This article provides an overview of the current functionality the NowSignage offers for Android RDM and how to set this up on an Android device.
App Version Compatibility
NowSignage app version 5.0.23 (and above). NowSignage RDM App Version 1.0.0 (and above).Android Hardware Compatibility
The Watchdog feature is compatible across all Android devices.
Hardware Reboots & App Updates are compatible on 'Rooted'* Android devices only.
*To check if your device is 'rooted', we advise on contacting the manufacturer for confirmation. There are also various 3rd party applications such as 'Root Checker', which should allow you to verify if your device is rooted.
Verified/Tested Devices:
NowSignage has verified that all of the RDM features work on the following Android devices:
- Giada DN73 (Android 7.1 & Android 10)
- Giada DN76 (Android 11)
- AllSee SoC displays (Android 7.1)
- AllSee 4K Media Player (Android 10)
List of current RDM features:
1. Watchdog - This feature will monitor if the NowSignage application is running and if it is not running, it will autoboot after 30 seconds. This should reboot the application if it's manually exited or if it has crashed.
2. Hardware Reboots - This allows users to send a remote command from the NowSignage CMS to a rooted device running the NowSignage application which will fully power cycle the hardware.
3. App Updates - This allows users to send a remote command from the NowSignage CMS to a rooted device running the NowSignage app to update the NowSignage app to the latest available version.
How to install the RDM app on an Android device:
1. Download the latest NowSignage app from: https://cdn.nowsignage.com/android/latest.apk
2. Download the latest NowSignage RDM app from: https://cdn.nowsignage.com/android-rdm/1.0.0.apk
3. Transfer both files to the root of a USB drive.
4. Insert the USB drive to the USB port of the Android device. Also insert a USB mouse to the device (to allow you to install the applications).
5. On the Android device, using the USB mouse, click into the main android menu then settings and make sure that the device has the correct date/time settings applied and that it is connected to the network.
6. Now, go back into the main android menu, then click into 'File Explorer' or 'Explorer' to view the contents of the USB (methods may differ depending on the Android device).
7. Find the NowSignage APK and click Install > Open (If using Android 10+, this will prompt you to allow the 'display over other apps' permission, you must do this on these devices to allow the app to autoboot).
8. Once installed, back out of the NowSignage app (by right clicking on the mouse) and go back into the USB file contents and install the NowSignage RDM app by clicking on this then Install > Open (If using Android 10+, this will prompt you to allow the 'display over other apps' permission, you must do this on these devices to allow the app to autoboot).
9. If you have allowed the display over other apps permission, please exit the RDM app and click back into this (within the android apps menu). Once loaded, this should automatically boot up the main NowSignage application.
10. Once the NowSignage app is loaded, simply enter in your NowSignage PIN (located in your NowSignage CMS account) and click 'Activate Screen'. You will now see the screen as 'online' in your account and can start sending the RDM commands.
Video guide showing the install process (on Android 10):
How to send RDM commands from the NowSignage CMS:
1. Log into your NowSignage account, access your NowSignage project, click into 'Apps' on the left sidebar and then click into the 'Remote Device Management' app:
2. Within the RDM app, find the screen(s) you wish to send the RDM commands to (you can search for screens by name/location in this area or filter by status). Then click the '...' options button next to the screen to see the list of RDM commands you can send to the device:
Please note - Only the Reboot and App Update commands are currently compatible on Android.
3. Optional - You can also multi-select the screens by clicking into the boxes on the left next to the screens name and then you can click 'bulk actions' to send commands to multiple screens at once:
4. Within the RDM commands dropdown list, click on the command you wish to send then you will see a confirmation message containing the list of screens you are sending the command to. You can confirm this by clicking the command name. For example for the reboot command, you can confirm this by clicking the 'reboot' button to send the command:
5. Once the command is sent, you can view an audit trial of the RDM commands by clicking into the 'logs' area, this will show you a full list of all the commands sent and the status of the commands. The command will start as 'pending' and once it's been received/actioned, if you refresh the page, this should change the status to 'acknowledged':
FAQs/Troubleshooting:
Q1. Why is the NowSignage app or RDM app not autobooting upon a hardware reboot?
Answer: If you are using an android device which is running Android 10 or above, you must allow the 'display over other apps' permission for both applications in order for this to function correctly. Please see the guidance below:
For devices running Android 10 and above, after installing the app, please go into the settings and enable the following permission to allow NowSignage to 'display over other apps' (this is often under 'Advanced' settings:
This will allow the app to autoboot upon a full restart of the Android device.
Please note: NowSignage will auto-boot by default on all devices running Android 5.1 - Android 9.0, so this is only applicable for devices running Android 10 and above.
Q2. Why is the 'app update' command not working on my device?
Answer: Firstly, please ensure that the 'NowSignage RDM' app is running on the same device as the standard NowSignage App (v5.0.23 or above).. If it is running, then there are few reasons why this functionality may not be working:
1. The NowSignage app is already up-to-date, if the app is already on the latest version, it will not send the upgrade command.
2. The Android device you are using is not rooted, therefore does not support the upgrade command. If the device has not been verified by NowSignage, then we advise on fully testing this on your device prior to any deployments which may require this functionality.
3. The device is not 'online' - If the device has lost network connectively, then the remote commands cannot be sent to the device.
4. The NowSignage app is not running - If the NowSignage app is not running on the device, the remote cannot cannot be sent to the device.
Q3. Why is the 'Reboot' command not working on my device?
Answer: Firstly, please ensure that the 'NowSignage RDM' app is running on the same device as the standard NowSignage App (v5.0.23 or above). If it is running, then there are few reasons why this functionality may not be working:
1. The Android device you are using is not rooted, therefore does not support the upgrade command. If the device has not been verified by NowSignage, then we advise on fully testing this on your device prior to any deployments which may require this functionality.
2. The device is not 'online' - If the device has lost network connectively, then the remote commands cannot be sent to the device.
3. The NowSignage app is not running - If the NowSignage app is not running on the device, the remote cannot cannot be sent to the device.
Q4. How do I stop the NowSignage app from reopening when exited?
Answer: When the 'NowSignage RDM' app is open, this will automatically reopen the NowSignage app if this is exited (after 30 seconds). If you wish to stop this process temporarily, please follow the steps below or see the video guide:
1. Either with the remote (if supplied with the device) or a USB mouse, back out of the NowSignage app to get back to the Android homepage.
2. When on the Android homepage into the main android menu and click into 'Settings'.
3. Click into 'Apps', find the NowSignage RDM app and click into this, then press 'Force Stop'.
4. This will stop the NowSignage RDM app and prevent the NowSignage app from autobooting.
5. You can now access the Android device without the app autobooting in order to alter any android settings that you may need to change.
6. Once you are finished on the Android device, please re-open the NowSignage RDM app to automatically re-enable the autoboot feature and this will launch the main NowSignage app.