Bright Sign Raises The Bar On Digital Signage Display Software With New Version Of Author

: Brightsign Brightsign Raises The Bar On Digital Signage Display Software With New Version Of Brightauthor BrightSign Raises the Bar on Digital Signage Display Software with New Version of BrightAuthor 2011 press_releases s

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Client Contact: Karen Fore Agency Contact: Andy Marken

408-556-9389 408-986-0100

pr@brightsign.biz andy@markencom.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BrightSign Raises the Bar on Digital Signage Display Software

with New Version of BrightAuthor

Adds Twitter Feeds, Local Networking, New Presentation Creation Tools and New Device

Support —All Easy, All Free with BrightSign Players

SARATOGA, CA (October 19, 2011) -- Known worldwide for combining innovation with affordability,

digital signage leader BrightSign® announced today Version 2.3 of its BrightAuthor software, a powerful

PC application included free of charge with BrightSign’s broad line of solid-state digital signage

controllers. Available now, BrightAuthor v2.3 delivers an impressive host of new capabilities that enable

users to quickly display live content in a BrightSign presentation, network units and manage them with

added flexibility. The new capabilities also include tools that simplify the process of building complex

presentations, easy insertion of playlists and support for a wide range of new devices.

Twitter and Dynamic Content Feeds

BrightAuthor v2.3 has expanded its standard RSS text feed support with 3 new features that allow for

live and timely content to be displayed. First and foremost is the new support of Twitter feeds. Twitter

feeds can be directly displayed within a ticker zone, allowing timely messages to be displayed without

republishing. For example, users can simply Tweet a welcome message for a visitor and it will promptly

appear on the BrightSign display.

In addition, the new Live Text feature provides the foundation to tap into a log or database to display

pertinent information. This feature can assist integrators with deployment by showing unit statistics

and instructing end users with directional commands at certain points in a presentation. When linked to

a database, Live Texts can instantly update a wait list for any number of applications from restaurants to

salons, pharmacies and more.

Dynamic Playlists also create new possibilities for media RSS dynamic signage involving content such as

news, weather, specials and more delivered as videos and images as opposed to texts. The Dynamic

Playlists reside on the BrightSign Network where it acts as a pool of content to playback within a

presentation. They can be accessed at various points within a primary published playlist and can be

updated independently without republishing the primary presentation.

Local Area Networking Support

With BrightAuthor v2.3, a new and free networking solution is now available to BrightSign users. The

Local Area Networking option is designed to enable users with a small network to send basic content

updates and get unit status using a local area network.

By adding this new option, users can now choose from three network solutions. Simple File Networking

is a free networking solution designed to enable users with a small network to send basic content

updates over the Internet.

BrightSign Network is an affordable, highly secure networking solution that frees users from the

complexities and cost of hosting and maintaining their own network. The all-inclusive option is scalable

from networks with one to hundreds of players.

Diagnostic Web Server Support

BrightAuthor v2.3 can now be used to enable/disable the Diagnostic Web Server feature available with

BrightSign Firmware v3.7. This useful new feature provides a remote look at a particular networked unit.

It offers file browsing, uploading, downloading, deletion, etc. of the SD card content. In addition to

network diagnostics, the application can be used for DNS lookup, pings and network settings. It can also

be used to retrieve system, diagnostic, or playback logs as well as enable/disable script debugging.

Enhanced Presentation Creation Tools

Taking interactivity to a new level, BrightAuthor now provides users with the Interactive Menu tool

which simplifies the creation of DVD-style presentations and enables the development of navigation-

based interactive playlists without scripting. This new tool makes playback of many pieces of content

very easy. Users simply drag and drop the content selection assets as well as cursors onto a background

image to create the layout, and assign interactive button triggers to navigate and initiate playback when

desired. An added benefit with Interactive Menus is that content development is greatly reduced since

the layout is designed within BrightAuthor instead of creating content for each possible view of the

DVD-style presentation desired.

