Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- blocks:porteus_kiosk [2023-10-11 06:22]
mattias
+++ blocks:porteus_kiosk [2025-03-11 14:18] (current)
mattias ↷ Links adapted because of a move operation
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-====== PIXILAB Player advanced setup======
+====== PIXILAB Player Advanced Setup======
-PIXILAB Player is free software that makes a browser-based player or interactive kiosk out of an Intel NUC or other PC-style computer, for use as a Display Spot for Blocks. It's based on an enhanced version of the excellent [[http://porteus-kiosk.org/|Porteus Kiosk]] open source project.
+:!: IMPORTANT: The method of making PIXILAB Player described here is no longer supported. This article is kept for reference purposes only. Follow [[blocks:player-setup|these instructions]] to make a player.
+PIXILAB Player is free software that makes a browser-based player or interactive kiosk out of an Intel NUC or other PC-style computer, for use as a Display Spot for Blocks.
 This is how it works:
@@ Line 12: / Line 14: @@
   * Restart the computer.
-This guide describes in detail how you can make a player for use as a Display Spot with Blocks. We recommend using an [[https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/boards-kits/nuc/kits.html|Intel NUC]] as the player. For basic applications in HD resolution, you can choose a low-cost, Celeron based model. For most applications, an i3-based model is sufficient. For demanding applications, select an i5 or i7-based model.
+This guide describes in detail how you can make a player for use as a Display Spot with Blocks. We recommend using an [[https://www.asus.com/business/nucs/nuc-kits/filter?Category=nuc-essential,nuc-pro&Series=NUC-Kits,NUC-Mini-PCsl|Asus Intel NUC]] or similar as the player hardware. For basic applications in HD resolution, you can choose a low-cost, Celeron based model. For most applications, an i3-based model is sufficient. For demanding applications, select an i5 or i7-based model.
-The player only needs CPU and a minimum of 4 GB of RAM to be installed. No hard drive/SSD is required. For 4k video playback, //two// RAM modules are recommended to optimize the memory bandwidth. Most modern NUCs runs SO-DIMM at 2666Mhz – check manufacturers recommendations for details.
+The player only needs CPU and a minimum of 4 GB of RAM to be installed. No hard drive/SSD is required. For 4k video playback, //two// matched RAM modules are recommended to optimize the memory bandwidth.
 ==== Obtaining the Installer ====
-Start by downloading the ISO image of [[https://pixilab.se/outgoing/blocks/pixilab-player-231010-6.2.iso|PIXILAB Player version 6.2]]. This file needs to be copied to a USB stick using Etcher. Make sure your target computer can boot from a USB stick. Download [[https://www.balena.io/etcher/|Etcher]] and use it to copy the ISO image onto your USB memory stick.
+Start by downloading the ISO image of [[https://pixilab.se/outgoing/blocks/pixilab-player-240209-6.3.iso|PIXILAB Player version 6.3]]. This file needs to be copied to a USB stick using Etcher. Make sure your target computer can boot from a USB stick. Download [[https://www.balena.io/etcher/|Etcher]] and use it to copy the ISO image onto your USB memory stick.
-More details on what's changed between versions in the [[blocks:porteus_kiosk:release_notes|PIXILAB Player release notes]].
+More details on what's changed between versions in the [[blocks:player-setup:release_notes|PIXILAB Player release notes]].
 ==== Starting the Installer ====
@@ Line 43: / Line 45: @@
 {{ :blocks:porteus:porteus_proxy_settings.png?800;nolink |}}
-Select which browser to use. We strongly recommend thay you select Google Chrome. Some features in Blocks require Chrome to work properly.
+Select which browser to use. We strongly recommend that you select Google Chrome. Some features in Blocks require Chrome to work properly.
 {{ :blocks:porteus:porteus_browser_selection.png?800;nolink |}}
@@ Line 49: / Line 51: @@
 A network connection will be established (this may take some time). If a license agreement is presented, read and agree to it. Your browser of choice will be downloaded.
