Windows Player Setup | easyCMS Digital Signage

The Windows player turns any Windows PC, from a mini PC behind a screen to a spare office machine, into an easyCMS display. You need the PC on your network, your CMS address and key from the welcome email, and a phone or computer on the same internet connection.

Add a screen in easyCMS Studio shows the same steps one at a time, with your CMS address and key once you sign in, then finds the screen and connects it.

Good to know Windows is the only platform that plays a PowerPoint file natively, and only with a full licensed copy of Microsoft PowerPoint installed on that player. Android, LG webOS and Samsung Tizen cannot play a .pptx at all. Export the deck to MP4 instead: it plays everywhere.

What you need

Windows 10 or later. Pro beats Home for signage: it gives proper control over Windows Update restarts.
The .NET Framework runtime (the installer tells you if it is missing).
Any modern machine for Full HD; a capable GPU for 4K video.
A network connection, wired where possible.

Install and connect

Get the Windows player installer from the downloads page.
Run it, accepting the licence and the default install location. When it finishes, Player Options opens.
Enter the CMS address, normally https://app.myeasycms.com, in full including https://, and your CMS key.
Check the local library path, where the player caches content, has a few GB free.
Save, then start the player. It says it is waiting for authorisation, which is expected.
On a device on the same internet connection, open Add a screen in Studio or Add a display and connect the screen. This uses one display licence; you do not need the CMS’s Displays page, and customer accounts do not have it.
Close and reopen the player (or click Connect in Player Options): it collects its configuration on the next connection attempt.

Watch out Welcome email says https://cms.myeasycms.com? That is easyCMS V3, which needs the version 3 Windows player. The latest one reports Client found response content type there: that article has the download.

Make it survive real life

Automatic logon: set Windows to log the signage user in at boot.
Autostart: the player and its watchdog launch at logon. The installer sets this up by default.
Watchdog: restarts the player if it hangs or closes. Leave it enabled.
No interruptions: turn off screensavers, sleep and notifications, silence system sounds, and set Windows Update active hours so reboots happen at night.

Check-in interval, screenshot interval, operating hours and sizing live on the settings profile your account shares, so we change them centrally: tell us what you need.

Check it is playing

At the screen: press i while the player runs to see connection state, schedule, downloads and recent errors.
From anywhere: Studio’s My screens shows whether it is online; Details, then Take a new picture, shows what it plays. See display monitoring.

Cannot connect? The offline display checklist covers the usual causes: a mistyped CMS address, a firewall blocking outbound HTTPS, or a missed step.

For your IT team

Proxy: the player’s advanced settings accept proxy credentials.
Firewall: outbound HTTPS only; see network requirements.
Kiosk (optional): run the player as the shell, or use assigned access, so the desktop never appears.