-->
The following table includes the list of supported RDP file settings that you can use with the Remote Desktop clients. When configuring settings, check Client comparisons to see which redirections each client supports.
Chrome Remote Desktop clients include a website (and mobile apps for Android and iOS. All three use the same service API so blocking it will prevent all Chrome Remote Desktop functionality on your network. Jun 14, 2019 If you want to run Chrome in full screen on launch, and set it up so that it always opens a certain website at launch, you can do so with the use of a switch and a little change in the browser’s settings. Chrome in full screen. In order to launch Chrome in full screen, you will have to run it from a desktop shortcut. When a connection starts by using the /v parameter, the display setting that is saved in the Default.rdp file is used. To resolve this issue, change the display setting in Remote Desktop Connection to full-screen. To do this, follow these steps: Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Remote Desktop. Google provides a full Windows installation package for Chrome which can be deployed in an organization, and over 100 policies and preferences to go with it. You can uncheck 'Set Google Chrome.
The table also highlights which settings are supported as custom properties with Windows Virtual Desktop. You can refer to this documentation detailing how to use PowerShell to customize RDP properties for Windows Virtual Desktop host pools.
Connection information
RDP setting | Description | Values | Default value | Windows Virtual Desktop support |
---|---|---|---|---|
full address:s:value | PC Name: This setting specifies the name or IP address of the remote computer that you want to connect to. This is the only required setting in an RDP file. | A valid name, IPv4 address, or IPv6 address. | No | |
alternate full address:s:value | Specifies an alternate name or IP address of the remote computer. | A valid name, IPv4 address, or IPv6 address. | No | |
username:s:value | Specifies the name of the user account that will be used to sign in to the remote computer. | Any valid username. | No | |
domain:s:value | Specifies the name of the domain in which the user account that will be used to sign in to the remote computer is located. | A valid domain name, such as 'CONTOSO'. | No | |
gatewayhostname:s:value | Specifies the RD Gateway host name. | A valid name, IPv4 address, or IPv6 address. | No | |
gatewaycredentialssource:i:value | Specifies the RD Gateway authentication method. | - 0: Ask for password (NTLM) - 1: Use smart card - 2: Use the credentials for the currently logged on user. - 3: Prompt the user for their credentials and use basic authentication - 4: Allow user to select later - 5: Use cookie-based authentication | 0 | No |
gatewayprofileusagemethod:i:value | Specifies whether to use default RD Gateway settings. | - 0: Use the default profile mode, as specified by the administrator - 1: Use explicit settings, as specified by the user | 0 | No |
gatewayusagemethod:i:value | Specifies when to use an RD Gateway for the connection. | - 0: Don't use an RD Gateway - 1: Always use an RD Gateway - 2: Use an RD Gateway if a direct connection cannot be made to the RD Session Host - 3: Use the default RD Gateway settings - 4: Don't use an RD Gateway, bypass gateway for local addresses Setting this property value to 0 or 4 are effectively equivalent, but setting this property to 4 enables the option to bypass local addresses. | 0 | No |
promptcredentialonce:i:value | Determines whether a user's credentials are saved and used for both the RD Gateway and the remote computer. | - 0: Remote session will not use the same credentials - 1: Remote session will use the same credentials | 1 | No |
authentication level:i:value | Defines the server authentication level settings. | - 0: If server authentication fails, connect to the computer without warning (Connect and don't warn me) - 1: If server authentication fails, don't establish a connection (Don't connect) - 2: If server authentication fails, show a warning and allow me to connect or refuse the connection (Warn me) - 3: No authentication requirement specified. | 3 | No |
enablecredsspsupport:i:value | Determines whether the client will use the Credential Security Support Provider (CredSSP) for authentication if it is available. | - 0: RDP will not use CredSSP, even if the operating system supports CredSSP - 1: RDP will use CredSSP if the operating system supports CredSSP | 1 | Yes |
