TV Menu Board
The TV Menu Board is a full-screen digital display designed to show your product catalog on in-store TVs, monitors, or tablets. It is especially popular in cannabis dispensaries where customers review the menu while waiting. Products, prices, strain types, pricing templates, and badges update automatically as you make changes in the admin panel -- no manual refresh needed.
The TV Menu Board is included with every Brother POS subscription at no additional cost.
How It Works
The TV Menu Board is a dedicated web page served directly from your Brother POS instance. You open the URL on any display device with a web browser and it runs continuously. Products are organized into category columns, and when a category has more products than fit on screen, the column pages through them automatically.
Key characteristics:
- No special software -- Any device with a modern web browser works (Chrome recommended).
- Auto-refreshing -- Product data refreshes periodically from the server (configurable interval, default 5 minutes).
- Auto-paging -- Each category column cycles through its own pages independently when products overflow.
- Built-in editor -- Press E on the keyboard to open a settings panel directly on the display. No admin panel needed.
- Profile system -- Save and load design profiles so you can switch looks instantly.
Accessing the Menu Board
Open the following URL on your display device:
https://yourstoreurl.brotherpos.ca/pos?display=menu-board
Replace yourstoreurl.brotherpos.ca with your actual store URL.
To load a specific template, add the template parameter:
https://yourstoreurl.brotherpos.ca/pos?display=menu-board&template=<template-id>
If no template is specified, the default template is used. You can find the template ID on the admin template management page or in the URL when previewing a template.
Press F11 on the display device's keyboard to enter full-screen mode and hide the browser toolbar. For a completely clean display, use Chrome's kiosk mode: chrome --kiosk --app=https://yourstoreurl.brotherpos.ca/pos?display=menu-board
Positioning the Display
Mount or position the screen where customers can see it easily:
- Behind the counter, facing customers.
- In the waiting area.
- At the entrance for walk-in browsing.
- On a wall-mounted TV visible from the sales floor.
Quick Setup
- Open the menu board URL on your TV or monitor.
- Press E on the keyboard (or tap the small Edit button in the bottom-right corner) to enter edit mode.
- Select a Profile from the dropdown -- choose one of the 5 built-in presets to get started.
- Adjust any settings you want (colors, fonts, toggles).
- Click Save to apply your changes.
- Press F11 for full-screen mode.
That is all you need. The board is now live and will keep itself updated.
Template Management
Templates control the structural settings of your menu board -- layout type, resolution, page timing, transitions, and which categories to display. Manage templates from the admin panel at Admin > Menu Board Templates.
Template Settings
Each template stores:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name for the template (e.g., "Main Floor TV", "Waiting Area"). |
| Layout Type | Grid, Carousel, or List. Controls how products are arranged. |
| Orientation | Landscape or Portrait. |
| Resolution | Width and height in pixels (e.g., 1920 x 1080 for standard HD). |
| Page Duration | How many seconds each page displays before advancing (default 10s). |
| Refresh Interval | How often product data refreshes from the server in seconds (default 300s / 5 minutes). |
| Transition Type | Animation when pages change (e.g., fade). |
| Categories | Which product categories to display (see Category Priority below). |
| Theme Colors | Background, card, text, accent, price, sale, and strain type colors. |
| Product Card Settings | Toggle visibility of images, prices, THC/CBD, strain type, brand, description, sale badges, and stock badges. |
Creating a Template
- Go to Admin > Menu Board Templates.
- Click New Template.
- Fill in the name, layout, resolution, timing, and category settings.
- Click Create Template.
After creating a template, click Edit to open the visual editor where you can fine-tune all design settings including colors, fonts, backgrounds, and display profiles.
Editing a Template
Click Edit on any template card to open the React visual editor. The visual editor provides the full design experience -- the same interface available by pressing E on the menu board display. Changes made in the editor are saved to the template.
Other Actions
- Preview -- Opens the menu board display with that template loaded in a new tab.
- Duplicate -- Creates a copy of the template with "(Copy)" appended to the name.
