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Media Library

The Media Library is your central hub for managing all images and videos used across your displays.

Overview​

The Media Library stores and organizes your visual content:

  • Images: JPG, PNG, GIF formats
  • Videos: MP4, MOV, AVI formats
  • Organization: Tags, search, and filtering
  • Storage: Cloud-based with automatic backups

All media is stored securely in Google Cloud Storage and accessible from any of your displays.

Uploading Media​

Single File Upload​

  1. Navigate to Library in the main menu
  2. Click Upload Media button
  3. Select file(s) from your computer
  4. (Optional) Add tags for organization
  5. (Optional) Add description
  6. Click Upload

Bulk Upload​

Upload multiple files at once:

  1. Click Upload Media
  2. Select multiple files (Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click)
  3. All files upload simultaneously
  4. Add shared tags to apply to all files

File Size Limits:

  • Images: Max 10MB per file
  • Videos: Max 100MB per file
  • Bulk upload: Up to 20 files at once

Pro Tip: Name your files descriptively before uploading (e.g., "summer-sale-2024.jpg" instead of "IMG_1234.jpg") for easier searching later.

Organizing Your Library​

Tags​

Tags help you categorize and find content quickly:

Common Tag Examples:

  • By season: summer, winter, holiday
  • By purpose: promotion, sale, announcement
  • By product: apparel, electronics, food
  • By location: store-1, downtown, mall-location

Adding Tags:

  1. Click on any media item
  2. Type tag name in Tags field
  3. Press Enter to add
  4. Add multiple tags separated by commas

Searching by Tag:

  • Use the tag filter in the library view
  • Click on a tag to see all media with that tag
  • Combine multiple tags to narrow results

Search and Filtering​

Search Bar:

  • Search by filename, description, or tags
  • Results update in real-time as you type

Filters:

  • Type: Images only or Videos only
  • Date: Upload date range
  • Size: File size range
  • Store: Filter by store (multi-store accounts)
  • Tags: Filter by one or more tags

Sorting Options​

Sort your library by:

  • Name (A-Z or Z-A)
  • Upload Date (Newest or Oldest first)
  • File Size (Largest or Smallest first)
  • Usage (Most or Least used)

Using Library Content​

In Layouts​

Add library content to your layouts:

  1. Open Layout Editor
  2. Select a content area
  3. Choose Library as content source
  4. Select image(s) or video(s)
  5. Set display duration (for slideshows)

In Content Sources​

Create content sources from library items:

  1. Go to Content Sources
  2. Click Create Source
  3. Choose Library type
  4. Select media file(s)
  5. Configure settings (rotation, duration)

Managing Media​

Editing Media Details​

Update information about any media file:

  1. Click on the media item
  2. Edit:
    • Title: Display name
    • Description: Notes or details
    • Tags: Add/remove tags
  3. Click Save Changes

Replacing Media​

Replace content while keeping the same usage:

  1. Click on media item
  2. Click Replace File
  3. Upload new file
  4. Original file is replaced everywhere it's used

Use Case: Update a promotional image for a sale while keeping it in all layouts that reference it.

Deleting Media​

Remove media from your library:

  1. Select media item(s) using checkboxes
  2. Click Delete button
  3. Confirm deletion

Warning: Before deleting, check "Used In" to see if the media is currently assigned to any layouts or displays. Deleting used media may break your layouts.

Bulk Actions​

Perform actions on multiple items:

  1. Use checkboxes to select multiple media
  2. Choose bulk action:
    • Add Tags: Apply tags to all selected
    • Move to Store: Change store assignment
    • Delete: Remove all selected items

Storage and Quotas​

Storage Limits​

Your storage limit scales with your display count:

  • Included: 2GB per active display
  • Example: 10 displays = 20GB total storage
  • Overage: $1/GB per month for additional storage

View your current usage: Settings → Billing → Storage Usage

Managing Storage​

If you're approaching your limit:

  1. Delete unused media: Review and remove old content
  2. Compress images: Use tools like TinyPNG before uploading
  3. Optimize videos: Convert to web-optimized MP4 format
  4. Add more displays: Each new display adds 2GB to your pool

Media Performance Tips​

Image Best Practices​

Optimal Resolutions:

  • Full-screen: 1920x1080 (HD)
  • Half-screen: 960x1080 or 1920x540
  • Quarter-screen: 960x540

Format Recommendations:

  • JPG: Photos, promotional images (smaller file size)
  • PNG: Graphics with transparency, logos
  • GIF: Simple animations (use sparingly)

Compression:

  • Compress images to 85-90% quality
  • Reduces file size with minimal visual impact
  • Faster loading on displays

Video Best Practices​

Optimal Settings:

  • Resolution: 1920x1080 (Full HD)
  • Frame Rate: 30 fps
  • Codec: H.264
  • Bitrate: 5-10 Mbps for HD

Duration:

  • Keep videos under 2 minutes for best performance
  • Longer videos may buffer on slower connections
  • Use video editing software to trim content

Audio:

  • Most retail displays are muted
  • Ensure visual message is clear without audio
  • Add captions/text overlays for important information

Shared vs. Store-Specific Content​

Shared Library​

Available to all stores in your account:

  • Brand assets (logos, colors, templates)
  • Corporate messaging
  • Universal promotions

Creating Shared Content:

  1. Upload media
  2. Set Source Type to "Shared"
  3. Content appears in all store libraries

Store-Specific Library​

Only available to specific store(s):

  • Location-specific promotions
  • Local employee photos
  • Store-specific announcements

Creating Store-Specific Content:

  1. Upload media
  2. Set Source Type to "Store Specific"
  3. Select store(s) that can access it

Advanced Features​

Metadata​

Store additional information with each media file:

  • Custom fields
  • Creation date
  • Source/photographer
  • Usage rights
  • Expiration dates

Access via Media Details → Metadata tab.

Automatic Thumbnails​

BrandCast automatically generates thumbnails for:

  • All images (shown in library grid view)
  • Video first frames (shown as preview)

Usage Tracking​

See where each media file is being used:

  1. Click on media item
  2. View Used In section
  3. Shows all layouts, content sources, and displays using this media

Helpful for:

  • Understanding content popularity
  • Safe deletion (check if unused)
  • Content audits

Troubleshooting​

Upload Failed​

Common causes:

  • File size exceeds limit
  • Unsupported file format
  • Network connection interrupted
  • Storage quota exceeded

Solutions:

  • Compress file before uploading
  • Convert to supported format
  • Check internet connection
  • Free up storage space or upgrade plan

Media Not Displaying​

Check:

  1. File uploaded successfully?
  2. Assigned to layout correctly?
  3. Display is online and active?
  4. Layout published to display?

Slow Loading​

Optimize performance:

  • Reduce image file sizes
  • Use recommended video settings
  • Check display internet speed
  • Verify no network throttling

Next Steps​