Check portrait signage layout fit on a screen

What the symptoms point to

Look at the edge of the image as well as the text inside it. The same apparent centering problem can come from different places.

• The whole image is visible, with blank space above and below: the source may be wider than the portrait playback area. The blank space may also be part of the exported file.
• The image fills the screen, but opposite edges are missing: scaling may be filling the available area by cropping the source.
• Circles look oval or letters look unusually narrow: the image may be stretched independently in width and height.
• The image boundary fits, but the text sits to one side: the offset is likely inside the artwork rather than at the screen boundary.
• Only some files look wrong: compare their dimensions, embedded margins and export settings before changing a setting that affects the whole playlist.
• Every file loses the same edge: check the playback area and any physical obstruction before editing individual files.
• Everything fits, but the design still looks landscape-oriented: wide rows, long headings or several narrow columns may be the problem. Rotating the canvas does not rearrange those elements.

These observations narrow the search. They do not identify a particular player setting on their own.

Establish the usable image area

There are three different rectangles to check: the visible panel, the area used by playback, and the source image. Do not use the enclosure’s outside dimensions as a substitute for any of them.

Start with the illuminated display area. Check whether trim, a cabinet edge or an overlapping surround hides part of it. A physical obstruction cannot be corrected by centering the file. If the opening or mounting arrangement needs attention, use the flush-mount cut-out guide for the mechanical dimensions rather than deriving an opening from the artwork.

Next, check whether playback occupies the whole visible panel. A settings panel, navigation strip or reserved layout region can reduce the space available to the image. Record the actual playback rectangle, not just the panel resolution.

Finally, check the orientation of that rectangle. A tall enclosure does not establish that playback is configured for a tall image. Confirm the displayed result and use the documented orientation controls for your playback setup. Do not assume that physically turning the display rotates its output.

Compare source dimensions with the target

Read the exported file’s pixel width and height. The dimensions of the editing document are not enough if the export used a different canvas, added margins or retained a landscape template.

The signage content checker reports image and video dimensions, shape and other file details, and provides a mock-screen preview. Nothing is uploaded. Use it to inspect the files before changing the display setup; its preview does not establish the settings currently active on your screen.

Compare the source aspect ratio with the playback rectangle. For example, a 900 × 1400 source is portrait, but it is not the same shape as a 1080 × 1920 target. Both are taller than they are wide, yet fitting one inside the other requires unused space or cropping unless the image is distorted.

The 15.6-inch display has a 1920 × 1080 panel. If your configured output is portrait with those axes swapped, the corresponding canvas is 1080 × 1920. Confirm that output rather than treating the enclosure’s orientation as proof of it.

For the general export process, use the image and video preparation guide. At this stage, the narrow question is whether the file and playback area have matching proportions.

Use a reference image to locate the mismatch

Use a simple reference image with the same pixel dimensions as the intended playback area. Give it a visible border inset from all four edges, a center cross, a circle and an upright top label. This separates scaling and positioning from the design of your menu or notice.

1. Record the current setup. Note the playback dimensions, orientation and any documented scaling selection before changing them.
2. Show the reference on its own. Keep other playlist items out of this check so a transition or a different file does not confuse the result.
3. Inspect all four border edges. Missing edges indicate cropping or obstruction. A complete border surrounded by unused space indicates that the image is not filling the available area.
4. Inspect the circle and center cross. An oval points toward distortion. A cross away from the center of the visible playback rectangle points toward an offset or an unequal obstruction.
5. Show the original artwork without changing the setup. If the reference fits but the artwork does not, inspect the original file’s canvas and internal spacing.

Keep a note of what changes between the reference and the artwork. Enlarging the original until its most important text becomes visible hides the symptom without identifying its cause.

Correct the boundary that is wrong

When playback is cropping or stretching

If your playback software offers fit, fill or stretch controls, check its documentation for what those choices do. Typical fit behavior preserves the full image and may leave unused space. Fill behavior occupies the target area but may crop edges. Stretch behavior can change the image’s proportions.

Choose the behavior deliberately. For artwork with required text near the edges, preserving the complete image is usually the safer starting point. Do not rely on cropping to remove an unwanted margin if that same setting will also crop other playlist items.

When the offset is inside the file

Open the exported image, not only the editable design. Look for a blank strip, an off-center background or content placed within just one part of a larger canvas.

Correct that canvas or placement, then export again. Moving the playback area to compensate would move every other file as well. The article on preparing portrait signage images covers the artwork correction once you have established that the source is responsible.

When the artwork fits but is hard to read

A complete border does not prove that the layout is useful. Wide menu rows may become too small when reduced to fit a narrow portrait canvas. Reflow the content into shorter lines or reduce what appears on each slide rather than stretching the image.

If the required content still cannot remain readable at the intended distance, revisit the screen size and layout together. The screen size and viewing distance guide covers that decision. A larger screen is a legibility choice, not a cure for mismatched aspect ratios.

Confirm the correction across the playlist

Repeat the reference check after the correction. Confirm that all intended edges are visible, the circle remains round and the top label is upright. Then review each affected image and video, not just the first item.

Check the actual exported files on the installed screen. Confirm that required text stays visible and readable from the intended viewing position. Pay particular attention to files created from different templates, since one corrected export does not establish that the rest share its dimensions.

Keep the target pixel dimensions, intended orientation and scaling choice with the artwork files. That record makes the next update easier to diagnose and avoids using a screen-wide adjustment to compensate for one badly sized source.

Questions