I'm on the hunt for an affordable and straightforward digital signage solution for our setup of six older TVs that don't have smart capabilities. These TVs will only function as displays via HDMI, so they can't run any apps directly. I'm looking specifically for a cloud-managed digital signage platform that allows remote management of multiple screens, is easy to set up and maintain, and works well with external media players or TV sticks. Budget is a concern, so minimal hardware and subscription costs are a must. We previously tried using Google TV Chromecast with Fusion Signage, but encountered issues with our Enterprise Wi-Fi blocking connectivity, although it worked fine on a hotspot. I'd love to hear any recommendations or experiences related to this setup. Here are a few questions I have:
1. Which digital signage platforms would you suggest?
2. What media player devices pair well with older TVs, like Android boxes or Raspberry Pi?
3. Are there any plug-and-play options that would work seamlessly on an Enterprise Wi-Fi network? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
For your older TVs, a common and budget-friendly option is to use Raspberry Pis with Yodeck. They connect via HDMI, and Yodeck allows for cloud management, scheduling, and remote updates. The setup is easy and relatively cheap for just a few screens. I’ve also seen Android TV boxes work with ScreenCloud or Xibo for greater flexibility. If your Chromecast is blocked due to network restrictions, dedicated signage players might work better because they behave like normal clients on corporate networks. I'd recommend sticking with dedicated players for reliability—once they're set up, they won’t need touching for months!
I recommend checking out Yodeck. It's based on Raspberry Pi (among other platforms) and the first one is free! It offers great online management and has a simple setup process. Plus, it works well with multiple screens remotely, which fits your needs perfectly.
Android TV boxes usually work pretty well for signage if the platform is compatible with them. They can provide a solid solution without too much fuss, so it's definitely worth looking into!
We currently use ScreenCloud devices and they work great for us! We also tried Yodeck and it seemed good too, but I believe it's a bit pricier. Worth exploring both options to see which fits your needs.
I used to do something similar about ten years ago with a Linux virtual server running a system called Concerto, paired with Raspberry Pis running in kiosk mode to display a webpage. While it might sound complicated, it worked well, but for your needs, I think simpler solutions are better if you're looking for ease of use.
That seems too complex! We're definitely looking for something straightforward.
We've been using Yodeck across three different countries and it's been super easy to set up and update. Highly recommend it!