Screenflex is optimized for all modern Raspberry Pi boards:

Fully Supported

• Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB / 4GB / 8GB)
• Raspberry Pi 400
• Raspberry Pi 5 (recommended for 4K content)

Partially Supported

• Raspberry Pi 3B/3B+ (1080p recommended)

OS Compatibility

• Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit or 64-bit)
• Debian 10 or higher (via Raspberry Pi OS base)

Hardware Requirements

• CPU: Quad-core
• RAM: 2GB+ (4GB recommended)
• Storage: 16GB+ microSD (Class 10 or SSD recommended)
• Network: WiFi or Ethernet (Ethernet recommended for signage)

Performance Recommendations

• 1080p video: Pi 3, Pi 4, Pi 5
• 4K video: Pi 4 (limited), Pi 5 (best)

Download the Raspberry Pi .deb package directly using your browser or terminal:

Terminal Download Example

wget 

Since Raspberry Pi OS is Debian-based, installation is straightforward.

Step 1 — Install the .deb package

Run:

sudo dpkg -i screenflex.deb

Fix missing dependencies (if any):

sudo apt --fix-broken install

Step 2 — Launch the application

You can start Screenflex by searching for it in the Raspberry Pi menu, or via terminal:

screenflex

Step 1 — Generate the Code

1. Log in to your Screenflex Dashboard.
2. Navigate to Screens → Add Screen.
3. Fill in the form.
4. A 6-digit pairing code will be generated automatically.

Step 2 — Enter the Code on the Pi

1. Open the Screenflex app.
2. Enter the 6-digit code provided by the dashboard.

   (Or enter the Screen Slug)

3. After a few seconds, the device will:
   • Link to your account
   • Sync the assigned playlists
   • Begin showing content automatically

This linking method ensures that only authorized users can register new screens.

For digital signage, the Raspberry Pi should automatically open the Screenflex app after boot.

Option A — systemd Service (Recommended)

1. Open terminal

2. Create service file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/screenflex.service

3. Paste:

[Unit]
Description=Start Screenflex on boot
After=lightdm.service
Wants=lightdm.service

[Service]
User=screenflex
WorkingDirectory=/home/screenflex
Environment=DISPLAY=:0
Environment=XAUTHORITY=/home/screenflex/.Xauthority
ExecStart=/usr/bin/screenflex
Restart=always
RestartSec=3

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

4.Reload systemd configuration

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

5. Enable Screenflex service on boot

sudo systemctl enable screenflex.service

6. Restart the Screenflex service

sudo systemctl restart screenflex.service

7. Check the current status of the Screenflex service

sudo systemctl status screenflex.service

Option B — Autostart (LXDE / Raspberry Pi OS Desktop)

1. Open terminal
2. Edit autostart:
   nginxCopy code

   nano ~/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart

3. Add:
   nginxCopy code

   @screenflex

4. Save & reboot.

Raspberry Pi devices are designed to save power by turning off the screen after a few minutes of inactivity.

For digital signage, this is a problem because your content must stay visible 24/7.

To prevent the screen from going black, we must disable:

• Screen Blanking
• Screen Saver
• Power Saving (DPMS)

Below are the steps explained clearly.

A. Disable screen blanking

Screen blanking is when the Raspberry Pi turns the display black after a while to save energy.

To disable it:

1. Open the Raspberry Pi Configuration Tool

   Open Terminal and type:

   nginxCopy code

   sudo raspi-config

2. Navigate using arrow keys: Go to: Display Options → Screen Blanking
3. Disable screen blanking: Choose Disable
4. Then exit and reboot when asked.

This ensures the screen never turns off automatically.

B. Remove the Screen Saver Software (if installed)

Some Raspberry Pi OS versions include a program called xscreensaver, which activates different screen animations.

For digital signage, you don’t need it.

To remove it:

1. Open terminal
2. Run:
   nginxCopy code

   sudo apt remove xscreensaver

C. Disable Power-Saving Mode (DPMS)

DPMS is a feature that tells the display to enter sleep mode after a period of inactivity.

We must turn it off so your display never sleeps.

1. Open the Raspberry Pi autostart configuration:
   nginxCopy code

   nano ~/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart

2. Add these lines at the bottom:
   nginxCopy code

   @xset s off
   @xset -dpms
   @xset s noblank
   

3. Save and Exit
   • Press CTRL + X
   • Then Y to save
   • Then Enter to exit
4. Reboot the device
   nginxCopy code

   sudo reboot

Now the screen will stay on forever, even if no one touches the device.

Video Playback

• Prefer 1080p for Pi 3 or Pi 4
• For 4K, use Pi 4 or Pi 5 (hardware decoding recommended)
• Use H.264 or H.265 video formats

System Tweaks

• Use Ethernet instead of WiFi if possible
• Use a high-quality power supply (official charger recommended)
• Keep temperature below 80°C: Add a fan or heatsink if needed

Download updated file and install:

sudo dpkg -i screenflex.deb
sudo apt --fix-broken install

Screenflex doesn’t link

• Make sure the pairing code exists
• Verify the device has internet
• Check for typos in the 6-digit code or slug

Playback freezes or stutters

• Lower video resolution
• Enable hardware acceleration
• Ensure device temperature is safe

App closes unexpectedly

• Disable battery optimizations
• Lock the app using App Pinning
• Restart the device
• Ensure the device is plugged in
• Check for any recent updates

Empty Screen

• Ensure a playlist is assigned
• Try clearing local cache and reopening the app

There are currently some limitations. Check them out here.