can concrete5 be used as a digital signage software?
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Our client runs a website with concrete5 (v.8.5.2) and runs c5 as well for an inventory for tecnical parts on a local server.
In the showroom we have a large screen where we want to show images with messages, sort of what it's called digital signage.
Can I do this with concrete 5?
In the showroom we have a large screen where we want to show images with messages, sort of what it's called digital signage.
Can I do this with concrete 5?
Whilst you _could_ work out a way to use a concrete5 site to power digital signage, I'd suggest it's really not the best tool for such a task, or at least there are going to be lots of other options you could consider that might be easier to manage long term.
There are many different solutions to this, with many of them being handled by some sort of inexpensive device (normally android powered), which plugs into a display and connects with wifi. Then either through a web browser or an app, you configure your slides and it then takes care of the output. The beauty of these is that they are then set-and-forget, and you just switch the screen on.
I'm not recommending the following as such, but here's the kind of thing I mean:
http://slideshow.digital/
https://www.digitalsignage.com/_html/mediadroidx.html...
http://screen.cloud/ (this is more of a paid streaming service that works with lots of devices)
The devices tend to be quite generic android devices, it's more about finding an app that suits your needs. Lots of free and paid ones.
Whilst many of these kinds of digital signage boxes (especially the more high-end ones) can point at webservers to fetch content and can display HTML content, the challenge is that you need to output content that is either just an image, or the exact size/proportions for the screen. And then on top of that, you need that webpage to automatically refresh or have a slideshow on it to change slides. Concrete5 by default isn't really set up for that kind of purpose, it's more your traditional website with scrolling content. So whilst you could look to create some theme where you drop prepared images into it, you still need some a player that will fetch the concrete5 site and display it full screen. That then starts to get a bit fiddly in my opinion, and you might as well just use a cheap android box with an app suited for purpose.
(I once developed a web based digital signage system for billboards in Sydney. I actually considered concrete5 for the task at one point, but we had to build our own custom system)
There are many different solutions to this, with many of them being handled by some sort of inexpensive device (normally android powered), which plugs into a display and connects with wifi. Then either through a web browser or an app, you configure your slides and it then takes care of the output. The beauty of these is that they are then set-and-forget, and you just switch the screen on.
I'm not recommending the following as such, but here's the kind of thing I mean:
http://slideshow.digital/
https://www.digitalsignage.com/_html/mediadroidx.html...
http://screen.cloud/ (this is more of a paid streaming service that works with lots of devices)
The devices tend to be quite generic android devices, it's more about finding an app that suits your needs. Lots of free and paid ones.
Whilst many of these kinds of digital signage boxes (especially the more high-end ones) can point at webservers to fetch content and can display HTML content, the challenge is that you need to output content that is either just an image, or the exact size/proportions for the screen. And then on top of that, you need that webpage to automatically refresh or have a slideshow on it to change slides. Concrete5 by default isn't really set up for that kind of purpose, it's more your traditional website with scrolling content. So whilst you could look to create some theme where you drop prepared images into it, you still need some a player that will fetch the concrete5 site and display it full screen. That then starts to get a bit fiddly in my opinion, and you might as well just use a cheap android box with an app suited for purpose.
(I once developed a web based digital signage system for billboards in Sydney. I actually considered concrete5 for the task at one point, but we had to build our own custom system)
Whilst there may be better tools for signage only applications, I actually think this is a reasonable use of c5, where the signage can benefit from integration with the webserver and data it holds.
You also benefit from a single editor interface. No need to learn how to drive another tool.
It does need a bit of development work to achieve. I have worked on a couple of c5 projects that behind the marketing-speak were really digital signage.
A few basic points to consider:
- Booting a browser in kiosk mode and restricting it to the signage pages of the site
- A theme optimised for signage display, applied to the signage pages only
- A slider or other 'player/signage navigator' blocks optimised for the theme and signage
- Visitor interaction with the signage can be fundamentally different to interaction with a mobile device or full screen web site.
You also benefit from a single editor interface. No need to learn how to drive another tool.
It does need a bit of development work to achieve. I have worked on a couple of c5 projects that behind the marketing-speak were really digital signage.
A few basic points to consider:
- Booting a browser in kiosk mode and restricting it to the signage pages of the site
- A theme optimised for signage display, applied to the signage pages only
- A slider or other 'player/signage navigator' blocks optimised for the theme and signage
- Visitor interaction with the signage can be fundamentally different to interaction with a mobile device or full screen web site.
I agree that it's a reasonable use of concrete5, especially because it gives you file manager, permissions, logins, etc. My consideration was just that other solutions could be set up with no technical overhead, whereas with concrete5 it just won't work out of the box, it'll need a custom theme.
Thank you very much for your great input. Very encouraging!
I just learned from the client that there's currently no need yet to show up-to-date data.
Client wants for an event in the showroom a quick show-reel with activities and products.
For now, we're setting up another c5 install and try to achieve this with "stack planner" and a full screen slideshow.
Very soon we want to get into this digital signage thing. What we need in future is a plugin with modules like playlist, scheduler, and a player.
I wonder if there is need for such a plugin in the concrete5 market place. More and more people asking for features like digital signage and because there are so many things out there.
@Pinecreative
Yes, the Data is already done with Express.
@JohntheFish
Great that there's no need to learn another software.
A visitor interaction is not planned (yet).
I just learned from the client that there's currently no need yet to show up-to-date data.
Client wants for an event in the showroom a quick show-reel with activities and products.
For now, we're setting up another c5 install and try to achieve this with "stack planner" and a full screen slideshow.
Very soon we want to get into this digital signage thing. What we need in future is a plugin with modules like playlist, scheduler, and a player.
I wonder if there is need for such a plugin in the concrete5 market place. More and more people asking for features like digital signage and because there are so many things out there.
@Pinecreative
Yes, the Data is already done with Express.
@JohntheFish
Great that there's no need to learn another software.
A visitor interaction is not planned (yet).
Just to add to the discussion,
I do use our concrete5 for digital signage. Not alone mind you, I also utilize Xibo, but I just have Xibo point to our website and we update the digital signage webpage as needed. For example, we have a touch screen digital signage display in our lobby area, it's about 50" in size. It sits on this webpage
https://www.dakotacollege.edu/interactive-directory/video-display...
The main video is a PowerPoint created by one of my colleagues, it gets converted to an .mp4 and uploaded to the website.
I do use our concrete5 for digital signage. Not alone mind you, I also utilize Xibo, but I just have Xibo point to our website and we update the digital signage webpage as needed. For example, we have a touch screen digital signage display in our lobby area, it's about 50" in size. It sits on this webpage
https://www.dakotacollege.edu/interactive-directory/video-display...
The main video is a PowerPoint created by one of my colleagues, it gets converted to an .mp4 and uploaded to the website.
Fortunately, Concrete has a built-in REST API that can be connected to:https://documentation.concrete5.org/developers/rest-api/connecting-t...
My thoughts are that you could use Express Data to create the content, and use the API to deploy it.