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DMP-T

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Contents

Introduction

The Digital Media Player Software for Linux (DMP-T) is a Digital Signage Player Software that is based on an embedded Linux operating system to convert your PC into an Appliance for Digital Signage content Play-out.

To get it installed on an ION based hardware or on a similar equipped PC (hardware drivers have to be supported by the embedded Linux) and on any type of bootable mass storage like HDD, USB Stick, Compact Flash, Disk-on-Module or other bootable storage devices, you can get an ISO install image from us.

The embedded system only requires about 200 MB of your mass storage - the rest can be used for content. Therefore you can use it on all mass storage types since ths size is only dependent on your content size which is mainly related to your required video formats.

Note: Please don't be confused - DMP is a sub-module of DMX - therefore it is named in the menues as DMX although it is working as a DMP. Depending on your product license it is working as a DMP or DMX.

Installation steps:

Note: If you get the product pre-configured then you can skip the following installation steps and continue with the configuration steps.

  1. Create a boot CD from this ISO image
  2. Boot from it on your target device from a CD-ROM
  3. Follow the instructions on screen on what target device you want to install the system (please be careful because this destroyes all other operating systems that are currently installed!!!)
  4. After installation is finished unplug the CD-ROM and boot from the target boot device
  5. If the boot-loader is working fine together with your PC BIOS then you will see after a few seconds the Boot Screen "Digital Media Appliance"
  6. If you graphics hardware is properly supported then you should see a blue configruation screen in the native resolution of your monitor
  7. If the network is properly supported then you should see the an IP address

Configuration steps:

  1. If your network cable is connected and you have a DHCP server in you network then it should have requested an IP address) In case there is no DHCP server you can configure a static IP address. To make sure network is working you should be able to ping the assigned IP address (printed on the top of the blue screen) of the PC.
  2. Now you are almost there - you only need to configure the account details from whis DMS/DMX the DMP-T will be managed from. It includes the DMS server address (Format: IP address or link) and the user name and password for the DMS user account you want to be managed from.
  3. Apply your settings and the system will automatically reboot
  4. If everything is working fine you should see after reboot that the blue screen show connected and starts in the right log window to synchronize data from your account (please make sure the account has a published and scheduled/instant playlist configured)


Installation problem FAQs:

P = Problem A = Answer S = Solution

  • P: The target system was installed properly but does not boot - only shows black screen or prints other error message on the screen:
  • A: This is mostly because the boot loader can not work with this BIOS of this particular mainboard.
  • S: Try to use another hardware.
  • P: The system boots but only shows 640 x 480 screen resolution.
  • A: This is because the graphics chip is only dedected in VESA mode because the graphics card drivers are not supported by the embedded Linux system.
  • S: Try to use another graphics card. Most Low cost Nvidia Chips are supported (e.g. 9400 series used in ION PC hardware platform).
  • P: The system boot time is quite long and may take several minutes.
  • A: This is because of booting from USB stick.
  • S: Please be patient.
  • P: The system boots but can not be reached via network.
  • A: This is because the network chip is not supported by the embedded Linux system.
  • S: Try to get another network card. Most Realtek network chips are supported.
  • P: The Player service can not connect to the DMX/DMS Server.
  • A: There might be a typo in the DMS/DMX address or mis-spelled username or password.
  • S: Please check to login with the same account credentials (Username, Password) to the DMS/DMX account thru your web browser to make sure the account exists. Please also try to use an IP address instead of a web link because if DNS not porperly working on the player the name can not be resolved.
  • P: The blue screen prints "connected" but nothing happens.
  • A: There is no playlist asigned with instant play or schedule for this group where the player is set to (default group name is group name: "unassigned")
  • S: Assign a playlist with Instant play or schedule for this group where this player is located.
  • P: The blue screen prints "connected" but nothing happens.
  • A: The playlist is not published.
  • S: Press the red arrow publish button on the playlist menu bar.
  • P: The player is configured in portrait mode (90° rotated) and videos or flash animatiopns are not playing smooth.
  • A: In portrait mode (90° rotated screen) there is no support for video accelleration therefore CPU is heavily loaded.
  • S: Use lower resolution video or less complex flash animations - this limitation is due to grahics driver limitation. If you only use full screen videos and images then you also can produce the content 90° rotated and keep the player configuration in non-rotated landscape mode.
  • P: Flash animations (.swf) are not playing smooth.
  • A: Some flash animations are heavily using CPU performance.
  • S: Use less complex flash animations
  • P: System gets slow after some time when using Flash animations (.swf )
  • A: Some flash animations are constantly consuming memory and not releasing it which results after some time that system runs out of memory and gets very slow because of swapping/paging.
  • S: Use different Flash animations (.swf).


Limitations of DMP-T for Linux:

Please read carefully the following limitations of DMP-T for Linux before consulting our technical support.

  • Boot time from a USB stick may take up to several minutes
  • PowerPoint ppt format is not supported by Linux
  • Video codec is not supported by us therefore issues may appear using different video formats.
  • If video does not play the encoded video format may be not supported. Please try to transcode the video into another video format.
  • Some videos may not play smooth because hardware accelleration is not supported for the used codec. Please use another video format.
  • Concurrent playback of multiple videos is not supported
  • Concurrent playback of multiple tickers is not supported
  • Stop playlist playout is only supported if an idle playlist is configured on the server
  • Left to right horizontal ticker direction is not supported
  • Some fonts might be looking different or not supported at all - please try using another commonly used font
  • When player is configured in portrait mode (rotated by 90°) then video accelleration is not supported
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