Cover Bright Author User Guide 2.3

2016-03-31

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User Guide
BrightAuthor Release 2.3
COMPATIBLE WITH

• BrightSign HD110, HD210, HD210w, HD410, HD810, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012

www.brightsign.biz

Copyright
Copyright © 2011 by BrightSign, LLC. All rights reserved. The BrightSign logo is a registered trademark of BrightSign,
LLC. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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Contents

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Chapter 1

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
What is BrightAuthor? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
What kind of presentations can I create?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
What type of layouts can I use?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Step 1: Get the hardware you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Step 2: Install the BrightAuthor software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Step 3: Launch the BrightAuthor application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Step 3: Add your content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Step 4: Create your presentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Step 5: Publish your presentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Chapter 2

Creating Presentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Creating a full-screen presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Creating a multi-zone presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Making a presentation interactive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Adding Lists, Live Text, and Interactive Menus to your playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Adding commands to your playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Creating a Dynamic Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
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Chapter 3

The TD1012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Using your TD1012 BrightSign Unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Chapter 4

BP900 and BP200 Button Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Creating BP900 and BP200 Interactive Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Chapter 5

Publishing Presentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Publishing a presentation using Local Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Publishing a presentation using BrightSign Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Publishing a presentation using a Local Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Publishing a presentation using Simple File Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Chapter 6

Setting Up Units. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Adding BrightSign units to your BrightSign Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Adding BrightSign units to your Local Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Adding BrightSign units to your Simple File Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Setting up BrightSign units for standalone use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Chapter 7

Customizing Presentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Setting zone properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Setting presentation properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Customizing template layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Setting default properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Chapter 8

Managing Your BrightSign Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Viewing unit status on your BrightSign Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

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Creating groups in your BrightSign Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Viewing presentation status on your BrightSign Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Viewing your library on your BrightSign Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
View dynamic playlist status on your BrightSign Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Viewing unit status on your Local Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Using advanced tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Chapter 9

Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

Appendix A

Remote Control Protocols. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

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Chapter 1
Getting Started

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What is BrightAuthor?
BrightAuthor is a software application that helps you create presentations for your digital sign or kiosk. You can
play your BrightAuthor presentations on BrightSign models: HD110, HD210, HD210w, HD410, HD810, HD1010,
HD1010w, and TD1012. Your presentations can include any of the following types of content:
Images
Pre-recorded videos
Live videos (HD810, HD1010, and HD1010w)
Audio
RSS
Dynamic Playlists
SignChannel (HD210, HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only. Subscription required,
go to www.signchannel.com for details)
• Text
• Date or time
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What kind of presentations can I create?
You can create two types of presentations with BrightAuthor:
• Non-interactive: A slide show or video that plays as a continuous loop. You can play non-interactive
presentations on all BrightSign models that are compatible with BrightAuthor.
• Interactive: A presentation that requires input from the user via a button board, keyboard, mouse, or similar
input device. To play interactive presentations, you must use an HD210, HD210w, HD410, HD810, HD1010,
HD1010w, or TD1012.

What type of layouts can I use?
You can choose from a variety of ready-to-use layout templates or create your own layout template. Layout
templates fall into two basic categories:
• Full screen: A slide show or video that occupies the full screen.
• Multi-zone: A presentation with different types of content in each region of the screen. The screen can
include one video zone, and multiple Clock, Text, Ticker, or Image zones.

Step 1: Get the hardware you need
To create presentations with BrightAuthor and play these presentations, you need the following:
• Windows PC
• BrightSign
• Display
• Storage card
• Card reader/writer (optional if using USB storage)
• Input device (optional)
See below for details on these requirements.

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Windows PC Any Windows PC that meets or exceeds the following minimum requirements:
• 2.3 GHz CPU
• 2 GB RAM required (4 GB recommended)
• 100 MB available hard disk space for program files (additional disk space required if storing content and/or
presentations on your hard disk)
• One of these operating systems:
• Windows Vista 32 or 64 bit
• Windows7 32 or 64 bit
BrightSign Any of the following models with firmware version 3.7.44 or later:
• HD110
• HD210 and HD210w
• HD410
• HD810
• HD1010 and HD1010w
• TD1012
Display Any monitor, TV, or Elo touch screen with one of the following types of inputs:
• VGA
• Component (HD810, HD1010, and HD1010w only)
• HDMI
Storage Media Either of the following:
• USB Flash Drive (HD810, HD1010, and HD1010w only)
• SD card
• SDHC card
Card Reader/Writer (not required with USB Flash Drive) The card reader/writer must be connected to your PC
and must be compatible with your storage card.

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Input device (HD410, HD810, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only) One or more of the following types of
input devices:
• Touch screen equipped with a touch controller that supports the standard HID specification. For a list of all
supported touch controllers, see the following link: http://support.brightsign.biz/entries/262256-whattouchscreens-can-i-use-with-the-brightsign. (HD810, HD1010, and HD1010w only)
• Many brands of USB Keyboards (HD810, HD1010, and HD1010w only)
• Many brands of USB Mouse or Trackballs (HD810, HD1010, and HD1010w only)
• Many brands of USB Bar Code Scanners (these appear as a keyboard; HD810, HD1010, and HD1010w only)
• Quadravox Serial Button Board
• AMX, Crestron, and similar control devices (serial & ethernet)
• Any GPIO (open/close contact switch) button, signal, or LED (your custom board or LED display). USB button
boards can be purchased from the BrightSign website:
http://www.brightsign.biz/products/expansion_module.php

• PC via serial port
• IR remote control using the NEC Remote Control Protocols. You can purchase a compatible remote from
BrightSign (see Appendix Afor remote control codes).

Step 2: Install the BrightAuthor software
Download the latest software and install it on your PC.
NOTE: BrightAuthor requires the latest version of Microsoft .Net Framework. If this component is not already on

your PC, BrightAuthor installs it during the installation. However, if BrightAuthor needs to install Microsoft .Net
Framework, the installation may take up to 45 minutes to complete and you may need to restart your PC to
complete the installation process.
Go to the BrightSign web site www.brightsign.biz/support.
2 Click the BrightAuthor Downloads link.
3 Follow the onscreen instruction to install the software on your PC.
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Step 3: Launch the BrightAuthor application
Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.
2 (Optional) If prompted, sign in to BrightSign Network (account required). See Publishing a presentation
using BrightSign Networkfor details.
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Step 3: Add your content
Your BrightAuthor presentations can include the following types of media files:
• Video files. BrightSigns support the following video files encodings/compressions:
• MPEG-2 (can be saved as a .mpg, .ts, or .vob container)
• MPEG-1 (can be saved as a .mpg container)
• H.264 (MPEG-4, Part 10) (can be saved as a .mp4, .mov, or .ts container)
For further details on video files encoding and support, see the following link:
http://support.brightsign.biz/entries/143091-what-video-formats-and-codecs-does-the-brightsign-support
• Audio files. BrightSigns support the following audio formats:
• AAC (LC - Low complexity profile) at Constant Bit Rate, as part of a video file (.mp4, .mov, or .ts) at 44.1 KHz,
48 KHz
• MP2 (MPEG-1 Layer 2) at Constant Bit Rate, as part of a video file (.mpg, or .ts) at 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz
• MP3 at Constant Bit Rate, 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 32 KHz at up to 224 Kbps bitrate, as a standalone file (i.e. not
encoded as an audio track in a video file)
• AC3 5.1 passed through (un-decoded, RAW data) HDMI. Audio streams in this format are supported by
BrightSigns, but will require an AC3 decoder (HDMI AV receiver).
• Image files. For still images, use BMP, PNG, and JPEG files. The maximum supported resolution is 1920x1080.

Step 4: Create your presentations
Now you’re ready to start using your BrightAuthor to create presentations. Just add your content and follow the
directions in the next chapter of this guide to create your presentations.
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Step 5: Publish your presentations
After create presentations, use the publishing feature to deliver them to your BrightSign units. See Publishing
Presentationsfor details.

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Chapter 2
Creating Presentations

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Creating a full-screen presentation
In a full-screen presentation, your images or video occupy the entire screen.
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Create a new presentation project:
a Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.
b Click File > New Presentation
TIP: If you don’t see New Presentation under File, make sure you have the
Edit, Publish, or Manage tab selected in the upper-left side of the screen.
In the Create a new BrightSign project window, enter a name for
the presentation in the Save As field.
d In the Where field, enter the folder where you want to store the
presentation. Click Browse to navigate to the desired folder.
e Select your BrightSign Model, Connector type, and Screen
resolution.
f Select a Monitor overscan setting to control how the image fills the display screen:
• No overscan: Displays images all the way to the edge of the video signal.
• Overscan action safe: Restricts the image display to an area that is compatible with most displays.
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• Overscan title safe: Restricts the image display to an area that is much smaller than the image generated
by the video signal.
NOTE: Don’t be afraid to experiment to find the overscan setting that works best with your display.
Click Create.
2 Click the Full Screen template, and then click Choose.
3 Add your Media Library:
a On the left side of the screen, under the file tab, click Browse.
b Navigate to the folder where your content is stored.
c Click OK.
NOTE: If you have a lot of large files in your content folder, it may take
a while for the thumbnail images to appear.
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Add media files to your presentation by dragging files from the
Media Library folders to the playlist area.
• To select a series of adjacent media files, press Shift+Click as
you select the files.
• To select a group of non-adjacent files, press Ctrl+Click as you
select the files.
• To set the order in which files play, drag them to the playlist area
in the proper order. You can change the order of files already in
the playlist by clicking a file and dragging it to a new position.
• To refresh the Media Library folders, click
(next to the Browse button).
• To remove an item from a playlist, highlight it in the playlist area and press Delete on your PC keyboard.
• (HD210, HD210w, HD410, HD810, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only) To enable the presentation to
respond to user input, see Making a presentation interactivefor details.

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HD810, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only (Optional) Add Live Video to your playlist:
a Click the Other tab on the left side of the screen.
b Drag the Live Video
icon to the playlist area. To
add more than one live video sequence, drag the Live
Video icon to your playlist again for each sequence
you want to add.

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(Optional) Set the video volume: Right-click Live Video in the playlist
area, select Edit, and then enter the settings you want to apply to
the selected item.
TIP: To remove a Live Video item from a playlist, highlight it in the playlist area
and press Delete on your PC keyboard.
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HD210, HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012only (Optional)
Add SignChannel content to your playlist:
a Click the Other tab on the left side of the screen.
b Drag the SignChannel
icon to the playlist area.
TIP: To remove a SignChannel item from a playlist, highlight it in the playlist area and press Delete on your PC
keyboard.

