Digital Signage App Released For $99 Amazon Fire TV

May 2, 2014 by Dave Haynes

A developer has released an app, based off Rise Vision‘s management platform, that turns the new $99 Amazon Fire TV set-top box into a digital signage player.

Called My Rise Player, the app is predictably limited in its scope and capability, and has that “I got it to work” feel to it. But the point is it does work, and is yet another example of how the combination of web services, open source and low-cost devices are pressuring old-school PC-driven signage platforms.

I would not advocate any operating company cut over to an app developed by a company called Scott’s Digital Signage, or anything that’s beta and the work of one guy. But it’s the sort of thing tinkerers will tinker with, college IT guys will use, and someone will make more commercially viable. Or this one will get traction and get rock-solid.

The details, as posted on Amazon (fee download, by the way, and the Rise CMS is, as always, free):

1.) This app will run presentations that you created on the Rise Vision Platform. 

2.) The app on first startup will show the player settings. Use the D-pad to navigate. Hit enter on the text input to get the virtual keyboard to show up so that you can enter the ID. Lower Case letters are acceptable because the program changes it to uppercase. 

3.) Start to boot will allow the app to load up at boot time so every time the player looses power it will reboot. 

4.) Resolution checker is just to allow you to know the device resolution.

6.) Orientation is landscape only. Portrait doesn’t work correctly on this device. 

7.) Geolocation will not work. Will need to put custom addresses in to get the weather gadget to work. 

8.) Video works with a gadget i made. It will not work with rise vision video gadget. Please Contact me for the gadget if you want video to play. 

9.) Restart will restart the app. Reboot will only restart the app as well because there is not a shut off for the amazon fire tv.

10.) Menu button will allow back to player settings or exit application.