Self-Hosting Anthias for Digital Signage

What Is Anthias?

Anthias (formerly Screenly OSE) is an open-source digital signage platform. Connect a Raspberry Pi or old PC to a screen, install Anthias, and manage what’s displayed through a web UI. Show images, videos, web pages, or rotate through a playlist on a schedule. It’s the self-hosted replacement for paid digital signage services like ScreenCloud ($20/month/screen) or Rise Vision. One device, one screen, zero ongoing cost.

Official site: anthias.screenly.io | GitHub

Prerequisites

A Raspberry Pi (Pi 3B+, Pi 4, or Pi 5) or x86 PC with Debian 12 (Bookworm)
A display connected via HDMI
MicroSD card (16 GB+ recommended for Pi)
Network connectivity (Ethernet or WiFi)
Another device to access the web UI

Supported Hardware

Device	Support	Notes
Raspberry Pi 5	Full (64-bit only)	Best performance for video playback
Raspberry Pi 4	Full	Recommended for most setups
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+	Full	Adequate for images and web pages
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B	Full	Adequate for images and web pages
x86 PC (Debian 12)	Full	Repurpose old PCs as signage displays
Raspberry Pi Zero	In development	Not recommended yet

Installation

Anthias uses a custom installer script that sets up Docker and all required containers:

bash <(curl -sL https://install-anthias.srly.io)

The installer:

Installs Docker if not present
Pulls required container images (server, viewer, Nginx, Celery, Redis, WebSocket)
Configures the display output
Starts all services
Enables auto-start on boot

Installation takes 15-30 minutes depending on your device and network speed.

Manual Installation (from source)

If you prefer to review the code first:

git clone https://github.com/Screenly/Anthias.git
cd Anthias
./install.sh

How It Works

Anthias runs as a set of Docker containers managed by Docker Compose:

Container	Purpose
`anthias-server`	Web UI and REST API (manage assets and schedules)
`anthias-viewer`	Renders content on the connected display
`anthias-celery`	Background task queue for asset processing
`anthias-websocket`	Real-time updates between UI and viewer
`anthias-nginx`	Reverse proxy serving the web interface
`redis`	Message broker and cache

Managing Your Display

Access the web UI at http://your-device-ip from any browser on your network.

Adding Content

Click Add Asset in the web UI
Choose the content type:
- Image — upload JPG, PNG, or GIF files
- Video — upload MP4 files (hardware-accelerated playback on Pi)
- URL — display any web page (dashboards, weather, news feeds)
Set the display duration (how long each asset shows before rotating)
Enable or disable individual assets in the playlist

Scheduling

Each asset has scheduling options:

Start date/time — when the asset begins appearing
End date/time — when it stops appearing
Duration — how many seconds to show before moving to the next asset
Active toggle — quickly enable/disable without deleting

API Access

Anthias provides a REST API for programmatic control:

# List all assets
curl http://your-device-ip/api/v1.2/assets

# Add a URL asset
curl -X POST http://your-device-ip/api/v1.2/assets \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"name": "Dashboard", "uri": "https://dashboard.example.com", "mimetype": "webpage", "duration": 30, "is_enabled": 1}'

# Toggle asset on/off
curl -X PUT http://your-device-ip/api/v1.2/assets/{asset_id} \
  -d '{"is_enabled": 0}'

Configuration

Display Resolution

Anthias auto-detects display resolution. For manual override on Raspberry Pi, edit /boot/config.txt:

hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=82  # 1920x1080 60Hz

WiFi Setup

If installing via WiFi on a headless Pi, Anthias includes a WiFi setup portal. Connect to the Anthias WiFi network from your phone, configure your WiFi credentials, and the device reconnects to your network.

Autostart

Anthias starts automatically on boot via Docker Compose. If the Pi loses power and restarts, displays resume from the last active playlist.

Troubleshooting

Black Screen After Installation

Symptom: Display shows nothing after installation completes.

Fix: The viewer may still be initializing. Wait 2-3 minutes. If the screen remains black, check if the viewer container is running:

docker ps | grep anthias-viewer

If it’s restarting in a loop, check logs:

docker logs anthias-viewer

Web UI Not Accessible

Symptom: Cannot reach the web interface from your browser.

Fix: Verify the device’s IP address. On the Pi:

hostname -I

Ensure port 80 is not blocked by a firewall. Try accessing http://ip-address:80 explicitly.

Video Playback Stuttering

Symptom: Videos play with dropped frames or stuttering.

Fix: On Raspberry Pi 4, ensure GPU memory is set to at least 128 MB in /boot/config.txt:

gpu_mem=128

Use H.264 encoded MP4 files — this codec has hardware acceleration on Pi. Avoid HEVC/H.265 on Pi 3.

Resource Requirements

RAM: ~200 MB (all containers combined)
CPU: Low for images and web pages, moderate for video playback
Disk: ~500 MB for the application, plus your media files
Power: 5-15W depending on device (Pi 4 idles at ~3W)

Verdict

Anthias is the best open-source solution for turning a Raspberry Pi into a digital sign. The web UI is straightforward, scheduling works, and the REST API enables automation. The limitation is single-screen management — each device runs independently with no centralized multi-screen dashboard. For managing 2-3 screens in a small office, this is fine — you just bookmark each device’s web UI. For 50+ screens across locations, you’d need the paid Screenly product or Xibo (which has a community edition with centralized management).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Anthias manage multiple screens from one dashboard?

No. Each Anthias device runs independently with its own web UI. There’s no centralized multi-screen management dashboard. For 2-3 screens, bookmark each device’s web UI and manage them individually. For 10+ screens needing centralized control, use Xibo Community Edition or the paid Screenly service instead.

What content types can Anthias display?

Anthias supports images (PNG, JPG, GIF), videos (MP4 with H.264 encoding), and web pages (any URL). Each asset gets a configurable display duration and schedule. You can create playlists that rotate through multiple assets. Web pages are rendered in a full-screen Chromium browser — useful for dashboards, calendars, or live data feeds.

Does Anthias work on hardware other than Raspberry Pi?

Yes. While originally built for Raspberry Pi (3B+ and 4 recommended), Anthias can run on any Linux system with Docker. Old laptops, Intel NUCs, and mini PCs all work. The Raspberry Pi is just the most cost-effective option for single-display setups since it’s small, silent, and uses under 5W.

Can I schedule content to display at specific times?

Yes. Each asset in Anthias can have start and end dates, plus active hours. This lets you show lunch menus during midday, event schedules during business hours, and different content on weekends. Scheduling is configured per-asset through the web UI.

Does Anthias need an internet connection?

Only for initial setup, downloading web page assets, and remote management. Once content is loaded locally (images, videos), Anthias displays it without an internet connection. Web page assets obviously require connectivity. For fully offline operation, stick to locally stored images and videos.

How do I update content remotely?

Access the Anthias web UI from any browser on the same network at http://device-ip. Upload new images/videos or add URLs directly. For remote access outside your network, use a VPN like Tailscale or WireGuard to reach the device’s web UI securely.