LibRemote

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LibRemote
Gestartet:
Involvierte:	anlumo datacop Hetti
Status:	in progress
Beschreibung:	A small computer in the library for computerless presentations and media display
Shutdownprozedur:
Zuletzt aktualisiert:	2022-12-26

Libremote is a small computer running Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS that's installed in the network rack in the Metalab library. It is connected to the HDMI switch (port 5).

Use cases

• Make presentations on the projector without an HDMI connection.
• Make presentations from a tablet via network.
• Play video or music without having a computer connected.
• Use a Linux computer for a presentation while on a non-Linux device.

Warnings

This is a public device! Do not store anything needing privacy on this device. Do not enter any passwords on this device (other than its own login password of course).

Also, this device might be reset to factory defaults at any point. Do not rely on stuff staying on the device when you aren't actively using it.

Usage Instructions

The computer's IP is 10.20.31.48. To remote control the computer, connect to this address. The login is metalab/metalab. After logging in, you're going to see these items:

• Desktop Session
• Remote Shell
• Set to Extend Mode
• Set to Mirror Mode
• Shutdown

Remote Shell is simply a connection for a terminal via ssh within the web browser.

Desktop Session starts screen sharing within the web browser. There are two ways this works, which you can set with the other two items:

• Mirror Mode: The screen visible on the projector is also shown in the web browser. Remote mouse and keyboard work as expected.
• Extend Mode: A virtual screen is added to the machine, which is then shown in the browser. The mouse in the browser can only access this screen, but apps can display things on the screen shown on the projector as well. This is useful for presenter's displays and streaming displays (like the OBS interface).

Activating one of these modes applies for a new connection, an existing connection remains unaffected.

Shutdown shuts down the computer directly from this interface (executes sudo shutdown -h now in a terminal). You can also shut it down from the UI in screen sharing mode (there's a warning that another user is connected, but that's yourself so that's fine).

Note that you can also use a regular RDP client on your own device instead of the web application. The login information is the same, the IP is 10.20.31.48 and the port is 3389 (the default). This was tested on the Remote Desktop Mobile app by Microsoft on an iPad.

VNC is not supported at the moment. This is mostly due to GNOME not supporting Extend Mode with it.

Installed Applications

• OBS: Streaming application (Can be used in Extend Mode to do PiP, show only a single window or do other fancy stuff. Can also do screen recordings.)
• LibreOffice Impress (like PowerPoint)
• Terminal

Suggestions for other applications useful for this device are welcome!

Ansible Script

The Setup can be automatically deployed by an Ansible Script. The Repo can be found here: https://github.com/Metalab/Ansible-Libremote