- Set as Default -- Makes the template the default. The default template is used when no
templateparameter is specified in the URL. - Delete -- Removes the template. The default template cannot be deleted -- set a different template as default first.
- Seed Defaults -- Generates a set of starter templates if none exist.
Category Priority
The menu board uses a three-layer priority system to determine which categories to display:
- Store-level filter (highest priority) -- If the store's menu board settings specify category IDs, those are used for all templates. This is configured in your store settings.
- Template-level filter (medium priority) -- If the store has no category filter, the template's own category assignments are used (set when creating or editing a template).
- All categories (fallback) -- If neither the store nor the template specifies categories, all active top-level categories are displayed.
The admin template page shows which layer is active for each template:
- "Filtered by store settings" -- Store-level override is active.
- "Filtered by this template" -- Template has its own category list.
- "Showing all categories (no filter set)" -- No filter; everything is shown.
For quick per-screen filtering without changing template settings, you can also use the categories URL parameter (see Multi-Screen Setup). The URL parameter filters on top of whatever the priority system resolves.
Display Profiles
Display profiles are separate from templates. A template controls the structural layout (grid vs. carousel, resolution, timing, categories), while a profile controls the visual design (colors, fonts, effects, backgrounds, toggles).
Profiles are managed entirely through the visual editor (press E on the display or click Edit on a template). The admin template page shows a summary of each profile's active features for quick reference.
Design Profiles
Profiles store all your visual customization settings (colors, fonts, effects, background, toggles, hidden products, etc.) and can be switched instantly. Brother POS includes 5 professionally designed preset profiles:
| Profile | Style | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Emerald Luxe | Premium dark emerald with gold accents | Playfair Display headers, glass morphism, accent strips, price glow. Art Deco Gold background image. |
| Neon Nights | Cyberpunk neon glow | Bebas Neue headers, full neon mode with header and price glow, scrolling ticker. Retro neon grid background. |
| Dark Walnut Gold | Warm wood and gold luxury | Cinzel headers, Cormorant Garamond body, leader dots, accent strips. Dark walnut wood background. |
| Purple Haze | Deep purple and violet mystique | Oswald headers, Raleway body, glass morphism, header and price glow, scrolling ticker. Purple haze atmosphere background. |
| Forest Canopy | Natural, organic earth tones | Merriweather headers, leader dots. Misty forest background. |
Managing Profiles
In edit mode:
- Select a profile -- Choose from the Profile dropdown. The display updates immediately.
- Create a new profile -- Click + New, enter a name, and click Create. Your current settings are saved to the new profile.
- Modify a profile -- Make changes in edit mode while a profile is selected, then click Save. The changes are written to that profile.
- Switch profiles -- Select a different profile from the dropdown. The display loads that profile's settings.
Your most recently selected profile is remembered in the browser, so the display automatically loads the correct profile when the page refreshes or the device restarts.
Edit Mode
Press E on the keyboard or tap the Edit button in the bottom-right corner to open the settings panel.
The edit panel provides the following controls:
Font Size
A slider that scales all text on the display from 70% to 500%. The board automatically recalculates how many product rows fit per column when you change the font size.
Show/Hide Toggles
Toggle buttons that control what information appears on the board:
| Toggle | What It Controls |
|---|---|
| Prices | Show or hide product prices. |
| Tier $ | Show or hide pricing template weight-based pricing (e.g., 3.5g, 7g, 14g columns). |
| THC% | Show or hide THC percentage on products. |
| Dots | Leader dots -- dotted lines connecting product names to prices for readability. |
| Bars | Strain type color bars on the left edge of each product row. |
| Glass | Glass morphism effect -- frosted glass appearance on category columns. Works especially well with image backgrounds. |
| Strips | Accent color strips on the left edge of category headers. |
| Pulse | Animated pulse effect on SALE badges to draw attention. |
Colors
Four color pickers for the core display colors:
- BG -- Background color (used when no background image is set).
