Manage Display Groups

A Display Group is a set of screens that share fallback content, schedules, and playback position. Use one for displays that should stay synchronized, such as several screens in a lobby.

The Display Groups page lists each group with its screen count, health, mode, and fallback content. Search by name or description to narrow the list. The page loads up to 100 groups at a time, so select Load more to browse later results. Group selectors in Studio can also reach groups beyond the first page.

Create a group and add screens

1. In Studio, open Screens > Display Groups and select Create group.
2. Enter a group name and optional description, then select Create group. Tilecast opens the new group on its Screens tab.
3. Select Add screens. Search by screen name or location, check every screen to add, and select Add.

A screen can belong to one Display Group at a time. Screens that another group already owns appear under Already in another Display Group. You can’t select them, but each row names the group and links to it. To move a screen, remove it from its current group before adding it to another.

If some screens can’t be added, Tilecast adds the others, names the ones that failed, and keeps them selected so you can try again.

Each group page has an Overview, Screens, Playback, Display, and Player policy tab. The group’s header has Show now and AirPlay. The more-actions menu has Edit details and Delete Display Group.

Choose fallback content

On the Playback tab, under Fallback content, search for a Playlist or a published Layout in Presentation, then select Save changes. Choose No fallback presentation if the group should have no fallback. The fallback plays whenever no higher-priority schedule or Takeover is active. Schedules can target the group so its member screens follow the same schedule.

Mirror is the default mode. It preserves synchronized group playback: members use the same fallback and schedule and keep the same playback position.

Mirror synchronization uses a shared timeline, not frame-accurate genlock between televisions. Each Player joins the same item and playback position. Video drift below about 80 ms is ignored, moderate drift is corrected with a small playback-rate adjustment, and larger drift is corrected with a seek. A slow decoder can therefore look less smooth even while the group remains on the same shared timeline.

A Player that reconnects in the middle of an item rejoins at the group’s current position instead of starting that item from the beginning. If one member cannot prepare the active presentation, that member can be incomplete or unavailable while the other members continue.

Temporary presentation still follows normal precedence. A Takeover or Quick Present that targets the group changes the shared selection. A direct temporary presentation to one screen is not a way to intentionally desynchronize a Mirror group; use a separate screen or remove it from the group when it needs independent playback.

Make a video wall

On the Display tab, choose Span under Display mode when the screens form one logical canvas. Choosing Span only starts a draft. Nothing changes until you save the wall. See Build a Span video wall for panel setup, Player requirements, and video preparation.

Change or delete a group

Owners and Administrators can edit a group’s name, description, membership, fallback, and Player policy. Removing a screen leaves the screen itself in Tilecast. Deleting a Display Group also leaves its screens intact, but removes the group that schedules and policies may target.

See Set Player policies to understand how group settings combine with screen and organization defaults.