disableconnectionsharing:i:value | Determines whether the client reconnects to any existing disconnected session or initiate a new connection when a new connection is launched. | - 0: Reconnect to any existing session - 1: Initiate new connection | 0 | Yes |
alternate shell:s:value | Specifies a program to be started automatically in the remote session as the shell instead of explorer. | Valid path to an executable file, such as 'C:ProgramFilesOfficeword.exe' | Yes |
Session behavior
RDP setting | Description | Values | Default value | Windows Virtual Desktop support |
---|---|---|---|---|
autoreconnection enabled:i:value | Determines whether the client will automatically try to reconnect to the remote computer if the connection is dropped, such as when there's a network connectivity interruption. | - 0: Client does not automatically try to reconnect - 1: Client automatically tries to reconnect | 1 | Yes |
bandwidthautodetect:i:value | Determines whether or not to use automatic network bandwidth detection. Requires bandwidthautodetect to be set to 1. | - 0: Disable automatic network type detection - 1: Enable automatic network type detection | 1 | Yes |
networkautodetect:i:value | Determines whether automatic network type detection is enabled | - 0: Don't use automatic network bandwidth detection - 1: Use automatic network bandwidth detection | 1 | Yes |
compression:i:value | Determines whether bulk compression is enabled when it is transmitted by RDP to the local computer. | - 0: Disable RDP bulk compression - 1: Enable RDP bulk compression | 1 | Yes |
videoplaybackmode:i:value | Determines if the connection will use RDP-efficient multimedia streaming for video playback. | - 0: Don't use RDP efficient multimedia streaming for video playback - 1: Use RDP-efficient multimedia streaming for video playback when possible | 1 | Yes |
Device redirection
RDP setting | Description | Values | Default value | Windows Virtual Desktop support |
---|---|---|---|---|
audiocapturemode:i:value | Microphone redirection: Indicates whether audio input redirection is enabled. | - 0: Disable audio capture from the local device - 1: Enable audio capture from the local device and redirection to an audio application in the remote session | 0 | Yes |
encode redirected video capture:i:value | Enables or disables encoding of redirected video. | - 0: Disable encoding of redirected video - 1: Enable encoding of redirected video | 1 | Yes |
redirected video capture encoding quality:i:value | Controls the quality of encoded video. | - 0: High compression video. Quality may suffer when there is a lot of motion. - 1: Medium compression. - 2: Low compression video with high picture quality. | 0 | Yes |
audiomode:i:value | Audio output location: Determines whether the local or remote machine plays audio. | - 0: Play sounds on the local computer (Play on this computer) - 1: Play sounds on the remote computer (Play on remote computer) - 2: Do not play sounds (Do not play) | 0 | Yes |
camerastoredirect:s:value | Camera redirection: Configures which cameras to redirect. This setting uses a semicolon-delimited list of KSCATEGORY_VIDEO_CAMERA interfaces of cameras enabled for redirection. | - * : Redirect all cameras - List of cameras, such as camerastoredirect:s:?usb#vid_0bda&pid_58b0&mi - One can exclude a specific camera by prepending the symbolic link string with '-' | Don't redirect any cameras | Yes |
devicestoredirect:s:value | Plug and play device redirection: Determines which devices on the local computer will be redirected and available in the remote session. | - *: Redirect all supported devices, including ones that are connected later - Valid hardware ID for one or more devices - DynamicDevices: Redirect all supported devices that are connected later | Don't redirect any devices | Yes |
drivestoredirect:s:value | Drive/storage redirection: Determines which disk drives on the local computer will be redirected and available in the remote session. | - No value specified: don't redirect any drives - * : Redirect all disk drives, including drives that are connected later - DynamicDrives: redirect any drives that are connected later - The drive and labels for one or more drives, such as 'drivestoredirect:s:C:;E:;': redirect the specified drive(s) | Don't redirect any drives | Yes |
keyboardhook:i:value | Determines when Windows key combinations (WIN key, ALT+TAB) are applied to the remote session for desktop connections. | - 0: Windows key combinations are applied on the local computer - 1: Windows key combinations are applied on the remote computer when in focus - 2: Windows key combinations are applied on the remote computer in full screen mode only | 2 | Yes |