- Accent -- Category headers, active toggle highlights, and accent elements.
- Text -- Primary text color for product names and labels.
- Price -- Price text color.
Click the reset button to revert colors to the profile defaults.
Tier Colors
Color pickers for pricing template badges: AAAA+, AAAA, AAA, and Exotic. These control the color of tier name labels in the tiered pricing sections.
Badge Colors
Color pickers for product badges: Sale (on-sale items), New (recently added), and Pick (staff pick).
NEW Badge Control
- Show checkbox -- Enable or disable NEW badges on recently added products.
- Days input -- How many days after creation a product is considered "new" (1--90, default 7).
Fonts
Two dropdown selectors for Google Fonts:
- Headers -- Font for category names and section headers.
- Body -- Font for product names, prices, and other text.
Available fonts: System Default, Playfair Display, Bebas Neue, Oswald, Montserrat, Raleway, Merriweather, Lato, Roboto Slab, Cinzel, and Cormorant Garamond.
Text Effects
- H.Glow -- Adds a glow effect to category headers.
- P.Glow -- Adds a glow effect to prices.
- Neon -- Full neon text rendering mode. Best paired with a dark background for a modern dispensary aesthetic.
Header Bar
An optional bar across the top of the display showing:
- Store name -- Your store's name, displayed in the accent color.
- Tagline -- Custom text (e.g., "Premium Cannabis, Curated for You").
- Clock -- Live clock showing the current time.
Toggle the header bar on/off, toggle the clock independently, and enter your tagline text.
Scrolling Ticker
An optional scrolling text bar at the bottom of the display for announcements:
- Toggle on/off.
- Enter the ticker text (e.g., "NOW OPEN // Check out our latest drops // New strains added weekly").
- Adjust scroll speed with the slider (10s to 60s for one full cycle).
QR Code Overlay
Display a QR code on the menu board so customers can scan and browse your online menu on their phone:
- Toggle on/off.
- URL -- The URL the QR code links to (e.g., your online store or WooCommerce menu).
- Position -- Bottom Right, Bottom Left, Top Right, or Top Left.
- Size -- Slider from 80px to 200px.
- Label -- Text displayed below the QR code (e.g., "Scan to Browse").
Background
Full-page background controls with three modes:
- Solid color -- A single background color.
- Gradient -- Linear or radial gradient with configurable angle and colors.
- Image -- A background image from the stock library or a custom URL.
When using an image background:
- URL -- Direct URL to an image, or select from the stock library.
- Size -- Cover, contain, or auto.
- Position -- Center, top, or bottom.
- Opacity -- 0% to 100%.
- Ken Burns -- Slow, cinematic pan-and-zoom animation on the background image.
The Overlay tab adds a color or gradient layer on top of the background image to improve text readability:
- Solid overlay -- A single color at adjustable opacity.
- Gradient overlay -- A gradient at adjustable opacity.
- Blend mode -- Normal or other CSS blend modes.
Per-Category Backgrounds
Each category column can have its own background image. In edit mode, click the image icon button on a category header to set a per-category background. This lets you show a flower photo behind the Flower column, an edibles photo behind Edibles, and so on.
Items (Show/Hide Products)
Click Show/Hide to expand a list of all products organized by category. Uncheck individual products to hide them from the display. Hidden product count is shown next to the button.
Column Controls
In edit mode, each category column shows control buttons in the header:
- Left/Right arrows -- Drag category columns to reorder them.
- 1x / 2x -- Toggle the column between single-width and double-width span.
Product Display Name Overrides
In edit mode, click on any product name to edit its display name. This changes only how the product appears on the menu board -- it does not affect the product name in the admin panel or POS register.
Save and Cancel
- Save -- Saves all settings (profile settings, category order, display name overrides) and exits edit mode.
- Cancel -- Reverts to the last saved state and exits edit mode.
Stock Image Library
Brother POS includes a library of 230 optimized WebP images designed specifically for menu board backgrounds. Access the library by clicking Browse Images in the Background section of edit mode.
