Mini PC Setup

A mini PC is one of the most cost-effective and space-efficient ways to run HipDeck digital signage. This guide walks you through everything you need — from choosing the right hardware to configuring your system for reliable, unattended operation.

Recommended Mini PC Specifications

Not all mini PCs are created equal. To ensure smooth, stable playback with HipDeck, look for a device that meets or exceeds the following requirements:

• Operating System: Windows 10, Windows 11, or a modern Linux distribution (Ubuntu 20.04+ recommended)
• RAM: 4 GB minimum; 8 GB recommended for multi-screen or content-heavy deployments
• Storage: 32 GB or more (SSD preferred for faster boot times)
• Internet Connection: Stable wired (Ethernet) or reliable Wi-Fi connection — a wired connection is strongly preferred for unattended signage
• Display Output: HDMI or DisplayPort output(s) matching the number of screens you intend to drive
• Browser Support: Must be capable of running Google Chrome (latest version) or another Chromium-based browser

Popular mini PC options that work well with HipDeck include the Intel NUC series, Beelink Mini S, and ASUS PN series. Any device meeting the above specs should perform reliably.

Opening HipDeck in a Supported Browser

HipDeck runs entirely in the browser — no software installation required. Once your mini PC is connected to the internet and a display, follow these steps:

1. Install Google Chrome if it is not already present. Chrome is the recommended browser for the best compatibility and performance.
2. Open Chrome and navigate to your HipDeck screen URL (provided in your HipDeck dashboard).
3. Confirm that your content loads correctly and that the screen is displaying as expected.

Other Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge or Brave are also compatible. Firefox and Safari are not recommended and may produce inconsistent results.

Enabling Full-Screen and Kiosk Mode

For a clean, professional signage display, you will want to hide the browser's address bar and UI controls. There are two approaches depending on your needs.

Simple Full-Screen Mode

Press F11 in Chrome to toggle full-screen mode. This hides the browser chrome and fills the entire display with your HipDeck content. This is the quickest option for getting started.

Kiosk Mode (Recommended for Unattended Displays)

Kiosk mode launches Chrome in a fully locked-down state — no address bar, no tabs, no system UI. It is the preferred method for permanent signage installations. To launch Chrome in kiosk mode, use the following command-line flag:

• Windows: chrome.exe --kiosk "https://your-hipdeck-url.com"
• Linux: google-chrome --kiosk "https://your-hipdeck-url.com"

You can also add the --noerrdialogs and --disable-infobars flags to suppress any browser notifications or error dialogs that might interrupt your display.

Configuring Windows Power Settings

By default, Windows will put the display and the PC to sleep after a period of inactivity. For a signage player, this is undesirable. Follow these steps to prevent sleep and keep your display on at all times.

1. Open the Start menu and search for Power & sleep settings.
2. Under Screen, set "Turn off after" to Never.
3. Under Sleep, set "PC goes to sleep after" to Never.
4. For additional control, open Control Panel > Power Options > Change plan settings and set all options to Never.
5. Also disable hibernation by opening Command Prompt as Administrator and running: powercfg /h off

On Linux, use your desktop environment's power management settings or install a tool such as xset to disable screen blanking: xset s off && xset -dpms.

Auto-Starting the Browser on Boot

To ensure HipDeck starts automatically whenever the mini PC is powered on or rebooted, configure the browser to launch at startup.

Windows: Using the Startup Folder

1. Press Win + R and type shell:startup, then press Enter to open the Startup folder.
2. Create a new shortcut to Chrome with the kiosk flags and your HipDeck URL as the target.
3. Place the shortcut in the Startup folder. Windows will launch it automatically on every login.

For even more reliability, configure Windows to auto-login by setting a user account with automatic sign-in via netplwiz. This ensures the browser launches even after an unexpected power cycle.

Linux: Using a Systemd Service or Autostart Entry

On Linux with a desktop environment, create an autostart entry in ~/.config/autostart/ with a .desktop file pointing to your Chrome kiosk command. For headless or server-based Linux setups, a systemd service targeting the display session is recommended.

Managing Multiple Screens from One Mini PC

Many mini PCs support two or more display outputs, making it possible to drive multiple screens from a single device. Here is how to manage this effectively with HipDeck.

Hardware Considerations

• Verify that your mini PC has multiple video outputs (e.g., HDMI + DisplayPort) before purchasing.
• USB-C to HDMI adapters or DisplayLink docks can add extra outputs if your device only has one native port.
• Ensure your GPU (integrated or discrete) supports the number of simultaneous displays you need.

Software Setup for Multiple Screens

• Open a separate Chrome window for each screen and navigate each to its own HipDeck screen URL. Use --kiosk mode for each window.
• Use Windows display settings (or your Linux display manager) to set each monitor as an extended display, not a mirrored one, so each screen can show independent content.
• Position and size each Chrome window to fill its respective monitor before saving your startup configuration.
• For automated multi-window startup on Windows, create a batch script (.bat) that launches each Chrome instance with its own URL and place it in the Startup folder.

Keep in mind that running two or more browser windows simultaneously will increase RAM and CPU usage. Ensure your mini PC has sufficient resources — 8 GB of RAM is recommended for dual-screen setups.

General Tips for Reliable Operation

• Use a wired Ethernet connection wherever possible to avoid Wi-Fi dropouts that could interrupt content delivery.
• Keep Chrome and the operating system updated to ensure security patches and browser compatibility are maintained.
• Disable automatic Windows Update restarts during business hours using Active Hours settings to prevent unexpected reboots.
• Consider using a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) to protect against power outages and ensure a clean shutdown.
• Label each mini PC and its associated screen(s) to simplify troubleshooting in multi-location deployments.