How ArcDisplay Digital Signage WorksFrom ad design to a live screen in about 15 minutes

ArcDisplay connects a cloud management portal to low-cost display players in your stores, lobbies, and venues. This guide explains the architecture and walks through installing a Raspberry Pi, Windows PC, or Linux display player in the field — no on-site IT expertise required.

The ArcDisplay Architecture

Three layers work together. Your team manages everything from a web browser, the ArcDisplay cloud decides what plays where, and players at each location handle playback — even when offline.

Customer Portal

Web dashboard

  • Design ads in the browser-based Studio or upload images and video
  • Approval workflow, regions, schedules, and drag-and-drop play order
  • Role-based access for admins, managers, and viewers

ArcDisplay Cloud

API & content server

  • Stores media and auto-generates 1080p, 2K, and 4K variants
  • Decides which ad plays on which screen, when, and in what order
  • Collects heartbeats, impressions, and logs for analytics

Display Players

Windows · Linux · Raspberry Pi

  • Locked-down kiosk app that boots straight into fullscreen playback
  • Caches content locally so screens keep playing if the internet drops
  • Updates itself automatically and reports health back to the cloud

Players connect outbound over HTTPS only. No inbound firewall rules, port forwarding, or VPN are needed at the site.

How an Ad Gets to the Screen

  1. 1

    Create

    Design in Studio or upload existing creative.

  2. 2

    Approve

    Managers review before anything goes live.

  3. 3

    Assign

    Target regions and screens in bulk.

  4. 4

    Schedule

    Set dates, days, and hours of play.

  5. 5

    Sync

    Players pull new content automatically.

  6. 6

    Report

    Track impressions and screen health.

Choosing a Display Player

Every screen needs a small computer behind it running the ArcDisplay player. Recommend the option that fits the customer's budget and existing equipment — all three are managed identically.

Raspberry Pi

Best for: Lowest cost per screen, menu boards, waiting rooms, retail endcaps

Requirements: Raspberry Pi 4, 400, 5, or 500 (or CM4/CM5), 2 GB RAM or more, 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm or later)

Installer

curl -sSL https://arcdisplay.io/i/pi | sudo bash

Windows PC

Best for: Sites that already own PCs, 4K video walls, IT-managed fleets

Requirements: Windows 10 or 11 (x64) mini PC, NUC, or stick PC, run from an Administrator PowerShell

Installer

irm https://arcdisplay.io/i/win | iex

Linux Mini PC

Best for: High-performance x64 players with no OS license cost

Requirements: Debian 12/13 or Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 (x64), installed without a desktop environment

Installer

curl -sSL https://arcdisplay.io/i/linux | sudo bash

Installing a Display in the Field: Step by Step

The same six steps apply to every location. A store manager or installer can complete them with a keyboard, a network cable, and the pairing code shown on screen.

  1. 1

    Survey the location

    Confirm the screen size and orientation (landscape or portrait), a nearby power outlet, and a network connection. Wired Ethernet is recommended; Wi-Fi works too. Only outbound HTTPS is needed, so no firewall ports have to be opened.

  2. 2

    Choose and mount the player

    Pick a Raspberry Pi, Windows PC, or Linux mini PC. Mount it behind the screen and connect it with HDMI. On a Raspberry Pi, use the HDMI port next to the USB-C power port (HDMI0).

  3. 3

    Run the one-line installer

    Paste the installer command for your platform. It downloads the ArcDisplay player, creates a dedicated kiosk user, enables auto-login, disables sleep and screensavers, and adds crash recovery.

  4. 4

    Reboot and read the pairing code

    After a reboot the player opens fullscreen and shows a six-character device code. Codes refresh every 15 minutes, and the player keeps waiting if the network is briefly unavailable.

  5. 5

    Register the screen in the portal

    In the portal open Display Clients > Device Registration, enter the code, name the display, and optionally set its location, region, and orientation. The player connects and stores its credentials securely.

  6. 6

    Verify playback

    The screen begins playing the ads assigned to its region within minutes. Confirm the display shows as online in the portal and you are done. No keyboard or mouse needs to stay connected.

Raspberry Pi Digital Signage Setup

The Raspberry Pi is the most affordable way to power a screen. ArcDisplay turns a fresh Pi into a dedicated, auto-starting signage player with a single command.

1. Prepare the Pi

  • Use a Raspberry Pi 4, 400, 5, or 500 with at least 2 GB RAM.
  • Flash 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm or later) with Raspberry Pi Imager. Desktop or Lite both work; 32-bit images are not supported.
  • In Imager's settings, configure Wi-Fi (if not using Ethernet) and optionally enable SSH for remote support.
  • Connect the screen to HDMI0, the port closest to the USB-C power input.