Images are organized into categories:
| Category | Count | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Backgrounds | 66 | Full-page backgrounds: dark textures, abstract patterns, nature scenes, geometric designs, neon aesthetics, and more. |
| Flower | 12 | Cannabis flower photography: buds, trichomes, jars, greenhouse shots. |
| Edibles | 11 | Gummies, chocolate, brownies, candy, capsules, beverages. |
| Pre-Rolls | 7 | Joints, blunts, cones, infused pre-rolls. |
| Concentrates | 7 | Shatter, live resin, diamonds, budder, rosin, hash. |
| Vapes | 5 | Vape pens, cartridges, disposables, pod systems, desktop vaporizers. |
| Accessories | 7 | Grinders, pipes, bongs, rolling trays, dab tools, stash jars. |
| Wellness | 12 | Topicals, tinctures, beverages, CBD products, bath bombs, seeds. |
| Other | 3 | Miscellaneous product images. |
| Overlays | 55 | Transparent overlay images: leaf silhouettes, smoke wisps, botanical illustrations, geometric frames, sparkle effects, neon borders. |
| Thumbnails | 45 | Small product icons for individual product type representation. |
The browser shows 12 images per page with pagination. Click any image to set it as the background. Use the category tabs at the top to filter by image type.
Multi-Screen Setup
For stores with multiple TVs, you can show different product categories on each screen. There are two approaches:
Approach 1: Separate Templates (Recommended)
Create a dedicated template for each TV with its own category selection. This gives you full control over layout, timing, and categories per screen.
| TV | Template | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| TV 1 (main) | "Main Floor" (default) | All categories |
| TV 2 (flower wall) | "Flower Wall" | Flower, Pre-Rolls |
| TV 3 (edibles case) | "Edibles Display" | Edibles, Beverages |
Each TV loads its template URL:
TV 1: /pos?display=menu-board
TV 2: /pos?display=menu-board&template=<flower-template-id>
TV 3: /pos?display=menu-board&template=<edibles-template-id>
Approach 2: URL Category Filter
For quick filtering without creating separate templates, add the categories URL parameter:
https://yourstoreurl.brotherpos.ca/pos?display=menu-board&categories=flower,pre-rolls
| TV | URL | Shows |
|---|---|---|
| TV 1 (main) | /pos?display=menu-board | All categories |
| TV 2 (flower wall) | /pos?display=menu-board&categories=flower,pre-rolls | Flower and Pre-Rolls only |
| TV 3 (edibles case) | /pos?display=menu-board&categories=edibles,beverages | Edibles and Beverages only |
| TV 4 (vape counter) | /pos?display=menu-board&categories=vapes,concentrates,accessories | Vapes, Concentrates, and Accessories |
The categories parameter accepts a comma-separated list of category names (case-insensitive). The filter matches if the category name contains the filter text or the filter text contains the category name, so partial matches work (e.g., flower matches "Flower", edible matches "Edibles").
You can combine both approaches -- use a template for base settings and add &categories= for additional filtering on top.
All screens share the same design profile. When you edit the profile on one screen and save, the other screens will pick up the changes on their next data refresh.
When a category filter is active, the edit panel shows a green "Filtered" indicator with the active filter list so you can see which categories this screen is showing.
Product Information Displayed
Each product on the menu board shows:
| Field | Shown When |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Always (can be overridden with a display name). |
| Price | When "Prices" toggle is on. |
| Weight-Based Tier Pricing | Cannabis products with pricing template pricing (e.g., 3.5g, 7g, 14g columns). Shown when "Tier $" toggle is on. |
| THC % | When "THC%" toggle is on and cannabis features are enabled. |
| Strain Type | Indicated by a colored bar on the left (Indica = purple, Sativa = amber, Hybrid = green, CBD = cyan). Shown when "Bars" toggle is on. |
| Pricing Template | Products grouped into tier sections (AAAA+, AAAA, AAA, Exotic) with colored chip badges. |
| SALE Badge | Products currently on sale. Optional pulse animation. |
| NEW Badge | Recently added products (configurable days threshold). |
| PICK Badge | Staff pick products. |
Products with no stock are automatically excluded from the display.
