How to run digital signage on your TV
A screen is any TV, monitor or tablet with a browser: it opens play.sheencast.com and pairs with an eight-digit code. Nothing is installed. What differs by platform is which browser you use and which power settings you have to turn off first.
Pick your device
Amazon Fire TV
Works well. The most reliable inexpensive option, because the browser is a real one.
Browser built in
LG (webOS)
Works on sets from 2020 onward, with a capable browser built in. Older LG TVs can't run the player, so use an HDMI stick.
Browser built in
Samsung (Tizen)
Works on sets from 2020 onward if the Internet app is present on your model. Older Samsung TVs can't run the player, so use an HDMI stick.
Browser built in
Google TV / Android TV
Works, but you must install a browser first. There's no built-in one.
Browser installable
iPad / iPhone
Works well, and the player installs as a proper full-screen app. One catch: the lock doesn't survive a reboot.
Browser built in
Roku
Can't run the player directly, but the TV works fine with an HDMI stick.
No browser: use a stick
VIZIO
Can't run the player directly, but the TV works fine with an HDMI stick.
No browser: use a stick
Settings to change on any TV
These live on the panel itself and apply whatever is plugged into it. They're the most common reason a screen that worked on Friday is dark on Monday.
- Turn off the panel sleep timer. Almost every TV has a "Sleep Timer" or "Off Timer" that powers the set down after a set number of hours. It runs even when a stick is feeding it a live picture, because the TV counts time, not signal.
- Turn off "no signal" auto power off. Often called No Signal Auto Off, Auto Power Off or Signal Detection. It fires during a brief HDMI dropout (a stick rebooting after an update is enough), and the TV never comes back on its own.
- Turn off idle / eco auto power off. Usually a 4-hour "no remote activity" timer under Eco, Energy Saving or Power. A signage screen is never touched by a remote, so this one fires reliably on unattended screens.
- Set the power-on behavior and input. After a power outage the TV should come back on by itself and land on the right HDMI input. Look for Power On Behavior, Last Input, or a Hotel/Commercial mode. Without it, an outage leaves a black screen until someone visits with a remote.
- Consider HDMI-CEC. CEC lets devices power each other off, which is normally handy and here is a hazard. If the TV keeps switching off or changing input on its own, disable CEC (Anynet+ on Samsung, SIMPLINK on LG, Bravia Sync on Sony).
- On OLED, plan for burn-in. Static logos, banners and menu bars will eventually mark an OLED panel. Leave pixel-shift and the vendor panel-care features enabled, and prefer content that moves. For a screen showing one fixed layout all day, an LCD/LED panel is the safer buy.
Other devices
- Apple TV. No web browser and no way to open a URL. Use a different device on the same TV.
- Hisense VIDAA. Some VIDAA models include a browser and some don't. Check the app list; if there is no browser, use an HDMI stick. Hisense sets sold with Google TV should follow the Google TV page.
- A spare computer or Raspberry Pi. Any machine with a modern browser works and gives you the most control. Open the player full-screen and turn off the OS screen blanking and sleep settings. This is the most dependable option for a screen that must never drop out.