How To Install ScreenCloud Digital Signage with Google Chromebox

PLEASE NOTE: Google have recently made a change which will mean that new Chrome OS devices will not support stand-alone kiosk mode. If you require kiosk mode, you will need a Chrome Device Management (CDM) license. Without this, you will not see the option to use kiosk mode on your device. If you need a CDM license you can purchase this through our partner Promevo.

Digital signage was once notoriously expensive. The main reason? Media players. With simple digital signage displays, simple media sticks like the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Google Chromebit work great.

But occasionally, you need to power higher bandwidth content such as streams of videos, live video or huge media files. 

In this guide we’ll walk you through the Google Chromebox digital signage player, how to install it and what type of content and system it gels best with. 

Google Chromebox: an introduction

If the Chromebit is like having a helpful USB stick power up your screens then the Chromebox is like having your screens powered by a laptop. It’s size is 124 x 124 x 42 mm so it’s slightly bigger than the Chromebit but it comes with more RAM, more memory, four USB ports and even has a Wireless Chrome OS keyboard and mouse included when you buy from Amazon. 

If none of that makes sense to you then let’s just say; for high-resolution and heavy content it’s your best bud. 

Similarly to the Chromebit, the Chromebox has easy, out-of-the-box setup, integrated virus and malware protection and will allow you to connect to ScreenCloud by downloading the ScreenCloud Chrome Player. 

At around $200-$250 ordered from your local Amazon store it’s not the cheapest option, but it is great for demanding content and signage solutions with slightly more budget, that have room to house it.

Setting up your Google Chromebox with ScreenCloud

Once you’ve ordered your Google Chromebox, use this simple guide to get it setup. 

1. Plug in your Chromebox and connect to Wi-Fi

Once you’ve connected to Wi-Fi on-screen, you’ll need to head straight to step two before you do anything else. 

2. Choose kiosk mode

Please note: Google have recently made a change which will mean that new Chrome OS devices will not support stand-alone kiosk mode. If you require kiosk mode, you will need a Chrome Device Management (CDM) license. Without this, you will not see the option to use kiosk mode on your device. If you need a CDM license you can purchase this through our partner Promevo.

Turn on your screen and run through the configuration steps until you reach the Google login screen. Before you log in, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+K which will allow you to enable Kiosk Mode. 

• Now log in using your Google account and open Chrome. Once Chrome is open, enter chrome://extensions into the address bar
• From this screen, turn on Developer Mode. This is needed to manage kiosk apps and work locally without using remote management tools
• Open Manage Kiosk Applications and add ScreenCloud’s Chrome Player app id which is: efdahhfldoeikfglgolhibmdidbnpneo
• Once you have added the app, click to enable auto start. Leave “Permanently keep device is kiosk mode” unchecked
• Close the Kiosk apps dialog and sign out of the device. You should now get asked for permission for ScreenCloud to auto-start, click “Allow”
• Once you click allow, the device will restart and load ScreenCloud in kiosk mode. (Quick tip: to exit kiosk mode and return to desktop usage restart the device and use the shortcut Ctrl+Alt+s after the splash screen)

For instructions on how to setup Kiosk mode on a managed device see this link. 

3. Pair up ScreenCloud with your device

Once the ScreenCloud app has loaded, you’ll see a pairing code that looks a little like the below. Once you have this, open http://screen.cloud/ on your laptop or PC and sign up for a ScreenCloud account. 

4. Add your screen

Once you’ve signed up, you can choose ‘add screen’ from the screen below. Enter your pairing code from the previous step and that’s it! You’re now running content on your screen from your PC or laptop. 

5. Content time

Now you’re in control of what’s showing on your screen you can start adding images, videos, presentations and webpages and incorporating apps such as social media feeds, RSS and news feeds. 

Once you’ve added your content of choice, you can then organise it all using the playlist and scheduling tools. Drag and drop different forms of content into one easy-to-assemble playlist and then choose when you want it to show. 

Sound good? Awesome - sign up for a free trial at ScreenCloud today to give it a whirl!