Auto-Paging
When a category has more products than fit in its column, the column automatically pages through them:
- Each column manages its own page cycle independently.
- Page duration is set in the menu board template settings (default 6 seconds per page).
- Dot indicators in the category header show which page is currently displayed and the total page count.
- Pricing template sections (AAAA+, AAAA, etc.) always appear on the first page, with additional non-tiered products flowing onto subsequent pages.
Real-Time Updates
The menu board updates automatically:
- Price changes -- Updated on the next refresh cycle.
- Stock changes -- Out-of-stock products disappear; restocked products reappear.
- New products -- Appear on the board after the next refresh cycle.
- Product edits -- Name, THC/CBD, tier, and other field changes reflect after the next refresh.
- Sale campaigns -- Products entering or leaving a sale campaign update their badges automatically.
The menu board requires an active internet connection on the display device. If the connection drops, the last loaded data remains visible, but updates will not appear until connectivity is restored.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Menu board is blank | Check that products are set to Active and have stock. Verify the URL is correct. |
| "Menu Board Unavailable" error | The server may be unreachable. Check the display device's internet connection. |
| Prices not updating | Verify connectivity. The board refreshes on a configurable interval (default 5 minutes). Reload the page for an immediate refresh. |
| Text too small on a large TV | Enter edit mode (press E) and increase the font size slider. Values up to 500% are supported for large displays viewed from a distance. |
| Screen goes to sleep | Adjust the display device's power and screensaver settings to disable sleep. |
| Browser toolbar showing | Press F11 for full-screen mode, or launch Chrome in kiosk mode. |
| Background image not loading | Check that the image URL is correct. Stock images use paths starting with /images/menu-board-stock/. Custom URLs must be publicly accessible. |
| Changes not saving | Make sure you have a profile selected before clicking Save. Settings are saved to the active profile. |
| Category filter not working | The categories URL parameter is case-insensitive and uses partial matching. Check for typos. Example: &categories=flower,edibles |
| Wrong categories showing | Check the category priority: store-level settings override template settings. Go to Admin > Menu Board Templates to see which source is active. |
| Template not loading | Verify the template ID in the URL is correct. Go to Admin > Menu Board Templates and check the template exists and is active. |
| Edit button not visible | The Edit button is a small icon in the bottom-right corner. Press E on the keyboard as an alternative. |
Best Practices
- Start with a preset profile -- The 5 built-in profiles are professionally designed starting points. Pick the closest match and customize from there.
- Use a dark theme -- Dark backgrounds are easier to read in retail environments, produce less glare, and look more premium.
- Overlay opacity of 60--80% works best -- When using a background image, the overlay darkens it enough to keep text readable without completely hiding the image.
- Glass morphism pairs well with image backgrounds -- The frosted glass effect on category columns adds depth when there is a visible background image behind them.
- Neon mode + dark background -- For a modern dispensary vibe, use the Neon Nights profile or enable Neon text effect with a dark background.
- Use leader dots for price lists -- When showing prices, leader dots create a clean visual line from product name to price, similar to a restaurant menu.
- Use category filters for multi-TV setups -- Dedicate each TV to specific categories so customers see relevant products without information overload.
- Use a dedicated device -- Do not use the menu board device for other tasks. A Chromebit, Fire TV Stick, or Raspberry Pi makes a reliable dedicated display.
- Check from the customer's perspective -- Stand where customers stand and verify readability. Adjust font size accordingly.
- Power cycle weekly -- Restart the display device weekly to prevent browser memory buildup.
- Use the QR code -- Adding a QR code to your online menu lets customers browse details and place online orders from their phone while they wait.
What's Next?
- Kitchen Display -- Set up a display for order preparation areas.
- Label Templates -- Print physical labels for products shown on the menu board.
- Managing Products -- Manage the products that appear on the menu board.