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Screen Availability

Control when your screen is active and displaying content.

What is Screen Availability?​

Screen Availability determines when a screen is operational and displaying content. This feature allows you to:

  • Turn screens on/off automatically
  • Save power during non-business hours
  • Match screen operation to building schedules
  • Prevent content display at inappropriate times
  • Manage screen uptime efficiently

Accessing Availability Settings​

  1. Navigate to Screens in the left sidebar
  2. Open your screen
  3. Click the Availability tab

Availability Settings Overview​

The Availability tab shows:

  • Title: "Availability Settings"
  • Description: "Choose how you want to manage your schedule"
  • The prompt "How should this be available?" above three mode cards
  • Three availability modes to choose from
  • A description box below the cards that updates to explain the selected mode
  • Configuration fields that appear for Date range and Custom schedule
  • Reset (bottom-left) and Save changes (bottom-right) buttons

Availability Modes​

Always Available​

Icon: Calendar with checkmark

Description: "Shown indefinitely"

How It Works​

  • Screen is always active
  • Displays content 24/7
  • No automatic shutdowns
  • Ignores schedule settings

When to Use​

Best for:

  • Locations with 24/7 operation
  • Critical information displays
  • Unmanned facilities
  • Displays that should never turn off
  • Simple setups without scheduling needs

Important Note​

When "Always available" is selected:

"Will be available to users indefinitely. All scheduled settings will be ignored."

This means:

  • Any existing schedules are disabled
  • Screen stays on continuously
  • No automatic power management
  • You must manually manage the screen

Availability — Always available

Date Range​

Icon: Calendar with date indicators

Description: "Specific dates only"

How It Works​

  • Screen is active only during specified date range
  • Automatically turns on at start date
  • Automatically turns off after end date
  • Useful for temporary or seasonal displays

When to Use​

Best for:

  • Seasonal promotions
  • Event-specific content
  • Temporary installations
  • Holiday displays
  • Limited-time campaigns
  • Trade show displays

Configuration​

When you select Date range, the description box reads "Will be available only during the selected date range." and these fields appear:

  • Available from — tick the checkbox, then set a date (dd----yyyy) and a time (00:00) for when the screen becomes active
  • Available until — tick the checkbox, then set a date and time for when the screen deactivates
  • Set daily availability — tick this checkbox to also limit each day within the range to a daily window, using the Available from / Available until time fields

The screen is active only between the start and end you set (and, if daily availability is on, only during the daily window). Outside this range it is inactive.

Availability — Date range

Example Use Cases​

  • Holiday Display: Dec 1 - Jan 5 for holiday content
  • Summer Promotion: June 1 - Aug 31
  • Event Signage: Oct 15 - Oct 17 for conference
  • Seasonal Menu: March 1 - May 31 for spring menu

Custom Schedule​

Icon: Calendar with schedule grid

Description: "Set per day"

How It Works​

  • Create detailed schedule with specific rules
  • Different settings for different days
  • Control by day of week
  • Set specific operating hours
  • Most flexible option

When to Use​

Best for:

  • Standard business hours
  • Different weekend hours
  • Complex scheduling needs
  • Multiple time slots per day
  • Varied weekly schedules

Configuration​

When you select Custom schedule, the description box reads "Set specific display times for each day of the week. Leave disabled to hide on that day." and these fields appear:

  • Available from / Available until — optional overall bounds (a date dd----yyyy and time 00:00 for each), limiting the whole schedule to a date range
  • A per-day list from Monday to Sunday. For each day:
    • Tick the checkbox to enable that day
    • Set its Available from and Available until times
    • Leave a day's checkbox unticked to hide content on that day

This lets you build a recurring weekly pattern with different hours per day.

