What Kind of Player Should I Buy?

We designed XOGO to run on multiple platforms so our users have nearly endless options when it comes to player hardware. But with so many choices, which digital signage hardware is right for you? We’ve put together the following summary to help you decide.

Before we get started, it’s important to note that our system is cloud-based.  That means you can run the XOGO Manager app on any supported device (Windows, Android or iOS) and use it to control an unlimited number of XOGO players -regardless of their operating system- from anywhere in the world. 

For example, you might have our XOGO Player app running on a Windows PC in your lobby, two XOGO Minis in your conference room and a Fire TV television in your break room. You can pick up your iPad, design a new graphic and send it to all of those players at the same time using the XOGO Manager app - while you’re sitting on a beach in Tahiti.  Some might say we’ve made digital signage almost too easy, but we like to think we’re just getting started.

XOGO Mini

Pros: The easiest way to set up a digital sign, durable, inexpensive, sold worldwide

Cons: Currently limited to 1080HD resolution

Cost: $99 / €99 / £89

Where to Buy: XOGO Store, Amazon, CDW

We designed the XOGO Mini to be the easiest-to-use digital signage player on the market. The Mini runs a special version of Windows called IoT Core, and comes with XOGO Player preinstalled. There’s no Windows desktop and no mouse or keyboard are required to use the Mini. You simply plug in your Mini and connect it to a TV via the included HDMI cable. Then connect it to the Internet, either via a wired connection or by using our free XOGO Manager app to push your WiFi settings to the device. The Mini will display a PIN code on the TV. This is what gets entered into XOGO Manager so you can connect the player to your account and send it a playlist. The Mini runs a mobile chipset from Qualcomm and is designed to play your signage content 24/7. It can be rebooted anytime via a button in the XOGO Manager app, and it’s available globally via our website and Amazon. There are several thousand XOGO Minis playing content all over the world right now and it’s the top-selling digital signage player on Amazon.

Windows 10 PCs

Pros: Can handle custom resolutions and video walls, familiar, available everywhere

Cons: Higher-priced than other hardware options

Cost: $350+

Where to Buy: XOGO Store, Arrow, Microsoft, Amazon, NewEgg, CDW, etc.

In addition to being familiar to most people, Windows 10 gives users additional flexibility that’s not found in other platforms. For example, you can set a Windows 10 PC to output a custom resolution to match an oddly-sized display or even to run a multi-screen video wall. You can run 3rd party software like TeamViewer or Splashtop on the device in order to log into the PC remotely, and you’ll find both of our apps (XOGO Manager and XOGO Player) available for free on the Windows Store. You can even run them both on the same device if you want to. There are literally hundreds of different Windows 10 PCs available on the market, they are sold all over the world, and you can even set your PC to kiosk mode so it will automatically launch and run XOGO Player whenever it boots up. Really the only disadvantage of Windows is that the hardware tends to be a bit more expensive than other platforms. However, it’s still the gold standard for most large companies. Does your organization have the Windows Store turned off by default? Just contact us and we’ll send you an OEM installation package that you can install directly.

Android Devices

Pros: Low cost, available on phones, tablets, smart TVs and now mini PCs

Cons: Still less widely-available than other types of hardware

Cost: $70+

Where to Buy: Amazon, NewEgg, CDW

Android is an interesting platform for digital signage. It initially emerged as an open source competitor to Apple’s iOS, and was used to power low-cost smart phones and tablets. Nowadays it’s also available on smart TVs and even Android-based mini PCs. Both of our apps are freely available on Android devices via the Google Play store. XOGO Player requires Android OS 5.0 (“Lollipop”) or newer and XOGO Manager will run on Android OS 7.0 (“Nougat”) or newer.  Can’t find our apps on the Google Play store? Just contact us and we’ll send you an .APK file that you can load onto your device via an SD card or USB drive.

Chrome Devices

Pros: Enterprise device management, kiosk mode, available as Chromebit or Chromebox

Cons: Requires Chrome license from Google (an additional setup step).

Cost: $70-600

Where to Buy: Amazon, NewEgg, CDW, etc.

The Google Chrome operating system allows organizations to deploy large numbers of players and manage them remotely via built-in device management features. There are lots of nice Chrome hardware options available from manufacturers like ASUS and AOpen. In order to run XOGO on a Chrome device your organization must first license the device with Google - an extra step that takes a few minutes. Then it’s easy to install XOGO Player and set it to run in kiosk mode, so whenever the device boots it will automatically play your digital signage. Chromebits are available online for as little as $70 and can be plugged right into the HDMI connection on any modern TV, while Chromeboxes are more powerful and can play 4k video files more smoothly.

Amazon Fire TV Devices

Pros: Low cost, easy setup, available on stick, cube, tablet & TV devices, also runs Netflix etc.

Cons: No kiosk mode so you have to manually launch the XOGO app

Cost: $40-350

Where to Buy: Amazon

Closely related (technically speaking) to Android, Amazon Fire TV-powered devices come in many flavors, from the $40 Fire TV Stick to Fire TV cubes, tablets and even televisions!  These devices are super affordable (50-inch Fire TV televisions are just $350) and capable of running XOGO Player in addition to your favorite streaming media apps like Netflix and HBO. Use your Fire TV device to play signage during business hours, then switch over to Netflix after work. In order to find XOGO Player on a Fire TV television, go to the apps section and search under the Business category, or do a voice search using the Alexa remote. We expect to see a lot more users running Fire TV devices this year, because they are so cheap and easy to order from Amazon.

Coming Soon: Raspberry Pi

Pros: Low cost, available worldwide, easily customizable, now capable of 4K playback

Cons: N/A

Cost: $50-150

Where to Buy: Coming soon to XOGO Store and Amazon

Raspberry Pi is a tiny, low-cost computer that was first conceived in the UK in 2012. Since then nearly 30 million units have been sold worldwide, and the capability of the platform has grown by leaps and bounds. Early RPi computers were not powerful enough to run digital signage software; however, that changed with the RPi3, which could play back 1080HD content. The new RPi4 is even more capable - available with up to 8GB RAM, it can power dual displays, and will play 4K or dynamic content as smoothly as any other device. 

We’ve been developing and testing an RPi version of XOGO Manager for several months now, and plan to release it to the public later this summer so it can be installed on users’ own RPi devices. We also have an RPi version of the XOGO Mini in development which will offer the same no-hassle setup process as the original Mini (no keyboard or mouse needed). Watch our news page for updates! 

Summary

With player versions for multiple platforms, XOGO is arguably the most flexible digital signage platform on the market. Users that are looking for a truly simple setup experience can select the XOGO Mini and be up and running in seconds. Those on a tight budget can install XOGO Player on an inexpensive Chromebit, Fire TV or Android device. And more advanced users can select a Windows 10 or Chrome player in order to take advantage of multi-display or enterprise device management capabilities. 

Regardless of the hardware that you select, XOGO Player offers the same friendly user experience and easy PIN-code screen for setup.  Remember that you can connect multiple types of players to your XOGO account and manage all of your content and players via the free XOGO Manager app - even if you’re sitting on that beach with your iPad. Have questions that we didn’t answer here? Please drop us a note and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.