WebOS/en
Description
webOS is an open operating system, since 2013 it has been actively supported and developed by LG Electronics. LG devices (professional panels, Hotel TVs) with a built-in player (System on Chip) run on the webOS operating system.
There are three main categories of LG devices in the Digital Signage market:
- Professional panels are devices running on webOS with the additional configuration for third-party Signage developers.
- Hospitality TVs are webOS-powered devices with additional customization for third-party developers Hospitality Common Application Platform.
- Commercial panels are devices running on webOS without the ability to install software from third-party developers.
Comparison table
| Category | Opportunities (0-none, 3-most) | Supported by SmartPlayer | Recommended solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| Hotel | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Commercial | 0 | No | No |
Supported devices (professional panels)
- WebOS 2.0: SM5B, SM3B, and others
- WebOS 3.0: SM3C, SM5C, SM5KC, UH5C, 65EE5PC, 55EF5C, 55EV5C, 55EH5C, 55EJ5C, 65EV5C, LS73C, LS75C, LS73D, 55XE3C, 75XF3C, 75XS2C
- WebOS 3.2: SM5D, SM5KD, 86TR3D, 55EG5CD, 55EJ5D, WP320
- WebOS 4.0: SM5KE, SH7E
- WebOS 4.1: UM3F, UM3DF, UH5F, UH7F, UL3G. From the version of client application SmartPlayer v1.22.0 and higher
- WebOS 6.0: SM5J, UL3J, UH7J
Supported devices (Hotel TVs)
Hospitality TVs have a wide variety of models, SmartPlayer works with webOS 2.0 and higher. Currently (for 2020), current webOS 4.5 and higher, an example can be the following models: UT661H0ZA / ZB / ZC, UT661H0GA
Initial setup
Follow the link for additional instructions depending on selected solution.
| Logo | Category | Setting instructions |
|---|---|---|
 |
Professional | WebOS Signage |
 |
Hotel | WebOS ProCentric |
Content Playback in Sync Mode
Requirements for Proper Sync Mode Operation
For proper sync mode operation, users must meet these requirements:
- Panels must be connected via RJ45 and be on the same network
- Create a device group and add devices requiring content synchronization
- Configure the group: Settings → WebOS platform → Sync Content → Yes → Save Changes
Content Specifications
- Playlist duration must be identical for 2 different broadcasts in video wall mode
- Videos must have identical FPS (frames per second)
- Broadcasts must be single-zone (multi-zone content sync not supported)
- Synchronization works only with video files (convert images to video using built-in editor)
- Videos must have no milliseconds (e.g., 10s, 11s allowed; 10.34s not allowed - only whole numbers)
- Video durations must match across broadcasts
Example: Two 1-minute broadcasts. First broadcast: two 30-second videos. Second broadcast: two 30-second videos. If second broadcast had 10s + 50s videos, synchronization would fail.
Video Requirements
For track synchronization, videos must have identical resolution, bitrate, duration and frame rate, with no audio track.
- Resolution - up to UHD 3840X2160
- Frame rate - 25
- Bitrate - 8000
- Video format - mp 4
- Video codec - H 264
- Audio - not synchronized (videos must be silent)
Platform Hardware Limitations
WebOS devices (ver. 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 4.1, 6.0) have these hardware limitations:
- HDMI playback supported only from single source
- Web OS 2.0 doesn't support multi-zone functionality
- "WebM" media format unsupported on Web OS 2.0
On devices with WebOS 6.0, there is a limitation:
- Playback of more than one video with interlaced scan type is not supported
Unlocking the screen via remote control
Procedure:
On the remote control, press the settings/gear button (marked with a gear icon). Hold the button for approximately 5–7 seconds.
Next, a passcode will appear on the device. By default, the password is: "000000".
Now, using the remote, enter the password mentioned above. On the screen, the user will see that when pressing a button, the circle becomes filled.
After completing the above steps, the user will see a menu. In this menu, navigate to the "Administration" section.
Once in the "Administration" section, the user must enable it using the remote control. When enabling this section, the device will again request the code. The code is the same as entered previously: "000000".
Next, in the menu options, the user must select "Lock Mode".
In this menu item, the user needs to select the line "Off (default)".
This way, "Lock Mode" on the LG device will be disabled. When the SmartPlayer application is launched, the lock will be enabled again.
Firmware Update
Firmware updates on devices running WebOS consist of two parts (types of firmware):
- SoC firmware
- Micom firmware
If no specific firmware or parameter is specified during the update process, both firmware types are updated simultaneously. It is recommended to always update the device to the latest firmware version and try to use the most up-to-date firmware available. For information on checking the firmware version and updating to the latest version, refer to the following guides:
If the signage device becomes non-functional after a firmware update for webOS Signage 1.0, please perform a factory reset.
Possible issues may include:
- Remote control malfunction
- Network failure
- No sound
For more information, refer to the section below: Factory reset. Please note that performing a factory reset will restore all settings to their "default" values. In this case, the user will need to reconfigure the signage device from scratch.
