OverviewThe public display is a monitor placed in a common area of your building (usually in the lobby or mailroom where residents can see it), connected to the BuildingLink website. This screen updates every few minutes with any new information (packages, etc.) entered into BuildingLink by your staff. A Public Display is used to display information to residents (packages waiting for them, building announcements, the current weather, train/bus schedules, pictures of the building, the current time, etc.). These are all configurable, so you can choose what you wish to display for your residents. |
Note: Click on the images to enlarge them.
Table of Contents |
Examples of a Public Display
Below, please take a look at the samples of public display configurations.
Public Display Physical Requirements
What hardware is necessary for a public display?
The Public Display requires a monitor (usually a large television or computer monitor), a PC, and an Internet connection.
*We do NOT recommend TVs with built-in web browsers (some Smart TVs), as such smart TVs will likely still require a PC to be used.
Built-in browsers on SmartTVs, are not built to handle a robust application like BuildingLink's display.
Does the Public Display monitor need a dedicated PC?
While it is unnecessary in every case, we highly recommend using a dedicated PC to run the Public Display to ensure the display is up and running 24/7, uninterrupted by events that can occur when opting to set up the display as an additional monitor attached to a single PC.
We generally recommend a separate PC for each Public Display. There are very small form factor PCs available that are small enough to hide directly behind the TV/monitor (when mounted on the wall) or tucked away somewhere discretely, so it is hidden, out of the way.
What are the PC requirements for the PC attached to the Public Display?
We recommend that the PC have a minimum of an Intel Atom CPU and 4GB of RAM. An Intel i3 CPU or the AMD equivalent can also be used. Higher-end CPUs (such as Intel's i5 and i7) are unnecessary and would be considered overkill for the computing tasks of the Public Display PC.
What Internet Browsers are Supported?
Our Public Display currently only runs on supported browsers (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari) and is optimized to run best in Google Chrome. We strongly recommend displays are run using Google Chrome.
How big should our Public Display be?
This depends on the space where the monitor will be installed. We usually recommend a 32" TV as a good starting point if it is wall-mounted, but a larger TV may be desired. If a display smaller than 32" is desired, it is best to look for a PC monitor of the appropriate size rather than a TV.
Can my Public Display be Vertical?
We do not recommend mounting a TV/Monitor sideways (vertically);. At the same time, it may save a few inches in space, but it can be difficult to properly manipulate vertical displays on PCs, resulting in frustration when setting up the display and when troubleshooting may be necessary.
Can my Public Display PC be wireless?
The PC currently recommended has WiFi capabilities. However, wired connections are preferred as they tend to be the most reliable method of connecting to the internet source.
Can we purchase the hardware from BuildingLink?
Unfortunately, BuildingLink does not sell TVs, Monitors, or PCs. We only provide recommendations.
Recommended PC:
As of November 2021, we recommend the MINIX NEO G41V-4 Max Mini PC: https://amzn.to/3plGXSo
The PC is inexpensive, very small, can be connected to the internet via a hardwired ethernet connection and WiFi, and runs a full copy of Windows 10, allowing our Support Team to troubleshoot if necessary.
We highly recommend that a wireless keyboard be purchased along with the PC for the initial setup and to control the PC whenever needed. The wireless keyboard receiver can be left inside the PC's USB port so that the keyboard can be turned on and used whenever necessary. This is the wireless keyboard we currently recommend is the Logitech K400 Wireless Keyboard: https://amzn.to/2ThbTok
TV/Monitor:
Any TV/monitor with the necessary inputs for your PC will be good enough. For Public Display purposes, they all perform about the same, with the main difference being the size/look of the display.
Creation and Configuring a Public Display
Configuring and customizing a Public Display is simple and can be done from any desktop computer with internet access. A unique Public Display log-in controls each Public Display console. You can create multiple Public Displaydisplay log-ins if you want to utilize multiple screens, each configured differently. You could have one screen show only packages and another show only calendar events and building announcements, for example.
Creating a New Public Display
Any Management or Security Officer user can add a new public display log-in. To do this, click on the Settings Tab and select Displays and Consoles.
Click the green Add Display/Console button.
Enter the name of this new Public Display. If you have multiple locations, it's a good idea to name them accordingly (Ex. "Tower 1 Display"). Next, create a username and password for accessing and configuring the display. Be sure the "Terminal Type" is set to "Public Display." Click Save to save all changes.
Retrieving Existing Public Display Login Credentials
From the Setting Menu
To retrieve the log-in information for an existing public display, click on the Settings tab and select Displays/Consoles. Then, click Edit next to the public display console whose log-in information you wish to retrieve.
From the Communication Tab
To retrieve the log-in information for an existing public display, click on the Communication Tab and select Configure Public Displays.
On the next screen, a list of Public Displays will be produced; click Edit next to the public display console whose log-in information you wish to retrieve.
Configuring a Public Display
To access the configuration menu, there are two options:
Log in to the Public Display via the Web using Credentials
To configure or make changes to a Public Display, navigate to any BuildingLink.com log-in screen/window. Note: You cannot be signed intoBuildingLink.com in the same web browser session, even in a separate window. Once in a new web browser session, and with no BuildingLink.com sites logged in on that device, log in with the Public Display you wish to configure's username and password.
