BSN Device Setup

Owned by BrightSign TechDocs
Last updated: Sept 23, 2024
7 min read

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 Module for your BrightSign XDx30, XDx32, or 4Kx42 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.

Unit

  • Specify Hostname: Check this box if you want to specify a custom hostname for the player on the network. By default, the player serial number is used to generate a unique hostname.

  • 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:
    <user name>:<password>@<proxy server address>
    (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 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.

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 content downloads setting in the Unit tab), as well as During initial downloads.

    • Click Unlimited Download Rate to set no limit.

    • Click Default Limit to use the default limit on downloads.

    • Click Specify Limit to enter a customized limit on downloads in the text field (in Kbits/second).

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.

  • Test Ethernet: The player will indicate whether or not it was able to attain an IP address over Ethernet.

  • Test Wireless: The player will indicate whether or not it was able to attain an IP address over wireless.

  • 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.

    • Group: Select the BrightSign Network Group that the player will belong to.

    • Content Check Frequency: Use the dropdown menu to determine how often the player checks in with the BrightSign Network for content updates.

    • Update Health Frequency: Use the dropdown menu to determine how often the player should report its operational status to the BrightSign Network.

  • Background Color: Specify what screen color the player should display after it has successfully completed the setup process. When the player displays this color, it is ready to receive content.

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.

  • 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:

  • On startup: Uploads log files each time the player is powered on.

  • At specific time each day: Uploads log files daily at the specified time. Use the dropdown lists to determine an upload time.

Firmware Update

If you want to update the player firmware, follow these steps:

  1. Use the first dropdown menu to select your player model and the second dropdown menu to select the desired firmware version.

  2. Click the Download Firmware button.

  3. Extract the firmware update file if it is downloaded in a .zip file.

  4. Place the file in the root folder of an SD card (recommended) or USB flash drive (on USB-compatible players).

  5. Insert the SD card into the player and power it on. This step can also be done during the player setup process (steps 4-6 in the next section).

Remote Snapshot

The Remote Snapshot feature allows you to remotely monitor of the contents of the presentation display via screenshots. Click the Remote Snapshot button to edit the Remote Snapshot settings on the device (this feature is not available for the LS422, HD220, HD1020, HD210, or HD1010):

  • Enable remote snapshot: Check this box to enable the Remote Snapshot feature on the device.

  • Capture Interval (min): Specify how often the player should take a snapshot of the presentation display.

  • JPEG Quality Level:(0-100) Specify the quality (and thus the file size) of each image file.

  • Local Count Limit:(0-100) Specify how many JPEG images can be stored on the local storage of the player.

  • Screen Orientation: Select Portrait to have the player rotate the snapshots to portrait mode before saving and uploading them. Otherwise, select Landscape.

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:

  1. Click Create Setup Files.

  2. Save the .zip file to your computer.

  3. Extract the setup files from the .zip file and add them to the root folder of an SD card (recommended) or USB flash drive (on USB-compatible players). Your SD card must be formatted using FAT32 or exFAT if you are using it for network updates or saving logs on it.

  4. Turn off the BrightSign unit by unplugging the power adapter (or unplugging the Ethernet cable if your player is using PoE power).

  5. Insert the card or flash drive into the unit.

  6. Turn on the BrightSign unit by reconnecting the power.

Do not remove the SD card or flash drive from the player during the player setup and/or firmware update process.