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Displays

Physical screens that show your BrandCast content to customers and employees.

Overview​

Displays are the endpoints of your BrandCast system - the actual screens in your stores, offices, or facilities that show your content to your audience.

Display Types:

  • Store Front - Customer-facing displays (lobby, checkout, entrance)
  • Break Room - Employee-facing displays (schedules, announcements, training)

Key Features:

  • Cloud-managed display control
  • Real-time health monitoring
  • Remote layout updates
  • Session management
  • Registration codes for easy setup
  • Multi-store display management

Creating a Display​

Step 1: Navigate to Displays​

  1. Log into your BrandCast dashboard
  2. Click Displays in the main menu
  3. Click Create Display

Step 2: Configure Display​

Required Fields:

  • Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "Front Counter Display #1")
  • Type: Store Front or Break Room
  • Location: Physical location description
  • Store: Which store this display belongs to

Optional Fields:

  • Description: Additional notes about the display
  • Is Active: Enable or disable the display
  • Metadata: Custom fields for your tracking needs

Step 3: Save and Get Registration Code​

After saving, you'll receive a 6-character registration code to connect your physical device.

Example: ABC123

Security:

  • Codes expire after 24 hours
  • Generate new code if expired
  • One-time use per display
  • Secure transmission

Registering Display Devices​

Supported Devices​

Tablets:

  • iPad (2018 or newer)
  • Android tablets (4GB+ RAM)
  • Amazon Fire tablets
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab

Smart TVs:

  • Any TV with web browser
  • Samsung Smart TV
  • LG WebOS
  • Android TV
  • Roku (with browser channel)

Computers:

  • Windows PC (Win 10+)
  • Mac (macOS 10.14+)
  • Linux (Ubuntu, Debian)
  • Chrome browser recommended

HDMI Sticks:

  • Amazon Fire Stick
  • Chromecast (with Chrome browser)
  • Roku Streaming Stick (with browser)

Registration Process​

On the display device:

  1. Open web browser (Chrome or Firefox recommended)
  2. Navigate to: display.brandcast.app
  3. Enter your 6-character registration code
  4. Click Register Device
  5. Display connects and shows assigned layout

What Happens:

  • Device creates secure session
  • Registers device fingerprint
  • Connects to BrandCast cloud
  • Downloads and displays assigned layout
  • Begins heartbeat monitoring

Troubleshooting Registration​

Registration Failed:

  • Code may have expired (generate new one)
  • Check internet connection
  • Clear browser cache and cookies
  • Try different browser
  • Disable browser extensions

Display Shows Error:

  • Verify code entered correctly
  • Check display is active in dashboard
  • Ensure display has layout assigned
  • Review network firewall rules

See: Display Setup Workflow for detailed setup

Display Configuration​

Assigning Layouts​

Single Layout Assignment:

  1. Go to display settings
  2. Under Active Layout, select layout
  3. Click Update
  4. Display immediately switches to new layout

Why It Updates Immediately:

  • Cloud-based control
  • No need to touch physical device
  • Changes apply within seconds
  • Rollback available if needed

Using Schedules​

Control layout changes based on time:

Example Schedule:

  • 9 AM - 5 PM: Promotional content
  • 5 PM - 9 PM: After-hours messaging
  • Weekends: Weekend-specific content

Setup:

  1. Create schedule in Schedules menu
  2. Define time-based rules
  3. Assign to display
  4. Automatic layout switching

See: Content Association for schedule setup

Using Playlists​

Rotate through multiple layouts automatically:

Example Playlist:

  • Layout 1: 30 seconds
  • Layout 2: 45 seconds
  • Layout 3: 30 seconds
  • Repeat

Setup:

  1. Create playlist in Playlists menu
  2. Add layouts with durations
  3. Set transition style (fade, slide, none)
  4. Assign to display

Best Practices:

  • 3-5 layouts per playlist optimal
  • 30-60 seconds per layout
  • Smooth transitions preferred
  • Test before deploying

Display Health Monitoring​

Session Status​

Each display shows real-time status:

🟢 Online - Display connected and active

  • Last ping within 5 minutes
  • Displaying content normally
  • Receiving updates

🟡 Idle - Connected but inactive

  • Device may be sleeping
  • Screen saver active
  • Network temporarily disconnected
  • Usually auto-recovers

🔴 Offline - Not connected

  • No ping for 10+ minutes
  • Device powered off
  • Network disconnected
  • Requires investigation

Activity Tracking​

Last Accessed:

  • Timestamp of most recent ping
  • Updates every 1-5 minutes
  • Indicates display is alive

Session Started:

  • When current session began
  • Tracks uptime
  • Helps identify connection issues

Session Token:

  • Unique identifier for this session
  • Secure authentication
  • Rotates on disconnect/reconnect

Health Metrics​

Monitor display performance:

Uptime:

  • Percentage of time online
  • Last 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days
  • Target: 99%+ uptime

Connection Quality:

  • Ping response time
  • Network latency
  • Packet loss

Content Delivery:

  • Successful layout loads
  • Failed content fetches
  • Cache hit rate

Access health metrics in display settings → Analytics tab.