redirectclipboard:i:value | Clipboard redirection: Determines whether clipboard redirection is enabled. | - 0: Clipboard on local computer isn't available in remote session - 1: Clipboard on local computer is available in remote session | 1 | Yes |
redirectcomports:i:value | COM ports redirection: Determines whether COM (serial) ports on the local computer will be redirected and available in the remote session. | - 0: COM ports on the local computer are not available in the remote session - 1: COM ports on the local computer are available in the remote session | 0 | Yes |
redirectprinters:i:value | Printer redirection: Determines whether printers configured on the local computer will be redirected and available in the remote session | - 0: The printers on the local computer are not available in the remote session - 1: The printers on the local computer are available in the remote session | 1 | Yes |
redirectsmartcards:i:value | Smart card redirection: Determines whether smart card devices on the local computer will be redirected and available in the remote session. | - 0: The smart card device on the local computer is not available in the remote session - 1: The smart card device on the local computer is available in the remote session | 1 | Yes |
usbdevicestoredirect:s:value | USB redirection | - *: Redirect all USB devices that are not already redirected by another high-level redirection - {Device Setup Class GUID}: Redirect all devices that are members of the specified device setup class - USBInstanceID: Redirect a specific USB device identified by the instance ID | Don't redirect any USB devices | Yes |
Display settings
RDP setting | Description | Values | Default value | Windows Virtual Desktop support |
---|---|---|---|---|
use multimon:i:value | Determines whether the remote session will use one or multiple displays from the local computer. | - 0: Don't enable multiple display support - 1: Enable multiple display support | 1 | Yes |
selectedmonitors:s:value | Specifies which local displays to use from the remote session. The selected displays must be contiguous. Requires use multimon to be set to 1. Only available on the Windows Inbox (MSTSC) and Windows Desktop (MSRDC) clients. | Comma separated list of machine-specific display IDs. IDs can be retrieved by calling mstsc.exe /l. The first ID listed will be set as the primary display in the session. | All displays | Yes |
maximizetocurrentdisplays:i:value | Determines which display the remote session goes full screen on when maximizing. Requires use multimon to be set to 1. Only available on the Windows Desktop (MSRDC) client. | - 0: Session goes full screen on the displays initially selected when maximizing - 1: Session dynamically goes full screen on the displays touched by the session window when maximizing | 0 | Yes |
singlemoninwindowedmode:i:value | Determines whether a multi display remote session automatically switches to single display when exiting full screen. Requires use multimon to be set to 1. Only available on the Windows Desktop (MSRDC) client. | - 0: Session retains all displays when exiting full screen - 1: Session switches to single display when exiting full screen | 0 | Yes |
screen mode id:i:value | Determines whether the remote session window appears full screen when you launch the connection. | - 1: The remote session will appear in a window - 2: The remote session will appear full screen | 2 | Yes |
smart sizing:i:value | Determines whether or not the local computer scales the content of the remote session to fit the window size. | - 0: The local window content won't scale when resized - 1: The local window content will scale when resized | 0 | Yes |
dynamic resolution:i:value | Determines whether the resolution of the remote session is automatically updated when the local window is resized. | - 0: Session resolution remains static for the duration of the session - 1: Session resolution updates as the local window resizes | 1 | Yes |
desktop size id:i:value | Specifies the dimensions of the remote session desktop from a set of pre-defined options. This setting is overridden if desktopheight and desktopwidth are specified. | -0: 640×480 - 1: 800×600 - 2: 1024×768 - 3: 1280×1024 - 4: 1600×1200 | 1 | Yes |
desktopheight:i:value | Specifies the resolution height (in pixels) of the remote session. | Numerical value between 200 and 8192 | Match the local computer | Yes |
desktopwidth:i:value | Specifies the resolution width (in pixels) of the remote session. | Numerical value between 200 and 8192 | Match the local computer | Yes |
