Raspberry Pi 5 – the best external player with PinToMind

Small, robust and affordable. A Raspberry Pi is no bigger than a deck of cards – and with PinToMind OS installed, it becomes a simple and reliable player for any screen.

What is Raspberry Pi?

When buying new screens, we recommend displays designed for digital signage. But if you already have a screen without the necessary functionality built in, an external player – a set-back-box – can be the solution.

That’s where Raspberry Pi 5 comes in. It’s part of a fascinating concept, developed by the charitable Raspberry Pi Foundation to make computing and programming accessible for young people. Since then, it has become hugely popular far beyond that original purpose.

Why do we recommend Raspberry Pi 5?

Raspberry Pi is affordable, easy to use, and comes with no licence fees.

With the improved performance of the latest Raspberry Pi models, you can expect a smooth and reliable display, also when showing more demanding content such as video.

It also offers easy mobile setup via Bluetooth, advanced power-saving features, and is well prepared for future updates.

What makes Raspberry Pi 5 an excellent choice?

• It runs PinToMind OS, our dedicated operating system for digital signage. This ensures a simple setup with your PinToMind account. Once connected, the OS updates automatically so your player always has the latest features and fixes.

• You can use the PinToMind Go mobile app to connect a Raspberry Pi to your PinToMind account. Just log in, pair via Bluetooth, and choose network, channel, resolution and rotation. Super simple!

• Faster processor and more memory give smoother playback and quicker load times. Raspberry Pi 5 delivers stable and reliable performance.

• Price: Raspberry Pi 5 is the most affordable option for external players, available in most electronics stores worldwide.

• Support for HDMI-CEC control makes power management much easier. With Raspberry Pi, you can set when connected screens should turn on or off directly from your PinToMind account – if the display supports HDMI-CEC. You can also set it up for night mode or automatic restart.

Getting started with Raspberry Pi 5

For a quick start, order a Raspberry Pi 5 preconfigured with PinToMind OS from our partner Assist. Connect it to your screen and network, link it to your account – and you’re ready to go. For details, here’s our guide.

If you prefer to set up a Raspberry Pi yourself, it takes a bit more work. With our step-by-step guide, most users still find the process manageable.

A good tip if you go for self-setup is to buy a Raspberry Pi 5 Starter Kit, as it includes the official parts and accessories you need. You’ll find a complete checklist of what’s required on our support pages.

Happy setup!

• PinToMind Player also runs on Raspberry Pi 4.
• To enable power management, your Pi needs app version 2.0.0 or newer. It is an advantage if your display supports HDMI-CEC.