Samsung Magic Info Software

[hillskill]

Hi All,

 

I need help!! Does anyone use Samsung Magic info screens in their school? We have 3 of them and while I have pretty much got them working how I want them, there are still having some fundlemental issues that are causing me problems?

 

Main one is- It will only connect to the internet if assigned a DHCP address and not a static one!

 

This is a problem as we need some web content to be displayed on the screens.

 

I would love to hear from anyone else who successfully using these screens and Magic Info software provided with it.

 

Thanks

[mb2k01]

I have two - one which came with the professional MagicNet software and the other with the basic version. I have to be honest - I hated both version of the software and got to the point where I now don't use it as I couldn't get it to a reliable stage to pass over to someone else.

 

As sad as it sounds, we have resorted to PowerPoint viewer being installed on the screens and having a ppt file configured to run on startup!

 

I've just about finished a web-based digital signage solution which I'll probably start to make more use of instead of the ppt files when complete.

[hillskill]

I have been using the Magic Info I software which to be honest isnt too bad once you get used to it! I found the pro version unusable!

 

Did you have any issues with the screens connecting to the network? We have the Samsung 400MXN-2 ones. As I said for some reason when they are assigned static IP addresses theyw wont connect to the web even though they ping the servers on the network.

 

I dont think the Magic Info software would interfere with the internet connection and the screens just run XP embedded something nothing unsual there.

[sahmeepee]

We use a Samsung MagicInfo screen to bring in web content and it works fine, but our screen's IP address is assigned via DHCP unfortunately. It doesn't cause any problems for us as the MagicInfo software doesn't need the screen's IP address to work - they discover each other on the network themselves.

 

Have you had to set up the proxy settings in the screen's browser? That was required to get it working for us.

[hillskill]

Yeah put the proxy settings in which work fine when it has a DHCP address but not a static one.

 

But I know the static one is valid and okay as the address works fine in terms of pining the servers and rest of the internal network etc.

[mb2k01]

I remember on our MagicNet software there was something in settings which we had to change to allow permenant changes to the OS / HDD (basically before I figured that out programs would be removed / settings lost etc everytime I turned the machine off!)

 

Do those screens have a small embded version of XP installed in them?

 

If the Magic Info software is similar to MagicNet and the screens have XP I'd recommend plugging a keyboard in the back and crashing out of the Magic software to make sure the network is set up the normal way in Windows.

[mb2k01]

Yeah put the proxy settings in which work fine when it has a DHCP address but not a static one.

 

But I know the static one is valid and okay as the address works fine in terms of pining the servers and rest of the internal network etc.

 

If I've understood the above correctly I'd say that your DNS or Gateway servers should be checked!

Have a look on the DHCP server and make sure that whatever DNS and Gateway are specified are the ones you are using when you input the static details

[FN-GM]

You could use a DHCP Reservation...

[hillskill]

Thanks for getting back to me all.

 

The screens have XP embedded installed on them. I have checked the dns settings and default gateway via network connections in control panel and all are correct...

 

I am convinced that the software is something to do with why it wont connect to the web with a staic but dont see how?

 

The address I am using is a reserved address and there are not any IP conflicts

[mb2k01]

Have you tried giving it an alternative static address to the one you're normally trying?

Your static range and dhcp range don't have alternat gateway or dns addresses do they?

 

Out of interest, when you assign a static address and then turn the screen off and back on again, does it loose it's static address and go back to dhcp?

[jamieallan]

I remember on our MagicNet software there was something in settings which we had to change to allow permenant changes to the OS / HDD (basically before I figured that out programs would be removed / settings lost etc everytime I turned the machine off!)

 

Sorry to hop onto this thread, but I wondered if you could remember what it was you had to change to stop all the settings being removed when it rebooted!?

 

I have exactly the same problem, and its causing much hassle!

 

Many thanks if anyone has any ideas!

[mb2k01]

Hmmm...

Fairly sure you go boot up, go to the magicnet interface on the tv itself, go to settings, options and then disable EWF.

Hope that's right!

[hillskill]

Sorry to hop onto this thread, but I wondered if you could remember what it was you had to change to stop all the settings being removed when it rebooted!?

 

I have exactly the same problem, and its causing much hassle!

 

Many thanks if anyone has any ideas!

 

Yes you have to disable the HDD protection thing- cant remember what its called!

 

Give Samsung support a ring- they are actually very helpful and helped me sort our issues with proxy server out

[mb2k01]

Just tried my suggestion above and can confirm it works!

[jamieallan]

Hmmm...

Fairly sure you go boot up, go to the magicnet interface on the tv itself, go to settings, options and then disable EWF.

