A number of users have requested support for portrait presentation display using NoviSign’s Digital Signage software for Android TV player.  In this post, we would like to help you to better understand how to use Android digital signage in portrait mode.

NoviSign digital signage software supports off-the-shelf broadcasting to screens that are in portrait position. All you need to do is to load an image or a video to the system that is in portrait mode (width < height of the image), or, if you use the NoviSign editor to set the screen, you should use portrait and not landscape dimensions, for example ,9:16 instead of 16:9. You can also use 3:4 or other common ratios.

Thus, from a pure software perspective, there is no real effort or challenge when using NoviSign. All what you really need to do is to verify that your player connected to the screen has the ability to rotate a screen from landscape to portrait. In Windows, this is relatively easy in the display setting or by using ALT + CTRL + one of the arrows keys.

If you are using a tablet or phone with NoviSign that also should not be a problem since the capability is built in for these devices. However, in most case, Android TV is locked on landscape. Thus, you will need to request your Android TV manufacturer to set an option for a landscape screen on the Android TV device you purchase from them.

The instructions below are for NoviSign partners that have fewer than 100 screens and prefer to manually set the screen from landscape to portrait.

The following are the main steps to set up portrait (vertical) mode on the MK family of devices:

  1. Follow the procedures below to update the ROM (install finless ROM).
  2. Set the landscape parameter.
  3. Start working.

Tested Finless 1.6 ROM works fine in portrait with a little tweak.

Installing Finless ROM 

  1. Download flash tool with ROM http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?3207-MK808-Finless-1-6-Custom-ROM
  2. Unplug power and USB of the device.
    On the opposite side of blue LED, there is a tiny hole. Under the hole there is a button, which can be pressed with a clip or needle.
  3. Press the button.
    Android TV signage player
  4. While still pressing on the button pressed, plug the USB cable from the PC into the OTG port.
  5. Release the button after a few seconds.
    Windows will find a device – install driver from the Drivers folder of downloaded package. If Windows does not display a pop-up window, “unrecognized device,” look in the device manager for unrecognized devices.
  6. Run ROM Flash Tool.
  7. If it shows “Not found RKAndroid USB,” unplug from OTG, press the button again and re-plug.
    Once connected, it will change to “Found RKAndroid Loader.”
  8. Select Flush ROM. After completion, the device will boot with new ROM.
  9. Increase screen scale, set proper time zone, etc. If there is terrible boot animation, go to Play Store to replace the boot animation manager.
    PCB of android signage player

Changing Orientation Settings

  1. Install ES File Explorer APK from Play (or with ADB) and launch it
  2. Go to Tools/Root Explorer/Mount R/W and set /system to R/W
  3. Open Local-> / Device -> system
  4. Find boot.prop file and click.
  5. Select ES Note Editor.
  6. On top right select Edit.
  7. Locate the following line:
    ro.sf.hwrotation=270
    and change it to
    ro.sf.hwrotation=0
  8. back to save the file
  9. in Tools/Root Explorer/Mount R/W change /system back from R/W to RO
  10. Exit ES Explorer and press <Ctrl+Alt+Del> to reboot.
See short clip on how to perform the above

Start Working – The device will display Android Digital Signage in Portrait (Vertical) mode.