There are several ways to roll out TV dashboards, depending on your budget, existing equipment and who’s doing the setup.
Asus Chromebit
The easiest way to get our dashboards running on a TV. Chromebits plug directly into an HDMI port on your TV and run continuously in the background whenever your TV is switched on.
- Reasonably priced ($90 approx.)
- Easy to set up
- Hides neatly behind your TV when plugged in
- Automatically displays dashboards when the TV is turned on (using Kiosk mode)
- Kiosk mode requires a separate $24 annual Google Enterprise license
- Needs a bluetooth keyboard and mouse for first setup
Asus Chromebox
A more powerful device for running Chrome OS. It can handle slightly more than the Chromebit, but it’s bulkier and needs extra cables so it’s harder to hide.
- Faster processor and RAM than Chromebit
- Fairly easy to set up
- Automatically displays dashboards when the TV is turned on (using Kiosk mode)
- Quite big and hard to hide
- Needs a separate HDMI cable
- Needs a bluetooth keyboard and mouse for first setup
Unused PC
If you have any other PCs or laptops in your office that aren’t being used, it’s easy to repurpose them to display your dashboards.
- Display dashboards on a PC’s monitor or TV using an HDMI cable
- Fairly easy to set up
- Quite big and hard to hide
- Kiosk mode may require some extra workarounds
Raspberry Pi
Small, customizable, and affordable, the Raspberry Pi is a great option if you’re comfortable with coding.
- Low cost ($40 approx.)
- Hides neatly behind your TV when plugged in
- Requires knowledge of code, so it’s not for everyone
- Needs a bluetooth keyboard and mouse for first setup
Smart TV
A good temporary option if you happen to have a smart TV in the office, and want your dashboard up straight away. However, Smart TVs can be underpowered and their browsers aren’t guaranteed to display your dashboards perfectly, so they’re not ideal long-term.
- You may already have one
- Quick and easy to load a dashboard temporarily
- Potential performance issues as not all of them have reliable browsers
- Has to be reset every time the TV is turned off
Airtame
An all-in-one digital signage device that plugs into your TV, enabling them to display a range of content as well as your dashboards.
- Use your TVs for screen sharing, presentations, and other useful content
- Easy to hide
- Higher cost-per-screen compared to other solutions
- Currently only works with Sharing Links
It’s so easy to set up you can get a dashboard live on the wall on the first day.
Chris Peters, Director of Marketing and PR, Diggerland USA
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