What's a Broadcast Channel?
A broadcast channel is a virtual display channel that plays your content without requiring a traditional TV pairing flow. Instead of walking through a pairing code step by step, you simply share a stream URL that works with any player—VLC, hls.js, hotel IPTV systems, or any software that speaks HLS (HTTP Live Streaming).
It's perfect when you need to:
- Display content in locations where you can't install our app
- Integrate with existing IPTV or signage infrastructure
- Broadcast the same content to dozens of displays from a single URL
- Give partners or venues access to your content via a simple link
How It Works
Creating a broadcast channel takes seconds:
- Go to Devices and click Create Broadcast Channel
- Give it a name (e.g., "Hotel Lobby" or "Restaurant Menu")
- Copy the stream URL that appears—this is your permanent broadcast link
- Use the URL anywhere: paste into VLC, your IPTV middleware, a web player, or any HLS-compatible system
- Manage content from InfoSlides as usual—your broadcasts update instantly, no re-pairing needed
Real-World Use Cases
Hotel IPTV Integration
Broadcast marketing messages, local information, or event schedules to guest room TVs through the hotel's existing IPTV system. One URL, hundreds of rooms. Update content from your dashboard anytime.
Restaurant & Café Menu Boards
Stream menu boards, specials, and promotions to digital displays throughout your venue. Use VLC on existing hardware, no special installation. Change menus instantly without touching equipment.
Hospital & Healthcare Displays
Display waiting times, emergency alerts, or patient education content on existing hospital screens. Integrates with healthcare IT infrastructure without custom development.
Corporate Campuses & Multi-Location Networks
Broadcast company announcements, safety information, or employee communications to dozens of office displays simultaneously. Perfect for organizations with one message to many screens.
Web Embedding
Embed your broadcast stream into a website using an HLS player like hls.js. Show live content on your website or partner portals without integration overhead.
Retail & Trade Shows
Broadcast promotional videos or product showcases to booth displays or in-store screens. One URL works with any vendor's IPTV solution.
Key Advantages
No Pairing Needed
Share a URL, not instructions. Displays start playing instantly with no setup code or authentication flow.
Universal Playback
Works with VLC, hls.js, commercial IPTV systems, and any software that supports HLS streaming.
Instant Updates
Change your content in InfoSlides and all broadcast displays update immediately. No re-deployment, no downtime.
Secure Token
Each broadcast channel gets a unique, hard-to-guess stream token. Regenerate it anytime if the URL is compromised.
Full Management
Assign slideshows and schedules to your broadcasts just like paired devices. Same power, different delivery.
Enterprise-Ready
Perfect for large deployments. One URL broadcasts to unlimited displays without concurrency limits per the license.
Technical Details
How the URL Works
Your broadcast URL is an HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) playlist that any compatible player can stream from:
https://infoslides.app/api/v1/streams/playlist.m3u8?token=your_64byte_token
The stream is always live and up-to-date. When you upload a new slideshow or update your schedule, displays refresh automatically on their next segment fetch (typically seconds).
Integration Examples
VLC Player (Desktop):
File → Open Network Stream → Paste your broadcast URL
Web-Based HLS Player (JavaScript):
Use an HLS.js library and pass your broadcast URL as the stream source. The player will automatically handle fetching and playing segments.
IPTV Middleware:
Configure the URL as a media source in your hotel, healthcare, or retail IPTV system. Most systems have a simple "Add Stream" UI where you paste the URL.
Broadcast vs. Traditional Pairing
| Feature | Broadcast Channel | Paired Device |
|---|---|---|
| Pairing Flow | No | Yes |
| Setup Time | Seconds (just a URL) | 1-2 minutes |
| Player Options | Any HLS-compatible player | InfoSlides app required |
| Displays on Network | Unlimited (same URL) | One screen per device |
| Best For | Venues, hotels, integrations | Direct TV/app control |
| Heartbeat/Online Status | No monitoring | Real-time |
Important Limitations
While broadcast channels are powerful, there are some important limitations to understand:
Overlays Not Supported
Stream links cannot display overlays that are rendered on paired devices. This includes:
- Clock overlays that show the current time
- News tickers or scrolling text banners
- Countdown timers on live data slides
- Other dynamic UI elements that require real-time device-side rendering
These overlays are designed to render client-side on paired InfoSlides devices. When viewing through a stream link in VLC, hls.js, or IPTV middleware, only the base slideshow content is delivered as video segments. If your presentations rely heavily on these overlays, you may need to incorporate them directly into your slide content or use paired devices instead.
Advanced Integration: Push Content via CLI and MCP
For organizations that want even more power, InfoSlides provides a Command-Line Interface (CLI) and an MCP (Message Control Protocol) adapter that allow you to programmatically push content to dynamic slides on demand.
This opens up powerful possibilities:
- Push real-time data from your backend systems directly to slides without manual updates
- Trigger content updates based on events or alerts from other applications
- Create fully automated workflows where your business systems drive the display content
- Integrate with existing APIs and monitoring tools to display live metrics and dashboards
- Build custom workflows that update slides based on database changes, webhooks, or scheduled tasks
Combined with broadcast channels, this means you can stream dynamically-updated content to any location without pairing a physical device. For example, you could push real-time inventory data to a restaurant's menu board, live metrics to a corporate dashboard, or alert notifications to a hospital display—all via API calls from your backend system.
Refer to the InfoSlides CLI and MCP documentation for implementation details and examples.
Getting Started
Broadcast channels are available on Professional and Enterprise plans. Here's how to create one:
- Log in to InfoSlides and go to Devices
- Click Create Broadcast Channel (next to "Add Device")
- Enter a channel name and click Create Channel
- Copy the broadcast URL and paste it into your player or IPTV system
- Optionally assign a slideshow or schedule to the channel (just like a paired device)
- Your content is now live on all displays using that URL