Channels

Channels

A channel is a plan that many displays can follow at once. Put the content on the channel, point ten displays at it, and they all play the same thing; edit the channel once and all ten change. A display that follows no channel plays its own plan.

When to use one

SituationUse
One display shows something only it showsThe display's own plan. Nothing to create.
Several displays should show the same contentA channel.
The same content everywhere, but one display needs a variationA channel for the rest; that one display on its own plan.
A sequence you want to reuse inside several channelsA playlist.

The Channels page

The Channels page in Grid view, one card per channel with its preview thumbnail and orientation.

The same collection controls as Displays: an Orientation filter, Search, All / Archived, Grid view / List view, Add channel, Select all channels and Results per page. A channel has no online state, so the only pill on a card is Unpublished. Each card's sub-label is its orientation.

Add a channel

Press Add channel. The Add Channel dialog asks for:

FieldNotes
NameFor example "Café menu" or "Lobby".
OrientationLandscape or portrait. Only displays of the same orientation can follow it.
NotesOptional.
TransitionHow one item gives way to the next: No transition, Crossfade, Fade to black, Fade to white, Slide, Zoom in or Zoom out.
Transition durationIn seconds.
The Add Channel dialog with the Name, Orientation, Notes, Transition and Transition duration fields.

The channel page

A channel page with the Channel preview card, the details card reading Active on 3 displays, and the Scheduled plan below.
  • The header has Edit and Publish changes.
  • The Channel preview card renders the plan at the channel's orientation, with Split screen and Live preview. See Split screen & layouts.
  • The details card reads Active on N displays · M online with a View button that lists them, or Not on any display. Below it: Orientation, Layout, Transition and Transition duration, then notes and tags.
  • The Scheduled plan card is the same as on a display page: + Add to plan, rows with Edit and Remove, drag to reorder, and a section picker when the layout has more than one section. See Add to plan.

Edit opens Edit Channel with Name, Orientation, Notes, Transition and Transition duration, and a Delete button that archives the channel.

Point a display at a channel

  1. Open the display's page.
  2. In the Scheduled plan card press Connect to channel (or Change channel if it already follows one).
  3. The Select channel dialog lists your channels of the same orientation with a preview of each. Click one.
  4. Press Publish changes.

The plan card now reads Scheduled plan for channel with the channel's name. To send the display back to its own plan press Remove channel and publish. Its own plan was kept and resumes.

You can also choose the channel in the Channel field when you add the display.

⚠️

Editing a shared channel changes every display that follows it, the moment you press Publish changes. The Active on line tells you how many that is. For a change on one display only, remove the channel from it and edit its own plan.

Archive and restore

Delete, in Edit Channel or from the collection page, archives the channel. It shows under Archived with a Restore action.

Next

Split screen & layoutsPlaylists