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i3CONNECT Studio for CTOUCH Riva R2

Introduction

The i3CONNECT Studio experience is now available for the CTOUCH Riva R2, bringing the latest and greatest from i3CONNECT and our latest generation of displays to your existing hardware.

Studio transforms how you interact with your Riva R2, offering an intuitive, uniform, and customizable experience that seamlessly integrates with your new i3CONNECT displays. Whether you are in the classroom, meeting room, or any other space where you collaborate, this guide walks you through everything you need to update your Riva R2 to i3CONNECT Studio.

What to Expect

The Studio firmware is purpose-built around the i3CONNECT ecosystem. While it runs on the same Riva R2 hardware you're familiar with, it represents a significant shift from the original CTOUCH experience you know and love, both in terms of user experience and management.

User Experience

The Studio environment is fundamentally different from the original CTOUCH experience. Although it offers more intuitive navigation, advanced features, and greater customization, it also introduces a new set of tools and apps that users need to get used to. Therefore, Riva R2 displays updated to Studio need to be re-configured from factory settings.

Device Management

Displays running Studio firmware are managed through i3CONNECT Cortex, our remote device management platform. Cortex introduces many advanced features like remote view, configurations, and device groups, making a significant jump in functionality and stability in comparison to CTOUCH Sphere. However, devices registered in Sphere will not be transferred to Cortex, so a manual re-registration is necessary.

Configurability

Some settings and configuration options available in the original CTOUCH firmware may work differently, be located elsewhere, or not be present in Studio. Equally, Studio introduces capabilities that were not available in the original firmware. To combat this, the Studio firmware for Riva R2 will feature both the i3CONNECT Settings and the original CTOUCH settings menu.

Note: Future firmware updates will only be released with i3CONNECT Studio, deprecating the original CTOUCH COS experience.

Installation

Due to technical limitations, installing the firmware is not available over the air (OTA), and must instead be installed using a USB stick. With the proper preparation, however, installation is easy and straightforward. Please follow the instructions below.

  1. Download the firmware below. Your download will be a .zip file, which contains the actual firmware file(s).

  2. Transfer the firmware file(s) to the root folder of your USB drive.

  3. The update file may not be renamed, and must be called ‘update.img’.

  4. Turn the main power switch of the display off.

  5. Insert your USB drive into the USB 2.0 port on the bottom of your Riva R2 display.

  6. While holding the CTOUCH button (on the front of the display), turn the main power switch of the display on. Keep holding the CTOUCH button until the display starts its update cycle.

  7. Do not touch the panel, turn the panel off, or remove the USB stick until the update cycle is fully complete and you are faced with the i3CONNECT Studio startup wizard.

Pro Tip: Prepare multiple USB sticks to update multiple displays in parallel. This saves time and makes your installation more efficient.

Firmware Downloads

Firmware

Version

Description

Download

i3CONNECT Studio

3001

Use this firmware to upgrade your Riva R2 to i3CONNECT Studio.

[DOWNLOAD]

CTOUCH COS

2001

Use this firmware to downgrade your Riva R2 to CTOUCH COS.

[DOWNLOAD]

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I update over the air (OTA)?

Due to technical limitations of the Riva R2 hardware, the Studio firmware cannot be delivered as an OTA update. Installation requires a USB drive inserted directly into the display. The process is straightforward, just follow the step-by-step instructions in this guide.

Does the update file really need to be named update.img?

Yes. The filename must be exactly ‘update.img’. The display looks for this specific filename during the update cycle. If the file is named anything else, the update will not start.

Which USB port should I use, and does the USB format matter?

Use the USB 2.0 port on the bottom of the Riva R2. Your USB drive should be formatted as FAT32. Using the wrong port or a different filesystem format may prevent the update from being detected.

What happens if power is cut during the update?

Interrupting the update (whether by removing the USB drive, cutting power, or turning off the display) may leave the display in an unrecoverable state. Before starting, make sure the display has a stable power supply for the full duration of the update.

How do I know the update has finished?