Hope that's right!

 

That is absolutley spot on. Thank you so much Off to design some powerpoints now. Happyness!

[mattx]

I've just wasted a day with this Magic Pro crapness - I have made a small slideshow but can I get it to display on the screens ? Can I hell, I can't even connect to them !! Well I can but just through VNC. I even copied the slide show files onto a USB stick and tried, still won't play it - these things are a complete waste of time - looks like my evening will be spent wasted having to make a PP file of the slideshow.

Never have liked Samsung stuff, their printers are crap, their TVs are crap and now their software is crap. I am seriously thinking of getting rid of the screen and asking for our money back as it's perfectly clear they don't work correctly.

[glennda]

I was using the Navaho stuff - it was an absolute pain in the backside to sort out! soon i got rid of them boxes and set up xibo - works a treat and its alot better then the navaho stuff

 

Toby

[Marci]

Am running 3x Samsung 460DXn screens here, all on static IPs, all using MagicInfo Pro, and all work perfectly... never had any real issues with them, other than the fact that the MagicInfo software is slow as hell and takes me the best part of a week to get a schedule set up for a term.

 

@mattx - define "slideshow". MagicInfo will only display / deploy specific file types and formats, and in the case of movies you need the correct codecs installed on all the screens. Whenever I need to do a slideshow I make a webbased one using JW ImageRotator, whack it on our webserver, then tell the screens to display that webpage at whatever time via MagicInfo.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Marci

[mattx]

Am running 3x Samsung 460DXn screens here, all on static IPs, all using MagicInfo Pro, and all work perfectly... never had any real issues with them, other than the fact that the MagicInfo software is slow as hell and takes me the best part of a week to get a schedule set up for a term.

 

@mattx - define "slideshow". MagicInfo will only display / deploy specific file types and formats, and in the case of movies you need the correct codecs installed on all the screens. Whenever I need to do a slideshow I make a webbased one using JW ImageRotator, whack it on our webserver, then tell the screens to display that webpage at whatever time via MagicInfo.

 

I've got the thing working now, I've installed the server software etc too. I have a small slide show going and will start making up other ones when I get the time.........I'm currently looking for where I can set it so the screen powers off and powers on at allotted times........[ save the use of my finger in the morning ]

[Marci]

Load up MagicInfoPro server... File > Remote Management > Expand MDC > TIME... set ON Timer and OFF Timer.

[DarrenC]

I will point one ofthe main Samsung distributors onto this thread and see what their response is.

[philwaterhouse]

If anyone would like on th ephone support then please let me know. I have a technical manager that purely looks after Samsung MagicInfo Pro. We are the main distributors and I can assure everyone that the main reason that screens do not work is 99.99% network issues and not screens.

 

I know this is probably not what you want to hear and probably you are now thinking 'He would say that' but i can assure you my guy will have your screens up and running. He is office based but will talk you through the issues. The more we help the more we have happy schools with screens working and then in turn the more we sell.

 

I personally have just set up a 40 x screen video wall and it took nearly 16 man hours to do. 1 screen would not work as the Sub net was not on the same as the other 39 so I can understand your frustration.

 

Send me a private message and I will ask my guy to speak to you.

 

I will just finish by saying that all of my resellers are actively encouraged to go on a training course so that any issues can be resolved. They are also ALL aware I have a technical guy who is there for your help and there help.

 

MagicInfo is installed in 1000's of locations and yes there are some technical issues but all get resolved.

 

Hope this helps.

[Marci]

Did they ever resolve the issue of the server software running pitifully slowly when working with large schedules to the point that it becomes a massively inefficient process? We're considering moving over to using Xibo as the time it take to change a handful of screens within a 6 month schedule across 3 screens with MagicInfo was ridiculous and wiped out an unrealistic amount of time.

[mb2k01]

@Philwaterhouse I am sure you meant well with that message, but I have to say I found it a bit patronising. I can assure you that any issues I personally have had are not to do with network configuration, they were to do with speed, quality and inflexibility with in the product versions I had available to me at that time

....I say "at the time", as it has been a good two years since I used the software/was forced to look for alternatives. I would assume/hope that Samsung have developed the product in that time and ironed out a few of the issues mentioned above.

[Marci]

@Mattx - found a more flexible solution to shutting the panels off...

 

Create a new screen, expand it's tree and select the "Screen" branch. In the item list below the preview window, set "Type" to "Source List". Further down, set "Source List" to "Panel Off".

 

Save the screen, then drop it into your schedule whenever you want the panel switching off. It'll automatically switch back on when a regular screen is scheduled to be broadcast.