BSN Web UI User Guide (3.5)

2014-01-03

: Brightsign Bsn Webui User Guide (3.5) BSN WebUI User Guide (3.5) s

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USER GUIDE
BrightSign Network WebUI
Version 3.5

BrightSign, LLC. 16795 Lark Ave., Suite 200 Los Gatos, CA 95032 | 408-852-9263 | www.brightsign.biz

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction

1

Create

8

What Can I Do with the WebUI?

1

Creating Dynamic Playlists

8

How Does it Work with BrightAuthor?

2

Using the Dynamic Playlist Library

9

Will my Player Work with the WebUI?

2

Dynamic Playlist Properties

10

3

Creating Live Data Feeds

10

Administrators

3

Live Data Feed Properties

11

Creators

4

Creating Live Media Feeds

12

General Managers

5

Network Managers

5

Creating Presentations

14

Publishers

6

Using the Presentation Library

16

Viewers

6

Presentation Properties

17

User Account Roles

Edit

14

Library

18

Viewing Device Information

28

Adding Media Files

18

Viewing Subscriptions

29

Removing Media Files

18

Adding Subscriptions

30

Media File Properties

19

Creating Device Logs

30

Organizing Media Files

19

Groups

Device Setup

32

21

Name Specification

32

Viewing Groups

21

Network Properties

32

Group Properties

22

Advanced Network Setup

32

Player Properties

23

Unit Configuration

35

Creating Groups

25

Logging

35

Moving and Removing Players

26

Firmware

36

Scheduling Presentations

26

Creating/Installing Setup Files

36

Current Usage

28

Account Customization

37

Settings

37

Invoice History

38

INTRODUCTION
The BrightSign Network WebUI is a browser-based application you can use to create, edit, and schedule
presentations for networked BrightSign players. You can also use the WebUI to create networked
presentation elements such as Dynamic Playlists, Live Data, and Live Media feeds.
You can manage an unlimited number of BrightSign players with the WebUI. In order to use this service,
you must have at least one player subscribed to the BrightSign Network. If you don’t have a BrightSign
Network subscription, and would like to try one free for 30 days, please contact our sales team.
What Can I Do with the WebUI?

•

The WebUI toolset can be split into two primary
components:

Monitor the health of players connected to the
BrightSign Network.

•

Send reboot, recovery, and upload log commands to
networked players.

Presentations

•

Monitor the statuses of networked players: This
includes the current active presentation, total
network traffic, and device error logs.

•

Generate various logs (Event, State, Diagnostic,
Playback) to keep records of player and
presentation activity.

•
•

View the subscription status of players.
Add purchased subscriptions to players. You can
also choose to have the BrightSign Network
automatically manage your purchased subscriptions
(which is the default setting).

•

Upload image, audio, and video files to the WebUI
Library.

•

Create and publish simple looping presentations
with images and video.

•

Create Dynamic Playlists, Live Media feeds, and
Live Data feeds.

Players
•
•

Organize players into customizable groups.
Schedule presentations for groups of players.

1

How Does it Work with BrightAuthor?
BrightAuthor is still required to create any presentations
that are more than simple looping image and/or video
playlists (for example, a presentation with interactive
elements or with HTML5 content). However, once you
use BrightAuthor to publish a presentation to the
BrightSign Network, you can use the full range of
scheduling features on the WebUI.

•
•
•
•
•
•

HD1010
HD1010w
HD1020
XD230
XD1030
XD1230

You can upload media to the WebUI in two ways:
1. Use BrightAuthor to publish to the BrightSign
Network.
2. Use the browser-based upload feature in the
WebUI.
You can create Dynamic Playlists from media uploaded
to the BrightSign Network and use them when creating
presentations in BrightAuthor or the WebUI. You can also
create Live Data and Live Media feeds to use in Live Text
states in BrightAuthor.

Will my Player Work with the WebUI?
You can connect any BrightSign player with Ethernet or
wireless capability to the BrightSign Network. This
includes the following models:
•
•
•

AU320
HD210w
HD220
2

USER ACCOUNT ROLES
A user account may be associated with one of six roles:
Administrators, Creators, General Managers, Network
Managers, Publishers, or Viewers. These roles determine
what you can view, edit, create, and delete within the
WebUI (along with components of BrightAuthor that are
applicable to the BrightSign Network).
In this document, most section titles include subtitles that
let you know which user account roles may perform the

you are not the first user on your account, you will need
to have the user who is assign you to this role.
Users: View User, Create User, Change Role, Edit
Permissions, Lock User, Unlock User, Delete User
Roles: View Roles, View Users, Add User, Remove User,
Edit Permissions, Delete Role

actions in that section. Note that Administrators can
perform all possible actions in the WebUI.

Content: View Content, Upload Content, Update Content,
Assign Content, Unassign Content, Delete Content

Administrators

Dynamic Playlists: View Dynamic Playlists, View
Contents, Create Dynamic Playlists, Rename Dynamic
Playlists, Update Dynamic Playlists, Assign Dynamic
Playlists, Unassign Dynamic Playlists, Delete Dynamic
Playlists

Being assigned to the Administrators role gives you
access to all the features offered on the BrightSign
Network. This is the only role that allows you to edit the
account status of other users: as an Administrator, you
can add new users, delete existing users, and assign
users to different roles.
You can also create and edit Custom Roles, an
advanced feature that is explained in the BrightSign
Network WebUI Permissions Guide.

