Hi all,
I’ve just finished a new free tool called Cinema-Sign, and I thought it might be useful to people here.
Cinema-Sign is an Android TV-based poster, trailer and session-times display tool. It also supports a web browser login, allowing you to configure and manage the sign remotely. It can also operate autonomously if the required site data sources are provided.
It’s completely free to use, and you can find the tool and more information here:
https://admin.d-cine.net/s1/dcp-cine...ma-sign/about/
I’d really appreciate it if anyone interested could give it a try and let me know how you get on. Feedback, suggestions, bug reports, or ideas for improvements would all be very welcome.
Hopefully some of you find it useful!
James
New free tool: Cinema-Sign - AndroidTV based - feedback welcome
-
jamiegau
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2019 3:48 am
- Location: Australia
-
jamiegau
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2019 3:48 am
- Location: Australia
Re: New free tool: Cinema-Sign - AndroidTV based - feedback welcome
Hi all,
I wanted to follow up on the original Cinema Sign thread because Version 3 is now available. This has grown into a major upgrade rather than a small maintenance release.
Cinema Sign is still completely free, with no per-screen subscription. It turns Android TV hardware into remotely managed cinema poster, trailer, advertising and session-time displays.
The biggest change in Version 3 is the new synchronized playback system. Cinema Sign now renders a dated JSON playlist covering the complete day, from 00:00 to 23:59, rather than maintaining only a short list of upcoming items. Poster and trailer players can therefore remain aligned throughout the day. A new Playback page shows the title and filename currently playing, its exact playlist position and the items coming next. The full playlist can also be opened in a large scrollable view with a “Goto NOW” shortcut.
Version 3 also introduces Cinema Sign Master data sharing. One player can be configured with the cinema’s schedule source and used as the data and media source for the other players. Posters, trailers and advertising assets can be served from that master, while every screen still independently selects its own presentation mode—Poster, Poster Detail, Trailer, Trailer Detail or Session Times—and can independently enable or disable advertising. This is data sharing, not remote control of the follower’s display mode.
There are several new and expanded data-source options:
• CinemaShowtimes OpenAPI
• Cinema Sign Master
• VenueMaster, including current films, Coming Soon titles, sessions and poster retrieval
• Legacy 75-column BLOAD.TXT by HTTP/HTTPS or passive FTP
• Veezi
• Manual film and session management
VenueMaster and BLOAD connections include test controls and visible endpoint errors, so a bad address, port or response should be obvious before the configuration is saved. BLOAD contains schedule data only; automatic poster and trailer matching uses the optional d-cine Media API and depends on the imported film title matching the d-cine title. Any mismatches can be corrected manually from Films and Media.
Advertising is another new feature. It can be switched on or off per screen, with separate settings and intervals for poster and trailer advertising. Image and video adverts can be uploaded, previewed, individually enabled or disabled, assigned a weighted priority from 0–100, and given optional campaign start and end dates. Higher-weight assets receive proportionally more opportunities to play. Poster adverts replace a poster position in the synchronized rotation; video adverts are inserted after the current trailer when their configured interval becomes due.
Other Version 3 changes include:
• A reorganized browser administration interface
• Separate Status and Playback pages
• A new optional dark theme with green accents
• Full-playlist and “Up Next” views that follow the current item
• Per-film controls to suppress an unwanted Coming Soon poster or trailer
• Better provider download recovery and clearer media errors
• Endpoint test buttons and visible connection failures
• Improved poster, trailer and advertising previews
• Scheduled advertising campaigns with open-ended start or end dates
• Continued clock synchronization, regional classification artwork, local media caching, storage management, display schedules and start-on-boot operation
The current release is Cinema Sign 3.0.2608211648. It can be downloaded here:
https://www.d-cine.net/cinema-sign-apk/get.php
The updated overview and installation information are here:
https://admin.d-cine.net/s1/dcp-cine-pl ... ign/about/
I have been testing it on multiple Android TV players, including synchronized screens, but I would particularly value testing from other cinemas and with real VenueMaster or BLOAD feeds. Bug reports, compatibility results and suggestions are all welcome.
James
I wanted to follow up on the original Cinema Sign thread because Version 3 is now available. This has grown into a major upgrade rather than a small maintenance release.
Cinema Sign is still completely free, with no per-screen subscription. It turns Android TV hardware into remotely managed cinema poster, trailer, advertising and session-time displays.
The biggest change in Version 3 is the new synchronized playback system. Cinema Sign now renders a dated JSON playlist covering the complete day, from 00:00 to 23:59, rather than maintaining only a short list of upcoming items. Poster and trailer players can therefore remain aligned throughout the day. A new Playback page shows the title and filename currently playing, its exact playlist position and the items coming next. The full playlist can also be opened in a large scrollable view with a “Goto NOW” shortcut.
Version 3 also introduces Cinema Sign Master data sharing. One player can be configured with the cinema’s schedule source and used as the data and media source for the other players. Posters, trailers and advertising assets can be served from that master, while every screen still independently selects its own presentation mode—Poster, Poster Detail, Trailer, Trailer Detail or Session Times—and can independently enable or disable advertising. This is data sharing, not remote control of the follower’s display mode.
There are several new and expanded data-source options:
• CinemaShowtimes OpenAPI
• Cinema Sign Master
• VenueMaster, including current films, Coming Soon titles, sessions and poster retrieval
• Legacy 75-column BLOAD.TXT by HTTP/HTTPS or passive FTP
• Veezi
• Manual film and session management
VenueMaster and BLOAD connections include test controls and visible endpoint errors, so a bad address, port or response should be obvious before the configuration is saved. BLOAD contains schedule data only; automatic poster and trailer matching uses the optional d-cine Media API and depends on the imported film title matching the d-cine title. Any mismatches can be corrected manually from Films and Media.
Advertising is another new feature. It can be switched on or off per screen, with separate settings and intervals for poster and trailer advertising. Image and video adverts can be uploaded, previewed, individually enabled or disabled, assigned a weighted priority from 0–100, and given optional campaign start and end dates. Higher-weight assets receive proportionally more opportunities to play. Poster adverts replace a poster position in the synchronized rotation; video adverts are inserted after the current trailer when their configured interval becomes due.
Other Version 3 changes include:
• A reorganized browser administration interface
• Separate Status and Playback pages
• A new optional dark theme with green accents
• Full-playlist and “Up Next” views that follow the current item
• Per-film controls to suppress an unwanted Coming Soon poster or trailer
• Better provider download recovery and clearer media errors
• Endpoint test buttons and visible connection failures
• Improved poster, trailer and advertising previews
• Scheduled advertising campaigns with open-ended start or end dates
• Continued clock synchronization, regional classification artwork, local media caching, storage management, display schedules and start-on-boot operation
The current release is Cinema Sign 3.0.2608211648. It can be downloaded here:
https://www.d-cine.net/cinema-sign-apk/get.php
The updated overview and installation information are here:
https://admin.d-cine.net/s1/dcp-cine-pl ... ign/about/
I have been testing it on multiple Android TV players, including synchronized screens, but I would particularly value testing from other cinemas and with real VenueMaster or BLOAD feeds. Bug reports, compatibility results and suggestions are all welcome.
James
-
jamiegau
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2019 3:48 am
- Location: Australia