How to get more out of your Better Signage account
Make room for more content with smaller video exports, single-loop clips, silent media, and a library you can reuse across playlists.
Updated October 8, 2026
Start with the files you upload
Before moving to a bigger storage plan, take a look at what you are uploading. A long video might contain the same animation dozens of times. A 4K export might look no different from 1080p at the distance people watch your screen.
Preparing those files leaves room for more content. Start with the resolution, the length, and what actually needs to be in each file.
Try 1080p first
For a menu, event slide, or promotional video, try a 1080p export first. Put it on the display and look at it from the distance your audience normally stands. Can you read the text? Does the picture look clear?
If your plan supports 4K, use it when the extra detail makes a visible difference. Detailed artwork or content viewed up close may justify it. Check your plan's supported resolution before exporting. You can also try 720p when storage is tight, but check small text and logos carefully before choosing the smaller file.
Keep the original in your own storage and make a separate copy for Better Signage. That gives you something to return to if you need a different export later.
Upload one loop and let the playlist repeat it
If a video repeats the same animation over and over, trim it to one complete cycle before uploading. There is no need to store every repeat inside the file.
For example, a 15-second animation repeated for five minutes can be uploaded as a 15-second clip. In the playlist editor, choose Loop count and set it to 20. The clip plays 20 times in total before the playlist moves on, giving you five minutes on screen while storing just one cycle.
You can also choose Seconds, Minutes, or Hours to set how long the clip stays on screen. Better Signage repeats the clip as needed during that time, then advances to the next item.
Check the cut before uploading. The last frame should lead naturally into the first. A black frame, unfinished movement, or pause at the end will show up every time the clip repeats.
Use images for still content and leave out audio
A menu, announcement, or offer that does not move can be a JPG or PNG. Set its display time in the playlist editor instead of exporting a long video of a still image.
Export video without an audio track when sound is not needed. Better Signage currently plays videos silently, so put any essential message from a voiceover into the on-screen content before uploading.
Make a smaller export with HandBrake
HandBrake is a free app you can use to resize and compress a video before uploading it. Work from your original file so you can compare the result with the source.
For a 1080p starting point, try the Fast 1080p30 preset, which uses H.264 video in an MP4 file with a maximum frame rate of 30 fps. On the Video tab, try a Constant Quality setting of RF 22 or 23. These fall within HandBrake's recommended RF range for 1080p. Preview the result before encoding the whole file.
Use a higher frame rate only when the movement benefits from it. Compare moving edges, gradients, and small lettering in the exported video. If they look rough, adjust the quality and try again. The useful file is the one that looks good on your display and fits your plan.
Reuse your library and clear out old files
Use the same library file in different playlists when the content is the same. Each playlist can have its own playback settings; you do not need to upload another copy just to show it for longer.
Give files names you can recognize later. A promotion name and date are easier to sort through than a collection of files called final, final2, and final-new.
All library files count toward storage, including files you are no longer using. Removing an item from a playlist keeps the file in your library.
Sort your library by Largest first to find the files taking up the most space. Keep your originals in your own storage before deleting anything. If an old file is still in use, replace it in the affected playlists and send the updated playlists to the TVs before trying to delete it.
Check the finished file and the full playlist
After Better Signage finishes processing a video, check its size in the library and look at the storage meter. A smaller upload does not guarantee the same reduction in the processed file, so check the finished result before deciding how much space you saved.
Watch a full rotation of the playlist. Give people enough time to read each message, and check that repeated clips are not holding up the next item longer than you intended.
Save your work as a draft while you are editing. When it is ready, use Send this playlist, choose the TVs you want to update, and check the result on the actual display.
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