HD210, HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only (Optional) Add Media RSS Feed to your playlist:
a Click the Other tab on the left side of the screen.
b Drag the Media RSS Feed
icon to the playlist area. The Add RSS window will pop up. Type the URL for
the RSS feed and click OK.
8 HD210, HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only (Optional) Add Dynamic Playlist content to your
playlist:
a Click the Other tab on the left side of the screen.
b Drag the Dynamic Playlist
icon to the playlist area.
TIP: To learn more about Dynamic Playlists, see Creating a Dynamic Playlist. To remove a Dynamic Playlist item
from a playlist, highlight it in the playlist area and press Delete on your PC keyboard.
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NOTE: Although the Video List, Image List, Audio List, Live Text, and Interactive Menu icons appear under the
Other tab, these options are only available for Interactive presentations. See Making a presentation
interactivefor details.

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(Optional) Rename the playlist:
a Click Edit in the upper-right corner of the playlist area.
b Enter a new name for the playlist.
c Click OK.

10 (Optional) Set playback options:

• To edit settings for a single item, right-click the thumbnail in the playlist
area, select Edit, and then choose the settings you want to apply to the
selected item.
• To edit settings for multiple items, press Ctrl+Click to select the items
in the playlist area. On the menu bar, click Edit > Selected Items, and
then choose the settings you want to apply to all selected items.
11 On the menu bar, click File > Save… to store your presentation.
NOTE: Make sure you have the Edit tab selected in the upper-left side of the screen. To save the presentation with
a different name or in a different folder, select File > Save… As. To export the presentation and associated
content, select File > Export… .
12 Publish your presentation. See Publishing Presentationsfor details.

Creating a multi-zone presentation
In a multi-zone presentation, BrightAuthor divides the screen into rectangles called zones. You can play different
content in each zone and each zone supports a specific type of content. BrightAuthor provides a handful of
multi-zone templates. You can choose one of the existing templates, or create your own (see Customizing
Presentations).
When using a multi-zone template, you need to know which type of content you can include in each zone. The
color-coded key at the bottom of the template screen shows the available content types, and the color-coded
templates indicate which type of content you can include in each zone of the templates. The following list
describes the available content types:
• Images

: Plays images. You can include multiple Images zones.
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Ticker
: Plays an RSS feed or pre-defined text strings. You can include multiple Ticker zones.
Clock
: Displays the time or date. You can include multiple Clock zones.
Video or Images
: Plays videos and images. You can include only one Video or Images zone.
Video Only
: Plays videos. You can include only one Video Only zone.
Audio Only
: Plays audio. You can include multiple Audio Only zones.
Background Image
: Places an image in the background of your presentation. All other zones appear on
top of the background image. When using a background image, you cannot include a Video Only zone or a
Video or Images zone. You can include only one Background Image zone.
NOTE: You can include only one zone with video per presentation. Therefore you must choose between a Video or
Images zone, a Video Only zone, or a Background Image zone. You cannot have more than one of these zone types
in the same presentation.
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Create a new presentation project:
a Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.
b Click File > New Presentation
TIP: If you don’t see New Presentation under File, make sure you have the
Edit, Publish, or Manage tab selected in the upper-left side of the screen.
In the Create a new BrightSign project window, enter a name for
the presentation in the Save As field.
d In the Where field, enter the folder where you want to store the
presentation. Click Browse to navigate to the desired folder.
e Select your BrightSign Model, Connector type, and Screen
resolution.
f Select a Monitor overscan setting to control how the image fills the
display screen:
• No overscan: Displays images all the way to the edge of the video
signal.
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• Overscan action safe: Restricts the image display to an area that is compatible with most displays.
• Overscan title safe: Restricts the image display to an area that is much smaller than the image generated
by the video signal.
2 Click the multi-zone template you want to use, and then click
Choose.
3 Add your Media Library:
a On the left side of the screen, under the file tab, click Browse.
b Navigate to the folder where your content is stored.
c Click OK.
NOTE: If you have a lot of large files in your content folder, it may take
a while for the thumbnail images to appear.
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Add content to each zone in your playlist:
a Click the zone you want to populate.
NOTE: Each zone has its own playlist.
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Under the File tab, drag items from the Media Library folders
to the playlist area. Click Browse to add more files to the Media
Library folders.
• To select a series of adjacent files, press Shift+Click as you select the files.
• To select a group of non-adjacent files, press Ctrl+Click as you select the files.
• To set the order in which files play, drag them to the playlist area in the proper order. You can change the
order of files already in the playlist by clicking a file and dragging it to a new position.

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Under the Other tab, you can add Live Video, SignChannel, Media RSS Feeds, and Dynamic Playlists.
• (HD810, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only) To add live video, drag the Live Video
icon to the
playlist area.
• (HD210, HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012only) To add SignChannel content, drag the
SignChannel
icon to the playlist area.
• (HD210, HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only) To add a media RSS feed, drag the Media RSS
Feed
icon to the playlist area. The Add RSS window will pop up. Type the URL for the media RSS feed
and click OK.

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• (HD210, HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only) To add a Dynamic Playlist, click the Other tab on
the left side of the screen and drag the Dynamic Playlist
icon to the playlist area. To learn more
about Dynamic Playlists, see Creating a Dynamic Playlist.
NOTE: Although the Video List, Image List, Audio List, Live Text, and Interactive Menu iconsappear under the
Other tab, these options can only be used with interactive presentations. See Making a presentation
interactive for details.
RSS and Text feeds are added via the Ticker zone. These can only included text, unlike a media RSS feed
which can include audio, video, and images.
• (HD210, HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only) To add an RSS feed (not Media RSS), select the
Ticker zone, click the RSS tab drag the New RSS Feed
icon onto the playlist, when prompted, enter
the URL, and then click OK. Repeat this step to add additional RSS feeds.
TIP: RSS feeds are ideal for instant textual updates from sources such as Twitter. Simply add the URL for the Twitter
feed in a Ticker zone and all new tweets will instantly reach your presentations.
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• To add a text feed, create a text file that contains the text. Insert a line break between each text item in the
text file. Save the text file and place it in your Media Library folder. Select the Ticker zone, click the Text
tab, and then drag the text file into the playlist. Repeat this step to add additional text files.
e Repeat steps a - d for the remaining zones.
• To remove an item from a playlist, highlight it in the playlist area and press Delete on your PC keyboard.
• (HD210, HD210w, HD410, HD810, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012 only) To enable the presentation to
respond to user input, see Making a presentation interactive for details.
f Repeat steps a and b for the remaining zones.
5 Click the Layout tab to add new zones or adjust the position of your zones. To add a new zone, click the
Add Zone button. To adjust the position and size of zones, drag and resize in the horizontal rectangle to
the right. See Customizing template layouts for details.
6 (Optional) Set playback options:
• To edit settings for a single item, right-click the thumbnail in the playlist area and select Edit, and then choose
the settings you want to apply to the selected item.

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• To edit settings for multiple items, press Ctrl+Click to select the items in the playlist area. On the menu bar,
click Edit > Selected Items, and then choose the settings you want to apply to all of the selected items.
7 (Optional) Rename the playlists:
a For each playlist, click Edit in the upper-right corner of the playlist area.
b Enter a new name for the selected playlist.
c Click OK.
8 (Optional) Set zone properties. See Setting zone properties for details.
9 On the menu bar, click File > Save… to store your presentation.
NOTE: Make sure you have the Edit tab selected in the upper-left side of the screen. To save the presentation with
a different name or in a different folder, select File > Save… As. To export the presentation and associated
content, select File > Export… .
10 Publish your presentation. See Publishing Presentations for details.

Making a presentation interactive
You can use BrightAuthor to make presentations interactive. Interactive presentations respond to interactive
events, such as input from buttons or other GPIO devices, or from devices connected to a BrightSign
communication port. The supported communication methods vary by BrightSign model.
RS232 serial devices: HD410, HD810, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012
USB devices (such as touch screens, mice, keyboards, barcode scanners, IR remote controls): HD810,
HD1010, and HD1010w (see Appendix A for remote control codes)
Ethernet devices: HD210, HD210w, HD1010, and HD1010w
1

Open a presentation project:
NOTE: If you haven’t already created a presentation project, see Creating a full-screen presentation or Creating
a multi-zone presentation for details.
a

Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.

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On the menu bar, click File > Open Presentation.
NOTE: If you don’t see New Presentation under File, make sure you have the Edit, Publish, or Manage tab
selected in the upper-left side of the screen.
b

Select the presentation you want to open.
d Click Open.
2 Choose the Home screen:
The Home
icon identifies the Home screen in your playlist. The Home screen is the first media file (video
or image) in the playlist, and it is where the presentation begins. It usually includes either of the following:
c

• An attract video that loops until the user provides input
• A list of options from which the user can choose the next action
By default, the first item you drag into the playlist will become the
Home screen. You can switch the Home Screen at any time by doubleclicking the desired file in the playlist, checking the Set as initial state
box, and clicking OK. To choose the Home screen, do the following:
Click the Edit tab.
b On the left side of the screen, click any zone (except a ticker or
clock zone) that you want to make interactive.
c On the right side of the playlist area, click interactive.
d Drag the media file you want to use as the first file in your presentation (Home screen) to the playlist.
Repeat steps b – d for any other zones you want to make interactive.
a

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If you haven’t already done so, add media files to each of the zones in your presentation. See Creating a fullscreen presentation or Creating a multi-zone presentation for details.
4 Define interactive events:
a In the playlist toolbar above the media files in the playlist area, click the interactive event icon you want to
define. For example, to define what happens when the user presses button 1 on a button board, click
.
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Click the file name below the thumbnail image (the pointer becomes a hand). This media file (referred to as
the Initial state or Start state) is what the user sees before performing the interactive event you are about to
define.
NOTE: The first interactive event must begin with the Home screen.
b

Drag the hand pointer to the thumbnail image of the media file you want to play when the user presses the
button you selected in step (a). This second media file is referred to as the Next state or New state.
d Repeat steps a – c to define the remaining interactive events.
Subsequent interactive events can start with any item and correspond to any other item in the playlist. For
example, you can set the first interaction to display an image when the user presses button 1 from the
Home screen. By defining a new event with the same event icon, you can set a second interaction to
display another media file when the user presses button 1 again while the first image is displayed.
c

Multiple interactive events can be utilized to transition from the Initial
state to the Next state. You can also apply interactions to multiple items
(except for touch events). To select consecutive items, press Shift and click
the first and last items. To select non-consecutive items, press and hold Ctrl
while clicking the items. To select all items, press Ctrl + A. Then, define the
interactive event from one selected media file and it will be created for all
selected files.
If you don’t see the button you want in the playlist toolbar, click the arrow to the left of the Zoom control.
Here, you can add or remove event icon buttons from your toolbar. You can also access Event icons by
clicking the events tab under Media Library.
When creating an event with an Event icon from the events tab, drag the event icon onto the thumbnail
of the media file you want to be the Initial state. A window will automatically pop up. Here, you can specify
which media file you want to be the Next state. See below step (e) for details.
e

You can further adjust how your media files transition from state to state by double-clicking the event
icon you created in step (c).

