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Event Setup Guide

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OliE edited this page May 11, 2026 · 7 revisions

This guide explains how to configure openZinkBooth for a photo booth event — including kiosk mode, always-on display, photo saving, custom frames, print calibration, and what to expect from the printer during heavy use.

Table of Contents

  1. Recommended App Settings
  2. Enabling Photo Saving
  3. Always-On Display
  4. Screen Pinning (Kiosk Mode)
  5. Custom Frames
  6. Print Calibration
  7. Printer Heat & Throttling
  8. Pre-Event Checklist

1. Recommended App Settings

Open Settings in openZinkBooth and configure the following before the event:

Setting Notes
Front / Back camera Choose based on your booth setup — front camera faces guests, back camera typically produces higher quality
Flash Enable if the venue is dimly lit. On Android 14+ the front camera uses Screen Flash automatically
Frame Select your event frame in advance — see Custom Frames

Everything else (filter, self-timer, shutter sound) can be left at its default or adjusted during the event as needed.

1.1 Printer Settings

These are configured under Settings → Change printer → Printer Settings:

Setting Recommended value Notes
Sleep Timer Always On Prevents the printer from going to sleep between guests
Auto-Off Always On Prevents the printer from turning off automatically during the event

2. Enabling Photo Saving

By default the app does not save photos to disk. To enable saving:

  1. Go to Settings → Storage location
  2. Tap the field and pick a folder using the system folder picker
  3. All photos taken from that point on will be saved as JPEG files in the selected folder

Tip

Create a dedicated folder such as Pictures/PhotoBooth before the event so all photos are easy to find afterwards.

To disable saving again, tap Clear storage location in Settings.

3. Always-On Display

To prevent the screen from turning off between guests, enable the always-on / stay-awake setting on the device.

3.1 Stock Android (Pixel and most devices)

  1. Open the Settings app
  2. Go to Display
  3. Tap Screen timeout and set it to the maximum value (e.g. 30 minutes or Never)

3.2 Developer Options method (all Android devices)

This method keeps the screen on whenever the device is charging — ideal for a booth that runs plugged in:

  1. Go to Settings → About phone
  2. Tap Build number seven times to enable Developer Options
  3. Go to Settings → System → Developer Options
  4. Enable Stay awake (Screen will never sleep while charging)

Note

Make sure the device is plugged in during the event so the screen stays on reliably.

3.3 Samsung (One UI)

  1. Settings → Display → Screen timeout → set to maximum
  2. Alternatively use the Developer Options method above

4. Screen Pinning (Kiosk Mode)

Screen pinning locks the device to openZinkBooth so guests cannot leave the app or access other parts of the phone.

4.1 Enable Screen Pinning

  1. Go to Settings → Security (or Biometrics and security) → App pinning
    • On some devices: Settings → Advanced features → Screen pinning
  2. Turn App pinning on
  3. Optionally enable Ask for PIN before unpinning to prevent guests from disabling it

4.2 Pin the App

  1. Open openZinkBooth so it is in the foreground
  2. Open the Recents screen (the square or gesture button)
  3. Tap the app icon at the top of the openZinkBooth card
  4. Tap Pin (or Pin this app)

The app is now pinned. Guests cannot navigate away from it.

4.3 Unpin the App (operator only)

  • Press and hold Back + Recents simultaneously, then confirm the PIN if prompted
  • On gesture-navigation devices: swipe up and hold to open Recents, then tap the app icon → Unpin

Tip

Test the pin/unpin flow yourself before the event starts so you can quickly reclaim the device if needed.

5. Custom Frames

openZinkBooth supports custom overlay frames that are composited on top of the photo before printing.

5.1 Frame Image Requirements

Property Requirement
Format PNG with alpha channel (transparency)
Color mode RGBA (32-bit)
Orientation Portrait

5.2 Dimensions per Printer Model

Match the frame resolution exactly to your printer model for the sharpest result:

Printer Resolution
HP Sprocket 200 / 200D / Studio 640 × 1002 px
HP Sprocket 400 793 × 972 px
HP Sprocket Select 768 × 1152 px

5.3 Design Guidelines

  • Leave the center area transparent — that is where the photo will show through
  • Place your design (borders, logos, text, decorations) around the edges using fully opaque or semi-transparent pixels
  • Avoid placing important design elements too close to the very edge — the printer may clip 1–2 mm on each side
  • Export at 96 DPI or higher

5.4 Loading the Frame into the App

  1. Save the PNG to the device (e.g. via USB, cloud storage, or AirDrop)
  2. In openZinkBooth go to Settings → Frames
  3. Tap + and select your PNG file
  4. Give it a name and confirm
  5. The frame now appears in the frame picker on the Preview screen

6. Print Calibration

The HP Sprocket stretches prints slightly and may shift the image vertically depending on the unit. If you notice that prints are cropped or have an uneven border, you can compensate for this in the app.

6.1 How to Access Calibration

  1. Connect to your printer
  2. Go to Settings → Change printer → Printer Settings
  3. Scroll to the Calibration section
  4. Enable Output Correction

6.2 Available Adjustments

Setting What it does
Vertical Scale Compresses the image slightly in height to compensate for the printer stretching it. Default: 0.9524 (≈ 1/1.05). Increase if the print is too compressed, decrease if it is stretched
Top Offset Adds white padding at the top to shift the image down, compensating for the printer printing too high. Default: 46 px (≈ 3.5 mm). Increase if the top of the image is cut off, decrease if there is too much white space at the top

6.3 Recommended Approach

  1. Take a test print with Output Correction enabled and the default values
  2. Measure any clipping or misalignment with a ruler
  3. Adjust Vertical Scale and Top Offset in small steps and print again until the output matches the preview

Note

Calibration values vary between individual printer units. The defaults were measured on an HP Sprocket 200 and are a good starting point for most devices.

7. Printer Heat & Throttling

The HP Sprocket uses ZINK (Zero Ink) thermal printing technology. The print head generates significant heat during each print job.

7.1 What to Expect During Heavy Use

  • Normal operation: A single print takes approximately 45–60 seconds
  • After several consecutive prints: The printer may slow down noticeably as internal temperature rises
  • Overheating protection: When the printer gets too hot it will pause automatically and wait until it has cooled down before continuing. This is normal behaviour and not a fault
  • The app will show Overheating in the printer status when this occurs

7.2 Tips to Reduce Heat Buildup

  • Do not cover the printer — keep the ventilation area (bottom and sides) unobstructed
  • Place the printer on a hard, flat surface, not on fabric or inside a box
  • If you are running a high-volume booth, keep a second charged Sprocket as a backup and alternate between the two
  • Let the printer rest for 2–3 minutes after every 10 consecutive prints if possible
  • Avoid placing the printer in direct sunlight or near other heat sources

Warning

Do not attempt to cool the printer with a fan or by placing it in front of air conditioning. Rapid temperature changes can affect print quality and may damage the device.

Note

The automatic cool-down pause does not lose the print job. The app will resume and complete the job once the printer reports it is ready again.

8. Pre-Event Checklist

Run through this list before guests arrive:

  • Printer is charged (or on charge) and has enough paper loaded
  • App connected to printer — status shows Connected
  • Printer Sleep Timer set to Always On
  • Printer Auto-Off set to Always On
  • Correct frame selected
  • Test print done — check for cropping or misalignment, adjust calibration if needed
  • Storage location set (if saving photos is desired)
  • Screen timeout set to maximum or Stay awake enabled
  • Device is plugged into power
  • Screen pinning enabled and tested
  • App pinned — verify you cannot swipe away
  • Know the unpin gesture/PIN in case you need to reclaim the device

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