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HD210 and unsing IIS

sherring

October 19, 2009 18:33

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Hi,

New to the forum, but need to ask a question on using IIS with the 210.

I have two Brightsign HD 210 that I have setup for a customer (a courthouse). Everything worked in a network mode using the simply web service applications (hfs). My troubles came when I tried to switch the customers IIS server.

I have managed to battle the three issues with IIS for most of the day, but am now stuck on the last one and need assistance, really looking for help on this because I’m now really stuck and the customer is not happy and they insist on using IIS as the web server..

These are the issues that we solved.

1. Removed the permission issue with all files not being seen in the web page after publishing from the BightAuthor to the web server (easy to perform, but somewhat time consuming)
2. Added a MIME items so the .BRS file could be opened and downloaded. This MIME object was set to a text/plain. Not sure if this is right, and may be part of the next problem, but after it was set the autoplay.brs file could be opened from the browser.
3. The next issue is where I’m now stuck and the logging is not helping at all. I publish a known working project that works standalone and in a simple web service mode.
The unit connect to the network, sync with the current-sync.xml and downloads the images and etc from the web server. The unit then reboots (as normal) and go through the load process (*see comment below). The first image loads (I’m using the standard 5 areas template) with the large picture loading and then the picture freezes and the error light comes on (flashing) then after 15 seconds (approx) the unit reboot and then repeats the cycle. No other image areas load, nor the ticker or clock. The log file shows nothing other than the first picture has loaded and then that’s it!! It repeats this each time after the restart.

Any help using IIS is really welcomed, any help on item 3 is really really welcomed, I’m now stuck?

*comments on loading after power on, it would be really good if the unit actually displayed on the screen its progress on start up, or there was an option in the auto run to turn it on or off. Trying to understand light flashing and the screen auto adjusting (they all do it differently) is extremely painful.


Customer is using Win Server 2003 SP2

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6 comments

• 0
  
  RokuLyndon October 20, 2009 21:06

  
  
  Is it possible to zip up the content that's failing on the card, and send it to <!-- e --><a href="mailto:support@brightsign.biz">support@brightsign.biz</a><!-- e -->? If it's too large, I can email you ftp directions.
  
  
  
  If the files play on the unit normally, and work fine when transferred via hfs, I can't think of anything IIS would be doing to cause those same files to fail to work.
  
  
  
  The only quirky thing I've sometimes seen is that some ftp clients change the files, somehow, when auto or ascii transfer mode is used vs binary. But, that always leads to the file failing to pass the hash test, so we never get to playback.
  
  
  
  Is the hfs test on the same network as the IIS test? How are you transferring the files to the IIS server?
  
• 0
  
  sherring October 23, 2009 05:58

  
  
  Hi,
  
  
  
  Managed to get the sign working by applying these changes into IIS.  Note:- Many thanks to IDT support who were able to help/point me in the right direction with these (Clinton & Nick)
  
  
  
  Added the following to the list of acceptable mime types.
  
  
  
  .bsp – Brightsign playlists – text/plain
  
  .brs - Brightsign script - text/plain
  
  .bas - Brightsign script - text/plain
  
  .rok – Brightsign Firmware Update - application/octet-stream
  
  
  
  This should be documented somewhere for people wanting to operate in the IIS world.
  
  
  
  Everything worked like a dream there after with publishing updates from the working project direct to the web folder being server by IIS.  Updated would then occur on the Bright sign as required.
  
  
  
  Couple of points I would like to make for you guys at Roku from somebody installing these in the field. (constructive feedback)
  
  
  
  1) Document the fact that a network update will only work from the project you are using in BrightAuthor.  That is if you create a new project and publish that the Brightsign will ignore the new published files, it has to be published from the existing project in Bright author.  This I think is a limitation and should be changed.  If this is incorrect please let me know, I did multiple test with IIS and the simple web server and on all occasions a new project published was ignored by the Brightsign.  It always had to be the same project you were working in.
  
  
  
  2) Please can there be some sort of on screen indication of what the sign is doing at start-up.  I had to use the logging events in the autorun.brs, which were helpful, but it still means you have to look at the sign and assume if it’s gone around through the sequence a few times.  Very hard to do when you have the unit mounted behind a 50â€
  
• 0
  
  RokuLyndon October 23, 2009 06:23

  
  
  On point #1, this would only be the case if you didn't update Edit - Preferences - Networking. Any change you make under file - sign properties is for that project you are working on. If you add the network settings under Edit-Preferences, it will apply to any new project you create as well. We will update the documentation.
  
  
  
  #2 - I will log a feature request for toggling some on screen status.
  
  
  
  #3 - We are working on adding a web server to the unit.
  
  
  
  #4 - We have it on our to do list to look into additional text formatting functions.
  
• 0
  
  sherring October 23, 2009 06:33

  
  
  Great thanks for the fast reply
  
• 0
  
  Clintonw October 23, 2009 11:02

  
  
  Glad to be of assistance  <!-- s8) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cool.gif" alt="8)" title="Cool" /><!-- s8) -->
  
  
  
  Clinton.
  
  
  
  PS. #4 as a temp solution, could you not just make your own font file and load it up?
  
• 0
  
  Clintonw October 23, 2009 11:14

  
  
  Lyndon - possible solution for #2:
  
  
  
  When creating the network setup files, if BA created a default show which used the same resolution as set by the project, but had a full screen text widget which pulls from log.txt
  
  Also logging would have to enabled by default for this to work (maybe put a toggle within BA preferences).
  
  
  
  I can sympathise with the customer, having a blank screen can be quite frustrating when you dont know whats going on!
  
  
  
  Another possibility would be to have it display its IP/MAC details onscreen and then ssh/telnet in from a PC and view the shell output.....