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For example, if you create an event with the Timeout Event icon, the media file displayed in your presentation
will transition to the next state after a certain period of time. You can adjust this time period by double-clicking
the Timeout Event icon between the two media files and changing the duration in the Timeout Event window
that pops up.
The window that pops up when double-clicking a created event icon is the same window that
automatically pops up when you drag an event icon from the events tab. Each window will present
options specific to the type of interactive event chosen. However, every event window displays the
following options:

• Transition to new state: Specify which media file in your playlist will be the next state when the
interactive event is performed.
• Return to prior state: If you select this option, the presentation will revert to the previous media file when
the interactive event is performed.
• Remain on current state: If you select this option, the state will not change when the interactive event is
performed. This option is useful for creating changes within one media file. You can create these changes
by adding Commands. See Adding commands to your playlists for details.
• Advanced: Click the Advanced arrow to reveal the display options and Commands section. Here you can
set how you view the interactive events between states in the playlist area. Show line draws a line
between the media files. Show label creates a label either to the Right or Bottom of the media file
which indicates transitions from states. See Adding commands to your playlistsfor details on
Commands.
You can delete a defined event at any time by click the event icon and pressing Delete on your keyboard.

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Interactions can include any of the following events:
Event Icon

Description
Displays an item for a predetermined period of time before the next action occurs
automatically. To create a Timeout event, drag the Timeout icon onto the item to which it
applies and then drag to the target item. To define the length of the timeout interval doubleclick the Timeout icon below the item to open the Timeout Event window. In the Specify
timeout (seconds) field, enter the number of seconds you want the item to display, and
then click OK.
Sets the action that occurs after a video or audio file finishes playing.

Sets the action that occurs when a specific BP900 or BP200 button is pressed. There are six
icons: BP900A, BP900B, BP900C, BP200A, BP200B, and BP200C. See Creating BP900 and
BP200 Interactive Events for details.

Sets the action that occurs when a specific GPIO button/input is pressed or activated. By
default, the playlist toolbar includes several GPIO buttons which you can use to define
interactions. To define a GPIO interaction, click the GPIO button on the Event bar and then
drag a line from the trigger item to the target item.
Synchronizes content with another BrightSign on the same network. To define the
connection, drag the Synchronize icon onto the item to which it applies. When the
Synchronize Event window opens, enter the trigger in the Specify synchronization
keyword field, and then click OK.

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Event Icon

Description
Sets the action that occurs when BrightSign receives input from a network device. Use this
event when you want an external device to control BrightSign using UDP (User Datagram
Protocol or Universal Datagram Protocol). To define the trigger, drag the UDP Input icon
onto the item to which it applies and then drag to the target item. When the UDP Input
Event window opens, enter the network address for the external device in the Specify UDP
input field, and then click OK.
Sets the action that occurs when BrightSign receives specific input from a device connected
to the serial port. To define the input, drag the Serial Input icon onto the item to which
it applies and then drag to the target item. When the Serial Input Event window opens,
enter the serial string that triggers the next event in the Specify serial input field, and
then click OK.
Sets the action that occurs when the user touches the specified rectangular area on a
touchscreen. To define the area, drag the Rectangular Touch icon onto the item to which it
applies and then drag to the target item. When the Add Touch Event window opens, drag
the box to resize the touch area (or enter the exact Size and Position). To add additional
touch regions to the selected item, click Add Touch Region, and define the parameters, and
then click OK.
Sets the action that occurs when BrightSign receives specific input from a keyboard. To
define the keyboard input, drag the Keyboard Input icon onto the item to which it applies.
When the Keyboard Input Event window opens, enter the keyboard input that triggers the
next event in the Specify keyboard input field, and then click OK.
Sets the action that occurs when BrightSign receives input from a device connected to the
USB (Universal Serial Bus) port. To define the trigger, drag the USB Input icon onto the item
to which it applies and then drag to the target item. When the USB Input Event window
opens, enter the USB input that triggers the next event in the Specify USB input field, and
then click OK.

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Event Icon

Description
Sets the action that occurs when BrightSign receives specific input from a remote control
(Iguanaworks USB transceiver required). To define the remote input, drag the Remote Input
icon onto the item to which it applies and then drag to the target item. When the Remote
Input Event window opens, enter the remote character that triggers the next event in the
Specify remote input field, and then click OK. For more info, see Appendix A for remote
control codes.
Synchronizes content in another zone. To define the link, drag the Link Zones icon onto the
item to which it applies. When the Link Zones Event window opens, enter the trigger in the
Specify link keyword field, and then click OK.
Performs commands at specific times during video playback. To define the commands and
times, drag the Video Time Code icon onto the video to which it applies. When the Video
Time Code Events window opens, click Add Time Code, enter the Timeout interval, select
the Command and Parameters from the corresponding lists, and then click OK.

Adding Lists, Live Text, and Interactive Menus to your playlists
Under the Other tab, the Video List, Image List, Audio List, Live Text, and Interactive Menu icons are displayed.
These choices can only be used with interactive presentations.
a

The List icons allow you to create a list of media files which will appear as one thumbnail in your playlist
area. This is convenient when creating a presentation with many items. Rather than populating your
playlist with many thumbnails of individual items, you can isolate the Video, Image, and Audio files into
one thumbnail each. To use a list, drag the icon into your playlist area. A window will pop up displaying
the following options:

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• Media list name: Create a unique name for the list.
• Set as initial state: Click this box to set the list as your
Home screen.
• Shuffle playback: Click this box to randomize the order in
which the files are played from the list.
• Event to transition to next item: Select what interactive
event allows the user to transition to the next file in the list.
• Event to transition to previous item: Select what
interactive event allows the user to transition to the
previous file in the list.
NOTE: With Lists, you can transition to the next or previous file in the
list, or randomize the order by selecting the Shuffle playback
option. However, you may not select specific files to transition to
within the list.
• Media Library: Click the Browse button to select the folder that contains all the files you want to include
in the list.
• Media Files: Add individual files to the list by clicking the Add File button. The files available will only be
those contained in the folder you selected in Media Library above. When a file appears in the list, click the
arrow and select the specific file you want from the drop-down list.
• Commands: Add commands to the list. See Adding commands to your playlists for details.
NOTE: Click File > Presentation Properties and navigate to the Media List tab to edit features of your
Video, Image, or Audio list(s). See Setting presentation properties for details.
Live Text is an image you can create directly with BrightAuthor that functions like a media file in your
playlist. This option allows you to create and edit one or more text fields over a background image.
With Live Text, you can type any message, place it over any image, and display it at a time of your
choosing.
The possibilities with Live Text are vast because you have the freedom to create and customize your own text
based media. To use Live Text, drag the Live Text icon to the playlist area. The Live Text window will pop up
displaying the following options:
b

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State name: Here, you can type a unique name for the Live Text state you are creating.
Set as initial state: Click this box to make the Live Text image your Home screen.
Background Image: Click Browse to locate and select an image you want to be your background.
Size: Adjust the size of your text fields. The W field corresponds to the width of the text. The H field
corresponds to the height of the text.
• Position: Adjust the position of your text fields. The X field corresponds to the position of the text on a
horizontal axis. The Y field corresponds to the position of the text on a vertical axis.
NOTE: Alternatively, you can click the text fields displayed over the background image and change their size and
location with the pointer.
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• Text type: Select either a Fixed text or System variable. With Fixed text, you can type whatever text you
want to appear over the background image. Simply type the desired text in the field below. The System
variable option displays a predefined text such as the Serial number of your BrightSign unit. After selecting
System variable, a drop-down list will appear displaying the available text options.
• Set Text Parameters: Adjust various aspects of the text. These include Number of Lines, Rotation,
Alignment, Foreground Text Color, Background Text Color, Transparency, Font, Background Bitmap, and
Safe Text Region. See Setting zone properties for details on these options.
• Add Text Item: Click to add a new text field. Each new text field will appear in the area to the right.
NOTE: Although the actual text does not appear in the text fields over the background image, by clicking each text
field, you can see the corresponding text in the field where it was originally typed.
• Advanced: Under the advanced menu, you can add Commands. See Adding commands to your playlists
for details.
NOTE: Live Text can be used in an Image or Video/Images zone, not in a Ticker zone.
The Interactive Menu allows you to create DVD style menus which users can navigate across with interactive
events. You can link media files to items in the menu, which allows users to transition to new states via
interactive events. Interactive Menus make great Home screens because they can serve as a bridge to many
items and outline everything available for the user to explore. To use an Interactive Menu, drag the
Interactive Menu icon to the playlist area. The Interactive Menu window will pop up.
Under the General tab, the following options are displayed:
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• State name: Create a unique name for your Interactive menu.

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• Background image: Click Browse to select an image you want to act as your menu display.
IMPORTANT: The background image is not simply a background for the actual menu items. It must contain all
images and text you want displayed in the menu. These images and text will act as the menu items the user can
interact with.

• Set as initial state: Click this box to set the Interactive menu as the Home screen.
The Navigation section is where you can define how a user navigates across the menu. Click the drop down
menu for each option (Up, Down, Left, Right, Enter, Back, Next clip, Previous clip) and select the type of
event you are utilizing (GPIO Event, Serial input, etc.). A second drop down menu or text field will appear.
Specify the button or input you want to correspond to the action you are defining.

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For example, let’s say you want to define the Up action with a keyboard event. In the drop-down list across
Up, select Keyboard Input. A text field will appear below where you can specify a button. Type U here.
Now, when a user presses U on a keyboard, the cursor will move up along the menu items.
You don’t need to define every possible action. You can simply leave the drop-down list on the default None.
However, to create a more intuitive experience between the user and menu, it might be best to define each
possible action. Below are the actions available for defining in the Navigation section:
• Up, Down, Left, Right: These are the primary methods by which the user will navigate from one menu
item to the next.
• Enter: With this button, the user can select a desired menu item.
• Back: Once the user presses the defined input for Enter on a menu item, a state you have chosen in the
Menu Items tab will appear. However, the user can press the Back button at any point to return to the
menu.
• Next clip: If the user is viewing a media file after pressing Enter on a menu item, pressing the Next clip
button will switch to the corresponding media file of the next menu item.
• Previous clip: Pressing this button will stop the media file currently being played and switch to the media
file of the previous menu item.
Under the Menu Items tab, the following options are displayed:
• Menu Item number: Every Menu item has a unique Menu Item number. The first one you create is 1,
the second is 2, and so on. Here, you can navigate between the Menu items you have created by
clicking the Previous and Next buttons. Everything displayed below this section corresponds to the
Menu item you have selected here.
The Menu Items section is where you can create and adjust individual menu items.
• Add Menu Item: Press this button to create a Menu item. The Add Menu Item window will pop up.
There are two items, the Active Image and Inactive Image. The Active image serves as a cursor
which tells the user what Menu item they are on. The Inactive image is what will appear beside the
current Menu item when the user navigates to a different Menu item. Use the Browse buttons to
select each image. Click OK to create the menu item.

