Edit button will select a zone and close the select zone panel.
Creating Digital Signage 2.3.3 Editing a Zone's properties A Zone's properties consist of: The Zone name The media types it plays Zone size and position Other assorted properties When you've selected a Zone within the layout editor, pressing the Zone Properties button will show a popup dialog that will allow you to set the properties of the selected Zone: The Zone properties Dialog box You can move the dialog around the screen by dragging it by its title bar.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Size & Position Tab Position The position values are expressed in Pixels or in Percentages, and all measurements are taken from the top edge or the left edge of the screen. Remember that if you use Pixels for positioning, the Zone may appear in a different position on two screens with different resolutions. Size Size values are given in Pixels or Percentages. If you enter a value with its units, such as 225px, the unit type is adjusted automatically.
Creating Digital Signage Image If the Zone is set to show images, then the first image item in the playlist can be shown in the Zone instead of the standard colored area. This is useful e.g. to preview background images and align other Zones to them. This option will not be available if this zone does not play images or has no images. Design Visibility This check box defines whether the Zone is shown in the Layout Icon views Zones.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) The Playlist page The Playlist page is divided into a number of tabs: Playlist - lists the media items that make up the Playlist. Files & Folders - for navigating between folders, moving files between folders, and adding files to the Playlist. Upload Files - for copying files to the iCOMPEL, and creating new folders. Specials - for adding Special items to the Playlist, that include all items other than files and folders.
Creating Digital Signage Defaults You can use this tab to define the default media item properties for each Media type this Zone or Soundtrack supports. The default properties are used when the media item is first added to a Playlist, and you can change them as needed for each item. See Edit Playlist item properties 60 for more information. NOTE: Changing the default properties does not affect media items already added to a Playlist. 2.4.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 2.4.3 Adding folders to a playlist If you add a Folder to a Playlist, the iCOMPEL treats the Folder as an item in the Playlist. You can define the way the items inside the Folder are displayed, see Folder Play 53 for more details. Before you can add a Folder to a Playlist, make sure that it contains the media items you want to use. See Using Files and Folders 46 to learn about uploading and managing media item files.
Creating Digital Signage Previewing in the web browser In normal operation the iCOMPEL outputs to a signage display. It is often the case that the player is managed from a desktop away from the display. The iCOMPEL allows you to take a snapshot of your new content to view at your desktop without having to activate and fully deploy the new content. To choose your web browser to preview the new content, follow these steps: 1. Select Help from the menu bar, and then UI Options 2.
Part III Understanding Media Types
Understanding Media Types 3. Understanding Media Types You can use various types of digital content with your iCOMPEL. Media players Content is often referred to as Media.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Stationary text can be shown for a fixed period of time, or shown indefinitely. If text is scrolling, you must set the speed at which it moves across the screen. You cannot set a fixed time limit for scrolling text. Text can have a transparent background, but the text must be static unless it is being shown over a video Zone. This option is not available on all models of iCOMPEL.
Understanding Media Types 3. Copy the web address for the news feed from the Address bar in the browser. 4. On the iCOMPEL, select Media, then Newsfeeds from the menu bar to open the Newsfeeds page, and select the Add Newsfeed tab. 5. Enter a logical name for the feed (for example UK Sport Headlines), and then paste the news feeds' web address you copied earlier. 6. Click Add. 7.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 3.1.3 Clocks Player Type Text You can display a digital clock, showing the date and time in any one of a variety of formats, in any Zone that supports Text. Earlier versions of the iCOMPEL supported clocks in HTML Zones. If you already have HTML clocks in your Layout you can continue to use them. Adding a Clock to a Playlist To add a clock to a Playlist, follow the steps for adding Special items to a Playlist on the Playlist. 35 .
Understanding Media Types Tables page Select Media, then Tables from the menu bar to open the Tables page. To view or modify Table properties, click the Edit button the data values in the Table cells (through the Table Values Styles 44 ) page. To rename an existing Table, click the rename button To copy a Table, click the Copy button 44 . The only properties of a Table that can be changed are tab), and the formatting of the Table cells (through the Table and type in a new name. and type in a new name.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Override with Integer between 'lower limit' and 'upper limit' - The cell value is restricted to integers between the lower limit and upper limit (both inclusive). Only shown if the User Interface Policy is set to Detailed. Override with text of maximum length 'maximum length' - The cell value is restricted to the maximum length. Only shown if the User Interface Policy is set to Detailed.
Understanding Media Types Vertical Alignment: Allows the text to be positioned to the top, center or bottom of the cell Whitespace Handling Determines how spaces, tabs and new lines (collectively termed white space) are displayed. The default is Display multiple spaces as single space and multiple new lines as single new line, which will effectively ignore any white space in the cell value. To display the text with white space as entered, select the Display spaces and new lines as entered option.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 5. In the Playlist, use the arrows to adjust the position of the RS-232 item in the Playlist, as necessary. 6. Click Edit to adjust the interaction properties 74 if required. 3.2 Media run from disk Some types of media are run from files on the iCOMPEL disk.
Understanding Media Types File operations The following operations are supported for files: Delete the file. Move or rename Copy the file. the file. 3.2.1.2 Uploading content files There are different methods available for adding content files to the iCOMPEL: using the File Manager page using the Files and Folders pages of a Playlist using FTP 47 (file transfer protocol) Uploading files using the File Manager The Upload Files tab allows you to: Upload new media files to the current folder.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 1. Open two copies of Windows Explorer, or an equivalent file manager program on your PC. 2. In the first copy of Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder with the content you want to upload to the iCOMPEL. 3. In the second copy of Windows Explorer, type ftp:// followed by the IP address of your iCOMPEL, for example ftp://192.168.0.254 More on finding the IP address of your signage player... 128 4. When prompted, enter your usual iCOMPEL username and password.
