Blogpost was published on December 15, 2020
Here at Play Digital Signage, we use our APP, which we have designed to be compatible with all of the most popular operating systems, to give you the freedom to choose which player and hardware you want to use. You pick the hardware and the operating system you like. Then we provide the APP.
The Play Digital Signage APP is an important part of our digital signage platform. The APP gets installed on your player and acts as a bridge between your TV and the content you have created in the cloud. It supports Amazon, Android, Windows, Mac, Raspberry PI, Linux, and Chrome with more options coming soon.
When our APP has been installed on your player, you are connected to the cloud which allows you to easily publish content and change it as often as you please. The Play Digital Signage APP offers a few other great perks like taking screenshots of what is on the TV, auto-launching after an unexpected power outage, flipping the content for Portrait TV, and lots more.
Before being able to put great content on your TVs, you have to install our APP. There are different ways to install the APP depending on the operating system you have chosen for your player. But don’t worry, no matter the operating system, installing our APP is simple.
When using the Amazon Fire operating system on your player, you simply find and download our app by using the voice control on the device. Further instructions can be found in the guide linked below.
For Android operating systems, visit the Google Play Store to download the Play Digital Signage APP, or use the APK (Android Application Package) file on our website to install on Android. However, keep in mind that installing APK is mostly for advanced users.
When using Google Chrome as your operating system, you can download our APP on the Google Play Store as well. An APK file of our APP is also available for installation using Google Chrome.
For Windows operating systems, we have included a link on our website playsignage.com for download and installation of our APP.
Mac users can also use a link on our website playsignage.com for the download and install of our APP. Please note that our app only supports Mac OSX-based hardware and not Mac iOS used on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, etc.
For the Raspberry PI operating system, you can install the APP as a full image which is the whole Raspberry PI Operating System including our APP, or you can install just the APP if you have an existing Raspberry PI operating system running. The app can be downloaded at playsignage.com
The Play Digital Signage APP only takes seconds to install and then a 6-digit code will appear on your screen. You’ll need this code to link your screen to your Play Digital Signage account. To find a step-by-step installation guide to each of these operating systems, we have included individual links below in Getting Started.
In every good APP, there are some amazing features and functions. After all, they are supposed to make your life easier. The Play Digital Signage APP combines all the functions you need to effortlessly design and display content as well as control your TVs, your way.
One of the APP’s best features is being able to automate it in more than one way. Who wants to manually have to set up their digital signage every time you open or go to use it? Not us! That’s why you can have the player launch the APP at startup or after a power outage. Later we will talk about how you can use Amazon smart plugs to automatically power your TV and your player on and off.
Additionally, those who use a Windows or Mac operating system, you can pick which screen the APP starts on. However, this requires that you have multiple HDMI outputs and TVs connected to your player. This feature is for a more advanced and custom set-up but is a great automation feature for those who need it.
Another great function of the app is being able to hide the top menu bar. Toggling the “Show Top Menu Bar” which allows you to either show the top menu or hide it. This is a good feature for interactive content because you can turn off the top menu bar and keep your customers from straying to content on different pages or messing with anything they are not supposed to be. It allows you to safely have your interactive content displayed without worrying about somebody messing things up for the next person.
We have also included a Portrait mode which helps if you have chosen a TV that can’t go into Portrait mode. Portrait mode is for when you have content that you want to display vertically instead of horizontally. The Play Digital Signage APP will turn your content to be displayed vertically even if your chosen screen doesn’t support that function.
There is also the Touchscreen feature included which allows you to have the cursor displayed on the screen at all times for interactive content. This way, you have the option to hide it away for content that you want uninterrupted or have it displayed so people know they can click on different elements to interact.
The Screen Edges feature makes your content more polished and professional. If you have an older TV that doesn’t automatically adjust, you can fine-tune the edges of your content to make sure they fit just right with the Screen Edges feature. No more cut-off words or pictures!
As you can see we have many features in our Play Digital Signage APP, but if there is something we haven’t thought of that you would like to see added, contact us and we would love to hear more about it!
Our digital signage APP includes a Clear Cache feature as well. The Clear Cache function is in case anything gets mixed up in the memory. As we all know, sometimes in technology things can glitch occasionally. We don’t want that to set you back. This APP function allows you to reset the memory so that your player plays everything just as it should.
Now let’s talk about updates because everything in the digital world continuously has to be updated to the new technology. Fortunately, we have thought of that and we made it so that any updates to the APP are automatic. In most cases, you won’t even have to think about it!
The only exception to this is if you have installed the APK in which case, you will have to update that manually when a new version is released. Some people might have an old version of the APP running on Android if you installed the APK from the get-go, if that is the case, you will probably get a notification that your version is not supported, so just make sure to update it manually.
If you need help with your APK updates, we have included support on our website. We also have a 24/7 live chat in case you need some extra help. At Play Digital Signage, we are always here to support you!
We know that getting started is the hardest part of trying something new, so we make it easy. Get help with your setup by clicking any of the links below. We have included step-by-step instructions complete with screenshots in case there is any confusion. Even beginners will be up and running in no time!
Click here for some general steps on getting started.Or find your operating system and click the link for more specific instructions:
Like all things, there is always a learning curve. There are some things to know about the APP that will make your experience go a lot smoother. Not to worry, we have gathered the best tips and tricks straight from the pros.
At Play Digital Signage we are always adapting to the latest technology to keep you on the cutting edge of digital signage.
In January 2021, we are launching the Play Digital Signage APP for Samsung Smart TV’s and later in the year, we will be coming out with one for LG Smart TVs.
There is also an HTML5-based APP that is in the works and will launch when it is ready. It will work on cross-platforms running Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and more! Stay tuned for an official launch date of that!
Now you have all the information and tools you need to set up your Play Digital Signage APP. It is one of the most convenient parts of using Play Digital Signage for all of your digital signage needs. Build your content in our software, grab your screen and player, install our APP and you are on your way to beautiful digital signage.
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