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Playlists

Rotate multiple layouts automatically on your displays with playlists for dynamic, engaging content.

What are Playlists?​

Playlists allow you to show multiple layouts in sequence on a single display. Each layout appears for a set duration before automatically transitioning to the next, creating a dynamic slideshow effect.

Use Cases:

  • Rotate between product categories
  • Show promotions, then announcements, then social feeds
  • Display morning content, then switch to afternoon content
  • Alternate between different information types

Playlists vs. Schedules​

Playlists:

  • Continuous rotation of layouts
  • Fixed order (Layout A → B → C → repeat)
  • Each layout has duration
  • Always running

Schedules:

  • Time-based layout switching
  • Different content at different times
  • Rule-based (9am: Layout A, 12pm: Layout B)
  • More complex control

Use Both Together:

  • Schedule controls WHICH playlist plays WHEN
  • Playlist controls HOW layouts rotate WITHIN that time
  • Example: Morning playlist 8am-12pm, Afternoon playlist 12pm-5pm

Creating a Playlist​

Step 1: Create Playlist​

  1. Navigate to Content → Playlists
  2. Click Create Playlist
  3. Enter details:
    • Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "Product Showcase Rotation")
    • Description: Optional notes about purpose
    • Store: Which store/location this applies to

Step 2: Add Layouts​

  1. Click Add Layout in playlist editor
  2. Select layout from dropdown
  3. Configure:
    • Duration: How long this layout displays (seconds)
    • Order: Position in rotation sequence
  4. Repeat for additional layouts

Minimum: 2 layouts required Maximum: No limit, but 3-8 layouts typical

Step 3: Configure Transitions​

Transition Style:

  • Fade: Smooth crossfade between layouts (recommended)
  • Slide Left: Layouts slide from right to left
  • Slide Right: Layouts slide from left to right
  • Slide Up: Layouts slide from bottom to top
  • Slide Down: Layouts slide from top to bottom
  • None: Instant cut (fastest, but abrupt)

Transition Speed:

  • Fast: 0.3 seconds
  • Medium: 0.6 seconds (recommended)
  • Slow: 1.0 seconds

Step 4: Set Default Duration​

What It Does:

  • Applied to all layouts that don't have custom duration
  • Simplifies setup when most layouts should display same time
  • Individual layouts can override

Recommended Durations:

  • 15-20 seconds: Quick rotation, high engagement
  • 30 seconds: Standard (most common)
  • 45-60 seconds: Detailed content, slower pace
  • 2-3 minutes: Complex information, minimal rotation

Step 5: Activate Playlist​

  1. Toggle Active switch to ON
  2. Click Save Playlist
  3. Assign to display(s)

Inactive Playlists:

  • Saved but not running
  • Useful for seasonal content
  • Can activate/deactivate anytime

Assigning Playlists to Displays​

Method 1: From Display Settings​

  1. Go to Displays → Select display
  2. Content Assignment section
  3. Playlist dropdown → Select playlist
  4. Click Save

Result: Display immediately starts rotating through playlist layouts

Method 2: From Playlist Editor​

  1. Edit playlist
  2. Assigned Displays section
  3. Check displays that should use this playlist
  4. Click Save

Result: Selected displays switch to this playlist

Multiple Displays​

Same Playlist:

  • Multiple displays can use same playlist
  • Synchronized rotation (start at same time)
  • Or independent (each starts when assigned)

Different Playlists:

  • Each display can have unique playlist
  • Different content per location
  • Mix and match as needed

Managing Playlist Content​

Reordering Layouts​

Drag and Drop:

  1. Click and hold layout in list
  2. Drag to new position
  3. Release to drop
  4. Order updates automatically

Or Use Order Field:

  1. Edit layout in playlist
  2. Change Order number
  3. Save
  4. Layouts re-sort automatically

Changing Duration​

Per Layout:

  1. Edit layout in playlist
  2. Update Duration (seconds)
  3. Save

Bulk Update:

  1. Change Default Duration at playlist level
  2. Applies to all layouts without custom duration
  3. Individual custom durations remain unchanged

Adding/Removing Layouts​

Add Layout:

  • Click Add Layout
  • Select from available layouts
  • Set duration and order
  • Save

Remove Layout:

  • Click Remove (❌) next to layout
  • Confirm deletion
  • Playlist updates immediately

Replace Layout:

  • Remove old layout
  • Add new layout in same order position

Duplicating Playlists​

Use Case: Create similar playlist for different store

Steps:

  1. View playlist details
  2. Click Duplicate
  3. Name new playlist
  4. Select target store
  5. Edit as needed

Result: Copy of playlist with all layouts and settings

Advanced Playlist Features​

Weighted Rotation​

What It Does:

  • Some layouts appear more frequently than others
  • Based on duration (longer = more impressions)
  • Or explicit weight setting

Example:

Layout A: 30 seconds (1x weight)
Layout B: 60 seconds (2x weight) ← Appears twice as often
Layout C: 30 seconds (1x weight)

Rotation: A → B → C → B → A → B → C → B (repeats)

Setup:

  1. Edit playlist
  2. Enable Weighted Rotation
  3. Set weight per layout (1-10)
  4. Higher weight = more frequent appearance

Dynamic Playlists​

Content-Based Rotation:

  • Layouts automatically added based on rules
  • Example: "All promotions" playlist includes any layout tagged "promotion"
  • Updates when new layouts created

Setup:

  1. Enable Dynamic Playlist
  2. Set filtering rules:
    • Tag-based
    • Date-based (layouts valid today)
    • Content type-based
  3. Save

Benefit: Playlists update automatically, no manual management

Playlist Scheduling​

Combine with Schedules:

  • Different playlists at different times
  • Example:
    • Breakfast Playlist: 6am-11am
    • Lunch Playlist: 11am-2pm
    • Dinner Playlist: 2pm-10pm

Setup:

  1. Create schedule (see Schedules documentation)
  2. Add rules with playlists as target
  3. Assign schedule to display

Conditional Playlists​

Rules-Based Activation:

  • Weather-based: Rain playlist vs. Sunny playlist
  • Stock level-based: Low stock highlights
  • Time-sensitive: Flash sale playlist

Requires: 5+ displays (Advanced Analytics & Logic)

Best Practices​

Playlist Design​

Layout Count:

  • 2-3 layouts: Simple rotation, easy to follow
  • 4-6 layouts: Standard, good variety
  • 7-10 layouts: High variety, longer cycle
  • 10+ layouts: Consider splitting into multiple playlists

Total Cycle Time:

  • Calculate: Sum of all layout durations = one complete cycle
  • Recommended: 2-5 minutes per cycle
  • Too short (<1 min): Disorienting
  • Too long (>10 min): May miss content

Content Variety:

  • Mix content types (promos, info, social, etc.)
  • Avoid repetitive layouts
  • Balance text-heavy and visual layouts
  • Keep pacing interesting

Duration Guidelines​

Content Type Recommendations:

  • Images/Photos: 10-15 seconds
  • Simple Text: 15-20 seconds
  • Detailed Information: 30-45 seconds
  • Complex Data/Charts: 45-60 seconds
  • Video Layouts: Duration of video + 5 seconds
  • Interactive Content: 60+ seconds

Reading Time Formula:

  • Count words on layout
  • Average reading speed: 200-250 words/minute
  • Add 5-10 seconds buffer
  • Example: 50 words = 12-15 seconds minimum

Adjust for Audience:

  • Retail (quick browsing): Shorter durations
  • Waiting areas: Longer durations
  • Employee break rooms: Longer durations
  • High-traffic areas: Shorter durations

Transition Selection​

Fade (Recommended):

  • Professional appearance
  • Works with all content types
  • No jarring motion
  • Universal choice

Slide Transitions:

  • More dynamic
  • Good for sequential content (step 1 → step 2)
  • Can be distracting if overused
  • Match slide direction to content flow

None (Instant Cut):

  • Use sparingly
  • Best for very similar layouts
  • News/stock ticker style
  • When speed matters most

Performance Optimization​

Layout Complexity:

  • Simpler layouts transition faster
  • Heavy layouts may cause lag
  • Optimize images (compress, resize)
  • Limit simultaneous animations

Caching:

  • Playlists pre-load next layout
  • Ensures smooth transitions
  • More layouts = more memory usage
  • Keep playlist size reasonable (<15 layouts)

Network Considerations:

  • Content-heavy playlists need good bandwidth
  • Video in playlists especially demanding
  • Test on actual display hardware
  • Consider lower-res content for slower connections

Monitoring Playlist Performance​

Playback Analytics​

Metrics Available:

  • Views per layout
  • Average view duration
  • Completion rate (full duration viewed)
  • Skip/interrupt rate

Access:

  1. Analytics → Content Performance
  2. Filter by playlist
  3. View layout-level metrics

Use Insights to:

  • Identify underperforming layouts
  • Optimize duration allocations
  • Remove low-engagement content
  • Test and iterate

Display Health​

Monitor:

  • Playlist running smoothly?
  • Transitions working correctly?
  • No frozen/crashed displays?