Understanding Media Types Player Type Movie Supported formats Notes MPEG-1 Good performance but poor resolution. MPEG-2 Best combination of performance and resolution but large file size. MPEG-4 Small file size but high processing load. May slow down some models. AVI Best image quality but extremely high processing load. May overload some models. QuickTime (.MOV) Apple Mac format. Can have very high processing load. May overload some models. VOB Same as MPEG-2.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 3.2.4 Images and photos Player Type Image Supported formats Notes PNG Recommended. Good quality, supports transparency. JPG Recommended. Edges can blur, does not look good when shown on a large screen GIF Can look very grainy, only supports 256 colors but does support transparency BMP Large file size but no loss of quality. Notes Large images may take several seconds to appear and may slow down the performance of the iCOMPEL.
Understanding Media Types Adding Audio to a Layout Before you can add an audio file to a Layout you must upload it to the iCOMPEL. See Uploading content files details of how to do this. Audio files can only be added to Layouts which have Soundtracks. See the adding a Soundtrack to a layout more details. 47 27 for topic for Edit the Playlist for a Soundtrack To edit the Playlist for a Soundtrack, follow these steps 1. From the menu bar, select Layouts, then Manage Layouts. 2.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Flash animation - supports slide transitions and animation effects, but complex and fast animation may appear choppy. Creates a small file Video - best option if high quality, complex animations and transitions are needed, but can create large files Convert to an image slideshow To convert a presentation to an image slideshow follow these steps: 1. In Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2010, select File | Save & Send | Change file type. 2.
Understanding Media Types To add an HTML file to a Playlist, follow the steps for adding Media item files to a Playlist 35 . After you add the HTML file, it appears on the Playlist. Use the Edit button to view and adjust the HTML file properties as necessary. 3.2.8 Adobe Flash Player Type HTML Supported Formats Comments .SWF Version 11 The iCOMPEL uses Adobe Flash Player version 11.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 3. Click the item to display it in your web browser. Some items such as videos may take a considerable time to download and display. Some media items may not be supported on your PC. 3.2.9.
Understanding Media Types Item Synchronization The Item Synchronization 71 option allows one Zone (the Master) to control the media items shown in one or more other Zones (Slave Zones). For further details see Automatic captioning 71 . Specifying Custom Item Duration You can specify a custom duration for any Items played as part of a Folder Play. This can be done by adding the term duration-x just before the file extension, where x is replaced by the duration in seconds. For example: logo-introduration-17.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) TV properties Subtitles Select the check box to display subtitles if they are available. Volume Enter the volume as a percentage of the maximum volume if you have enabled the soundtrack for this Layout. See also: Displaying part of a movie or web page Movie properties 60 Duration properties Opacity 79 64 64 Position and size properties Time validity 64 64 3.3.
Understanding Media Types 3.3.3 Live Video Player type Movie Supported Formats Notes S-Video Composite Video Including: cameras, DVD players, set-top boxes, etc. Requirements iCOMPEL with TV tuner card Before you can use Live video with your iCOMPEL, you must ensure that you are set up correctly. This includes: Either an S-Video or Composite video cable connected to the relevant socket on the iCOMPEL TV Tuner card. A working output device connected to the cable.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Before you can use Multicast Video with your iCOMPEL, you must ensure that you are set up correctly. This includes: An IGMP aware network infrastructure that has allows multicast streaming. A device to stream video onto the network. A network cable connecting the iCOMPEL to the network.
Understanding Media Types To display a web page, your iCOMPEL must have access to the Internet or the network where the web page is hosted. The iCOMPEL displays a web page in an HTML enabled Zone in exactly the same way that a web browser displays a web page. (The iCOMPEL uses a version of the Mozilla Firefox browser to do this.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 3.4 Media item properties There are different Playlist properties for each type of media item. To edit the properties for a Playlist item, click the Edit button alongside the item. Properties that only apply to one type of media content are included in the main topic for that type of content. Properties that are common to several types of media content are described here.
Understanding Media Types Position and Size properties Time validity 64 64 3.4.2 Image properties When you add an image to a Playlist, you can set the following properties: Mode You can set the image display mode to one of these options: Fit to Zone stretches the image size to exactly fit the specified width and height of the Zone. This may distort the image because it changes the image aspect ratio. Letterbox shows the entire image but preserves the original aspect ratio.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) See Colors 68 for more information. Horizontal and vertical alignment You can set the horizontal and vertical alignment properties for text. These Properties are dependent upon the text movement direction. Margins You can set margins (blank space) around the edges of a block of text. The margin values are expressed in pixels, and must be zero or greater.
Understanding Media Types Zoom Enables the Zone to zoom in on the HTML content. Smaller than 100% zooms out (to get the whole web page in a small zone for example) or larger than 100% zoom in, to fill the zone with part of a web page. Page Background Enables the HTML content to have a transparent background, for example to view the content of the zone behind such as a background zone. Note: Adobe Flash hosted in a HTML zone will not play correctly with this option enabled.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) See also: Text properties Opacity 61 64 Position and Size properties Time validity 64 64 3.4.6 Common properties The following properties are common to most or all of the Media items 3.4.6.1 Duration You can set the duration for the display of an item in a Playlist. The options are: display the item indefinitely display the item for a fixed period (in hours, minutes and seconds) 3.4.6.