The update cycle is complete when the i3CONNECT Studio startup wizard appears on screen. Do not touch the panel or remove the USB drive before this point.

Warning: The display might perform an additional touch frame firmware after showing the startup wizard. This usually happens within a few seconds.

Can I update multiple displays at the same time?

Yes. Preparing multiple USB drives in advance lets you run updates in parallel across several displays simultaneously. This is the most efficient approach for larger installations.

User Experience and Setup

Will my existing settings and configuration be kept after the update?

No. Updating to Studio resets your display to factory settings. You will need to reconfigure your Riva R2 using the Studio environment after the update is complete.

What settings menus will I have access to?

The Studio firmware for Riva R2 includes both the i3CONNECT Settings menu and the original CTOUCH settings menu. This helps users transition and locate familiar settings during the changeover.

Some features from the CTOUCH firmware seem to be missing. Is that expected?

Possibly. Studio is a different platform, and while we have worked to preserve core functionality, some settings or features may be located in different places, work differently, or not be available. Below table reflects the default apps as part of the COS platform vs the Studio platform.

Function

COS Platform (FW2001)

Studio Platform (FW3001)

Internet browser

Firefox

Firefox

AppStore

CTOUCH Store

CTOUCH Store & i3STORE

Whiteboard

UBoardmate

i3CONNECT Whiteboard

Interactive teaching tool

Gynzy

Gynzy

Wireless sharing

EShare

AllSync / EShare

File Explorer

FileCommander

Files

Document reader

OfficeSuite

Microsoft 365

Note: manual install via e.g. Cortex

Email client

AquaMail

Microsoft Outlook

Note: manual install via e.g. Cortex

MDM client

Sphere & Radix

Cortex

Air Quality

-

i3CONNECT CAIR

Screen recorder

Recorder

Recorder

Calculator

Calculator

Calculator

Camera

Camera

Camera

Clock

Clock

Clock

Image viewer

Gallery

Gallery


Device Management

We currently manage our displays through CTOUCH Sphere. Do we need to change anything?

Yes. Displays running Studio firmware are managed through i3CONNECT Cortex, not CTOUCH Sphere. Devices will not be transferred automatically, you will need to manually register your updated Riva R2 displays in Cortex.

What does Cortex offer that Sphere did not?

Cortex introduces many advanced and professional remote management features, such as remote view, group policies, configurations, and more. For a full overview, please visit https://cortex.i3-connect.com.

Rollback and Future Updates

Can I go back to the original CTOUCH firmware if needed?

Yes. The original CTOUCH COS firmware is available for download on this page. You can re-flash it using the same USB installation method. We recommend keeping a copy of the CTOUCH firmware on hand before updating, as a precaution.

Will future firmware updates still support the original CTOUCH experience?

No. Future firmware updates for the Riva R2 will only be released with i3CONNECT Studio. The original CTOUCH COS experience is being deprecated. If you need to remain on COS, you should stay on the current CTOUCH firmware version.

Known Issues

Subject

Description

Status

Last Updated

Cortex

Installing apps through Cortex does not work, although Cortex shows the app as ‘installed successfully’.

Resolved

EShare (AllSync)

This firmware contains both EShare and AllSync. This might cause AllSync to work improperly. This will be addressed in the Q3 release where users can choose between AllSync and EShare.

In Progress

EShare

Not all EShare settings are functional through the yellow settings menu. This will be implemented in i3CONNECT settings.

In Progress

General

Displays with an A-revision serial number might occasionally enter color calibration mode when turning the panel off. You can check your revision using the character before the last 4 numbers of your serial number (A, B, C, D, or E).

ANALYSIS

Studio

The display shortly shows “tablet is starting” when booting up the display.

Will not fix

Studio

Taking a screenshot saves the file to the file explorer twice.

Will not fix

Studio

The max volume setting does not work.

Backlog

Studio

The volume slider in the side menu only applies the new volume when you release your finger.

Will not fix

Whiteboard

The icon library does not work, as you cannot drag icons onto the canvas.

Backlog