“What’s That Blank Monitor For, Rain?”
Tags: nuc, hardware, beginners
Published: 2023-03-31 12:00:00

I’ve had a couple of blank monitors in my stream background for MONTHS now and it’s because I wanted to get a NUC or an extra laptop hooked up to one or both and create digital displays.

The pie in the sky goal is to make them interactive!! !

But also, how else could I use an Intel NUC?

An Intel NUC can be used for a variety of purposes, depending on your needs. Here are some other ways you could use an Intel NUC:

- Home Theater PC: With its small size and powerful hardware, an Intel NUC can be used as a home theater PC to stream movies, TV shows, and music to your TV or entertainment center.
- Home Server: An Intel NUC can be used as a home server to store and manage your personal files, media, and backups.
- Gaming PC: Depending on the model, an Intel NUC can be used as a gaming PC with support for modern PC games.
- Digital Signage: An Intel NUC can be used as a digital signage device to display advertising, menus, and other information in public spaces.
- IoT Gateway: With its low power consumption and small size, an Intel NUC can be used as an IoT gateway to connect and manage smart devices in your home or business.
- Business Desktop: An Intel NUC can be used as a small form factor desktop PC for business use, such as office productivity tasks, video conferencing, and data entry.
- Media Editing and Creation: Depending on the model, an Intel NUC can be used for media editing and creation tasks such as photo and video editing, graphic design, and 3D modeling.
- These are just a few examples of the many ways an Intel NUC can be used. The versatility and flexibility of an Intel NUC make it a great option for many different types of users and applications.

Nah, I definitely want a digital display, so what kind of open source options, do I have?

[Xibo](https://xibosignage.com/): Xibo is an open source digital signage solution that allows users to create and manage dynamic content using a web-based interface. It supports a variety of media formats and can be deployed on a range of devices.

[Screenly](https://www.screenly.io/): Screenly is a digital signage solution that runs on the Raspberry Pi and other Linux-based systems. It is easy to set up and offers a range of features such as scheduling, remote management, and support for video and images.

[PiSignage](https://pisignage.com/): PiSignage is a digital signage solution that runs on the Raspberry Pi and other Linux-based systems. It offers a range of features such as scheduling, remote management, and support for video and images.

[Concerto](https://www.concerto-signage.org/): Concerto is an open source digital signage platform that allows users to create and manage content using a web-based interface. It supports a range of media formats and can be deployed on a range of devices.

[Rise Vision](https://www.risevision.com/): Rise Vision is a cloud-based digital signage platform that offers a range of features such as scheduling, remote management, and support for a variety of media formats. It also offers a range of templates and widgets to help users create dynamic content.

And how do I actually set it up?

1. Connect your Intel NUC to a monitor or TV using an HDMI cable.
2. Power on your Intel NUC and enter the BIOS settings by pressing the F2 key during startup.
3. In the BIOS settings, navigate to the “Devices” tab and select “Video.”
4. Under “Video,” select “IGD Minimum Memory” and set it to the maximum amount of memory allowed.
5. Save your changes and exit the BIOS settings.
6. Install an operating system on your Intel NUC, such as Windows or Linux.
7. Connect your Intel NUC to the internet and download and install any necessary drivers for your operating system.
8. Install any applications you need for your digital display, such as a media player or digital signage software.
9. Configure your Intel NUC to automatically start the digital display application upon boot-up.
10. Connect any other necessary peripherals, such as a keyboard or mouse, to your Intel NUC.

Want to see the results? I’ll see you at the next stream!