2. Run the installer

From the Pi terminal or an SSH session:

curl -sSL https://arcdisplay.io/i/pi | sudo bash

Add options after -s --, for example:

curl -sSL https://arcdisplay.io/i/pi | sudo bash -s -- \
  --resolution 1920x1080 --enable-watchdog

3. Reboot and pair

The Pi restarts directly into the fullscreen player and shows its pairing code. Enter it in the portal under Display Clients > Device Registration.

Useful installer options

--resolution 1920x1080
Force a specific HDMI resolution for screens that report the wrong mode
--enable-watchdog
Reboot the Pi automatically if the operating system ever hangs
--gpu-mem 256
Reserve GPU memory for smooth video (older firmware; ignored on Pi 5)
--skip-boot-config
Leave config.txt and cmdline.txt untouched

What the installer configures

  • Dedicated kiosk user with automatic login
  • Boot splash, rainbow screen, and console blanking disabled
  • HDMI output forced on, even if the screen is powered on later
  • Bluetooth and analog audio turned off (HDMI audio still works)
  • Sleep, screensaver, and power saving disabled
  • Automatic player updates and optional hardware watchdog
  • An uninstall script that restores the original settings

Remote PC Kiosk Setup: Windows & Linux

Already have a mini PC behind the screen, or need more horsepower for 4K video? Install the ArcDisplay player on a Windows or Linux computer at the remote site.

Windows 10 / 11 PC

  1. Connect the PC to the screen and network, and sign in with an administrator account.
  2. Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:
irm https://arcdisplay.io/i/win | iex
  1. The installer creates a kiosk user, sets up auto-logon, hides the taskbar, disables sleep, notifications, Task Manager, and update restart prompts, and adds a watchdog that relaunches the player within 60 seconds.
  2. Reboot, then register the pairing code shown on screen.

Linux mini PC (Debian / Ubuntu)

  1. Install Debian or Ubuntu Server without a desktop environment (select only standard utilities and, optionally, SSH server).
  2. Run the installer as root:
curl -sSL https://arcdisplay.io/i/linux | sudo bash
  1. The installer adds a minimal display stack, auto-login, a locked-down kiosk session, and disables screen blanking, sleep, and console switching.
  2. Reboot, then register the pairing code shown on screen.

Technician shortcuts on the player

  • Ctrl+Shift+S Open settings
  • Ctrl+Shift+F Force a content sync
  • Ctrl+Shift+Q Exit kiosk mode

Managing Remote Displays After Installation

Once a screen is paired, everything is handled from the portal. That means fewer truck rolls and lower cost of ownership for every location.

Live health monitoring

Every player sends a heartbeat so you can see which screens are online, when they last synced, and what they are playing.

Automatic content sync

New, changed, or expired ads reach every screen on the next sync. No USB sticks and no site visits.

Works offline

Content is cached on the device, so screens keep playing through internet outages and catch up when the connection returns.

Self-updating players

Raspberry Pi and Linux players download new releases automatically and restart into the new version.

Crash recovery

Watchdogs relaunch the player after a crash, and an optional hardware watchdog reboots a frozen Raspberry Pi.

Re-pair or replace a screen

Reset a display registration from the portal to move it to new hardware. The replacement shows a new code to pair.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardware do I need for an ArcDisplay screen?

Any HDMI TV or commercial display plus a small player: a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 running 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS, a Windows 10/11 mini PC, or an x64 Linux mini PC running Debian or Ubuntu.

How long does it take to set up a display in the field?

Typically 10 to 15 minutes per screen. Run the one-line installer, reboot, then enter the six-character pairing code in the portal.

Do I need a technician on site for updates?

No. Content, schedules, and player software updates are delivered remotely. A site visit is only needed for physical hardware problems.

What happens if the internet goes down?

The player keeps playing its locally cached ads and resumes syncing automatically when the connection is restored.

Does the player need any inbound firewall ports?

No. Players only make outbound HTTPS requests to the ArcDisplay cloud, which works on most guest, retail, and corporate networks.

Can staff accidentally close the advertising screen?

The player runs as a locked-down kiosk: auto-login to a dedicated user, fullscreen, Alt+F4 blocked, and sleep, screensavers, and notifications disabled.

Can I use portrait (vertical) screens?

Yes. Set the orientation when registering the display and ArcDisplay delivers content in the correct layout.

Ready to light up your first screen?

Create an account, plug in a Raspberry Pi or PC, and have ads playing today.

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