Presentations: View Presentations, View Contents,
Create Presentations, Overwrite Presentations, Update
Presentations, Add Content, Remove Content, Assign
Presentations, Unassign Presentations, Delete
Presentations

Note: The first user of a BrightSign Network account will
automatically be assigned to the Administrators role. If
3

Schedules: View Presentations, Create Schedule,
Update Schedule, Add Presentation, Remove
Presentation
Groups: View Groups, View Devices, Create Group,
Update Group, Add Device, Remove Device, Change
Schedule, Delete Group
Devices: View Devices, Export Devices List, View Device
Errors, View Device Downloads, View Device Battery
Status, View Device Log Reports, Get Device Log
Reports, Update Device Notes, Change Target Group,
Delete Device, Add Subscriptions, Unit Control
Subscriptions: View Subscriptions, View Traffic Invoices,
View Subscription Invoices, Export Traffic Invoices,
Export Subscription Invoices, Update Subscription,
Export Subscription
Live Text Feeds: View Live Text Feeds, View Contents,
Create Live Text Feed, Rename Live Feed, Update Live
Text Feed, Assign Live Text Feed, Unassign Live Text
Feed, Delete LiveText Feed
Live Media Feeds: View Live Media Feeds, View
Contents, Create Live Media Feed, Rename Live Media
Feed, Update Live Media Feed

Creators
The Creators role gives you complete control of content,
including presentations, Dynamic Playlists, Live Text
feeds, and Live Media feeds. You do not have the ability
to view or change schedules, groups, or devices. This
role is best suited for those tasked solely with creating
presentation content for BrightSign players.
Content: View Content, Upload Content, Update Content,
Assign Content, Unassign Content, Delete Content
Dynamic Playlists: View Dynamic Playlists, View
Contents, Create Dynamic Playlists, Rename Dynamic
Playlists, Update Dynamic Playlists, Assign Dynamic
Playlists, Unassign Dynamic Playlists, Delete Dynamic
Playlists
Presentations: View Presentations, View Contents,
Create Presentations, Overwrite Presentations, Update
Presentations, Add Content, Remove Content, Delete
Presentations
Live Text Feeds: View Live Text Feeds, View Contents,
Create Live Text Feeds, Rename Live Feeds, Update
Live Text Feeds, Assign Live Text Feeds, Unassign Live
Text Feeds, Delete Live Text Feeds

4

Live Media Feeds: View Live Media Feeds, View
Contents, Create Live Media Feed, Rename Live Media
Feed, Update Live Media Feed

General Managers
The General Managers role gives you full control of
content creation and distribution. The only permissions
you don’t have are the advanced user and account
features that are unique to Administrators.
Content: View Content, Upload Content, Update Content,
Assign Content, Unassign Content, Delete Content
Dynamic Playlists: View Dynamic Playlists, View
Contents, Create Dynamic Playlists, Rename Dynamic
Playlists, Update Dynamic Playlists, Assign Dynamic
Playlists, Unassign Dynamic Playlists, Delete Dynamic
Playlists
Presentations: View Presentations, View Contents,
Create Presentations, Overwrite Presentations, Update
Presentations, Add Content, Remove Content, Assign
Presentations, Unassign Presentations, Delete
Presentations
Schedules: View Presentations, Create Schedules,
Update Schedules, Add Presentations, Remove
Presentations

Groups: View Groups, View Devices, Create Groups,
Update Groups, Add Device, Remove Devices, Change
Schedules, Delete Groups
Devices: View Devices, Export Devices List, View Device
Errors, View Device Downloads, View Device Battery
Status, View Device Log Reports, Get Device Log
Reports, Update Device Notes, Change Target Group,
Delete Devices, Add Subscriptions, Unit Control
Subscriptions: View Subscriptions, View Traffic Invoices,
View Subscription Invoices
Live Text Feeds: View Live Text Feeds, View Contents,
Create Live Text Feeds, Rename Live Feeds, Update
Live Text Feeds, Assign Live Text Feeds, Unassign Live
Text Feeds
Live Media Feeds: View Live Media Feeds, View
Contents, Create Live Media Feed, Rename Live Media
Feed, Update Live Media Feed

Network Managers
The Network Managers role gives you control of the
digital-signage infrastructure: you can add, remove,
maintain, and group together networked BrightSign
players. In addition, you can view and delete (but not add
5

or edit) certain kinds of content such as Dynamic
Playlists, Live Text feeds, Live Media feeds, and
presentations.
Content: View Content, Delete Content
Dynamic Playlists: View Dynamic Playlists
Presentations: Delete Presentations, View Presentations

Publishers
The Publishers role allows you to schedule when and
where BrightSign presentations will be played. You also
have the ability to upload content. Otherwise, you do not
have access to content that is uploaded to the BrightSign
Network account.
Content: Upload Content

Schedules: View Presentations

Presentations: View Presentations, Assign Presentations,
Unassign Presentations

Groups: View Groups, View Devices, Create Groups,
Update Groups, Add Device, Remove Devices, Delete
Groups

Schedules: View Presentations, Create Schedules,
Update Schedules, Add Presentations, Remove
Presentations

Devices: View Devices, Export Devices List, View Device
Errors, View Device Downloads, View Device Battery
Status, View Device Log Reports, Get Device Log
Reports, Update Device Notes, Change Target Group,
Delete Devices, Add Subscriptions, Unit Control

Groups: View Groups, Change Schedule

Live Text Feeds: View Live Text Feeds

Viewers
If you are assigned to the Viewers role, you can view
almost all aspects of a digital-signage system: content,
groups, device statuses, and schedules. However, you
cannot affect anything on the BrightSign Network
account.

Live Media Feeds: View Live Media Feeds
Content: View Content

6

Dynamic Playlists: View Dynamic Playlists, View
Contents
Presentations: View Presentations, View Contents
Scheduling: View Presentations
Groups: View Groups, View Devices
Devices: View Devices, Export Devices List, View Device
Errors, View Device Downloads, View Device Battery
Status, View Device Log Reports, Get Device Log
Reports
Subscriptions: View Subscriptions
Live Text Feeds: View Live Text Feeds, View Contents
Live Media Feeds: View Live Media Feeds, View
Contents

7

CREATE
Creating Dynamic Playlists
General Managers, Creators
Dynamic Playlists allow you to easily update and share
content across multiple presentations. For example, if
you have daily announcements that need to be published
to all of your networked players, you can update a single
Dynamic Playlist rather than having to update every
different presentation on your network. When you add
content to a Dynamic Playlist via the WebUI, every
presentation that includes the Dynamic Playlist receives
this new content, so a single update reaches multiple
presentations.
1. Click the Create tab. The Dynamic Playlist
subgroup will already be selected.

