Setup issues

[hughrawlinson]

Hey, I'm setting up an epic viewer, and thought I'd list some issues I ran into (and hopefully some solutions to those issues which I'll add on the thread).

brightness.sh calls a command line utility called gpio which doesn't exist on my pi with the latest raspbian. The instructions don't list where to get that - the wiringpi project seems to be the one, but that also says it's bundled with raspbian and seems not to be. Maybe these calls could be replaced by calls to raspi-gpio, which does seem to be included.

The requirements.txt specifies pygame 1.9.4.post1, a version which seems to no longer be in the repositories. I tried 2.3.0, the current latest version, which is refusing to load the loading.jpg file with the error "File is not a Windows BMP file" - which is unexpected. I also tried to use 1.9.6, it ends up saying that there's no matching distribution found.

I'll keep digging in and post what I find.

[theschles]

@hughrawlinson :

• pygame 1.9.4.post1 is an apt package in RaspbianOS based upon Debian Buster
• gpio is provided by the apt package wiringpi

[postema]

had some struggle to get this working. finally got it.
starting with a fresh CD card. It is essential to use the Buster OS !!!

start on https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/hyperpixel-round?variant=39381081882707
download the buster image with desktop and recommended software.

write this to SD with imager, last option: use own imagefile.

start your rpi-zero with this SD and connect via terminal / ssh

perform:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get upgrade -y
(this take about 1 to 2 hours, so be patient and let the thing do its work)

sudo raspi-config
2.interface options
enable I2C en SPI

6.advanced options
A1. expand filesystem
reboot

install pip:

sudo apt-get install python3-pip

install rpi-gpio (should already be installed)

pip3 install rpi.gpio

install git:

sudo apt-get install git
git config --global user.email your@email.nl
git config --global user.name "your username on github"

git clone https://github.com/pimoroni/hyperpixel2r
cd hyperpixel2r
sudo ./install.sh

reboot
the display should now work.

for python to use the display:

sudo nano /boot/config.txt
change: dtoverlay=hyperpixel2r:disable-touch

sudo pip3 install hyperpixel2r

git clone https://github.com/pimoroni/hyperpixel2r-python
cd hyperpixel2r-python
sudo ./install.sh

mkdir ~pi/code/epic/
cd /code/epic/
git clone https://github.com/MattGrayYes/epic.git . (don't forget the final dot)

sudo pip3 install -r requirements.txt

option 1
find or make (all commands as sudo) ~pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart
insert in this file (autostart):
@/home/pi/code/epic/start-epic.sh
your commands should come before the @screensaver line.

option 2
find /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart
insert in this file (autostart):
@/home/pi/code/epic/start-epic.sh
your commands should come before the @screensaver line.

option 1 is user specific, option 2 is for all users.
if both are present the system uses option 1.

now reboot and the thing should work like sunshine.

manual (for testing)

sudo python3 -u epic.py
or
sudo ./start-epic.sh

[theschles]

Hi @postema

I recommend converting your above comment into a PR to update README.md.

Separately, would it be less-intrusive / wiser to execute start-epic.sh as a @reboot entry in crontab?