Understanding Media Types NOTE: This setting is only visible if you have set the User Interface Policy to Detailed or Expert on the UI Options 128 page or if the property has already been enabled for a given item. Adding time validity to a Playlist item Click to set the properties for a Playlist item. Select one of the following options to set time validity for the item: Date Range The date range includes the two dates selected, to select a single day set both dates to the same day.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 3.4.6.6 Ad hoc properties The following properties may apply to directly entered text, Newsfeeds, Radio, TV and Tables that are set to be Customizable or Ad hoc. Item type Click the Save Changes and change Item Type button to save any existing changes to the Item and to navigate to a page where it is possible to change the Item's type.
Understanding Media Types Advance To commands and Rendezvous Points share the same identifying names. As you can place the same Rendezvous point in multiple Playlists for different Zones, one single Advance To command can trigger actions in several different Zones. You can also program other actions on the iCOMPEL, such as GPIO 76 or Touch screen 77 events, to trigger Advance to commands. Rendezvous Point names are not case sensitive.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 3.6 Colors You can set the colors to be used for fonts, backgrounds, and other items on the iCOMPEL using this page. A Color item is defined by a unique name, a color value, and an opacity setting. Color values are expressed as either RGB (Red, Green, Blue) or Hex (Hexadecimal) values. When you change the color value or the opacity value for a Color item, all the visual elements that use the Color item are updated.
Understanding Media Types 2. Enter a distinctive logical name (for example, Corporate Blue) 3. Enter either the RGB values or the Hex value. 4. Click Add. Finding the RGB Values for a Color Here is an easy method for finding the RGB values for a color you want to use on your iCOMPEL. 1. On a Microsoft Windows PC, click Start, then Programs (or All Programs), then Accessories, and select Paint. 2. Open an image that includes the color you want to use. 3.
Part IV Enhancing your displays
Enhancing your displays 4. Enhancing your displays This section describes how to enhance your digital signs. This information applies equally to creating signs for a standalone iCOMPEL, and to creating signs for a channel publisher.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 8. Click the Save Changes button. Setting up the Text Zone for automatic captioning Before you begin this procedure, create a text file with a caption for each video file. The text file must have the same name as the video file. For example, for a video file named Marketing_Highlights_01.mpg you must create a text file named Marketing_Highlights_01.txt with the caption you want to display. To set up a Text Zone for automatic captioning, follow these steps: 1.
Enhancing your displays Creating a Sub-Playlist list To create a sub-playlist loop, follow these steps: 1. Click on a Zone to edit its Playlist. 2. Click on the Specials tab. 3. Type the name of the loop into the Rendezvous Point text box (use as descriptive a name as possible). 4. Click the Add button to add the Rendezvous Point to the Playlist. 5. Add the items that must appear in the sub-playlist in the usual manner.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 4.2 Using Interactivity You can configure the iCOMPEL to respond to inputs from an external source.
Enhancing your displays they may be applied regardless of the screen location touched. It is easier to review Layout interaction behavior since all components are presented on the same web page. Interaction Processing The way the iCOMPEL processes an event depends upon the source of the event, and on which interaction items are currently active. The iCOMPEL processes interactions for Touch Screen events as follows: 1.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 4.2.1 Designing interactive layouts You can design Layouts that respond to user input in various ways. send an Advance To command change the current Layout 66 to play a specific item or start a Playlist 67 change the size and position of a Zone display hidden Zones send a signal to another device using the RS-232 port The following sections offer some general guidance on developing interactive Layouts.
Enhancing your displays Control line Inputs The iCOMPEL RS-232 port has 4 input lines that may be used to take in binary events such as contact closure or signals from other devices. The available lines are: Clear To Send (CTS) Data Carrier Detect (DCD) Data Set Ready (DSR) Ring Indicator (RI) The lines do not affect the operation of the RS-232 Send and Receive strings. 4.2.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) If touch is enabled for a Zone that is displaying an HTML page, touch events are passed to the HTML player for handling. This can allow a user to navigate web pages using links embedded in the displayed HTML page. 4.2.4.1 Layout From the menu bar, select Layouts, and the Layout you want to configure, then select the Interaction tab. On the Interaction tab, you can select the action in response to a touch screen event.
Enhancing your displays NOTE: This section is only shown when Click on Touch is selected. 4.3 Using the RS-232 interface port Most products in the iCOMPEL range have a single RS-232 port presented on a 9 way D type plug. Sending user defined RS-232 strings at specific events or at Playlist positions. The strings must be defined as their byte values expressed as separated hexadecimal nibble pairs. E.g. 3a 3b 3c 0d 0a.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Activating Plasma Burn Mitigation From the menu bar, select the Layout, and then select the Layout Properties tab. For the Plasma Burn Mitigation option, select the Enable Mitigation check box, and then select the scheme and the time interval.
Enhancing your displays Screen background page Use this page to specify an image or color to be shown while the iCOMPEL is transitioning between Layouts. To display a solid color background, select Solid Color and pick a color. To display an image, select Image. You can then use the folder display to select the image file you want to use. You can also define the length of time that the image is displayed for by delaying when the new Layout should be displayed, by using the Layout Activation options.
Part V Ad hoc Content
Ad hoc Content 5. Ad hoc Content Ad hoc allows you to delegate limited responsibility for content, so staff local to the display can control a specified amount of content on their own display. This is particularly useful where several iCOMPEL players share content in a Channel, but need customized content on each. As content designer you retain overall control, but iCOMPEL has the flexibility to deliver locally-specific content at multiple sites, controlled by people at each location.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Delegating Centralized Control Where standard Ad hoc allows you to delegate control of a display by local staff members on site, you can also delegate control of a Digital Signage Network using a Channel. In this case certain items can be designated as Ad hoc from Center .
