Which factors can affect synchronization?

Follow Avatar BrightSign Support

Last Updated: May 5, 2022

The following bullets describe what affects synchronization and how to ensure you get the best results:

 

1. Image playback can be sluggish on HDx10 (HD210, HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w), HDx20 (HD220, HD1020) and LS422 players, especially with larger images at 1080p. For sync on those players, we always recommend using videos. See Optimal content type for synchronization.

 

2. Video synchronization can be improved when using the BrightWall feature or by enabling the Enhanced Synchronization in leader/master and follower/slave presentations. Enhanced Synchronization can be enabled on the File > Presentation Properties > Interactive tab. Enhanced Synchronization is automatically enabled in BrightWall.

Non-enhanced sync only synchronizes videos at the top and at the end of playback. With enhanced sync, there's communication during playback to keep the videos together.

Enhanced Synchronization is not supported on HDx10 players. For HDx10, we recommend making videos smaller. Shorter videos will synchronize better.

In non-enhanced sync the videos can be up to 1.5 frames out of sync (in the worst case). Enhanced sync is supposed to be frame accurate.

 

3. If you synchronize images between the BrightSign players, the images should have the same size and format.

 

4. If you synchronize videos, the videos should have the same resolution and must be encoded at a fixed rate.

Video bitrate should not exceed 25Mbit/s for H.264 (AVC) videos.
Video bitrate should not exceed 80Mbit/s for H.265 (HEVC) videos.

If you use HDx10 models for synchronization, ensure that there is no audio track in the video files.

If you have LS422, HDx20 (HD220, HD1020), HDx22 (HD222, HD1022), XDx30 (XD230, XD1030, XD1230), XDx32 (XD232, XD1032, XD1132) or 4K (4K242, 4K1042, 4K1142) or newer units, then video files could have audio tracks. In the case of a master unit that has video and audio, the slave devices should also have video and audio. Video and audio must be the same length to the ms, otherwise there might be issues. In the case where all the screens are visible from the same location, we usually recommend to drive all the audio from just one of the devices so that you can ensure that you don't get out of phase issues from the different players.

 

5. We recommend using Class 10 SD cards for playing back synchronize presentations. BrightSign SD cards have been tested and proven to work well for synchronized applications.

Transcend cards are not recommended as they can cause unpredictable playback problems.

You should use same SD cards on all players.

 

6. You should use same firmware version on all players. The presentations for the players must be created in the same BrightAuthor version. Use the latest BrightAuthor version and firmware version available on the downloads page: http://www.brightsign.biz/downloads/
If it is necessary to use players with different firmware versions (not recommended), make sure the Master (Screen 1 in a BrightWall) has the same or older firmware version as the slave players.

 

7. Sync over wireless is supported on recent 8.x firmware, but care must be taken to avoid multipath if there are multiple active network connections.  Sync traffic should be limited to one network interface, via use of VLANs and/or blocking/filtering PTP multicast.

 

8. If you want to synchronize content between multiple players that are also using zone synchronization, make sure to use Zone Message commands/events, rather than Link Zones commands/events.

 

9. In order to ensure that players are properly in sync, they must belong to the same product line. For example, you can synchronize LS422 with LS422, HDx10 with HDx10, HDx20 with HDx20, and so on. And you can't sync HDx10 with HDx20, HDx20 with 4K, etc.

 

10. Portrait video support has both file/media and output restrictions depending on the model.
See this article for details: https://docs.brightsign.biz/display/DOC/Optimizing+Video+Quality#OptimizingVideoQuality-PortraitVideo

 

11. Off-board processing by distribution amplifiers/splitters, display/wall processors, and on-display processing (scaling, filtering, smoothing) can introduce additional delays and v-sync discrepancies.

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14 Comments

Date Votes
  • 0
    Avatar
    RFL

    Hello

    can I sync several XD series (with wifi card) over wireless?

    Each of them playing video with moving image and sound?

    Thx

    RFL 

  • 0
    Avatar
    BrightSign Support

    You could try, but you may lose in sync accuracy. We recommend using hard wired Ethernet connection for a perfect sync.

  • 0
    Avatar
    MidwichAU Support

    Hello,

    Are all the information above regarding to the Synchronization  up-to-dated ,especially in the NOTES please?

     

    any other limitation in the function?

  • 0
    Avatar
    Brian Rhatigan

    Can you synchronize audio files?   For example I have a two zone playlist, one full zone with images (non-interactive), than an audio zone behind it.   Can I make the audio zone interactive and use the sync feature?   If so what do I choose for a home state since I cannot choose an image?

  • 0
    Avatar
    Brandon

    Brian -

    Are you just trying to have audio changes coincide with image/video changes?

    If so you don't need Synchronization, you can just use Link Zones or Zone Messages to trigger things in the other zone.

  • 0
    Avatar
    Brian Rhatigan

    No, I don't need the audio changes synchronized with the images.   The images don't need to be synchronized at all with any audio, but I will have multiple players in a relatively small area where there is audio overlap, and I want to make sure that just the soundtrack portion is synchronized between players.  

  • 0
    Avatar
    Pasqual Hodapp

    I had to sync 12 players. All are working fine,  except the master. It sends sync command to all players, but itself loops the last file, so I'm unable to proceed and have to publish again. How can I solve this?

  • 0
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    Fabricio Villegas Mora

    I have a client with multiple XD230 players. Recently, they bought some XD232 players. Can different generations of players sync without problems?

  • 0
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    Stuart Bannister

    Can I sync up to 255 LS423 units together or is there a lower limit for this cheaper model? I only need to do 9 or 10 in reality but good to know the max! Thanks

  • 0
    Avatar
    Thomas

    Hi, 

    I have a very urgent question: can I link my four HD1022 players with my HD1020 player?

    So far it doesn't work. All players are updated to the latest firmware, I'm using correct BrightAuthor settings, and all the units work with each other in any configuration except of the HD1020 player.

    Thanks in advance for a fast answer!

  • 0
    Avatar
    BrightSign Support

    Please open support ticket and supply following info:

    - BrightAuthor presentation files

    - firmware version of all players

    - what exactly doesn't work

  • 0
    Avatar
    shiftdel

    Hi,

    I'd like to enhanced sync two LS423 units. The content is mp4, h264, 22Mbit/s Average bitrate, that occasionally (1-3 times/hour) peaks at 25.6Mbit/sec. Would these rare and mild peaks cause any problems?

  • 0
    Avatar
    Yorrick

    How about live video, can you sync multiple brightsigns to switch between sync playout and sync switch to HDMI live video input?

  • 0
    Avatar
    Cole Hanson

    The synchronization procedure cannot begin unless all five requirements are satisfied. The root-mean-square voltage, frequency, phase order, phase angle, duck life, and waveform of the source (generator or sub-network) must be identical to those of the system to which it is being synchronized.

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