codeclinic · September 4, 2015 15:38 · May 14, 2014 · May 14, 2014
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # Raspberry pi dashboard
 
+This is what we did to setup a few dashboards at [platanus](http://platan.us)
+
 ## You'll need
 
 + Raspberry Pi

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,211 @@
+# Raspberry pi dashboard
+
+## You'll need
+
++ Raspberry Pi
++ Dashing Service
++ Wifi stick (optional)
+
+## Preparing the system
+
+We'll install raspbian into our SD card. You can follow instructions from here [http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads](http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads)
+
+### Setting up NTP
+
+This will sync the time time with ubuntu ntp server
+
+```bash
+sudo apt-get install ntpdate
+sudo ntpdate -u ntp.ubuntu.com
+```
+
+### Update the OS
+
+```bash
+sudo apt-get update
+sudo apt-get upgrade
+sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
+```
+
+### Install some useful software
+
+```bash
+sudo apt-get install git-core vim
+```
+
+### Updating the RaspberryPi’s firmware
+
+To update the firmware to the latest version, we’ll use Hexxeh’s rpi-update script.
+
+```bash
+sudo wget http://goo.gl/1BOfJ -O /usr/bin/rpi-update && sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/rpi-update
+sudo rpi-update
+```
+
+### Configure your monitor resolution
+
+Find the TV supported modes, here I search for 1920x1080 60hz. That is `hdmi_mode=16` on the `hdmi_group=1`
+Select the group depending on the results of the supported modes
+
+```bash
+tvservice -d edid
+edidparser edid
+```
+
+Add this to the `/boot/config.txt` file
+
+```
+hdmi_group=1    # CEA=1, DMT=2
+hdmi_mode=16
+disable_overscan=1
+```
+Also we want to disable overscan to prevent black lines on the edges of the screen. This may produce that your images gets cropped.
+The best solution is disable overscan in the tv. *Check the display menu options (it may be called "just scan", "screen fit", "HD size", "full pixel", "unscaled", "dot by dot", "native" or "1:1)*
+
+### Configure wifi (optional)
+
+You'll need a wifi stick for this. Plug the stick and run the following command to check if the stick was detected.
+
+```bash
+ifconfig
+```
+
+This will list your network interfaces, and you should search for one named `wlan0`
+
+Now you need to edit the configuration to setup dhcp and wich SSDI and password use to connect to the network
+
+Edit `/etc/network/interfaces` and add the following code at the end
+
+```
+auto wlan0
+allow-hotplug wlan0
+iface wlan0 inet dhcp
+        wpa-ssid "ssid"
+        wpa-psk "password"
+
+iface default inet dhcp
+```
+
+
+## Start the browser on boot
+
+### Install Chromium
+
+First, you’ll want to install Chromium on your RaspberryPi.
+I tried several browsers alternatives, midori, iceweasel, kweb.
+
+```bash
+sudo apt-get install chromium-browser
+```
+
+Configure chromium so it start maximized to the size of our tv
+
+Edit `~/.config/chromium/Default/Preferences` and edit the following section
+```json
+"window_placement": {
+   "bottom": 1080,
+   "left": 0,
+   "maximized": true,
+   "right": 1920,
+   "top": 0,
+   "work_area_bottom": 1080,
+   "work_area_left": 0,
+   "work_area_right": 1920,
+   "work_area_top": 0
+}
+```
+
+### X server
+
+Install x11 server utils to controll video parameters and unclutter to remove the mouse from over our dashboard
+
+```bash
+sudo apt-get install x11-xserver-utils unclutter
+```
+
+Create a script in `/etc/pi/dashboard` with the code that will run chromium in kiosk mode
+
+```bash
+#!/bin/sh
+chromium-browser \
+--kiosk \
+--ignore-certificate-errors \
+--disable-web-security \
+--disable-restore-session-state \
+--start-maximized \
+--incognito \
+http://dashboard.herokuapp.com/default
+```
+
+Add execution permition to the script
+```bash
+chmod +x dashboard
+```
+
+Add this code to your `~/.xinitrc`
+```bash
+unclutter &
+
+xset s off         # don't activate screensaver
+xset -dpms         # disable DPMS (Energy Star) features.
+xset s noblank     # don't blank the video device
+
+exec /home/pi/dashboard
+```
+
+To start on boot we will create a init script in `/etc/init.d/dashboard`
+```bash
+sudo touch /etc/init.d/dashboard
+sudo chmod 755 /etc/init.d/dashboard
+```
+
+Now add this code to the script
+```bash
+#! /bin/sh
+# /etc/init.d/dashboard
+case "$1" in
+  start)
+    echo "Starting dashboard"
+    # run application you want to start
+    /bin/su pi -c xinit
+    ;;
+  stop)
+    echo "Stopping dashboard"
+    # kill application you want to stop
+    killall xinit
+    ;;
+  *)
+    echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/dashboard {start|stop}"
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
+
+exit 0
+```
+
+We need to register the script to start on boot as kiosk
+```bash
+sudo update-rc.d dashboard defaults
+```
+
+## Turn off automatically
+
+I wanted to be able to turn on and off the tv using the CEC standard via HDMI, but the tv we bought wasn't CEC compilant :(  
+One alternative was to turn of the HDMI signal with a cronjob and set the tv to auto turn off after a few minutes without signal.  
+But the power coming from the USB port stops flowing when the tv is off so I'd prefer to shut down the PI from a cronjob.
+
+Add it to the root cronjob service running `sudo crontab -e` and adding
+
+```
+0       20      *       *       1,2,3,4,5 /sbin/shutdown -h now
+```
+
+## References
+- http://alexba.in/blog/2013/01/04/raspberrypi-quickstart/
+- https://gist.github.com/petehamilton/5705374
+- http://www.fusonic.net/en/blog/2013/07/31/diy-info-screen-using-raspberry-pi-dashing/
+- http://blogs.wcode.org/2013/09/howto-boot-your-raspberry-pi-into-a-fullscreen-browser
+- https://github.com/MobilityLab/TransitScreen/wiki/Raspberry-Pi
+- http://nyxi.eu/blog/2013/04/15/raspbian-libcec/
+- http://weblogs.asp.net/bleroy/archive/2013/04/10/getting-your-raspberry-pi-to-output-the-right-resolution.aspx
+- http://elinux.org/R-Pi_Troubleshooting