This guide walks you through connecting a Nexmosphere controller to a BrightSign OnSign Player and configuring the serial port and interactivity rules.
Requirements
- OnSign Player installed on a BrightSign device
- Nexmosphere XN controller (e.g., XN-185 or XN-135)
- USB-A to Micro-USB cable
Connecting the Controller
- Connect the Micro-USB port of the Nexmosphere controller to a USB-A port of the BrightSign Player using a USB-A to Micro-USB cable.
- Make sure the controller is connected before powering up the BrightSign Player. The XN controller draws power from the BrightSign USB port, so the connection order matters.
Note: When connecting multiple Elements that require high current (such as LEDs or push buttons with LED rings), calculate the total required current and verify it is within the controller and power supply specifications.
Setup the Player Serial Port
- Open the Player Manager and select the player to configure.
- Click Settings.
- Scroll down to Serial Port Settings (RS-232).
- Click + Add Port.
- Set Port type to Nexmosphere.
- Select the Port from the dropdown and choose the USB option.
- Enter an Alias — the port name used to reference it in Apps and other OnSign settings. The default value is Nexmosphere.
- Click Save.
Configure Interactions
Once the serial port is configured, OnSign parses all incoming serial data through the Local API. You can create interactivity rules to trigger content based on sensor events.
For example, when using RFID tags with an XN-185 controller, the controller sends event strings such as XR[PU001] when an object is lifted and XR[PB001] when it is placed back.
Your device's event strings are listed in its user manual. Use the appropriate event string when configuring triggers in OnSign.
To configure an interactivity rule:
- Go to Campaign Interactivity or Player Interactivity.
- Click + Add Trigger and give it a name.
- Set When to Local API.
- In the Content field, enter the string pattern that should trigger the interaction.
Important: The pattern is matched as a regular expression. Special characters must be escaped with a backslash (\). Characters that require escaping include: [ ] ( ) { } * + ? | ^ $ . \
Troubleshooting
- Controller not detected after BrightSign boots: The controller was connected after the BrightSign Player was already powered. Power down the player, connect the controller, then power it back up.
- Port not listed in the OnSign serial port dropdown: Check that a USB-A to Micro-USB cable is being used. USB-A to USB-A cables will not work with XN controllers.
- The device is not detected: Disconnect the cables, reconnect the device by repeating the setup process, and refresh the page before trying again.
- Interactivity not triggering: Check that special characters in the pattern are properly escaped. Brackets and backslashes in particular require escaping in regex.
-
Interactivity not triggering — Two common causes: (1) the alias configured in your Player Settings must match exactly what is set in the App — check for typos or extra spaces; (2) the pattern in the Which one field uses regular expressions, so special characters must be escaped with a backslash (
\). Characters that require escaping include:[ ] ( ) { } * + ? | ^ $ . \