I documented my time in Shanghai 2017 working on project Yuntu. This Jeep Concept vehicle had 11 displays that needed to be powered and synced at the flip of a switch. I spent two weeks in Shanghai building the server and setting up the displays. There I met my Magneti supplier counterpart Sebastien from France, where we were faced with lots of obsticles including broken displays (bonding seal leaked fluids), incompatible screens (Brightsigns wouldn’t read screen EDID), late build timing, and more.
NodeJS and Socket.IO once again saved the day when a few of the displays that arrived from France weren’t compatible with the Brightsign units I had planned on using to deliver video content. Intel NUCs were used to create quick Linux Ubuntu boxes that networked well with the current Brightsign setup. The NUCs always come through in the end! Power was an issue as well. I needed to power 12+ displays within the vehicle. I used a power over ethernet switch to help network all the digital signage boxes and computers within the vehicle. While working with Sebastian on integrating displays into the dash and seat backs, we managed to explain out needs and plans to the team of builders through simple wiring diagrams and hand gestures.
The vehicle had not been completely built by the time I left, so I had to leave the entire setup on a desk for my coworker to eventually help Sebastien install. My coworker arrived and helped finish the install of the displays. Everything turned out great and on time. Sometimes I can’t believe the amount of progress people can make in a matter of hours!
