Player Software
What the Stratos player is, which platforms it runs on, how it updates and what it does offline.
The Stratos player is the software on each display’s computer that shows your content. It starts automatically in full-screen kiosk mode, checks in with Stratos, downloads what it needs and plays it.
Platforms
Section titled “Platforms”| Platform | Notes |
|---|---|
| Linux player | The main player. Runs on a Debian-based system (including the Stratos player OS image) on x86-64 hardware, and can be installed as a package. Updates itself. |
| Android TV / Google TV | The same player experience as an Android TV app (Android 9 or newer). Updated through your app distribution (for example Google Play) rather than by Stratos. |
See Supported Hardware for what to buy, and your account manager for hardware and installation options.
What the player does
Section titled “What the player does”- Pairs to a screen with a code. See Pairing a Device.
- Checks in regularly. Stratos uses these check-ins to show the screen as Online, Stale or Offline. See Screen Health.
- Downloads content: your media, layouts and widgets, checked for integrity and stored on the device.
- Plays the current schedule, switching at the right time in the screen’s time zone.
- Reports what played (for Proof of Play), screenshots and logs when asked.
- Listens for instant commands such as Refresh content and Capture screenshot. See Remote Commands.
Offline behaviour
Section titled “Offline behaviour”Once content is downloaded the player keeps playing without a connection. It shows what it last received, including schedule changes it had already fetched. While offline:
- Changes you make in Stratos don’t arrive until it reconnects.
- Play records are saved on the device and sent when the connection returns, so Proof of Play catches up.
- Stratos shows the screen as Offline after the threshold you set.
If a screen has never received content, it shows No playable content.
Updates
Section titled “Updates”On the Linux player, a separate updater service handles updates safely: it downloads a release, verifies it, installs it, restarts the player and checks it’s healthy, rolling back if it isn’t.
You control when with the workspace update policy: Automatic, a daily Maintenance window, or Manual. To update one screen immediately, use Update to v… on its Device tab. A screen’s page shows the player version and whether a newer one is available.
On Android TV, updates come from the app store or your IT team, not from Stratos.
Kiosk mode
Section titled “Kiosk mode”The player runs full screen with no desktop visible. Support staff can leave kiosk mode on site using the support hotkey and a support PIN. Menu choices include Enter Kiosk Mode and Exit Kiosk Mode, installing an available update, and resetting the pairing. This is protected by the PIN, with limited attempts and a lockout, so it can’t be reached by chance.
Recovery
Section titled “Recovery”If the player hits an unexpected error it restarts itself (Player error — reloading shortly). If its configuration is damaged it shows Player configuration error — contact support. See Player Troubleshooting.