Digital Signage Troubleshooting Guide
Resolve Issues Quickly
This guide helps you diagnose and resolve common digital signage issues. From connectivity problems to content playback errors, find step-by-step solutions to get your displays back online.
Quick Diagnostics
Issue Categories
| Category | Common Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | Player offline, can't sync content |
| Display | No picture, wrong resolution, blank screen |
| Content | Won't play, wrong content, stuttering |
| Player | Crashes, freezes, won't start |
| Performance | Slow, laggy, high resource usage |
First Steps
Before diving into specific issues:
- Restart the player - Resolves 50%+ of issues
- Check connections - Power, HDMI, network cables
- Verify network - Can player reach the internet?
- Check CMS status - Is SignageStudio operational?
- Review recent changes - Did anything change recently?
Connectivity Issues
Player Shows "Offline"
Symptoms: Player appears offline in CMS, content not updating
Diagnostic Steps:
# 1. Check network connectivity
ping signage.me
# 2. Test DNS resolution
nslookup signage.me
# 3. Test HTTPS connectivity
curl -I https://api.signage.me/health
# 4. Check firewall
nc -zv signage.me 443
Common Causes and Solutions:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Network cable disconnected | Check and reseat cable |
| WiFi not connected | Verify WiFi credentials |
| DNS failure | Try alternate DNS (8.8.8.8) |
| Firewall blocking | Allow port 443 outbound |
| Proxy misconfigured | Verify proxy settings |
| DHCP lease expired | Renew DHCP or set static IP |
Intermittent Connectivity
Symptoms: Player goes online/offline repeatedly
Diagnostic Steps:
- Check network stability:
# Continuous ping test
ping -t signage.me # Windows
ping signage.me # Linux (Ctrl+C to stop)
- Monitor for packet loss
- Check WiFi signal strength
Common Causes and Solutions:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| WiFi interference | Change channel, use wired |
| Network congestion | QoS for signage traffic |
| Unstable connection | Check router/switch |
| Power issues | Verify stable power supply |
| Overheating | Improve ventilation |
Content Not Syncing
Symptoms: Player online but content outdated
Solutions:
- Force sync from CMS
- Clear player cache
- Check storage space on player
- Verify content schedule is current
- Check content file sizes vs available bandwidth
Display Issues
No Picture
Symptoms: Display is black/blank, no signal
Diagnostic Flow:
Display Black
│
├── Is display power on?
│ └── No → Check power cable, outlet
│
├── Is correct input selected?
│ └── No → Switch to correct HDMI/DP input
│
├── Is HDMI cable connected?
│ └── No → Connect and secure cable
│
├── Does player have video output?
│ └── No → Check player power, restart
│
└── Try different cable/port
Common Causes and Solutions:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Wrong input selected | Switch display to correct HDMI |
| HDMI cable loose | Reseat cable at both ends |
| HDMI cable faulty | Replace with known-good cable |
| Display in standby | Wake display, disable sleep |
| Player not outputting | Restart player, check settings |
| Resolution mismatch | Adjust player output resolution |
Wrong Resolution
Symptoms: Image stretched, cut off, or wrong size
Solutions:
Windows:
Settings → Display → Display resolution → Match display native
Android:
Settings → Display → Resolution → Select correct
Raspberry Pi:
# Edit config
sudo nano /boot/config.txt
# Add or modify:
hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=16 # 1080p60
sudo reboot
Screen Tearing/Artifacts
Symptoms: Horizontal lines, image tearing during video
Solutions:
| Platform | Solution |
|---|---|
| Windows | Enable V-Sync in GPU settings |
| Android | Update firmware, reduce resolution |
| Raspberry Pi | Enable force turbo or reduce resolution |
| All | Replace HDMI cable, check for interference |
Content Issues
Video Won't Play
Symptoms: Video shows black, error, or skips
Diagnostic Checklist:
- Video format supported? (H.264 recommended)
- Resolution matches player capability?
- Bitrate appropriate for player?
- File downloaded completely?
- Codec supported?
