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Future: Web Browser HTML Zone and On Screen KeyBoard

Bsanderson

March 05, 2011 03:42

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I was presenting BS to a client and wanted to win their business. They have all their data and videos in a mysql db that is backend to their website, and mobile web delivery today. They said they most likely would not be interest in a BS solution. They were looking at installing Ipad kiosk for a few reasons. 1. My Customer said they want a solution that could use the current msyql/apache back end so they didn't have to reformat content using BS delivery and leverage their web content. 2. Want to give their customers real time interaction (not just static touch screen data BS offers today) So customer could touch screen and visit their clients website and then have kiosk loop back on timeout. 3. Wanted to allow person to enter phone # or email in kiosk to SMS content link to cellphone. Since BS has no integration with Browser HTML. It is fine for large static or bill board applications. But in the next year I hope BS is looking at tools to allow the BA 1010W to have a Browser HTML Zones to bring up website content real time and a on screen keyboard for on screen data entry. Example: A BS unit playing a video loop and a restaurant ad plays. A customer touches screen and a HTML zone pop's open with OpenTables.com website on restaurant reservation page. A on-screen keyboard opens and customer can real time make a reservation via BS touch screen. I know this is a little apples and oranges today BS was not engineer to be a real time interactive kiosk. But tablets iPad, Xoom, HP are here and will only become more powerful, more connected, and cheaper. With Motorola Xoom unit having a HDMI out, mini USB, 32gig storage and WiFi only unit at $530 looking very attractive in using it as my BS unit replacement in future. Do not get me wrong.. I like the BS offering ... just that customers are more demanding today and want everything connected as one. I will be buying a Xoom and starting playing with making my own proof of concept to see if I can make it do everything my BS 1010W can do. my 2 cents. thanks bill

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12 comments

• 0
  
  Jacob Smith June 20, 2012 23:05

  I totally agree Bill.  It's a major shortcoming of the BrightSign that it can't display dynamic webpages.

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  Lyndon June 27, 2012 16:53

  We're looking at HTML support this year. There should be more details available in the fall.

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  Norman Garland May 08, 2013 15:24

  Hi

  Your last post on this subject was June 2012 and you stated "We are looking at HTML support this year". 

  Are you still looking at HTML support and do you now have a date for implementing dynamic webpages? 

  Some of our customers are getting very frustrated by the delay.

  BR

  Norm Garland

  Pixels UK Ltd.

   

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  Lyndon May 08, 2013 16:38

  Norman, html support is available only on the xd players. The older players like the HD1010 will not have html support.

  The current release firmware for the xd supports onscreen keyboard input as described. THere will be follown firmware release expected in a couple weeks adding support for usb keyboard input and gpio support for html and javascript, along with a host of other performance improvements and tweaks. 

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  Jeff Marshall May 10, 2013 22:22

  Is there no way to send a web address via either udp or variables? I would like to switch content in an html element.

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  Alex May 12, 2013 07:49

  Jeff,

  You need to create an interactive playlist, and use the udp input event to transit to html5 state. That's it.

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  Jeff Marshall May 13, 2013 14:56

  Great thanks! I'll give it a try!

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  Jeff Marshall May 13, 2013 16:12

  I don't see how to get the web address across... is there some way to send the html element a string?

  You see I have a weather bug to be displayed in an html element on the brightsign unit. It is coming from the web. I want to change the country or the forecast based on an input from and app on an ipad. I was hoping that I could format the url string on the app based on selections from the user and send the string to the brightsign unit so that it could retrieve the html from the web dynamically.

  Otherwise I will have to have a series of html states and transition between them using udp to switch (like in your example). This is limiting because I have to know in advance the states that they will want to see.

  If you could let me know is it possible to dynamically change web addresses I would appreciate it. Otherwise I will just go with plan b...

  Thanks,

   

  Jeff

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  Lyndon May 14, 2013 15:18

  Jeff, when is this getting deployed? The current brightauthor release doesn't support this. But the next beta, 3.7, supports using variables for part or all of the url for the html object. So, you will be able to do exactly as you describe. Set the url to contain a variable, and then send a command to update the variable to change what the html object is displaying. Currently, the next beta is expected within the next 2 - 3 weeks. 

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  Jeff Marshall May 14, 2013 17:12

  Ok thanks for letting me know... our deployment is in about a month. I'll look into this again when that version is out.

  Thanks for your help,

   

  Jeff

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  Frank Coleman September 17, 2013 17:15

  Can we get an update on the status of this capability? I need to demo it to a client this week, if possible. Many thanks!

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  Lyndon September 17, 2013 18:36

  THe current brightauthro 3.7 supports using variables as part of a url. Is this what you're referring to or is there something else you're looking for.