Viewing Panel via Smart TV

[Shazlan]

Hi Guys,

I'm about to start a SCADA-like project where I need to publish some of the results to a few Smart TVs connected to our cRIO via LAN. The current choice now is the ones made by Samsung. I did some research on how to show the results on the Smart TV and believe there are only two possible methods in doing this, which are either using the remote panel, or WebUI. After getting more detail requirements, I think I cannot use WebUI since the GUI provided for WebUI is a bit primitive - there are certain types of customized graph/chart that cannot be done in WebUI. Now, I am left only with remote panel. I've heard 'mix responses' on using remote panel for web-based access via PC and was told to expect a lot more issues and headache when trying to do this on a Smart TV.

Has anybody work or done something similar? or perhaps, can this be done in the first place?

Please advice. Thanks.

Shazlan

[ShaunR]

Hi Guys,

I'm about to start a SCADA-like project where I need to publish some of the results to a few Smart TVs connected to our cRIO via LAN. The current choice now is the ones made by Samsung. I did some research on how to show the results on the Smart TV and believe there are only two possible methods in doing this, which are either using the remote panel, or WebUI. After getting more detail requirements, I think I cannot use WebUI since the GUI provided for WebUI is a bit primitive - there are certain types of customized graph/chart that cannot be done in WebUI. Now, I am left only with remote panel. I've heard 'mix responses' on using remote panel for web-based access via PC and was told to expect a lot more issues and headache when trying to do this on a Smart TV.

Has anybody work or done something similar? or perhaps, can this be done in the first place?

Please advice. Thanks.

Shazlan

Websockets?

[GregR]

WebUI builder requires Silverlight. Remote panels require a browser plugin and a locally installed LV RTE. Neither of these technologies are available on Samsung smart TVs. Regardless of whether these meet your functionality requirements, that means neither is an option.

These TVs are an HTML/JavaScript platform with limited Flash support, so those are the tools you have to choose from. Websockets are definitely an option, as is building your VIs into RESTful web services using LV. If you are finding the WebUI builder graphs to be primitive, you may run into similar issues with the html UI solutions available. You can most likely achieve the displays you want, but it may take more programming than you expect.

[ShaunR]

Websockets are definitely an option, as is building your VIs into RESTful web services using LV.

Websockets are only an option if the Samsung Browser supports them (or you can put a browser on there that does).

[JamesMc86]

I have been having a play with mixing web services with JavaScript. If you don't mind getting your hands dirty with some JavaScript and maybe some HTML. Check out:

Getting started with google charts and JavaScript: https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-23174

AmCharts (an offline alternative to google charts): https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-24017

It is very compatible across devices but you do have to get into JavaScript a little although I had no prior experience before this.

Of course it is very hard to comment on compatibility for quite a niche platform. It claims a fully featured browser but it may be worth heading over to the Samsung dev forums to confirm websocket and/or RESTful web service support.

[ShaunR]

Apparently the Samsung 2012 models use a Maple browser which is Webkit based (Webkit supports websockets). There is a very brief comment of surprise on Google Groups that websockets are working so it could well be an option.

[Shazlan]

Hi Guys,

Thank you for the feedbacks. I was told just earlier today that remote panel apparently can run in Android OS, provided that there's no control needed - only monitoring of data. I was given this link:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/09B82EFACFF958A586256BC800779CB4

and it says that to run remote panel for monitoring only, I don't need to install LabVIEW RTE. I haven't got the chance to test this yet but will surely try this next week on one of Samsung's smartphone/tablet products. What do you guys think?

I think I've heard about Websocket a while back but haven't got the chance to play around with it at all since then. I'll definitely try to play around with this next week as well, as I need to come up with a mock-up front panel + some proof-of-concept - huhuhu, fun days ahead By the way, websocket is a third-party toolkit that I need to buy, am I right? Is websocket the same as labsocket?

Again, thanks for the input!

[ShaunR]

By the way, websocket is a third-party toolkit that I need to buy, am I right? Is websocket the same as labsocket?

