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How to Synchronise your BrightSign Players
How to Synchronise your BrightSign Players
Ian Maison avatar
Written by Ian Maison
Updated this week

The following article will show you the things you need to consider when using the synchronisation feature within Signagelive in terms of network requirements, environments, and how to set this up in your network.

Requirements for syncing BrightSign Players:

  • Players must be of the same series (e.g. syncing an XT3 with XT4 is not supported)

  • Models should be the same (you can sync an HD4 with an XT4, but it is not recommended)

  • Firmware must be the same

  • Playlists must be compatible for sync

    • Number of assets must be the same

    • Duration of assets must be the same

  • Players must have rebooted at least once since their initial boot with the Signagelive application on the SD card

Please Note

BrightSign Sync is supported on Series 3 and 4 models, and for successful synchronisation your players must be the same series as others within the group. Synchronisation between different Series players will not work. You must also have an NTP timeserver configured in your BrightSigns’ network configurations. The default timeserver is ntp://time.brightsignnetwork.com.

BrightSign Firmware for Synchronisation

If you want to synchronise an LS3, HD3, XD3, XT3, LS4, HD4, XD4, or XT4 - we recommend using firmware 8.0.102+. Please find the firmware download link for your device on our configuration page here.

Please Note

When syncing LS4 or HD4 players you will also need to change the Broadcast address (within the sync group properties described below) to a multicast address i.e. something in the range of 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255.

Watch an overview of Sync Groups

What can I synchronise with this feature?

Before beginning to use the BrightSign synchronise feature on your panels it's important to note that it is currently only possible to synchronise fullscreen videos and images across multiple Series 3 and 4 BrightSign Players.

How do I set up a Sync Group?

In terms of synchronisation, the feature you are looking for within your Signagelive network is the Sync Group function. Creating Sync Groups is exactly the same process for all Player types within Signagelive, so if you have created one Sync Group for one Player type, you'll have no problems creating another Sync Group for another Player type.

Please take a few moments to read through the Creating Sync Groups and if you have any questions then please just ask our Support Team.

What are the Network requirements I must adhere to?

When setting up BrightSign Player synchronisation you must adhere to the following network requirements for the functionality to work properly:

  • Ensure you are not blocking UDP multicast packets between screens.

  • Ensure that UDP packet loss is minimal (Wired LAN only).

  • Ensure that your Local Area Network has low latency (not slower than normal).

  • The Precision Time Protocol (PTP) multicast address 224.0.1.129 must be allowed.

  • The broadcast address of the sync group must be allowed. By default, this is the local network broadcast address 255.255.255.255 or it can be a valid multicast address such as 239.0.0.1. This can be configured in the sync group properties.

What Network Environment requirements must be in place?

You must also adhere to the following network environment for the functionality to work properly:

  • Gigabit Ethernet Layer 2 Switching Hub

  • IGMP(v2) snooping Support (review multicast settings of L2 switch manufacturer)

  • LAN Cabling (Maximum Length 100 meters)=> Cat.6

  • 2Port Up-Link<PIM, PIM-SM> (optional) => Consider expansion in future.

  • Router (optional)

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