Android digital signage: the Castit app on TVs, boxes, and displays
Android digital signage starts with a screen you may already have: a Google TV or Android TV set, a small media box, a tablet, or a display with Android built in. Install the Castit app from Google Play, pair it with a code, and manage that screen from the same dashboard as every other player you run.
What is Android digital signage?
Android digital signage is a screen run by an Android device, such as a smart TV, a media box, a tablet, or a display with Android built in, that shows content managed remotely by signage software instead of a USB stick or a person at the screen.
With Castit, the Android device runs the Castit app. You build the content and the schedule in the Castit dashboard in your browser, and the app plays it and keeps it up to date. The app is the same on every Android device, so a TV in the canteen and a box behind the reception screen are managed the same way, next to your Windows, Linux, Samsung, and LG screens.
Which Android devices run Castit?
The Castit app runs on Google TV and Android TV sets, and on phones, tablets, media players, and displays with Android.
- Google TV and Android TV sets, from brands such as Hisense, Philips, Sony, and TCL
- Android media players and TV boxes, behind any screen with an HDMI input
- Commercial displays with Android built in, so the app runs on the screen itself
- LED displays whose controller runs Android, with Castit on the controller
- Tablets and phones, for a small screen on a counter or a desk
- The Castit Android player, a certified player that partners deliver preconfigured and ready to run
Install the app from Google Play. A device without the Play Store takes the APK from the downloads page.
From Android device to live screen in four steps
The same four steps on a TV, a box, or a tablet, and nothing to install on a server.
Get it from Google Play, or install the APK on a device without the Play Store.
The app starts after installation and shows a 5-digit pairing code on the screen.
In Castit, open the screen's Players tab and enter the code.
Put your content in a playlist, choose when it plays, and publish it to the screen.
Keep an Android screen on all day
A TV is built to go to sleep, and a sign isn't. Before you leave an Android screen running, switch off whatever puts it to sleep, and let the Castit app start by itself.
- In the TV's settings, set sleep, the screensaver, and auto shut-off to never or off. Menu names differ by brand.
- Allow the Castit app to start on its own and to stay open.
- In the Castit app's own settings, switch on *Enable player auto start*, which opens the player when the TV turns on, and *Enable foreground*, which reopens it if it is closed.
The Android installation guide lists the settings by brand. Consumer TVs have limited storage and may switch themselves off, so for screens that run all day, a professional display or a certified player is the safer choice.
Your own Android device, or the Castit Android player
Any Android device that runs the app will do for a first screen. For the screens that matter most, certified hardware is the recommended path.
Your own device keeps the TVs and boxes you already have in service, next to any other player, which suits existing screens and phased upgrades.
The Castit Android player is a certified player that a partner delivers preconfigured and ready to run, and supports from then on. The hardware page compares every player Castit runs on.
What happens when the internet drops?
Screens keep playing from local storage during an internet outage and catch up when it's back.
You also see each player's status and network health remotely, and updates roll out silently, without a visit to the screen.
Frequently asked questions
Can the TV run Castit itself, without a box?
Yes, if it runs Google TV or Android TV: install the Castit app from Google Play on the TV. Samsung and LG smart displays run Castit through their built-in player. Other TVs need a player on the HDMI input, such as an Android box or the Castit Android player.
Can I install Castit without Google Play?
Yes. A device without the Play Store takes the APK from the downloads page, installed directly on the device.
Can I mix Android screens with other players?
Yes. Android devices sit in the same dashboard as Windows, Linux, Samsung, LG, and Web Player screens, and you manage them all as one network.
Can a tablet or a phone be the screen?
Yes. The Castit app runs on Android tablets and phones too, which suits a small screen on a counter or a desk.
Can I try it on an Android TV for free?
Yes. Essential, the free plan, starts with 21 days of the complete product on up to ten players, with no credit card. After that one player stays free for as long as you like, with up to 5 items per screen and up to 30 seconds per item. See what Essential includes.
See it on your own Android screen
Try it free. Install the app on the TV or box you already have, and see your first screen running on Castit.
21 days of the complete product on up to ten players, then one player stays free forever. No credit card needed. Prefer a guided tour? Book a demo.