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HTML5/Google Slides presentation suddenly opening a Troubleshooting window across all devices

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Steven Cline
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****UPDATE: ISSUE SOLVED****
   This issue has been solved by the OS 8.4.10 update.
   The update was released on November 23, 2021. 
   See Brandon's pinned comment below for more information 
*******************************



We use Google Slides to populate a couple of content windows using the HTML5 Widget and for months it has behaved wonderfully

Yesterday every unit began displaying a google troubleshooting window in both of the HTML5/Google slides content window with a "Clear Cache & Cookies" error (below).

We are trying to identify what may have changed but I thought I would reach out to the community to see if someone has had the same issue and may have some advice. We are basic users of the system.

My thanks
Steven 

 

Date Votes

34 comments

  • Avatar
    Brandon Official comment

    BrightSign OS 8.4.10 was released today (November 23, 2021) and includes the fix for OS-12797 (the root of this Google Slides issue), so updating to 8.4.10 (or a future release) should address the issue.

     

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    Todd Thoennes

    I am experiencing the same exact issue across multiple accounts and it just popped today. What are you using to mange your devices, Brightauthor? SignageLive? Mvix? etc...

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    Steven Cline

    Additional information: 
     - Updated OS to the latest Version
     - I have performed a SD Card format and Factory reset 

    Both of these activities resulted in no change.

  • 0
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    Steven Cline

    We are using BrightAuthor: Connected on a Local Network
    I'm not sure if it makes me feel better or worse that the same issue with the same timeline is occurring with your units.

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    Todd Thoennes

    I am running Mvix with Brightsign XD234 devices managed remotely at several locations and this has popped up in all of them at the same time today. It does narrow down the issue to the device or Google and not BrightAuthor or Mvix.

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    Steven Cline

    Thank you for the quick replies... as you say it takes the next troubleshooting steps away from the management software. Considering the timing I have to wonder if Google made some changes on their end.

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    Todd Thoennes

    I would prefer it was Brightsign at least I know I can get a response and support. Not so confident if Megacorp Google is the issue.

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    Steven Cline

    I'd appreciate keeping this thread in the loop if you find any answers. I'll do the same.

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    Todd Thoennes

    I have a reply from my Mvix support ticket. They were able to reproduce the problem on their test bench XD234. They tested it on a Mvix Xhibit player and NO error occurred. This narrows it down to the Brightsign device specifically. I have been trying without any luck to get Brightsign support to respond either by email or call. Even tried the sales number still no luck. I am considering dropping the Brightsign devices if this how they handle customer support. I have down displays and irate clients.

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    Steve Van Dyke

    I can confirm this to be the case here on at least two of our BrightSign units.  Did some detective work, and it appears Google is trying to sideload javascript from a Chrome extension (Google Drive Offline, specifically) when the page opens.  Most browsers are throwing a graceful error when this happens and then proceeds to finish loading the page.

    I wouldn't throw BrightSign 100% under the bus on this one, since I could mostly replicate the error in Edge and Internet Explorer, but those browsers just gracefully throw out the javascript and continue to render the page.

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    Todd Thoennes

    With Chrome preferences on the desktop side you can turn this extension on or off. Does anyone know how to get the Brightsign device to "gracefully" throw out the javascript and continue to render the page?

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    Steven Cline

    Thank you Steve for your sleuthing. 

    I have open tickets with Brightsign where I referenced this discussion. I'm hoping that they may have a response in the near future. Haven't tried the direct phone route as you have Todd. Were you able to get through and they didn't have an answer or are you waiting on a call back.

    I'll have to leave this until tomorrow for now.

  • 0
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    Todd Thoennes

    I called through sales line, hoping to back door talk to an actual tech, only to be told that the email support was the only option and that talking to a tech direct would not be possible with additional fees. So that was a dead end.

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    Steven Cline

    Heard back from Email support this evening:

    "We've seen various reports of this today so it would seem that something changed on Google's side that is causing this webpage redirect to happen.  We've logged a ticket with our Engineering team to investigate.  I will post an update here when I have more information on this issue."

  • 0
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    Todd Thoennes

    Found a thread on Google discussing this exact issue.

    https://support.google.com/docs/thread/135679580/google-slides-just-began-redirecting-to-a-troubleshooting-page

    There is no solution yet but this is another avenue addressing the issue that I am following.

