PADS4 Viewer on ChromeOS

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1. Prepare the device

During the setup, you'll have to set up the PADS4 Server location. It's recommended to finish installing the PADS4 Server before moving on to configuring the device.

Note: You need at least PADS4 Foundation 2024.1 for ChromeOS.

 

1.1. Prerequisites

Before you start using PADS4 on a ChromeOS device, please check that the following conditions are met:

  • You're familiar with ChromeOS and how to manage devices using the Google Admin Console.
  • The Google Management Platform is a cloud-based solution. This means the viewers do require internet access.
  • The ChromeOS version is 120 or newer.
  • The device is connected to a network and has internet access
  • You've created one or more Organizational Units for the PADS4 Viewers.
  • The device is provisioned in the Google Admin Console.
  • You purchased Chrome Enterprise or Kiosk & Signage Upgrade license with Google 
  • The device has been assigned a Chrome Enterprise or Kiosk & Signage Upgrade license.

2. Add PADS4 as an application

To install PADS4 on ChromeOS, follow these steps to add PADS4 as an App in the Google Admin Console:

 

Step Description
01 Open the Google Admin Console and login
02 Go to Devices => Chrome => Apps & Extensions
03 Go to Kiosks
04 Select the appropriate Organizational Unit
05 Click on the plus-sign to add the application
06 Select 🌍 "Add by URL"
07

Specify http://[PADS4server]/PADS4/apps/Viewer/

If your PADS4 server operates under a domain, replace "PADS4" with your domain name.

08 Click on Save
09 Under the Organizational Unit, select PADS4 as the Auto-launch app.
10 PADS4 viewer will now start as the default application for the devices in this Organizational unit.

 

3. Configuring ChromeOS device settings for PADS4

3.1 Adjust idle setting

To prevent ChromeOS from dimming or turning off the display, follow these steps to adjust the idle settings:

 

Step Description
01 Open the Google Admin Console and login
02 Navigate to Devices => Chrome => Settings.
03 Select Organizational Unit for the PADS4 Devices
04 Select Device settings
05 Goto AC Kiosk power Settings
06 Enter 0 for Screen dim timeout in minutes
07 Enter 0 for Screen off timeout in minutes
08 Save the settings

 

3.2 Move Device to organizational unit

Next, we'll adjust the device settings to ensure that the PADS4 Viewer starts automatically upon device startup.

Step Description
01 Open the Google Admin Console and login
02 Navigate to Devices => Chrome => Devices
03 Select all devices 
04 From the list of all devices, choose the devices you want to run PADS4.
05 Select Move
06 Select the Organizational Unit with PADS4 set as the Auto-launch app
07

Reboot the devices

08

The devices will reboot and start PADS4 automatically.

 

3.3 Rename the PADS4 viewer

Once connected to the PADS4 server, the server will assign a temporary viewer name such as Chrome0001. Utilize PADS4 CTRL Center to rename the viewer.

 

4. Updating PADS4 Viewer

After the initial installation of the PADS4 Viewer, if you update the PADS4 Server, the PADS4 Viewer will automatically update to the version available on the PADS4 Server.

 

5. Device capabilities and supported features

Support Category Description
Automatic PADS4 Software updates If you update the PADS4 Server the PADS4 Viewer will automatically update to the version available on the PADS4 Server.
Offline mode of device

While offline from the network, the device will still continue to play PADS4 presentations and change planned schedules for 7 days.
Scheduled presentations, content and data is cached local.

ChromeOS requires a network connection to start PADS4.

     
  Device  
Portrait mode Supported. Device will adjust the rotation automatically.
4k UHD  
Transfer protocols HTTP, HTTPS
Turn off display Turn off display when no presentation scheduled. 
Cluster Viewer This device is able to be used as Cluster Viewer
Volume Level Option to specify the maximum volume on device level
     
  Elements  
Video element
Maximum number of videos 4 FHD video on each page.

Video rotation Supported
Seamless videos Supported
Reflection, skew, flip Supported
Streaming Not supported
Image element Support for JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF
Text element Supported
Line element Supported
Shape element Supported
Scrolling text element Supported
Formatted text element Supported
Table element Supported
  Interactive button element Supported
Mouse cursor options not supported
Interactive Data filter & sort dialog window not supported
Web element Usage of the interactive Address Bar not supported
Powerpoint element Supported
Requirement: Microsoft Powerpoint must be installed on the PADS4 Server
Clipping, User interactivity and mousepointer not supported
PDF element Supported (Xpert license required)
     
  Data connections Data connections make it possible to show information from external sources inside presentations
Data providers More than 70 PADS4 data providers for retrieval of (realtime) data from external sources and the possibility to change and join the data to fit your purpose
Viewer Variables Usage of Viewer Variables can simplify your presentations and data connections.
It also gives the opportunity to centrally manage the content without changing presentations or data providers.
Property bindings Apply element properties by using external data sources
     
  Rules Rules will make it possible to interact on certain situations like realtime data and change the behavior of a presentation automatically
Presentation rules Supported
Page rules Supported
Element rules Supported
     
  Device Management Device management which can be performed from a remote location
Remote device management

Web based and Windows
Connection state Device connection state information
Alerts Automatically send out alerts when network failures occur for this device
Reboot Not Supported
Restart Viewer Supported
Shutdown Not supported
Wake On Lan Not supported
Screenshot Retrieve screenshots for what is actually displayed
Logs Viewer log, synchronization log, system info
Viewer Settings Edit Viewer Settings
Fonts Install Fonts on device
Proof of play Show Proof of play information
Blackbox If help from NDS Support is required, the blackbox contains important information for investigation purposes
     
  Remarks  
  Colors Texture and pattern colors are not supported
  Transition effects Horizontal and vertical blinds not supported
Splitters, increased circle and sliced circle not supported
  Content file integrity PADS4 Content Library file integrity is checked during synchronization using MD5
  Proof of play Local storage limitation of max. 50.000 records on the HTML5 Viewer during offline period.
When the 50.000 is hit, the oldest value will be removed first.