How does a player stay up to date and running?

A player with SzeneraOS looks after itself. It installs updates on its own, tests every new version and goes back if it fails, keeps playing without a network, and restarts itself after a crash. You don't need to plan or press anything.

A system with one job#

SzeneraOS is the operating system of our players. After switching on, your content appears, with no desktop, mouse pointer, or sign-in window. Nobody can change anything at the device itself: what runs is decided in the portal, and you can't install other software on it.

The player accepts no connections from the internet. Each player identifies itself with its own certificate, and everything it installs is signed. Whatever fails the check isn't even unpacked.

Updates#

A player receives three kinds of updates, all on its own:

Each player follows a channel, and most follow the stable channel. We can release a new version to a few devices first, before it reaches all others. A connected player usually picks up a new version within minutes. Without a network, it keeps playing and fetches the update later.

The old version stays on the device until the new one has proven itself.

After every update, the player checks the new version. If it doesn't run cleanly, the player goes back to the previous version by itself, and the portal shows rolled back. A new system version is installed next to the running one, so there is always a way back.

Without a network#

Content, media, and apps are stored on the player before they play. When the network drops, the display keeps playing. Only when the stored content has expired and the network has been gone for a minute does a small notice appear: No connection — showing the last known content. When the network returns, the player catches up. The storage for content holds up to 10 GiB, and the oldest files make room first.

When something goes wrong#

The player reports to Szenera every 30 seconds. If the display software crashes, it restarts within seconds. After three crashes within an hour, the whole player restarts. If the player stops responding for 60 seconds, a watchdog in the hardware restarts it.

If the Wi-Fi drops, the player first reconnects, then resets its radio, then its network, and after a long outage restarts itself, at most every six hours. After a power cut, it starts by itself and shows the right content again. Every restart appears in the History of the device.

Web displays and the Fire TV app#

They only have the display software, which they load from Szenera at every start, always in the stable version. A new version arrives within an hour, between two scenes. The app itself updates through its app store, and whoever owns the computer, TV, or stick looks after its system and browser.

What follows#

• You don't plan updates. There is nothing to schedule and no button to press.
• A short network outage needs no action. If a player is offline for hours, check the network on site.
• A replacement player is paired in a minute, because your content and settings are stored in Szenera.
• Security updates for SzeneraOS are free for at least five years from delivery.

Related#

• Maintain a device remotely: restart, log, update
• What happens when the network goes down?
• Platforms: which devices run Szenera