Skip to content
CanvasRelay
Sign in

Add a screen: choose the player first

Start with Roku, Android/Google TV, Fire TV, Raspberry Pi, or a browser/mini-PC so Canvas Relay can show the setup flow that actually applies.

There is no single setup method for every Canvas Relay player. Roku and the Raspberry Pi image use on-device account authentication. The web player, signed Google TV receiver, and Fire TV browser path use the six-digit pairing flow. Choose the platform before following instructions.

Current player status

  • Web browser — Available · fully supported. Fastest way to test; also suitable for a dedicated mini-PC/kiosk.
  • Raspberry Pi 5 — Tested direct-download appliance image. Flash it with Raspberry Pi Imager, boot on Ethernet, then sign in on the Pi and choose a published screen.
  • Roku — Native beta · Store release in progress. Sign in/create/link the Canvas Relay account on the Roku; do not use an off-device short code for the public auth model.
  • Android TV / Google TV — Signed direct-download receiver beta. Sideload the TV APK, then pair its six-digit code in Screens → Add screen.
  • Fire TV — Compatible today through a browser path; native Fire OS and Vega work is separate future work.

Roku beta

  1. In the web app, Publish at least one non-archived board. Saving a draft alone does not make it selectable on Roku.
  2. If the account uses Google only, set a Canvas Relay password under Settings → Account & security without disconnecting Google.
  3. Launch Canvas Relay on Roku, sign in on-device, and choose the published board. Roku does not use the six-digit browser-player code.
  4. For unattended signage, set Home → Settings → Theme → Screensaver start time → Disable. Later board publishes do not require reinstalling the app.
Canvas Relay does not claim public Roku Store availability until certification/publication is complete. It warns when Roku's screensaver is enabled but intentionally does not suppress system behavior or generate fake activity.

Browser, Google TV, and Fire TV pairing

  1. Open player.canvasrelay.app in a supported browser, install and open the signed Google TV APK, or open the Fire TV browser path.
  2. Read the current six-digit code shown by the player.
  3. In Screens → Add screen, enter the code, name the screen, and optionally assign its initial board.
  4. Wait for Connected → Downloading board → Playing. If the network drops later, the last-known-good cached release keeps playing until the screen reconnects.
Pairing codes expire. If one changes, use the new code shown on the player. Do not re-pair a healthy device just because content is unsupported or a publish is still downloading.

Raspberry Pi 5 account setup

  1. Download the standard canvas-relay-raspberry-pi.zip or the raw canvas-relay-raspberry-pi.img. Raspberry Pi Imager accepts the ZIP; Rufus uses the raw image.
  2. Boot the Pi 5 with HDMI and Ethernet connected.
  3. Sign in on the appliance with an existing Canvas Relay email and password.
  4. Choose a published screen directly on the Pi. Press Esc during playback to return to the chooser.

Read next