Hi everyone! I'm trying to figure out the best media devices to set up TV screens around our office for company notifications, like slideshows and such. Currently, we're using Brightsign xd235's, but I have two main concerns. First, at around £500 each, they seem way too pricey for what they do. Second, we can't upload new content without accessing a PC on the same subnet with the Brightsign app installed, which is a hassle. Maybe I'm missing something on the second point, so I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions you might have. Thanks!
5 Answers
Yeah, Brightsigns are rugged, but £500 is way too much for just slideshows. A cheap Raspberry Pi or a Chromecast paired with cloud services like Yodeck or ScreenCloud would be much more effective. This setup lets you manage everything from anywhere, completely avoiding the subnet issue!
You might want to consider getting Raspberry Pis! The older models can work well with USB in the TV. Plus, check out a digital signage solution like PiSignage; they have some affordable options and even free ones out there.
I recommend looking into Samsung's SMART signage solutions. They're super easy to manage and you get a lot of flexibility, plus they come with built-in features for uploading content. We’ve used QMC-series screens, and the prices are surprisingly reasonable for what you get.
At my school, we use Vivi for this purpose. It might be more than what you need, but the slideshow feature for announcements is great, and the screen projection works like a charm.
I'm working on an Android-based signage solution because I think Brightsign is overkill. You can use a $50 Chromecast or an Android TV stick instead. It’s cloud-based too, so you can update slides from anywhere—no subnet hassle! If you want to test it out, I’d love to hear your feedback on the workflow.
I'm interested in what you come up with for the signage solution!