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Raspberry Pi setup

Setting up dotBlast on a Raspberry Pi creates a powerful, flexible information display. Follow these steps to configure your Pi as a dedicated dashboard screen.

Prerequisites

  • Raspberry Pi (3B+ or newer recommended for best performance)
  • MicroSD card (8GB or larger)
  • Power supply (official Raspberry Pi power supply recommended)
  • HDMI cable and display (monitor or TV with HDMI input)
  • dotBlast account with at least one dashboard created
  • Internet connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)

Step 1: Prepare the SD card

  1. Download Raspberry Pi Imager from https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/
  2. Insert your microSD card into your computer
  3. Open Raspberry Pi Imager
  4. Choose “Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit)” or “Raspberry Pi OS Lite” (for minimal setup)
  5. Select your microSD card as the storage device
  6. Click “Write” and wait for completion

Before ejecting the SD card:

  1. Create an empty file named ssh in the boot partition to enable SSH
  2. For Wi-Fi setup, create a file named wpa_supplicant.conf in the boot partition with:
country=US
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1


network={
    ssid="YOUR_NETWORK_NAME"
    psk="YOUR_PASSWORD"
    key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
}

Step 3: Initial setup

  1. Insert the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi
  2. Connect power, HDMI display, and keyboard/mouse (if not using headless)
  3. Wait for the Pi to boot and complete initial setup
  4. If using headless, SSH into your Pi: ssh [email protected] (default password: raspberry)

Step 4: Update and install required packages

Terminal window
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y chromium-browser x11-xserver-utils unclutter

Step 5: Configure autostart

  1. Create autostart directory if it doesn’t exist:
Terminal window
mkdir -p ~/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi
  1. Create/edit the autostart file:
Terminal window
nano ~/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart
  1. Add these lines:
@xset s off
@xset -dpms
@xset s noblank
@chromium-browser --noerrdialogs --disable-infobars --kiosk https://dotblast.app/view

Step 6: Reboot and verify

Terminal window
sudo reboot

After reboot, your Pi should automatically launch Chromium in kiosk mode pointing to the dotBlast view page.

Option 2: Using existing Raspberry Pi OS installation

If you already have Raspberry Pi OS installed:

Step 1: Install Chromium browser (if not present)

Terminal window
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y chromium-browser x11-xserver-utils unclutter

Step 2: Disable screen saver and power management

  1. Edit the autostart file:
Terminal window
nano ~/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart
  1. Add these lines at the end:
@xset s off
@xset -dpms
@xset s noblank
@chromium-browser --noerrdialogs --disable-infobars --kiosk https://dotblast.app/view

Step 3: Reboot

Terminal window
sudo reboot

Linking your Raspberry Pi to dotBlast

Once your Pi is configured to open the dotBlast view page automatically:

  1. Your Pi should display a 6-digit PIN on screen
  2. On your computer or phone (where you manage dotBlast):
    • Go to the Devices page (/devices)
    • Enter the 6-digit PIN from your Pi’s display
    • Click “Link Device”
  3. Once linked, your Pi will display your dashboard and update automatically

Optimization tips for Raspberry Pi

Performance enhancements

  • Overclock moderately (if comfortable): Edit /boot/config.txt and add: 
    over_voltage=2
    arm_freq=1750
    gpu_freq=500
  • Use a high-quality microSD card (Class 10 or UHS-I)
  • Consider using a Pi 4 for better performance with complex dashboards
  • Close unnecessary background processes

Display settings

  • Adjust HDMI settings in /boot/config.txt for optimal resolution: 
    hdmi_group=2
    hdmi_mode=82  # 1080p 60Hz
    hdmi_cvt 1920 1080 60 6 0 0 0
  • Disable overscan if needed: 
    disable_overscan=1

Kiosk mode improvements

  • Hide the cursor: unclutter -idle 0 -root in autostart
  • Add error recovery: --disable-breakpad --disable-component-update to Chromium flags
  • Set up automatic updates: Create a cron job to reboot nightly for stability

Network reliability

  • Use Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi for more stable connection
  • If using Wi-Fi, position Pi close to router or use Wi-Fi extender
  • Consider adding a watchdog timer to reboot if network fails

Troubleshooting

Common issues

  • Blank screen: Verify HDMI connection, try different HDMI port/cable
  • Chromium fails to start: Check autostart syntax, ensure packages installed
  • Screen sleeps: Verify xset s off and -dpms are in autostart
  • Poor performance: Reduce dashboard complexity, consider Pi 4 upgrade
  • Network drops: Check Wi-Fi signal strength, consider Ethernet adapter

Specific to kiosk mode

  • Cursor visible: Add unclutter to autostart
  • Touchscreen interference: Disable touch input if not needed via xinput
  • Updates breaking kiosk: Consider pinning Chromium version or using --disable-component-update

Maintenance

  • Check for Raspberry Pi OS updates regularly: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
  • Periodically verify the device remains linked in your dotBlast Devices page
  • If unlinked, simply repeat the linking process above
  • Clean dust from Pi vents periodically to prevent overheating
  • Consider setting up automatic backups of your SD card

Once successfully configured, your Raspberry Pi will serve as a reliable, low-power dashboard display that runs 24/7. Enjoy your new information display!