Vertical Displays

Most building TV displays are installed in a horizontal (landscape) orientation. However, some properties feature vertical (portrait) displays in lobbies or common areas.

These vertical screens can be used to display Cove content just like horizontal TVs — but there are a few important considerations around setup, formatting, and content support to make sure everything looks correct.

This guide explains how to set up and optimize vertical displays for the best experience.

• Supported Display Setups

• Orientation & Responsiveness

• Content Guidelines

• Examples

• Troubleshooting Orientation Issues

📌 Supported Display Setups

To run Cove on a vertical display, the TV must support one of the following setups:

• ✅ Smart TV with Wi-Fi
  The TV has a built-in browser and can open a Cove display URL directly.

• ✅ TV connected to Airtame (or similar supported device)
  Airtame allows you to cast the Cove display URL to TVs that don’t have smart capabilities.

⚠️ Cove does not support direct playback of mp4 files or videos.
If a TV is currently looping an mp4 or running slides locally, it’s likely using separate media player software. To use Cove, you’ll need to switch the TV to a browser- or Airtame-based setup.

🧭 Orientation & Responsiveness

Cove display pages are responsive, meaning they automatically adjust to the TV’s orientation when set up correctly.

Best practices for vertical screens:

• Use portrait-oriented graphics for a clean fit. 

• Keep important information center-aligned to avoid cutoff at the edges.

• Avoid wide banner images designed only for horizontal layouts.

• If you have a combination of vertical and horizontal displays, you do not need to create separate display highlights. The images and text will be auto-adjusted. 

✅ The same display URL can be used for both orientations — no special version is required.

📝 Content Guidelines

Cove supports several types of content, but some work better on vertical displays than others. Keep these guidelines in mind when preparing materials:

✅ Supported content types:

• Static images and graphics

• Text-based highlights (e.g., building announcements, event details)

• Simple layouts designed to display key information quickly

❌ Not supported or discouraged:

• Videos (e.g., mp4 files or streaming content)

• Embedded or interactive web content (like iframes or live widgets)

• Complex layouts that rely on wide horizontal space

💡 Additional tips:

• Use high-contrast colors and large fonts for readability.

• Keep text short and scannable — most viewers only glance at the display briefly.

• Avoid layouts that require horizontal scrolling or zooming.

• Consider simplifying graphics for portrait orientation to maintain clarity.

Setup Steps for Vertical Displays

1. Confirm Display Capabilities

   • Determine whether the TV is a Smart TV or uses Airtame (or similar).

2. Setup and create Displays in the Cove dashboard. 

3. Check Orientation

   • Most modern TVs and Airtame devices will automatically detect portrait orientation and adjust Cove content accordingly.

   • If content appears horizontal or misaligned, refer to the Troubleshooting section below.

4. Review Content Formatting

   • Adjust layout or dimensions if text or images are cut off.

5. Confirm Everything Looks Right

   • Display a test page or preview of scheduled content.

Examples

• Vertical display with Directory enabled
  • uncheck Display Events/Highlights Full Screen 

  • check building name

    

• Vertical display with Directory enabled
  • uncheck Display Events/Highlights Full Screen 

  • check building name

    

Troubleshooting Orientation Issues

If the TV does not automatically rotate and content appears stretched or cropped:

👉 Adjust TV Orientation Manually

Some displays require manual orientation adjustments:

• On Smart TVs:

  • Go to the TV’s Display or Picture Orientation settings.

  • Switch the mode from “Landscape” to “Portrait.”

  • This ensures Cove content formats correctly for vertical viewing.

• On Airtame:

  • Open the Airtame dashboard.

  • Locate the device and navigate to its Display Settings.

  • Change the orientation to “Portrait.”

• Wall-mounted TVs:

  • If the screen is already mounted vertically, orientation settings may have been preconfigured. If not, follow the steps above.

👉 Power-Cycle the TV

If changes don’t take effect immediately:

• Turn the TV off, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on.

• This can force the device to reload display orientation correctly.