Trends

Trends is a visual information aggregator and distribution application that provides the tools to integrate various data sources and enterprise BI applications, giving visibility to the right teams across the organization. Trends help businesses empower their employees to be more data-driven by providing accessible metrics and analytics, enhancing decision-making.

Key Features
  • Authenticated Web Dashboard: Configure and authenticate any dashboard that your organization wants to show on large format displays or video walls.

  • Integrations: Integration with Power BI- the top business intelligence analytics tool as well as Tableau and Epic systems.

  • Multi Window Dashboard Viewer: Aggregate multiple dashboards from different sources into a single window relevant to the team’s viewers.

  • Role-Based Access: Enable and control the flow of information to the right teams using role-based access content controls.

  • Playlists: Create business intelligence playlists to rotate between different analytics tools and metrics dashboards.

  • Scheduling: Automate views or playlists to display at specific times of the day or week.

  • Platform Sources: Users can securely intermix other real-time sources configured on their Infinity Platform.

  • Unlimited Users: No limit to the number of people who can log in and provide dashboard content.

The cards below depict the high-level steps in using Trends.

Create Sources Use available Source Types in Userful or integrate with Dashboard tools.

Create Mapping Groups Map Sources with Destinations.

Stream content Play Sources, Playlists, and create Schedules.

Create a Source

To create a Source in Trends, you can use the Source Type options available in Userful or integrate with tools like Tableau, Power BI, and Epic.

The available Source Types in Trends include: Program Runner, Remote Desktop, VNC Viewer and Web Browser. To create a Source that belongs to one of these Source Types:

  1. In your Userful account, navigate to Trends.

  2. In the bottom tray, click the Sources icon (cube-shaped icon).

  3. Click Create Source at the right side.

  4. Add a name and description for your Source.

  5. Select one of these Source Types: Program Runner, Remote Desktop, VNC Viewer or Web Browser.

  6. Select a thumbnail image.

  7. Based on the Source Type you selected above, enter the following details:

Program Runner:

a. Enter the Command.

b. Select the Display type and Session Persistence option.

c. Enter the Framerate.

Remote Desktop:

a. Enter the Server URL and Port.

b. Enter your Username and Password.

c. Enter the XFreeRDP options.

d. Enter the Framerate.

VNC Viewer:

a. Enter the IP address and the Port of the VNC Server.

b. Enter your VNC Password.

c. Enable or disable Full Screen and View Only options as required.

d. Enter Framerate.

Web Browser:

a. Select the Browser name.

b. Enter the URL of the page you want to display.

c. Enter Refresh interval and Framerate.

d. Enable or disable the Show mouse pointer option as required.

e. Select the Session Persistence option you want.

  1. To add more settings, go to the next step. Else, click Save.

  2. Click the Advanced tab.

  3. Enter the Resolution. This is the Resolution at which the Source content should be displayed on the Destination screen.

  4. Select the Scaling option for the Destination screen.

  5. Enable or disable Source sharing as required. Enabling this option reduces CPU and GPU usage.

  6. To add Permissions, go to the next step. Else click Save.

  7. To restrict access to the Source, click the Permissions tab.

  8. Select the apps you want to share the Source with.

  9. Select the user groups you want to share the Source with. By default, any new Source can be accessed by all users.

  10. Click Save. The Source appears in the bottom tray.

Create a Mapping Group

  1. In Trends, click Mapping Groups in the left pane.

  2. Click Create Mapping Group at the top right corner.

  3. Add a name and description for your Mapping Group.

  4. Enter the Latency of the Destination Screen. A higher latency value helps mitigate audio and video playback issues by preventing frame skips and audio popping/crackling in sub-optimal network environments.

  5. Enter the Resolution of the Destination Screen.

  6. Select the Behavior.

  7. Enter the Frame rate limit. Note: For Sources that use RTSP streaming, like a Web Browser or a YouTube Source, set a Frame rate Limit equal to or above 3. RTSP Streams can handle only frame rates equal to or above 3.

  8. Select GPU: The application automatically detects the GPU, but you can select from available options if required.

  9. Optional: Click the Permissions tab and enable permissions for selected user groups.

  10. Click Save. The Mapping Group appears in the main tab.

  11. Add a Source:

    a. Click the Sources icon (cube-shaped icon) in the bottom tray.

    b. Drag and drop a Source from the bottom tray.

  1. Add Destinations:

    a. Click the Destinations icon (screen-shaped icon) in the bottom tray.

    b. Drag and drop one or more Destinations from the bottom tray. The Destinations will start streaming the Source content.

Tip: To view Destination IDs, click on the three-dot menu on any Destination card and click Show ID.

Note: Destinations is set up by the IT team. To learn more, refer to Sources and Destinations.

If you notice choppy content on asymmetrical video walls with 1x2, 1x3, 2x1, or similar configurations, changing the latency of the Mapping Groups to 500 can improve the displays.

Multi-window Mapping Group

With the Multi-window option, you can add multiple Sources in a Mapping Group separated by grids.

  1. In Trends, click Multi-window in the left panel.

  2. Click Create Multi-window.

  3. Add a name and description for your Mapping Group.

  4. Enter the Latency of the Destination screen. A higher latency value helps mitigate audio and video playback issues by preventing frame skips and audio popping/crackling in sub-optimal network environments.

  5. Enter the Resolution for the Destination.

  6. Select Behavior.

  7. Set Frame rate limit. Note: For Sources that use RTSP streaming, like a Web Browser or a YouTube Source, set a Frame rate Limit equal to or above 3. RTSP Streams can handle only frame rates equal to or above 3.

  8. Select GPU: The application automatically detects the GPU, but you can select from available options if required.

  9. Optional: Click the Permissions tab and enable permissions for selected user groups.

  10. Click Save changes.

  11. The Multi-window Mapping Group appears in the main tab.

  12. Under Grid Properties on the right side, enter the number of Rows and Columns based on the number of Sources you want to add.

  13. Drag and drop Sources to each box from the bottom tray.

  14. Navigate to Mapping Groups in the left panel. You will see the newly created Multi-window Mapping group displayed here.

  15. Click the Destinations icon (screen-shaped icon) in the bottom tray.

  16. Drag and drop Destinations next to the Multi-window Mapping Group. The Destinations will stream the multiple Sources added in the grid.

Tip: To view Destination IDs, click on the three-dot menu on any Destination card and click Show ID.

HLS Streaming

Stream the Source content added in Mapping Groups in HLS format, which you can view from the Remote application of Userful Infinity Platform.

  1. In Trends, click Mapping Groups in the left panel.

  2. Click the three-dot menu on the Mapping Group you want to stream.

  1. Click HLS Stream. A panel named Stream to Remote Channels appears.

  2. Enable the HLS Stream option.

  3. From the list of Remote channels displayed, select the channels to which you want to stream the Source.

  4. Click Save.

Interactive Viewer

In Trends, the Interactive Viewer lets you interact directly with a Source in a new window.

  1. In Trends, click Mapping Groups in the left panel.

  2. Click the three-dot menu on any Mapping Group.

  1. Click Interactive Viewer. The Interactive Viewer opens in a new window. This option is also available for Multi-window Mapping Groups.

Create a Playlist

  1. In Trends, click Playlists in the left panel.

  2. Click Add Playlist.

  3. Add a name and a description for your Playlist.

  4. Optional: Click the Permissions tab to restrict access to selected apps and user groups.

  5. Click Save changes. The Playlist appears.

  6. Click Add item at the top right corner. A row appears.

  7. Select a Source from the drop-down list.

  8. Set the Duration.

  9. To add another Source, click Add item again and repeat the steps.

  10. Click Save Changes. The Playlist appears as one of the Sources in the bottom tray in The Mapping Groups section.

Create a Schedule

Schedule what Sources must be played on your Destination screens at specific times.

  1. In Trends, click Schedules in the left panel. A calendar appears.

  2. Select a time slot on the calendar. A Create Event panel appears.

  3. Add an Event Title.

  4. Select the Source from the drop-down.

  5. Select the Destinations.

  6. Enter Resolution.

  7. Enter the Volume and the Frame rate limit (available from version 12.9).

  8. Select GPU: The application automatically detects the GPU, but you can select from available options if required.

  9. Enter the start and end times and the any recurring schedules if needed.

  10. Click Save Changes.

Last updated

Copyright © 2024 Userful Corporation. All rights reserved.