If you have seen beautiful digital displays promoting a business, you may have wondered how the business turns a TV into digital signage. There are a few ways to do this, and some methods are more sophisticated than others. In the post below, we cover how businesses can set up a digital sign on their own TV, and we share step-by-step how they can get their content displayed as soon as possible.

How businesses turned TV screens into digital signs in the past

Broadly speaking, a digital sign is any screen that shows business content. This content can be for employees or for customers who are looking to buy the goods and services of the business. Whatever the use case, each digital sign needs a screen and a message worth sharing.

In the past, businesses would hack together different ways to get business content displayed on their screens. One common but cumbersome way to do this was by burning content onto a DVD disc and connecting a DVD player to the screen. This process would get the job done, but it was very difficult to edit the content on each screen, as a team member would have to physically visit each screen and change out the DVD. Some businesses were able to display content from a memory card. While memory cards have a smaller form factor than a DVD player, the problem of users having to physically visit each screen to change out content remained.

The role of digital signage players and digital signage software

Businesses like Screenly aim to make content management for digital signs seamless. To make this process seamless, users need a digital signage player and digital signage software. A digital signage player is a physical media player device that renders content to your TV screen. Importantly, a digital signage player communicates with digital signage software in order to know what content to display and when.

With digital signage software, users get an online content management system (CMS) that they can control from anywhere. Instead of having to visit each screen in person, users can determine what shows on their digital signage displays from anywhere with an internet connection. Important digital signage software features include:

• The ability to render image, video, motion-graphic, and even audio content
• The ability to easily add, delete, and swap out content
• The ability to organize content into reusable playlists
• The ability to tag screens and manage the content on multiple screens at once
• The ability to override existing content and show priority content
• The ability to schedule content and playlists in advance

Digital signage software makes managing digital signage content a breeze. When it is easier for users to manage the content on their digital signs, they are more likely to keep content fresh and frequently updated. In the past, the arduous process of digital signage content management resulted in many businesses not updating their content for long periods.

Step-by-step: How to transform your TV into a digital sign

If you are interested in transforming your TV into a digital sign and you are ready to go, follow the steps below. You can get your TV screens displaying content that is important to your business quickly and easily. Any smart TV or TV with an HDMI cable is compatible with most digital signage software.

The first step is to get a free trial with Screenly. We offer a 30-day free trial with no credit card required, so you can check out our platform at no cost.

Second, after you have registered for your free trial, purchase a digital signage player. You can choose from a Screenly Player or a Screenly Player Max, and the choice depends on your business needs. We recommend a Screenly Player Max for commercial displays.

Next, you can begin uploading content to your Screenly account and organizing it into playlists. Get familiar with the Screenly platform, and setting up your screen will be easy once your digital signage player arrives in the mail.

Last, once your digital signage player arrives, connect it to your TV screen via HDMI cable, connect it to the internet using WiFi or ethernet, and pair your screen with your online Screenly account.

That’s it! Your TV is now a digital sign.

We’re here to help with your digital signage solution

If you have any trouble along the way or need advice on setup, we are here to help. There is a wide range of options when it comes to setting up your first digital sign, and we want to make the process easy for you. Feel free to reach out to Screenly Support at any time. We are here to help!