Choosing a signage media player: sticks, boxes or built in
· 6 min read
For most single screens, an Android media player or an Amazon Signage Stick plugged into the TV's HDMI port is the simple, low-cost choice. If you're buying new commercial screens, get ones with the player built in (Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, or Sony Bravia, Philips and Hisense professional displays) and you won't need a box at all. Go for Android when screens have to play in sync, Windows if your content lives in PowerPoint, and ChromeOS only if you already manage Chromeboxes through Google Admin.
What the player does
The player is the app that turns a screen into a signage screen. It checks in with the Casty CMS, downloads the layouts and media scheduled for that screen, plays them at the right times and reports back what it's up to. In the CMS each player shows up as a display, with its status, its last check-in time and a screenshot.
Every Casty player does the same basics. You connect it by typing the code it shows on first start into Add Display, and we approve it and add it to your account. Content is stored on the player, so it keeps playing if the internet drops. It starts on its own after a power cut with no login needed, takes software updates from the CMS, and can run in portrait or the usual wide way round, set per screen.
So the choice comes down to the hardware you've got, what you want to spend and a handful of features that only some players have.
Amazon Signage Stick
A small stick that plugs into the TV's HDMI port. It's a supported Casty player: you set it up with the Amazon Signage phone app, and it then shows a pairing code that connects it to Casty.
It suits a single screen on a small budget, like one TV over the bar or a menu in a small cafe. Power it from its mains adapter. A TV's USB port may not supply enough power, and on many sets it switches off when the TV goes into standby.
The ordinary Fire TV Sticks sold for home use are a slightly different story. They run Fire OS, which is based on Android, so the Casty Android player can be installed on them by hand. They're consumer devices, though, so we check the model with you before you rely on one.
Android media players and Android TV boxes
Android is the safe pick for most venues, whether that's one screen or a few dozen across several sites. The Casty Android player needs Android 7 or later and runs on dedicated signage media players, Android TV boxes and commercial displays with Android inside.
Synchronised playback runs on Android players. Sync groups keep two or more screens playing in step, mirrored along a bar or split across a video wall, so if that's in your plans, Android is the one to pick. Android players also handle touch for interactive layouts on a display with a touch panel (it's switched on per display), and the CMS can send them Android intents and shell commands for remote control.
Dedicated signage players are usually sturdier than cheap TV boxes, with better cooling and fixings to mount them behind the screen. If the screen runs all day, every day, that's worth paying a bit more for.
Displays with the player built in
Some commercial displays run Casty themselves. That means one power lead and no box behind the screen to work loose.
- Samsung smart signage displays run Tizen. Casty runs on them as a custom app and needs SSSP 6 or later.
- LG signage displays run webOS. The player is installed from the display's own server settings and needs webOS 3.2 or later.
- Sony Bravia professional displays run Android. They're set up through Sony's cloud and need a wired network connection during setup.
- Philips professional displays run Android and install the player from a USB stick. Some models accept extra commands from the CMS, such as backlight control.
- Hisense commercial displays run Android, so the Android player runs on the screen itself.
On Samsung and LG, the CMS can send built-in commands such as reboot and screen power. These displays suit new installs where you want the tidiest result. Check the exact model with us before you buy, because firmware versions and requirements vary.
Windows PCs
A Windows PC or mini PC connected to the screen, running Windows 10 or later. It needs an Intel or AMD processor, as the Windows player doesn't run on ARM-based PCs.
Windows is the player that shows PowerPoint files, provided PowerPoint is installed on that PC. It keeps a local copy of all content for offline playback, and a watchdog restarts the player if it stops. It fits offices and receptions that already run Windows, or anyone whose weekly content lives in a slide deck. On every other player, save the slides as pictures or a PDF and upload those.
ChromeOS and Linux
On ChromeOS, Casty runs as a web app in kiosk mode on Chromeboxes and similar devices, enrolled and set up through the Google Admin console. Google requires a Kiosk and Signage upgrade licence for each device, bought from a Google reseller. That makes sense for organisations already managing ChromeOS through Google Workspace, and much less sense for a pub.
There's also a Linux player for 64-bit Intel or AMD PCs, installed on Ubuntu as a snap package. It's maintained by the community and doesn't get the same support as the commercial players, so it's for people who are happy looking after a Linux machine.
Which one for which screen
| If you want | Choose |
|---|---|
| One screen at the lowest cost | Amazon Signage Stick or an Android media player |
| Nothing behind the screen | A Samsung, LG, Sony Bravia, Philips or Hisense display with the player built in |
| A video wall or screens playing in step | Android players on a wired network, ideally all the same model |
| PowerPoint files | Windows 10 or later with PowerPoint installed |
| A touch screen or kiosk | A touch display with an Android player |
| To use ChromeOS devices you already manage | ChromeOS, with Google's Kiosk and Signage licence |
You can mix players in one account. A pub might run a stick behind the TV over the bar and an LG display for the menu board, and they'll sit side by side in the Displays list taking the same layouts.
The devices page has the full list, and choosing a player in the help pages covers what each screen needs. For the screen itself, see consumer TV or commercial display. If sync is on the cards, read Wi-Fi or wired before you plan the cabling.
Questions people ask
Can I use a Fire TV Stick I already own?
Possibly. Fire TV Sticks run Fire OS, which is based on Android, so the Casty Android player can be installed on one by hand. Because they're consumer devices, tell us the model first and we'll check it before you rely on it. The Amazon Signage Stick is the supported option if you're buying new.
Do I need a separate player for every screen?
Yes, one per screen, unless the display has the player built in. That includes screens in a video wall or a mirrored row: each one has its own Android player, and the sync group keeps them in step.
Where does the player go?
Behind the screen, plugged into an HDMI port and with its own power. A stick or small box can usually be fixed to the back of the TV or the bracket. Make sure someone can reach its plug, because switching the player off and on at the wall is one of the first things to try when a screen misbehaves.
Which player do I need for a video wall?
Android players, one per screen, on a wired network. Matching hardware keeps the screens in time, and one lead display sets the timing for the rest of the group. Video walls and synced screens goes into it in more depth.