Digital Signage Software Linux Open Source

  



The free, open source digital signage platform, Xibo, is now available as something called a snap – a universal Linux app packaging format.

Digital signage management softwareDigitalSignage

Snaps are described as “containerized software packages designed to work across cloud, desktop, and IoT devices. They work natively on the most popular Linux distributions and feature automatic update and rollback functionality, enhanced security, and greater flexibility for developers.”

This web-based free digital signage tool provides smart multimedia display.

  • In general, Ubuntu is the OS of choice for MediaSignage as we are advocates of free software. We support the GNU foundation and contribute to the open sources ourselves. And since it is free, it means you can deploy your Digital Signage software without shelling $80-$200 per OS license.
  • DigitalSignage.com, the first open digital signage software platform that transforms any display into a two-way communication screen, allowing any developer or business to create and integrate fully.
  • APT-based Linux system. Content scheduling. Multi-screen support. Simple and Fluid UI.

The idea with doing this as a snap allows Xibo to offer a simple, dependency-free installation that works across many Linux distributions (variations on the core operating system) and is inherently future-proofed.

I’d like to explain that a little more deeply, but … I’m no software guy, it’s Friday afternoon, and the backyard deck beckons. Nerds – feel free to add in comments and I can work it in to an update.

“Xibo is fully committed in its mission to enable digital signage for everyone, and we’ve continuously developed our open source offering alongside the Xibo customer community,” says Chris Hopkins, Director at Xibo, in a press release. “We are very proud to launch this snap following demand for Linux, adding yet another option for our customers to bring to life their digital signage.”

“It’s always fantastic recognition to see brands embracing Linux through snaps,” adds Martin Wimpress, Engineering Manager of Canonical, the Linux-focused software company that developed Snaps and is behind the popular Ubuntu version of Linux. “Xibo is a leading name in the digital signage arena, and it’s the latest example of leading software brands across the globe expanding their reach to Linux.”

The snap for Xibo is available to download here.

Dave Haynes is the founder and editor of Sixteen:Nine, an online publication that has followed the digital signage industry for some 14 years. Dave does strategic advisory consulting work for many end-users and vendors, and also writes for many of them. He’s based near Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Canada’s east coast.

About

info-beamer allows you to rapidly prototype interactive multimedia presentations on Desktop Linux using the Lua programming language. A directory (called a node) consists of resource files (images, videos, fonts or shaders) and a control script called node.lua. Learn more in the documentation.

Want to use your visualizations on the Raspberry Pi? You can do that too: Just run them on the Pi using info-beamer pi.

Hello World!

See the documentation to learn more. Or take a look at more code examples on github.

Rapid Development

Edit the code for your node, change images or exchange font files. info-beamer will notice your changes and reload changed files. See the effects of your changes immediately.
  • info-beamer uses the linux inotify API to detect changed files or directories.
  • You never have to restart info-beamer to see changes you made. info-beamer can reload updated files for you.

Digital Signage Management Software

Powered by Lua

info-beamer is controlled by your Lua code. A very simple API is all you need to create advanced presentations. Lua enables info-beamer to be truly rapid:
  • Update the running code in realtime. There is no need to restart info-beamer.
  • Lua is a simple language. If you have basic programming experience, you'll learn Lua in a few hours.

Fileformat Support

Load images and truetype (TTF) fonts. Video playback is supported using the powerful libav library.
  • Image loading is provided by DevIL.
  • Video playback is powered by libav. It should play most video files you might have.
  • Use Shaders in the GLSL language.
  • Full Truetype font support using freetype.

Performance

info-beamer uses OpenGL and will use hardware acceleration. Full shader support using GLSL.
  • Load vertex and fragment shaders.
  • Control your shaders with dynamic uniform values.
  • Feed your shaders with textures from images, videos, child nodes or even VNC connections.

Open Source Signage Software

Nested Content

Each directory forms a node. A node is the unit of presentation for Softwareinfo-beamer. If a directory contains subdirectories, these create child nodes. Child nodes can be rendered by parent nodes.
  • Allows you to create a toplevel node that switches between child nodes.
  • Nodes can be developed independently and later composed into one presentation.
  • Include remote content using the VNC client.

Realtime control

Send OSC (open sound control) packets to info-beamer. Update the state of your presentation in realtime. Or use TCP to connect to info-beamer to see the debugging output of your running code.
  • Simple UDP protocol and OSC protocol support.
  • Let info-beamer display a directory shared using Dropbox. Since info-beamer will detect any changes to the directory, this will allow you to update your presentation from remote.

Opensource

info-beamer is opensource software release under the BSD 2-clause license. Use and modify the software as you like.

info-beamer for the Raspberry Pi

info-beamer also runs on the Raspberry Pi micro computer. Easily deploy your visualizations on those tiny machines. Setting up a Digital Signage display won't get easier. No need to by overpriced special hardware!

Digital Signage Software Linux Open Source Linux

Learn more

info-beamer hosted

Linux Digital Signage Software

Using the new fully managed service you can now control your info-beamer based visualizations easier than ever. Install prepared visualizations with the click of a button on your devices. Upload assets like images and videos and have them distributed instantly. Change settings using a web based interface.

Open Source Digital Signage Server

Running info-beamer code won't get easier than that! Learn more