FactoryTalk Viewpoint is a great way to extend FactoryTalk View SE and ME HMI applications to browser based clients. Said another way, FactoryTalk View SE and ME applications can now be viewed and controlled through a web browser on a wide array of devices. These can include: mobile devices (phones and tablets), traditional PCs and even thin clients. Rockwell supports Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Safari browsers.
New with the release of FactoryTalk ViewPoint 8.1, rendering of graphics now uses HTML5; prior versions relied on Microsoft's Silverlight technology. Silverlight limited the supported client platforms that could be used with Viewpoint. New with Viewpoint 8.1, HTML5 brings the full View SE and View ME client experience to some of the most common platforms including iOS devices (iPhones and iPads), Android devices (phones and tablets), and Windows devices (PCs and Phones). Currently Mac OS X and Firefox are not listed as supported clients.
Prior versions of Viewpoint, relying on Silverlight, presented a challenge because it was mainly supported on Windows based PCs and required the plug-in to be installed. Not all users have Windows based PCs or the ability/privileges to install the SIlverlight plug-in. Using HTML5 greatly increases the accessibility of FactoryTalk View SE and ME applications both on and off the plant floor.