UrbanLoop Signage · Guides
Keep your screens connected to fresh content.
Bring feed updates and individual YouTube videos into your signage playlists, with a selection that suits the people watching.
How do I add a feed? Create a Feed slide, confirm the source URL, choose which items to include, and save it into an assigned playlist. Use a Video slide for a single YouTube video.
Choose the source that fits your content.
| What you want to show | Where to start |
|---|---|
| A stream of posts or updates | Use the Feed tab with a valid RSS, Atom, or JSON Feed URL. |
| One YouTube video | Use Video, select Remote URL, and confirm the video link. |
| A still image of a web page | Use the Website tab and follow the website snapshots guide. |
A feed URL supplies structured items. An ordinary home page, article, or arbitrary JSON API is not the same thing. Ask the source owner for its feed address if you are unsure which link to use.
Add a feed slide
Open a new slide
In the management app, open Slides, add a slide, and choose Feed.
Confirm the source
Paste its address into Feed URL and choose Confirm Feed (or Confirm on a compact layout). The app checks that it can read a supported feed.
Choose which items to include
Open Feed Configuration. In Configure Feed Items, choose the filter you need and select Done.
Add fallback media if useful
Use Add Fallback Media to provide images or videos for items without their own media. Choose something that still makes sense beside the feed’s text.
Save and assign the slide
Save the slide, add it to a playlist, and assign that playlist to the intended TV. Check the result on a connected Apple TV before using it across more screens.
Keep the feed useful for the audience.
| Filter | When it helps |
|---|---|
| Everything | Include the items the feed currently supplies. This does not recover an entire publishing archive. |
| Top X Items | Limit the selection to a chosen number of recent items. Enter the count in Number of Items. |
| Past Days | Keep items within a recent date window, such as today’s updates. Enter the number of days in Past Days. |
Start with a small selection that people have time to read. A narrow date window can leave nothing to play when the source has not posted recently. Check the source’s dates and your filter if an expected item is missing.
Add a single YouTube video
Create a Video slide
In Slides, add a slide and choose Video.
Confirm the video URL
Select Remote URL, paste the individual YouTube video link, and choose Confirm Video URL. Compact layouts may shorten these labels.
Review and save
Check the available preview and video settings, then save the slide. Add it to the intended playlist and check playback on a connected Apple TV.
The video must be available to the player without your personal YouTube login. Private, removed, or restricted videos may not play. Confirming a URL does not guarantee that the host will keep the video available.
This guide covers individual YouTube videos. For a video you manage as a file, follow the files and video guide.
Give text and media room to work.
Feed items can supply titles, summaries, and media. What appears depends on the fields and media the source provides, as well as the screen’s display settings. Check readability at the actual viewing distance and keep the playlist’s pace comfortable.
Fallback media helps when an item has no usable image or video. It does not guarantee delivery during an outage. Preview a few different items, including one with little or no media, rather than judging the whole feed from its first item.
Allow time for new items to reach the screen.
The player reads and processes the feed as part of its content updates. New posts, feed refreshes, media downloads, and playback are separate steps. Confirming a URL in the management app does not instantly put every item on every TV.
- Keep the Apple TV connected with the display app running.
- Check that the slide is saved in a playlist assigned to that TV.
- Review the feed filter and any content schedules.
- Allow time for the feed and media to load, then check a fresh screen capture and the actual display when needed.
If you need to investigate an update, use the remote management guide before forcing a refresh. A remote command does not make an unavailable source or video accessible.
When the content does not appear
| What you see | What to check |
|---|---|
| The feed will not confirm | Use the actual RSS, Atom, or JSON Feed address. Check for a sign-in page, access restriction, or an HTML page returned instead of a feed. |
| Some items are missing | Check Top X Items or Past Days, the dates supplied by the source, and which items the feed currently includes. |
| Text appears without useful imagery | Review the source media and add appropriate fallback media. Test another item. |
| A video will not play | Use an individual video that is available without your personal YouTube login. Review the display app’s connection and content state. |
| The source works but the screen has old content | Check the saved slide, assigned playlist, schedule, player connection, and processing time. |
Common questions
Can I use any JSON URL?
No. The source needs to be a supported JSON Feed, not just an API that returns JSON. Confirm the feed in the app before assigning it to screens.
Can I mix a feed with other content?
Yes. Add the feed slide alongside other slides in a playlist and review the order, timing, and schedule on the intended TV.