-At the next page, you have the choice of either doing all settings manually, or loading them in from a text file on a USB stick. The text file method is faster, while the manual method allows for greater flexibility in choosing the options you want.
+On the next page, you have the choice of either doing all settings manually or loading them in from a text file on a USB stick. The text file method is faster, while the manual method allows for greater flexibility in choosing the options you want.
 {{ :blocks:porteus:porteus_final_options.png?800;nolink |}}
@@ Line 55: / Line 57: @@
 === Automatic Configuration ===
-If you want to use the text file method (recommended), copy the text shown below to another FAT32-formatted USB stick. Put it at the root level of the USB stick, naming it to something you will recognise, i.e //kiosk-config.txt//.
+If you want to use the text file method (recommended), copy the text shown below to another FAT32-formatted USB stick. Put it at the root level of the USB stick, naming it to something you will recognize, i.e. //kiosk-config.txt//.
-Version 6 standard config
-===Config to use with Blocks from version 6 with pixilab player from version 6:===
+===Config to use with Blocks from version 6 with pixilab player from version 6===
 <code>
 connection=wired
@@ Line 73: / Line 75: @@
 persistence=session
 timezone=Factory
+#If you experience graphic issues or hangups on older hardware, please change the gpu_driver parameter from "modesetting" to "default"
+gpu_driver=modesetting
 primary_keyboard_layout=us
 kernel_parameters=panic=10
@@ Line 129: / Line 133: @@
 </code>
-Replace //MyWifiNetwork// and //$uperSecret// with your wifi network name and password. Note that when using wifi, you may not be able to turn your player //on// from Blocks, since that mechanism uses on Wake-on-LAN, which is rarely supported over wifi.
+Replace //MyWifiNetwork// and //$uperSecret// with your wifi network name and password. Note that when using wifi, you may not be able to turn your player //on// from Blocks, since that mechanism uses Wake-on-LAN, which is rarely supported over wifi.
 To use a physical keyboard with the player, specify the desired layout using the //primary_keyboard_layout// parameter, specifying one of [[https://porteus-kiosk.org/files/keyboards.txt|these constants]].
@@ Line 139: / Line 143: @@
 </code>
-=== Manual Configuration ===
-If you choose to do the configuration manually, here are some options you most likely need to set.
-  * Enable Wake on LAN.
-  * Enable Home Page, setting the url to ''http://pixi.guide/spot'' and selecting "Append string to the homepage: MAC address".
-  * Private mode; disable.
-  * Zoom Controls; disable.
-  * Navigation bar; disable.
-  * Mouse Cursor; Disable (with "Hide Permanently") if using a touch screen, else Enable.
-  * The additional components mentioned above (uefi.zip pixilab.xzm), where pixilab.xzm provides custom functionality such as power management and improved reliability under some network conditions.
-The second point above (as well as the //homepage// option in the config file) assumes that you have a DNS that resolves ''pixi.guide'' to your local Blocks server. If not, type the IP address (and possibly port number) of your server instead of ''pixi.guide''. Finally, press Next, which displays a "Setting report" with similar information as shown for the //kiosk-config.txt// file above.
 ==== Disable Automatic Fixes ====
@@ Line 177: / Line 169: @@
 :!: Using [[https://www.balena.io/etcher/|Etcher]] you can flash several USB drives at the same time.
-===== Using the Display Spot =====
-Connect the computer to your the network used by the Blocks server. For the above settings to work, you need to have at least a DHCP server on this network (which may be the one built into the [[blocks:server:creating_a_server|Blocks Linux Server]], or a separate one as often built into routers and gateways). Allow the player to restart and connect to the network. A browser window will open, attempting to access the specified URL (e.g., ''http://pixi.guide/spot'' in the example above). If everything works as expected, you should see the PIXILAB logo on screen with an ID string below, allowing you to add it as a Display Spot to Blocks.
