Tip: You can navigate to specific sections in the video by selecting the Chapters icon.
Learning Objectives:
1. Summarize how to create and customize a TV Template.
2. Explain how to create a new TV Display.
3. Recall how to post an announcement to the lobby display.
Video Script
Welcome to the Announcements: Lobby Display overview. In this video we will review the lobby display setup page and demonstrate how to post announcements to the lobby display.
To get started, select Setup from the welcome menu. Then, select Announcements from the main menu. On the announcement setup page, select the lobby display tab. There are two sections on the lobby display page: TV Displays, where you can add the TVs for your building and TV Templates where you can create and customize themes for the TVs.
To begin, select Create New in the TV Templates section. Then, enter a name for the TV theme. Next, select a resolution for the template. This should be the same resolution as the TV you plan to use the template on. After selecting a resolution, pick a layout for the template. This is how the lobby display screen will be organized. Once completed, click Save and Continue.
You will now see a mock-up of the lobby display screen and a list of features you can add or remove from the template.
To add a feature to the template, click and drag the feature to the Show column. The feature will then appear on the mock-up screen. To remove a feature from the template, click and drag the feature to the Do Not Show column. The feature will then be removed from the mock-up screen.
All the features on the template can be moved and resized as needed. To move a feature, click on the box and drag it to the new position. To resize a feature, meaning adjust the amount of space it will take up on the screen, click and drag the arrow in the bottom right corner of the box.
Double click the feature to further customize how it displays. In this example, you can adjust the font colours of the announcement title and text and adjust the transition time between announcements. This is how long the announcement will display on the screen before switching to the next announcement in queue. If applicable, you can also enter specific dimensions for the feature box. Once completed, click Update to save your changes.
Follow this process for each feature. If the feature is an image, like a logo or building photo, double click on the feature to upload the image. If you are using the custom text feature, double click on the feature to enter your custom text.
By default, the template will always display the background image and when applicable, the unavailable message. The unavailable message only displays if there is no content for the selected feature, like no active announcements or classified ads. While these features cannot be removed, they can be customized. Double click on the features to make any revisions.
To view your changes, select TV Theme Preview. Continue to make any adjustments until you are satisfied with the template. Then, click Save and Continue.
In the next section, decide if you want to add any videos to your announcement rotation. These videos are all under one minute and play in full screen. Once the video is complete, the screen will return to the selected template. To add a video, switch the toggle from Off to On. Then, click Save and Continue.
Select TV Theme Preview the review the final layout of your template. To make any revisions, select Back. If you are satisfied with your template, click Save. You will now see the new template on the TV Templates list.
To revise the template, select Edit. To remove the template from the system, select Delete. You can only delete a template if it hasn’t been assigned to a TV. You also have the option to duplicate the template instead of creating a new one from scratch.
The next step to setup your lobby display, is to assign the template to a TV. To add a TV to the system, select Create New in the TV Displays section. Then, select the TV make and TV model from the drop-down menus. If your exact make or model are not listed, select the closest option. Next, select the resolution for the TV.
Then, select the theme you would like displayed on the TV. You can only select themes with the same resolution as the TV. To preview the theme, select TV Display Preview. Then, enter a brief description of the TV. This is what the TV will be called on the new announcement form.
If applicable, add package filters to the TV display. This allows you to distinguish between units in different towers or areas of a complex. Refer to the Tool Tip for specific filter guidelines.
Once completed, check the box to agree to the additional fee for using this service and click Save. You will now see the new TV on the TV Displays list. To revise the TV details, select Edit. To remove the TV from the system, select delete.
When setting up your TV, select Copy Link to obtain the TV Display URL. Enter the URL in the TV web browser to display the assigned template. The template will automatically scale to fit the screen and match the assigned resolution.
Your lobby display has now been setup. To post an announcement to the lobby display, return to the homepage by selecting Exit Setup. Then, select Announcements from the main menu. On the announcements page, select Create New Announcement and then pick the appropriate announcement type.
Begin by changing the communication method from Email and Push Notifications to Lobby/Elevator Screen. Then, enter a title for the announcement.
Next, enter the announcement details. For longer announcements, insert breaks in the text to ensure it displays properly on the screen. To determine where to insert the breaks, select TV Preview beside the applicable TV to see where the text is splitting.
After entering the details, select an expiration date and determine when you would like the announcement posted. Then, select the TVs you want the announcement displayed on. Like before, select TV Preview to see how the announcement will display on the TV.
Then, select I agree in the disclaimer section to verify the announcement is not a commercial message. Once completed, review the announcement to ensure the details are accurate. When you are satisfied with the announcement, select Post Announcement, and then click Continue. You will now see the new announcement on the announcements list.
This concludes the Announcements: Lobby Display overview. For more information on the Lobby Display feature, please refer to our user guide.