2. Click the
Add New Dynamic Playlist button.
3. Enter a name for the new Dynamic Playlist in the
field and click Create.
4. Click the
Edit Title button if you would like to
rename the Dynamic Playlist at any time.
5. Drag the desired images and videos from the
Library and drop them into the playlist field.
6. Edit the ordering of the playlist by dragging a
thumbnail to a desired position or by entering the
position number of a media item in the Position
field and clicking Set.
7. Change the time on screen of an image file by
entering the value (in seconds) in the Duration
field.
8. Save the changes you’ve made to the Dynamic
Playlist by clicking the Save button.
9. Create a new copy of the Dynamic Playlist by
clicking the Save Playlist As… button.
10. Click the Back button if you would like to exit
without saving changes you have made to the
Dynamic Playlist while on the page.

8

Using the Dynamic Playlist Library
General Managers, Creators
The Library portion of the Dynamic Playlist edit page
contains many options for viewing, searching, and
changing the media stored on the BrightSign Network.
1. Access content folders using the directory on the
left. By default, all content uploaded using
BrightAuthor is placed in the Incoming folder.
Note: You can move media files and create
custom folders in the Library tab of the WebUI.
2. Use the
Search function to find media files
contained within all folders and sub-folders.
3. Click the X in the corner of a video or image
thumbnail to remove that media file from the
BrightSign Network.
Note: A media file with a lock symbol cannot be

deleted because it is currently being used in another
networked presentation.
4. Click the Add Files button to add images or videos
to the Incoming folder. You will then be able move
these media files to other folders and add them to
the Dynamic Playlist:
a. Once the Add/Upload File window opens, click
Add File and select the desired video or image
file.
b. Click the Start Upload button once you have
added all the files you wish to upload.
c. Click Close when the upload process is
completed.
5. Click the Sort By dropdown menu to change the list
order of the media files contained in the folder. You
can organize the files using the following criteria:

9

• File Name: Alphabetical
• File Type: Alphabetical (by extension)
• File Size: Smallest to largest
• Upload Date: Oldest to newest
6. Click the thumbnail dropdown menu to choose
between Small Icons, Medium Icons, and Large
Icons. This will affect how many icons are displayed
on each page.

f. Related Presentations: A list of all networked
presentations that are currently using the
Dynamic Playlist.

7. Select the Video tab or Images tab to limit the
folder contents based on file type.

Dynamic Playlist Properties
General Managers, Creators, Viewers
Click the Properties link to view additional information
about a Dynamic Playlist:
a. File Name: The name of the Dynamic Playlist
b. Type: The file type of the Dynamic Playlist
c. File Size: The size of the Dynamic Playlist
playfile (not including the media content), in
bytes or kilobytes
d. Upload Date: The date and time when the
Dynamic Playlist was created in the WebUI or
uploaded to the BrightSign Network from
BrightAuthor.
e. Uploaded By: The user account that originally
uploaded or created the Dynamic Playlist.

Creating Live Data Feeds
General Managers, Creators
The Live Data feature allows you to create and update
fully functional RSS feeds using a simple user interface.
You can use Live Data when creating Live Text states
10

and Ticker Zones in BrightAuthor. For more on using Live
Data in presentations, please see the BrightAuthor User
Guide.

6. Create additional entries by clicking on the grayedout field under the last entry.
7. Click the
Change Order button to move an entry
to another position in the Live Data feed.
8. Click the
Delete button to remove an entry from
the feed.
9. Save the changes you’ve made to the Live Data
feed by clicking the Save button.
10. Create a new copy of the Live Data feed by clicking
the Save Feed As… button.
11. Click the Cancel button if you would like to exit
without saving changes you’ve made to the Text
Feed.

Live Data Feed Properties
1. Select the Create tab and click Live Data in the
secondary task bar.
2. Click the
Add New Feed button.
3. Enter a Name for the new Live Data feed and click
Create.
4. Click the
Edit Name button if you would like to
rename the Live Data feed at any time.
5. Enter a Title and Value for the first entry. Like most
RSS parsers, the Live Text state in BrightAuthor
uses either the index number or Title to determine
which entry to display.

General Managers, Creators, Viewers
1. Click the Properties link below a Live Data feed to
view additional information about it:
a. Name: The name of the Live Data feed
b. Creation Date: The date and time when the
Data feed was created in the WebUI
c. Date Modified: The date and time when the
Live Data feed was last changed.
d. File Size: The size of the Live Data feed in bytes
or kilobytes
e. URL: The RSS feed URL. You can use this URL
with any application or device that parses RSS
feeds.
11

Note: Earlier versions of BrightAuthor require
you to manually copy and paste this URL to the
Live Text state. The current version of
BrightAuthor automatically detects Live Data
feeds stored on your BrightSign Network
account.
f. Presentations: A list of all networked
presentations that are currently using the Live
Data feed.

Creating Live Media Feeds
General Managers, Creators
The Live Media feature allows you to create and update
fully functional media RSS (MRSS) feeds using a simple
user interface. You can use Live Media feeds when
creating Media RSS Feed and Live Data states in
BrightAuthor. To learn more about using MRSS feeds in
presentations, please see the BrightAuthor User Guide.
1. Select the Create tab and click Live Media in the
secondary task bar.
2. Click the
Add New Feed button.
3. Enter a Name for the new Live Media feed and click
Create.
4. Click the
Edit Name button if you would like to
rename the Live Media feed at any time.
5. Click the
Edit TTL button to specify how long the
feed should last (in minutes) before it is refreshed
using the source URL.
6. Click a field in the first item to add a media element
to the feed.
7. Click the empty thumbnail image, select a media
element (video or image) in the Library window, and
click Add.
8. Enter a Title and Description for the media
element.
9. Click the
Add Custom Field button to add an
optional descriptive tag to the media element. You

12

can add multiple custom fields to a single item.
Custom fields added to one media element will also
be included with subsequent media elements added
to the Live Media feed.
10. Click the
Change Order button to move a media
item to another position in the Live Media feed. If
the media item is an image, you will also be able to
specify its display Duration (in seconds).
11. Click the
Delete button to remove an entry from
the feed.
Note: You will not be allowed to save the Live Media
feed if there are incomplete media items (i.e. one or
more required fields are not filled out). Use the Delete
button to remove incomplete items before saving.
12. Save the changes you’ve made to the Live Media
feed by clicking the Save button.
13. Create a new copy of the Live Media feed by
clicking the Save Feed As… button.
14. Click the Cancel button if you would like to exit
without saving changes you’ve made to the Live
Media feed.

