Glossary A–ZLetter D
Device profile
A device profile is a named set of settings applied to one or more devices, instead of configuring each setting individually per device.
Typical contents are orientation, resolution, volume, power schedule, polling interval and on-device locks. The term is used somewhat differently from system to system.
A retail chain often has only a few kinds of screen, for example shop window, checkout area and staff room. A profile is created for each kind; a new device receives the matching profile during initial setup and is correctly configured straight away. If something changes, such as the switch-off time for all shop windows, it is changed once in the profile and applies to all assigned devices.
Profiles and individual settings can contradict each other; operators should know which setting takes precedence. A profile governs how the device behaves, not necessarily the content; that usually comes through device groups and playlists. Not every setting works on every type of device: anything a player does not support is skipped, and this is not always visible. A test on one device of each type brings clarity.