Firmware Update for SM5B Panel
SM5B is a new digital panel model based on webOS 2015. The characteristics of SM5B changed significantly after firmware version v3.00.25. Be careful when updating if your current firmware version is v3.00.25 or lower. Refer to the information below:
- Firmware v3.00.25 or lower
First update to version 3.00.40, then update to the latest version.
- Firmware v3.00.26 or higher
Update directly to the latest version.
Update Procedure
The update procedure consists of four main steps plus one optional step. To update the firmware, the user must perform the following actions:
- Download the latest firmware image file (.epk).
- Copy or move the downloaded image file to the /LG_MONITOR directory on a USB drive.
- Insert the USB flash drive with the firmware into the WebOS Signage device. Then the software update menu will launch, as shown in the screenshot below. If the software update menu does not start automatically, you need to launch it manually.
- Press the "Update" button.
After performing the steps above, the device will begin updating the firmware. Once the update is complete, the WebOS Signage device will reboot.
- Optional step: If the user's current firmware version is "SoC — v02.00.37" or earlier, repeat steps 3 and 4 again after the reboot.
Firmware version "v02.00.37" and earlier do not update the "SoC" and "Micom" firmware simultaneously. Therefore, the user must repeat the update procedure to update the "Micom" firmware.
Important Information
- If the user has a model "LS55A/LS35A" and the SoC firmware version is lower than v02.00.00, the image file must be saved in the "/LG_DTV" directory on the USB drive. To learn how to check your firmware version, see the guide at Firmware Version Check.
- When preparing a USB flash drive for firmware updates on macOS, use a drive with the following parameters:
Format: FAT
Scheme: Master Boot Record
Factory Reset
Users may encounter situations where they need to reset the device to factory settings and start over. For example, a system malfunction may occur.
Possible Factory Reset Methods
There are two ways to perform a factory reset:
- OSD Menu (On-Screen Display)
- API
If using "Factory Reset", all changes made to the Signage device will be erased, including settings, installed apps, and configurations. In some cases, when a reset from a remote server is required, WebOS Signage offers a feature starting from SCAP v1.7.4 with WebOS Signage 4.1 and later models. This feature allows a Soft Factory Reset, which preserves some modified settings, unlike the standard Factory Reset.
Types of Reset on WebOS
- Factory reset via on-screen menu
- Restoring factory settings (webOS Signage v4.0 and later)
- Restoring factory settings (webOS Signage v3.2 (3.0+))
- Restoring factory settings (webOS Signage v3.0 and earlier)
Restoring factory settings (webOS Signage v4.0 and later)
The following guide describes how to perform a factory reset on version 4.0+:
- Press the "Settings" button on the remote control or the gear icon on the Home screen.
- The user needs to select the "General" menu and activate the screen by clicking the toggle in the top right corner.
- When a pop-up window appears at the bottom, enter your password and press "OK". The default password is 000000.
- When the administrator menu is enabled, select "Factory reset" at the bottom of the list.
- When a confirmation popup appears, press the "Confirm" button.
After resetting to factory settings, the signage device will shut down automatically. Turn it back on and continue with the initial setup.
Restoring factory settings (webOS Signage v3.2 (3.0+))
The following guide describes how to perform a factory reset on version 3.2 (3.0+):
- Press the "Settings" button on the remote control or the gear icon on the Home screen.
- The user needs to select the "General" menu and activate the screen by clicking the toggle in the top right corner.
- When a pop-up window appears at the bottom, enter your password and press "OK". The default password is 0000.
- When the administrator menu is enabled, select "Factory reset" at the bottom of the list.
- When a confirmation popup appears, press the "Confirm" button.
After resetting to factory settings, the signage device will shut down automatically. Turn it back on and continue with the initial setup.
Restoring factory settings (webOS Signage v3.0 and earlier)
The following guide describes how to perform a factory reset on version 3.0 and earlier:
- Press the "Settings" button on the remote control.
- When a pop-up window appears in the upper right corner, enter your password and press "OK". The default password is 0000.
- When the setup menu appears, select the "Reset settings" menu at the bottom.
- When a confirmation popup appears, press the "Confirm" button.
After resetting to factory settings, the signage device will shut down automatically. Turn it back on and continue with the initial setup.
Content Playback in Synchronization Mode
Requirements for Proper Operation of Synchronization Mode
- All devices that will be used for playback in "Synchronization" mode must be authorized in the SmartPlayer personal account
- All devices must be placed in the same device group for the synchronization mode to function properly
- Synchronization mode must be enabled only for the target device group
- A specific reboot sequence is required if a reboot is necessary. Devices must be rebooted in the following order: first the master device, then all other devices. This is a strict recommendation from LG.
Content Requirements
- Broadcasts must consist of video content only
- Synchronization mode on WebOS devices is supported only for video content
- The duration of each content item must be exactly the same down to the millisecond, provided that the broadcasts are different but should switch simultaneously
- The broadcast must consist of a single zone and a single page
