Any computer with a modern web browser can be a CompleteVantage screen. It's the quickest way to try CompleteVantage, and handy for screens that already have a PC behind them. This article shows you how to set one up and what to expect.
Before you start:
- A computer connected to the TV, with an up-to-date Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
- Your CompleteVantage address, for example
https://signage.example.com.
Set it up
- On the computer, open your CompleteVantage address followed by
/player/, for examplehttps://signage.example.com/player/. - The page shows Link this screen and a six-character code.
- Pair it from the dashboard. See Pair a screen.
- Make the browser full screen. In most browsers press F11. On a Mac use View, then Enter Full Screen.
The browser remembers that it's paired. Next time you open the same address in the same browser, it carries on playing.
Make it behave like a sign
- Stop the computer sleeping. Turn off sleep and the screen saver in the computer's power settings.
- Open the player automatically. Set the browser to open the player address when the computer starts, or start Chrome or Edge in kiosk mode with the
--kioskoption followed by the player address. - Hide notifications and updates that could pop up over the content.
- Set the computer's timezone to where the screen is. Web pages and dashboards show times using the computer's own clock.
What's different from the Android app
| Feature | Android app | Web browser |
|---|---|---|
| Images, video, documents, layouts, playlists, schedules | Yes | Yes |
| Offline playback | Yes | Only when your CompleteVantage address uses https:// |
| Web pages that block being embedded | Yes, shown in a native view | May show blank |
| Access keys sent as HTTP headers | Yes | No. URL parameters still work |
| Video and YouTube with sound | Yes | Usually muted: browsers block sound without a click |
| Take screenshot and Live view | Yes | No |
| Restart app and Reboot device | Yes | No |
| Clear cached media | Yes | Yes |
| Turning the TV off for display hours | Yes, with display power control | Shows black instead |
| Automatic app updates | Yes | Not needed: the page updates itself |
Troubleshooting
The page shows a new code after I restarted the computer. The browser's storage was cleared, or it's a private window. Use a normal window and pair again.
A dashboard or web page is blank. Many sites refuse to be shown inside another page. Try the Android app, which shows them natively, or check with the site's owner. See Web page not showing.
The screen stays on "Can't reach the server. Retrying". The computer can't reach CompleteVantage. Check its network. Once it has played content before, it keeps showing it offline only if the address is https://.