-==== Power Management ====
-When used with Blocks 2.2 or later, you can control the power of the player as well as the attached display. This works with most modern NUC models. In order to power up the player, make sure "wake on LAN" is enabled. This is specified in the configuration file above, but on some PCs this must also be enabled in the BIOS settings.
-The display's power can be controlled in either of two ways:
-  * If the display supports CEC control (often called something else by display manufacturers), make sure this feature is enabled in the display's or TV's menu settings.
-  * If you're using a computer-style display, it may not support CEC. Instead it will typically turn itself off and on automatically as the computer is turned off/on. Make sure to enable this automatic power management feature of our display.
-If you want to use the CEC method, you need to enter the BIOS settings of the NUC. Navigate to ADVANCED,  DEVICES, ONBOARD DEVICES. Enable //HDMI CEC Control// and set //Auto Turn On/Off TV// as shown below. When set in this way, the NUC will tell the TV to turn on and off in unison with itself.
-{{ :blocks:porteus:intel_nuc_bios_cec_options.png?800;nolink |}}
-To make sure your NUC-based display spot restarts after a power failure, in BIOS settings select "Last State" under Advanced, Power, Secondary Power Settings, After Power Failure.
-{{ :blocks:porteus:intel_nuc_bios_power_options.png?800;nolink |}}
-==== Network Boot from the Blocks server ====
-If you're using our [[blocks:server:creating_a_server|Linux based server]], you can configure the server so that players can be booted over the network (PXE boot). This has the following advantages:
-  * No USB stick is needed for each player.
-  * The player resides only on the server, making it easy to update.
-  * The configuration of all players also resides in a single place, making it easier to apply changes without making new USB sticks.
-:!: To use this feature, your player PCs must support the UEFI standard for network booting.
-Before attempting to boot the player from the server, make a USB stick as described above, and make sure your player works properly.
-To enable network booting of you player, do the following (where individual steps may vary depending on the BIOS in the player computer):
-  * Open the player's bios settings by pressing the appropriate key during startup.
-  * Select "Boot USB Devices First" to make it boot from USB if one is attached.
-  * Select "Boot Network Device Last" to make it boot from the server if no USB key is connected.
-  * Select "Unlimited Boot to Network Attempts" to keep retrying if server can't be reached.
-  * Disable "legacy boot".
-  * Disable "secure boot".
-  * Select "UEFI:LAN:PXE" as the preferred boot device.
-Follow [[blocks:server:pxe-boot|this guide]] to configure your Blocks server for network booting.
 ==== Manage Pixilab Player Chrome Policies from the Blocks server ====
+This section applies to Pixilab player versions < 5.2. From version 5.2 this is handled automatically for the servers homepage.
-This section applies to Pixilab player versions < 5.2. From version 5.2 this is handled automatically.
+In some cases, when using the Chrome browser with PIXILAB Player, you may want to override the browser's policies. This can be done by storing a text file named chrome-policies.txt in the directory <your-blocks-root>/public/PIXILAB_Player (where "<your-block-root>" is the location of your Blocks root directory).The path to this file is then be specified in the kiosk-config.txt file used when creating the player the, as described above. This example assumes the default domain name //pixi.guide// (which in your case may be another domain name, or a hardcoded IP address).
-In some cases, when using the Chrome browser with PIXILAB Player, you may need to override the browser's policies. This can be done by storing a text file named chrome-policies.txt in the directory <your-blocks-root>/public/PIXILAB_Player (where "<your-block-root>" is the location of your Blocks root directory).The path to this file is then be specified in the kiosk-config.txt file used when creating the player the, as described above. This example assumes the default domain name //pixi.guide// (which in your case may be another domain name, or a hardcoded IP address).
 <code>browser_preferences=http://pixi.guide/public/PIXILAB_Player/chrome-policies.txt</code>