MAGICINFO DIGITAL SIGNAGE SUPPORT FORUM

Digital Information Displays (Digital Signage) => MagicInfo => Topic started by: L on December 09, 2009, 09:24:30 PM

Title: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: L on December 09, 2009, 09:24:30 PM
The 'look' of our content seems to best suit one large, full screen flash file, with only 1 or 2  small layers over it. 

This main file isn't very large, considering it is full res (300MB), but it seems to be forcing MagicInfo to close.  When it does play back (area set to "Full") it is blown up larger than the screen size, only showing the middle portion.  The file has been made 1920x1080, which I was told is the native res. for my 57", but something isn't set correctly.  I would've thought that even if the size was slightly off, the "Full" setting would re-scale.

I'm hoping my mistake is obvious to other users, but I don't know if the template settings or flash file are to fault.

Thanks in advance, for any ideas.
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: EricL on December 10, 2009, 10:44:47 AM
Hello, are you sure you created your original screen project with a background size of 1920x1080-you usually need to tell magicinfo pro the screen size you are using when you first create the project..

design view/tools/option/screen/choose default size here/set

EricL
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: L on December 10, 2009, 03:28:36 PM
Thanks, Eric.

No, I had only set the proper size in the "Background/Area".  Now that I've made the changes, though, it still appears the same.  Over sized and slow.

I changed "Full" to "Original", just to see the difference.  It now displays the entire file in the centre of the screen, but it doesn't fill the screen.  The file should've been made to avoid any re-sizing, or is sizing up unavoidable with such a large display?

On another note, how do I set each screen to a different resolution?  I have two that are 1920x1080 and another three that should be 1366x768.

Lisa
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: fluidium on December 10, 2009, 03:59:56 PM
Hi, is your flash file a video file? 300 mb seems pretty heavy to me-if a vid how long does it run for?

For each different screen that has a different resolution you would make a separate project file so as you build it in the design view it will display correctly on the screen itself.

You can also run the screens in portrait mode if you like.

As Eric mentioned above you would first choose the background size/orientation that matches the screen you will be designing for. If you have more than one screen you can then group them to run from the same project file  ;D
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: L on December 10, 2009, 04:17:21 PM
The flash file is a .swf and it is a :30 animation.  I'm not at all familiar with flash, so someone else has created it.  Is there an alternate flash file type that is more compliant with MagicInfo?

So, I would set to the higher resolution in Properties (1920x1080) and only set the lower res (1366x768) when I'm building the screen for those monitors?  BTW - each size will have different designs and content.  (Portrait was my first choice, but the boss had other ideas.)  ;)
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: L on December 14, 2009, 09:00:48 PM
The suggestion was made to me today that I might be missing the codec the swf file needs to open properly, and that it is possible this could cause the file to open at the wrong size.  Just in case, I am in the process of getting the animation in another file format, to test.

Does the codec theory seem plausible?

Lisa
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: dekorima on December 15, 2009, 07:28:44 AM
As far as I know, flash does not require codecs. Are you running an old version of Flash-player?
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: EricL on December 15, 2009, 11:03:30 AM
Hi,

a flash file should be relatively small over that period, certainly not 300 Mb. I would get another opinion on the file itself and ensure it has been created correctly.

Sorry to sound negative but I would only expect 300 Mb if it was a full frame uncompressed video/animation file.

For an animated vector file such as flash for 30 seconds it probably shouldn't be any bigger than 5Mb.

EricL
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: L on December 15, 2009, 10:00:18 PM
I didn't realize flash files don't have a codec, but that's also what the editor tells me.

I'm thinking that it must be the file, too.  I also just discovered that I can't seem to layer another flash 'area' (my clock) over this full screen flash file.  It's just as well that I will be changing the file type and area to 'movie'.

Thanks for the input.  Will post again, if the change to movie doesn't work.

Lisa
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: EricL on December 15, 2009, 10:12:25 PM
Hi Lisa

video will always take precedence as the top layer over everything else.

I dont think you will be able to layer your clock on top of a video file.

You might be able to do it using the zindex of the flash files but it could get messy..

Usually the best thing is to set your video inside a surround area then set your clock within the surround.

EricL
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: L on December 17, 2009, 03:08:09 PM
Eric,

Actually, I had no trouble layering the flash clock over the animated background file.  No you've worried me!

Two new problems have come up, though. 

The first being there is a flash at the end of the :30 background loop, but it isn't on the file.  Is there a way I can set a duration, or do something with 'repeat' options that will eliminate the 1-2 second delay before the file starts over?

The second is that one of my displays froze, with the content playing.  I cannot restart since I am getting a 'not connected' error, nor can I get windows to appear on the display to reboot.

Sorry for all the questions, but today is my last day before these will be installed and viewed.  Thanks.

Lisa
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: EricL on December 17, 2009, 09:14:17 PM
Hi Lisa, I stand corrected, my apologies  :D

Quite often even if the magicinfo pro server cannot get a connection the the client you can still VNC to  it-if this is the case you can then press the windows key to bring up the start menu then reboot the screen.

Another useful tip is you can press the windows key + D while using VNC to access the screen's desktop if you need to do some work whilst the screen will remain running in the background under the desktop.

Also you can choose to turn the display off on the panel with an option in the server control screen so you can have a blank screen as if the display is turned off but you can still VNC to the screen computer and do some remote tweaking-very useful if things suddenly go haywire just before the company president is due to walk past your screen.

If you are running a video source input if I remember correctly you can change the source of the screen from magicinfo pro to video temporarily so the video plays full screen while you do some maintenance work on the pc with nobody being any the wiser  ;D

EricL
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: L on December 17, 2009, 10:03:27 PM
Thanks again, Eric.

The display is back to normal.  I couldn't VNC because it was no longer connected.  Seems the IP address of the content server, only, was gone (I committed all set up changes to EWF at the same time ???).

Anyway, on to the other issue.  I want the movie file to be my permanent background, with a couple of small areas layered over it.  This file type seems to have the smoothest animation.  Is there a way to get rid of that delay/flash in looping the file, without switching away from MagicInfo?

L
Title: Re: Flash file running slow and crashing MagicInfo
Post by: Bill Coral on January 03, 2010, 07:58:41 AM
Flash files are processor intensive. If you have a clock, you need only to publish once and not repeated. The background can only be source, color or photo. No movie file I am afraid.

Although you there could be a workaround in that you use the logo screen to be your movie and build on top of that. Do you know how to do this?

Bill