Ad hoc Content 5.1 Enhanced Ad hoc Access Control Generating Ad hoc content is quick and easy. As a content designer, you can make specific content available for editing by Ad hoc users, as it is created, in most cases simply by clicking a button. Alternatively, you can work with an existing design and allocate content for Ad hoc access as required.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 3. 4. 5. 6. Click the Add Layout tab, insert a layout name and click Add. Locate your new layout in the alphabetical list on the Layouts page, and click Edit. Create the Zones you require and click Save. Select Save all changes and edit Playlist from the drop down menu. Text Items 1. On the Zone Page relating to the Zone you are working with, click the Specials tab and enter the text you wish to be displayed. 2.
Ad hoc Content The first of these is the default, but by clicking the button against the second option, you give Ad hoc users the ability to control which streaming TV channel or radio station is shown on their display. Ad hoc content can be created using either Automatic or Manual modes. Automatic is quick and easy, but gives you greater control and flexibility. See Automatic and Manual Ad hoc Modes above.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 5.1.1 Remote Keypad Control Remote Keypad Buttons For convenience and ease of use, Ad hoc users can control their local iCOMPEL using an infra-red remote keypad. This enables them to change content at the touch of a button instead of having to access the iCOMPEL via their web browser. The remote keypad has the following controls: Volume up and down. Adjusts the master volume level in 10% divisions. Station up and down.
Ad hoc Content 5.2 Additional Ad hoc Additional Ad hoc features allow for greater customization of Layout content. This is particularly useful in a Channel, where a network of iCOMPEL all play the same content. Using Additional Ad hoc, multiple iCOMPEL in a Channel can each show different content, controlled by Ad hoc users locally.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 8. Add the Advance To item that has the same name as the second rendezvous point to the Playlist. This forces the second part of the Playlist to loop continuously. If you want to revert back to the default media item, omit this step. 9. On the Ad hoc Items page, create an Ad hoc Advance To item and select the names of the two rendezvous points you have created. 10. Add these items to an Ad hoc Page. 11.
Ad hoc Content 5.3 Ad hoc from Center This allows Ad hoc changes on a publisher 114 iCOMPEL, to be published to subscribing iCOMPEL when these subscribers poll the publisher for updates. Because it uses Ad hoc to update content, this differs from changing a media item on the publisher and letting the normal subscribe process update content for subscribers. Users do not need to edit a Layout, and only the Ad hoc entry page is visible on the publisher iCOMPEL.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 5.4 Making Ad hoc Changes To make an Ad hoc change: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Log into the iCOMPEL as an Ad hoc user. Click the Ad hoc page you want to edit. Make the changes to the item(s) shown on the page. If the item is currently playing, click Show Now and Save Changes. The change takes effect immediately. If the item is not playing, click Save changes. The prompt warns that changes will not update media currently showing on the screen.
Ad hoc Content 5.5 Managing Ad hoc Items The Ad hoc Items page allows you to create, delete and set properties for Ad hoc items. In the Menu bar, go to Media, and then select Manage Ad hoc Items. To create a new Ad hoc item, select the Add Item tab. Select the item type from the box, and give the item a unique name. See Enhanced Ad hoc Access Control 85 ... To delete an Ad hoc item, click the Delete button . When the delete symbol is not shown, the item is in use and cannot be deleted.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Default text is used until a user makes any changes using a suitable Ad hoc Data Entry page. The default text must be compatible with the selected Ad hoc input mode. Customization Scope Ad hoc items that support Ad hoc From Center display this option. There are two levels of functionality: Local - this denotes that Ad hoc user changes only affect this iCOMPEL.
Ad hoc Content 5.6 Creating Ad hoc User Accounts If you want Ad hoc users to update Ad hoc content on a Subscriber iCOMPEL in a Channel, you must create an Ad hoc user account for them first. If users are responsible for Ad hoc from Center content, you must also create a user account for them on the Publisher iCOMPEL. Creating an Ad hoc User Account 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. From the Menu bar, select Setup, go to System, and select Users. Click on the Add User tab. Enter a username and a password.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 5.7 Ad hoc Pages These are dedicated web interface pages that are available to Ad hoc users when they log on using their web browsers. Ad hoc users do not have access to any other pages in the iCOMPEL user interface, only the Ad hoc pages you create for them. These pages display the text fields that they are allowed to change, or the commands they are allowed to issue.
Ad hoc Content 5.7.1 Managing Ad hoc Pages To view or modify an Ad hoc Page, click on Media on the Menu bar and go to Manage Ad hoc Items in the drop down menu. Then click the Edit button . To delete an Ad hoc Page, follow the same procedure and click the Delete button . To add a new Ad hoc Page, select Media on the home page, then go to Design Pages on the drop down menu, and select Manage Ad Hoc Pages. Click the Add Page tab, give the new page a unique name, and then click Add.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 5.7.2 Editing Ad hoc Pages This page is used to manage the properties and Ad hoc Items on a selected Ad hoc Page. These settings control which Users can view and change Ad hoc Items, and how the page is presented to the User. From the Menu bar, click on Media, and select Design Pages from the drop down menu. Go to Manage Ad hoc Pages and click the Edit box against the page you wish to edit.
Ad hoc Content 5.8 Ad hoc Folder Play As content designer, you can add a Folder to a Playlist and then give Ad hoc users permission to upload their own content into that folder. This capacity for local changes is valuable in many different application areas.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 5.9 Ad hoc Media Folder Designated specifically for Ad hoc users, these are the only media folders Ad hoc users can access. To allow Ad hoc media to be used, you must add it to the Playlist for a Zone, and then enable it for the Ad hoc user. If suitable material is available in the folder, the iCOMPEL plays it in preference to any other. If no suitable media is available, the iCOMPEL plays the content of the default folder for that playlist instead.
