Carousel Reviews

We use all Apple products at our school, Carousel was a clear choice as we are able to deploy the robust signage solution to our Apple TV devices that we already had in every classroom in a matter of minutes.

I would like it noted more that Carousel on Apple TV doesn't support video streaming. This is a limitation of the hardware, not Carousel but would be good to know the Apple TV specs on the site

Carousel is cloud based, making it easy to manage from anywhere and any device. Content is cashed on the displays, so they work when the internet is down and the sign design editor is very easy to use. The newest version even works with ChromeBox, so we can install the free Chrome OS Flex on any device and it is immediately a sign. Lots of media types and external sources can be added. We've been using Carousel for nearly 10 years and we have more than 40 signs over 8 schools and we love it.

Functionally, we couldn't really ask for more. Maybe a way to play Google Slides directly. The only negative I can see, just like most products today, the price is getting higher and schools are struggling with budgets, but the value is there.

The web interface allows me to work on the signage from any location. The ability to add start and end dates/times is very helpful - I can set up a bulletin to start and stop when I want and then forget about it. The ability to have calendar feeds based on web sites is also very helpful. Finally, using Apple TVs and JAMF device management software allows me to quickly get a sign up and running, and locks the Apple TV into just the Carousel app so no one can change what's being shown.

Inability to show YouTube videos when using and Apple TV for signage, but that's a limitation put in by Apple itself, not Carousel.

It is very quick and easy to create bulletins and schedule them with minimum time. However, if you want to really spend time creating content, that is possible too.

I didn't like the look of my channel so when I was helping a colleague set up a new channel and I discovered the default layouts available, I started using them, but updating my templates has been time consuming. It's probably user error on my end but that kind of set-up has been challenging.

Gorgeous displays and can use multiple platforms to create designs as well

A little difficult to get the physical components activated, but lots of help and now running smoothly with little intervention.

Carousel meets the needs of our community including user role management, CAP EAS integration, active directory/SAML integration, unlimited user accounts, clean end-user and admin user interface, continual software development and response to user requested features, and integration with various hardware options.

There is not much to dislike. There is some lack of social media integration mostly caused by the platforms themselves continual changes in development. Other minor dislikes have mostly all been addressed by Carousel through feature requests that have been implemented into the UI.

For the functionality and flexibility of devices it runs on, Carousel is a win win four our institution. Once it's setup it is easy to add additional devices and display different content on different screens.

The learning curve for how to use the software. It could be more intuitive for sure.

I feel like we barely scratch the surface of what Carousel can do, but we get some big benefits--we are able to stream live video from our auditorium to viewers in other areas, we have easily adaptable lunch menu options and daily announcements, and we display a variety of content for special occasions. All of our players have highly customized content for the areas where they are used.

The UI is a bit clunky at first. If I use the product regularly, I am able to become more efficient with it.

Fast, stable, and Cloud hosted. No longer have to worry about server hosting, application upgrades, or database management. Features now come automatically, without requiring maintenance windows.

I think that if you would rename Bulletins to Assets, it would make more sense, especially to our Marketing folks who develop the content for our screens.

Carousel Software has all the features we wanted in Digital Signage. The ability to deploy content to hundreds of displays at once is great. The approval feature that allows other users to create slides that are not live until approved by an admin is invaluable. The limitless number of templates and widgets keeps our content fresh and innovative. We can create content now and have it scheduled to play in the future. Can't say enough about how well this platform works in the corporate environment.

Only minor issue that I would like see addressed is the addition of better tutorials. It would be nice if I could hover over a tool or feature and get a video box that describes that feature. Would also be great if Carousel University was available to all for free.

Ease of use. It is very easy to take a photo or video and get it uploaded and running on the system.

I wish it would integrate with the web better. Display webpages better, youtube support.

It is easy to deploy and very easy to use even for inexperienced users. Very effective tool to advertise and be seen by target clients.

The variety of options you have to display your content is the best. It satisfies every company's needs.

My district loves that you can customize for screens in different areas (reaching students, parents, or staff). It has given us a great way to communicate our district and campus 'good news' and information. I especially like that we can have a consistent brand, but still have individuality shown on each campus. It is easy to bring new devices online and get them up and running quickly.

There are some features like RSS feeds that are still giving us issues. I wish the training videos were available for longer.

we appreciate the browser-based nature of the product, in addition to the overall stability. using brighsign players, we can deploy and largely forget about the players.

channel setup is clunky and therefore discourages more creative use or frequent updating. lack of deep player controls is frustrating if you must make global changes. the channel preview needs to be updated to include video. speaking of video, our biggest peeve is the lack of seamless video looping. there is always a moment of black on-screen between loops. this prevents us from using the product more widely.