Display Types​

Store Front Displays​

Customer-facing displays for public areas.

Common Locations:

  • Lobby and entrance
  • Checkout counters
  • Product aisles
  • Waiting areas
  • Service desks

Typical Content:

  • Promotional offers
  • Product information
  • Brand messaging
  • Entertainment
  • Wayfinding

Considerations:

  • Bright, high-contrast content
  • Large, readable text
  • Auto-brightness for ambient light
  • Sound off (usually)
  • Professional appearance

Break Room Displays​

Employee-facing displays for internal areas.

Common Locations:

  • Employee break rooms
  • Back offices
  • Time clock areas
  • Training rooms
  • Kitchen areas

Typical Content:

  • Employee schedules
  • Company announcements
  • Training materials
  • HR updates
  • Benefits information

Considerations:

  • Functional over flashy
  • Schedule information prominent
  • Text-heavy okay
  • Updated frequently
  • Security (internal only)

Multi-Display Management​

Viewing All Displays​

Dashboard View:

  1. Go to Displays
  2. See all displays with status
  3. Filter and sort

Information Shown:

  • Display name
  • Store location
  • Type (Store Front/Break Room)
  • Status (Online/Idle/Offline)
  • Assigned layout
  • Last active time

Bulk Operations​

Manage multiple displays at once:

Select Multiple Displays:

  1. Use checkboxes to select displays
  2. Click Bulk Actions dropdown

Available Actions:

  • Assign same layout to all
  • Apply schedule to all
  • Enable/disable multiple displays
  • Update settings across displays
  • Generate new registration codes

Use Cases:

  • Deploy new promotional campaign to all stores
  • Switch all displays to holiday content
  • Update schedules across locations
  • Disable displays for maintenance

Display Groups​

Organize displays for easier management:

By Store:

  • All displays for Store #1
  • All displays for Downtown location
  • Regional grouping

By Type:

  • All Store Front displays
  • All Break Room displays
  • All displays in a department

By Purpose:

  • All promotional displays
  • All informational displays
  • All training displays

Display Settings​

Basic Settings​

Display Information:

  • Name - Change display name
  • Description - Update notes
  • Location - Physical location
  • Type - Store Front or Break Room

Operational Settings:

  • Is Active - Enable/disable display
  • Registration Code - Generate new code
  • Auto-refresh - Enable periodic refresh

Advanced Settings​

Session Management:

  • Session timeout (default: 24 hours)
  • Auto-reconnect on disconnect
  • Device fingerprint validation
  • IP address logging

Content Delivery:

  • Cache duration for layouts
  • Preload next layout in playlist
  • Image quality (high/medium/low)
  • Video buffering settings

Display Behavior:

  • Auto-start on browser open
  • Fullscreen mode
  • Hide cursor
  • Prevent sleep mode

Metadata: Store custom information:

  • Installation date
  • Hardware model
  • Screen size and resolution
  • Maintenance schedule
  • Responsible person

Access via Display Settings → Metadata tab

Display Security​

Registration Security​

Secure Registration:

  • 6-character random codes
  • One-time use per code
  • 24-hour expiration
  • Encrypted transmission

Device Fingerprinting:

  • Hardware identifiers
  • Browser fingerprint
  • IP address tracking
  • Prevents unauthorized access

Session Security​

Secure Sessions:

  • Encrypted communication (HTTPS)
  • Session tokens
  • Automatic timeout
  • Re-authentication required

Access Control:

  • Only authorized users create displays
  • Role-based permissions
  • Audit logging
  • Session revocation

Network Security​

Recommendations:

  • Use dedicated WiFi for displays
  • Separate network from customer WiFi
  • Firewall configuration
  • VPN for sensitive content (Enterprise)

Required Connectivity:

  • Outbound HTTPS (port 443)
  • WebSocket connection
  • DNS resolution
  • No inbound connections required

Best Practices​

Hardware Selection​

For Optimal Performance:

Budget-Friendly:

  • Amazon Fire Tablet (HD 10)
  • Entry-level Android tablet
  • Repurposed older tablets

Recommended:

  • iPad (2020 or newer)
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab
  • High-quality Android tablet

Professional:

  • Commercial-grade displays
  • Dedicated digital signage hardware
  • Built-in media players

Installation​

Physical Placement:

  • Eye level for average viewer
  • Avoid direct sunlight and glare
  • Near power outlet
  • WiFi signal strength: Good or better
  • Accessible for maintenance

Mounting:

  • Secure mounting (wall or stand)
  • Cable management
  • Power accessible but hidden
  • Ventilation for tablets/computers
  • Locked or secured against theft

Network Requirements​

Minimum:

  • 5 Mbps download
  • 1 Mbps upload
  • Stable connection (no dropouts)

Recommended:

  • 10+ Mbps download
  • 5+ Mbps upload
  • Ethernet preferred over WiFi
  • Dedicated SSID for displays

For Video Content:

