Digital Signage Sources:

Netplay allows you directly select images, image directories, or image playlists as sources in virtual matrix.  Just like any virtual matrix source, these digital signage source can be displayed either full screen, as a tile, or as an overlay.  Overlay (video osd) allows for alpha transparency in the image.

To setup image sources please see VM_SOURCE_URL_TYPE. 

• Image_URL type is used for individual files. 
• Playlist_path type is used for directories of files (automatic slide shows of all images in given directory). 
• Playlist_file type is used to specify a playlist text file which gives more advanced slideshow options.

For image storage / URLs you have three choices:

1. Samba (windows) network share
   1. This is most commonly a NAS drive on the local network.  URL is smb://nas_ip_addr/ShareName/path.  Shares should not be password protected.
   2. This can also be a USB stick connected to one or more of the VRX devices.  URL is smb://vrx_ip_addr/Media/.
2. Cloud HTTP URL
   1. Used when you want to manage your content via files/directories/playlists hosted on an external web server.
3. Local files
   1. Not commonly used.  You can upload files to each VRX using the digital signage web page on that VRX.  URL is ../data/filename.
   2. This is also used if you have a "mounted" network share (NFS or samba).  Mounted shares are used is you require password protection.  The URL would be /mnt/samba or /mnt/nfs/.

Content management:

End users can manage the content by directly modifying the image files which will be displayed.  Since these are usually located on a network share, simply copy the new files to update the content.

Playlist_paths types can be used for slideshows of all files in the given directory.

Playlist_files give more advanced control options.  See the file details section below.

Source selection:

When selecting image sources:

• Full screen is selected using the normal video select command  (Vaaabbb).  Images will be scaled to the full screen, so be aware if the aspect ratio needs to be 16:9.
• Tiled display is selected using the multidisplay (SW) or virtual video wall (SWS) commands.  Images will be scaled to fit the selected window.
• Overlay is selected using video osd (QVOSD).  Images will be scaled to fit the selected overlay window.  If the image contains an alpha (transparency) channel this will be used automatically.

Playlist file details:

A playlist file is a standard text file and can be edited with notepad or a similar text editor.

•  The first line of the file can optionally have the command SYNCH #       (with # being an integer number of seconds)
  • SYNCH will instruct the decoder to run this playlist every # seconds
  • If synch is not present, the playlist will immediately loop at the end
  • SYNCH be also be used to ensure that all decoders display their slide shows synchronized (same images at the same times)
  • For example,  SYNCH 3600 will start the playlist every hour on the hour.
• Every other line of the file contains:
  • Image_url   play_duration_in_seconds
• If you want to display nothing for some time, use an image that is fully transparent
• The playlist file is automatically reread from disk each time it loops, so you can dynamically update it while running

Download our ZIP FILE for digital signage examples.