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After creating a Menu item, its Menu item number will appear over the background image in the area to the
right. If it is the Menu Item selected in the Menu Item number section above, the Active image will appear
beside the number. For all other Menu Items, only the Inactive images will appear beside their Menu Item
number.
TIP: If you want nothing to appear beside a Menu item when it is not selected, choose an Inactive image that

matches the color of the background.

• Position: Adjust the position of your Menu item by inputting various numbers. The X field corresponds to
the position of the Menu item on a horizontal axis. The Y field corresponds to the position of the Menu
item on a vertical axis. Alternatively, you can click the Active Image in the area to the right, a nd drag it to
the desired position.
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• Selected Image: This is the Active image you selected when creating the Menu item. Click browse to
change the image at any point.
• Unselected Image: This is the Inactive image you selected when creating the Menu item. Click Browse to
change the image at any point.
• Store image in cache: This box appears beneath Selected Image and Unselected Image. Click the Store
image in cache box to save the image in a cache and more readily use it as an Active or Inactive image in
subsequent Menu Items you create.
The Navigation section is where you determine how a user moves from one Menu item to the next. The possible
actions are Up, Down, Left, and Right. The button or input a user must press to perform these actions is
whatever you specified under the General tab. In this section, each action has a drop-down list which displays
the Menu item number for each Menu item you created. By default, None is selected for each possible action.
Change the Menu item number in any of the drop-down lists to allow the user to navigate to that Menu item
from the current Menu item by performing the corresponding action. Let’s say you are adjusting the features of
Menu item number 1, meaning 1 is displayed between the Previous and Next buttons at the top of the screen.
If you click the drop-down list for the Down action and select 2, the user can now navigate from Menu item 1 to
Menu item 2 by pressing the Down button (remember, this button is whatever you previously defined in the
Navigation section of the General tab).
The Enter section is where you can determine what happens when a user presses the Enter button on a
particular Menu item. The following options are displayed:
• Play clip: Click the Browse button to select a video you want to play when the user presses the Enter
button.
• Transition to new state: Here, a drop-down list contains all the media files previously placed in the playlist
area of your zone. Select a file to allow the user to transition to that state after pressing Enter.
• Return to prior state: If you select this option, the presentation will display the previous state when a user
presses Enter.
• Remain on current state: If you select this option, the state will not change when a user presses Enter.
However, you can add Commands to create changes that occur while remaining on the Interactive menu.
Click the Advanced arrow to reveal the Commands section. See Adding commands to your playlistsfor
details.

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Adding commands to your playlists
To add extended functions to your presentations, you can connect devices to the ports on your BrightSign and
then add commands to your playlist to control these devices. For example, you can connect a projector to
BrightSign’s serial port and then create a playlist to turn it on and another playlist to turn it off. You can then use
the playlist scheduling feature to automatically turn the projector on in the morning and off in the evening.
1

Open an interactive presentation project:
NOTE: If you haven’t already created an interactive presentation project, see Making a presentation interactive
for details.
Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.
b On the menu bar, click File > Open Presentation.
NOTE: If you don’t see New Presentation under File, make sure you have the Edit, Publish, or Manage tab
selected in the upper-left side of the screen.
a

Select the presentation you want to open.
d Click Open.
2 In the playlist area, double-click the media file to which you want to apply the command.
3 In the Media Properties window, click
Advanced.
NOTE: The cache option is displayed here. Click the
Store image in cache box to save the current file
in a cache for faster loading. If the file is capable of
supporting 3D, the Video Display Mode option
will be displayed. Select 2D, 3D side-by-side, or 3D
top-over-bottom from the drop-down list.
c

Click Add Command.

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Select the command you want to add from the list and enter the appropriate parameter for that command.
The commands vary based on the type of content you selected and may include any of the following:
• BP900A, BP900B, BP900C - Set Output: Turns on and off different LED lights; sets LED lights to slow,
medium, or fast blink when a button is pressed on the BP900 button board(s).
• BP200A, BP200B, BP200C - Set Output: Turns on and off different LED lights; sets LED lights to slow,
medium, or fast blink when a button is pressed on the BP200 button board(s).
• Set Audio Output: Specifies the type of audio you want to use for this item.
• Set Volume: Specifies the volume level. Enter a value between 0 and 100.
• Increment Volume: Specifies how much the volume level increases with each interaction.
• Decrement Volume: Specifies how much the volume level decreases with each interaction.
• Mute/Unmute Digital Audio: Turns digital audio output on or off.
• Mute/Unmute Analog Audio: Turns analog audio output on or off.
• Mute/Unmute HDMI Audio: Turns HDMI audio output on or off.
• Send UDP: Sends a command to the device using UDP protocols.
• Serial-send string (CR): Sends the specified string to the specified serial port. This command adds a carrier
return at the end of the string.
• Serial-send string (no CR): Sends the specified string to the specified serial port. This command does not
add a carrier return at the end of the string.
• Serial-send byte: Sends the specified byte to the specified serial port.
• Serial-send bytes (comma separated): Sends the specified bytes to the specified serial port in commaseparated format.
• Synchronize: Specifies the synchronization trigger.
• Link Zones: Specifies the trigger to link zones.
• GPIO On: Turns on the specified GPIO outputs. Other GPIO output are not affected.
• GPIO Off: Turns off the specified GPIO output.
• Set GPIO Set State: Enables you to turn each GPIO line on or off.

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Pause Video: Pauses video playback.
Resume Video: Resumes video playback.
Enable monitor power save mode: Turns the monitor's power saving mode on.
Disable monitor power save mode: Turns the motor's power saving mode off.
BrightControl - Display On: Turns the display on.
BrightControl - Display Off: Turns the display off.
BrightControl - Send Ascii String: Sends a CEC command.
BrightControl - Philips Set Volulme: Sets Philips TV volume.
Pause: Pauses presentation playback for specified number of milliseconds.
Reboot: Restarts the BrightSign unit.
NOTE: There are several ways to add commands.
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• To add a command when a state is transitioned to, simply double-click the thumbnail of the file and add a
command.
• To add a command when a state is transitioned to from a specific file, define an interactive event that links
the two files. Double-click the icon of the interactive event and add the command there.
• To add a command that occurs within one state, such as increasing the volume of the video being played,
define an interactive event linking the video to another item . However, when you double-click the event
icon, after adding the command, choose the Remain on current state. In the playlist area, the line
between the video and the other item will disappear. Now, the command will occur within the video file
when the interactive event you defined is performed.

Creating a Dynamic Playlist
A Dynamic Playlist enables you to easily update and share content in multiple presentations. Let’s say you need
to add daily announcements to your presentations, and you don’t want to update each presentation separately.
You can add a Dynamic Playlist to all of your presentations and each day insert a new video announcement in
the Dynamic Playlist. When you upload the revised Dynamic Playlist to the network, every presentation that
includes the Dynamic Playlist receives the new content, so a single update reaches multiple presentations. To
use Dynamic Playlists, you must have a BrightSign Network account.
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Create a Dynamic Playlist where you will add content that is automatically sent to all presentations linked
to the playlist.
a Click the Create tab in the upper-left side of the screen.
b On the menu bar, click File > New Dynamic Playlist. You can also open previously created Dynamic Playlists
by clicking File > Open Dynamic Playlist.
c Add files to your Media Library by clicking the Browse button and selecting a folder that contains the files
you want to include in the Dynamic Playlist.
d Drag the files added in step (c) to the playlist area.
e Click the Upload to Network button in the upper-right side of the screen.
f You will be prompted to save the playlist. Click Yes. The Save As window will pop up. Type a name for your
playlist and click Save. The Save complete window will pop up. Click OK. The playlist will now upload onto
the BrightSign Network. Click OK.
Now, all presentations linked to the Dynamic Playlist will automatically receive the new content. You change the
content of the Dynamic playlist at any point by opening the playlist (File > Open Dynamic Playlist) and
dragging new media files into the playlist area.

Link individual presentations to the Dynamic Playlist created in step (1).
a Open a presentation project.
NOTE: If you don’t see Open Presentation under File, make sure you have the Edit, Publish, or Manage tab
selected in the upper-left side of the screen.
Click the Edit tab.
c In the Media Library section, click the Other tab. Drag the Dynamic Playlist
icon to the playlist area.
d The Add Dynamic Playlist window will pop up. From the drop-down list, select which Dynamic Playlist you
want to link to the current presentation. Click OK.
b

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Chapter 3
The TD1012

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Using your TD1012 BrightSign Unit
The TD1012 is a unique BrightSign unit in that it is an all-inclusive digital signage solution. It is the only
BrightSign unit that includes a high resolution screen for playing your presentations.
Creating presentations for your TD1012 is fundamentally similar to creating presentations for any other
BrightSign unit. See Creating a full-screen presentationor Creating a multi-zone presentationfor details.
However, the following details are unique to the TD1012:
• In the New Project window, the Screen resolution dropdown list only contains 1360x768x60p. This is the only
resolution supported by the TD1012.

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• In the New Project window, when you click Create, the Template window will pop up. The zone
templates here are different from those available with other BrightSign units. However, you can still add
and adjust zones by clicking the Add Zone button under the Layout tab. See Customizing template
layouts for details.

• The TD1012 does not support Audio. You may include videos in your TD1012 presentations, but no Audio
associated with the videos will play.
NOTE: When creating presentations for your TD1012 unit, you may encounter audio settings. For example, the

Audio Only zone is still available when you click the Add Zone button. None of these audio related options apply
to the TD1012.