Websockets are the technology and yes, both the Labsocket and the Websocket API For LabVIEW are 3rd party tools (although not the same - labsocket requires a STOMP server, I believe. Whereas the API is direct TCPIP so no server required).

If you're interested, then I can PM you a link to the Websocket API live demo. You can then see if you can use it from a Sumsung Smart TV (because I would like to know too ).

Edited September 20, 2012 by ShaunR

[Shazlan]

Hi Shaun,

I am definitely interested. Actually I'm trying to arrange to test this with one of the my client's distributor for Samsung SmartTV but have to wait until we are ready. If you have something ready, I could request for the test date to be earlier. So, do PM me

Thank a lot!

[ShaunR]

Hi Shaun,

I am definitely interested. Actually I'm trying to arrange to test this with one of the my client's distributor for Samsung SmartTV but have to wait until we are ready. If you have something ready, I could request for the test date to be earlier. So, do PM me

Thank a lot!

OK. Sent. Have fun and let me know how you get on.

[Shazlan]

Hi Shaun,

Superb and thanks. We've done several tests and the results are...

1. Sony Bravia SmartTV - Websocket not supported

2. Samsung SmartTV - Websocket supported!!

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab - Websocket not supported

4. iphone - Websocket supported

We've also tested running the LV remote on some of the above platforms (but it is just for monitoring and thus, no LV RTE installation is requred):

1. Samsung Galaxy Tab & SII Smart Phone (Android) - Can load and view the FP

2. iPhone - Fail

So, I think these two results works for us

Shazlan

[ShaunR]

1. Sony Bravia SmartTV - Websocket not supported

2. Samsung SmartTV - Websocket supported!!

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab - Websocket not supported

4. iphone - Websocket supported

Sweet!

Any Android smartphone/Tablet (Like your Galaxy Tab)you can use Firefox, Safari, Azura, Opera Mini, Opera Mobile etc They all work with Websockets (as long as it is over a network rather than 3G). There is limited support in the Ice Cream 4.0 native browser but before that (Gingerbread etc) .... nope. iPhone/iPad uses Safari so that's not a problem. I'd be interested to find out more about the Bravia (what OS/browser etc). Sometimes websockets are supported but need enabling as they are off by default (like Opera). I think the issue with TVs will be purely down to being able to install apps if the native browser doesn't support them.

So it looks like it's only the Sony Bravia that is the odd-one-out. I wonder also about the LG since most smart TV's have gone for either Linux or Android.

So it looks like it's only the Sony Bravia that is the odd-one-out.

Well. A bit more digging and it looks like the Bravia Smart TVs may be using Opera

BRAVIA TV, Opera

So it looks like that may be a go if you can enable it!

N:B: I was mistaken earlier. Opera Mini doesn't support them but Opera Mobile does).

[asbo]

Any Android smartphone/Tablet (Like your Galaxy Tab)you can use Firefox, Safari, Azura, Opera Mini, Opera Mobile etc

You forgot the best of all, Chrome!

[ShaunR]

You forgot the best of all, Chrome!

Indeed. In fact, there are very few browsers now that do not support them.

I've gone off Chrome at the moment though. Nothing to do with the features or the browser itself (which is arguably the best). More to do with it being so nosy and by default trying to track everything you do and put all your private info on their servers (as I found with my contacts list one day). Still. Not as bad as the iPhone.

[asbo]

Indeed. In fact, there are very few browsers now that do not support them.

I've gone off Chrome at the moment though. Nothing to do with the features or the browser itself (which is arguably the best). More to do with it being so nosy and by default trying to track everything you do and put all your private info on their servers (as I found with my contacts list one day). Still. Not as bad as the iPhone.

I like to think they are thoughtfully making a backup of my life so that when I die, they can just reincarnate me from my search history.

All I can say is, thank God for incognito mode.

[hooovahh]

I like to think they are thoughtfully making a backup of my life so that when I die, they can just reincarnate me from my search history.

Reincarnate me after I die using recorded information about my self? Sounds like a good mini series...or at least a show worthy of a season, then get canceled after teasing a season 2 premiere at the end of season 1.