The options include: Use third party software like Singlewire’s InformaCast to configure volume for devices. In InformaCast, when adding each device to the server, you must select a default volume for that device. Set each InformaCast broadcast’s “Play Volume” level to “As-Is” in order to play back the audio stream at the configured default volume level on each device.
You can set up default volumes for each device by configuring them as such in each device, and then sending all events/alerts at volume 0 (which forces the devices to use the settings that you configured in the device).

You can set up a custom stream in ClockWise Campus and add that custom stream as a permanent stream at a lower (or higher) volume on a device compared to others as desired. In this case, you would then include that custom stream in all your events/alerts and chimes (but do not select that device).

The speaker has a maximum volume setting of 13, but several factors can influence the output volume. Check the following list for possible causes and solutions:
Verify the configuration shows the unit’s speaker volume setting as set to the desired level. Increase as needed. You must reboot the unit for the new default volume setting to become active. Find this and other settings in the device’s web server (accessible via the device’s IP address or through ClockWise Campus).

If commands (paging, background music, etc.) use the unit’s multicast permanent stream(s) for audio playback, the speaker will not use the volume setting. Verify the speaker settings include the correct permanent stream volume. Find this and other settings in the device’s web server (accessible via the device’s IP address or through ClockWise Campus). Increase as needed, and reboot to activate changes.

Commands sent to the unit can include a volume parameter. This volume parameter will override the default speaker volume setting on the unit, even if the unit’s volume setting is greater. Increase the value of the volume parameter as desired, or if using ClockWise Campus, set the volume parameter to zero, which tells the unit to use its default volume setting.

If a permanent stream holds a higher priority (lower number value) than the audio stream you are sending (the default priority level is 50), the device may prevent the audio stream from playing. Lower the priority (increase the number) of the permanent stream to give the desired audio stream proper priority, or stop sending audio on the permanent stream when desired.

Power management limits the maximum volume based on the unit’s available power budget. Using PoE+ (25.5W) will increase the available power, and hence increase the maximum attainable volume. Check the audio file itself. If the file was not normalized properly, or it only contains very low frequencies, it may not sound loud.

The presence of other audio streams on the device can prevent the sound masking noise from generating, depending on the device settings or board generation.Verify the device is not running any active dynamic or permanent streams. In the device’s web server (accessible in a web browser via the device’s IP address or through ClockWise Campus), go to Device Status page, which will list all permanent streams and recent dynamic streams. Verify none of the dynamic streams list as active. For each permanent stream, note the “Total pkts received”. Refresh the page, and verify that packet count. If the number does not increase, the stream remains inactive. For any active audio stream, a Gen 2.0 board will always mute the sound masking noise. For Gen 2.1 boards, the device can selectively mute the sound masking noise. in the Device Settings –> Audio Settings page, check the Mute During Audio setting in the Sound Masking Settings section. If using a configuration file, check the mute_during_audio parameter in the NoiseGen tag.

In the web interface of the Polycom phone, on the Paging/PTT Configuration page, make sure to set the PTT Codec to “G.711Mu”. Also, set the “Compatibility” setting to “Disable” to use the G.711 mu-law codec. Save the settings and reboot the phone.

The unit has not successfully contacted an NTP time server. For example, the unit may run on a subnet that does not have access to the pre-configured NTP server, or it may not have internet access. The device configuration may have turned off the time display, but typically in those cases, the colon would not display. Check your internet connection, as well as your NTP server settings.
Configure the NTP server on the device’s web page server in Device Settings –> General. You can set the NTP server to nearly any NTP server (see some examples below). Note that you should really use the first two listed.

NTP Server Description
Static IP of the PC running ClockWise Campus ClockWise Campus uses a built-in NTP server – the machine running ClockWise Campus must have a static-IP to properly use this feature
0.anetd.pool.ntp.org An ANetD-created server – the preferred server for non-static-IP installations
1.anetd.pool.ntp.org Another ANetD server
131.107.13.100 Microsoft, Seattle, WA (time-nw.nist.gov)
132.163.4.101 NIST, Boulder, CO (time-a.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov)
130.126.24.53 Urbana-Champaign, IL (ntp-0.cso.uiuc.edu)
64.236.96.53 AOL, Dulles, VA (nist1.aol-va.truetime.com)
64.90.182.55 New York City, NY (nist1-ny.witime.net)

The display defaults to full bright (a setting of 100). Configure this parameter in the web server of each device. The web server also includes a built-in scheduler to select different brightness for different times of day. In addition, you can use ClockWise Campus and some third-party software to modify the brightness.
Possible Causes

An incorrect default brightness setting in the device’s Device Settings –> General web page or configuration file. An incorrect scheduler brightness setting in the device’s Device Settings –> Scheduler web page or configuration file.

Your application requires a better chosen color scheme. For example, long distance viewing works best with the brightest colors, orange and yellow. If using AND ClockWise Campus software, check to make sure each time of day shows the correct brightness on the Chimes tab, and also ensure that ClockWise Campus has not triggered an event or alert that modifies the brightness down inappropriately. If using third-party software (such as Singlewire, IPCelerate, Syn-Apps, etc.), ensure that the settings in the respective application has not modified the brightness inappropriately. As part of power management, if using only PoE (as this issue should not occur with PoE+), very loud sounds sent to the device may cause the display to dim during the audio playback.

