UrbanLoop Signage · Guides
Know what your screens are showing.
Check what’s playing, look into a problem, and refresh a screen from the management app.
How do you check a signage screen remotely? Open the linked TV, confirm Remote Management is connected, request a Screen Capture, and check its update time. Use Start Monitor for repeated captures or Force Refresh Content when needed.
Check the screen before making the trip.
Confirm a promotion, review a remote display, or investigate an update without standing beside every TV. The management app combines device status, screen captures, content information, and a content-refresh command.
Use it to answer a specific question: did the new menu arrive, is the correct playlist assigned, or is the player showing the scheduled campaign? A remote capture helps you inspect the app’s output. It does not measure the physical display, HDMI input, brightness, or what a visitor can see in the room.
What must be connected
- A TV record linked to the intended Apple TV.
- The display app running on the Apple TV with network access.
- The management app signed into an account with access to that TV and a working live connection.
Open TVs or the relevant TV card on the dashboard. Confirm its name and site, then expand Remote Management. Its Connected status reflects the command connection. A recent check-in elsewhere in the app does not necessarily mean the TV can answer commands now.
If the TV is unlinked, use the setup guide. For a managed fleet, use Auto-Sync and MDM deployment.
Take a screen capture
Choose the correct TV
Confirm the TV’s location, name, and assigned playlists. Open its Remote Management section and check the connection indicator.
Request a capture
Select Screen Capture. Wait for the TV to respond rather than sending repeated requests while a capture is pending.
Read the time and content information
Check the capture’s update time and available content information. The current app presents audio, showing-content, and background state when supplied by the player.
Compare it with your intended content
Check the promotion, layout, order, and schedule you expected. Captures are compressed and may look softer than the physical display. Use the actual TV to judge final image quality.
Monitor a short sequence.
Select Start Monitor to request repeated captures. The current app requests a capture about every five seconds and stops the session automatically after about two minutes. Use Stop Monitor to finish sooner; collapsing the section also stops monitoring.
This is a sequence of screenshots, not a full-frame-rate video stream or a remote desktop. Allow for command and image delivery time. A capture may not establish how smoothly a video is playing or how accurately a multi-screen installation is synchronized; test those on the actual display setup.
Refresh content when it is needed.
Use Force Refresh Content when the player needs to reload its data, return to the first item, or restart the content sequence. The current app also uses this action to clear a local background-theme override so the TV follows the saved configuration again.
Save your slide, playlist, or TV edits first. A refresh command does not save an unsaved form, fix missing source permissions, or make an ineligible schedule active. It can interrupt what the screen is showing, so choose an appropriate moment and verify the result with a new capture.
A “command sent” message confirms the request was issued. Confirm the new capture and content state before treating the display as checked. This action refreshes the player’s content; it does not restart tvOS or physically power-cycle the television.
Manage content and playback settings.
In the TV’s content/setup controls, review the assigned playlists, auto-advance, slide pacing, sound, orientation, and other available settings. Use Apply Changes or Save & Exit after editing, then check the screen.
For several screens, review the exact members and sites before applying shared settings through a TV group. Keep location-specific content where it belongs. Use content scheduling to control the campaign’s active times.
Power-save schedules are separate from content timing. They can reduce activity and show a blank screen; physical TV power depends on the hardware and configuration. These controls are not a general-purpose Apple TV remote.
If the TV cannot be reached
| Situation | Next check |
|---|---|
| Remote Management says Offline | Check that the display app is running, the Apple TV has network access, and the management app is connected. A recent heartbeat alone is insufficient. |
| Capture is pending or fails | Give the request time to complete. Check live connectivity and the device/app version before trying again. |
| Capture is old | Check its update time and request a new capture. Do not assume the last image is the screen’s current state. |
| New content is absent | Save the content; review playlist assignment, schedules, source access, processing and download time. |
| Capture looks correct but the shop TV is blank | Ask someone on site to check physical power, HDMI cabling/input, and the display. App output does not prove the panel is on. |
| A refresh did not resolve the problem | Check the original file/source and device connection. Share app versions and a description with support, without account secrets. |
Common questions
Is Start Monitor a live video feed?
It requests repeated screenshots, currently about every five seconds for up to two minutes. It is intended for checking content and state, not measuring video smoothness.
Can I turn the physical TV on and off from this section?
This section monitors the player and refreshes its content. Physical display power depends on your hardware, HDMI behavior and deployment configuration. Review power-save settings separately.
Does a remote screen capture prove a video wall is synchronized?
No. It can help verify the content assigned to each player, but timing and architecture-aware playback across a wall need testing on the actual installation.