If you have received an email from hello@screenly.io saying your screen is unreachable, it means the screen is offline and hasn’t communicated with our servers for a few hours. This could be because the player lost internet connectivity or is completely off. Our players are designed to keep showing cached images and videos even during temporary internet outages. However, when offline, your screen won’t get new updates like playlist changes or remote commands from your online Screenly account. This support article will guide you step-by-step on how to troubleshoot an offline screen.
While we can't remotely troubleshoot an offline screen, our support team is here to assist you. Since the player isn't connected to the internet, we'll need some teamwork between you and our support team in order to resolve the issue. If you need further assistance after following the steps below, please email support@screenly.io.
Step 1: Check the power connection
Manually inspect the media player to ensure it is properly connected to the power outlet. If powered on, our Raspberry Pi-based Screenly Player will show green and red blinking lights. On the Screenly Player Max, you should see a white light near the power button.
Step 2: Ensure the correct input channel is selected on the TV Monitor
You should see some form of content rendered from the media player onto the TV screen via the HDMI connection. Using the TV’s remote control, select the correct input channel. If the correct input channel is selected, your TV screen will either show your cached content or a dark screen with a faint Screenly logo in the center.
If you still don’t see anything, double-check that the HDMI cable is properly connected to both the player and the screen. If possible, try using a different HDMI cable or port to rule out a faulty HDMI connection.
Step 3: Restart the player
Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve connectivity issues by restarting services and getting things moving again if there isn’t a deeper problem. To do this, unplug the media player's power cable for 10 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait for 15 minutes to see if the connectivity is restored. If the connection comes back, your screen may initially show as out of sync on your online dashboard, but it should revert to online status within a few minutes. If the connection is not restored, proceed to Step 4.
Step 4: Verify Internet Connection
At this stage, we recommend confirming with your IT team if there have been any recent network changes at your location. For a wired connection, check the network cable and make sure it is securely plugged into the media player. If the network cable is properly connected, you should see blinking green and red lights at the port. It may be helpful to test the wired connection with another device and confirm it works and provides connectivity.
If you’re using Wi-Fi, confirm that the player is within range of your router and that the network credentials have not changed. For instructions on how to reconnect your media player to Wi-Fi, please see this support article: How do I configure WiFi for the Screenly Player?
Step 5: Collect Logs and Contact Support
If you've tried all the above steps and the screen is still offline, it's time to reach out to our support team. this could be an issue with the device's SD card, or one of our services on the device may be having issues. Other less common, more advanced issues could include improper or missing firewall rules or even wrong VLAN assignments. The best way to find out more information would be to collect logs and send them to our team by emailing support@screenly.io.