Solutions

Turn the brightness to the maximum setting in the device’s Device Settings –> General web page or configuration file. Use the brightest colors of orange or yellow (orange as the brighter of the two). Choose these colors for scrolling text and/or the time, or you can even change the default text and/or clock color in the device’s Device Settings –> General web page or configuration file. Use ClockWise Campus to turn up the brightness on the Chimes tab, or use an Alert or Event to modify the brightness. If the unit dims due to loud sounds (power management), power the unit with PoE+ (25.5W) instead of PoE (15.4W) to improve brightness. Consider using AND’s bright-white model, which allows for the maximum range viewing (although they do not have color as an option). On a large clock, the time can be viewed as legible at 200+ feet. Un-clutter the display (since cluttered can make viewing difficult at long distances) by using large fonts and/or removing AM/PM or seconds. This approach can greatly increase the viewing distance.

The display will automatically dim itself when the device does not receive enough power (and then revert back once enough power returns). This intended “feature” results from optimizing the ANetD device to send the loudest possible audio when necessary, as well as to show the display at maximum brightness when possible. The optimized device makes maximum use of the power available.
However, in a situation with all factors at a maximum, the device must make trade-offs, which can occur in the following scenarios.

Possible Causes

Very Bright Display with Maximum Audio: using only PoE (as opposed to PoE+), while setting the display bright and sending very loud audio, can exceed the power available on PoE. Very Bright Display with Flashers / Strobes and Loud Audio: using only PoE (as opposed to PoE+), while setting the display bright and using flashers or strobes, as well as sending loud audio, can exceed the power available on PoE. Basically, the common factor involves using only PoE (instead of PoE+), along with other high power features.

Solutions

Using PoE+ switches or injectors to connect an AND device completely eliminates this issue. So, if you need to set a display to maximum brightness, and you intend to send very loud audio or use other high power features (flashers or strobes), AND recommends using a PoE+ switch or injector (instead of PoE).

If you cannot use a PoE+ switch or injector (you must use PoE), and you wish to minimize dimming of the display, consider the following mitigation techniques: Don’t set the display to maximum brightness. Lower settings will save significant power, and because how power in LEDs works, minor tweaks can result in big power savings. Don’t send audio at the maximum volumes settings. A few notches lower, and the display will not dim. The audio will play quieter, but perhaps acceptable. Don’t set the flashers to maximum brightness. A few settings below maximum will require significantly less power. Use PoE+ switches or injectors whenever possible. All major manufacturers make them, and they experience widespread use.

Either the display resolution is not high enough, or the DPI settings are set too high. The Windows text DPI settings must be at the “Smaller” setting of 100% in order for the ClockWise Campus interface to render correctly. In the Windows Control Panel, choose the Display settings. Set the text DPI to 100%. You may need to log off of your Windows profile to see the changes.

Make sure you have a PoE-enabled switch. Even PoE-enabled switches will often only include a combination of some ports for PoE, and other ports not.

Ensure your device connects to a PoE-enabled port. Ensure the cable connects fully to the port. You will generally hear the ANetD jingle within a few seconds of applying power (i.e. connecting the CAT5 cable, or applying power to your switch or injector). If you do not hear this sound, the device most likely is not getting any power. Check into your cable, and switch/router. On switches that support it, make sure to enable LLDP, which will allow the connected devices to negotiate for PoE or PoE+ power.

Some Cisco switches can benefit by configuring the power management on the port to “2x-mode” to handle the inrush current. Set this mode on each switch interface using the command “power inline port 2x-mode”. Also, try a different known-working PoE port (PoE ports often go bad over time on some vendors’ equipment).

In most cases, this results from a possible bad switch port (an occasional reality), or an overloaded switch (even though a given switch might have 4 PoE ports, not all 4 can provide full power consistently in many brands). Try a different PoE-enabled port or a different switch. Lower port numbers generally work better. Higher port numbers provide less power in some brands, if other PoE devices draw power from the lower ports. Choose a reputable switch, and understand its power delivery capabilities. We designed our units to have available the full PoE or PoE+ power per the respective IEEE standard.
Another possible cause results from a unit configured to register to a particular server, but it cannot connect to that server. Check that the server is running and accessible from the subnet on which the unit resides. Access the unit’s Device Status web page, and verify the unit is successfully registering to the server. If the registration is failing, check the cause reported on the status page, as well as the end of the Device Status –> Non-Volatile Log for details on failure causes.

Another possible reason for the rebooting unit comes from an incorrectly specified firmware filename in the configuration file. An incorrect filename or inaccessible file on the server that hosts the configuration file would cause the unit to lock into a constant reboot cycle. The cycle will continue until it finds a correct filename, until you remove the reference from the configuration file. Check the spelling of the filename, and make sure it resides in the same directory as the configuration file.