Repurpose devices instead of buying new

Before buying new hardware, check your closet: An old laptop (Windows, Mac), a retired tablet (Android, iPad) or an affordable Android TV box can easily serve as a digital signage display. This saves money and helps the environment.

Sustainability matters: A 5-year-old laptop that's too slow for modern work is perfectly fine for a slideshow. Instead of throwing it away, give it a new purpose – and save yourself buying new hardware.

Option 1: Android TV boxes (affordable and flexible)

Android TV boxes (e.g., Xiaomi Mi Box, Chromecast with Google TV, no-name boxes from China) cost approx. $30–60 new and work similarly to a Fire TV Stick:

Setup:

  1. Connect the box via HDMI to your TV and connect to Wi-Fi.
  2. Open the Google Play Store and install Fully Kiosk Browser (approx. $7 one-time payment, free trial available).
  3. Open Fully Kiosk and enter your Bildschirmzentrale player URL.
  4. Enable in Fully Kiosk settings:
    • "Kiosk Mode" (locks back button and homescreen)
    • "Autostart" (browser starts automatically on boot)
    • "Screen Always On" (disables standby)
  5. Hide the remote – done!

Why Fully Kiosk? This app is specifically built for continuous operation: autostart, motion sensor control, remote management via web interface. The $7 is well invested if you want professional kiosk operation.

Proud business owner with tablet in front of glowing digital signage display – repurposing old devices in kiosk mode

Option 2: Old laptop or mini PC (Windows / macOS / Linux)

An old laptop is often too slow for modern software – but perfect for a browser in fullscreen mode:

Windows laptop:

  1. Update Windows (important for security).
  2. Open Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
  3. Enter your Bildschirmzentrale player URL and press F11 for fullscreen.
  4. To make the browser start automatically on boot:
    • Press Win+R and enter: shell:startup
    • Create a shortcut to Chrome with the following target (adjust path!):
      "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --kiosk https://bildschirmzentrale.de/player/YOUR_URL
    • Place the shortcut in the Startup folder.
  5. Disable standby: Settings > System > Power & Battery > Screen and sleep > Never.
  6. Disable Windows updates during active hours (optional): Settings > Update > Active hours.

macOS (MacBook, Mac Mini):

  1. Open Safari or Chrome and enter the player URL.
  2. Press Cmd+Shift+F for fullscreen (Safari) or F11 (Chrome).
  3. Autostart: System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items > "+" and add Safari/Chrome.
  4. Energy settings: System Preferences > Battery/Energy > Never turn off display.

Linux (Ubuntu, Debian):

  1. Install Chromium: sudo apt install chromium-browser -y
  2. Create an autostart script (see Raspberry Pi guide – works analogously).
  3. Disable screensaver: System Settings > Power.

Consider power consumption: An old laptop consumes approx. 20–60 watts – significantly more than a Fire TV Stick (approx. 5 W) or Raspberry Pi (3–6 W). For 24/7 operation, this adds up to approx. $15–50 in electricity costs per year. For occasional operation (8 hours daily), it doesn't matter, but for continuous operation it's less optimal.

Option 3: Tablets (Android / iPad)

An old tablet can serve directly as a small digital signage display (e.g., on the counter) or be connected to a large monitor via HDMI adapter:

Android tablet:

  1. Install Fully Kiosk Browser from the Play Store (free trial, full version approx. $7).
  2. Open Fully Kiosk and enter the player URL.
  3. Enable in settings:
    • "Enable Kiosk Mode"
    • "Start on Boot"
    • "Screen Always On"
    • "Hide Navigation" (hides Android buttons)
  4. Set Fully Kiosk as default launcher (home app) so no one accidentally goes back to the homescreen.

iPad:

  1. Open Safari and enter the player URL.
  2. Tap "Share" > "Add to Home Screen" (creates a web app without Safari UI).
  3. Enable Guided Access:
    • Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access > On
    • Set a PIN code
  4. Open your web app and press the Home button three times (or Side button, depending on iPad model) to activate Guided Access.
  5. The iPad is now "locked" in the web app – to exit, press Home button three times and enter PIN.

Tablets on the counter: A tablet is perfect as a menu board directly on the counter or in a wall mount. Make sure it's permanently connected to power – most tablets shut down when the battery is empty and don't restart automatically.

Comparison table: Which device for which purpose?

Device Cost (approx.) Effort 24/7 suitable? Recommended for…
Fire TV Stick $30–45 Low Yes Easiest solution for 1–3 displays, no prior knowledge needed
Smart TV browser $0 (TV available) Low–Medium Limited Testing without extra hardware, daily on/off
Raspberry Pi 4/5 $80–120 Medium–High Excellent Multiple locations, tinkerers, 24/7 operation, full control
Android TV box $30–60 Low Yes (with Fully Kiosk) Affordable alternative to Fire TV, more flexibility
Old laptop (Windows/Mac) $0 (available) or $50–150 used Medium Yes, but high power consumption Repurpose devices, test operation, flexible configuration
Android tablet $0 (available) or $60–150 new Low Yes (with Fully Kiosk) Counter display, mobile use, compact solution
iPad $0 (available) or $300–600 new Low Yes (with Guided Access) Premium counter display, Apple ecosystem

Decision guide: Which device is right for you?

  • You want the easiest solution, no prior knowledge: → Fire TV Stick ($30–45)
  • You already have a Smart TV and want to test: → Smart TV browser ($0, with limitations)
  • You have technical interest and want full control: → Raspberry Pi ($80–120)
  • You have an old laptop in the closet: → Laptop in kiosk mode ($0, some effort, higher power consumption)
  • You need a counter display or compact solution: → Android tablet with Fully Kiosk ($0–150)
  • You operate multiple locations professionally: → Raspberry Pi or Android TV boxes (cloneable configuration)

Our advice: Start with what you have. An old laptop or tablet is perfectly fine for the first few weeks. If you find that digital signage works for you and you need more reliability, invest in a Fire TV Stick or Raspberry Pi. You can always switch – Bildschirmzentrale runs the same on every device.

Common problems and solutions

Browser doesn't start automatically after restart:
Check the autostart configuration (Windows: shell:startup, Android/tablet: Fully Kiosk autostart setting). For laptops, a BIOS setting "Power on after power loss" often helps.

Device goes into standby after some time:
Disable all power saving settings in the operating system. For tablets: Fully Kiosk has a "Screen Always On" setting. For iPads: Guided Access prevents standby during the session.

Slideshow stutters or loads slowly:
Older devices have weak processors. Reduce file sizes of your images/videos in Bildschirmzentrale or switch to a faster device (Fire TV Stick, Raspberry Pi).

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