Play Elements of []

Play elements of [] controls how content items within your channels are ordered and played back on your displays. This feature gives you precise control over whether items play sequentially (all pages of one item before moving to the next) or in a balanced rotation (cycling through all items equally).

What You Can Do with Play Elements of []

With Item Play elements of [], you can:

• Control the playback order of multi-page content items
• Create balanced content rotation for better variety
• Maintain narrative flow for sequential content
• Optimize viewer engagement based on content type
• Ensure equal exposure for all channel items

How It Works

Play elements of [] determines the sequence in which pages or elements from different content items are displayed:

One item (Default): Plays one page from each item in rotation, creating a round-robin effect that ensures variety by cycling through all items before repeating any content.

All items: Plays all pages of one item completely before moving to the next item, maintaining content continuity for multi-page presentations.

Available Channel Types

Item Play elements of [] is available for these channel types:

• Content channels - Controls page playback for multiple contents
  • In the Specific Content type this option will only become available once you have selected multiple contents.
• Content Dynamic channels - Controls dynamic content item rotation
• Message Group (Sub-Channel) channels - Controls sub-channel item playback

note

This feature is not available for Media-only channels, DSP channels, or Asset channels.

Configuring Play Elements of []

Accessing the Settings

1. Navigate to the Channels menu
2. Select an existing channel or create a new Content, Content Dynamic, or Message Group channel
3. In the channel editor, click the How to Play button (press the cog icon)
4. Look for the Items Settings section in the modal

Setting the Play Elements

In the How to Play modal, you'll see the play elements options:

For Content Channels:

• One page
• All pages

For Sub-Channel Channels:

• One sub-channel item
• All sub-channels

The selected mode will be highlighted with a blue background, while the unselected option appears with a white background and thin border.

Playback Examples

One Item Mode Example

Imagine you have a channel with 3 content items, each containing 3 pages:

Playback Order:

1. Content A - Page 1
2. Content B - Page 1
3. Content C - Page 1
4. Content A - Page 2
5. Content B - Page 2
6. Content C - Page 2
7. Content A - Page 3
8. Content B - Page 3
9. Content C - Page 3
10. (cycle repeats)

This creates variety and ensures viewers see content from all items quickly.

All Items Mode Example

Using the same 3 content items with 3 pages each:

Playback Order:

1. Content A - Page 1
2. Content A - Page 2
3. Content A - Page 3
4. Content B - Page 1
5. Content B - Page 2
6. Content B - Page 3
7. Content C - Page 1
8. Content C - Page 2
9. Content C - Page 3
10. (cycle repeats)

This maintains the complete narrative or message for each content piece.

Choosing the Right Mode

Use One Item Mode When:

Digital Menu Boards

• Restaurant displaying multiple menu categories
• Customers see variety of offerings quickly
• Equal exposure for all menu sections

Retail Promotions

• Multiple product advertisements
• Ensures fair promotion time for all products
• Keeps displays dynamic and engaging

General Announcements

• Mix of different company updates
• Prevents any single message from dominating
• Maintains audience attention through variety

Use All Items Mode When:

Corporate Communications

• Multi-slide presentations or detailed announcements
• Complete messages need to be displayed in order
• Logical flow is more important than variety

Educational Content

• Tutorial or instructional materials
• Step-by-step processes that build on each other
• Sequential learning experiences

Storytelling Content

• Brand narratives or case studies
• Content where order matters for comprehension
• Multi-part messages that form a complete story

note

Your Play elements of [] setting applies within each channel. If you have multiple channels with different playback modes, each channel follows its own setting when its turn comes in the overall channel rotation.

Best Practices

Content Planning

• Consider how your content relates to each other when choosing Play elements of []
• Group related content appropriately for All items mode
• Design individual content pieces to work well in One item mode rotation

Audience Considerations

• Match Play elements of [] to typical viewing patterns
• Consider how long viewers typically watch your displays
• Balance variety (One item mode) with message completion (All items mode)

Performance Optimization

• One item mode may cause more frequent content switches
• All items mode can be better for bandwidth-limited scenarios
• Test both modes to see which works better for your specific content and network

Important Notes

Channels Restart from Beginning

Changes to Play elements of [] require channels to restart from the beginning to take effect. Your devices will automatically update when the channel is saved and republished.

Default Behavior

• All eligible channels default to One item mode if not specified
• The setting cannot be left undefined or null
• Only the two modes (One item and All items) are available

Limitations

• Cannot be changed during active playback
• Setting applies to the entire channel, not individual items
• No custom sequencing options beyond the two modes

Getting Help

If you need assistance with Play elements of []:

1. Verify your channel type supports this feature
2. Check that all required settings are configured correctly
3. Test with simple content to isolate any issues
4. Contact support at support@wallboard.us with:
   • Channel configuration details
   • Content item information
   • Device playback logs
   • Screenshots of your Play elements of [] settings

Related Articles

• Introduction to Channel Management
• Channel saturation
• In playback slot
• Channel order
• Skip default page