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• As usual, clicking the Layout tab allows you to adjust the position and size of your zones. However, the
horizontal rectangle that represents your display is actually rotated 90 degrees because the TD1012 screen
is a vertical rectangle. When adjusting the zones for your TD1012 presentation, refer to the vertical
rectangle under the Zone section to the left. This will show you how the zones will appear to the viewer
when the presentation is playing

• The TD1012 only supports wireless network connection.
• The TD1012 only supports interactivity through network commands. Use the UDP Input icon for defining
interactive events with a TD1012 presentation. See Making a presentation interactive for details.
The process for Publishing and Customizing TD1012 presentations is no different from other BrightSign units.
See Publishing Presentations and Customizing Presentations for details.
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Chapter 4
BP900 and BP200 Button Boards

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Creating BP900 and BP200 Interactive Events
The HD810, HD1010, and HD1010w units support BP900 and BP200 button pads via the USB ports. Up to
3 button pads can be connected to these BrightSign units (one in each USB port).
Make the presentation interactive.
a Create a new presentation or open a previously created presentation with the HD810, HD1010, or HD1010w
model selected. See Creating a full-screen presentation or Creating a multi-zone presentation for details.
b Click Interactive in the upper-right side of the playlist area.
2 Define the BP900 or BP200 interactive event.
a Choose the proper event icon based on what kind of button pad you are connecting to the BrightSign
(BP900 or BP200), and how many button pads you are connecting.
For the BP900 and BP200, there are a total of 6 event icons. The letters A, B, and C correspond to each
individual button pad and help you keep track of them. Let’s say you are using all 3 USB ports by
connecting 2 BP900s and 1 BP200. To define interactive events for each, you would use the BP900A icon,
the BP900B icon, and the BP200A icon (not BP200C). Alternatively, if you wanted to connect 3 BP900
button boards, you would use the BP900A, BP900B, and BP900C event icons.
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If the BP900 or BP200 event icons are not displayed in your toolbar, click the arrow beside the Zoom
control in the upper-right side of the screen to add them to your toolbar. Alternatively, you can click the
events tab in the Media Library section and drag the BP900 or BP200 event icons to the playlist area.
b
c

Define the BP900 or BP200 event as you would any other event. See Making a presentation interactive for
details.
The BP900 or BP200 Event window will pop up automatically.
Choose the desired options for your event. The following options are
displayed:
• Specify Button Number: Select which button number on your
BP900 or BP200 you want the user to press to transition to the next
state.
• Press (First Touch): Select if you want the transition to occur after
one push of the button.
• Press Continuous: Select if you want the user to continually press
the button. Specify a repeat interval in the text field (in
milliseconds).
• Transition to new state: Click to specify which media file in your
playlist will be transitioned to when the specified button is pushed.
• Return to prior state: Click to revert the presentation to the previous media file when the specified button
is pushed.

Remain on current state: Click to remain on the current media file when the specified button is pushed.
TIP: This option is useful for creating interactions within the same media file. Let’s say your file is a video. If you

create an event with button 1 and select Remain on current state, you can set a variety of outcomes to occur
when the user presses button 1, such as pausing and resuming the video. These interactions are created by
adding Commands under the Advanced arrow. See Adding commands to your playlists for details.

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• Advanced: Click the Advanced arrow to reveal the display options. Here, you can set how you view
the interactive events between states in the playlist area. Show line draws a line between the media
files. Show label creates a label either to the Right or Bottom of the media file which indicates
transitions from states. The Advanced arrow also reveals the Commands section. See Adding
commands to your playlists for details.
d Click OK. Your BP900 or BP200 interactive event is now defined. Repeat steps a - c to define the remaining
button pad events.

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Chapter 5
Publishing Presentations

••••••

After you create and save a presentation, you’re ready to publish it and play it on your BrightSign. There are four
ways to publish a presentation:
• Local Storage
• BrightSign Network
• Local Networking
• Simple File Networking
The following sections describe each of these publication methods.

Publishing a presentation using Local Storage
Publishing a presentation using Local Storage enables you to copy your presentation to an SD card or USB Flash
card which you can insert directly into your BrightSign. A BrightSign account is not required. When you want to
change or replace your presentation, you must save a copy of the new presentation on an SD card or USB Flash
card and insert it into your BrightSign.
1

Open the presentation project you want to publish:
a Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.

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On the menu bar, click File > Open Presentation.
NOTE: If you don’t see Open Presentation under File, make sure you have the Edit, Publish, or Manage tab
selected in the upper-left side of the screen.
b

Select the presentation you want to open.
d Click Open.
2 Select the presentation you want to publish:
a Click the Publish tab on the upper-left side of the screen.
b Click Local Storage (below the Publish tab).
c Under Presentations, click Browse, select the folder where your presentations are located, and then click
OK.
d Select the presentation(s) you want to publish from the list of presentations.
c

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• Range of recurrence: Specify the first day you want the presentation to play in the Start text field.You can
click the Calendar icon beside the text field to navigate to the desired date. Specify the end of the event.
If you do not want the presentation to stop recurring, click No end date. If an end date is desired, click End
by. Type an end date in the text field or click the Calendar icon beside the text field to navigate to the
desired date.
d Click OK. The adjustments made will now appear in the calendar.
e If prompted, indicate whether you want to replace the existing schedule and click OK.
4 Publish the presentation on your SD card:
a Insert an SD card into your card reader.
b (Optional) Under Firmware, select an update option.
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(Optional) Under Debugging, click the appropriate box to enable either Serial debugging or System log
debugging.
d Under Publish to, click Browse, select the drive where your SD card is located, and then click OK.
e Click Publish.
f When the Publish complete message appears, click OK.
c

Publishing a presentation using BrightSign Network
Publishing a presentation using BrightSign Network enables you to distribute your presentation to your
BrightSign units via an Internet connection. To publish via BrightSign Network, you must first contact BrightSign
to obtain an account name, a user name, and a password. You must also upload your presentation to the
BrightSign Network server and then add your BrightSign units to your network (see Adding BrightSign units to
your BrightSign Network).
1

Open the presentation project you want to publish:
a Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.
b On the menu bar, click File > Open Presentation.
c Select the presentation you want to open.
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Click Open.
2 Upload your presentation to the BrightSign Network server:
a On the menu bar, click Tools > Sign In to BrightSign Network.
b If prompted, enter your Account, User name, and Password, and then click Sign In.
c On the Edit tab, click Upload to network (in the upper-right corner).
d When the upload is complete, click OK.
3 Select the group and presentation you want to publish:
a Click the Publish tab on the upper-left side of the screen.
d

Click BrightSign Network (above the calendar).

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Under Select Group to Schedule, select the group in which you want the presentation to belong. For
details on setting up groups, see Creating groups in your BrightSign Network.
d Under Presentations, select the presentation you want to publish.
4 Create a schedule for the presentation.
a Drag the presentation to a time slot during which you want it to play.
b Click and drag the selection handles to adjust playing time within one day.
c Double-click the highlighted presentation name in the calendar. The
Schedule Presentation window will pop up. Here, you can adjust the
times during which your presentation will play. Rather than repeatedly
dragging the presentation into multiple time slots, simply drag it into one
slot as in step (a), double-click the presentation, and make the necessary
adjustments. The following options will be displayed in the window:
• Presentation: Specifies which presentation you are scheduling.
• Active all day, every day: Click this box if you want your presentation to
play 24 hours a day.
c

• Event time: Change the times during the day when the presentation will
play. Select the desired Start and End times from the drop-down lists.
• Recurring Event: Click this box if you want the presentation to play repeatedly during specified times.
• Recurrence pattern: Specify the days when you want the presentation to play. If you click Daily, you can
specify Every day, Every weekday, or Every weekend. If you click Weekly, a checklist of every day of the
week will appear and you can specify the individual days when you want the presentation to play.
• Range of recurrence: Specify the first day you want the presentation to play in the Start text field.You can
click the Calendar icon beside the text field to navigate to the desired date. Specify the end of the event.
If you do not want the presentation to stop recurring, click No end date. If an end date is desired, click End
by. Type an end date in the text field or click the Calendar icon beside the text field to navigate to the
desired date.
d Click OK. The adjustments made will now appear in the calendar.
e If prompted, indicate whether you want to replace the existing schedule and click OK.
5 Publish the presentation:
a (Optional) Under Firmware, select an update option.
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(Optional) Under Debugging, click the appropriate box to enable either Serial debugging or System log
debugging.
c Click Publish Schedule.
d When the Publish complete message appears, click OK.
b

Publishing a presentation using a Local Network
Publishing a presentation using a Local Network lets you distribute your presentation to your BrightSign
units without using an Internet connection. This is convenient if you only have a small number of
BrightSign units and are on a local network. With a Local Network, the BrightSign unit does not need to
wait until it polls the web server to receive updates. You can simply select a BrightSign unit on
BrightAuthor and publish a presentation directly to it, sending updates immediately.
1

Open the presentation project you want to publish:
a Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.
b On the menu bar, click File > Open Presentation.
NOTE: If you don’t see Open Presentation under File, make sure you have the Edit, Publish, or Manage tab
selected in the upper-left side of the screen.

Select the presentation you want to open.
d Click Open.
2 Select the presentation you want to publish:
a Click the Publish tab on the upper-left side of the screen.
b Click Local Network (below the Publish tab).
c Under Presentations, click Browse, select the folder where your presentations are located, and then click
OK.
d Select the presentation(s) you want to publish from the list of presentations.
c

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• Event time: Change the times during the day when the presentation will play. Select the desired Start and
End times from the drop-down lists.
• Recurring Event: Click this box if you want the presentation to play repeatedly during specified times.
• Recurrence pattern: Specify the days when you want the presentation to play. If you click Daily, you can
specify Every day, Every weekday, or Every weekend. If you click Weekly, a checklist of every day of the
week will appear and you can specify the individual days when you want the presentation to play.
• Range of recurrence: Specify the first day you want the presentation to play in the Start text field.You can
click the Calendar icon beside the text field to navigate to the desired date. Specify the end of the event.
If you do not want the presentation to stop recurring, click No end date. If an end date is desired, click End
by. Type an end date in the text field or click the Calendar icon beside the text field to navigate to the
desired date.
d Click OK. The adjustments made will now appear in the calendar.
If prompted, indicate whether you want to replace the existing schedule and click OK.
4

Publish the presentation.
a (Optional) Under Firmware, select an update option.
b (Optional) Under Debugging, click the appropriate box to enable either Serial debugging or System log
debugging.
c Under Publish, select a BrightSign unit.
• If you want to publish to a new BrightSign unit, click New unit. Click the
button below the text field.
The Add BrightSign Unit window will pop up. Type the IP address of the new BrightSign unit in the text
field. Click OK.
• If you want to publish to a previously added BrightSign unit, click Networked Units. The text field below
will display all networked units. Select the desired unit from the list. Click the
button to refresh the list.
Click Publish.
e Click OK when publishing is complete.
NOTE: When publishing to a new BrightSign unit, the BrightSign unit setup window will pop up after you click
Publish. See Adding BrightSign units to your Local Networkfor details.
d

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Publishing a presentation using Simple File Networking
Publishing a presentation using Simple File Networking enables you to distribute your presentation to your
BrightSign units via a web folder. To use Simple File Networking, you must first add each unit to your network
(see Adding BrightSign units to your Simple File Network).
1

Select the presentation you want to open.
d Click Open.
2 Select the presentation you want to publish:
a Click the Publish tab on the upper-left side of the screen.
b Click Simple File Networking (above the calendar).
c Under Presentations, click Browse, select the folder where your presentations are located, and then click
OK.
d Select the presentation(s) you want to publish.
c

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•

Create a schedule for the presentation.
a Drag the presentation to a time slot during which you want it to play.
b Click and drag the selection handles to adjust playing time within one day.
c Double-click the highlighted presentation name in the calendar. The
Schedule Presentation window will pop up. Here, you can adjust the
times during which your presentation will play. Rather than repeatedly
dragging the presentation into multiple time slots, simply drag it into one
slot as in step (a), double-click the presentation, and make the necessary
adjustments. The following options will be displayed in the window:
• Presentation: Specifies which presentation you are scheduling.
• Active all day, every day: Click this box if you want your presentation to
play 24 hours a day.
• Event time: Change the times during the day when the presentation will
play. Select the desired Start and End times from the drop-down lists.
• Recurring Event: Click this box if you want the presentation to play repeatedly during specified times.
• Recurrence pattern: Specify the days when you want the presentation to play. If you click Daily, you can
specify Every day, Every weekday, or Every weekend. If you click Weekly, a checklist of every day of the
week will appear and you can specify the individual days when you want the presentation to play.
• Range of recurrence: Specify the first day you want the presentation to play in the Start text field.You can
click the Calendar icon beside the text field to navigate to the desired date. Specify the end of the event.
If you do not want the presentation to stop recurring, click No end date. If an end date is desired, click End
by. Type an end date in the text field or click the Calendar icon beside the text field to navigate to the
desired date.
d Click OK. The adjustments made will now appear in the calendar.
If prompted, indicate whether you want to replace the existing schedule and click OK.

Publish the presentation.
a (Optional) Under Firmware, select an update option.

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b
c

(Optional) Under Debugging, click the appropriate box to enable either Serial debugging or System log
debugging.
Click Set Parameters.

Under Unit Configuration, enter the URL for the web folder.
IMPORTANT: The Web folder URL must be identical to the URL you entered when you set up your Simple File
Network. See Adding BrightSign units to your Simple File Network for details.
d

(Optional) Under Network Connection Frequency, adjust connection settings.
• Connect to Server: Click the drop-down list to set how often you want the unit to check the server for
updates.
• Limit content downloads: Click Yes to limit content downloads. Set a timeframe for download periods
with the Start of range and End of range drop-lists. Click No to set no limit on downloads.
(Optional) Under Logging, check any of the following boxes to create the selected type of logs and to specify
upload settings, and then click OK:

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•
•

• Enable playback logging: Creates a log that specifies when a playlist was used.
• Enable event logging: Creates a log that specifies when events are triggered.
• Enable diagnostic logging: Creates a log that provides troubleshooting information.
• On startup: Uploads log files each time you start the unit.
• At specific time each day: Uploads log files daily at the specified time.
g (Optional) Under Rate Limit Network Download Traffic, set parameters for download traffic. The options
are divided into Outside content download window and During content download window.
• Click Unlimited download rate to set no limit.
• Click Default limit to use the default limit on downloads.
• Click Specify limit to enter a desired limit in the text field (in Kibits/second).

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h
i

j
k

Click OK.
Under Publish to, click Browse, select the location where you want to store the files, and then click OK.
• If you have a mapped drive or shortcut that points to your web folder, publish your presentation to that
location.
• If you use FTP to transfer files to your web folder, publish your presentation to a folder on your computer
and then use FTP software to copy the files to your web folder.
Click Publish.
When the Publish complete message appears, click OK.

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Chapter 6
Setting Up Units

••••••

If you’re using BrightSign Network, Local Networking, or Simple File Networking to publish your
presentations, you must set up your BrightSign units by adding them to your network. You can also set up
units for use as standalone units that are not connected to a network. The following sections describe how to
add units to your network or set them up for standalone use.

Adding BrightSign units to your BrightSign Network
To publish and manage presentations using BrightSign Network, you must first contact BrightSign to obtain an
account name, user name and password. After you obtain your account credentials, you need to add your
BrightSign units to your network by creating and installing a setup file for each unit. The setup file provides
details about your network and BrightSign Network connections, where the presentations associated with the
selected group are stored, and when to run the presentations.
Sign in to your BrightSign Network account:
a On the menu bar, click Tools > Sign In to BrightSign Network.
b If prompted, enter your Account, User name, and Password, and then click Sign In.
2 On the menu bar, click Tools > Setup BrightSign Unit.
3 Under Name Specification, do the following:
a Enter a Name and Description for this unit.
b Select whether you want to append the unit ID to the name or to use the name only.
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Under Network Properties, set the following:
• Time zone: Select the time zone where this unit is located.
• Time server: Select the clock for this unit.
• IP address: Indicate whether the IP is auto-generated or static. If you’re using a static IP address, enter
parameters.

• Wired/Wireless: Indicate whether the network is wired or wireless and enter the SSID and Security key if the
network is secured.
5 Under Firmware, indicate whether you want to update the firmware and to which version.

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Under Unit Configuration, click Networked with BrightSign Network, and then specify the following:
• (Optional) Enable diagnostic web server: Click the box to enable the diagnostic web server. You can include
a username and password in the text field below for added security.
• (Optional) Enable local web server: Click the box to enable the local web server. You can include a username
and password in the text field below for added security.
• Group: Assigns this unit to the specific group in which you published the presentation (see Creating groups
in your BrightSign Network and Publishing a presentation using BrightSign Network).
• Network Connection Frequency: Sets how often this unit checks the server for updates.
• Limit content downloads: Sets a timeframe during which downloads can take place.
• Copy content from the current published schedule: Copies content from the current published schedule
to your storage card. Use this option to reduce initial download time when setting up a unit.
7 Under Logging, check any of the following boxes to create the selected type of logs and to specify upload
settings:
• Enable playback logging: Creates a log that specifies when a playlist was used.
• Enable event logging: Creates a log that specifies when events are triggered.
• Enable diagnostic logging: Creates a log that provides troubleshooting information.
• On startup: Uploads log files each time you start the unit.
• At specific time each day: Uploads log files daily at the specified time.
8 (Optional) Under Rate Limit Network Download Traffic, set parameters for download traffic. The options
are divided into Outside content download window and During content download window.
• Click Unlimited download rate to set no limit.
• Click Default limit to use the default limit on downloads.
• Click Specify limit to enter a desired limit in the text field (in Kibits/second).
9 Create and install the setup file:
a Click Create Setup Files.
b Select an SD card, SDHC card, or a USB Flash drive to store the setup files.
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Click OK.
d Turn off the BrightSign unit by unplugging the power adapter. Insert the card or Flash drive into the unit.
e Turn on the BrightSign unit by reconnecting the power adapter.
NOTE: The card or Flash drive must remain connected to the BrightSign or it will not receive scheduled
presentations from the network. The BrightSign unit has no internal storage and therefore cannot receive content
without a storage device connected.
c

Adding BrightSign units to your Local Network
To publish and manage BrightSign units on your Local Network, you must create and install a setup file for
each unit. The setup file provides details about where presentations are stored and whether logging
options are enabled.
On the menu bar, click Tools > Setup BrightSign Unit.
2 Under Name Specification, do the following:
a Enter a Name and Description for this unit.
b Select whether you want to append the unit ID to the name or to use the name only.
3 Under Network Properties, set the following:
• Time zone: Select the time zone where this unit is located.
• Time server: Select the clock for this unit.
• IP address: Indicate whether the IP is auto-generated or static. If you’re using a static IP address, enter
parameters.
4 Under Firmware, indicate whether you want to update the firmware and to which version.
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Under Unit Configuration, click Networked with Local File Networking.
• (Optional) Enable diagnostic web server: Click the box to enable the diagnostic web server. You can include
a username and password in the text field below for added security.

(Optional) Enable local web server: Click the box to enable the local web server. You can include a username
and password in the text field below for added security.
7 Under Logging, check any of the following boxes to create the selected type of logs:
• Enable playback logging: Creates a log that specifies when a playlist was used.
• Enable event logging: Creates a log that specifies when events are triggered.
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• Enable diagnostic logging: Creates a log that provides troubleshooting information.
8 Create and install the setup file:
a Click Create Setup Files.
b Select an SD card, SDHC card, or a USB Flash drive to store the setup files.
c Click OK.
d Turn off the BrightSign unit by unplugging the power adapter. Insert the card or Flash drive into the unit.
e Turn on the BrightSign unit by reconnecting the power adapter.
NOTE: The card or Flash drive must remain connected to the BrightSign or it will not receive scheduled
presentations from the network. The BrightSign unit has no internal storage and therefore cannot receive content
without a storage device connected.

Adding BrightSign units to your Simple File Network
To publish and manage presentations using Simple File Networking, you must first add your BrightSign units to
your network by creating and installing a setup file for each unit. The setup file provides details about your
network, the web folder associated with a unit, where presentations are stored, and when to check for updates.
On the menu bar, click Tools > Setup BrightSign Unit.
2 Under Name Specification, do the following:
a Enter a Name and Description for this unit.
b Select whether you want to append the unit ID to the name or to use the name only.
3 Under Network Properties, set the following:
• Time zone: Select the time zone where this unit is located.
• Time server: Select the clock for this unit.
• IP address: Indicate whether the IP is auto-generated or static. If you’re using a static IP address, enter
parameters.
• Wired/Wireless: Indicate whether the network is wired or wireless and enter the SSID and Security key if the
network is secured.
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Under Firmware, indicate whether you want to update the firmware and to which version.
5 Under Unit Configuration, click Networked with Simple File Networking, and then specify the
following:
• (Optional) Enable diagnostic web server: Click the box to enable the diagnostic web server. You can include
a username and password in the text field below for added security.
4

• (Optional) Enable local web server: Click the box to enable the local web server. You can include a username
and password in the text field below for added security.

•
•
•
•
•
•

• URL for the web folder: Sets the location from which this unit downloads presentations. Do not use trailing
slashes in your URL; some web servers do not support trailing slashes.
IMPORTANT: The URL for the web folder must be identical to the Web folder URL you enter when you publish your
presentation (see Publishing a presentation using Simple File Networking).
• Network Connection Frequency: Sets how often this unit checks the web folder for updates.
• Limit content downloads: Sets a timeframe during which downloads can take place.
6 Under Logging, check any of the following boxes to create the selected type of logs and to specify upload
settings:
• Enable playback logging: Creates a log that specifies when a playlist was used.
• Enable event logging: Creates a log that specifies when events are triggered.
• Enable diagnostic logging: Creates a log that provides troubleshooting information.
• On startup: Uploads log files each time you start the unit.
• At specific time each day: Uploads log files daily at the specified time.
• Relative URL for log handler: Uploads log files to this location.
7 (Optional) Under Rate Limit Network Download Traffic, set parameters for download traffic. The options
are divided into Outside content download window and During content download window.
• Click Unlimited download rate to set no limit.
• Click Default limit to use the default limit on downloads.
Click Specify limit to enter a desired limit in the text field (in Kibits/second).
8

Create and install the setup file:
a Click Create Setup Files.
b Select an SD card, SDHC card, or a USB Flash drive to store the setup files.
c Click OK.
d Turn off the BrightSign unit by unplugging the power adapter. Insert the card or Flash drive into the unit.

