Overview
The 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 Public Display website. This screen updates every few minutes with any new information (packages, etc.) entered into BuildingLink by your staff.
It is used to display information to residents (packages that are 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 pick and choose what you wish to display for your residents.
What hardware is necessary for a public display?
The Public Display requires a monitor (this is usually a large flat-screen television), a PC, and an Internet connection. We do NOT recommend TV's that have built-in web browsers (some Smart TV's), as they will likely still require a PC be used.
Our newly redesigned public display currently only runs on supported browsers (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari), and is optimized to run in Google Chrome. We strongly recommend displays are run using Google Chrome and do not support built-in browsers on SmartTVs, as they are proprietary browsers not built to handle a robust application like BuildingLink's display.
How big should our Public Display be?
This really depends on the space where the monitor will be installed. We usually recommend a 32” TV as a good starting point if it will be 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.
We do not recommend mounting a TV/Monitor sideways (vertically); while it may save a few inches in space, it can be difficult to properly manipulate vertical displays on PC's, which can result in frustration when initially setting up the display and when troubleshooting may be necessary.
Does the Public Display monitor need its own dedicated PC?
While it is not necessary in every case, we highly recommend using a dedicated PC for running 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 Mini PC for each Public Display -- there are very small form factor PCs available (recommendation below) 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 CPU's (such as Intel's i5 and i7) are unnecessary and would be considered overkill for the computing tasks of the Public Display PC.
Can my Public Display PC be wireless?
Yes it can, and the PC we currently recommend has WiFi capabilities, however, wired connections are preferred as they tend to be the most reliable method of connecting to the source of internet.
Can we purchase the hardware from BuildingLink?
Unfortunately not, as BuildingLink does not sell TV's, Monitors, or PC's. We can only provide recommendations.
Recommended PC:
As of November 2021, we recommend the MINIX NEO G41V-4 Max Mini PC: https://a.co/d/4K7hJlq
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 for our Support Team to provide troubleshooting 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 USB port of the PC so that the keyboard can simply 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 suffice. For Public Display purposes, they all perform about the same, with the main difference being the size/look of the display.
How do I configure my Public Display once I have the right equipment?
Once you have a computer with internet access hooked up to your Public Display monitor, view our help section on how to configure your Public Display or contact BuildingLink Support for assistance.