Install dsigns.
Connect your screen.

Before you start

What you’ll need

• You need an existing dsigns dashboard administrator account. Downloads are public; player management requires login. Self-service account registration is not included.
• Use a dedicated signage PC and account, a connected display, and internet access for installation and initial content download.
• Choose Windows 11 x64, Debian 13 x64, or a compatible Debian 13 ARM64 image with X11 and mpv 0.40 or newer. 32-bit-only hardware is unsupported.
• Start with one 1080p display. Video acceleration and simultaneous outputs depend on the GPU, drivers and media. Check playback on your hardware before leaving it unattended.

Windows 11 · x64

A guided setup on your PC.

1. Download Windows Setup.exe above and open it in the Windows account that will run your signs. It includes the player and mpv; there is nothing to extract.
2. Finish the installer with Open player setup selected. In dsigns, enter your player name and setup code. See how to generate a code below.
3. Choose whether to Start playback automatically when I sign in, then select Save and start player. Reopen this choice from dsigns Settings in the Start menu. Automatic playback uses a logon task and a separate watchdog task.
4. Configure automatic Windows login, screen-lock settings and firmware power restoration before unattended operation. Playback runs without administrator privileges.

This is an unsigned MVP installer, so Windows may display an unknown-publisher warning. Some workplace policies require your administrator to approve software or register startup tasks.

Linux · x64 & ARM64

Install once. Boot into signage.

For Intel/AMD PCs, start with Debian 13 minimal (amd64). For a supported Raspberry Pi, use Raspberry Pi Imager and Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit, Debian 13). Other ARM boards need the vendor’s supported 64-bit image and graphics drivers.

1. Set up networking and your administrator account on the base OS. Download the matching .deb installer onto the device.
2. Open it with your software installer, or run the matching command from its download folder:

sudo apt install ./dsigns-linux-x64.deb

sudo apt install ./dsigns-linux-arm64.deb

The package manager installs mpv, the small X11 session and required packages. dsigns creates a standard signage account and configures automatic login and watchdog recovery. This changes the login setup on that dedicated device.

3. Reboot when ready. The signage session opens player setup on first login. Enter a name and paste your setup code, or open its saved text file from a USB drive.
4. Choose whether to Start playback automatically when I sign in, then select Save and start player. After the first check-in, the detected screens appear under the group you chose. Use the application-menu shortcuts to open dsigns or its settings later.

sudo apt remove dsigns-player

Connect a player

Give each player its own code.

1. Log in to the dashboard. Create your customer and group under Customers. Add the group’s playlist and schedule if ready.
2. Open Players → Add player, choose the customer and group, optionally name the player, and select Generate setup code.
3. Install the player, open dsigns and paste the code into player setup. Linux also accepts the downloaded code file from a USB drive. Choose automatic playback if needed, then select Save and start player.
4. Initial screens inherit the selected group’s content. An empty group shows the dsigns splash screen. Adjust screen settings and Publish when your content is ready.

Each code expires after 24 hours and connects one device. Retry the same code on the same device if networking interrupts setup. Cancel unused codes from Add player. Names can change later; the device retains its unique identity across reboots.

Keep your player current

Installers, updates and earlier builds.

Use the installer for a new device. For an administrator-triggered remote update, use the matching update ZIP and SHA-256 in the player’s Update player dialog. A Setup.exe or .deb is not a remote update payload.

Application updates retain player identity and cached content. Operating-system packages, drivers and the Linux supervisor copy are maintained through the OS/package installer. Test updates and rollback on one device before rolling them out.

Before you leave it running

Check playback and recovery before you leave.

Try an image, an H.264 MP4 and a schedule boundary. Verify monitor placement, offline reboot and recovery on the actual device. Dashboard screenshots show a rendered frame; they cannot prove the physical panel is powered on.

Player details include check-ins, playback reports, screenshots and incidents. The Windows and Linux packages also include local diagnostic collection tools.