Thinking about using a Google Chromebit to power your digital signage experience? Here’s everything you need to know…
Media Players
Jun 2016
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.
We’ve previously spoken about the Google Chromecast and how easy it is to set up, yet how limited some of its features can be (and at around $40 you certainly don’t want to be wasting your money). A good alternative is the Amazon Fire TV Stick which as we’ve mentioned previously, is around $5 more but supports the use of apps which allow you to run anything from social media to digital signage, RSS and news feeds. But what if you’re looking to use or purchase a Google Chromebit to power up your digital signage displays? If you aren’t one for technical setups, then the Chromebit could be your best option as a ‘plug and play’ solution.
Here, we discuss the pros and cons and how to get your digital signage up and running using your screen, a Chromebit and ScreenCloud’s powerful range of apps.
If your screen has an HDMI port (and let’s face it, most of them do) then you can use the Google Chromebit. The Chromebit starts at around $85 and is effectively a mini computer that allows you to run Chrome OS on a screen or anything else you plug it into.
It’s a small device (weighing 75grams) that plugs into the HDMI port and gives you access to the Chrome Web Store where you can download apps such as ScreenCloud.
The Chromebit is great for setting up digital signage as it truly is a ‘plug and play’ solution. This makes it incredibly easy for you to set up a digital signage project without any IT or technical support required.
Here are some of the other pros and cons of using a Google Chromebit for digital signage:
Here we talk you through getting your Chromebit set up for running digital signage with ScreenCloud.
Once you’ve connected to Wi-Fi on-screen, you have two options for installing ScreenCloud onto your Chromebit:
Go to Step 2.a to download ScreenCloud in kiosk mode (recommended for Chromebits being used solely for digital signage)
Go to Step 2.b to download ScreenCloud as a Chrome browser extensions (recommended for testing ScreenCloud on your Chromebit before turning on 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.
For instructions on how to setup Kiosk mode on a managed device see this link.
Open up the Chrome Browser on your Chromebit and download the ScreenCloud extension from the Chrome Web Store.
Once the ScreenCloud app has loaded, you’ll see a pairing code that looks a little like the below. Once you have this, open https://signage.screen.cloud/ on your laptop or PC and sign up for a ScreenCloud account.
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. At this point you can head home to manage your content, check in to a bar or basically go anywhere in the world with your laptop and you’ll still be able to manage what’s shown on screen.
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.
In conclusion, the Chromebit is a powerful little signage stick that easily allows you to manage digital signage content (when paired with an app such as ScreenCloud of course).
Bonus point: this is exactly the same for all Chrome devices - so Chromebit, Chromebox and Chromebook all work in the same way so it’s easy to get setup across multiple screens and devices.
Sound good? Awesome - sign up for a free trial at ScreenCloud Signage today to give it a whirl!