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FireCast OS

If this is more information than you need, check out the tour and screenshots.

What is it?

- Reliable and secure Linux-based environment for digital signage and kiosks
- Runs on standard PC hardware or the FireCast Media Appliance
- Point-and-click setup and configuration
- Linux-based platform is immune to 99.999% of computer viruses and spyware
- No Windows licenses or additional kiosk/signage software required

What kind of content can you show?

- MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 (H.264/AVC), AVI, Quicktime, and Windows Media (WMV)
- HD video formats including 480p, 720p, and 1080i/p
- Flash 10
- JPEG, GIF, and PNG
- Live TV, cable and video feeds
- Website URLs
- Dynamic tickers/crawls using RSS or text feeds
- Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files
- Acrobat PDF files

Can you split or rotate the screen?

- Run content full screen or split the screen into zones (up to 20+)
- Each zone can show any type of content, including multiple videos, Flash files, and tickers at once
- Zones can be layered on top of each other, and added or removed on-the-fly
- Display standard or widescreen layouts
- Rotate the screen for vertical/portrait mounting
- Content can be rotated or resized on-the-fly, with various options for the aspect ratio

How many screens can you connect to each player?

- Use a video splitter or distribution system to connect as many screens as you like
- With our multi-channel version, you can drive up to 4 separate screens from a single player
- Whether you're using the standard or the multi-channel version, each screen can show a multi-zone layout



How do you create the content?

- Use programs like Photoshop, Flash, and Dreamweaver to create content
- Display existing content, websites, web applications, and Java programs
- Use the SmartPages feature to combine content and information on-the-fly
- Use Perl and PHP scripting with the built-in Apache web server

Are there any special features for touchscreen usage?

- Show kiosk applications full-screen
- Hide all the buttons and menus, or display a custom theme with only the buttons you want
- Create attractor loops and choose the amount of time before they appear
- Use virtual keyboards for on-screen data entry
- Show multimedia files on-demand
- Hide the cursor if desired
- Our touchscreen software even works when the screen is rotated

What peripherals does it work with?

- Supports many popular touchscreen models
- Compatible with hundreds of thermal, laser and inkjet printers
- Built-in printer sharing allows any supported printer to be shared among multiple devices
- Integrates with card readers and barcode scanners
- Control display hardware remotely (e.g. turn screens on and off at specific times)
- Change audio volume according to a schedule
- Automatically copy content from CD-ROMs and USB storage keys
- Learn more about the hardware we support

Is it reliable and secure?

- Self-healing architecture for smooth operation
- Tamper-resistant design prevents unauthorized access to the operating system
- Robust protection against viruses and spyware via Linux OS platform and Mozilla-based browser
- No need to leave ports open or assign public IP addresses
- Corporate VPN support



What's the browser like?

- Mozilla/Firefox-based browser with Gecko rendering engine
- Entire look-and-feel can be customized using HTML
- Place ads or branding within the browser interface
- Tabbed window design for smooth handling or blocking of pop-up web pages
- Limit the number of browser windows that can appear on the screen
- Restrict users to pre-approved sites (whitelist/blacklist URL restrictions)
- HTML 4.0, XML and CSS1 compliant; supports JavaScript, Java, and CGI

What type of networks will it work with?

- Works with Ethernet, DSL, Cable, or dial-up modems
- Supports WiFi wireless networking (802.11b, 802.11g, etc.) and Ethernet-based cellular modems
- Use static or dynamic IP addresses

How do you change settings?

- Password-protected, graphical control panel provides access to operating system settings
- Configure peripherals, manage files, and perform other local tasks

Can you manage it over the Internet?

- Use FireCast ClientCenter to manage FireCast devices from any web browser
- Create playlists, change settings, etc.
- Generate detailed reports and monitor device status

Can it be upgraded remotely?

- Software upgrades can be installed remotely
- Modular architecture lets you install and update custom applications, databases, and other files


Note: Some FireCast OS features may also require use of FireCast ClientCenter.