13

EDIT
Creating Presentations
General Managers, Creators
You can use the WebUI to create and edit simple looping
presentations. You can publish these presentations to
your networked BrightSign players. Remember that you
will need to use BrightAuthor to create any presentations
that are more complex than looping image/video playlists.
1. Select the Create tab and click
Add New
Presentation. In the Create Presentation window,
you will be provided with the following options:
a. Name: Choose a unique name for the
presentation.
b. Device Model: Select the model number of the
BrightSign player(s) to which you will publish this
presentation.
c. Connector Type: Select either HDMI, VGA, or
Component.
d. Screen Resolution: Choose the resolution that
best matches the native resolution of your
monitor.

vice versa). You will first need to rotate video or
images in the source application (e.g. Paint Shop
Pro Photoshop, Adobe After Effects) before
publishing them to the player.
2. Click Create once you are finished. You will be
taken to the content editing page.
3. Click
Settings to change the properties of the
presentation. In the Presentation Settings window,
you can edit the Device Model, Connector Type,
and Screen Resolution options you set when
creating the presentation. You can also specify
these additional parameters:
a. Background Color: Choose the color that will
appear on screen if there are no images or
video. You can determine the color by selecting
from a predefined set of colors in the dropdown
menu or by entering the hex value of the color
you wish to use.

e. Monitor Orientation: Choose whether you
would like the content to appear in Landscape or
Portrait mode.
Note: BrightSign players do not automatically rotate
landscape content to display in Portrait mode (and

14

b. Language: Select the language of the
presentation.
4. Click Zone Settings to change the properties of the
Video or Images zone:
a. View mode: Use the dropdown list to specify a
setting for videos.
i. Scale to fit: Scales the video to fill the screen
without maintaining the aspect ratio. The
video may appear stretched.

iii. Scale to fill and crop: Scales the image to
completely fill the zone while maintaining the
aspect ratio.
iv. Scale to fill: Scales the image to fill the zone
without maintaining the aspect ratio.
d. Initial volume (Audio): Sets the initial volume
for audio files (0-100).
e. Initial volume (Video): Sets the initial volume
for video files (0-100).

ii. Letterboxed and centered: Centers the
video and adds black borders on the top and
bottom. The aspect ratio is maintained.
iii. Fill screen and centered: Centers the video
and fills the screen. The aspect ratio is
maintained.
b. Audio settings: Use the dropdown list to
specify the type of audio you want to use in the
zone.
c. Image mode: Use the dropdown list to specify a
setting for images.
i. Center image: Centers the image without
scaling. This may result in cropping if the
image is too large.
ii. Scale to fit: Scales the image to fit the zone.
The image is displayed as large as possible
with the correct aspect ratio.

5. Drag the desired images and videos from the
Library and drop them into the presentation playlist
field.
6. Edit the ordering of the presentation playlist by
dragging a thumbnail to a desired position or by
entering the position number of a media item in the
Position field and clicking Set.

15

7. Change the time on screen of an image file by
entering the value (in seconds) in the Duration
field.
8. Save the changes you’ve made to the presentation
by clicking the Save button.
9. Create a new copy of the presentation by clicking
the Save Presentation As… button.
10. Click the Back button if you would like to exit
without saving changes you have made to the
presentation while on this page.

Using the Presentation Library
General Managers, Creators
The Library portion of the presentation page contains
many options for viewing, searching, and changing the
media stored on the BrightSign Network.
1. Access content folders using the directory on the
left. By default, all content uploaded using

BrightAuthor is placed in the Incoming folder.
Note: You can move media files and create
custom folders in the Library tab of the WebUI.
2. Use the
Search function to find media files
contained within all folders and sub-folders.
3. Click the X in the corner of a video or image
thumbnail to remove that media file from the
BrightSign Network.
Note: A media file with a lock symbol cannot be
deleted because it is currently being used in
another networked presentation.
4. Click the Add Files button to add images or videos
to the Incoming folder. You will then be able to
move these media files to other folders and add
them to the presentation:
a. Once the Add/Upload File window opens, click
Add File and select the desired video or image
file. You can add multiple files to the upload

16

queue using this method.
b. Click the Start Upload button once you have
added all the files you wish to upload.
c. Click Close when the upload process is
completed.
5. Click the Sort By dropdown menu to change the list
order of the media files contained in the folder. You
can organize the files in descending order by File
Name, File Type, File Size, and Upload Date.
6. Click the thumbnail dropdown menu to choose
between Small Icons, Medium Icons, and Large
Icons. This will affect how many icons are displayed
on each page.

d. Device Model: The player model configured for
the presentation
e. Screen Resolution: The monitor resolution of
the presentation
f. Connector Type: The audio/video cable
configured to link the player with the monitor
g. Background Color: The color that appears on
screen if there are no images or video
h. Language: The language setting of the
presentation

7. Select the Video or Images tab to limit the folder
contents based on file type.

Presentation Properties
General Managers, Creators, Viewers
1. Click the Properties link to view additional
information about a presentation:
a. Name: The name of the presentation
b. Creation Date: The date and time when the
presentation was created in the WebUI or
uploaded to the BrightSign Network from
BrightAuthor
c. Date Modified: The date and time when the
presentation was last edited.

