About
Screen Capture shows you what a screen is showing right now: the player takes a screenshot and sends it to your browser. Check that the right playlist runs, that new content arrived, or what a screen far away looks like when someone reports a problem. Watch it live, or see every screen in a group at once. Pro and Ultimate.
Get Started
There’s nothing to set up: Screen Capture works on every online screen with a supported player. Screens are at my.playsignage.com/screens.
See what one screen is showing
- Go to Screens
- Click the camera button (Request screenshot) on the right of the screen’s row
- When Click here to view screenshot from [screen name] appears, usually within seconds, click it
- The screenshot opens, with the time it arrived. Click Close when you’re done
Click the camera again for a newer picture. The button only shows when the screen is online and its player supports Screen Capture. Screenshots aren’t saved; right-click the picture to save it in your browser.
Watch a screen live
- Open a screenshot
- Click Live
A new screenshot comes as soon as the last one arrives, at most about once a second, so you can watch slides change. It stops when you click Stop live, close the window, or after 2 minutes. It’s not a video: the speed depends on your player.
See every screen in a group
- Go to Groups & Schedules
- Click the camera button in the group’s row, next to its schedule and Publish buttons
You get one tile per screen, with its name and location. Tiles say Waiting for screenshot… until the picture arrives; offline screens say Offline and are listed last. Online/offline is checked when you open the page, so reload it first if something changed.
Get a new screenshot of one screen in the group
- Wait until its screenshot has arrived
- Click the round arrow next to the screen’s name on its tile
Options
Camera buttons
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Camera button on Screens | Asks the screen for a screenshot. Only for online screens with a supported player; greyed out on Essential |
| Camera button on Groups & Schedules | A screenshot of every online screen in the group. Only for groups with screens |
In the screenshot windows
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Date and time | When the screenshot arrived, by your computer’s clock |
| Live | New screenshots, about once a second, for up to 2 minutes |
| Stop live | Stops Live |
| Close or X | Closes the window and stops Live |
| Round arrow (group window) | A new screenshot of that screen |
Messages
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
| Screenshot requested… | Your request was sent |
| Click here to view screenshot from [screen name]. | It arrived. Click to open it |
| Received empty screenshot… | The player sent an empty picture, often because it’s minimized |
| Failed to connect to server | The request couldn’t be sent. Check your internet and try again |
Players
| Player | Screen Capture |
|---|---|
| Android, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Signage Stick, Google Chromecast | Yes |
| Windows, Mac, Linux and Raspberry Pi | Yes |
| Samsung signage TVs (Tizen) | Yes |
| LG signage TVs (webOS) | Yes, in HD (720p) |
| BrightSign | Yes |
| Our web player in a browser | Yes, but websites most likely don’t show |
| Our Chrome extension | No |
FAQ
Using it
Which plans include it?
Pro and Ultimate. Everyone on the team can use it, including members. There’s no switch to turn it on or off: screenshots are only taken when someone asks. On Android 6 and older, allow Screenshot access when the app asks.
Who on my team can use it?
Everyone, including members, on Pro or Ultimate.
Can my team see the screenshots I take?
No. A screenshot only goes to the person who asked for it.
Are screenshots saved?
No. They go straight to your browser and are gone when you close the window or reload. Right-click to save one.
Can I take screenshots automatically or on a schedule?
No, only when you ask. Use Live to follow a screen for a couple of minutes.
Can I take screenshots of the screens in a schedule?
Use the camera button of the group the schedule belongs to. There’s none on the schedule page.
Will my audience notice?
No. Nothing shows on the screen.
Does it slow down my player?
It uses a little power for a moment, which you won’t notice on most players. An overloaded player may be slow to answer, or not answer.
Which players support it?
All except our Chrome extension. See the table under Options.
Is it the same as Screenshot Mode in the Website app?
No. Screenshot Mode shows a picture of a website on your screens instead of the live website. See Website.
Troubleshooting
Why is there no camera button next to my screen?
The screen is probably offline. It’s also missing for our Chrome extension and for very old versions of the app, so update the app.
Why is the camera button greyed out?
Your team is on Essential. It also greys out for about 2 seconds after a click, so you don’t ask twice.
Why don't I get a screenshot?
The player is most likely too busy. Wait and try again. If it keeps happening, the player may struggle with your content, like very large videos or many websites. Also check the screen is online and the player isn’t minimized.
How long does a screenshot take?
Usually a few seconds, depending on the player and its connection.
Nothing happens when I click Live. What do I do?
Close the window and click the camera button on Screens again.
Why does a screen in my group say Offline?
It wasn’t online when you opened Groups & Schedules. If it is now, reload the page.
Why does a tile keep saying Waiting for screenshot…?
The player is busy, went offline, or doesn’t support Screen Capture. Reload and try again, or use the camera on Screens.
Why is my screenshot black with "(display is off)"?
The TV was off, for example because of Turn your TV on and off. This happens on Samsung and LG signage TVs, BrightSign, and computers that switch the TV.
Why did I get "Received empty screenshot"?
On Windows, Mac and Linux, the player window was minimized or hidden. Show it full screen and try again.
Why is part of my content missing or black?
Some players can’t capture everything, especially websites and videos, and our web player most likely skips websites. If it looks fine on the screen, your playlist is fine.
Why is my screenshot blurry?
It’s made smaller before it’s sent, to at most 960 pixels wide (LG: 720p), so small text can look blurry.
Why is my screenshot sideways?
With Display orientation, Play turns it upright. If the screen is rotated in the player’s own system, it’s most likely upright already. If yours is still sideways, tell us which player you use. See Portrait Orientation.
