What is Valotalive Control?
Valotalive Control is a feature that turns static informational screens into interactive displays. It allows viewers to control what's shown on the screen using their mobile phones. The Control App exists as a channel within the My Content Channel app.
Here's how the Valotalive Control works
Content Preloading: Administrators set up the content that can be displayed on the info screens beforehand using a Valotalive Control app.
QR Code Activation: A QR code displayed on the info screen allows viewers to connect their mobile phone with the screen.
Content Selection: Once connected, viewers can browse the preloaded content on their phone and choose what they want to see displayed on the info screen
Quick guide - using the Valotalive Control App in a few steps
Activate the Control App
Go to Apps / My Apps
Look for Valotalive Control
Settings on the Apps' Configuration tab
Once you have chosen the App, name it by clicking the pen on top and give the App some basic settings in the configuration view.
Theme
Choose a theme.
Rename the App
Rename the app by clicking the name on top of the page.
The best practice is to name the App to match the selected use case, e.g. by the location where the Control App will be used or who it's contents is targeted to.
The Control app is build on top of My Content Channel and it can take in similar content types: videos, PDFs (presentations) and images. Later you'll find the Control as one of the channels within the My Content Channel app.
Content Managers
Type in the email addresses of the content managers that are allowed to preload content to the Control App.
URL of the Web App that runs when the system is idle
The Control app shows a website as the default content when not actively in use.
Type in the URL if you have one or use the default URL (https://control.valota.live/welcome/)
Make sure the target website allows embedding within an iframe and verify that the URL starts with "https://" for a secure connection.
Show advanced settings
Language
English /Finnish can be chosen from the App's configuration tab. Other languages can be chosen via the upload tool.
Enable Entry by emails
You can disable login links that are sent via email. Making it possible to login only via Valotalive admin panel.
Categories used
Categories act like folders to group similar content. Max amount: 20, Best practice is to use max 5 different categories.
Leave empty, if there is no need to categorize the presentations.
During content upload in the Control - My Content upload tool users can assign presentations to relevant categories. This involves ticking a box next to the desired category for each presentation.
Mute videos
Videos are muted by default. Change the settings if you'd like to have sounds on.
NOTE! If you'd like to play the sound make sure there are loudspeakers in the screen. Many commercial screens don't come with loudspeakers.
Logo
The uploaded logo is shown when the Control app cycles the preloaded contents on the info display.
Reload for the default web page.
Set the reload time in minutes for the default website that is shown when idle.
Keep zero (0) if no reload is needed.
Add the Control App to a Display
Complete the work by adding the app directly to a display.
Note ! Valotalive Control App is used as the only App on the Display.
When used with a It cannot be used in the Flow or with other applications.
See below how the display configurations looks:
Best practice tip - Test having the Control App in the Multiview (see image below).
In this case, remember not to have any other Apps than the Multiview on the Display.
Example of an active Control app in a Multiview layout.
Preload your content
The Control app can be found under the My Content Channel app as one of the channels. You can upload videos, PDF files and images.
Learn more about the uploading from this article: Valotalive Control App - How to add content
Best practices:
Tip 1 - Add a title beforehand:
Before uploading the content add a title to the Title field.
The title will be displayed in the Control App view helping to location the correct presentation.
Tip 2 - Use a thumbnail with videos
When uploading a video via the My Content Channel, you can choose a specific point in the video to create a thumbnail image. Simply scroll through the video to the desired frame and capture it as the thumbnail.
Further read: