How to turn a smart TV into digital signage with an app

You do not need a Fire Stick with a smart TV. A stick is for a TV whose own system cannot install the Player, or for a screen where a native Player is more reliable than the browser.

Look for the TV's operating system under its settings, About or System menu. If it says Android TV or Google TV, use the first route. If it names the maker's own system and has a web browser, use the second. If it has neither, use a stick. The Player guide lists every Player and where to get it.

• Android TV or Google TV. On the TV, open Google Play, search for screenRIG, install the Player (Google Play listing) and open it. The Player runs on Android 9 or later.
• A browser. Open play.screenrig.ai/player in the TV's browser and keep it in the foreground. Allow the page to store data. A browser that blocks autoplay with sound plays video muted, and the Player's log says so.
• A stick. Plug it into the TV, set it up, and install the Player from its store.

The Player fills the screen with a pairing code.

Give the code to your AI agent. It needs the screenRIG plugin, and Start installs it with one paste.

A TV made for the living room can switch off when nobody uses it, and a sign runs for days with nobody at the remote. TV makers name these settings differently: idle TV standby, sleep timer, auto shut-off, or an energy saver that powers the display down. Turn them off in the TV's own menus. Sony's Eco page shows what these settings look like on a BRAVIA, and the Sony BRAVIA page lists the menu paths.

On Android TV and Google TV, Start on boot is on by default and opens the Player after a power cut, and Home screen brings it back to the front when something else takes the screen. The kiosk mode guide shows both on the remote. Samsung and LG displays open the Player at power-on.

Everything the Player plays: images, video, live streams, web pages and your own apps, plus 200+ ready-made apps such as menus, clocks, queues and dashboards. An Apple TV is the exception, because it takes no web pages or custom apps.

Can any smart TV be digital signage?

Yes, by one of three routes: install the Player on a TV that runs Android TV or Google TV, open the Player web app in a TV with a browser, or plug a stick into any TV with an HDMI port.

Do I need a media player box with a smart TV?

No, not when the TV can install the Player or open it in a browser. A Samsung Smart Signage display or an LG webOS Signage panel needs no box either. A stick or an Apple TV is the choice for a TV that can do neither.

Will it keep playing with no internet?

A native Player downloads your content once and plays it from the device's own storage, so a dropped network does not stop it. The Player guide recommends a native Player for the most reliable playback, so use the browser route only where no native Player fits.

Do I need a new TV for signage?

No. The TV you have can work, by one of the three routes above. If you do buy, Samsung Smart Signage displays and LG webOS Signage panels run the same Player on the display itself.

What does it cost?

The TV or stick is your only cost. screenRIG is free, with unlimited screens. Paid plans add business tools, more people, people to talk to, governance and contract terms. See pricing.

Next: put something on it. Display a website on a TV 24/7 shows what to check before you publish.

• screenrig.ai/docs/players
• screenrig.ai/downloads
• helpguide.sony.net/tv/ggar1/v1/en-142/07-02_14.html