Discussions

[Toolworker]

I want to buy a TV for a specific project, and am hoping that a Roku TV will do what I need when set to store mode.

My questions:

• In store mode, does the TV turn on automatically when powered up?
• Does it come up displaying a specific input?
• Can the remote control switch it to other inputs?

Any answers will be appreciated.

[RokuCarly]

A warm welcome here in the Roku Community, @Toolworker.

We appreciate you reaching out for support and your interest in our product, the Roku TV. No worries! We're here to assist you with your inquiries. 

The Roku TV currently doesn't support the Store Mode feature. However, you can display a video that you want to set as your store mode by connecting your PC/Laptop through the HDMI cable to your Roku TV. You can also utilize the store mode by screen mirroring it from your mobile phone.

Here's our Support article to help you screen mirror:

How to screen mirror your Android or Windows phone to your Roku streaming device.

How to use Airplay and HomeKit with your Roku streaming device

In addition, you can change your TV inputs by using your Roku remote.

We hope this helps!

Best regards,
Carly

[Toolworker]

Thanks so much for your reply, @RokuCarly ! But now I'm confused.

TCL tech support told me this morning that store mode will work exactly as I want it to on their Smart Roku TV 43S451. The TV will start when it gets AC power, it will display the input specified in the Power On setting, and the remote control can change the input.

And the TCL 4-Series User Guide does show Store Mode as a choice when configuring. 

But that guide is version 10.5, dated November 2021. Has the Store Mode setting been removed more recently? Does that vary depending on the manufacturer?

[etersongray]

Store mode on Roku TVs acts like a kiosk, automatically powering on and displaying a pre-selected input (often HDMI 1). Remote functionality is limited, typically allowing only volume control and basic playback options within the chosen input. Switching to other inputs or accessing menus might require physical buttons on the TV or a dedicated store remote. While it could work for your project, depending on your specific needs, it's best to research the TV's store mode features and remote capabilities in detail to ensure it aligns with your project's requirements.

[Toolworker]

Automatically powering on and displaying HDMI 1 is exactly my minimum requirement. I want to use the TV as a 42" UHD monitor.

The TV will replace a 27" FHD monitor running a slide show of travel photos on our dining room wall, driven by a Raspberry Pi that's always on. To save energy, the monitor is turned on by a motion sensor, and turns off after two hours, so it needs auto power on.

If it turns out that store mode supports switching inputs using the remote, as TCL tech support said, that will also allow viewing cable TV through another HDMI input. That would free up an existing UHD TV in the same room. We don't do much streaming, but if it's not available in store mode we could add a Roku stick if desired (some irony there).

All TVs must have a store mode - just look at the TV section of any department store. But in a week of poking around, Roku is the only OS I've come across that lets users freely access store mode.

OT - More about the project: This slide show display has been on the wall for the past 20 years, originally on a 1024x768 display (IIRC) driven by a small dedicated Windows 98 PC, which was replaced by a Raspberry Pi in 2017 and upgraded to a higher resolution Pi 4 this year. The current 27" FHD monitor is hung, not mounted, on the wall, and the shape of the back case requires hanging it upside down. So the pictures, on a USB stick, are likewise upside down, so they display right side up. The slide show also runs on my computer on a wall-hung second monitor. It currently contains about 2500 travel photos from around the world.

Sorry to drone on OT, but perhaps some may find it interesting, particularly those who take hundreds of photos and then never look at them.