Ad hoc Content 5.10 Changing Ad hoc Content Ad hoc users can only make changes to specified items of Ad hoc content that they have been given permission to change. These are presented on Ad hoc pages. To change Ad hoc content: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. In the Menu bar click Home and select Ad hoc Entry from the drop down menu. Select the Ad hoc page for the content you want to change. Make the necessary changes. Click the Show Now and Save Changes button, and then click Activate Schedule and Layouts.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Newsfeed 1. 2. 3. 4. In the Menu bar, click on Media, go to Design Pages, and select Manage Ad hoc Pages. Click on the Edit box next to the relevant page name. Locate the feed that you wish to change by name (there may be more than one). Open the drop down Newsfeed selection list, select one and click Save. If the newsfeed that you want is not on the list, forward a request to the Administrator.
Ad hoc Content After any of the above changes are made, simply close the browser to log out. Advance To (On Demand) With the right permissions in place, Ad hoc Users can be allowed to change display content on demand. This is achieved using Rendezvous Points and Advance To commands. 1. 2. 3. 4. From the Menu bar, go to Media and select Manage Ad hoc Items. From this list, look at the Types column, find the Advance To item you require, and click the Edit box beside it.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 5.11 Ad hoc Theming Ad hoc theming is a way to change how the iCOMPEL user interface appears to an Ad hoc user. It allows you to customize the page header and the text or ticker that appears on the page. This could be used to include a company logo in a page to make it consistent with a brand identity. Or it could be used to provide a translation of pages in a language not already supported on the iCOMPEL.
Ad hoc Content 724-746-5500 | blackbox.com Copyright © 2012 Black Box Network Services. All Rights Reserved.
Part VI Sharing content using Layout Packages
Sharing content using Layout Packages 6. Sharing content using Layout Packages A Layout Package is a single file which contains all the media and control files required to fully install one or more Layouts on another iCOMPEL. Layout Packages can be stored on DVDs, memory sticks or file servers and can also be sent by e-mail. This allows easy distribution of content. Transferring Layouts from one iCOMPEL to another is a three-step process: 1.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Note: There is a 2GB size limit to Layout Packages ZIP files. Because a 40 minute MPEG-2 encoded video film can be 2GB in size, you may need to exclude large video media files before creating your Layout Packages. 6.1.2 Copying a Layout package Copying a Layout Package to the iCOMPEL 1. 2. 3. 4. From the Menu bar, click on Layouts, and then select the Layout Packages tab. Click the Browse...
Sharing content using Layout Packages In some cases, selecting Copy and keep both items may cause additional items to be in conflict. For example, if an Ad hoc Text item is in conflict and is contained in a Layout that exists locally, but is identical, and you choose the Copy but keep both items option, the Ad hoc Text item is renamed. This causes the Layout in the Layout Package to be modified to reference the newly renamed Ad hoc Text item.
Part VII Channels and Signage Networks
Channels and Signage Networks 7. Channels and Signage Networks Channels provide an easy way to display the same content at multiple locations by setting up a Digital Signage Network of iCOMPEL players. A collection of iCOMPEL players that all play the same content on their Screens is known as a Channel. Components of a Channel A Channel has three parts: A Publisher 114 iCOMPEL. The Channel Content Server 113 (CCS).
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) You may be interested in adding Ad hoc content 122 to your Channel - this will let you have content that differs on a per iCOMPEL basis. For example, if you have iCOMPEL players on different sites, you may wish to allow local users to add messages local to them. Or, if you have iCOMPEL players outside a room, you may wish to show the timetable for that room.
Channels and Signage Networks 7.1 Channel Roles In a Channel, we define roles that determine how the iCOMPEL behaves. There are three distinct roles: Role Explanation Stand-alone The iCOMPEL is not part of a Channel, and its content is used for this iCOMPEL only.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) How published Description When would you use this? On the publishing iCOMPEL Channel files are stored on the publishing Typically when you only have a small iCOMPEL itself and are available to subscribers via number of subscribers (less than five), that HTTP, HTTPS or FTP. will not slow the publisher down. This method requires no extra hardware. Using a USB memory stick Channel files are published on to a USB memory stick (not included).
Channels and Signage Networks After you have published Channel contents to a file store or Channel Content Server (CCS) 113 you can configure another iCOMPEL to subscribe to the Channel. The Subscriber 119 iCOMPEL must be able to access the CCS over a network. You create the Channel contents on the Publishing iCOMPEL, and you can create additional Channels that contain different Schedules. For more information see Multi-channel publishing 118 .
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Explanation of the settings Name Description Channel Name This is the identifier for the Channel and will appear at the top of the page in the Subscriber and Publisher iCOMPEL when that Channel is active. You can type in anything here - a brief description of the channel content would be very useful for reference.
Channels and Signage Networks Calculating required disk space Most digital media content, with the exception of video files, does not require large amounts of storage. If your Layouts do not include any video files, then a disk space allowance of 1GB to 2GB should be sufficient. If your Layouts include video files, you must increase this allowance by at least 2GB per hour of standard quality video. Higher quality video may require even more disk space.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) To a USB Storage Device You will need an empty USB flash drive to publish to, and this will need to be large enough to store your Channel content. All Channel content will be stored on the drive, so if there are large movie files or images, this will need to be taken into account. Once the Channel is ready for publishing, insert the USB drive into any of the USB ports on the iCOMPEL and publish as above.
Channels and Signage Networks Working with multiple channels You must Activate a Channel before you can work with it or publish it. To change to a different Channel on the Publisher iCOMPEL select Channels, then Manage Channels and click the Activate button for the Channel you want to select. Multi channel selection screen 7.4 Subscribing You can use an iCOMPEL as a Subscriber.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 7.4.1 Configuring a Subscriber Once an iCOMPEL is configured with the role of Subscriber, its subscription settings can be configured. The subscription configuration page is available by clicking on the menu item Channels then Manage Channels. The channel subscriber configuration page Once you fill in the details on this page and press Apply, the iCOMPEL will begin subscribing to the Channel and periodically check for updates.
