Channels And Signage Networks - Black Box iCOMPEL 2U Series User Manual

iCOMPEL Digital Signage User Guide (V9.2.3)

7. Channels and Signage Networks

Channels provide an easy way to display the same content at multiple locations by setting up a Digital Signage Network of
iCOMPEL players. A collection of iCOMPEL players that all play the same content on their screens is known as a
Channel.
A channel has three parts:
A Publisher iCOMPEL.
The Channel Content Server (CCS). The server delivering channel content to the subscriber iCOMPEL players.
One or more Subscriber iCOMPEL players.
The publisher iCOMPEL publishes content to the CCS. (On small networks, the publisher iCOMPEL can also act as the
CCS.) Each subscriber iCOMPEL regularly polls the CCS for the most up-to-date content.
Note: Some iCOMPEL players are sold as 'Subscriber only' and cannot act as publishers.
When you publish to a channel, it includes all the related schedules, layouts, and media content. However, the channel
does not include:
Any custom fonts you have installed.
User records, including ad hoc users.
If your content relies on either of the above, you will need to ensure they are already present on each of the subscribers.
To begin using a channel, you need to take these general steps:
1. Configure each iCOMPEL in the channel with their role (either publisher or subscriber). One iCOMPEL will be the
publisher and the rest will be subscribers.
2. Decide the best way to get the content from the publisher to the subscribers (see
more details).
3. Create the content on the publisher. You need to consider these factors:
Are the subscriber iCOMPEL players powerful enough to show the content? Some content may not show optimally on
less powerful player models (for example, high-resolution movies or Adobe Flash items that require a fast CPU).
What resolution are the screens attached to the subscriber iCOMPEL players? Ideally, to display the same content
you should have screens set to the same resolution. If some screens display at lower resolution, take into account
that content will be cropped.
4. When you are ready, click the Published link that appears at the top of each screen on your publisher iCOMPEL.
5. Click the
After a period, the subscriber iCOMPEL players will poll the publisher, download the channel content, and begin displaying
it on the screens they control.
Two other features may be of interest to you:
Add ad hoc content to your channel. This provides content that varies on a per iCOMPEL basis. For example, if you have
iCOMPEL players on different sites, you may wish to allow local users to display messages specific to their location.
You will need to provide the users on the subscriber iCOMPEL players with the appropriate ad hoc permissions. See
Hoc Content for more details.
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Publish more than one channel from your publisher. See
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button. The iCOMPEL will not make changes to a channel until you publish them.
724-746-5500 | blackbox.com
Channel Content Servers
Multichannel Publishing for more details.
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