desktopscalefactor:i:value | Specifies the scale factor of the remote session to make the content appear larger. | Numerical value from the following list: 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 400, 500 | 100 | Yes |
Google Cloud Storage
RemoteApp
RDP setting | Description | Values | Default value | Windows Virtual Desktop support |
---|---|---|---|---|
remoteapplicationcmdline:s:value | Optional command-line parameters for the RemoteApp. | Valid command-line parameters. | No | |
remoteapplicationexpandcmdline:i:value | Determines whether environment variables contained in the RemoteApp command-line parameter should be expanded locally or remotely. | - 0: Environment variables should be expanded to the values of the local computer - 1: Environment variables should be expanded to the values of the remote computer | 1 | No |
remoteapplicationexpandworkingdir:i:value | Determines whether environment variables contained in the RemoteApp working directory parameter should be expanded locally or remotely. | - 0: Environment variables should be expanded to the values of the local computer - 1: Environment variables should be expanded to the values of the remote computer. The RemoteApp working directory is specified through the shell working directory parameter. | 1 | No |
remoteapplicationfile:s:value | Specifies a file to be opened on the remote computer by the RemoteApp. For local files to be opened, you must also enable drive redirection for the source drive. | Valid file path. | No | |
remoteapplicationicon:s:value | Specifies the icon file to be displayed in the client UI while launching a RemoteApp. If no file name is specified, the client will use the standard Remote Desktop icon. Only '.ico' files are supported. | Valid file path. | No | |
remoteapplicationmode:i:value | Determines whether a connection is launched as a RemoteApp session. | - 0: Don't launch a RemoteApp session - 1: Launch a RemoteApp session | 1 | No |
remoteapplicationname:s:value | Specifies the name of the RemoteApp in the client interface while starting the RemoteApp. | App display name. For example, 'Excel 2016.' | No | |
remoteapplicationprogram:s:value | Specifies the alias or executable name of the RemoteApp. | Valid alias or name. For example, 'EXCEL.' | No |
We’ve previously spoken highly of the Asus Chromebit as a good “plug and play” solution however due to more recent developments we wanted to highlight that we do not recommend purchasing the Asus Chromebit as a digital signage device. Although this is a great device when used standalone, it's almost at the end of its life which means that Google will no longer create updates for the device's firmware. This means the device will be no longer compatible with Chrome's remote device management, a key part of using Chrome devices for digital signage management. There are plenty of devices out there which are similar in price to the Asus Chromebit and will accomplish the same task if not perform even better such as the Amazon Fire TV 4K stick, the Azulle Access 3 stick and are other entry level devices such as the Geniatech APC395X and Ugoos AM6, which we do recommend for digital signage. If you would like to remain using a Chrome OS operating system we recommend purchasing a Chromebox Mini PC instead.
Despite the downsides mentioned above, we would like to explain how to get your Chromebit up and running for those who had already purchased the device and could still use it to display ScreenCloud.
Asus Chromebit and digital signage
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 75 grams) that plugs into the HDMI port and gives you access to all that Chrome OS has to offer, including a fast and smooth experience, automatic and regular OS updates and support for Chrome OS apps.
When using a Chromebit for digital signage, we recommend running the ScreenCloud app in kiosk mode. Kiosk mode allows you to run a single app and lock it down so no one can interfere with it. Also, if there's a power failure or the app crashes for some reason, the device will auto launch the app again. It's perfect for digital signage and very useful if you're using the screen in a public area.
In order to use the ScreenCloud app in kiosk mode you will need to get access to Google’s Chrome Enterprise tools, which requires paying an annual fee per device for a Chrome license. Having access to Google’s Chrome Enterprise tools comes with a lot of benefits though. Besides being able to use the ScreenCloud app in kiosk mode you’ll also get features like device monitoring and reporting, remote updates, remote device rebooting, device offline notifications and more.
