Your first display
This guide walks you through setting up your first display from start to finish. By the end, you’ll have a live screen showing real content. The whole process takes about 15 minutes.
New to BrandCast? When you first sign in, BrandCast runs you through a Chip-led onboarding at /onboarding that covers the basics. This guide is a detailed walkthrough of the same flow.
What you’ll need
Section titled “What you’ll need”Before you start, make sure you have:
- A TV, monitor, or digital signage player
- An internet connection for the display device
- A web browser on the display device
- Your BrandCast account set up with at least one store location
Tip: Most smart TVs have a built-in web browser. Look for “Internet,” “Browser,” or “Apps” in your TV’s menu.
Step 1: Create a Design
Section titled “Step 1: Create a Design”A Design is what plays on your screen — a set of Pages that cycle in sequence. Each Page controls how one slide is organized, what goes in each area, and how your brand colors and fonts are applied.
- Log in to your admin dashboard and click Designs in the sidebar. The page shows three creation tiles: Blank design, From a template, and Generate with Twig.
- Click Blank design, enter a name in the dialog, and click Create. Or click From a template to start from a ready-made design.
Your Design opens in the editor. Click any area to see options for resizing it or assigning content. You can set up content now or come back after the next step.
Not sure where to start? Use Generate with Twig on the Designs page to describe what you want — Twig will draft the layout for you. Or use the + Create Design button on the Dashboard for a guided wizard (Orientation → Template → Review & Name).
Step 2: Add content to your Design
Section titled “Step 2: Add content to your Design”Content is what appears inside each area on a Page. Common starting points are the time, the local weather, or a slideshow of images.
To add content:
- Click Content in the sidebar to open the Content Hub.
- Click Add New.
- In the New Content Source dialog, choose a category (try Time or Weather to start), then walk through the setup wizard and finish.
- Repeat for each type of content you want on screen.
To assign content to a Page area:
- Go back to Designs and open your Design.
- Click an area on the Page.
- Select the content you just created.
- Repeat for each area, then save.
Step 3: Create your display
Section titled “Step 3: Create your display”A display in BrandCast represents the physical screen in your space. Every screen needs its own display entry, managed under Zones.
- Click Zones in the sidebar to open Zone Management.
- Click Add Display.
Enter your display details
Section titled “Enter your display details”| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Zone Name | A memorable name — “Lobby TV” or “Break Room Screen” |
| Zone Location | The physical location within your store (e.g. “Front Window”) |
| Zone Type | The kind of zone this display serves |
| Description | Optional notes about this display |
| Display Mode | Single Layout (one design plays) or Playlist (a sequence of designs) |
- Click Create Display. Your new display appears as Unpaired, ready to connect to a screen.
Important: Set the orientation to match how your screen is physically mounted when you build the Design (Step 1). If it’s hanging horizontally, choose Landscape. Choosing the wrong orientation will rotate all your content.
Step 4: Connect your screen
Section titled “Step 4: Connect your screen”On your TV or display device:
- Open a web browser and go to display.brandcast.app. The screen shows a pairing code.
In BrandCast admin:
-
In Zone Management, click Pair a device on your display (or go to /pair directly) to open the pairing page.
-
Enter the code shown on your TV and click Pair Display (or Connect Device if connecting to an existing display entry).
When pairing succeeds, the TV shows a waiting message. Back in Zone Management, the display status changes to Online.
Waiting for content? That’s normal. The screen is connected — you just need to schedule your Design, which is the next step.
Step 5: Schedule your Design
Section titled “Step 5: Schedule your Design”- In Zone Management, click the display you just created to open its detail panel.
- In the Screen card, drag on a day column to draw a time window.
- A Design picker appears at your pointer — select your Design.
Your screen starts showing content within a minute.
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”Pairing code not working. Reload display.brandcast.app on the TV to get a fresh code, then re-enter it on the admin pairing page and double-check for typos.
Display shows as offline. Check the internet connection on the display device. Try refreshing the browser on the screen. Make sure the device can reach the pairing URL.
Content isn’t showing. Confirm a Design block is placed on the screen’s week calendar and that each area in the Design has content selected. Wait up to 60 seconds for the first update to arrive.
Orientation looks wrong. Adjust the orientation in the Design to match how the screen is physically mounted. Your content will automatically adjust.
What’s next
Section titled “What’s next”Your first display is live. Here’s where to go from here:
- Add more content types — photos, videos, calendars, and more
- Set up a schedule — show different layouts at different times
- Adjust display settings — fine-tune resolution and other options
Need help? Click Ask Twig in the bottom corner for personalized guidance with your specific setup.