Can I use my Android smart TV without an extra box?

If the TV runs Android TV (version 7.0 or newer) and lets you install apps from outside the store, yes: install the CastWize player directly on the TV. Otherwise, plug an Android TV box into the TV's HDMI port.

Is the CastWize player on Google Play?

Not yet. It is a direct APK download from the CastWize support page. Android shows a one-time warning about installing from an unknown source, which you allow in Settings.

Does it work on Amazon Fire TV?

Fire TV is not officially supported, and we haven't tested it. For a reliable setup, use an Android TV device or an Android media box.

Does the screen come back on its own after a power cut?

Yes. The player starts automatically when the device boots and reconnects to CastWize. If the internet is also down at that moment, it waits until the connection is back before it plays.

Not at the moment. Video, YouTube and live streams all play muted, which suits most shop, office and waiting-room screens. If you need audio, check back on this page as the players are updated.

Can people exit the app with the remote?

On a normal install the Home button still works. If you provision the device as Device Owner with adb, the player locks the screen to itself (kiosk lock) and remote reboot from Studio works too.

Players

Android TV digital signage.

Install the CastWize player on an Android TV or an Android box, enter a pairing code, and the screen is managed from your browser.

Get started free

The cheapest way to turn a TV into a managed screen

Many TVs already run Android TV, and an Android media box that plugs into HDMI costs less than a dinner out. Either one can become a digital signage player: install the CastWize player app, and the TV shows whatever you schedule in CastWize Studio, with no laptop behind the screen and no USB sticks to swap.

The CastWize Android player is built for TVs. It appears as a tile on the Android TV home screen, opens full screen, starts itself when the device boots, and has a watchdog that relaunches it if it hangs or crashes. It also installs on touch Android devices such as tablets, locked to landscape.

It plays everything the CastWize canvas can hold: images, video, text, web pages, live HLS streams and widgets such as a clock, a countdown, a QR code, weather, YouTube or a published Google Slides deck, laid out in as many zones as you like.

Who an Android player suits

Shops, cafés and clinics

A wall-mounted TV with an Android box behind it is the simplest, cheapest setup for one screen or twenty.

Smart TVs that already run Android TV

If the TV has Android TV built in, you may not need any extra hardware at all.

Installers rolling out many screens

The same app on every box, paired with a code, managed from one account. See also our page for agencies.

How to set up an Android TV for digital signage

1
Download the Android player
Get the APK from the CastWize support page on the device itself (with a browser or file-manager app), or copy it over on a USB stick. The app isn't on Google Play yet.
2
Allow the install
Android warns about installing from an unknown source the first time. Open Settings from that warning, allow installs from that source, then continue.
3
Open the player and note the code
The player opens full screen with a 6-character pairing code. Letters that are easy to confuse, such as O and 0, aren't used, and the code is valid for 15 minutes.
4
Add the screen in Studio
In CastWize Studio, go to Screens → Add screen and type the code. The TV comes online and plays whatever you assign to it.
5
Check the TV's sleep settings
Turn off the device's screensaver and sleep timer, so the TV doesn't dim in the middle of the day. From then on the player starts itself every time the device boots.

What the Android player does

Starts on boot: Power the box on and it goes straight to your playlist, which is what you want after a power cut.
Watchdog relaunch: A background service brings the player back if it hangs or crashes.
Automatic updates: The player checks for new stable releases every four hours. On a normal install Android asks you to confirm the update; on a device provisioned as Device Owner it updates silently.
Keeps playing through internet drops: Media is cached on the device (up to 500 MB) and keeps playing if the connection drops for a while.
Changes arrive in seconds: Publish in Studio and the screen picks up the change within seconds; it also checks for changes every 15 seconds.
Remote screenshots: See what the TV is showing right now from Studio.

Requirements and limits

Android 7.0 or newer, on an Android TV, an Android media box or an Android tablet. The player runs in landscape.
An up-to-date Android System WebView, which the player uses to draw your content.
The app is a direct APK download; it isn't on Google Play yet.
Video and streams play muted; there is no audio output for now.
Kiosk lock (so nobody can leave the app with the remote) and remote reboot need the device to be provisioned as Device Owner with adb. Without that, the player still runs full screen and starts on boot.
After a reboot with no internet connection, the player needs to reconnect before it plays again.

We haven't tested every Android box on the market. Amazon Fire TV devices are not officially supported. For a first screen, pick a box running a recent Android TV version, and test your real playlist on it before you mount it.

Pricing

One flat plan: $5 per screen per month, every feature and every player included, no tiers and no contract. Your first screen is free for 30 days with no credit card. See the pricing page for the calculator.

Android TV: FAQs

Other players

By industry

Ready to put your first screen up?

$5/screen/month, first screen free for 30 days, no credit card required.