To summarize, the Asus Chromebit can be used for setting up digital signage when paired with Google's Chrome Device Management tools, but we do not recommend purchasing this device as it will no longer receive updates. If you already have this device then you could continue to use it for time being to set up and manage your digital signage, but we'd recommend considering changing devices before November 2020 when the device is discontinued.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the other pros and cons of using an Asus Chromebit for digital signage:
Benefits of using the Asus Chromebit with ScreenCloud
Plug and play
Getting set up with Chrome Enterprise and Chrome licenses with the correct settings takes a bit of work, but once it’s done, the Chromebit actually becomes really simple to set up. Simply plug your new Chromebit into a screen’s HDMI port and enroll the device by logging in and the ScreenCloud app will download and load in kiosk mode automatically so you can begin showing content within minutes.
Uninterrupted content
Having had the Chromebit running for weeks on end in our studio, we can vouch for its ability to keep content running uninterrupted. It has good heat dissipation even when running video content so you can set your screens up, then leave them to it! Basically, just what you want from a digital signage solution.
Disadvantages of the Asus Chromebit for digital signage
Almost end of life
As we mentioned previously, the Chromebit is almost at its end of life. This means that Google will stop providing Chrome OS updates for Chrome devices as of November 2020. This is an issue as other apps and features will continue to update, whereas the Chromebit will be stuck on an older firmware and this can cause compatibility issues. While we try to support as many devices as possible at ScreenCloud, this is why we will eventually remove support for this device as well will be unable to create a Player that works effectively with the outdated firmware.
Google Drive
For more information, check out Google's article explaining this here.
One USB port
The Chromebit has only one USB port, so in order to get set up, format screens and download your digital signage apps, you’ll need to work out a way to connect a keyboard and mouse. The easiest is probably through a bluetooth enabled keyboard and mouse, but if you don’t have these you can use USB extenders and regular versions. If you’re looking for more of an understanding in how the Chromebit works, we recommend this technical deep-dive into the Chromebit from Sixteen Nine.
Expense
At $85 a device it’s not the cheapest option on the market compared to the Amazon Fire TV Stick or even the Google Chromecast, but it does have longevity and is one of the most robust player options we’ve come across.
Setting up your Chromebit for digital signage with ScreenCloud
Here we talk you through getting your Chromebit set up for running digital signage with ScreenCloud.
1. Plug in your Chromebit and connect to WiFi
When you plug in your new Chromebit one of the first few steps will be to choose and connect to a WiFi network of your choice. Once you’ve done this your WiFi details will be saved so that you’re always connected to the internet.
2. Enroll your device
After following the on-screen instructions like adding your WiFi details you will see a sign-in screen. Hold on - don't sign in yet.
Instead, press Ctrl+Alt+E to go to the enrollment screen and login with an account that is connected to a Chrome license that you will use to enroll your Chromebit in Chrome Enterprise.
Note that you will have to do quite a few steps in order to purchase Chrome licenses and set up Google’s Chrome Enterprise tools. To help you with these steps, our team has created a step-by-step guide which walks you through how to Set up ScreenCloud in Kiosk Mode on a Chrome Device With a Chrome License.
If everything was set up correctly, when you login with your account and enroll your Chromebit the ScreenCloud app will download and load in kiosk mode automatically.
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 ScreenCloud on your laptop or PC and sign up for a ScreenCloud account.
4. Add your screen
Once you’ve signed up, you can choose 'New Screen' from the panel 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.
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 organize it all using the Channel or playlist of your choice and set up advanced scheduling.
In conclusion, the Asus Chromebit is a powerful little signage stick that has always been easy to use alongside ScreenCloud. However, now that the device is reaching the end of its life there's probably a better device out there (at the same cost!) that'll help you to manage your digital signage screens way into the future.
To get started with your digital signage, set up a free trial at screencloud.com/freetrial.