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EVENT HANDLER: few questions (zone, making master BS starting and stopping multiple players with Time date event)

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M Tavan
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Hi to all,

 

Normally I like to make the tests by myself but I need to setup an installation for this sunday so if one of you already know the answer, I can save precious time...!

Also I think that this configuration is quite standard and can be usefull for other BS users... ;-)

 

The project:

 

  • It is an exposition in a museum  that will last 3 months.
  • I use 20 XD1030 players that will be locally networked with fixed IP adresses 192.168.7.XXX
  • All the players are connected with HDMI short cables to video projectors or LCD flat screens.
  • All the players need to start playing videos each morning at 9h00 and stop playing at 19h00 (I will try to use the CEC commands and also to switch on/off  the video sync to control the projectors and the display on/off.
  • The medias doesn't need to play sync.
  • There is no NTP server or Internet access. I don't need a very accurate start/stop time as I will start 15 minuts before the opening and stop 15 minutes after the closing time...

 

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What I plan to do:

  • Using only 1 master (I plan to make a spare master that with same IP adress that will play but not be connected to LAN or display)
  • Using 18 slave players

 

The MASTER:

I plug the BS on the NET once to acquire the correct  time/date via the default NTP server.

On the video zone, I make a simple loop with the video.

I create a second zone (AUDIO ZONE) to use event handlers on it.

I  create 2 time/date events (one for starting and one for stopping) + 2 Input events (to stop or start manually the show in case the customer wants or there is no power on the master at 9 in the morning!

Each starting event send a UDP string "START" and locally :

  • switch the video OUT sync ON
  • Disable powersave mode (CEC)
  • restart the playing of the media at the beginning (not very important!)

Each ending event send UDP string "STOP" and locally:

  • switch the video OUT sync OFF
  • enable display powersave mode (CEC)

 

The SLAVES:

On the video zone, I make a simple loop with the video.

I create a second zone (AUDIO ZONE) to use event handlers on it.

I  create 2 UDP input events (receiving "START" and "STOP" ) + 2 Input events (to stop or start manually the show in case the master or network... does not work

 

Each "START" UDP input event or GPI 0 event locally :

  • switch the video OUT sync ON
  • Disable powersave mode (CEC)
  • restart the playing of the media at the beginning (not very important!)

Each "STOP" UDP input event or GPI 1 event locally:

  • switch the video OUT sync OFF
  • enable display powersave mode (CEC)

 

If the video sync OFF or CEC commands doesn't work with the display, I will add another line to switch off a GPI (to control a power relay via a small interface... This I already made many times...)

 

My questions:

  1. Do you think it will work ?
  2. If someone has good ideas or advices...?
  3. I noticed that I can't program a single EVENT HANDLER in the audio zone as I can't draw the time/date event from the event handler to nothing... So I put a MP3 file to make the lines and in the parameters, I select: "remain on current state".... After, I remove the MP3 file... do you think it is the normal way to make it?
  4. I also noticed that I can't select GPIO in the advanced tab of an event. (like media end or Time/date.. ) It makes my BA (last version) crash... Do someone know this issue?

 

Thanks to all,

Date Votes

4 comments

  • 0
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    Alex

    1. What you've described should work. It requires some time to build the presentations and test them on the units. Make sure to test everything thoroughly before a deployment. If you face with problems, send the master and one of the slave presentation files (the .bpf file) to us for review.

    2. Note, when setting up the time on the brightsign, it can take 4 hours to charge the internal battery that maintains the clock on the player. After you power up the unit with the time settings, it should be plugged to the power for 4 hours. After that, you can remove the power from the player, and it will keep the time settings for 7 days.

    3. You can. Under the media library click on events, and drag the desired event onto the event handler.

    4. Try setting the Regional and Language settings to English on your computer and retest.

  • 0
    Avatar
    M Tavan

    1) Was hard and finally I give-up and used another solution... with contactors!   :-(

    I noticed the following: I made a second zone (audio zone) and dropped an event handler on it (set as initial state) and then I can easily use the date/time event for sync events and so on.... No limitations...

    But I can't drag a GPIO event on it... (ERROR MESSAGE: 'Remain on current state' is not valid for an event that includes Synchronize or Link Zones commands)

    NOTE that I don't use the sync commands to really sync vidéos playback between MASTER and SLAVES players but just to send the info that time has come to switch on the displays and playback...

     

    I will make some tests with EVENT HANDLERS as this module remain obscur to me... Maybe a discussion can be open on the subject also to know exactly what can be done and how it can be done...

     

    2) It is good to have this info. It works as you mentioned. I tried with a new player 7 days off  and then on again and the time/date is still OK.

    3) OK thank you... More easy!

    4) Changing the regional setting to ENGLISH (US) in Windows solved the issue. Thank you! Please can you solve the problem as for French users we can't remain always on these settings.

     

    Regards,

     

  • 0
    Avatar
    Alex

    It is not possible to use the Synchronize command while 'Remain on current state' is set. To workaround this restriction, change from 'Remain on current state' to 'Transition to new state' and set the state to the current state. But I would recommend you to replace the Sync command with the Send UDP command instead. It can be used with the 'Remain on current state'. Slave project will listen to the UDP message (use UDP Input event in slave project).

    You can read more about Event Handler on page 63 in BrightAuthor user guide.

  • 0
    Avatar
    M Tavan

    Hi,

     

    You are absolutly right! It is logic that sync commands are used to sync the start between 2 medias...!

    UDP commands works fine in my case.

     

    Thank you!

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