The NoviSign player supports integration with third-party APIs, allowing you to fetch JSON data and display it dynamically on your screens. This enables real-time content such as status boards, dashboards, order data, KPIs, and more.
API integrations can be configured:
Directly on the player
From Studio using Screen Content configurations
The expression syntax can currently be used with:
Text
Label
Webpage
Web Video
Web Image
Additional widget types may be supported in future releases.
Once the API connection is set up on the player or through Screen Content, the next step is to display that data on screen. This is done in Studio by adding variable expressions directly inside widget fields (such as Text, Label, Webpage, Web Image, and Web Video).
These expressions act as placeholders that are automatically replaced with real values from the API during playback. The player reads the JSON response returned by your endpoint, parses it, and inserts the requested value into the widget in real time.
To reference API data, a dedicated syntax format is used. This structure tells the system which API configuration to use and which JSON path to follow inside the response.
${@customapi.PROPERTY_KEY.JSON_PATH}
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
@customapi |
Required prefix for API references |
PROPERTY_KEY |
The identifier you set in the API settings |
JSON_PATH |
The internal path inside the JSON structure you want to extract |
{
“InProcess”: {
“0”: {
“orderApprovedTime”: “2023-01-01T00:00:00”,
“orderIDShort”: “1031”,
“orderID”: “83301031”
},
“1”: {
“orderApprovedTime”: “2023-01-01T00:00:00”,
“orderIDShort”: “1119”,
“orderID”: “83301119”
}
}
}
If the Property Key is:
Then this expression:
${@customapi.myrestaurant.InProcess.0.orderIDShort}
These settings are optional and extend functionality beyond basic API usage. Use them only if your integration requires event triggers, live changes on screen, or multiple values from one data source.
Triggers a player event automatically if a value in the JSON response changes.
This can switch content, refresh a page, or trigger an action.
How to use it
Enter an event name in the field (example: RFID:1)
When any JSON value updates → the player will issue the event
Useful for:
Real-time status boards
Line/queue updates
Automated content changes
If the API returns a list or repeated structure, access values by index.
Example JSON
“SHELF”: {
“Item0”: { “Name”: “Item A”, “Price”: “5.99” },
“Item1”: { “Name”: “Item B”, “Price”: “8.49” }
}
Expressions
${@customapi.SHELF.Item0.Name}
${@customapi.SHELF.Item1.Price}
You can combine API results with event-driven playlists (such as RFID or Dynamic Events):
| Scenario | Result |
|---|---|
| API value changes | Trigger event & switch creative |
| New product data detected | Show different screen segment |
| RFID + API combined | Smart product display logic |
To send the API configuration to the player without configuring each device manually, you can use the
Studio → Configurations tab.
Go to:
Screen Content → Settings → Configurations → New Configuration → External Interfaces → Custom API Integration
Enter the same API details (Name / API URL / Headers / Property Key)
Test to confirm JSON data is returned
Save the configuration
In Screen Content, locate the target screen
Click the three dots (⋮) beside it
Select Set configuration
Choose your Custom API Integration
Once assigned, the player will import the configuration automatically when that screen is selected.
On the player device, navigate to:
Settings → Advanced → External Interfaces → Custom API Integration
Fill in the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Give the integration a recognizable name |
| API URL | Endpoint from which the JSON data will be retrieved |
| Refresh | How often the API should request data (in seconds) |
| Request Type | GET or POST (default: GET) |
| Request Body & Headers | Only needed if the API requires tokens, authorization keys, or specific parameters |
| Property Key | A unique keyword that will later be used in Studio to inject data into creatives |
NOTE: The Property Key is important — you will reference it when building expressions inside Studio.
Click Test to validate the API.
If successful, the JSON dataset will appear in a preview window.
Click Save to store the configuration.
