An external ad copy automatically updates itself, based on the refresh period specified, from an external FTP, HTTP or HTTPS Server.
This feature allows you to automate the case where content needs to be frequently updated. Rather than manually upload and re-schedule the new content several times a day, you can create an external ad copy source and Broadsign Control Player will automatically download and display the most recent file that can be found on the remote server.
For general information about ad copies, see Ad Copies.
When Broadsign Control Player receives an external source ad copy from an FTP server, it will use Passive Mode FTP to log in to the server and perform a directory listing of all the files contained in the specified Hot Folder. It will then compare the timestamp of the most recently created file on the FTP server to the timestamp of the file it has downloaded locally.
If the remote file is newer than the local file, Broadsign Control Player will initiate a download of the remote file.
Once the download completes, it will replace the old file with the newly downloaded file, taking into account any file locks that might exist. The next time that ad copy is displayed by Broadsign Control Player, the newest content will appear.
If Broadsign Control Player is unable to synchronize with the FTP server, the most recently downloaded local ad copy will be displayed until a newer remote one can be found. If the Expiry option is set, the ad copy will be removed if unchanged within the time specified. Also, if the "Remove Ad copy from loop if FTP folder is empty" option is set the ad copy will auto expire if the player detects the FTP folder it is synchronizing with is empty.
Note: Players in the same synchronization set do not play an external ad copy until all connected players have successfully downloaded the file. If a player in the synch set is unreachable, the other players will continue without it. If the network is down, the players fall back to whatever content they have available.
To add an external ad copy, use one of the following methods:
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Go to the Schedules ribbon and select the arrow on the Ad Copy icon. Then, from the drop-down menu, select External Source.
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From the resource tabs on the left, select "Ad Copies". Then, right-click anywhere in the work area. From the contextual menu, select New, then select External Ad Copy Source.
By default, the Add External Ad Copy Source Wizard contains the following pages:
- Welcome – Name the external source ad copy.
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External Source – Specify the external source from which Broadsign Control Administrator will fetch the ad copy.
- Specify the FTP, HTTP or HTTPS username, password, hostname, port and absolute path to the server-side Hot Folder.
Once you have created the ad copy, schedule it to the desired players as you would any other.
Once created, you can edit the settings of an external source ad copy by navigating to the Source tab. Any changes you make there will be picked up by the associated players on their next poll.
Otherwise, use the same method used for standard ad copies. See Edit Ad Copy Properties.
After you have uploaded ad copies from an external source to your network, you can then move on to other basic steps:
