Working with Power On/Off Timers for Device Groups

Description of the Situation

The timer configuration for device groups has been enhanced to support automated operation. The SmartPlayer platform now supports power on/off timers at the group level and allows adjusting the timers for device groups using a special JSON file sent from the server. As a result, both the group and individual devices within the group (with their own timers) can receive this timer configuration file.

To learn how power on/off timers work for individual devices, see here. We recommend reviewing this page before working with the feature.

How It Works

To test and use the timer feature, you need to obtain an API key. For more on creating API keys in the SmartPlayer dashboard, see here.

To configure timers for a device group, the user must register/log into the SmartPlayer platform.
Then, go to the "Devices" section and create (or find) a group with the required devices.

Example of a device group displayed in the "Devices" section

Select the group by clicking on it and navigate to the right-hand panel. In this panel, select the "Group Settings" section.

Example of the "Group Settings" section

A new page with a list of setting categories will open. In this case, the relevant category is "Automation Management". Click this category.

Example of the "Automation Management" category

On the page, a configuration block for timers under "Automation Management" will appear. The following parameters are available:

• repeat — allows selecting the repeat mode: never, once, daily, weekly;
• date — allows setting the repeat date (only appears if the repeat option is not "Never");
• time — allows setting the repeat time (only appears if the repeat option is not "Never");
• volume level at startup — slider to set volume level (note: may not apply immediately after reboot);
• sleep mode checkbox — enables/disables the device's manufacturer-supported sleep mode.

Example of the "Automation Management" parameters

Auto Timer Configuration via JSON File

This feature works by sending a JSON file. When the SmartPlayer server requests data, a JSON file with timer settings is sent for waking up the devices. This file is sent from the client server once per day to devices linked to the account via a URL request. The received timer info will be processed and automatically applied to the group’s devices. You can view the applied timers in the "Automation Management" block under "Group Settings".

The JSON file must contain the following fields for timers to update automatically:

• date — date;
• apt — folder name;
• city — name of the city where the device is located;
• wt_beg — timer to activate sleep mode;
• wt_end — timer to wake the device from sleep mode.

Example of JSON file parameters

You can download a template of the JSON file here.

Additional Information

If this article does not help you use the functionality as intended or if you still have questions after reading it, you can ask them in the "Discussion" section at the top of the page.

Example of the "Discussion" tab on the wiki page

You can also learn more on the page How users can interact with the "Discussions" section