NonSignControlUSB non internet
Advanced Edition

Did you know that you can use Vodality Featured Product signs with Firmware version _243 and later without using SignControl? This page will show you how. First make sure you have version _243 or later. Version _244 is recommended. To get the latest version for your sign, see: downloads page.

In order to use a Vodality sign without SignControl, the software program on the sign must be told not to use SignControl. This is done by including a file on the internal SD card telling it not to use SignControl. To copy files to the internal SD card, we use a USB stick containing the files we want to copy over (files only, no folders and no files within folders will be copied over by the software.).

However, if you simply add files to your USB stick, and stick it into the sign, the sign might not know what to do with those files. You have to tell it what to do by adding another file, called command.txt, that gives a command that the computer will understand. Does all this seem complicated all of a sudden? No worries! We got you covered. In fact, all you have to do is download this zip file: NonSignControlStartup.zip This file contains the two files you need to include in your USB stick and you are ready to go!

But are you? Now you have the startup.xml file that tells the computer on your sign to not use SignControl, and you have the command.txt file that tells the computer to copy everything from your USB to its internal SD Card. Both those files are in the zip file you downloaded above. Unzip that and put those two files directly on your USB stick (not in any folders.) (Don't copy the zip file; unzip it and copy the contents, which are startup.xml and command.txt file, directly to your USB stick.)

However, this is not the end of your story. Now you need to know how to tell the sign what to do with your images, videos, and scrolling text files. This is done by writing two more text files, namely: format.txt and playlist.txt. You can write these on notepad. They have to be simple txt files, no fancy formating, not word documents, just simple txt files.

format.txt file tells your computer what zones you should have in your sign.

playlist.txt file tells your computer what media should play in each zone on your sign.

I will now give an example of how to set up these two files:

Example of format.txt:

<FORMAT01>
01|V|0,0,960,1000
02|P|960,0,960,500
03|P|960,500,960,500
04|M|0,1000,1920,80

Format01 means this is format number 01. There are 4 zones total here, with the zone number in the first column. The second column contains: V, P, M, or C. These mean the following:

• V: Can play videos or slides here. (Must always be exactly one V zone in any presentation.)
• P: Can only play slides. (Can have zero up to 9 P zones.)
• M: Scrolling text zones. (Can have zero up to 4 M zones.)
• C: Clock zone: (Can have zero up to 1 C zone.)

The next four numbers are the dimensions of the zones. Note the zones must not overlap in dimensions. Also, the maximum resolution is 1920x1080.

Example of playlist.txt that uses the above file:

<ANY>
<DEF><F01>

myvideo1.avi|008:1
mynextvideo.avi|008:1
aslideAfterVideo.jpg|008:1
anotherSlideForZone1.jpg|008:1

ASlideForZone2.jpg|008:2
ASlideForZone3.jpg|008:3
AnotherSlideForZone2.jpg|008:2
AnotherSlideInZone3.jpg|008:3
Zone2sThirdSlide.jpg|008:2
AThirdSlideForZone3.jpg|008:3

message_ScrollingTextForZone4.txt|008:4	

Note: the '01' of F01 must match the '01' of Format01 in the format.txt file. In the first column is the name of the media file, which you can name any alphanumeric name, with one exception: Scrolling text files (M zone files) must begin with 'message_' in its file name.

The 008 indicates that the number following it after the : is the zone that the media should play in. You can have up to 12 zones. There must always be 1 V zone, which can play both video and slides. There can be up to 9 P zones (slides 'pictures' only). There can be up to 4 M (scrolling text 'message') zones and 1 C 'clock' zone.

Note also: scrolling text files must be listed last in the playlist.txt file, and the filename must begin with 'message_'

Now, with all your files on the USB stick (USB stick must have FAT32 format) You are ready to stick it in the machine and turn it on. When the machine boots up, it will say "copying from USB to SD." Do not do anything until it says "Remove USB". Then you can safely remove the USB. If you remove it too soon, you can corrupt the internal SD card, in which case you would need to remove the SD card and reformat it, which can be a complex or simple process, depending on what kind of Vodality Featured Product you have.

For recap, these are the files you need on your USB stick before you stick the USB into the sign:

• startup.xml [which you get from the zip file you downloaded: NonSignControlStartup.zip]
• command.txt [which you get from the zip file you downloaded: NonSignControlStartup.zip]
• format.txt [which you write yourself, following the example above.]
• playlist.txt [which you write yourself, following the example above.]
• All your media files (videos, slides, and scrolling text files that begin with 'message_')

And there you have it. This sums up using USB to update the signs rather than using SignControl.