  • 0
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    Steve Van Dyke

    To add to this, this is what I'm seeing from BrightSign's logs, URL's to the presentation obfuscated for privacy:

    --------------------------
    [68642.250] [ERROR] [source https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/*******************************************************/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=10000:0]: Mixed Content: The page at 'https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/*******************************************************/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=10000' was loaded over HTTPS, but requested an insecure script 'chrome-extension://ghbmnnjooekpmoecnnnilnnbdlolhkhi/page_embed_script.js'. This request has been blocked; the content must be served over HTTPS. 
     [68643.349] [ERROR] [source https://docs.google.com/static/presentation/client/js/1801209443-viewer_core.js:54]: Uncaught TypeError: b.createScriptURL is not a function 
     [68643.367] [ERROR] [source https://docs.google.com/static/presentation/client/js/1801209443-viewer_core.js:54]: Uncaught TypeError: b.createScriptURL is not a function
    [68645.840] [ERROR] [source https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050:3503]: Uncaught TypeError: Intl.RelativeTimeFormat is not a constructor 
    [68645.843] [ERROR] [source https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050:3521]: Uncaught TypeError: window.sc_initCaseHistory is not a function
    --------------------------
    From here, it's calling a page_embed_script.js from what is a Chrome extension, specifically the Google Drive Offline extension.  There are also errors present in the javascript code called from Google as well.  Loading the GSlides presentation in Edge confirms these errors, but it gracefully still loads the page.  So we're looking at a JS code issue from Google that BrightSign browser can't figure out, and BS needs to update the HTML5 renderer to support, or Google really bungled up some code in a release.
  • 0
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    Todd Thoennes

    Thank you Steve! If you don't mind I am going to share this on a Google thread dealing with the same issue. Not much activity on the Google side as far as finding a solution, but I figure the more heads involved someone may get an aha moment and provide a solution.

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    Steve Van Dyke

    Todd, I just added the same post verbatim to the Google thread and upvoted it for visibility.  Unfortunately, if it's truly a Google issue, we may be looking at a resolution in the years away from my experience if it's not in their roadmap.

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    Steven Cline

    I share Steve's concerns around Google's responsiveness on an issue that generally doesn't affect their user base.
    Has anyone found a viable alternative, (free or paid) online presentation to google slides for end user ease of use? I'd trade stability for a monthly fee if necessary. 

    I've tried a couple when we were ramping up:
    - Visme.ca
        - was so close but they include a dynamically resizing border that I could not find a way to turn off 
        - border would always show pushing the slide out of frame on the lower right side
     - Prezi
        - couldn't get it working

    There were a couple of others but I cannot remember them offhand. 

     

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    Mike

    Anyone know if Google still tries to load this script if you spoof say an iPad useragent?  Not sure how to do this on the BrightSigns.

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    Ryan

    Just adding my "2 cents" worth of details to the discussion:

    I have the following BrightSign devices: XD1132 (qty5), XD1143 (qty1), XD1144 (qty1).

    I am only having this issue on the XD1144. The others are still running fine.
    The XD1132 and XD1144 are running the exact presentation at the same site.

     

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    Todd Thoennes

    Ryan do you know what firmware version you are running on your devices?

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    Ryan

    XD1132: ver 6.1.76
    XD1143: ver 6.2.94
    XD1144: ver 8.2.75

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    Mike

    I'm not sure the issue is the page trying to load from the extension.  I was able to change the autorun.brs and send a different useragent.  This no longer throws the error with trying to load chrome-extension://ghbmnnjooekpmoecnnnilnnbdlolhkhi/page_embed_script.js

    But I do still see the 2 b.createScriptURL erors and of course still doesn't work :)

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    Mike

    Check your support tickets for an OS update.

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    Steven Cline

    What Mike said... and if you haven't already, reach out to Support with your model numbers handy

     

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    Steven Cline

    I've received and tested the patch and on first glance it appears to work with Google Slides presenting properly

    Thank you to Brightsign support and the Engineering team. A two day turnaround on a problem that was not of their making is some of the best support I have had for a essential service disruption.

    If anyone is coming to this late the latest OS update (8.4.x) as of around the beginning of December 2021 should fix the issue.

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    Todd Thoennes

    I can confirm Steven's results. I have installed and tested works with XD234 and Mvix CRM.

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    Rod Kok

    I don't see the 8.4.x OS on the website. I put in a support ticket. Hopefully I can get it so I can start fixing all the players in the School division I work for.

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    Todd Thoennes

    Rob the update is not available through the sites download section. You need to start a support ticket and request the update and it will be sent to you as a download link. The new version is 8.3.51.

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