17

LIBRARY
The Library page allows you to add, remove, and
organize audio, video, and image files stored on the
BrightSign Network. Media files can be added to the
Library manually (as described below) or automatically by
uploading BrightAuthor presentations to the BrightSign
Network. All media files contained within a BrightAuthor
presentation are added to the library when the
presentation is uploaded to your BrightSign Network
account.

added all the files you wish to upload.
d. Click Close when the upload process is
completed.

Adding Media Files
General Managers, Creators, Publishers
1. Select the Library tab.
2. Click the
Upload New Files button. The
Add/Upload File window will appear:
a. Click Add File and select the desired video or
image file. You can add multiple files to the
upload queue using this method. Each file in the
list will display its size, file name, and an X.
b. Click the X to remove a file from the list.
c. Click the Start Upload button once you have

Removing Media Files
General Managers, Network Managers, Creators
1. Click the Library tab.
2. Select the media file you wish to remove. You can

18

select multiple files at a time. You also can deselect
a file by clicking it again or deselect all files by
clicking an empty space on the page.
3. Click the Delete button.
Note: A media file with a lock symbol cannot be
deleted because it is currently being used in a
networked presentation or Dynamic Playlist.

Media File Properties
General Managers, Network Managers, Creators,
Viewers
If you would like to view more information about a media
file, click the Properties link beneath the file name:
•

File Name: The name of the media item, including
its file extension

•

Type: The media type of the file (either image or
video)

•

File Size: The size of the file, in kilobytes or
megabytes

•

Upload Date: The date and time the file was
uploaded to the BrightSign Network

•

Last Modified Date: The date and time the file was
last modified on the client machine (if uploaded as
part of a BrightAuthor presentation), or last added to
the BrightSign Network (if uploaded using the
WebUI)

•

Uploaded By: The user who originally uploaded the
media file

•

Relates To: A list of Dynamic Playlists,
presentations, and Live Media feeds that are
currently using the media file

Organizing Media Files
General Managers, Creators
The BrightSign Network features a folder directory
system for keeping your media files organized. A folder
19

for each user, along with a general-use Shared folder, is
created by default. Media files that are added by
uploading BrightAuthor presentations will be added to the
Shared>Incoming folder.
•

To find a media file, enter all or part of the file name
in the Search Files field and click the
button.
The search will be carried out in all directories, no
matter which folder is currently selected

•

To transfer a media file to another file folder, drag
and drop the media file to the desired file folder in
the directory. You can also transfer multiple
selected files using the drag-and-drop method.

•

To create a new folder, first select the folder in
which to create the new folder. Next, click
Create a New Folder. Enter a name for the new
folder and click Create.

20

GROUPS
Groups allow you to distribute presentations to a specific
set of BrightSign players. You can monitor the health and
scheduling of all your networked players from one
convenient page.

Viewing Groups
General Managers, Network Managers, Publishers,
Viewers
When using BrightAuthor to set up players for the
BrightSign Network, you must choose a group for each
device. However, you can always move a device to a

new group from the Groups tab in the WebUI.
The BrightSign Network includes the “Default” and
“LocalTest” groups by default. The Groups list displays
the following information:
•

Name: The name of the group, followed by the
number of devices it contains in parentheses.

•

Status: The status of players in the group,
indicated with these icons:
Healthy: The player is connected to the
network; the presentation is active
Connection Lost: The player has missed its

21

last scheduled status update.
Inactive: The player is not functioning and/or
not connected to the network. There can be
several reasons for an inactive player; please see
this FAQ for a full list of causes.
Disconnected: The player has no
subscription, or its subscription has expired.
•

Properties: Details and scheduling information
about the group. See the Group Properties and
Player Properties sections below for more details:

•

Presentation: A dropdown list showing all
presentations scheduled for the group. This list
includes presentations that are scheduled but not
currently playing.

Group Properties
General Managers, Network Managers, Publishers,
Viewers
To view information about a group, click the Properties
link next to the group name and status. This will bring up
the Group Properties window, which provides the
following information:
•
•

Name: The name of the group
Scheduled firmware upgrades: Use the
checkboxes to send firmware updates to certain
player models in the group. The firmware number
after “Update to” indicates the current minimum
firmware version required by that product line.

•

Autorun Version: The autorun version to which
all players are upgraded when they are first
assigned to the group

•

Serial Debugging: The setting for serial
debugging

•

System Log Debugging: The setting for system
log debugging

22

Note: The debugging options allow you to get
additional information about a player’s status using
the RS-232 serial port on the player.
•

Devices: A list of all players in the group. The
serial number and name of each player is
displayed.

•

Delete: Click this button if you would like to delete
the group. Players that are part of the deleted
group will be moved to the “Unassigned” group.

•

Reported time zone: The time zone that was last
reported by the player

Note: Since there is often a delay between changes
to groups/players in the WebUI and the corresponding
player updates, the target status and reported status
will sometimes be different.
•

Firmware: The current firmware version installed
on the player

•

Autorun ver. (standard): The current autorun

Player Properties
General Managers, Network Managers, Viewers
Expand a group list and click on the Properties link
beneath a player name. This will bring up the Device
Properties window, which includes the General,
Control, and Downloads tabs.
The General tab provides the following information:
•
•

Unit ID: The serial number of the player
Unit Name: The player name, which is designated
during the setup process in BrightAuthor

•
•

Model: The model number of the player
Target group: The group that the has been
assigned to the player

•

Target time zone: The time zone that has been
assigned to the player

•

Reported group: The group assignment that was
last reported by the player
23

version of the BrightAuthor presentation assigned
to the player.
•

Autorun ver. (custom): The current autorun
version of the custom-built presentation assigned
to the player. Visit this FAQ to learn how to
distribute custom autorun scripts using the
BrightSign Network.

