Multi Install - Windows Player

Multiple instances of the Windows Player can be configured to run together on a single PC. This might be desirable if you have 1 PC that drives multiple screens which are not in an extended desktop configuration.

Please note: Before choosing this route you should consider whether or not you want to show content spanning both screens - if you do, you must use the extended desktop route (and not run multiple instances). Please refer to our guide on Creating a Video Wall with Xibo for Windows on how to accomplish this.

Installing the Players

You will need to install 1 copy of the Player normally following the Installation instructions.

• Installing another Player using an Installer Package

Starting with Xibo for Windows v2 R201, we have provided a “Screen Two” and “Screen Three” installation package on the releases page. We do not recommend running more than 3 instances of the player on one PC, but if you wish to do so you should follow the “Installing another player using an installer package manually” instructions for screen 4 onward.

Follow the instructions for installing 1 player, but using the XiboScreenTwo_v... or XiboScreenThree_v... msi downloaded from the releases page.

Before starting the Player, create a Display Profile in the CMS, see Positioning the Player section below.

• Installing another Player Manually

If you choose to manually create multiple instances of the Player application, then some leg-work is required in order to get the files in the correct place.

Please follow the steps below:

• Navigate to the Player installation folder.
• Copy the entire folder and rename to something unique (for example a 2 at the end).
• Navigate inside the new folder, rename XiboClient.exe to XiboClient2.exe.
• Create a start-up shortcut to the new XiboClient2.exe file and right click. In the ‘Target’ field enter o after the " on the default path. (Providing the letter o in the startup arguments indicates that the options form should be opened instead of the main application).
• Double click the shortcut and configure the second Player as normal making sure that you choose a different library folder.
• Navigate inside the Watchdog subfolder, edit the app.config file, set the ClientLibrary to be the library folder you’ve configured above and set the ProcessPath to be the path to the renamed XiboClient2.exe.
• Before starting the Player, create a display profile in the CMS to position the second Player - see below.
• Double click the EXE and the Player should start.

Configuring each player

Your second player will have special configuration considerations to ensure it runs smoothly.

Positioning the Player

A Player by default will position itself on the Primary monitor in a full-screen configuration. You will want to change this behaviour for the second Player so that it does not appear underneath the first. This is done using a Display Settings Profile from the CMS.

• Open a CMS connection and log in

• Navigate to the Display Settings page, located under the Displays section of the main CMS menu and create a new Windows Profile called “Second Screen” or similar.

• In the new profile configure the Location tab so that your left, top, width and height represent the second screen in your PC configuration. For example, if you have two 1920x1080 panels the second one would be at left=1920, top=0, width=1920, height=1080. You would enter different coordinates if the monitors are not ‘side by side’ or have different resolutions. You should, therefore, adjust the coordinates according to your setup.

Please note: 0 width / 0 height means top left will be ignored and will be shown full screen. By specifying a width or height here will prevent entering full screen mode.

Embedded Web server

The Player uses an embedded Web Server to show some content and it will be necessary to adjust the port that this web server listens on so that it does not conflict with the other Player.

• Use the Display Settings Profile created when you positioned the Player and set the Embedded Web Server address, incrementing the port number on the one that is already there.

Hardware Key

You should make sure that the hardware key generated is different for each player installed on the same PC.

• You can do this in player options.