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      How can I setup my screens?

      Several options on how to get your content on your Screens, using Android, Chromecast, and more.

      RocketScreens provides several options to serve your Apps and Content on a TV. What's best will depend on your specific situation, but we've done our best to offer a variety of options to make it as easy and fast as possible.

      First, let's take a look at the hardware we may need.

      Step 1: Selecting the right hardware

      Dedicated Hardware (e.g. Amazon FireTV, Chromecast, AndroidTV, etc)

      The first option is to use a dedicated piece of hardware running Android, AndroidTV, Android with Google TV, or an Android derivative. Some of the devices that fall under this category include the following:

      • Amazon FireTV Sticks
      • Chromecast with Google TV
      • Sony Bravia TV
      • Xiaomi Mibox

      Android is available on hundreds of devices, so it's impossible to list them all above. All the hardware needs is access to the Google Play Store or the Amazon App Store. If you're on a budget, we suggest the Amazon FireTV Stick 4k or the Chromecast with Google TV, both of which retail for around $50 and are readily available at most electronics stores. 

      While you can use any Android device, we usually suggest staying away from devices which cost less than $30, such as the Amazon FireTV Stick lite. These devices may work for simple use-cases, but can really struggle once you start adding much content.

      Benefits

      • Offline playback for most content
      • Automatic restart
      • Controllable from device remote
      • Offline notifications

      Drawbacks

      • May need to purchase extra hardware
      • Requires on-site setup and configuration

      Once you've done the initial setup of one of these devices, go to the respective App Store and search for "RocketScreens". Once you find our free app, install it and meet us at the next section, Registering Players.

      Desktop Hardware (e.g. laptop in the server room, PC behind the desk, etc)

      The next option is to use the hardware you're likely already using; a PC which is sharing its screen to the TV with an HDMI cable. This approach requires no new hardware or hardware configurations. Simply download our Desktop app to the PC, run the installation process, and start the app.

      Benefits

      • Requires no new hardware
      • Offline playback for most content
      • Automatic restart
      • Offline notifications

      Drawbacks

      • You're still occupying a PC that could be used elsewhere
      • Not easily transportable to other locations

      To get started with the Desktop app download it for your platform (Windows or macOS) and run the installation. Once installed, meet us down at the section Registering Players.

      Arbitrary Hardware (Web URL)

      There are dozens of ways companies figure out how to show their content on screens. The most common ways are one of the two above approaches, but at RocketScreens we also want to support any arbitrary method someone is using. 

      For this purpose, we offer a Web Player, which is similar to our Android and Desktop Apps, but is provided through a URL. For example, RocketScreens will give you a URL such as "https://app.rocketscreens.com/embed/example/", and you can take this URL and embed or link to it as you like.

      If you're currently typing a URL into a browser on a TV, a browser on a PC, a Chromecast, or looking to embed your content into an Intranet, this is what you'll want to use.

      Benefits

      • Super simple to setup
      • Can be embedded or linked to from any number of devices or portals
      • Can be secured to only allow access from certain domains or by providing a password

      Drawbacks

      • No support for automatic restart
      • No support for offline playback
      • No support for offline notifications
      • Only controllable from the RocketScreens CMS

      We have a number of options to secure these URLs to ensure appropriate access, but our Web URLs allow flexibility for those orgs who don't currently utilize some sort of physical hardware such as an Android device or a PC.

      To create a Web Player:

      1. Go to the RocketScreens CMS.
      2. Find the Digital Signage -> Players tab.
      3. Click the Create Player button.
      4. Select the Web Player option.
      5. Provide the Players Name, the default Channel, and optionally set the allowed domains.
      6. Once created, select the Player, and click the Embed Player option.
      7. Copy the URL or embed code, and use it in a browser to see the web player.

      You're done! This URL can be entered into any browser or web page needed!

      Step 2. Registering Players

      At this point, you should have either our Desktop App or Android App installed on a PC or Android device, respectively. If you're using a Web Player, then you don't need to perform these steps.

      Go ahead and start the app.

      Once started, the app should show you a QR code and a special (secret) registration code. You'll need this registration code for the next steps.

      To register the hardware to your RocketScreens account, perform the following steps:

      1. Go to the RocketScreens CMS.
      2. Find the Digital Signage -> Players tab.
      3. Click the Create Player button. A new window will open.
        1. If you are using the Desktop App, select the Desktop Player option.
        2. If you are using an Android device, select the Physical Player option.
      4. In the new window, you should provide the following fields:
        1. Player Name. Set the name to something easily identifiable for the hardware (e.g. Lobby TV).
        2. Registration Code. Enter the previously provided Registration code in the app.
        3. Default Channel. Select a Channel you want the Player to play during normal operations.
        4. You can set the other fields too, but they're optional.
      5. Click the Claim button.

      After a moment your hardware will start playing the content in the selected Channel!

      Step 3: Rinse and Repeat!

      You'll need to perform the above steps for each Player you want to set up.

      Have dozens or hundreds of devices and want to save yourself the headache? Contact us at sales@rocketscreens.com and ask about our Administrative Services.