•
•

IP address: The IP address of the player
Card Size: The total capacity of the SD card
installed in the player

•

Subscription type: The type of BrightSign
Network subscription assigned to the player

•

Subscription status: The current status of the
BrightSign Network subscription assigned to the
player

•

Delete: Removes the player from the BrightSign
Network.

c. Recovery – reformat: Check this box to place
the player in recovery mode. The player will also
reformat its storage card.
d. Recovery – don’t reformat: Check this box to
place the player in recovery mode. The player
will download the latest Autorun script to the
storage card without reformatting it.
Note: A player will not carry out a Recovery
command until the Reboot Unit command is sent
as well.

The Advanced tab provides the following functionality:
•

Unit Control: This section allows you to send
commands to a player:
a. Reboot Unit: Check this box to have the player
reboot the next time it checks in to the
BrightSign Network.
b. Upload Logs: Check this box to have the player
upload its logs to the BrightSign Network the
next time it checks in.

24

•

Device Error Log: This section provides detailed
information about the last five reported errors. If the
player is operating normally, the error list will be
blank. Click the Refresh button to update the error
list.

of individual file transfers. Click the Refresh button to
update the status of the file transfers.

Creating Groups
General Managers, Network Managers
1. Select the Groups tab and click the
button.

Add Group

2. Specify the following in the Create Group window:
a. Name: Enter a unique name for the group.
b. Autorun: Select the minimum autorun version of
presentations assigned to the group.
c. HDx10: Select the minimum firmware version of
HD210w, HD1010, and HD1010w players
assigned to the group.
d. HDx20: Select the minimum firmware version of
AU320, HD220, and HD1020 players assigned
to the group.
e. XD: Select the minimum firmware version of
XD230, XD1030, and XD1230 players assigned
to the group.
f. Serial Debugging: Choose whether to enable
or disable Serial Debugging for players in the
group.

The Downloads tab allows you to monitor the player
synchronization process. Here you can view the progress

g. System Log Debugging: Choose whether to
enable or disable System Log Debugging for
players in the group.

25

Note: The debugging options allow you to get
additional information about a player’s status using
the RS-232 serial port.
3. Click Create when you are finished configuring the
group or Cancel if you want to undo the group
creation process.
4. Add players to the group using BrightAuthor or the
WebUI (as described in the following section).

Moving and Removing Players
General Managers, Network Managers
You can move a player to another group by following
these steps in the Groups tab:
1. Expand the group that the player is currently in.
2. Select the player and click
Move Device To…
3. Select the new group from the list and click Move.
Note: You can also move a player to another group by
dragging and dropping the player icon from one player
list to another.
If you would like to remove a player from the BrightSign
Network, expand a group list and click on the Properties
link beneath a player name. This will bring up the Device
Properties window. Click the Delete button to remove
the player from the Network.

You can also delete a player using the BrightAuthor
scheduling functionality (please see the BrightAuthor
User Guide for information).

Scheduling Presentations
General Managers, Publishers
Follow these steps to add a presentation to a group:
1. Expand a group and click Add Presentation to
open the Schedule Presentation window.
Note: Alternatively, you can access this window by
accessing group Properties, selecting the
Presentations tab, and clicking the Add button at
the bottom of the window.
2. Select a Presentation from the dropdown list.
3. Check the Active All Day Every Day box if you
would like the presentation to play at all times. This
disables all other scheduling options in the
Schedule Presentation window.
4. Use the Event Time fields to specify a time range
for the presentation.
5. Use the Event Date field if you want the
presentation to play during one day only. Use the
Calendar menu to select a specific date.
6. Check the Recurrence box if you want the
presentation to play on a repeating schedule during
a specific date range. Check All Days or specify
certain days of the week. It is necessary to specify a

26

Start Date and End Date if the Recurrence box is
checked.
7. Click Submit once you have finished configuring
the schedule.
The scheduling process will fail if it conflicts with another
schedule that is already assigned to the group. Follow
these steps to edit a schedule or remove it from the
group:
1. Click the Properties link next to the group name
and status.
2. Select the Presentations tab. You will find a list of
presentations that are scheduled to play on the
current day.
3. Mouse over a presentation to Edit or Delete it.
Note: Presentations that are scheduled for dates
other than the current day will not be listed. In order
to find these presentations, select the appropriate
date in the Show presentations at field.

27

CURRENT USAGE
The Current Usage page allows you to monitor the health
of devices and download log reports. This page lists all
devices connected to your network.

Healthy: The player is connected to the
network; the presentation is active

Viewing Device Information

Inactive: The player is not functioning and/or
not connected to the network. There can be
several reasons for an inactive player; please see
this FAQ for a full list of causes.

Connection Lost: The player has missed its
last scheduled status update.

General Managers, Network Managers, Viewers
The Total Devices Count is displayed in the left portion
of the screen. You can filter the list with the Results per
page dropdown list in the right portion of the screen. The
list displays the following information for each device:
•

Health: The status of the player, as indicated by
the following icons:

Disconnected: The player has no
subscription, or its subscription has expired.
•
•

Device Label: The serial number of the player.
Device Name: The name given to the player

28

during setup.
•

Target Group: The group to which the player was
mostly recently assigned.

•
•

Device Model: The model number of the player
Active Presentation: The presentation that is
currently scheduled for the player.

•

Last Connection: The most recent date that the
player successfully connected to the BrightSign
Network.

•

Traffic: The amount of data the device has
downloaded from the BrightSign Network.

•

Actions: Click the
Note button to add
additional comments to a player for later
reference. The note will be displayed in the table
along with the other data.

You can organize the list alphabetically by any of the
above criteria. Click a criteria type in the top row to list
the players in descending order. Click it again to list the
players in ascending order.
You can search for specific devices using the Search
field in the upper-left portion of the screen. Check the
boxes to customize your search by Group, Name, and/or
Device Label. Type a portion or the entirety of these
terms and click Search. The list will refresh and compile
all relevant results.

Viewing Subscriptions
General Managers, Viewers
The Subscriptions Information section provides the
following information:
•

Available Subscriptions: The current number of
BrightSign Network subscriptions available to be
assigned to players.