•
•
•
•
•
•

Turn on the BrightSign unit by reconnecting the power adapter.
NOTE: The card or Flash drive must remain connected to the BrightSign or it will not receive scheduled
presentations from the network. The BrightSign unit has no internal storage and therefore cannot receive content
without a storage device connected.
e

Setting up BrightSign units for standalone use
To publish and manage presentations for standalone use, you must create and install a setup file for each unit.
The setup file provides details about where presentations are stored and whether logging options are enabled.
On the menu bar, click Tools > Setup BrightSign Unit.
2 Under Name Specification, do the following:
a Enter a Name and Description for this unit.
b Select whether you want to append the unit ID to the name or to use the name only.
3 Under Network Properties, set the following:
• Time zone: Select the time zone where this unit is located.
• Time server: Select the clock for this unit.
• IP address: Indicate whether the IP is auto-generated or static. If you’re using a static IP address, enter
parameters.
1

Under Firmware, indicate whether you want to update the firmware and to which version.
5 Under Unit Configuration, click Standalone.
4

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•
•

Under Logging, check any of the following boxes to create the selected type of logs:
• Enable playback logging: Creates a log that specifies when a playlist was used.
• Enable event logging: Creates a log that specifies when events are triggered.
• Enable diagnostic logging: Creates a log that provides troubleshooting information.
7 Create and install the setup file:
a Click Create Setup Files.
b Select an SD card, SDHC card, or a USB Flash drive to store the setup files.
c Click OK.
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•
•

Turn off the BrightSign unit by unplugging the power adapter. Insert the card or Flash drive into the unit.
e Turn on the BrightSign unit by reconnecting the power adapter.
NOTE: The card or Flash drive must remain connected to the BrightSign or it will not receive scheduled
presentations from the network. The BrightSign unit has no internal storage and therefore cannot receive content
without a storage device connected.
d

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•

Chapter 7
Customizing Presentations

••••••

Setting zone properties
Whether you’re creating a full-screen presentation with a single zone or a multi-zone presentation, you can
customize the settings for each zone in your presentation as described in this section. For information about
changing the default zone settings,
see Setting default properties.
1

Open a presentation project:
NOTE: If you haven’t already created a presentation project, see Creating a full-screen presentation or Creating
a multi-zone presentation for details.
Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.
b On the menu bar, click File > Open Presentation.
NOTE: If you don’t see New Presentation under File, make sure you have the Edit, Publish, or Manage tab selected
in the upper-left side of the screen.
a

Select the presentation you want to open.
d Click Open.
2 In the upper-left corner, click the zone for which you want to change the properties.
3 Click Zone Properties.
NOTE: The Zone Properties window that pops up corresponds to the type of zone you select. You may set the
following features for each zone:
c

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• Video or Images Zone: View Mode, Audio Settings, Image Mode, Initial Volume (Video), Initial Volume
(Audio), Live Video.
• Video Only Zone: View Mode, Audio Settings, Initial Volume (Video), Initial Volume (Audio), Live Video.
• Images Zone: Image Mode.
• Audio Only Zone: Audio Settings, Initial Volume (Audio)
• Ticker Zone: Number of Lines, Time to Display Each Line, Rotation, Alignment, Text Appearance, Foreground
Text Color, Background Text Color, Transparency, Font. Under the Advanced arrow are Background Bitmap
and Safe Text Region.
• Clock Zone: Rotation, Foreground Text Color, Background Text Color, Transparency, Font. Under the
Advanced arrow are Background Bitmap and Safe Text Region.
• Background Image Zone: You cannot click the Zone Properties button for a Background Image Zone.
Choose a background image by selecting the Background Image Zone and dragging a file to the playlist area.
If you only want a specific background color, do not add a Background Image Zone. The background screen
color can be changed in the Presentation Properties window. See Setting presentation properties for
details.
4 Set any of the following:
View Mode
• Scale to Fit: Scales the video to fill the screen without maintaining
the aspect ratio. Images may appear stretched.
• Letterboxed and Centered: Centers the image and adds black
borders. The aspect ratio is maintained.
• Fill Screen and Centered: Centers the image and fills the screen. The
aspect ratio is maintained.
Audio Settings
Specifies the type of audio you want to use for this item. You can select
Analog audio, Digital Audio (Stereo PCM), Digital Audio (Raw
Multichannel), or Analog audio with HDMI Raw Multichannel.

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Image Mode
• Center Image: Centers the image without scaling (may result in cropping if the image is larger than the
current videomode resolution).
• Scale to Fit: Scales the image to fit the display. The whole image is displayed as large as possible with correct
aspect ratio.
• Scale to Fill and Crop: Scales the image to fill the display while maintaining aspect ratio.
• Scale to Fill: Scales the image to fill the screen without maintaining aspect ratio.
Initial Volume (Video)
Sets the initial volume for your video files. Enter a number in the text field to adjust (0 - 100).
Initial Volume (Audio)
Sets the initial volume for your audio files. Enter a number in the text field to adjust (0 - 100).
Live Video
Sets attributes for a live video feed. You can select the Input and Video Standard types and enter parameters for
Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Hue.
Number of Lines
Sets the number of lines of text in a Ticker zone.
Time to Display Each Line
Sets how long each line of text displays in a Ticker zone.
Rotation
Sets the angle of the text in a Ticker zone.
Alignment
Sets whether the text is left aligned, right aligned, or centered in a Ticker
zone.
Text Appearance
Sets whether the text is animated or static in a Ticker zone.

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Foreground Text Color
Sets the text color in Ticker or Clock zones.
Background Text Color
Sets the color of the background behind the text in Ticker or
Clock zones.
Transparency
Sets the transparency of the text in Ticker or Clock zones.
Font
Sets the font of the text in Ticker or Clock zones. You can use
any TrueType font.
Background Bitmap
Adds the specified file as a background image. You can add a
background bitmap to Ticker or Clock zones. You can also
indicate whether you want to stretch the image to fill the zone
region.
Safe Text Region
Defines the location and size of the text region within the zone.

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Setting presentation properties
Presentation properties apply to your entire presentation. The default settings are based on your current default
property settings (see Setting default properties).
1

Open a presentation project:
NOTE: If you haven’t already created a presentation project, see Creating a full-screen presentation or Creating
a multi-zone presentation for details.
Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.
b On the menu bar, click File > Open Presentation.
NOTE: If you don’t see New Presentation under File, make sure you have
the Edit, Publish, or Manage tab selected in the upper-left side of the
screen.
a

Select the presentation you want to open.
d Click Open.
2 On the menu bar, click File > Presentation Properties.
3 Click the Main tab and set any of the following:
• Connector type: Indicates the type of display that is connected to
the BrightSign on which you want to run the presentation: VGA,
HDMI, or Component.
• Screen resolution: Sets the display resolution. Choose a resolution
that is compatible with the display that is connected to your
BrightSign.
• RSS Update Frequency: Sets how often BrightSign checks for RSS
feed updates.
• Background screen color: Sets the backdrop color for your sign.
Click Choose, select a color, and then click OK.
• Language: Sets the language for your presentation.
c

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Click the I/O tab and click Input or Output next to each GPIO port to
indicate whether the port is sending or receiving information.
5 Click the Interactive tab and set any of the following:
• Serial: Sets the parameters for serial communications. You can
enter the following settings for multiple serial ports: Port
(number), Baud rate, Data bits, Parity, and Stop bits. Toggle
between Binary and ASCII mode (Protocol), and Set EOL character
CR, LF, LF+CR (Send EOL and Receive EOL). Note that the standard
port is port 0 and the 5v TTL port is port 1.
• UDP: Sets the parameters for UDP communications. You can
specify the UDP Destination Address in dotted quad form (or
select All devices on the local subnet), the UDP Destination Port,
and the UDP Receiver Port.
• Touch: The Cursor option sets whether the cursor is hidden, visible,
or present only if there is more than one touch region on the screen.
Flip Coordinates reverses the coordinates of the touch screen. Use
this option only if the touch screen coordinates appear to
be reversed.
6 Click the Audio tab and set any of the following:
• Audio Minimum and Maximum Volume (0 - 100).
• HDMI Minimum and Maximum Volume (0 - 100).
7 Click the Media List tab and set the following:
• Return to start after inactivity: Click Yes to set Media lists to return
to the start of the list after a period of inactivity.
4

• Inactivity timeout (seconds): If you clicked Yes above, type a
number in the text field to specify how long Media lists will wait
through a period of inactivity before returning to the start.
8 Click the Autorun tab and click Standard Autorun or Select
custom Autorun to select the Autorun file for the presentation.

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Click the Image cache tab. A list of all media files in your playlist is displayed. Click the boxes to select
which files you want stored in an Image cache for faster loading.
10 Click OK.
9

Customizing template layouts
If the predefined template layouts do not meet your needs, you can
create your own templates.
1

Create a new presentation project:
a Double-click the BrightAuthor icon on your desktop.
b In the Create a new BrightSign project window, enter a name for
the presentation in the Save As field.
TIP: If you don’t see the Create a new BrightSign project window, make sure
you have the Edit, Publish, or Manage tab selected in the upper-left side of
the screen. On the menu bar, click File > New Presentation.

In the Where field, enter the folder where you want to store the
presentation. To navigate to the folder you want to select, click
Browse.
d Select your BrightSign Model, Connector type, and Screen resolution.
e Select a Monitor overscan setting to control how the image fills the display screen:
• No overscan: Displays images all the way to the edge of the video signal.
• Overscan action safe: Restricts the image display to an area that is compatible with most displays.
• Overscan title safe: Restricts the image display to an area that is much smaller than the image generated
by the video signal.
2 Click the template that is most similar to the layout you want to use, and then click Choose.
3 Click Layout (below the Edit tab) and do any of the following:
c

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• Resize a zone by clicking the zone and then dragging the selection handles, or enter the Size information in
the left side of the screen. W corresponds to the width of the zone, and H corresponds to the height of the
zone.
• Change the position of a zone by clicking the zone and dragging it to the desired position, or enter the
Position information in the left side of the screen. The X field corresponds to the position of the zone on a
horizontal axis. The Y field corresponds to the position of the zone on a vertical axis.
• Make two or more zones the same size by pressing Ctrl+Click to select the zones you want to resize. On the
menu bar, click Format > Make Same Size and then select a resize option.

