Digital signage software determines what your screens show, and when you change it. With Narrow.TV you do this entirely online: you build slides in the dashboard at dashboard.narrow.tv, an Android device attached to your screen plays them, and every change is on screen within about a minute. No USB sticks, no software on a PC tucked away in a cupboard. New to the subject? First read what digital signage is exactly.
How it works: from dashboard to screen
Getting a screen up and running takes a few steps:
- Create a screen in the dashboard. You choose the resolution and whether the screen hangs in landscape or portrait. The dashboard shows a pairing code.
- Install the Narrow.TV Player from Google Play on your Android TV, Android tablet or Android media box or stick.
- Enter the code in the app. The device is now paired with that screen.
- Add slides in the dashboard. The screen starts playing.
If you replace a device later, you pair the new device with the screen using the same steps. The old device is then unpaired. The detailed steps are in the guide pairing a screen.
What you can show on your screens
The slide editor works with individual elements that you place freely on a slide:
- Text in 11 fonts, for headings, offers and short announcements.
- Images and video: video in MP4, WebM or MOV plays without sound by default; you turn sound on if you want it.
- YouTube videos, for example a company film or product video that is already online.
- Shapes, lines and backgrounds: a background image or background video under your text.
- Clock and date, also as a world clock with its own time zone.
- Ticker: a scrolling line of text for short messages.
- Price table with headings and lines for product and price.
There is also a ready-made weather template with the city, date, current temperature and a six-day forecast. You only set the location. Inspiration for what to show where can be found in our tips for digital signage content.
Playlist, transitions and templates
All the slides for a screen together form a playlist that repeats continuously. For each slide you set how long it stays on screen, from 5 to 60 seconds. You change the order by dragging slides. For each screen you choose a transition between slides: fade, zoom or slide (from four directions). With the preview in the dashboard you see the result before it goes live.
You do not have to start with a blank slide. Narrow.TV has ready-made templates, filterable by screen type and orientation, with categories such as Horeca (hospitality), Retail, Automotive and Real estate. If you have created a slide yourself that works well, save it as your own template. Everyone in your business account can then reuse it.
Screen resolutions, media and playback
You choose the resolution per screen: Full HD 1920x1080 (default), 4K 3840x2160, HD 1366x768, square 1080x1080 or a custom size, landscape or portrait. The content is scaled to fit.
You manage files in a media library per company. You upload JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, MP4, WebM and MOV up to a maximum of 200 MB per file. PDF, PowerPoint and separate audio files are not supported. If you want to use an existing presentation, export the slides as images.
The Narrow.TV Player runs on Android TV, Android tablets and Android media boxes or sticks. Many smart TVs now run Google TV or Android TV; if yours does not, connect an Android TV box or stick via HDMI. Fire TV, Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Windows, iOS and Chromecast are not supported. If you are still choosing a screen, pay particular attention to brightness and the number of hours a day it will be on.
During a short network interruption the player keeps playing the most recently loaded content. You can set the app as the device's home screen so it opens as the main app.
Collaborating and managing multiple screens
You work with a business account with two roles. The owner handles the subscription and the screens, an editor works on slides, templates and media. Narrow.TV adds extra users for you on request via contact. The dashboard is available in Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish and Turkish.
Each screen has a location field so you can keep track of which screen hangs where, and you can search your screens. Handy as soon as you have more than a handful.
If you want to use two or more screens together as a video wall, you can with the paid Combined view add-on. If you want to show data from your own system or website, such as product data, news or prices, Narrow.TV connects a JSON or XML/RSS feed for you. That is not self-service: we set it up together with you. Read more in your own data on screens.
Pricing and free trial
You pay a subscription per screen; Combined view is a paid add-on. You can always see what that costs in our current prices, and a detailed explanation of all the costs involved in a screen is in how much digital signage costs.
Want to see how it works first? You can try it free for 30 days with 1 screen. You cannot add extra screens during the trial; after payment you can. Start your trial or request a demo via contact.
Frequently asked questions
What is digital signage software?
Digital signage software is the program you use to decide what appears on your screens. With Narrow.TV you create slides in an online dashboard and an app on an Android device plays those slides on your screen.
Which devices does the Narrow.TV Player work on?
The Narrow.TV Player is an Android app from Google Play. It runs on Android TV, Android tablets and Android media boxes or sticks. Fire TV, Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Windows, iOS and Chromecast are not supported.
Can I try digital signage for free?
Yes. You can try it free for 30 days with 1 screen, as a digital signage screen or as a digital menu board. You start the trial online at dashboard.narrow.tv/register.
Can I put PowerPoint or PDF on my digital signage screen?
No, PDF and PowerPoint are not supported. You can upload images (JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF) and video (MP4, WebM, MOV), for example by exporting your slides as images.
How quickly do changes appear on screen?
The player checks for new content every 60 seconds. So a change in the dashboard appears on your screen within about a minute.