1. Open the view in Chrome
Go to your Metabase site and open the dashboard, report, or board you want on the TV.
How to Display Metabase on a TV
Metabase is a website. A TV only shows it if some computer is signed into Chrome and the screen is connected to that computer.
Tab Rotator is a free Chrome extension by Pick Ads that rotates those browser tabs and can reload each page. It does not refresh Metabase’s data faster than Metabase does, and it does not bypass a login wall.
Add Tab Rotator to ChromeWhat you need
- A computer plugged into the TV, with Chrome installed.
- A Metabase view you are allowed to leave on screen (your Metabase site).
- Tab Rotator only if more than one view should take turns.
A public link or a signed-in dashboard both work in Chrome. A public link is simpler on a TV because it does not depend on a Metabase session.
Show Metabase without an extension
2. Deal with the login
If you use a signed-in dashboard, sign in on that Chrome profile and test a reload. An embedded question and a full dashboard can have different login rules. Open the exact URL you intend to rotate.
3. Make it readable
Hide side navigation if the product allows a fullscreen or presentation view. Stand across the room and check that the numbers are large enough.
Rotate several views
1. Open one tab per view
Each report gets its own tab. Mix in other dashboards if the TV should cycle through them.
2. Start Tab Rotator
Choose the tabs, set how long each stays on screen, and start. Give a dense board more time than a single number.
3. Reload if the data looks stuck
A page reload shows what Metabase would show a new visitor. It does not change Metabase’s own data-refresh schedule.
When a dedicated player is the better tool
If you need many screens, remote reboot, or a vendor who supports the display when Chrome logs out, a digital signage product can be the better fit. Tab Rotator’s comparison pages say so when that is the case.
If you already have a computer on the TV and the views are websites, rotating Chrome tabs is enough to try.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this work if the TV has no computer?
No. Chrome and Tab Rotator run on a computer. A smart TV browser is not the supported setup.
Does Tab Rotator keep Metabase from logging out?
No. Session length is up to that product and your identity provider. A shared or public view avoids a password on the TV. A private view needs a signed-in profile you are allowed to leave unlocked.
Does a reload guarantee fresh numbers?
No. Reloading the tab shows the page again. Metabase may still be serving cached data until its own refresh runs.
Rotate Metabase with the rest of the wall
One computer, several tabs, a readable interval.
Add Tab Rotator to ChromeRelated Tab Rotator pages
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