Channels and Signage Networks The USB Memory stick's /channel folder The channel is being published via a USB Memory Stick Remote Web site or FTP server. The channel is being published via an external server or an iCOMPEL Channel Subscription URL If your channel content server is not a USB device, then this option needs to be filled in to tell the subscriber where to find the channel.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) File Transfer Allowed You can set the times during which file transfer is allowed. For example, if Channel updates typically involve large files that may slow down your network, you may choose to allow file transfers at times when other network activity is low. 7.4.
Part VIII Player and System Status
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 8. Player and System Status The Status menu gives you access to information about the player and the system. Player status 124 System status 124 Conditional Play Status 125 TV & Radio Status 126 (If TV hardware is present) 8.1 Player status The Player Status page provides details about what the iCOMPEL is playing now, and what content has been played recently. These pages automatically refresh as new content is played.
Player and System Status Disk Temperature for the last 30 Days This graph shows how the disk temperature has changed over the last 30 days.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 8.4 TV & Radio Status For iCOMPEL that have TV hardware, this page will be present in the status menu and will provide information about how the TV card(s) are being used. TV Hardware State The first line TV Hardware State currently has three possible values: Not in use The TV hardware is not currently being used anywhere in the iCOMPEL. Rebroadcasting The iCOMPEL is currently using the TV hardware to rebroadcast 137 a TV or radio station.
Part IX Setup
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 9. Setup The Help menu gives you access to page specific help and this user guide. You can also set User options 128 to match your preferences. The Setup menu gives you access to settings for the iCOMPEL web interface, the iCOMPEL itself, and the system. System setup 139 Player setup 130 You should maintain regular backups of the media content files and settings that you use for your iCOMPEL. See Backing up your 156 iCOMPEL for more details. 9.
Setup Audition Method Select one of the following options: For On Screen, the media is shown on the iCOMPEL screen. For Web Preview, the media is shown on a web page as a screen snapshot. The iCOMPEL creates a screen snapshot by following these steps: 1. Turning off the Screen off and muting the audio, so that the new media is not displayed to the public. 2. Running the Audition media command. 3. Waiting for the media to start playing. 4. Creating a screen snapshot. 5.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 9.3 Player setup You can configure the settings for the following aspects of your iCOMPEL: Audio 130 Screen 130 Players 133 RS-232 Outputs 133 Interactivity 135 International 138 9.3.1 Audio This page is for setting and testing input and output audio levels and determining the Audio mute status. The Master Volume level adjusts the overall output volume of the iCOMPEL. The Input Level adjusts the level of the equipment connected to the input source.
Setup Is used as the resolution for the screen if the iCOMPEL cannot learn the screen’s resolution automatically. Best practice for a layout designer is to: Decide on the desired output resolution they wish their content to be played at, typically 1360 x 768 or 1920 x 1080. Set the Layout Canvas Size to match that desired output. Choose or design layouts to fit the Layout Canvas Size. If in a channel then all screens should be set to the same Layout Canvas Size.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Settings Layout Canvas Size When designing Layouts this size is used to limit where Zones can be placed and is used used by the iCOMPEL to draw the Layouts that are being played. . The iCOMPEL will choose the most appropriate resolution available from the attached screen to allow output at the Layout Canvas Size. Valid width values are whole numbers from 640 to 2000. Valid height values are whole numbers from 480 to 2000.
Setup 9.3.3 Players This page allows you to adjust the settings for the various iCOMPEL player types. This page has one tab: HTML Player. Allows configuration of HTML player settings, including Proxy use and Trust Adobe Flash. Click the Save Player Settings button to apply changes. Note: When any player settings are saved, the iCOMPEL restarts to apply the changes. HTML Player HTTP Proxy Specifies whether an HTTP Proxy is used to access external Web Pages resources.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Audio is muted or unmuted A specified Layout starts or completes The condition is specified when the Item is created and can not be changed. NOTE: only one RS-232 Item can be created for each of the above conditions. Press Edit to modify the Item properties and to view which Playlists refer to this Item. Unused Items can be Deleted by using the button. RS-232 Items are published as part of a Channel.
Setup Send RS-232 String Action and RS-232 String Check Send RS-232 String Action to send the specified RS-232 String. Clearing this setting will result in no RS-232 String being sent. The RS-232 String is expressed in hexadecimal format. For example: 9F 80 60 3F 00 BE DTR (Data Terminal Read) / RTS (Ready To Send) Action If enabled then sets the specified RS-232 Output line to the specified voltage level. If cleared, then the specified RS-232 Output line is unchanged.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) The Touch Screen is only usable when the latter Status is displayed. Touch Screen Calibration Once a Touch Screen is connected, it needs to be calibrated before use. To calibrate a screen, the follow these steps: 1. Click Perform Touch Calibration on the Web Page. 2. Move to the Touch Screen. 3. Carefully press in the center of each of the 3 crosshairs as they appear in turn. 4. Press on the 'press to finish' message then appears in the center of the screen. 5.
Setup Remote Keypad Buttons The iCOMPEL can respond to button presses on a infra-red controller or remote keypad. The keypad features the following buttons: Volume up and down Station up and down Four programmable buttons: A, B, C, D Volume Up and Down The volume up and down buttons adjust the Master Volume level 130 up and down in 10% divisions. A message should appear in the top right of the screen to indicate the new volume.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) If the system has not yet tuned, you see Not Yet Tuned displayed. Otherwise, last tuned at tells you when the Rebroadcaster last retuned, while the tuned frequency is the current transponder frequency - it should match the frequency shown for your chosen station in the Digital TV & Radio page. Error status The Rebroadcaster retunes if it is struggling to hold onto a signal.
