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Signera Knowledgebase
My sign or TV or monitor is portrait or vertical format or turned on its side or flipped but it is showing upside down!
You have a sign and you are going to display it in portrait format. This is basically a TV on its side, or the TV is 'vertical' format. This is desired for a number of different reasons. It makes the TV look less like a traditional TV. It uses less width on a wall where space is limited. It lends itself to a frame or template that utilizes 8.5x11" flyers since its more shaped like a flyer or piece of paper. It also can feel more approachable to a customer or visitor or viewer since the TV is in a format that is familiar to a typical flyer or poster or book.
When using portrait format or a portrait frame/template... your TV should always be mounted with the normal "bottom" of the TV facing to the left.
Looking at the picture below of a vertical / portrait TV mounted on a wall; you'll see the illuminated logo of the manufacturer on the TV is on the "left" side of the TV. This indicates the TV's "true" bottom.
Note: I've circled the logo on the TV in 'red' to make it easier to see.
Also we'd recommend covering the logo with black tape (sometimes provided by the manufacturer) or removing the logo if possible, as the logo on its side can be distracting, especially on a TV in portrait format.
This setup is not specific to Signera. Any digital signage provider, or any device that can plug into a TV that handles portrait format will generally expect the TV in this configuration. This is an industry standard for TVs. Most likely your TV's manual will also suggest mounting the TV this way.
One reason for this is when the TV manufacturer puts together the TV, they mount stress bolts, components, etc. inside the TV with the understanding that it'll be mounted with the "bottom" of the TV towards the ground or the "bottom" of the TV towards the left. With this understanding, the TV manufacturers can mount components inside that aren't stressed when in these typical configurations based on stresses from the mounting screws, gravity, and general stress to the TV's frame. Some TV manufacturers even go as far as to state on the outside of the packing boxes to not lay the box in any configuration other than in typical "horizontal" format or on its left side. Typically the worst way to lay a TV in transit is with its screen facing the ground. This is because all of the components inside the TV are being pressed against the thin delicate screen / LED panel.
Some higher end TVs (or better built TVs) can handle being mounted in any configuration. Even with their typical "bottom" being mounted upside down. In this case, you could mount the TV with its typical "bottom" facing the right. However you'll most likely notice using our sign software that it shows upside down. Because of this, as a standard, we always recommend mounting a TV with its "bottom" towards the left.
If you are hanging your TV or monitor and you notice it is upside down, the first thing you should do is make sure you are mounting the TV based on the manufacturer's recommendations.
If your screen is showing upside down, this issue can typically be resolved one of three ways:
1) The easiest (and generally the best for the TV) is to re-mount the TV with the "bottom" of the TV facing to the left.
2) The second best option is to use the TV's remote and go through 'Picture' or 'Video' settings and look for an 'Orientation' or 'Flipped' option. You should be able to adjust the TV picture this way. Some newer TVs are even smart enough to 'detect' their orientation and adjust automatically. However some cheaper TVs may not have an 'Orientation' or 'Flipped' option.
3) The last and least recommended way to resolve this issue is to change settings on the media player.
Note: You will need a keyboard/mouse plugged into the media player to make this change
3a) The first step is to change the Signera software from automatically adjusting your orientation, otherwise every-time Signera's software starts up, it'll revert the changes we are making below.
a) Login to Signera
b) Go to the "Manage Signs" button or the "Sign Network" tab.
c) Click the "Edit" button next to the sign we want to modify settings for.
d) Scroll down and look for the setting called "Auto Configure Sign Display Settings"
e) Change this setting to "Media Player Manually Configured"
f) Click the "Save" button
g) You can now log-out of Signera
b) Go to the "Manage Signs" button or the "Sign Network" tab.
c) Click the "Edit" button next to the sign we want to modify settings for.
d) Scroll down and look for the setting called "Auto Configure Sign Display Settings"
e) Change this setting to "Media Player Manually Configured"
f) Click the "Save" button
g) You can now log-out of Signera
3b) The next step is to adjust the settings on the media player itself. If you skip the settings above, the follow change will not be made permanently!
a) On an activated media player that is playing a sign hit the "Esc" button
b) Minimize or drag away the 'Sign Software' window. (Note: Do not close because it'll re-open itself full-screen automatically)
c) Right-click with the mouse anywhere on the background image (Note: The background image is the Signera logo with a message that says "This message should disappear in five minutes or less")
d) A small 'Menu' should pop up. Now Left-click on 'Screen Resolution'
e) Change the 'Orientation' drop-down from 'Landscape' or 'Portrait' to 'Landscape (flipped)' or 'Portrait (flipped)' respectively.
Note: Typically you are changing the option from 'Portrait' to 'Portrait (flipped)'
f) Click the 'Apply' button then 'OK'
g) The screen should now flip to the correct orientation. If it didn't, repeat the process until the correct orientation is achieved.
h) Restart the media player.
b) Minimize or drag away the 'Sign Software' window. (Note: Do not close because it'll re-open itself full-screen automatically)
c) Right-click with the mouse anywhere on the background image (Note: The background image is the Signera logo with a message that says "This message should disappear in five minutes or less")
d) A small 'Menu' should pop up. Now Left-click on 'Screen Resolution'
e) Change the 'Orientation' drop-down from 'Landscape' or 'Portrait' to 'Landscape (flipped)' or 'Portrait (flipped)' respectively.
Note: Typically you are changing the option from 'Portrait' to 'Portrait (flipped)'
f) Click the 'Apply' button then 'OK'
g) The screen should now flip to the correct orientation. If it didn't, repeat the process until the correct orientation is achieved.
h) Restart the media player.
* Note: Anytime the media player installs Windows Updates or Graphic Drivers, the media player is likely to switch itself to be upside down again. As a lot of updates revert settings to their defaults. This is not something Signera is doing, and we have no control over how updates affect the media player. You will need to complete the above steps EVERY TIME an update happens or the settings revert to the default. This is why Option 3 is the least recommendation option.
Make sure the sign comes back up in the correct orientation. If it doesn't, confirm the settings we changed in 3a) were applied successfully. Otherwise check the TV's manual to make sure the TV isn't changing orientation on its own.
Make sure the sign comes back up in the correct orientation. If it doesn't, confirm the settings we changed in 3a) were applied successfully. Otherwise check the TV's manual to make sure the TV isn't changing orientation on its own.
If you get stuck or need further help, please contact Signera Support.