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• Align two or more zones by pressing Ctrl+Click to select the zones you want to align. On the menu bar, click
Format > Align and then select an alignment option.
• Center a zone on the screen by clicking the zone you want to center. On the menu bar, click Format > Center
in Form and then select Horizontally or Vertically.
• Remove an unwanted zone by clicking the zone and then pressing Delete on your keyboard.
• Add a zone by clicking Add Zone
, entering a Zone name, selecting the Zone Type, and then clicking
OK.
• Rename a zone by entering a new label in the Name text field on the left side of the screen.
TIP: You can place an Image zone, a Ticker zone, or a Clock zone on top of a Video Only zone. You can then use the
transparency settings in the Ticker or Clock zone to control how much of the underlying video is visible. Note that
you cannot place zones on top of a Video or Images zone.
4

Click Save Template (in the bottom of the left pane), enter a name for the template, and then click OK.

Setting default properties
When you create or add to a presentation project, the initial settings are based on the default properties. If you
often use the same set of properties, you can streamline the development process by changing the default
property settings to match the settings you use most often.
NOTE: Changing the default properties does not change any existing presentations. Changes made to default

properties will only apply to new presentations.

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On the menu bar, click Edit > Preferences.
2 Click the Video tab and set the default video settings:
1

Volume
Sets the volume level by specifying a value between 0 and 100.
Live Video - Time on Screen
Sets a default period for Live Videos to remain on the screen.
3

Click the Images tab and set the default image settings:
Slide Transition
Sets the effect between image transitions.
Slide Delay Interval
Sets the how long each image displays.

Click the Interactive tab and set a default timeout period for media files.
5 Click the Clock tab and set the default clock settings:
4

Language
Select a language to use a predefined date and time format. To customize a
format, click Customize, enter the settings you want to use, and then click
OK.
6

Click the Networking tab to enable or disable BrightSign Network,
Local Network, and Simple File Networking settings. When these
networking settings are disabled, you cannot see network options on
BrightAuthor screens.

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Click the UI tab and set the default Publishing, Save Properties, and
Transitions settings:
Publishing
Click the boxes to Show File Overwrite dialog and Copy and replace
duplicate files when publishing locally.
Save Properties
Click the box to show Save Properties dialog.
Transitions
Set the display mode between media files in your playlist to
Automatic, Always display line, or Always display label. Set the
label location to Bottom or Right (of the media file)

Click OK.

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Chapter 8
Managing Your BrightSign and Local Network

••••••

Viewing unit status on your BrightSign Network
Viewing network status enables you to see unit activation status, the group to which the unit is assigned, and
which presentations are associated with that unit.
Sign in to your BrightSign Network
account:
a On the menu bar, click Tools > Sign
In to BrightSign Network.
b If prompted, enter your Account,
User name, and Password, and
then click Sign In.
2 Click the Manage tab in the upperleft side of the screen.
3 Click Status (below the Manage tab).
4 Click a group to view details for
current presentations in that group.
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Right-click a presentation within a group and then click Download Progress to view whether all files have
been fully downloaded.
6 (Optional) Sort the Status view by clicking the column you want to use as the sort criteria. For example, to
sort by Status, click the Status column. To switch between ascending and descending order, click Status
again.
NOTE: When a presentation is active, you cannot delete it. You can, however, delete presentations that are not
scheduled to run in the future and were not scheduled to run in the past 24 hours.
5

Creating groups in your BrightSign Network
Groups enable you to test your presentation and then distribute them to a specific set of BrightSigns. For
example, you can create groups based on the region or department in which the BrightSigns reside.
BrightAuthor includes two default groups: Default and LocalTest. LocalTest is the group you use to test your
presentations on your local network.
Click the Manage tab on the upper-left side of the screen.
2 Click Status (below the Manage tab).
3 Click the Add Groups
button (in the lower-left corner of the screen).
4 Enter the name of the group you want to add, and then click OK.
1

Viewing presentation status on your BrightSign Network
Viewing presentation status enables you to see which presentations you’ve uploaded to your BrightSign
Network, which presentations are active, and when presentations were last modified.
Sign in to your BrightSign Network account:
a On the menu bar, click Tools > Sign In to BrightSign Network.
b If prompted, enter your Account, User name, and Password, and then click Sign In.
2 Click the Manage tab on the upper-left side of the screen.
1

Click Presentations (below the Manage tab).
81

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Click a presentation to view which groups are currently using the presentation.
5 (Optional) Sort the Presentation view by clicking the column you want to use as the sort criteria. For
example, to sort by Name, click the Name column. To switch between ascending and descending order,
click Name again.
NOTE: When a presentation is active, you cannot delete it. You can, however, delete presentations that are not
scheduled to run in the future and were not scheduled to run in the past 24 hours.
4

Viewing your library on your BrightSign Network
Viewing your library enables you to see the content you’ve uploaded to your BrightSign Network.
Sign in to your BrightSign Network account:
a On the menu bar, click Tools > Sign In to BrightSign Network.
b If prompted, enter your Account, User name, and Password, and then click Sign In.
2 Click the Manage tab on the upper-left side of the screen.
3 Click Library (below the Manage tab).
1

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Do any of the following:
• Identify which items are currently used by a presentation. A green checkmark
indicates the item is
in use. You cannot delete an item when it is in use.
• Switch between thumbnail and list view. Click the icons in the upper-right part of the screen.
• View item info. Right-click an item and select Info to see the file size, type, date modified, date uploaded,
presentations that are using the item, and dynamic playlists that are using the item.
• Delete an item. Right-click an item and select Delete. Remember that you cannot delete an item when it is
in use.
• Refresh the Library display. Click Refresh in the upper-right corner.
NOTE: The thumbnails you see in Library view are based on the codecs available on your PC. If an image does not
display properly, you may not have the necessary codecs on your PC.

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Viewing dynamic playlist status on your BrightSign Network
Viewing dynamic playlist status enables you to see which playlists you’ve created, which playlists have
presentations linked to them, and when playlists were last modified.
Sign in to your BrightSign Network account:
a On the menu bar, click Tools > Sign In to BrightSign Network.
b If prompted, enter your Account, User name, and Password, and then click Sign In.
2 Click the Manage tab in the upper-left side of the screen.
3 Click Dynamic Playlist (below the Manage tab).
4 Right-click any playlist to Delete it or check its Info. The Info window displays the date and time the
playlist was last modified, and the names of all presentations linked to it.
NOTE: Under Used, beside each playlist name, a green checkmark
indicates if any presentations are linked
to the playlist.
1

Click the Refresh button in the upper-right side of the screen to refresh the list.

Viewing unit status on your Local Network
Viewing unit status on your Local Network enables you to remove units, view info for all units, and specify a
username and password for units.
Sign in to your BrightSign Network account:
a On the menu bar, click Tools > Sign In to BrightSign Network.
b If prompted, enter your Account, User name, and Password, and then click Sign In.
2 Click the Manage tab in the upper-left side of the screen.
3 Click Local Network (below the Manage tab).
4 Right-click to Remove the unit(s), Show all units, Specify a username and password, and view Info.
When you click Info, the Unit Properties window will pop up. Here, you can view the Unit ID, IP Address
linked to the unit, BrightSign Model, Firmware version, and Autorun version.
1

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Using advanced tools
Advanced tools enable you to control your units remotely. You can reboot units, upload logs, and put a unit in
recovery mode with or without reformatting the unit’s storage card.
1

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3
4
5
6
7

8
9

Sign in to your BrightSign Network account:
a On the menu bar, click Tools > Sign In to BrightSign Network.
b If prompted, enter your Account, User name, and Password, and then click Sign In.
On the menu bar, click Tools > Advanced.
Click the Update Autorun tab.
Click the boxes to select the groups you want updated with the latest Autorun file version stored in the
Templates folder, and then click Update now.
Click the Unit Control tab.
In the Serial Number field, enter the serial number of the unit you want
to control.
Click the Action list and select the action you want to perform:
• Reboot unit: Restarts the unit.
• Upload logs: Uploads log files based on the Upload Log setting you
selected on the Unit Setup screen.
• Recovery - reformat: Puts the unit in recovery mode and reformats the
unit’s storage card.
• Recovery - don’t reformat: Puts the unit in recovery mode and downloads
the latest autorun script to the storage card without reformatting the unit’s
storage card.
(Optional) To add another action, click Add action. To remove an action, click Remove action.
Click Close.

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Chapter 9
Frequently Asked Questions

••••••

To view additional Frequently Asked Questions, go to support.brightsign.biz/forums.

Can I use BrightAuthor with the HD600 or HD2000?
No, BrightAuthor only supports the HD110, HD210, HD210w, HD410, HD810, HD1010, HD1010w, and TD1012.

Can I open the autoplay.xml file using BrightAuthor?
No. The autoplay.xml file that is generated when you publish a presentation is a playlist file. This file includes only
the information required for playback on a BrightSign. This file is not the same as a presentation project file.

How do I use a different font?
To use a different font, browse to a folder on your computer that has a true type font. This font will be copied to
the SD card when you publish the presentation. You can use your own custom fonts or download free TrueType
fonts from the web.

Can I export a template?
Yes. Although there isn't a template export option, you can save the presentation project you're using with the
new template. You can then open the presentation project on another computer, click the Layout tab, and select
Save Template.

Can I use the schedule feature on the HD110 or HD410?
No. Only network-enabled units that set the time over the network, or the HD810, with a real-time clock, can use
the schedule feature.
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Why does BrightAuthor take a long time to process my folder?
If the folder you selected has a large number of images and videos, the files list on the Playlist tab may take a
couple minutes to update. Please be patient.

Why can’t BrightAuthor locate my files when I try to publish my presentation?
If you copy a presentation project from one computer to another computer, or if you move or rename files used
in a BrightAuthor presentation, BrightAuthor cannot locate your files and you will receive an error message
when you try to publish. To resolve the error, you must remove the files from each playlist in your presentation,
and then add them again.

Why are some of my videos missing thumbnails in the Files tab?
The thumbnails are generated by codecs installed on your computer. If you don't see thumbnails for your
transport streams, for example, you can try downloading a codec such as K-Lite.

What do I do if BrightAuthor crashes while I'm using it?
For any errors or crashes you encounter with BrightAuthor, post a description of the problem in the forums or
send us an email at support@brightsign.biz and be sure to include the following information:
• Steps to duplicate the problem (or indicate that you can't duplicate it)
• Any error dialogs you saw, and any text from the error dialog
• The contents of your event log right after the crash. You can find the log in this folder:
C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Local\BrightSign\BrightAuthor\. Look for a subfolder named after the
BrightAuthor version number, such as 2.3.0
• A copy of the presentation project where you experience the problem

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Appendix A
Remote Control Protocols

••••••

Follow these steps to set up your BrightSign to communicate with a remote control:
Create an interactive presentation (see Making a presentation interactive).
b Select Remote Input as the input device.
c Enter any of the following remote control codes:
WEST
EAST
NORTH
SOUTH
SEL
EXIT
PWR
MENU
SEARCH
PLAY
FF
RW
PAUSE
ADD
SHUFFLE
REPEAT
VOLUP
VOLDWN
BRIGHT
a

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