Why Android players are the top choice for digital signage
A digital signage platform consists of two main elements: the content management system (CMS) and the players.
The content management system (CMS) is the software that manages and schedules the content displayed on digital signage screens. It gives you control over when and where the content is shown.
The players are the hardware devices that display the content on the screens. They can be standalone or integrated into the displays. The players receive content from the CMS and show it according to the schedule and specifications.
If you use our cloud-based digital signage software, then all your CMS problems are already solved, so you only need to focus on your players, and there are some parameters you must consider. In the following paragraphs, I will explain why we use Android digital signage players and why we recommend you do so.
- Which Android devices can you use as digital signage players?
- Why are Android digital signage players more cost-effective?
- Conclusion
Which Android devices can you use as digital signage players?
Most digital totems, suitable for outdoor and indoor use, come with an integrated Android media player. These totems can access your Wi-Fi network if available at their location. They also have an Ethernet port for a wired Internet connection and can be equipped with a mobile module for connecting to the Internet using a SIM card from a mobile provider.
Indoor digital displays can be TVs or monitors mounted on walls or structures, vertically or horizontally. They require an Android TV box connected to the display via HDMI for media playback. These Android media players can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi or a wired connection.
For smaller applications, you can also use Android tablets as digital signage players by placing them in a protective case and mounting them on a wall or other surface.
Why are Android digital signage players more cost-effective?
Android is an open-source operating system, meaning anyone can use it, modify it, and distribute it for free. Therefore, many manufacturers use Android as the operating system of their devices, which drives down their costs. On the contrary, devices that use closed-source operating systems are more expensive due to licensing the proprietary software.
Another thing to consider is the operating system's hardware resources. For example, Windows is an operating system that can run on various hardware and supports many features and capabilities. Because of this, it requires and uses more resources than Android, an operating system designed to run on low-powered devices with fewer features. That is why you will find Windows digital signage players installed on Intel NUC mini computers, which cost around $300.
Most importantly, digital signage players only have one function: displaying content. They do this by running a single application: the digital signage player that communicates with the CMS and requests new content to display. Android devices are well-suited for this task because they can efficiently run a single application without requiring many resources.
Many Android TV boxes are available in the market and come in a wide range of prices. The price of an Android TV box can vary based on many factors, such as the processor, memory, and storage. Some Android TV boxes are suitable for streaming video, while others are more powerful and are better for playing games. Any Android TV Box with the ability to stream video from online services like Netflix and Hulu has enough resources to work as a digital signage player.
Some Android TV boxes come with superuser permissions, known as rooting. This gives you more control over the device, including the ability to remotely reboot it and send CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) HDMI commands to turn on and off the connected monitor or TV screen.
Amazon Fire TV Sticks are cheap yet powerful Android streaming players. One disadvantage of the FTVS is that you cannot modify them to use screen rotation and play vertical content due to the lack of superuser permissions. They also cannot be rebooted remotely and do not support sending commands to turn on and off the screen. If you do not need those capabilities, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite version that supports full HD content could be enough for your needs and only costs $30.
Conclusion
SignKontrol is a cloud-based digital signage software that simplifies the process of scheduling and posting content. To use it, you need to install the Xibo app on your Android device and add it to SignKontrol to start publishing content.
