Pairing a TV with a QR code

Before you start

• A PingBell account (7-day free trial)
• At least one PingBell already created and connected to a source
• The PingBell mobile app installed on your phone, signed into your account
• A TV with one of the supported streaming devices

Step 1 — Install the PingBell app on the TV

• Apple TV: App Store → search “PingBell” → Get. Requires tvOS 17 or later.
• Amazon Fire TV: Home → magnifying glass → search “PingBell” → Get. Requires Fire OS 7 or later.
• Android TV / Google TV: Google Play Store on the TV → search “PingBell” → Install. Requires Android TV 9 or later.
• Roku: Roku Channel Store → search “PingBell” → Add channel. Requires Roku OS 10.5 or later.

Step 2 — Open the TV app

On first launch, the app displays a QR code on the TV. The QR stays visible until you complete pairing.

Step 3 — Scan the QR with the PingBell mobile app

1. Open the PingBell mobile app on your phone
2. Tap Pair a TV
3. Point the phone's camera at the QR code on the TV
4. The mobile app confirms pairing within a second

Step 4 — Pick the PingBell to show

The mobile app asks which PingBell you want to display. Tap one and the TV immediately switches from the QR code to the live counter.

Optional — Configure rotation

By default the TV shows one PingBell. To rotate through multiple:

1. In the PingBell mobile app, open Devices
2. Select the paired TV
3. Tap Enable rotation and pick up to 5 PingBells
4. Set per-PingBell dwell time (default 20 seconds each)

Troubleshooting

The QR doesn't scan

Move closer to the TV until the QR fills more of the camera frame. Make sure the lighting is good (the QR can be hard to read off a very bright or very dim screen). If your phone's built-in camera struggles, the PingBell app has its own scanner that's tuned for TV screens.

The TV app opens but doesn't show a QR

This usually means no internet on the TV. Check the TV's WiFi, ensure api.pingbell.io isn't blocked by a corporate firewall, and restart the app.

I scanned but the mobile app says “TV not found”

The QR includes a short-lived token that expires after 15 minutes. Restart the TV app to generate a fresh QR.

Can I re-pair a TV to a different PingBell?

Yes. From the PingBell mobile app, Devices → [the TV] → Change PingBell. Change takes effect within a few seconds without re-pairing.

Can I un-pair remotely?

Yes. Devices → [the TV] → Revoke access. The TV immediately returns to the QR-pairing screen. Useful when you no longer have physical access to the TV (e.g. a remote office).