Installing InfoBox Digital Signage on a native Android display

Introduction

If you bought a native Android digital signage display from somewhere other than us, you can still run InfoBox on it. InfoBox Digital Signage isn't on the Google Play Store yet. Instead, we send you an installable APK file that you side-load onto the display. Once installed and connected to WiFi, the app shows a Device ID that you enter on the Platform to pair the screen.

What you need

Gather these before you start:

• The native Android display, mounted and powered on, with the remote control nearby.
• A USB drive (any size, the APK is small).
• A computer to copy the APK file onto the USB drive.
• Your WiFi network name and password.

Step 1: Get the APK file from us

Request the latest APK:

• Email kasper@infoboxi.com with your organization name and the display model.
• We'll send you the latest InfoBox Digital Signage APK as an email attachment.
• Save the APK file to your computer.

Step 2: Copy the APK to a USB drive

Move the file onto a USB stick:

• Plug the USB drive into your computer.
• Drag the APK file onto the USB drive.
• Eject the USB drive safely.

Step 3: Install the APK on the display

Side-load the app:

• Plug the USB drive into the display's USB port.
• Open the display's built-in file manager. Location varies by manufacturer (usually under Apps or Settings).
• Navigate to the USB drive and tap the APK file.
• Confirm the install. The display may ask you to allow installs from unknown sources. Accept this prompt to continue.
• Once installed, InfoBox Digital Signage appears in the display's app list.

Step 4: Connect to WiFi

Set up the network:

• Open the display's Settings → Network → WiFi.
• Pick your WiFi network and enter the password.

Step 5: Pair the display on the Platform

Enter the Device ID in the Connect Device modal:

• Open InfoBox Digital Signage on the display. The app shows a Device ID on screen.
• On a separate device (laptop or phone), sign in to app.infoboxi.com.
• Open InfoBox screens. Find the screen we provisioned for you and click it.
• Click the Connect Device button. A modal appears.
• Type the Device ID from the screen into the Device ID field and click Connect.
• Within a few seconds, the screen status changes to Online and your content (if any is published) starts playing.

Common issues

If something doesn't work:

• "Incorrect ID or device not found" error: re-check the Device ID for typos. The IDs are case-sensitive.
• Display won't install the APK: enable "Install from unknown sources" in the display's Settings → Security.
• InfoBox Digital Signage doesn't show a Device ID: confirm WiFi is connected. The app shows a connection error if it can't reach our servers.
• Stuck: send us the display model and Device ID at kasper@infoboxi.com.

What's next

Continue with:

• Connect Device and Device ID (background on the pairing flow)
• Adding slides to a screen