What is digital signage and a digital menu board?
Digital signage is the name for showing content on TVs and monitors in places such as shops, restaurants, offices and waiting rooms. Campaign visuals, menus and price lists, announcements, exchange rates and promotional videos rotate on these screens. The difference is that instead of carrying content to each screen on a USB stick, all screens are managed from a single panel.
A digital menu board is the restaurant and café version: a menu with prices on the TV above the counter. In this guide we explain what you need, how it's set up and what it costs.
Where is it used?
- Restaurants and cafés: A menu board above the counter, the day's special, breakfast and evening menus that change with the time of day.
- Shops and chains: Campaigns on window and shelf screens; playback to all branches at once.
- Offices and factories: Welcome screens, announcements, workplace safety reminders.
- Waiting rooms: Salon price lists, clinic information, duty pharmacy information at pharmacies.
- Exchange offices and jewellers: An exchange rate board that updates by itself.
What do you need?
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Screen | A smart TV or any TV or monitor with an HDMI input. If it will stay on all day, a model suited to that may be worth considering. |
| Player | The smart TV's browser, an Android TV box, an iPad or a mini PC. The player downloads the content and shows it on screen. |
| Internet | Needed to update content. In a good system, playback continues from the cache even if the connection drops. |
| Management panel | Where content is uploaded and designed, and where you plan which screen plays what and when. |
| Content | Images, videos or designs created from a ready-made template. |
Setup steps
- Connect the screen. Open the player on the TV and enter the code shown on the screen into the panel. In Pano this takes minutes, using the 6-digit code that appears on the screen.
- Prepare the content. Upload your existing videos or start from a template in the design studio. For a menu board, enter the products and prices in the price list widget.
- Create a playlist. Decide how many seconds each item is shown and on which days and at what times it plays; for example, the breakfast menu only in the morning.
- Assign to a screen and publish. Give the playlist to a screen or screen group; when you click ‘Publish’, the changes go to the screens.
- Monitor the status. See in the panel whether each screen is online; if necessary, stop or refresh playback remotely.
Where should the screen go?
Even the best design goes unseen in the wrong place. When choosing where to put the screen, think about where customers stand and where they look:
- Above the counter: In restaurants and cafés, the best place for a menu board is behind the counter, where customers in the queue are looking.
- Eye level: In shops, screens should be at eye level; a screen mounted too high goes unnoticed.
- Light: In front of a sunny window there will be glare; if necessary, choose a brighter screen or move it.
- Power and connection: Have a power socket next to the screen and, ideally, a wired or strong Wi-Fi connection.
- Waiting area: In a waiting room, the screen should be at an angle that seated people can see comfortably.
Tips for effective content
- Give one message per screen. A crowded design can't be read from a distance.
- Keep text large and high-contrast; check the screen from a few metres back.
- Update the price on the menu board on the same day as the price at the till.
- Keep videos short. If the loop is too long, customers may leave before seeing what they're looking for.
- Live widgets such as time, weather and exchange rates keep the screen looking up to date at all times.
- If you'll use a portrait screen, design in portrait too.
What happens if the internet goes down?
This is the most common question about cloud-based digital signage. In Pano, content is cached on the screen; when the connection drops, playback continues with the last published playlist, and the screen shows as offline in the panel. When the connection comes back, the screen picks up any changes made in the meantime by itself.
What digital signage costs
The cost of digital signage has three components: the screen, the player and the software. Your existing smart TV's browser or an Android TV box is often enough as a player; you may not need to buy a computer. Software is generally charged per screen per month.
When comparing, check which plan includes the design tool and ready-made templates, whether you can play to branches in bulk using screen groups, and whether setup support is included in the price. Starting with a single screen and adding screens later is usually the least risky approach.
Pano works with plans at ₺249 (Basic: video and image playback), ₺399 (Pro: design studio, templates, menu boards, screen groups) and ₺599 (Enterprise) per screen per month. Prices exclude VAT; pay yearly and get 2 months free. Details: Pano plans.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a computer for digital signage?
No. A smart TV's browser, an Android TV box or an iPad can be used as the player; a mini PC is also an option.
Does the screen go blank if the internet goes down?
Not with Pano. Content is cached on the screen, so playback continues even if the connection drops; new changes are picked up when it's back.
How do I change the prices on the menu board?
Edit the price list in the design in the panel and publish; the change reaches the screen within seconds.
Can I show different content at different branches?
Yes. Each screen gets its own playlist; with the Pro plan you can group screens and play content by region.
Are there ready-made templates?
Yes. There are ready-made templates such as restaurant menu boards, café menus, campaigns, corporate welcome screens, announcements, salon price lists, exchange rates and prayer times.