Signage Channels in Appspace are channels for creating and publishing digital signage experiences. Use Signage Channels to build fullscreen or multizone content, preview playback, configure channel behavior, and publish to devices, device groups, locations, or web.
For: Communicators and IT Administrators — Signage Channel Overview
What’s in this article:
How It Works
A Signage Channel is a channel type in Appspace designed for digital signage. Signage Channels support two content workflows: Fullscreen and Multizone.
A Fullscreen Signage Channel displays one content area across the full screen. Use this workflow for simple digital signage experiences where cards, images, videos, or linked sources should play one item at a time.
A Multizone Signage Channel displays multiple content areas in the same layout. Use this workflow when you want different content to appear in separate zones, such as a main content area, sidebar, news feed, weather widget, or schedule.
After you create a Signage Channel, you can add content, preview the channel, configure settings, manage permissions and approvals, and publish the channel to supported destinations.
Advanced Channels automatically transition to Multizone Signage Channels, with existing functionality and configuration intact.
Note: Use Signage Channels for digital signage. Playlist Channels and Live Channels remain available for other channel workflows.
Fullscreen and Multizone Workflows
When you create a Signage Channel, select the workflow that matches how you want content to appear on the display.
| Workflow | Use When | Available Channel Tabs |
|---|---|---|
| Fullscreen Signage Channel | You want one content item to play across the full screen. | Edit, Preview, Publish, Settings |
| Multizone Signage Channel | You want multiple zones, layouts, widgets, or layout-specific behavior in the same channel. | Edit, Schedule, Actions, Preview, Publish, Settings |
The Schedule tab appears for a Multizone Signage Channel when layout scheduling is enabled. The Actions tab is available only for Multizone Signage Channels.
What You Can Do with Signage Channels
Use Signage Channels to manage the full digital signage workflow from creation to publishing.
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Add and manage content: Add cards, upload media, generate media, select content from the library, or link sources.
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Configure playback: Set content duration, transitions, aspect ratio, audio, scheduling, dayparting, and tag rules.
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Build multizone layouts: Add layouts, select zones, add widgets, reuse existing widgets, and schedule layouts.
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Configure actions: Define event-based behavior for Multizone Signage Channels.
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Manage settings: Update channel details, permissions, approvals, properties, auto-syncing, layout scheduling, and scripting settings.
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Publish the channel: Publish Signage Channels to devices, device groups, locations, or web.
Publishing and Syncing
Signage Channels are designed for digital signage publishing. You can publish Signage Channels to devices, device groups, locations, location hierarchies, and web destinations.
When publishing to a location and sub-locations, all devices in that location hierarchy are targeted for publishing. You can also select specific devices by using the Find devices workflow.
Auto-syncing automatically syncs updates to all devices assigned to the Signage Channel. Enable auto-syncing when devices assigned to the channel should automatically receive the latest application updates and changes. When automatic syncing is off, use Sync now to manually sync the latest channel updates.
Important: Devices configured for Autoplay mode are not supported for Multizone Signage Channels. Use a supported device playback mode before publishing a Multizone Signage Channel to the device.
Scheduling and Tag Rules
Signage Channels schedule content at three levels: the individual content item, the playlist, and, in a Multizone Signage Channel, the layout.
| Level | Scheduling Behavior | Tag Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Content item | Each content item has a start date and time, an end date and time, and dayparting, set from its Playout Properties. Available in a Fullscreen Signage Channel and in a Media Zone of a Multizone Signage Channel. | Tag rules can be applied to an individual content item from its Playout Properties panel. |
| Playlist | Playlist scheduling holds several playlists and plays each one during its own scheduled period. Enabled from the Default Channel Playout Properties panel, in a Fullscreen Signage Channel or in a Media Zone. | Tag rules can be applied to the content items within each playlist. |
| Layout | Layout scheduling controls which layout plays and when. Enabled from Settings > General, in a Multizone Signage Channel. | Tag rules can be applied to layout schedules from the schedule Tag Rules tab. |
A Media Zone uses the same playlist engine as a Fullscreen Signage Channel, so content item scheduling and playlist scheduling behave identically in both.
A Media Zone can also inherit a schedule instead of configuring one. Linking a zone to a source channel makes the zone play whatever that channel plays, including the source channel’s content schedule. A zone can link several sources at once and mix them with content added directly. For more information, see Schedule and Source Content in a Media Zone.
Tag rules use device-related targeting criteria, such as device, device group, location, or tag. The Devices section in the Create Tag Rules page works as a proof check so you can review which devices match the query before applying the rule.
Note: Layout scheduling and playlist scheduling are independent. Layout scheduling controls which layout plays; playlist scheduling controls which playlist plays inside a single zone. A Multizone Signage Channel can use both.
Tip: To review scheduled, live, and expiring content across your channels, see View the Signage Content Calendar.
Permissions and Approvals
Permissions control who can manage a Signage Channel, manage its content, and manage schedules.
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Publishers: Have Manage Sign permissions and can manage the channel, configure settings, publish content, approve changes, and delete the channel.
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Editors: Have Manage Content permissions and can add, delete, and manage content in the channel.
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Schedulers: Have Manage Schedule permissions and can manage scheduling when scheduling permissions are available.
Use approvals to require publisher approval before selected editor actions are applied, such as adding content, removing content, enabling or disabling content, changing playout properties, or changing content sequence.
Note: Widget permissions are configured from each individual widget, not from the channel Permissions tab.
Key Terms
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Signage Channel: A channel used to create and publish digital signage content in Appspace.
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Fullscreen Signage Channel: A Signage Channel workflow that displays content in one full-screen area.
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Multizone Signage Channel: A Signage Channel workflow that displays content in multiple zones within a layout.
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Layout: The arrangement of zones in a Multizone Signage Channel.
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Zone: A content area within a multizone layout, such as Main, Sidebar, Top Left, or Bottom Right.
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Media Zone: A zone that plays a playlist of content. A Media Zone supports the same content scheduling as a Fullscreen Signage Channel.
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Linked source: A channel or library folder that supplies content to a Media Zone. The source owns the content, the playback order, and any content schedule.
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Playlist scheduling: A scheduling mode that holds several playlists and plays each one during its own scheduled period.
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Layout scheduling: A scheduling mode that controls which layout plays and when.
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Widget: A configurable layout component that adds dynamic content or functionality to a Multizone Signage Channel.
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Actions: Event-based behavior that can be configured for Multizone Signage Channels.
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Auto-Syncing: A channel option that automatically syncs updates to all devices assigned to the channel.
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Tag Rules: Optional targeting rules that use device, device group, location, or tag criteria to control where scheduled content applies.