Setup 9.4 System setup You can configure the settings for the following aspects of your iCOMPEL: Users 139 Date and Time 140 Network 141 TV & Radio 146 HTTP proxy 147 Security 148 Reporting 153 Licensing 9.4.1 Users The Users page allows you to add user accounts to the iCOMPEL and manage existing accounts. You cannot delete the account of the currently logged in user. Settings User Name The name used to login with, for example remote, or chef.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Ad hoc Access to data entry Ad hoc Pages 96 (not the Ad hoc content design pages) and permission to read, write and modify files in the Media Folder using the Ad hoc Media Folder 100 web page. If this permission is enabled, then the Media Folder setting should be set to a named directory, and not All Folders. FTP Read Only Ability to only read files in the Media Folder and all sub-folders via FTP.
Setup Note: The NTP server will only adjust the iCOMPEL date and time if the NTP reported time and the Local System Clock time are within a few minutes of each other. If the difference is more than a few minutes, reboot the iCOMPEL, and it will synchronize fully on boot. Click the Save Changes button to remember any changes. Note: You must reboot the iCOMPEL when any changes are made, otherwise you may observe problems with media playback.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Host name set by DHCP If your DHCP server supports this, then you can modify the DNS host name entry for this iCOMPEL. This enables users to address the iCOMPEL by its name, as well as by its IP address. IP address If you are using the Static mode, you must specify an IP address for the iCOMPEL in this entry. If you are using DHCP, this entry is ignored. The IP address must be unique on your network.
Setup Access Point Name If your 3G network requires you to provide an Access Point Name (APN), provide it here. 3G Status tab The 3G Status tab displays the model of the 3G modem. The IP address and any DNS search path will be shown if the 3G Modem is connected to the 3G network. 9.4.3.3 Wireless This tab is for managing how the iCOMPEL connects to wireless networks. The iCOMPEL will only connect to a wireless network if: 1. Wireless is enabled. 2. The wireless network settings have been defined. 3.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Visible Networks When the wireless network interface is enabled, a list of visible networks is presented with a radio button next to each of them. To connect to one of these, simply select the radio button next to the name. If a network password/key is required, enter it in the Key field. Since the network is visible, the key type is determined automatically. Press Save to save the new network details.
Setup Removing a wireless network The button next to each network name on the Defined Networks will delete that wireless network definition when clicked. You will be prompted for confirmation first. If the iCOMPEL is currently connected to that network, then the connection to it will be lost. Connecting to a specific wireless network The Connect button next to each network definition on the Defined Networks tab will force the iCOMPEL to attempt to connect to that network if wireless is enabled.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 9.4.4 TV & Radio These pages allow the user to configure the available TV and Radio stations. 9.4.4.1 Analog TV and Radio Analog TV This tab lists the available analog TV channels and allows you to select the channel frequency and edit the description field. Click the Save Changes button to preserve any changes to the Channel frequency or Description fields To remove a channel, delete the text in its description field, and press the Save Changes button.
Setup 9.4.4.3 Using multicast streaming TV It is not always physically possible for an iCOMPEL to receive a TV broadcast signal directly. An alternative is to deliver TV signals as a set of Multicast streams using the local network. Note: Using Multicast TV requires an additional feature unlock key. How Streaming Works A Streaming Transmit Servers converts analog or digital TV signals to Multicast IP packets.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Channel Subscription downloads channel content from a Publisher iCOMPEL Newsfeed when downloading Newsfeed articles. Once a HTTP Proxy has been created, you may enable usage of a proxy, as follows: For the HTML Player, enable proxy usage in the Player Setup page. For a Channel Subscription proxy, enable usage in the Channel Setup page. For a Newsfeed proxy, enable usage on an individual Newsfeed basis from the Newsfeed page.
Setup To allow all IP addresses between 192.168.0.0 and 192.168.255.255, type: 192.168.0.0/16 WARNING: If you do not enter your own IP address, then you are locked out of the iCOMPEL when the firewall takes effect after a reboot. The iCOMPEL will, however, warn you if your IP address is missing from the list. FTP Service settings FTP access to the iCOMPEL allows someone to download the content from the iCOMPEL or to upload content that might be inappropriate.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) It is desirable to change the SSH port to a different number to make it more difficult for an attack to succeed. It may also be desirable to have an alternate port available. The standard port for SSH access is 22. You can specify a maximum of two ports to accept SSH connections. WARNING: If you change the SSH port number, then you should make a note of it and keep it safe.
Setup Configuration The Enable LDAP checkbox allows must be enabled for the iCOMPEL to use LDAP. You must enter the Primary LDAP server hostname and port and choose the Server Encryption' The Server Encryption can be one of: None (LDAP) - no encryption - passwords are sent in the clear - standard LDAP port is 389. SSL (LDAPS) - all communications with the LDAP server are encrypted - standard LDAP port is 636.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) You will need to know how to find the user object in the directory that corresponds to the username given to HTTP. Set the Login Username Attribute to attribute that will contain the username given to HTTP. Active Directory Note: Typically this is the 'sAMAccountName' attribute. Posix Scheme Directory Note: Typically this is the 'uid' attribute. Enter the LDAP filter that will match a user object in the directory into the User Filter field.
