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AV-Sync

AV-Sync Using the BrightSign Plugin

3 min readUpdated Sept 202611 steps

This guide configures a BrightSign player to send timecodes to the Brainbox over USB. The Brainbox relays them via Bluetooth to the Podcatcher Pro devices, so you do not need to embed a timecode track in the video with the AV-Sync Video Tool.

Prerequisites

Section titled “Prerequisites”
  • BrightAuthor 5
  • The plugin script SendTimecodeviaRS232.brs — request it from helpdesk@guide-id.com
  • A Guide-ID Brainbox and a USB cable that fits the player’s USB port (the Brainbox side is USB-C)
  • A BrightSign player
  • Podcatcher Pro devices, a Basecamp and access to the Platform

Step 1 — Add the plugin

Section titled “Step 1 — Add the plugin”
  1. Open your presentation in BrightAuthor 5
  2. Go to File → Presentation Properties, tab Autorun
  3. Click Add Script Plugins and browse to SendTimecodeviaRS232.brs
  4. Name the plugin exactly videoTimecodeInfo

Step 2 — Create the initial state

Section titled “Step 2 — Create the initial state”
  1. In the Media Library, open the Other tab
  2. Drag a Live Text Object into the presentation as the starting state
  3. Double-click the frame and enable Set as initial state

Step 3 — Configure serial communication

Section titled “Step 3 — Configure serial communication”

Serial input event

Section titled “Serial input event”

Add a serial input event to the starting state:

  • Serial Port: 2 (0 on the LS424)
  • Serial Input: <*>
  • State Transition: Remain on current state

Brainbox activation command

Section titled “Brainbox activation command”

Add a command to the start frame:

  • Serial Port: 2 (0 on the LS424)
  • Command: Send
  • Bytes: 13,10

The carriage return switches the Brainbox’s USB port into command mode. The Brainbox sends no reply.

Video code commands

Section titled “Video code commands”

Add a Serial String (EOL) command to every presentation item, including the start frame:

brightsign code A1XX

Replace XX with the last two characters of the video code as entered in the Platform, for example brightsign code A101. Codes are hexadecimal.

Step 4 — Publish and test

Section titled “Step 4 — Publish and test”
  1. Tick Enable serial debugging when publishing the presentation
  2. Connect the Brainbox to the BrightSign with the USB cable
  3. Restart the BrightSign
  4. Have a visitor scan the AV-Sync stop with a Podcatcher Pro

Success indicators

Section titled “Success indicators”
  • The AV-Sync LED on the Brainbox flashes green while the video plays (once per timecode, about every half second)
  • The Podcatcher Pro picks up the timecode after the visitor scans the AV-Sync stop’s beacon
  • Several Podcatcher Pro devices play in sync
  • The LED stops flashing about two seconds after the last timecode

Troubleshooting

Section titled “Troubleshooting”

Connections

Section titled “Connections”
  • Check that the USB cable is firmly connected on both sides
  • Make sure the player has finished booting
  • Keep the Brainbox within Bluetooth range of the visitors at the stop

Configuration

Section titled “Configuration”
  • Serial port number matches the player model (2, or 0 on the LS424)
  • Plugin name is exactly videoTimecodeInfo
  • Serial debugging is enabled
  • Video codes match the entries in the Platform

No LED activity

Section titled “No LED activity”
  • Restart the BrightSign — the Brainbox is powered from the player’s USB port and restarts with it
  • Re-check the plugin and the activation command
Section titled “Related articles”
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