Players
Choose, install and link the Player that shows your content on each screen.
The Player is the software running on the device plugged into your screen. It downloads the content scheduled in Pixlova, keeps it in storage and plays it. Pixlova offers a web Player, which opens in a browser, and Players to install on Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi and Android TV.
Whatever the Player, setting it up follows the same steps:
- Install or open the Player on the device plugged into the screen.
- When it starts, the Player shows a pairing code in the XXXX-XXXX format.
- In Pixlova, enter this code to link the device to a screen (see Screens).
- Schedule content for this screen: the Player downloads it, then plays it.
Which Player should you choose?
| Web Player | Windows | Linux | Raspberry Pi | Android TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | Any device with a recent browser: smart TV, tablet, computer, signage player | PC running Windows 11 (64-bit) | x86_64 PC running Debian 13 or Ubuntu 24.04 | Raspberry Pi 4 or 400 | Android TV 8.0 or later TV or box |
| Installation | None: open play.pixlova.com | .exe installer | Package and install script | Image to write to an SD card | App (APK) |
| Screens per device | One per tab (/, /2, /3…) | Several monitors | One in kiosk mode, several in a desktop session | Two (two HDMI ports) | One |
| Playback without Internet | Limited: the browser may clear its storage | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, within the schedule already downloaded |
| Updates | The next time the page opens | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic | New APK to install |
| Local settings interface | No | No | No | Yes | No |
In short:
- To try Pixlova, or for a screen that already has a browser, the web Player is enough. It depends on the browser, though: clearing its data means linking the screen again, and offline playback is not guaranteed.
- For a permanent signage screen, prefer a native Player (Windows, Linux or Raspberry Pi). It keeps its content on disk, keeps playing without Internet and updates itself.
- The Raspberry Pi is the easiest to roll out: one SD card to prepare, up to two screens, and a settings interface you can reach from your local network.
- Android TV lets you use an Android TV set or box without an extra computer.
Native Player updates
The Windows, Linux and Raspberry Pi Players check every hour whether a new version has been published and install it on their own. If the new version does not start properly, the Player automatically goes back to the previous version.
In Pixlova, a Player’s page (Screens › Players, then the Player) shows the Player version card: installed version, latest published version and result of the last update. Click Update now to skip the hourly check, or Roll back to the previous version. Both actions interrupt the screens while the Player restarts and require the disruptive commands permission.
The Android TV Player is updated by installing a new APK (see Android TV).
Guides
Web Player
Show Pixlova in a browser, with nothing to install.
Windows
Install the Player on a Windows 11 PC.
Linux
Install the Player on a Debian or Ubuntu PC.
Raspberry Pi
Prepare the SD card of a Raspberry Pi 4 or 400.
Mini PC (USB stick)
Install an x86-64 mini PC from a USB stick.
Android TV
Install the app on an Android TV set or box.
Troubleshooting
No connection, black screen, rejected code, offline cache.