Set up the Linux Agent

curl -fsSL https://api.vdostream.io/api/v1/remote/install.sh \
  | sudo bash -s -- --token REGISTRATION_CODE --version 0.18.12

Replace only REGISTRATION_CODE with your workspace code and keep it private. The installer verifies distro-matched release assets, installs the root machine broker and unprivileged session workers, and preserves existing machine credentials.

The installer configures the required GDM session type without restarting GDM or enabling automatic login. If your current desktop uses the wrong session type, switch it normally before retrying. --single-user is an operator recovery option, not the customer installation mode.

Approve Fedora capture

On Fedora Wayland, approve the host's normal GNOME screen-sharing picker during onboarding. Keep local access available to make that choice. The installer waits for registration, a current authenticated heartbeat and capture/input readiness; denied or missing consent cannot count as success.

This is not silent Wayland screen capture. A lock, logout or session change may require a new normal host approval.

Update only while idle

The unchanged 0.18.12 installer refuses to replace a running broker or legacy agent service, even if no viewer is connected. A refusal leaves the existing service running.

1. Arrange a maintenance window and disconnect every viewer normally.
2. Verify on the host that no remote session remains.
3. Explicitly stop the service named by the installer. For the broker installation:

sudo systemctl stop vdo-agent-broker.service

4. Rerun the same version-pinned install command.

Do not stop an occupied host to force an update. Existing credentials are retained. A failed cutover restores the previous local payload and service/configuration state; keep the previous version and its installer available for an idle rollback. The complete lifecycle and rollback matrix has not been qualified for every desktop pairing.

Connect and verify the workstation

Check online status and capture/input readiness in Computers, then follow Connect to a workstation. Confirm live picture and basic pointer/keyboard input before using your applications.

The host needs HTTPS access to VDO and UDP 4444 for the managed relay publisher path. Browser relay reception uses UDP or TCP 4443; native QUIC clients use UDP 4444. Direct QUIC also needs reachable peer UDP traffic. An outbound-443-only network is not sufficient for predictable relay media.

Release qualification limits

0.18.12 has distro-matched build/runtime checks for all four pairings and a targeted NVIDIA AVC encoder check. It corrects AVC zero-reordering signalling to avoid unnecessary decoder buffering. Its installer is unchanged from 0.18.11; live end-to-end latency remains unverified.

The installed VM reboot/readiness checks were performed for 0.18.11, not repeated for 0.18.12. Those results do not establish physical GPU, tablet, audible audio or multi-monitor qualification.

The release retains explicit exceptions for the missing physical Rocky/X11 NVIDIA lane and the unfinished full logout/login, user-switch, suspend/resume and rollback matrix. Verify the required hardware and workflow with VDO before relying on it for a production job.

The earlier 0.18.11 Fedora 43 browser check confirmed two normal Disconnect/reconnect cycles and lock/unlock recovery. That result does not establish the same behavior on all distributions. Rocky 8's test VM also has a pre-existing blank-console-on-lock issue; lock continuity on that VM is not qualified.

Linux desktop capture is eight-bit by default. Experimental X11 SDR ten-bit capture remains opt-in and capped at 30 fps. The patched Wayland ten-bit compositor is a prototype, not a production installation. A ten-bit encoded stream displayed through the browser's eight-bit canvas is not true ten-bit display output.

Use VDO Sessions for collaborator review. Blackmagic/NDI reference capture and native output require a separately qualified hardware path; a basic VM desktop check does not qualify them.