The same question comes up on every project: which screen for digital signage? The good news is you probably already own it. Digital signage needs no proprietary hardware: any screen with a browser works, from the living-room smart TV to a professional monitor in the shop window. Here is how to pick the right one by location, size and budget, without ever buying a media player.
A signage screen is mostly a browser
The principle is simple: online software (like MisterSignage) prepares the content, and the screen opens an address to play it on a loop. So there is no proprietary player to buy and no app to install. You open mistersignage.com/play on the screen, a code appears, you enter it in your account, it plays. For the basics, read what digital signage is.
Which screen by location
In the shop window
For a storefront, aim for a bright screen (400 cd/m² and up) that stays readable behind glass, even in full daylight. A 43 to 55-inch monitor or TV is enough in most shops. The full detail is on our storefront screen: guide, price and software page.
In a room or facing a counter
A restaurant menu, a bulletin board or a welcome screen is fine on a regular TV or a 32 to 55-inch monitor, in landscape. See our use cases by industry.
Outdoors
Outside, you need a screen built for it (IP rating, very high brightness, weather resistance). That is a different budget. To dig in, read outdoor digital signage.
Size, orientation, brands
Size follows reading distance: 32 inches for a counter, 43-55 for a window or a room, 65 and up for a big wall. Orientation is set screen by screen, portrait or landscape, with nothing to install. As for brands, Samsung, LG, iiyama or Philips all work: it is the browser that matters, not the model. To connect by device, see Smart TV, Android or Raspberry Pi.
Why you do not need a box
Many vendors sell a player (an HDMI box you mount behind the screen) and bill you for it. With MisterSignage, the screen browser does the job: no box, no HDMI cable, no app. That is what we cover in digital signage without a player or box. You keep the budget for a better screen.
What it costs
The screen is one part of the budget. The software starts at €0: 1 screen free for life, then from €6/screen/month with no commitment, see pricing. To place MisterSignage against the rest, check the comparison.
To get going, follow how to set up digital signage in 3 steps or the Add a screen docs.