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Getting Started

You can be inside a QAROS Shared Space in about five minutes. All you need is the QAROS app on your device and a short pairing code from the person running the Hub.

Before you start​

  • Get on the right network. Devices find the Hub by listening for its beacon on the local network, so the simplest path is to be on the same Wi-Fi or LAN as the Hub. If you are off-site, your operator can set up a relay that lets you reach the Hub from elsewhere — ask them whether one is available for you.
  • Install the QAROS app for your device. A HoloLens, P&C Solutions METALENSE 2, Meta Quest, Android phone or tablet, desktop visualizer, and ZED camera each have their own app. See Onboarding Devices for the per-device specifics.
  • Ask the operator for a pairing code. This is the key that lets you in.

About the pairing code​

The Hub shows a short pairing code — 8 characters, chosen from an alphabet with no easily-confused letters or numbers, so it is quick to read aloud or type. Two things are worth knowing:

  • It is single-use: once you join with it, it is spent.
  • It is short-lived: a code lapses after about ten seconds, and the Hub is already showing a fresh one. If yours stops working, just ask for the current code — there is no penalty for asking again.
tip

Don't write the code down for later. By the time you've found a pen, it has expired. Enter it while the operator reads it out, or scan the QR code.

Join the Shared Space​

  1. Open the QAROS app on your device.
  2. When prompted, enter the pairing code — or scan the QR code the operator displays, which carries the same information.
  3. That's it. Your device pairs with the Hub and enters the Shared Space.

You only do this once per device. After the first join, your device rejoins automatically every time it reconnects — no code, no typing — until someone deliberately removes it. More on that in Working in a Session.

What to expect on your first join​

The Shared Space may look empty at first, and that is normal. You will only see application content once an application starts drawing into an app volume — a box in the Shared Space that an app renders into. Until a source application is running and streaming, there is simply nothing to show yet.

You may, however, already see GUI panels (flat screens floating in the Shared Space) and other people who are present. If the Shared Space stays blank, it usually means no application has started streaming — check with the operator rather than assuming something is broken.

For a plain-language tour of rooms, volumes, and panels, read The Shared Space.

Next steps​