Another new presentation creation tool in BrightAuthor is Media Lists. This new tool is ideal for

inserting advertisements into retail presentations for cross promotions or branding. Video, images or

audio assets can be pooled from a contained playlist for easy playback at defined points in a

presentation. Users have the option of shuffling the playback of the content in the list or playing them in

a certain order. Images of up to 16MB (uncompressed) can also be stored in Cache for faster loading.

New Device Support

When creating a new BrightAuthor project, users can now select the BrightSign TD1012 all-in-one

portable tabletop display and choose from built-in portrait layouts. The software automatically sets the

correct video resolution, display orientation and more which takes the guess work out of creating

presentations for these free standing displays.

BrightAuthor v2.3 also adds support for BrightSign’s new USB Capacitive Touch Button Pad accessories

(4 button and 11 button) which are compatible with BrightSign’s HD810, HD1010 and HD1010w

interactive sign controllers. With BrightAuthor support, programming and customizing button

interactivity and LED controls is fast and easy, making the complete solution ideal for applications such

as retail product demonstrations, museum exhibits and trade show displays.

New Advanced Commands

In addition to supporting full HD at 1080p resolutions, BrightAuthor v2.3 software now supports 3D

video playback for the top-over-bottom and side-by-side 3D formats.

With BrightAuthor’s support for BrightControl, major display states such as power on/off, volume

up/down/on/off, pause, user-defined commands and all other standard Consumer Electronics Controls

(CEC) available can be conveniently added to presentations for management without user intervention.

This feature saves on integration time and costs because the commands are passed through the existing

HDMI cable and eliminates the need for an additional RS-232.

Also under the heading of Advanced Commands is the new Audio Mute feature for enabling and

disabling Analog, Digital and HDMI audio.

Dependable Ease of Use

BrightAuthor makes creating, publishing, updating and managing compelling digital signage displays so

easy, even a novice can use it successfully. While this latest version of BrightAuthor has added an

plethora of new capabilities and tools, the primary user friendly and visual-based interface and features

are still firmly intact including the templates, wizards and customization tools that have made

BrightAuthor so popular with both non-technical users and experienced users. The guides make it easy

to create full-screen and multi-zone playlists for looping displays without manually configuring

coordinates and image sizes. Content can be easily enhanced with features such as day-

parting/scheduling, interactivity, synchronization and simple networking. Publishing the content is also

simplified because the software automatically creates the playlist file and bundles it with the selected

content, ready to drop onto an SD card for playback or delivered over a network.

Availability

Designed to run on a standard Windows PC with Windows XP or Vista or Windows 7, plus Microsoft .Net

Framework 3.5 or later, BrightAuthor v2.3 is currently in public beta and is available free of charge to all

BrightSign users at http://brightsign.biz/support. With this application, presentations can be deployed

to BrightSign HD110, HD210, HD210w (wireless), HD410, HD810, HD1010, HD1010w (wireless) models

and BrightSign’s new portable tabletop tower, the TD1012.

BrightSign video players and kiosk controllers are available from the BrightSign Store with prices ranging

from US$284.99 for the HD110 digital sign player to US$649.99 for the HD1010 advanced networked

digital sign and kiosk controller. To help users learn the basics about BrightSign, BrightSign now offers an

online Quick Start Kit, BrightSign demos and a Tutorial page. The kit includes the latest version of

BrightAuthor, a Quick Start Guide and sample BrightAuthor project files for full screen, zones and

interactive presentations.

About BrightSign

BrightSign, LLC, based in Saratoga, California, develops products and software for digital signage.

BrightSign solid-state digital sign controllers set new standards for both stand-alone and networked

digital signage applications with their superior video quality, reliability, affordability, ease of use and

interactivity. Online information about BrightSign units is available at www.brightsign.biz. For sales

inquiries, please contact sales@brightsign.biz

# # #

or call 408-852-9263 in the USA and +44-1223-911842

internationally.

BrightSign is a registered trademark of BrightSign, LLC in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are trademarks or

registered trademarks of their respective owners. Specifications subject to change without notice.