Setup 9.4.6.3 LDAP tests The LDAP tests will test the current LDAP settings and give you feedback on any issues. Recommendation: Always test any change to the LDAP settings before rebooting the iCOMPEL. Running the tests To run a test enter the Test Username to use in the tests and click the Test LDAP settings button. Test results The test results are displayed in two parts: a table showing the status of each step and a detailed log.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Reporting Settings Reporting Determines if the iCOMPEL should send status information to a iCOMPEL Deployment Manager. Reporting Options Indicates what information a iCOMPEL should send to a iCOMPEL Deployment Manager. The following option is available: Include a Screen Thumbnail with each report. When checked, this option will send a screen thumbnail with the status. Checking this option will increase the bandwidth required for each status report.
Setup Remote Setup Settings If the iCOMPEL is reporting using HTTPS it can be configured to report its setup files and receive updates to them from the iCOMPEL Deployment Manager. If the iCOMPEL is reporting over a VPN connection it can also donate its setup files to the iCOMPEL Deployment Manager which will provide them as updates to every iCOMPEL that has been configured (on the iCOMPEL Deployment Manager) to receive them.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Player Local Information is also reported to iCOMPEL Deployment Manager and can be used for effective asset tracking. For example, each player can store its address, asset tracking id and if there is a problem, it is easy to determine the location of the player based on iCOMPEL Deployment Manager reports. NOTE: Any change in Player Location Information can have an immediate effect on the currently playing item. 9.
Setup 2. Use Channel Manager to subscribe the iCOMPEL to http://127.0.0.1/data/channel using the username and password that you use to log into the iCOMPEL. 3. Wait for the process to complete. Backing up and Restoring your iCOMPEL using Layout Packages There is an effective size limit of 2GB for a Layout Package ZIP file. This means that you may need to save large files, such as movies separately, and not include them in your Layout Packages.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 9.6.2 Automatic Settings tab This tab allows you to configure the Software Update manager. Update Mode Select the update mode you wish to use: Automatically download and install updates - The iCOMPEL automates all the steps necessary to keep itself up to date. Check for new updates but do not download or install them - The iCOMPEL checks for new updates and shows the results on the Status tab.
Setup 9.7 Reboot system This page allows you to reboot this iCOMPEL. Select Yes from the drop-down list and click Reboot. The iCOMPEL can be powered down by simply switching off the power, but a proper reboot is required after a software update file has been placed on the iCOMPEL. 724-746-5500 | blackbox.com Copyright © 2012 Black Box Network Services. All Rights Reserved.
Part X Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting 10. Troubleshooting Your iCOMPEL requires little maintenance. The internal software for your iCOMPEL is updated from time to time by Black Box Network Services. To make sure your iCOMPEL receives all the necessary updates see Software updates 157 . The following topics can help you resolve certain problems that may occur with your iCOMPEL. Software update 157 Reboot system 159 Support snapshot 161 Support logs 161 10.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) During iCOMPEL boot sequence look for the IP address on the screen. A No Cable message means that the cable is missing or faulty or that there is another device on the network with the same IP address. The address 169.254.1.1 either means that DHCP could not be found or you are using a crossover cable. The iCOMPEL must have completed its boot sequence. The screen connected to the iCOMPEL should be showing the default Layout and content.
Part XI Technical Reference
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 11. Technical Reference This section contains technical reference topics not covered elsewhere: Drag and drop file upload 14 Minimizing energy consumption 164 Processor limitations 165 RS-232 reference 165 11.1 Energy Saving Digital Signage players are designed to run 24/7. To reduce the energy consumption, you may wish to shut part of or the entire system down during certain times of the day.
Technical Reference 11.2 Optimizing playback performance Some types of media should be reviewed in order to optimize playback performance. Display of MPEG-2 Video at reasonable (up to 10 Mbps) rates is no problem, as this will typically use less than half the processing power budget. Images, especially digital photos, should be resized before uploading onto the iCOMPEL - ideally so that they match the size of the Zone.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) Outputs have: a voltage swing ranging from +/-5V to +/-12V (depends on hardware) a source current drive capability of about 15ma (with output current limiting) (can drive LEDs/PIR modules and provide a voltage for contact closure applications). 166 724-746-5500 Copyright © 2012 Black Box Network Services. All Rights Reserved. | blackbox.
Part XII Glossary
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.3) 12. Glossary Ad hoc an override to a display Schedule, often managed locally by Ad hoc users, which is restricted to a specific Zone and/or content type.
Glossary HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) the HTML format is widely accepted as the standard mark-up language for web pages Interactivity iCOMPEL can run predetermined fixed schedules in the different zones within a layout.
iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.
Index Glossary Index -Aaccounts 139 action 74 ad hoc 10, 83, 89, 91, 95, 96, 99, 100, 104, 168 ad hoc content 83, 89, 91, 96, 99, 100 ad hoc folder 83, 89, 99, 100 ad hoc from center 83, 91, 168 ad hoc item 83, 96 ad hoc media folder 83, 99, 100 ad hoc page 83, 96 ad hoc theme 104 ad hoc theming 104 ad hoc user 83, 95 adding files to playlists 35 adding folders to playlists 36, 53 adding special items to playlists 35 advance to 66, 72 advanced features 71 Analog Radio 146 Analog TV 146 analog TV setup 146
Index iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.
Index Glossary rotating zones in a layout 79 RS-232 45, 79, 133, 135, 165 RS-232 content 45 RS-232 inputs 135 RS-232 interface 79 RS-232 outputs 133 RS-232 technical reference 165 RSS 40 -Oopacity 64, 68 OpenType 69 optimizing playback options 128 OTF 69 outputs 76 override 19, 24 165 -S- -P- saving energy 164 schedule 10, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 168 schedule entry 21 screen 130 screen background 80 screen burn 79 screen resolution 130 screen snapshot 124 security 148, 150, 153 setup 128, 130, 133, 135,
Index iCOMPEL Digital Signage - User Guide (V9.0.
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