You can configure your Public Display remotely (if you wish) by logging in with the Public Display's log-in credentials on any computer and configuring it from there.
Access Configuration via Displays and Consoles Settings
Click on the Settings Tab and select Displays and Consoles. A list of displays and consoles will populate on the displayed table. Click Configure next to the display you wish to configure to pop open a new window.
Access Configuration via the Communication Tab
Click on the Communication Tab and select Configure Public Displays. A list of displays will populate on the window.
Click View/Edit Template Appearance on the display you wish to configure to pop open a new window.
Display Inconsistencies
Depending on screen resolution settings, your display may look different on the Public Display screen than on the device you configure. As a result of a change in the output display's resolution, content may be stretched, truncated, off-screen, or resized.
If this is the first time you are setting up the public Display at your building, we recommend that you log in with the Public Display username and password on the display monitor itself or on a computer that is physically connected to the display monitor to fine-tune the display settings to match the resolution and size of your display.
Accessing Configuration Options
Once logged in to a Public Display at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, click on the Settings gear.
The page will now be open for editing. Small gears will appear at the top right-hand corner of each widget, and the flex designer will appear at the top of the page. These gears can be used to configure each widget individually. The Flex Designer allows you to choose your widgets and your layout settings.
Flex Designer - Adding/Removing Widgets
To add a widget, click and drag the widget to the appropriate section of the screen. To remove the widget, click and drag the widget from its black, plain text title back up to the list of available widgets. You must "grab" the widgets from the Public Display by the simple black text title of the widget to move an active widget.
Flex Designer - Layout Settings
To change the size of the columns, click on Layout Settings in the Flex Designer. These allow you to change the size of each section by either the number of pixels or the percentage of the screen it should fill. The layout can be adjusted to 0% to remove a column in 1 or 2 columns but not all 3.
Hit Save Changes after adjusting the layout or widget settings.
After saving, the Public Display may require a refresh of your browser to view all changes properly.
You can refresh your browser page with the refresh button (pictured below) or with keyboard shortcuts (F5 is often programmed to refresh a page when pressed).
Configuring Widgets
All widgets can be customized by clicking the smaller setting cog in the upper-right of each active widget when in the configuration view on any Public Display.
(Basics) Open Events Grid/Packages
(Basics) Open Events Grid/Packages - Unit Locations to Display
If you have two mail rooms, two buildings, or more than one place for events to appear, you may choose to add Locations to your event log and have the public display reflect those locations.
(Basics) Open Events Grid/Packages - Package Locations to Display
If you have two mail rooms, two buildings, or more than one place for package storage, you may choose to add Locations and have the public display reflect those locations. Example: The Public Display in Tower 1 should only display packages stored in that tower.
(Basics) Open Events Grid/Packages - Display Mode
Some buildings receive lots of packages; some receive very few. We give you options so you can change the size of the packages that appear on your screen: Autofit and Manual sizing.
Autofit
Autofit will automatically adjust the event log size based on the space available and the number of packages.
Manual
The blue ruler has popular predefined settings where "1" is the largest and "9" is the smallest. Try a few presets; when you find one you like, you can further customize it.
If you still have trouble changing the size of the boxes, try editing the Text Size and the # of Columns.
Customizing Icon Appearance
Icons on the Public Display can be customized in 2 ways. Appearance and Number Badge
There are three basic options for appearance: Full Icon with Event Title and Unit Number, Event Title and Unit Number, and Unit Number Only.
The Number Badge can be moved around the icons or removed.
The Public Display Event Grid Sort Direction can be selected as Vertical or Horizontal.
Graphical Element options allow you to Round Corners and Apply Gradient Color Shading.
Color options allow you to use colors to identify your events. Options are by default set to Event-Type Colors but can be changed to Floor Colors, Locations Colors, or a custom Select a Color.
Customizing Icons by Event Type and for Holidays
The icon image for any given event type can be customized from the Settings Tab under Event Types.
Find the Event type whose Icon you wish to change in the list and select Edit.
In the Edit Event Type window, select the dropdown menu "What Icon should be displayed with this event type?". In the dropdown menu, choose from multiple icons.
Seasonal Icons are available to add a festive flair to your Public Display. Note: if you choose to use these icons seasonally, we recommend setting a calendar reminder to revert the icons to normal after the holiday season.
After choosing your new Icon, scroll all the way to the bottom of the Edit Event Type window to find and click the Save button.
Displaying Announcements on your Public Display
Active Announcements are pulled from the main Dashboard section Active Announcements.
There are two main ways to show Announcements on your Public Display, Scrolling, and Stacked.
Scrolling Announcements are lines of text that scroll across the bottom of the public display, and a Stacked Announcement is a block-style widget showing the Active Announcements from your Dashboard.
These Announcement widgets can be dragged to and from the Flex Designer onto your Public Display.
Note that Scrolling Announcements have a special pop-in section at the bottom of the display where the scrolling is less obstructed, while the Stacked Announcements widget can be placed in any section.
Stacked Announcement Settings
By clicking on the setting cog on the Stacked Announcement widget, you can choose the maximum number of Announcements to display and what size you prefer the Announcement font to be. Click Save to save your setting changes.
View our help section on adding announcements for more information.