Devices
where the adventure begins
At Overlay.live, a ‘Device’ is any piece of hardware or software which is responsible for collecting data and streaming it to the Overlay.live server. A device is the very first block in the chain, without the device, there simply is no data.
We consider a device to be a flexible entity and offer various ways for you to use your existing devices. You can choose from either Managed Devices, or if you prefer simply build your own and create what we call a Manual Device. Here are the distinct capabilities of each:
Managed Devices (premium)
Managed Devices are our solution for users that want a turnkey solution that works (pretty much) out-of-the-box. We are using a revolutionary technology mix which transforms IoT devices into simple to use hardware.
With a Managed Device you purchase equipment which includes everything you need to capture data. After a few simple configuration steps, you then link the device with your account, power on and that’s it. We provide monitoring of the device status from the Overlay.live dashboard. Custom settings (that are configured by the hardware manufacturer) can be enabled so you can control specific aspects and features of your device directly from within the dashboard.
No terminal. No configuration files. No technical terminology required. Managed Devices are automated and simple to use.
All Managed Devices that are compatible with Overlay.live can be identified through the “Works with Overlay.live” badge (see below). Each of these devices are tested and verified by our engineering team.
=> If you want to build and sell an automated device that “works with Overlay.live”, we have a developer program. Please contact us.
=> Check out our existing Managed Devices and Pricing here. [coming soon …]
Manual Devices
Manual Device integration with Overlay.live is a feature designed for the Makers among us. If you know what you want, and also have the knowledge to build your own data capture solution, we can help you interface it with the Overlay.live system.
Manual Devices require a degree of configuration from the client to make things work. It mostly involves connection credentials, and in many cases will require access to code or configuration files. Based on how we configure our Managed Devices, we’ve put together sample codes to help you get started with integrating your specific device with Overlay.live. [Check out our nodeJS library]
=> The Forums are the best place to receive additional support from the Overlay.live community and share your projects.
Software Apps and Virtual Devices
Software Apps for Overlay.live act as non-physical Devices. Software Apps are basically scripts which behave and are identified on Overlay.live exactly like a physical device. They are able to stream telemetric data from built-in sensors or any other data feed or input.
For example, we’ve built a smartphone app (Android Download – Overlay.live Broadcaster) which allows you to send out GPS location, accelerometer data and compass data directly from your phone. This is ideal when you want to place real-life players on a map for example.
The same sample code that drives our current device examples, works from within a PC terminal or Windows application. The framework supports multiple languages such as node.js, python, C++ and more.
