Introducing the new offline version for MacOS & Windows 🍎🪟
Lukas Hermann Introducing the new offline version of Stagetimer
Introducing the new offline version of Stagetimer! If you have an event and need to time things, for example a presenter on stage, or a meeting with multiple participants, then Stagetimer can help you do that. Our app allows you to import or create the agenda of your event and share a link to it. You can then control what the presenter or participant sees. Show a fullscreen timer with the option to write messages. Also share a beautiful agenda page that shows what’s happening right now and what is coming next.
We are excited to announce that we have recently released a downloadable version of Stagetimer for Windows and MacOS that works 100% offline. This means that you can use our app without an internet connection, and on a wider range of devices. This is great news for users who want to use Stagetimer in situations where an internet connection is not available, or who prefer to use a desktop app instead of a web-based app.
All key features and benefits available offline
If you want to use Stagetimer in situations where an internet connection is not available, or if you want to be able to access all of the same features and capabilities of the web-based version, then the offline version of Stagetimer is a great option for you.
To use the offline version of Stagetimer, all you need to do is download and install the app on your computer. Once the app is installed, it will start a small web server on your computer and provide you with an IP address and port that you can use to access the app from other devices on the same network.
In addition to being able to use Stagetimer without an internet connection, the offline version also allows you to access the public API, which lets you integrate the app with other systems and apps, and automate and control it using external triggers and events.
Same as the web-based version but running locally
The offline version of Stagetimer is very easy to use, and works just like the web-based version. Once the app is installed, it will start a small web server on your computer and provide you with an IP address and port that you can use to access the app from other devices on the same network.
To access the app from another device, simply open your web browser and enter the IP address and port of the computer that is running the offline version of Stagetimer (e.g., 192.168.1.100:3000). This will allow you to use the app just as you would if you were accessing it from the web, including scheduling timers, linking timers, and uploading custom logos and backgrounds.
In addition to the web-based interface, the offline version of Stagetimer also includes a public API, which allows users to integrate the app with other systems and apps, and to automate and control the app using external triggers and events. The API is fully documented at https://stagetimer.io/docs/api-v1/, and provides detailed instructions and examples for using the API to access and control the app.
Overall, the offline version of Stagetimer is easy to use and provides users with the same features and capabilities as the web-based version. This makes it a great option for users who want to use the app without an internet connection, and to integrate it with other systems and apps.
Coming soon: API, Companion integration and timezones management
In addition to the new offline version of Stagetimer, we have some exciting plans for future updates and developments. Here are some of the key updates and improvements that we are working on:
- Updating the public API: We are planning to update the public API for both the web and offline versions of Stagetimer, to make it more powerful and flexible. The new API will allow users to add, update, and delete timers and messages, and will provide more detailed information in the API responses.
- Companion integration: We are planning to update our existing integration with the Companion app (https://bitfocus.io/companion), which is an open source software for the Streamdeck device, a hardware device with configurable buttons that allows users to access and control Stagetimer using the Companion app. This update will make it even easier for users to use Stagetimer in a wider range of situations and environments, and to take advantage of the new features and capabilities that we are adding to the app.
- Better timezone support: We are planning to add better timezone support to Stagetimer, so that users can choose a timezone in the user interface and have all times and dates displayed in that timezone. This will help to avoid confusion and ensure that everyone connected to a room is using the same timezone.
These are just some of the updates and improvements that we are working on, and we have many more exciting plans for the future of Stagetimer. You can see our full public roadmap at https://www.notion.so/lhermann/744c5df925d248129f2bad199433cff9, where you can see the further planned features and developments that we are working on. We will continue to develop and improve the app to make it the best remote-controlled countdown timer available, and we look forward to sharing more updates and developments with you in the future.
Try the new offline version today completely for free!
The new offline version of Stagetimer is now available for download, and we invite you to try it out and see for yourself the convenience and flexibility of being able to use the app without an internet connection. You can find the download links for the offline version on the user dashboard, and we recommend that you download and install the app on your computer to start using it right away.
Please note that the offline version is still in beta, and we are actively working on improving it and adding new features and capabilities. If you would like to try the offline version, you can use it without a license key to access the basic features of the app for free. If you are a Pro or Premium user and would like to access the Pro and Premium features of the app, please contact us through the email listed on your dashboard to get a license key, which will allow you to access and use those features during the beta period. Later on, we plan to enable users to generate their own license keys directly on the dashboard, so that they can easily access and use the Pro and Premium features of the app without needing to contact us.
Improved server architecture
In addition to the new offline version of Stagetimer, we are also excited to announce an update to the server architecture for the app. This update will improve the performance and reliability of the app, and will make it even easier for users to access and use Stagetimer from anywhere, at any time.
We recently experienced an incident with the server on October 6 and 7, 2022, during which some requests to the server failed to respond, resulting in occasional timeouts. This incident was caused by a process (most likely unrelated to Stagetimer) that became faulty and filled up the entire available memory of 32 GB on the server. You can read more about the incident and the steps we took to resolve it in our incident report.
Since then, we have taken several steps to improve the server architecture for Stagetimer, including:
- Running Stagetimer on two webservers in parallel, with a primary server in Ashburn, VA and a secondary server in Helsinki, Finland.
- Placing both servers behind a load balancer with automatic failover from Ashburn to Helsinki if Ashburn fails.
- Hosting the database on a distributed cluster with triple redundancy.
- Automatically switching to the secondary server if the server timeout exceeds 60 seconds.
- Moving the server and database from Europe to the US east coast, which should improve latency for users in the US.
With these improvements, we are confident that users will be able to connect to the app more quickly and easily, and will experience fewer disruptions and delays. This update will also make it easier for us to add new features and capabilities to the app, and to respond to user feedback and suggestions.
We are dedicated to improving Stagetimer and making it the best remote-controlled countdown timer available. We apologize for any recent disruptions and look forward to sharing more updates and developments with you. We hope you enjoy the new offline version, and please check back often to see what we are working on. Thank you for your continued support!
That’s it for release 2.7. As always, feel free to contact us, especially if you find a bug or have helpful feedback.
Check out the full list of changes on https://stagetimer.io/changelog/
Cheers,
Lukas
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