Raspberry Pi + TVpilot

Raspberry Pi digital signage,
live in 15 minutes

Turn any Raspberry Pi and any TV into a managed digital sign with one command. Kiosk mode, crash recovery, TV on/off scheduling and remote management — without building it yourself.

Start free — 1 screen includedSee how it works

Free plan, no credit card required. Paid plans from €5/month.

What you need

A Raspberry Pi, a TV,
and one command

No proprietary media player, no expensive signage box. Any Raspberry Pi running Raspberry Pi OS with a desktop works — the installer detects your model, OS and display server (X11 or Wayland) and configures everything for you. For smooth video, we recommend a Pi 4 or 5.

Any TV or monitor with HDMI
Raspberry Pi with Raspberry Pi OS (desktop)
Internet via Ethernet or Wi-Fi
A free TVpilot account for the claim code
pi@raspberrypi: ~
$ curl -fsSL https://tvpilot.app/api/pi-setup?code=XXXXXX | bash
# [1/5] Installing packages…
# [2/5] Registering screen…
# [3/5] Configuring kiosk player…
# [4/5] Installing systemd watchdog…
# [5/5] Setting up HDMI power schedule…
✓ TVpilot.App installed — rebooting…

Your dashboard generates this command with your screen’s claim code filled in.

Setup

Set up Raspberry Pi digital signage in 4 steps

01

Connect your Raspberry Pi to the TV

Plug the Pi into any TV or monitor over HDMI, add power, and connect it to the internet via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

02

Add a screen in your TVpilot dashboard

Sign up free, click "Add screen", and you get an install command with a 6-character claim code already filled in.

03

Paste one command on the Pi

The installer sets up Chromium in kiosk mode, registers the screen to your account, and configures auto-start and the watchdog.

04

The Pi reboots and goes live

After the automatic reboot, the Pi boots straight into a full-screen player. Assign a playlist and content appears on the TV.

Built for the Pi

Everything a DIY kiosk script forgets

A Raspberry Pi signage screen has to survive power cuts, Wi-Fi drops, and months of unattended running. The installer sets all of it up for you.

Boots straight into your content

The installer configures autostart on both X11 and Wayland desktops plus a systemd service, so the player launches on every boot — no keyboard or mouse needed after setup.

Self-healing watchdog

A systemd watchdog restarts the player within 10 seconds if it ever exits, and the player waits for the network to come up before launching. Power cuts and Wi-Fi drops fix themselves.

TV on/off scheduling via HDMI-CEC

The Pi checks your dashboard power schedule every minute and switches the TV on or into standby over HDMI-CEC — no smart plug, no timer, no one climbing behind the TV.

Remote management built in

Update playlists, reorder content, trigger a remote software update, or reboot the Pi — all from the dashboard, from anywhere. No VPN, no SSH session.

Stays up to date automatically

A daily update check (03:00) fetches new player versions automatically, and you can push an update on demand from the dashboard.

Clean kiosk experience

Hidden cursor, no crash bubbles or update prompts, black desktop and quiet boot — viewers only ever see your content, never a desktop or dialog.

Comparison

TVpilot vs a DIY kiosk setup

TVpilot on a PiGeneric DIY kiosk
Setup timeOne command, ~15 minutesHours of configs, autostart files and Chromium flags
Content updatesFrom a web dashboard, instantlySSH in and edit files, per screen
Crash recoverysystemd watchdog restarts the player in secondsScreen stays black until someone notices
TV power scheduleHDMI-CEC on/off from the dashboardManual cron scripts or a smart plug
Software updatesAutomatic daily check + remote pushYou maintain every device by hand
Scheduling & playlistsImages, videos, web pages, PDFs — per day and time slotA single static URL or slideshow
CostFree for 1 screen, from €5/mo for more"Free" — paid for in your evenings
FAQ

Raspberry Pi signage, answered

Which Raspberry Pi models work for digital signage?

Any Raspberry Pi that runs Raspberry Pi OS with a desktop can run TVpilot — the installer detects your Pi model, OS version, and whether you are on X11 or Wayland, and configures itself accordingly. For smooth video playback we recommend a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5.

How do I install digital signage software on a Raspberry Pi?

Create a free TVpilot account, add a screen in the dashboard, and paste the generated one-line install command into a terminal on the Pi. The installer sets up Chromium kiosk mode, registers the screen with your claim code, enables auto-start and the watchdog, and reboots the Pi into the player.

Can I use a Raspberry Pi I already have?

Yes. The installer works on an existing Raspberry Pi OS install: it reuses Chromium if it is already installed, and if the Pi was previously registered it keeps the existing screen configuration instead of creating a duplicate.

What happens if the player crashes or the power goes out?

A systemd watchdog service restarts the player automatically within about 10 seconds if it ever stops. After a power cut, the Pi boots straight back into the player, waits for the network to come up, and resumes playing your content.

Can TVpilot turn the TV on and off automatically?

Yes. The Pi polls your dashboard power schedule every minute and sends HDMI-CEC commands to switch the TV on at opening time and into standby at closing time. No smart plug or timer needed.

How do software updates work?

The Pi checks for a new player version every night at 03:00 and updates itself automatically. You can also trigger an update or a reboot for any screen remotely from the dashboard.

What content can I show on the screen?

Playlists built from images, videos, web pages and PDFs, scheduled per time slot or day of the week. You manage everything from one dashboard, for one screen or a whole fleet.

How much does Raspberry Pi digital signage cost with TVpilot?

The software is free for 1 screen with full features — no credit card required. Starter is €5/month for up to 5 screens and Pro is €19/month for up to 25 screens. The hardware is just a Raspberry Pi and any TV with HDMI.

Pricing

Free for your first screen

The hardware is yours; the software starts at €0.

Free
€0forever

Perfect for trying TVpilot with one screen.

Start free
Starter
€5/month

For small teams and single locations.

Start free
Pro
€19/month

For growing businesses with multiple locations.

Start free
Business
Customon request

Enterprise-grade signage at any scale.

Contact sales

All plans include a 14-day free trial. No credit card required to start.

Your Pi is ready.
Your first screen is free.

Create an account, add a screen, paste one command — and your Raspberry Pi digital signage is live before the coffee is cold.

Start free with TVpilot