  • 25+ Mbps download
  • Low latency (less than 50ms)
  • No bandwidth throttling

Naming Conventions​

Use consistent, descriptive names:

Format: [STORE-CODE]-[LOCATION]-[PURPOSE]

Examples:

  • NYC01-FRONT-CUSTOMER - Front counter customer display
  • NYC01-BREAK-EMPLOYEE - Break room employee display
  • LA-WEST-CHECKOUT-01 - Checkout display #1
  • CHI-LOOP-LOBBY-MAIN - Main lobby display

Benefits:

  • Easy identification
  • Searchable by location
  • Scalable across stores
  • Clear purpose

Content Refresh Strategy​

Manual Updates:

  • Major content changes
  • New campaigns
  • Seasonal updates

Scheduled Updates:

  • Time-based content switches
  • Business hours vs after-hours
  • Weekday vs weekend content

Playlist Rotation:

  • Automatic content variety
  • 3-5 layouts rotating
  • 30-60 seconds each

Dynamic Content:

  • RSS feeds auto-update
  • Weather refreshes
  • Calendars sync automatically

Maintenance​

Daily:

  • Check display status (all online?)
  • Verify content displaying correctly
  • Respond to alerts

Weekly:

  • Review display health metrics
  • Clean screens if needed
  • Test remote updates

Monthly:

  • Update content refresh
  • Review analytics
  • Hardware inspection
  • Software updates if needed

Quarterly:

  • Deep clean hardware
  • Replace damaged equipment
  • Review display placement
  • Update documentation

Common Use Cases​

Retail Store Front​

Setup:

  • 2-3 displays per store
  • Main entrance display
  • Checkout counter display
  • Product display (optional)

Content Strategy:

  • 70% promotional
  • 20% informational
  • 10% entertainment

Update Frequency:

  • Weekly content updates
  • Daily for sales
  • Seasonal campaigns

Restaurant Menu Board​

Setup:

  • Multiple displays as menu boards
  • Kitchen display (orders)
  • Drive-thru display

Content:

  • Menu items with prices
  • Daily specials
  • Upsell items
  • Nutrition information

Update Frequency:

  • Real-time for specials
  • Weekly for menu changes
  • Seasonal menu updates

Corporate Office​

Setup:

  • Lobby display (visitors)
  • Break room display (employees)
  • Meeting room displays (schedules)
  • Department displays (metrics)

Content:

  • Company news
  • Meeting schedules
  • Announcements
  • Employee recognition

Update Frequency:

  • Daily announcements
  • Real-time meeting schedules
  • Weekly recognition updates

Fitness Center​

Setup:

  • Entrance display
  • Workout area displays
  • Class schedule display
  • Locker room displays

Content:

  • Class schedules
  • Fitness tips
  • Member spotlights
  • Special events

Update Frequency:

  • Real-time class schedules
  • Weekly tips and content
  • Daily class highlights

Troubleshooting​

Display Won't Register​

Check:

  1. Registration code not expired?
  2. Display is active in dashboard?
  3. Internet connection working?
  4. Browser compatible?

Solutions:

  • Generate new registration code
  • Activate display in settings
  • Test internet on device
  • Use Chrome or Firefox browser

See: Display Problems for detailed troubleshooting

Display Shows Offline​

Check:

  1. Device powered on?
  2. Internet connected?
  3. Browser still open?
  4. Screen not sleeping?

Solutions:

  • Restart display device
  • Reconnect to WiFi
  • Reopen display.brandcast.app
  • Disable sleep mode
  • Re-register if needed

Content Not Updating​

Check:

  1. Layout assigned to display?
  2. Layout published?
  3. Display online?
  4. Cache issue?

Solutions:

  • Verify layout assignment
  • Publish layout changes
  • Refresh display browser
  • Force cache clear

Performance Issues​

Symptoms:

  • Slow loading
  • Choppy animations
  • Delayed updates
  • Freezing

Solutions:

  • Check internet speed
  • Reduce layout complexity
  • Optimize images/videos
  • Restart display device
  • Update browser

See: Display Problems for comprehensive troubleshooting

Display Analytics​

Metrics Tracked​

Uptime Metrics:

  • Total uptime percentage
  • Offline incidents count
  • Average session duration
  • Reconnection frequency

Content Metrics:

  • Layouts displayed count
  • Content load time
  • Failed content fetches
  • Cache hit rate

Performance Metrics:

  • Page load time
  • Render time
  • Network latency
  • Error rate

Accessing Analytics​

  1. Go to Displays
  2. Click on display name
  3. Navigate to Analytics tab
  4. Select date range
  5. View metrics and graphs

Using Analytics​

Identify Issues:

  • Displays with low uptime
  • Slow content delivery
  • Network problems
  • Hardware issues

Optimize Performance:

  • Find displays needing faster internet
  • Identify content causing slowdowns
  • Optimize high-traffic layouts
  • Plan hardware upgrades

Track Trends:

  • Uptime trends over time
  • Seasonal performance patterns
  • Content effectiveness
  • Display health degradation

Next Steps​