How to Turn a TV into a Digital Sign
Step-by-step ways to use a TV as a digital sign with a Fire TV Stick, Android TV, Apple TV, a smart TV browser or a mini-PC, and how to keep it running.
By the onday team · · 4 min read
Almost any TV with an HDMI port can become a digital sign. You do not need a special display or an expensive media player. You need something to play the content, a way to manage it, and a few settings changed so the TV behaves itself.
Here are the practical options, from simplest to most robust.
The quick answer
- Pick a player: the TV's own browser, a streaming stick, an Apple TV, a tablet or a small computer.
- Open a signage player on it. With onday that is an app, or onday.uk/player in a browser.
- Pair the screen with your dashboard using the code it shows.
- Upload content, build a playlist and schedule it.
- Turn off the TV's sleep and energy-saving timers.
The rest of this guide helps you choose a player and avoid the usual problems.
Option 1: the TV's built-in browser
Many smart TVs have a web browser. Open the web player address, pair the screen and go full-screen.
Good for: trying things out, and screens that only run for part of the day.
Watch out for: built-in TV browsers vary a lot between brands and model years. Some are fast and stable. Others are slow, or close themselves after a few hours. Test yours for a day before you rely on it. More detail is on our browser and smart TV page.
Option 2: Android TV or Google TV
An Android TV box or stick, or a TV with Android TV built in, is the most capable low-cost choice. Install the onday player from Google Play or as an APK, enter the pairing code and you are done.
Good for: screens that must run unattended.
Why: the native app keeps the display awake and stores videos on the device, so they play smoothly. On Android you can also set timers to turn the screen off at night and on in the morning, and put the device in kiosk mode so the player starts by itself after a power cut. See onday on Android TV.
Option 3: Amazon Fire TV Stick
A Fire TV Stick is cheap and widely available. Install the Silk browser, open the web player and pair the screen.
Good for: a low-cost screen in a shop, café or waiting room.
Watch out for: Fire TV is designed for home viewing, so set the screensaver and sleep options to "Never", and power the stick from its own adapter and not the TV's USB port. Our Fire TV page has the steps.
Option 4: Apple TV
If your organisation already uses Apple devices, an Apple TV is tidy and reliable. Install the onday player from the App Store and pair it.
Good for: images and video in offices, studios and shops.
Watch out for: tvOS has no web browser component. Web pages are shown as snapshots, which are images of the page that refresh automatically. That suits dashboards and timetables but not interactive pages. See onday on Apple TV.
Option 5: a mini-PC or old computer
A small computer behind the screen is the most powerful option. Open the web player in Edge or Chrome in kiosk mode and add it to the startup items.
Good for: heavy web dashboards and high-resolution video.
Watch out for: computers need updates and occasionally restart for them. Schedule updates outside opening hours. See Windows, Mac and mini-PCs.
Option 6: a tablet
An iPad or Android tablet on a stand is a neat counter display or door sign. Install the app, pair it and lock the tablet to the app with Guided Access on iPad. See iPad and tablets.
Which should you choose?
| Situation | Sensible choice |
|---|---|
| Just trying it out | Browser on any screen or laptop |
| One or two screens, daytime only | Smart TV browser or Fire TV Stick |
| Must recover by itself after a power cut | Android TV in kiosk mode |
| Apple-based office | Apple TV |
| Demanding live dashboards | Mini-PC |
| Counter or door display | Tablet |
You can mix all of these in one account.
Settings that keep a TV running
Most "my sign went off" problems come from the TV, not the software.
- Auto power off / eco mode. Many TVs switch off after about four hours with no remote input. Turn this off.
- Sleep timer. Check it is not set.
- HDMI-CEC. This lets devices switch each other on and off. It is useful, but if the TV turns off unexpectedly, try disabling it.
- Screensaver. Disable it on the player device.
- Picture mode. A "shop" or "dynamic" mode is brighter for a lit room. Standard is kinder to the panel.
- Orientation. For a portrait screen, mount the TV vertically if the maker allows it, and set the screen to portrait in your signage dashboard so content is rotated.
Getting the content right
- Make images at 1920×1080 for landscape and 1080×1920 for portrait.
- Keep videos as MP4. onday converts uploads for you.
- Use large type. If you cannot read it from across the room on your laptop at arm's length, it is too small.
- One message per slide, shown for 8 to 12 seconds.
Our portrait vs landscape guide goes deeper on sizes.
Try it now
Create a free account, open the player on any screen and pair it. One screen is free for as long as you like, so you can find out which player suits your TV before you buy anything. The setup guide has the full walkthrough.
