A vertical Indoor TV without a kiosk means setting up a vertical screen in your business using a regular Smart TV, instead of a dedicated vertical kiosk — which costs from R$ 6,000 to R$ 8,000 per unit. You just physically install the Smart TV rotated 90° on a wall mount that allows portrait format: the JMV Indoor app runs on it and the content adapts to vertical. If the TV is old and doesn't have the app, a Roku, Fire TV or Google TV dongle (around R$ 150 to R$ 200) solves it. The only real prerequisite is having a Smart TV connected to the internet.
The myth of the expensive kiosk
There is a belief that a vertical Indoor TV requires a dedicated vertical kiosk — that floor-standing, enclosed unit built solely to display media in portrait. The problem is the price: one of those kiosks goes for somewhere between R$ 6,000 and R$ 8,000 per unit. For a small or medium business that wants 2, 3 or 4 points, the numbers simply don't add up — that's R$ 20,000 to R$ 30,000 in hardware alone, without even counting content management.
The result is that many people look at the price and give up on the idea, thinking that a vertical Indoor TV "is a big-chain thing." It isn't. Portrait-screen technology has always been affordable — what was expensive was the cabinet, not the function.
The alternative: any regular Smart TV in vertical
The way out is simple: instead of the kiosk, use a regular Smart TV — LG, Samsung, or any model with Roku, Fire TV or Google TV — physically installed vertically, that is, rotated 90° on the wall. It's what JMV itself does in its studios: a conventional TV placed in portrait format inside a rack, without any kiosk.
On the content side, nothing changes: you download the JMV Indoor app on the TV, and the system displays the programming already in vertical format. Since all management is done in the cloud, you build the playlist and update the screen from your phone, with no flash drive and without depending on anyone. The only prerequisite is having a Smart TV connected to the internet.
What if my TV is old? Roku, Fire TV and Google TV
Older Smart TVs — generally from before 2020 — may not have the JMV Indoor app available in the app store. This happens because very old models don't keep up with the current versions of the app. It's no reason to replace the TV or to throw anything away.
The solution is to attach a dongle — a Roku, a Fire TV Stick or a Google TV — which costs around R$ 150 to R$ 200 (market reference prices that vary by region and time). It plugs into the HDMI port, runs the app normally and resolves the incompatibility. An old living-room TV becomes an Indoor TV point at a low cost.
And if you're going to buy a new TV for this, a 32-inch Smart TV with built-in Roku — like the ones sold for around R$ 800 — already does the job for the vertical format, without needing the separate dongle.
An honest point of attention: continuous commercial use
This caveat wasn't in the original outline of the topic, but it's good market practice and helps you decide with eyes open: the Smart TV is the cheap and fast way to get in; the professional display is the upgrade when the volume justifies it.
Why vertical works better in retail
The vertical format grabs attention precisely because it's different from what the eye is used to — most screens in stores are in landscape format. A portrait screen fits well on columns, corners and narrow aisles, taking advantage of spaces that a landscape TV would waste.
There's also a behavioral argument: people consume video on their phones all day, always vertical. According to a figure cited in the podcast and attributed to Meta (to be confirmed with a primary source before treating it as fact), around 40% of people would be more engaged with content in vertical format. Regardless of the exact number, the market shift is visible — from vertical soap operas to campaigns designed for the portrait screen. The practical recommendation, however, remains the same: choose the format based on the physical space of your store. If there's a wide wall to spare, landscape makes better use of it; if the spot is a column or a corner, vertical has more impact.
The real investment math
This is where the difference becomes obvious. Compare the cost of setting up 3 points of vertical Indoor TV via the two routes — using the real example of a pharmacy cited in the podcast:
| Item | With a dedicated kiosk | With a regular Smart TV |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware per point | R$ 6,000 – R$ 8,000 (kiosk) | ~R$ 800 (32" Smart TV with Roku) |
| 3 points (hardware) | Over R$ 18,000 | ~R$ 2,400 |
| Installation | Varies (heavy cabinet) | ~R$ 300 total (electrician, 3 points) |
| Approximate total | R$ 18,000+ | ~R$ 2,700 |
These are reference values cited as an example — they vary by region and time — but the order of magnitude is clear: setting up 3 vertical screens with a regular Smart TV costs close to R$ 2,700, versus over R$ 18,000 with a dedicated kiosk. It's the difference between making the idea viable or not for a small business.
On top of the hardware there's still the monthly fee for the Indoor TV service, charged per point — and that's where cloud management pays off: you upload a video now and it shows up on the screen instantly, you update everything from your phone, and you put the small business in a position to compete with the big chains. To decide what to display on each screen, see the guide on Indoor TV by store section. The plan prices are on the JMV Indoor plans page.
Want to test before buying anything?
JMV Indoor has a 30-day free trial — it enables 1 point and doesn't ask for any credit card details to activate. That's enough to validate the vertical screen in your store with the Smart TV you already have. Want the full context? Watch the Café & Tech episode on the topic on YouTube.
In the end, vertical Indoor TV is a form of digital signage — and it doesn't depend on an expensive cabinet to work. It depends on a screen in the right place, with the right content, easily updated. Have questions about vertical installation in your store? Get in touch with us through the contact form.
This article is part of a series on Indoor TV in retail. See also how to prepare the store for the end of the 6x1 shift with Indoor TV, keeping service running with fewer available hours.