•

Activated Subscriptions: The total number of
BrightSign Network subscriptions currently
assigned to players. These subscriptions have a
defined activation and expiration date.

•

Queued Subscriptions: The total number of
BrightSign Network subscriptions that have been
assigned to players but have not been activated
yet.

•

Suspended Subscriptions: The total number of
BrightSign Network subscriptions that have been
manually suspended

Note: A subscription with an “Available” or “Queued”
status will only have a defined activation and
expiration date if it was previously assigned to a
player that has been deleted from the BrightSign
Network.
Check the Enable Automatic Subscriptions
Management box if you want the system to automatically
assign available subscriptions to players with expiring

29

subscriptions. Available subscriptions that are queued for
a player with the Add Subscription button will be
assigned to that player first.
Note: If you check this box, you will not be able to mix
subscription types.
Click the arrow to the left of a player’s Health status to
view subscription information and options.
•

Invoice Number: The invoice number of the
subscription purchase

•

Creation Date: The date that the subscription was
purchased

•

Activation Date: The date that the subscription
was added to the player

•

Expiration Date: The date that the subscription
expires

•

Subscription Type: The length of the subscription
(Monthly, Quarterly, or Yearly)

•

Status: The status of the subscription (Active or
Suspended)

•

Actions: Choose to Activate a suspended
subscription or Suspend an active subscription.

Adding Subscriptions
General Managers, Network Managers
Follow these steps to activate an available subscription
on a player or queue multiple subscriptions for a player:
1. Click the arrow to the left of a player’s Health Status
to view subscription information and options.
2. Click the
Add Subscription button. The
Available Subscriptions list will appear.
3. Search the available subscriptions by entering the
I.N. (invoice number) or the subscription Type and
clicking
Search.
4. Select the desired subscription and click Add.

Creating Device Logs
General Managers, Network Managers, Viewers
You can download different log reports for your devices.
The reports are generated as XML files.
1. Under Device Logs, use the first dropdown list to
select a specific device.
30

2. Choose among Events, States, Playback, or
Diagnostics reports.
3. Use the second dropdown list to specify a time
frame for the report.
4. Click the Generate Report button.
5. Click the
Download Report button once the
report is generated.
The following is a short description of the different logs
you can generate:
•

Events Log: Records timestamps, state names,
zone names, event types, and event data.

•

States Log: Records current and last state
names, timestamps, and media types.

•

Playback Log: Records start and end times, zone
names, media types, and file names.

•

Diagnostics Log: Records timestamps, firmware
and script versions, and the current presentation.

The Export Devices icon can be found directly above
the list of devices. Click this icon to download data from
all devices. The data table displays device names and
labels, target groups, active presentations, last connect
times, traffic, firmware versions, and any descriptions
included during setup.

31

DEVICE SETUP
You can use the WebUI to set up players for use with the
BrightSign Network. This process is similar to the player
setup process in BrightAuthor: You will need extract the
generated setup files, place them on a storage device
(SD card or USB flash drive), and insert the device into
the player to complete the setup process.
To begin setting up a new player for the BrightSign
Network, click the Device Setup button on the top-right
of the page.

Name Specification
• Name: Enter a name for the player. This designation
will be displayed in the Groups and Current Usage
tabs.
• Description:(Optional) Enter a short description for
the player. This is useful if you need additional notes
about the implementation or special conditions of a
player.
• Customization: Select Append Unit ID if you would
like to append the serial number of the player to the
end of the player Name specified above.
Alternatively, you can select Use Name Only to
display the player Name exactly as specified above.

Network Properties
• Enable Wireless: Check this box if you plan to
connect to the local network using a wireless
connection. In order to use a wireless connection,
you must purchase a wireless model (HD210w,
HD1010w) or purchase an XD Wireless Module for
your BrightSign XD player. Enter an SSID and
Security key if the player is connecting to a secured
network.
• Network Connection Priority: Prioritize either the
Wired or Wireless connection. The BrightSign
player will always attempt to download and upload
using the selected option. It will only use the second
option if the selected option is unavailable.
• Time zone: Select the time zone where the unit is
located.
• Time server: Select the time server that the
networked player should use to synchronize its
clock.

Advanced Network Setup
Click the Advanced Network Setup button to further
customize the network properties of the player.

32

Unit
• Use Proxy: Check this box if you want the player to
connect using a proxy server. Enter the Address
and Port number of the proxy in the fields below. If
you need to provide a user name and password for
the proxy, use the following format in the Address
field:

:@
(e.g. “admin:root@myproxy.com”).

• Limit content downloads: Check this box if you want
to restrict player content downloads to a certain time
of day. This is helpful if you want to limit network
traffic during peak hours. Use the Start Of Range

33

and End Of Range parameters to specify a time
frame during which content downloads can occur.
• Limit health updates: Check this box if you want to
limit when the player sends health updates to the
BrightSign Network. This is helpful if you know a
player will be powered off or otherwise disabled
during a certain time of day. Use the Start Of Range
and End Of Range parameters to specify a time
frame during which content downloads can occur.

content downloads setting in the Unit tab), as well
as During initial downloads.
o Click Unlimited Download Rate to set no
limit.
o Click Default Limit to use the default limit
on downloads.
o Click Specify Limit to enter a customized
limit on downloads in the text field (in
Kbits/second).

Wired/Wireless
The Wired and Wireless tabs provide an identical set of
network properties to edit.
• Data Types Enabled: Use these checkboxes to
determine the types of data that can be transferred
using this connection. You can enable/disable both
downloads (Content, Text Feeds, Media Feeds)
and uploads (Health, Log Updates).
• Connection Settings: Indicate whether the IP
address is auto-generated (via DHCP) or static. If
you’re using a static IP address, enter the
parameters in the fields below.
• Rate Limit Network Download Traffic: Set rate
limitations for downloading content. The options are
divided into three categories: Outside content
download window and During content download
window (both of which correspond to the Limit

34

Diagnostics
The Diagnostics tab provides options for performing
network diagnostics when the player first boots up.
• Enable network diagnostics: Check this box to have
the player display the network diagnostics screen
during setup.
o Test Ethernet: The player will indicate
whether or not it was able to attain an IP
address over Ethernet.
o Test Wireless: The player will indicate
whether or not it was able to attain an IP
address over wireless.
o Test Internet Connection: The player will
indicate whether or not it was able to attain
a connection to remote services.