Availability — Custom schedule

Example Use Cases​

Retail Store:

Monday-Friday: 9am - 9pm
Saturday: 10am - 8pm
Sunday: 12pm - 6pm

Office Building:

Monday-Friday: 7am - 7pm
Saturday-Sunday: Off

Restaurant:

Monday-Thursday: 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm
Friday-Saturday: 11am-11pm
Sunday: 11am-9pm

24/7 with Maintenance:

Monday-Sunday: All day
Tuesday: Off from 2am-4am (maintenance)

Selecting an Availability Mode​

Changing Modes​

  1. Click on the desired availability mode card
  2. Selected mode is highlighted
  3. Additional configuration options appear (if applicable)
  4. Review the description and behavior
  5. Click "Save changes" to apply

Mode Indicators​

The selected mode will be:

  • Highlighted with blue border or background
  • Clearly marked as active
  • Description shown below

Saving Changes​

After selecting and configuring your availability mode:

  1. Review your settings
  2. Click "Save changes" button (bottom-right)
  3. Changes take effect immediately
  4. Players update automatically

Reset Option​

  • "Reset" button (bottom-left)
  • Reverts unsaved changes
  • Returns to last saved configuration

Important Considerations​

Always Available Mode​

Pros:

  • Simple setup
  • No schedule management
  • Always operational
  • Reliable for critical displays

Cons:

  • No automatic power saving
  • May waste energy during off-hours
  • Displays content even when no audience
  • No automatic downtime for maintenance

Date Range Mode​

Pros:

  • Perfect for temporary displays
  • Automatic start and end
  • Eliminates manual management
  • Clear operational boundaries

Cons:

  • Requires planning ahead
  • Must update for recurring events
  • All-or-nothing within date range
  • No daily time control

Important: Remember to update or extend date ranges before they expire, or your screen will deactivate.

Custom Schedule Mode​

Pros:

  • Maximum flexibility
  • Matches business hours
  • Power savings during off-hours
  • Different schedules per day
  • Professional appearance (screen on when needed)

Cons:

  • More complex to set up
  • Requires schedule planning
  • Must maintain and update
  • Can be confusing if not documented

Relationship with Scheduled Content​

Availability controls when the screen is on, while the Schedule tab controls what content displays when.

How They Work Together​

  1. Availability determines if screen is active
  2. Schedule (separate tab) determines what content shows
  3. Both work together for complete control

Example:

  • Availability: Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm (screen is on)
  • Schedule: Morning content 8am-12pm, Afternoon content 12pm-6pm

Important Note​

When "Always available" is selected:

  • Scheduled content still works
  • But screen never turns off
  • Schedule just changes content, not availability

Best Practices​

Choosing the Right Mode​

Use Always Available when:

  • 24/7 operation required
  • Critical information displays
  • Power management not a concern
  • Simple setup preferred

Use Date Range when:

  • Temporary or seasonal display
  • Specific event or promotion
  • Clear start and end dates
  • Don't need daily time control

Use Custom Schedule when:

  • Matching business hours
  • Power savings important
  • Complex scheduling needs
  • Professional operations

Power and Energy​

  • Use schedules to reduce power consumption
  • Turn off displays during closed hours
  • Consider display lifespan (fewer hours = longer life)
  • Reduce energy costs with smart scheduling

Planning Your Schedule​

  1. Document business hours: Know when screen should operate
  2. Consider audience: When are people present?
  3. Plan maintenance windows: Schedule downtime for updates
  4. Test schedules: Verify timing before deploying
  5. Set reminders: Update date ranges before expiration

Coordination​

  • Coordinate with facilities: Match building hours
  • Inform stakeholders: Communicate schedule changes
  • Document schedules: Keep records of settings
  • Review regularly: Adjust as business needs change

Troubleshooting​

Screen Not Turning On​

  • Check availability mode is correct
  • Verify date range hasn't expired
  • Confirm custom schedule includes current time
  • Check if player is online
  • Ensure player has power

Screen Not Turning Off​

  • Verify availability mode isn't "Always available"
  • Check custom schedule end times
  • Ensure date range hasn't been extended
  • Confirm settings were saved
  • Try manual restart of player

Schedule Not Working​

  • Verify you're on correct tab (Availability vs Schedule)
  • Check availability allows screen to be on
  • Confirm timezone settings are correct
  • Ensure schedules were saved
  • Check for conflicting settings

Date Range Expired​

  • Screen automatically deactivates after end date
  • Set new date range to reactivate
  • Or switch to different availability mode
  • Update before expiration to avoid downtime

Next Steps​

After configuring availability: