Fixed screen orientation not applying on MicroTouch devices — firmware override

Android

When a fixed screen orientation (0°, 90°, 180°, or 270°) is applied to a MicroTouch device through the Esper Console, the physical display remains in the wrong orientation even though the Esper Remote Viewer shows the correct orientation.

Why this happens

Esper Agent successfully writes the user_rotation system setting to the device, but MicroTouch firmware overrides this value at the hardware level before it reaches the display. This is a firmware limitation specific to MicroTouch hardware, not an Esper platform issue. Auto Rotation is unaffected because it uses a different system path (accelerometer_rotation) that the firmware does not intercept.

Steps

1. Confirm Esper Agent permissions are working by testing Auto Rotation. In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Settings → Screen Orientation and set the orientation to Auto. Physically rotate the device and confirm the screen responds. If Auto Rotation works, Esper Agent has the correct system permissions and the issue is isolated to fixed orientation settings.
2. Test each fixed orientation value to document the scope of the issue. In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Settings → Screen Orientation and set the orientation to each of the four fixed values in turn: 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°. After each change, observe the physical display — not the Esper Remote Viewer — and record which values fail to apply. In most cases, none of the fixed values will change the physical display.
3. Do not use Esper Remote Viewer to verify physical orientation. Remote Viewer reflects the orientation value Esper Agent wrote to the device's system settings, not the actual state of the physical display. Always verify orientation by looking at the device screen directly.
4. Contact MicroTouch support with the following findings. Provide MicroTouch with this information to help them identify a firmware-level solution:
   • Esper Agent holds the required permissions to modify system settings.
   • The accelerometer_rotation setting is written and respected by the device.
   • The user_rotation setting is written successfully, but the physical display does not respond to it.
   Ask MicroTouch whether their firmware exposes an alternative API or system property for overriding display orientation in managed or kiosk deployments.
5. Apply any firmware update or workaround provided by MicroTouch. Once MicroTouch supplies a fix, apply it to the device, then return to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Settings → Screen Orientation in the Esper Console and set your required fixed orientation. Verify the result by observing the physical display.

Verify: After applying the MicroTouch firmware fix, the physical display should immediately rotate to the orientation set in the Esper Console. Confirm by setting each required fixed orientation value and checking the device screen directly — not Remote Viewer.

If this doesn't resolve it

If MicroTouch does not provide a resolution, or if the issue persists after a firmware update, contact Esper Support with the following information:

• MicroTouch device model and firmware version
• Esper Agent version (visible under Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Info)
• Screenshots or screen recordings showing the Remote Viewer orientation versus the physical display orientation
• Any response or case number from MicroTouch support

Still need help?

If the steps above don't resolve the issue, submit a support ticket with your device model, Android version, Esper Agent version, and a description of what you've already tried — this helps the support team investigate without a follow-up.