Everything the person running the service needs: the keypad, the phone, and what to do when a panel goes dark.
The book on the left half, the number on the right — each in that book's colour.
Three checks, about a minute, worth doing every week.
Power the panels, then the controller.
Give it about five seconds. The panels find the controller on their own — there is nothing to pair.
Send a test number.
Type 1 2 3 then #. If 123 appears on the wall, everything between the keypad and the panels is working.
Check the little screen says the panels answered.
The controller waits for each panel to confirm. If one never does, the screen tells you — see When something looks wrong.
The fastest way to work, and the one that keeps working when a phone runs flat.
Press a book key if you need a different book, type the number, then press #. Nothing reaches the wall until you press #, so a mistyped number costs nothing — press * to clear it and start again.
Press * to move between them. The panels follow along.
| Mode | What the wall shows |
|---|---|
| Song | The book's short name on the left half, the hymn number on the right, both in that book's colour. Up to 999. |
| Number | One number across the full width, up to six digits. For anything that is not a hymn — a page, a reading, a total. |
Each mode remembers what it was showing. Switch to Number, put up a figure, switch back, and the hymn is still there.
The same keypad, from wherever you sit.
The controller makes its own Wi-Fi network — it does not join the church's. Your phone connects to the controller directly, which is why it keeps working when the broadband is down, and why your phone has no internet while it is connected. That is expected.
Open Settings in the app, then Scan the controller code.
Point the camera at the code printed on the controller.
Approve the Wi-Fi prompt.
Your phone asks once whether to join. After that it reconnects on its own.
From then on, open the app and it connects. Tap SONG or NUMBER at the top, choose a book, type the number, press the tick.
The app is set up for one specific controller, so taking your phone to another church will not let you drive their display. It simply will not find the network it is looking for.
Any phone or laptop with a browser will do.
Join the controller's Wi-Fi network the ordinary way, then open 192.168.4.1. You get the same keypad as a web page — useful for a visitor, or when a phone will not install anything.
The same page has a Settings section for the network name and password, the list of books and their colours, and which panels are online.
Two lines on the controller, telling you what it is doing.
While you are typing, the top line shows the digits so far. Once sent, it shows what is on the wall. The bottom line counts the panels that answered.
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| A panel stays dark | Check its power first. The panels draw far more than the controller, so a marginal supply shows here before anywhere else. |
| One panel shows an older number | It missed the message and did not confirm. Send the number again. If it keeps happening, move the controller nearer or clear whatever is between them. |
| The app says Connecting… and stays there | The controller is off, out of range, or the phone was left off screen. Open the app and wait a few seconds. |
| The app says Controller unreachable | The phone is on the controller's network but getting no answer. Power the controller off and on. |
| The keypad does nothing | Look at the little screen. If it is blank, the controller has no power. If it responds, the keypad ribbon has worked loose. |
| Numbers appear on the wrong half | You are in the other mode. Press *. |