Suggestions on hardware for RocketScreens digital signage.
It largely depends on the use-case, but here are some of our suggestions.
For Static Content
If you're only showing static content (images, PowerPoints, etc) you should be able to get away with a cheap device such as an Amazon FireTV Stick Lite. While this will work fine for static content, a large amount of static content may push these to the brink. For about $20 more you can grab a much better device (as suggested below).
For Dynamic Content
For most of what we see our customers doing, we suggest either the Chromecast with Google TV or the Amazon FireTV Stick 4k. These are powerful enough to handle a large amount of static content, a healthy amount of dynamic content (like Dashboards or Reports), and some videos. Both of these devices are affordable at the $50 range, readily available at most stores with an electronics department, and can handle most use-cases.
For Video Content
If you want to show a lot of video content, we suggest upgrading to something more powerful which also includes an Ethernet port. This way, your video content will remain consistent without hitching or interruptions. For this use-case, we would suggest a mini-PC plugged into the TV. Hardware that falls under this category typically costs about $150-$300 depending on the specifications.
For Interactive Content
If you want to show content which can be interacted with through a touchscreen, we again suggest a mini-PC (roughly $150-$300). You want your web apps to be buttery-smooth, and cheaper hardware can cause delays in user selections, or janky animations. If it's non-customer facing you can probably go a little on the cheaper side, but for consumer-facing screens you may want to lean on the higher end.