Unit Configuration
• Enable diagnostic web server: Check this box to
enable the Diagnostic Web Server. You can include
a username and password in the text fields below for
added security.
• Enable local web server: Check this box to enable
the Local Web Server. You can include a username
and password in the text fields below for added
security.
• Enable Update Notifications: Check this box to have
the player automatically refresh the User Variables

webpage whenever variable values change on the
player.
• BrightSign Network Options: Use these settings to
specify how the player will interact with the
BrightSign Network.
o Group: Select the BrightSign Network
Group that the player will belong to.
o Content Check Frequency: Use the
dropdown menu to determine how often the
player checks in with the BrightSign
Network for content updates.
o Update Health Frequency: Use the
dropdown menu to determine how often the
player should report its operational status to
the BrightSign Network.

Logging
Check any of the following boxes to enable/disable logs
and specify upload settings:
• Enable playback logging: Creates a log that records
start and end times, zone names, media types, and
file names.
• Enable event logging: Creates a log that records
timestamps, state names, zone names, event types,
and event data.
• Enable state logging: Creates a log that records
current and last state names, timestamps, and
media types.
35

• Enable diagnostic logging: Creates a log that
records timestamps, firmware and script versions,
and the current presentation.
• Upload logs: Use the following checkboxes to
determine when the player will upload recorded logs:
o On startup: Uploads log files each time the
player is powered on.
o At specific time each day: Uploads log
files daily at the specified time. Use the
dropdown lists to determine an upload time.

Firmware
If you want to update the player firmware, select the
option that corresponds to your BrightSign model and
click the Download Firmware button.
Extract the firmware update file from the .zip file (if
applicable) and place the file in the root folder of an SD
card (recommended) or USB flash drive (HD1010,
HD1010w, HD1020, XD1030, and XD1230 only). This
can be done at the same time as the player setup
process.
The three options correspond to the following, networkcompatible, models:
•
•

HDx10: HD210w, HD1010, HD1010w
HDx20: HD220, HD1020, AU320

•

XD: XD230, XD1030, XD1230

Creating/Installing Setup Files
Once you are finished specifying properties on the
Device Setup page, follow these steps to install the
setup files on the player:
a. Click Create Setup Files.
b. Save the .zip file to your computer.
c. Extract the setup files from the .zip file and add
them to the root folder of an SD card
(recommended) or USB flash drive (HD1010,
HD1010w, HD1020, XD1030, and XD1230
only).
Note: Your storage device must be formatted using
FAT32 if you are using it for network updates or
saving logs on it.
d. Click OK.
e. Turn off the BrightSign unit by unplugging the
power adapter. Insert the card or flash drive into
the unit.
f. Turn on the BrightSign unit by reconnecting the
power adapter.
Important: Do not remove the SD card or flash drive
from the player.

36

ACCOUNT CUSTOMIZATION
This chapter outlines the account customization features
available to you in the Account section. To access this

and enable/disable advanced security settings.

section, click the Account button in the top-right corner
of the page.

Account Info
View the name of the BrightSign Network account and
the name of your user account ID. You can also view
your assigned role, which affects your editing, viewing,
and creation privileges. Your role can be changed only by

Settings
The Settings page allows you to view your account info,
reset your password, set email notification preferences,

37

account administrators. Use the Startup Page menu to
choose which page you would like to see first when you
log in.
Password Reset
Use this section to reset your user account password.
Enter your current password, then enter and confirm your
new password, which will shortly be sent to your email
address (which the same as your User ID).
Email Notifications
Use the checkboxes to determine under what conditions
the BrightSign Network will send notification emails to
your user account.
In addition to these optional conditions, there are other
cases you cannot enable or disable that, depending on
your user account role, will result in a notification email:
•

User account created: If you created the account,
you will receive the account credentials.

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Account name changed
Account email changed
Account password changed
Subscription(s) expiring
Subscription(s) expired
New device connected
Application error
New version of BrightAuthor is available

Advanced (Administrators only)
•

Show Advanced Security Settings: Check this
box if you would like to view permissions settings
in the WebUI. Any item that has a Properties
window will now have a Security tab that allows
you to review permissions for different user roles.

•

Enable Custom Roles Management: Check this
box if you would like to create and edit custom
roles in the Users and Roles and Permissions
tabs. Please see the BrightSign Network WebUI
Permissions User Guide for more details.

Add Subscriptions (Administrators only)
Enter a Subscription Code into the field and click Submit
to add a subscription to your account.

Invoice History
General Managers
Use this page to view and export subscription and traffic
invoices.
Subscription Invoices
The invoices are listed in reverse chronological order:
The most recent invoices will be listed at the top. The
table describes the following information:
•

I.N.: The invoice number

38

•

Subscriptions: The amount of subscriptions
within the invoice

•
•

Creation Date: The date the invoice was created
Payment Date: The date the invoice was paid. If
the invoice has not been paid yet, this field will be
blank.

•
•

Amount: The amount charged for the invoice
Status: The payment or non-payment status of the
invoice

Traffic Invoices
These invoices represent charges for the amount of data
players have downloaded from the BrightSign Network.
The table describes the following information:
•

Date: The date when the invoice was created.
Click on the date to learn more about the traffic
invoice:
o I.N.: The invoice number
o Device: The serial number of the player
that was involved in the data transfer
o Status: The payment or non-payment
status of the invoice

•

Data transferred: The amount of download traffic
corresponding to the charge

•

Amount: The amount charged for the downloaded
data

39



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