Check:

  1. Displays → Display health dashboard
  2. Review error logs
  3. Check last successful playlist rotation

Common Issues:

  • Display offline → Playlist paused
  • Network issues → Choppy transitions
  • Content load failures → Skips layouts

Troubleshooting​

Playlist Not Playing​

Symptoms:

  • Display shows single layout, not rotating
  • Playlist assigned but not active
  • Blank screen

Check:

  1. Playlist Active: Ensure playlist toggle is ON
  2. Display Assignment: Verify playlist assigned to display
  3. Display Online: Check display connection status
  4. Layouts Exist: Confirm all layouts in playlist are valid (not deleted)

Solutions:

  • Re-assign playlist to display
  • Toggle playlist active status off/on
  • Restart display
  • Check display logs for errors

Layouts Not Transitioning​

Symptoms:

  • Stuck on one layout
  • No rotation happening
  • Long delay between layouts

Check:

  1. Duration Settings: Verify durations not set extremely long
  2. Network Connection: Slow network may delay transitions
  3. Content Loading: Heavy content may cause delays

Solutions:

  • Reduce layout complexity
  • Optimize images and media
  • Check network speed at display location
  • Force refresh display

Wrong Order or Missing Layouts​

Symptoms:

  • Layouts appear in incorrect order
  • Some layouts never appear
  • Random skipping

Check:

  1. Order Numbers: Verify order field set correctly (1, 2, 3, etc.)
  2. Active Status: Ensure all layouts in playlist are active
  3. Permissions: Verify display has access to all layouts

Solutions:

  • Edit playlist, review order
  • Check individual layout settings
  • Remove and re-add problematic layouts
  • Clear display cache

Transition Issues​

Symptoms:

  • Choppy or laggy transitions
  • Black screen between layouts
  • No transition effect applied

Check:

  1. Display Performance: Old/slow hardware may struggle
  2. Transition Setting: Verify transition selected correctly
  3. Layout Compatibility: Some content types don't transition well

Solutions:

  • Use "None" transition for better performance
  • Upgrade display hardware if needed
  • Simplify layouts
  • Reduce transition speed

Sync Issues (Multiple Displays)​

Symptoms:

  • Displays showing different layouts at same time
  • Out of sync rotation
  • Some displays ahead/behind others

Explanation:

  • By default, displays start playlist when assigned
  • Each display independent
  • Synchronization not automatic

To Synchronize:

  1. Assign playlist to all displays simultaneously
  2. Or use schedule to start all at specific time
  3. Content Sync: Available for accounts with 3+ displays

Examples and Use Cases​

Retail Store Rotation​

Scenario: Clothing store wants to showcase products

Playlist Setup:

Name: "Product Showcase"
Default Duration: 30 seconds
Transition: Fade (Medium)

Layouts:
1. New Arrivals (30 sec)
2. Summer Sale Promotion (45 sec - longer for CTA)
3. Customer Testimonials (30 sec)
4. Social Media Feed (30 sec)
5. Loyalty Program Benefits (30 sec)

Total Cycle: 2 minutes 45 seconds

Result: Customers see variety of content, with extra emphasis on current promotion.

Restaurant Menu Rotation​

Scenario: QSR wants to show full menu across day parts

Playlist Setup:

Name: "All-Day Menu"
Default Duration: 20 seconds
Transition: Slide Left

Layouts:
1. Breakfast Menu (20 sec)
2. Lunch Specials (25 sec)
3. Dinner Combos (25 sec)
4. Desserts & Drinks (15 sec)
5. Catering Options (20 sec)

Total Cycle: 1 minute 45 seconds

Combined with schedule:

  • Breakfast playlist: 6am-11am (emphasizes breakfast)
  • Lunch/Dinner playlist: 11am-close (emphasizes lunch/dinner)

Corporate Office Information Center​

Scenario: Company wants to keep employees informed

Playlist Setup:

Name: "Employee Info Hub"
Default Duration: 45 seconds
Transition: Fade (Slow)

Layouts:
1. Company Announcements (60 sec)
2. Department Metrics Dashboard (45 sec)
3. Upcoming Events Calendar (45 sec)
4. Employee Recognition (45 sec)
5. Safety Reminders (30 sec)
6. Wellness Tips (30 sec)

Total Cycle: 4 minutes 45 seconds

Result: Comprehensive employee information, longer durations for reading.

Next Steps​