It’s 2025, and you wish to roll a handful of images and videos on a public display. Sounds simple! But, there’s a catch: most software options require you to pay a monthly fee for each device you use.
To you, this seems unfair. After all, you aren’t requiring much functionality, just a simple digital signage software. Shouldn’t a basic service like this be free of charge?
Well, yes! As long as you are willing to sacrifice some time and effort along the way, you can attain a quality digital signage setup without any financial outlay. In this article, we will explore the various routes toward this, allowing you to understand what is required in order to keep that credit card safely in your wallet.
For balance, we will also take a brief look into why such a service is not typically free, and why—for some people—a paid service may represent your best route to digital signage success.
First up on our exploration of free software is… well… the idea of not using any software at all! What might you use instead?
A TV with a USB stick.
Almost without exception, modern televisions have an in-built option to display media via a USB stick. How this works may vary, as may the functionality, but the option will most likely be available to you.
From our experience, many modern TV sets share the same characteristics listed below. However, it is worth being aware that some of the limitations discussed will not apply to you if you have a professional-grade screen.
When to consider it
This is a solid option if you only need to display a few content items that rarely change, and you have a person by the screen who can see and handle the screen when needed.
For example, it would be useful if you own a store that requires just one rotating movie, with a clerk usually nearby to notice if any display errors arise.
The limitations
- Every change of content requires physical access to the screen. Most of the time, this involves trying to access a hard-to-reach USB port.
- If you have multiple screens, you need to multiply this hands-on work by the number of screens. It can become pretty time-consuming!
- If your content types vary—for example, if you need interwoven images and videos—you might need to reformat it to how your screen accepts it.
There are a few other limitations of this approach, too. However, for those of you lucky enough to own a professional screen, the following concerns do not apply.
- A TV is usually bright enough for a living room but may look pale in a public environment. It is also not meant to operate for the extended hours a digital signage screen would, so expect low visibility and some downgrade from there.
- The screen might show the file name or an indication that a new movie has started, possibly every time the video restarts.
- Someone must start the player manually each time the screen is turned on, or after any power failure.
If that option doesn’t suit your needs, let’s consider another approach:
Casting
Just like USB ports, most contemporary TVs come with a method of receiving broadcast signals without the use of physical cables or tools. Even if your TV does not have such a feature built in, it does not cost much to purchase a cheap device that does, and then connect this to your TV’s HDMI.
With this method, the content is easy to manage as you directly choose what you stream, a video or a presentation, to the device.
When to consider it
Casting can be an excellent option in situations where you have one screen with varied content that has to be updated easily and frequently. For example, this approach will benefit a library or a school with one screen!
Casting to more than one screen is an option, but requires deeper technical knowledge.
The limitations
The major drawback of this method is that you must always have a device connected to the same network and constantly broadcasting the content. Every failure in the network or casting service will mean the screen fails to work. Therefore, you might need to keep an eye on the screen from time to time.
More than one player
If you have more than one screen and can live with one video playback, check out this link:
It offers a decent way of broadcasting one multimedia file simultaneously to multiple devices. Pretty useful!
By now you might be realising that software has its uses after all. But, still, isn’t showing media online an easy task? This brings us to our next stop: the browser.
Built-in Browser
Almost any device with a good screen will also have a browser.
It’s likely your TV has one, but if it does not, you can always grab an old PC or a cheap Android TV box for this.
So, the first step to leveraging the power of the browser involves grabbing a public presentation link. Once we’ve got that, we are good to go with a presentation that auto-updates and is full of design options!
Feel free to find your own, but here are a few useful guides for navigating the most popular presentation options:
- Google Slides - How to Auto-play and Loop Google Slides
- PowerPoint - Create a self-running presentation
- Canva - How to Loop Canva Presentation
Pssst: Some of these options even auto-update without any interaction!
Through this route, you can benefit from a professional display that keeps your browser running without intervention. However, if an external device is more suited, almost all operating systems have kiosk options and apps built precisely for this purpose.
When to consider it
This represents a great option if your content varies frequently, but reliably comes in the form of a presentation (i.e., no news videos or news tickers).
It is also very beneficial to have someone who can tell if the display is down and handle the steps needed to bring it back.
The limitations
· Any power failure will require human intervention.
· When working with external devices, remote control access is essential.
· A stable Internet connection is required—if the connection goes down, so does the display.
· Content display is restricted by the capabilities of the software used—for instance, presentation software may not support auto-playing videos effectively.
If you’ve reached this far without finding an option that suits your needs, you probably require some good software. But, don’t worry! Read on to understand what you can still squeeze for free:
Open Source or Free Software
Free or open-source software will usually do everything you need. These programs can display images and videos, schedule content, and even manage different playlists for different users.
If you have 1-3 screens, you can choose from an array of interesting options from well-established software brands.
If you have more than that, you can still get away with simple playlists and not much more, or you can go the highly technical route of hosting your own CMS.
The Options
· Xibo - Do you know how to install a Docker? Check this out. It's packed with features and free if you have Windows players.
· digitalsignage.com - Windows or Android, the first three screens are free, as long as you tolerate the confusing interface.
When to consider it
· Saving money is a priority
· Simple playlist management is all you need
· You have less than 3 players
(Xibo is the outlier here - If you can get it up and running, and has Windows devices, it might save you a ton on a full-featured CMS.)
The limitations
· You will probably have to narrow your hardware options based on your chosen software.
· You won't have any customer service helpline to talk to if you get stuck on installation or usage (but you can often find answers online!)
· And lastly, it is likely that you will lack adequate security practices and experience a lack of updates to the software.
Ending the Journey
We started this article with a simple question: Can I really display digital signage for free, or is a paid subscription 100% necessary?
Well, the truth is that if you know your way around code or if you consider yourself to be highly tech-savvy, you can hack your way to an excellent digital signage setup without paying for a dedicated service.
For most people, the problem doesn’t start when you need to show the media; it begins when you need it never to stop. When errors occur, you might find yourself wishing it wasn’t your job to fix them!
Therefore, a digital signage company’s job is to ensure you have a reliable playback that never stops.
For us, every time you have to manually interact with your screen, it signals a problem we're working to eliminate—so you won’t have to deal with it again in the future.
The conclusion? Showing content is an easy task. When it comes to keeping it running, that's where you might need professional help!