BrightSign

BrightSign BrightAuthor is PC based digital signage software that is used to create, edit and manage the content for BrightSigns digital signage media players. With BrightSign’s BrightAuthor you have 4 options to send content to the BrightSign media players:

  • SD Card: the process of manually updating content using a SD card
  • Simple File Networking: setting up a web server that talks to BrightAuthors content folder
  • Local Area Networking: sending content using your LAN network
  • BrightSign BSN.Cloud: fee-based cloud service for content delivery (this used to be called BrightSign Network)

Those are quite the options, aren’t they? Not sure about you but I don’t have the time to setup web servers or LAN networks to send content to the digital signage players. I also would I want not want to physically walk up to the players to update my content using an SD Card.

BrightAuthor Capabilities

BrightSign’s BrightAuthor allows users to create content using single or multiple zones or a Mosiac.  Once the zones are set you can insert you media files and or live feeds such as Live Data, Live Media, MRSS, HTML5, Twitter, Flickr feeds. Once you have the zones created the ability to truly customize the components within each zone is limited and almost non-existent. Once you have your content created you can then create playlists of content and schedule playtimes of the content.

Templates

Very basic templates are available by purchasing BrightPlates for $49. The customization options allow for images and text to be changed. The rearrangement, free-form editing, and design functions are limited and do not allow for the addition of widgets or apps.

Conclusion

BrightSign BrightAuthor is an entry-level free software for digital signage content creation and management. The interface does not allow for free form design, is limited on widgets and the templates option consists of very basic layouts.