Format Recommendations:
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Unsupported codec | Re-encode to H.264 |
| Too high bitrate | Reduce to 15-25 Mbps |
| Wrong resolution | Match display resolution |
| Corrupt file | Re-upload content |
| Incomplete download | Clear cache, re-sync |
Content Stuttering
Symptoms: Video choppy, images slow to load
Common Causes and Solutions:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| High bitrate | Reduce video bitrate |
| Insufficient RAM | Close other apps, upgrade |
| Slow storage | Use SSD instead of SD/HDD |
| CPU overload | Reduce content complexity |
| Overheating | Improve cooling |
Wrong Content Displayed
Symptoms: Showing old content, wrong playlist
Solutions:
- Check schedule - Verify correct schedule assigned
- Check timezone - Confirm player timezone correct
- Check priority - Higher priority overrides lower
- Force refresh - Send refresh command from CMS
- Clear cache - Force full re-download
Player Issues
Player Won't Start
Symptoms: Player software doesn't launch
Windows:
# Check if service is running
Get-Service SignageStudio
# Restart service
Restart-Service SignageStudio
# Check logs
Get-Content "C:\ProgramData\SignageStudio\logs\player.log" -Tail 50
Android:
- Check if app installed
- Force stop and restart
- Clear app data (will need re-registration)
- Reinstall app
Raspberry Pi:
# Check if service running
systemctl status signage-player
# Restart service
sudo systemctl restart signage-player
# Check logs
journalctl -u signage-player -n 50
Player Crashes
Symptoms: Player stops unexpectedly, restarts
Diagnostic Steps:
- Check crash logs
- Monitor resources (CPU, RAM, storage)
- Check for overheating
- Review recent content changes
- Check for OS/driver updates
Common Causes:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Out of memory | Reduce content complexity, add RAM |
| Storage full | Clear cache, reduce content |
| Overheating | Improve cooling |
| Corrupt installation | Reinstall player software |
| Driver issues | Update graphics drivers |
Player Frozen
Symptoms: Display frozen, player unresponsive
Immediate Actions:
- Wait 2-3 minutes - May be processing
- Try remote restart from CMS
- Power cycle - Unplug, wait 30 seconds, replug
Prevention:
| Measure | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Watchdog | Enable automatic restart on freeze |
| Scheduled restarts | Restart daily during off-hours |
| Resource monitoring | Alert on high usage |
| Content testing | Test before deployment |
Performance Issues
High CPU Usage
Symptoms: Player slow, fans loud, high temperature
Diagnostic:
# Windows
taskmgr # or Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending
# Linux/Pi
htop # or top
Solutions:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Heavy content | Simplify layouts, reduce video |
| Too many zones | Consolidate zones |
| Background processes | Disable unnecessary apps |
| Insufficient hardware | Upgrade player |
Slow Content Loading
Symptoms: Content takes long to appear, transitions lag
Solutions:
| Area | Optimization |
|---|---|
| Network | Use wired, increase bandwidth |
| Storage | Use SSD, clear cache |
| Content | Optimize images, reduce video bitrate |
| Preloading | Enable content preloading |
Memory Issues
Symptoms: Out of memory errors, slow performance
Diagnostic:
# Check memory usage
free -m # Linux
wmic OS get FreePhysicalMemory # Windows
Solutions:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Memory leak | Restart player, update software |
| Too much content | Reduce playlist size |
| Large files | Optimize content size |
| Insufficient RAM | Upgrade hardware |
Diagnostic Tools
CMS Diagnostics
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Player Status | Online/offline, last seen |
| Screenshot | View current display |
| Logs | Remote log access |
| Commands | Restart, refresh, clear cache |
| Resource Monitor | CPU, RAM, storage |
Local Diagnostics
Windows:
# System information
systeminfo
# Network test
Test-NetConnection signage.me -Port 443
# Disk space
Get-PSDrive C
Linux/Raspberry Pi:
# System information
uname -a
df -h
free -m
# Network test
ping -c 4 signage.me
curl -I https://api.signage.me/health
# Logs
journalctl -u signage-player -n 100
Network Diagnostics
# DNS test
nslookup signage.me
# Route trace
traceroute signage.me # Linux
tracert signage.me # Windows
# Connection test
curl -v https://api.signage.me/health
Getting Help
Information to Collect
When contacting support, provide:
| Information | How to Get |
|---|---|
| Player ID | CMS → Player Details |
| Error messages | Screenshot or exact text |
| Logs | CMS → Player → Logs |
| Steps to reproduce | Detailed sequence |
| Recent changes | What changed before issue |
| Hardware details | Player model, OS version |
Support Resources
| Resource | Use For |
|---|---|
| Knowledge Base | Self-service articles |
| Community Forum | Peer assistance |
| Email Support | Non-urgent issues |
| Phone Support | Urgent issues (Pro/Enterprise) |
| Remote Assistance | Complex troubleshooting |
Frequently Asked Questions
Next Steps
- Network Requirements - Connectivity setup
- Player Specifications - Hardware requirements
- Security Best Practices - System hardening
- API Reference - Integration help
Troubleshooting guide maintained by MediaSignage. For additional support, contact support@digitalsignage.com