Digital signage display on the TV you already have
A normal TV can be a digital signage display. Plug in a small player or use a web browser, then change what the screen shows from your phone. No new digital signage screens needed. NowBoard is free on 1 TV, with no card.
Free on 1 TV • No credit card required • Then from £10/TV/month ex VAT
- Works with your TVs Player App, Player Pro or a browser tab.
- Ready-made Boards Menus, timetables, notices and welcome screens.
- Many sites, one login Run every screen in every building from one account.
- From £10 a month Per TV, ex VAT. One TV is free.
Do you need a special digital signage display?
Usually not. A normal TV works for most indoor use.
A normal TV is enough when
The screen is indoors, on during opening hours, and people read it from a few metres away. Receptions, café counters, staff rooms and meeting rooms all fit. Any TV or monitor with an HDMI input works.
A commercial display is worth it when
The screen stays on 24 hours a day, or faces the street through a window. Commercial displays are built for long hours, and window models are much brighter so daylight does not wash them out. They cost more, so buy them only where you need them.
Size for the room
People should read the main line from where they normally stand. Try a Board on the TV you have before you buy a bigger one. Several Boards also have portrait versions for a narrow wall.
Three ways to connect a TV
Each digital display screen needs a Player Licence. The Free plan includes one.
| Way | What you need | Hardware cost |
|---|---|---|
| NowBoard Player App | A Google Play Certified Android TV or Google TV stick or box, or a TV with Google TV built in | The device, if you do not have one |
| NowBoard Windows App | A Windows laptop or mini PC wired to the screen | None if you own the PC |
| Web browser | Google Chrome on a computer wired to the screen, in full screen | None if you own the computer |
Locked or older TV? In the UK, plug in a NowBoard Player (£149 ex VAT) or NowBoard Player Pro (£199 ex VAT). Plug one in and scan the QR code on screen. The Player Pro also comes back by itself after a power cut, and can show live video from an NDI source on your network.
See all hardware options, or how to get started.
Every way to get NowBoard on a screen
NowBoard Web Player (Chrome)
Try it, or use a PC you already have
Needs a Player Licence for each screen
Open your NowBoard Screen in Google Chrome. A laptop or small desktop PC wired to a screen can run a Board all day in full screen.
Trying NowBoard out, or driving a screen from a laptop or mini PC you already own.
NowBoard Player App (Android TV)
Reliable, on hardware you buy
Needs a Player Licence for each screen
An app for a Google Play Certified Android TV or Google TV stick, box, or Android tablet.
A reliable, always-on screen on Google Play Certified hardware.
NowBoard Player Pro
For live NDI video
£199 ex VAT, UK only
Our most powerful HDMI device, It can also show live video from an NDI source on your network. Plug in, scan the QR code, done.
Live video from an NDI source on your network, and the most reliable set-and-forget option for an unattended screen.
NowBoard Player
Plug in and go
£149 ex VAT, UK only
Our dedicated HDMI device for everyday screens. Plug in, scan the QR code, done.
Menus, notices, schedules and slideshows on a screen that runs all day without anyone touching it.
Live video from an NDI source needs the NowBoard Player Pro.
NowBoard Windows App
For a Windows PC
Needs a Player Licence for each screen
A player app for Windows. The PC driving your screen starts up, signs in and carries on showing your Boards without anyone touching it.
A screen run from a Windows laptop or mini PC you already own.
Available now. Download it from the Players page in the NowBoard app.
Digital signage TV vs smart TV apps
Casting from a phone or playing a USB stick works for a day. It breaks down when the screen has to run on its own.
No schedule
A USB slideshow shows the same thing all day. A digital signage TV can show breakfast at 8 and lunch at 12 without anyone touching it.
No remote changes
To change a USB slideshow, someone walks to the TV. With NowBoard you change a Board on your phone and every screen showing it follows.
Lost when the power drops
Casting stops when the phone leaves, and many TVs return to their home screen after a power cut. A NowBoard Player Pro starts again by itself and goes back to your content.
What to show first
A welcome screen
Greet visitors, show opening hours and today's events. See welcome screens.
A menu
Prices and specials you change between services. See digital menu boards.
A timetable
Classes, sessions or rooms, with what is on now. See class timetables.
Notices
Replace the paper on the wall. See digital noticeboards.
Every one starts from a ready-made template. See the templates.
What it costs
Free
1 TV, up to 5 Boards. No card and no end date.
Starter
£10 per TV per month, ex VAT. Unlimited Boards, all styles, your branding.
Professional
£20 per TV per month, ex VAT. Adds Scheduled Boards and emergency alerts.
No contract on monthly plans. In the UK we can also supply a TV and arrange installation, or arrange installation on a TV you already have. See pricing and hardware and installation.
What your digital signage screens can show
These are real NowBoard Boards, running live in your browser.
Questions about digital signage displays
Can I use a normal TV for digital signage?
Yes. Any TV or monitor with an HDMI input works for most indoor use. Add a player, or wire a laptop or PC to it, and pair it with your NowBoard account.
What is the difference between a digital signage display and a TV?
A commercial digital signage display is built to stay on for long hours, and some are brighter for windows. A TV is built for a few hours a day indoors. Both show NowBoard the same way.
Do I need a media player?
You need something to run NowBoard on the TV: a Google Play Certified Android TV or Google TV device with the NowBoard Player App, a Windows PC with the NowBoard Windows App, or Google Chrome on a computer. In the UK you can also buy the NowBoard Player (£149 ex VAT) or Player Pro (£199 ex VAT).
How bright does a window display need to be?
Brighter than a normal TV. A screen that faces the street through glass competes with daylight and can look washed out. Choose a high-brightness display sold for window use. Indoors, a normal TV is bright enough.
Put your first screen to work
Start with the TV you have. Add players and screens when you need them.