One of the really useful features in CampaignManager is the publishable Commands.  In earlier versions, this allowed administrators to change basic settings such as call interval, logging options and RS232 interfaces.  However, there were still a lot of options one could not change without being front and center on the machine itself, thereby incuring time and money in making changes.  Since version 2009, CampaignManager has included the option of attaching an executable to run utility tasks on remote players.  This is an awesome feature provided that you were in a position to write your own code to do whatever it was you needed to do on the player. 

Despite the fact that you can now run any executable code (Windows PowerShell, Batch files, EXEs etc.) remotely according to schedule, we realise that a lot of users don't have the time or access to the skills to create such scripts.  So, we've created a little app that you can use in conjuntion with CampaignManager Commands to help make changes on remote Digital Signage players that much easier.  The tool, (imaginatively) named the "Player Settings Console Utility" is a windows executable that takes a number of switches, allowing you to make complex changes to the player remotely.  When you run the app without any switches, you see the following help window which describes the functionality and syntax in detail:

D:\temp>RyarcSettingsUtil
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Ryarc CampaignManager Player Settings Console Utility                 ║
║ Copyright (C) 2009 by Ryarc Technology Limited.  All rights reserved. ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
USAGE:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Switch                          Description
-------------------------------------------------------------
/AR:[True/False]                Autorecovery On or Off. Example /AR:True
/BG:[ColorName]                 Set background color. Example: /BG:White
/HP:[True/False]                Use a HTTP proxy server
/HPP:[Port]                     Set HTTP proxy port
/HPA:[Address]                  Set the HTTP proxy address
/L:[True/False]                 Turn ALL logging on or off.
/NE                             Enable NodeServer
/NN                             Turn Neptune reporting off
/NP:[Port]                      Set NodeServer port
/NSA:[Address]                  Set NodeServer address
/NU:[NeptuneURL]                Set Neptune URL
/NX                             Disable NodeServer
/RE                             Record player events
/RS232:[Port]                   Set RS232 controllable device connected on Specified Port. Example: /RS232:0 Remove setting.  /RS232:4 Connected on port 4
/RX                             Don't record player events
/SA:[ServerAddress]             Change the CM Service Address. Example: /SA:192.168.0.10
/SP:[PortNumber]                Change the CM Service Port
/SS:[F/X,Y]                     Display output size.  F is full.  X,Y pixel dimensions
/T:[True/False]                 Enable or Disable Triggering.
/TP:[PortNumber]                Change the Trigger Port
/WMO:[OpacityValue]             Change the WaterMark Opacity Value.  Example /WMO:50 to set opacity at 50%
Done.

So, for example If you were swapping over to a new server and needed to change the remote IPs, you could run the command

RyarcSettingsUtil /SA:192.168.100.100

The application will change the setting in the registry and restart the player which will from that moment, point to your New Server.  Needless to say, it makes sense to test your syntax out locally first!  You can also run several changes simultaneously like this:

The app will also helpfuly hightlight what it was able to do and not do.  (In this case the NodeServer URL was provided without the http:// at the front and the .asmx file at the end).  Once you've tested the settings you want to change, you can publish the command en masse from CampaignManager using the appropriate switches as shown here:

 

This utility is still not 'officially' released but a version with possible bugs is attached here RyarcSettingsUtil.zip (15.84 KB) if you want to check it out.  Feedback most welcome!

Just a note on an upcoming minor release.  In October we will release a new version which includes a new way of sizing Zones.  In the previous versions, Zone Sizing was based on percentages which had the advantage of being able to reliably create layouts that would work regardless of resolution of the player.  Feedback has indicated that some users need the accuracy of pixel based sizing.  As long as you are certain of the final output resolution, pixel sizing has some advantages including precise sizing.  This is also a boon for users who play out on LED boards which are often non standard in size.  More information will be available in the help and in the release notes.

October also sees the release of CampaignManager in French (CA) and Spanish (LatAm) with Portugeuese on the way a little later.

Plans for German, Dutch, Korean and Japanese are in the pipeline but won't release just yet.

We get sent a lot of hardware here at Ryarc and we maintain internal reviews of what we test. We figured it would be useful to share this with you, as we often get asked the question "What hardware do you recommend?". We don't have a formally recommended hardware unit but we often pass on information we think will be useful. So, introducing the first in a series of reviews we do of hardware. The DT Research WebDT170

Wow! Has it really been six months? An update is called for. Since the DS Expo in Vegas in Feb, we've been quiet (More like Silent -Ed.) on the blog front, but busy as hell.

The expo was a great opportunity to meet with customers, gather feedback and understand better what their real needs are. Since then, we've been working hard on the next version of our software. This time round we've taken the time to get together and do some serious planning and design reviews, away from the usual rush-to-release pressure of normal life in a software company. What's emerging is a hugely improved new platform which is now slowly taking shape over the partition from where I write this. The team is thoroughly enthused with the task that's been set, and our offices are happily ringing to lively debates between engineering and the rest of the company about just how stuff will work.

Our new site went live today. It's taken longer (doesn't it always?) than we'd hoped, but the new structure, information and branding is all live now. You'll notice a distinct lack of 'flash' on the website and that's intentional. Do you really need to see animated lightning bolts coming out of a screen in order to get that we sell Digital Signage Software? We didn't think so either. We asked the design team (http://www.reactive.com) to come up with something friendly and different. We liked the results and we hope you do too.

You'll notice perhaps that we've changed the way we represent our product line up, with our Audio and Corp comms applications now being given a fully seperate identity. Be sure to check out Dappler and Zusa!

That's it for the short update now. I've promised the marketing department I'll do this at least every two weeks from now on. It's not that we've had nothign to say, but we've been guilty of regarding ourselves as too busy to keep blogging. Mistake! Watch this space. - Fergal.

Appearing at the DIGITAL SIGNAGE EXPO 24-26 February, Las Vegas Convention Center Booth 1627

The Software you choose is the most crucial decision you'll make in preparing for a digital signage network. Ryarc's feature product CampaignManager, provides a complete solution for managing your media network, whether it's a single screen or a global network of thousands of displays. CampaignManager can power the largest networks and is designed so that just about anyone can be up and running with little or no training. We invite you to our booth at the Digital Signage Expo to see it in action, and register to receive a free CampaignManager starter kit via email. We look forward to seeing you there.

Happy New Year!!

A quick look at what Ryarc has install for the coming months...

Something often overlooked in Digital Signage offerings is audio.  DS offers a great way to engage and inform customers but sound is something that can follow the customer as they move around the area, be it a shopping mall, on-hold music or a reception area. CampaignManager 2009 includes a new audio-only player (Dappler*) along side the regular Digital Signage client.  This means that you can now create your own "Radio Station" with music, information or ads playing.  Using Pooling (see below) you can go as far as creating your own Radio Channel.  Pooling allows you to create patterns so that you could (for example) play your company jingle at the top and bottom of each hour and have the intervening slots filled with music and info drawn at random from large "Pools".  This gives the real impression that the customer is listening to an actual live radio station and not just Windows Media Player on "Shuffle".  

Dappler means you can very easily create your own in-store or in-company radio by drag and drop.  The songs will never repeat until the Pool is exhausted and will never play in the same order (unless you want them to!).  Think of it as "You-FM" in a box!

 

*Dappler will be released with CampaignManager 2009.  If you would like a pre-release copy, please contact us.