Editing a Message
The message editor is where you set up an individual message — duration, category, name, and the answers that fill in the template's variables. It's a two-pane view: the form on the left, a live preview on the right.
Open a message by clicking it in the sidebar list, or create a new one with + New on the Messages page.
The form pane
The left side of the editor has fields that depend on the template, but every message has these basics:
- Name — How the message appears in your library and playlists.
- Category — A folder name for organizing messages. Type a new category name to create one on the fly.
- Duration (seconds) — How long the message displays. Default comes from the template.
Below the basics are template-specific fields — image upload, video upload, weather zip code, calendar URL, etc. Each field corresponds to a {variable} in the template.
The preview pane
The right side renders a live preview using the same engine your TVs use. Updates apply as you save, so save often to verify what you're building.
For image-based templates, clicking the image thumbnail launches the image editor with a built-in cropper. The aspect ratio is locked to whatever the template requires (16:9, 9:16, 4:1, etc.).
Uploading videos
For video templates, the editor shows a Video Status banner while the upload and conversion run:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Submitted | Upload received, waiting in the queue. Safe to leave the page. |
| Progressing | Conversion in progress (typically 3 minutes per minute of video). Safe to leave. |
| Complete | Ready to play. The banner disappears. |
| Canceled / Error | Something went wrong — usually a codec issue. See Uploading Videos for the HandBrake fix. |
The page polls for status every 5 seconds while a video is processing. You can leave and come back later — the status sticks.
Saving and previewing
Click Save to commit your changes. The preview reloads with the new values, and your message becomes available in any playlist that uses the same screen shape.
Creating a message just adds it to your library. To put it on a screen, add it to a playlist.