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Raspberry Pi

In this article, we'll break down how to get OptiSigns running on a Rapsberry Pi device.

OptiSigns is compatible with and works well on Raspberry Pi. We recommend Raspberry Pi 3B+ and above. Which type of Raspberry Pi you have will determine what type of software you'll want to download.

Download
Download our prebuilt SD Card image for Raspberry Pi 4 or older or Raspberry Pi 5.

Two Methods to Get OptiSigns Running on a Raspberry Pi

1) Download our prebuilt SD Card image for Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 5 and flash to your SD Card.

2) Install OptiSigns on your existing Raspberry Pi OS by downloading and running AppImage file

Here's a step-by-step guide for each method.

Method 1: Download & Use Prebuilt SD Card Image

Download the latest SD Card image for Raspberry Pi 5 (MD5) or Raspberry Pi 5 (MD5) here.

Unzip and Flash the SD Card image to your SD Card (minimum 16GB card is required).

Note: If using Raspberry Pi Imager  instead of Etcher below, WIFI settings can be configured.

Download and Install Etcher. 
Please click here to download Etcher.
Open Etcher software and select the OptiSigns .img file that you just unzipped.
Select the SD card drive.
Click "Flash".
 After flashing the SD card and booting up, connect to your network.
OptiSigns is preinstalled and will auto-start on start-up.
Next you can skip to step 2) iv) to pair the screens and start assigning content.
optisigns app with arrow pointing to hamburger menu

Method 2: Install OptiSigns on Your Existing Raspberry Pi OS by Downloading and Running AppImage file

Here are the high-level steps:

i) Get a fresh image of Raspberry Pi OS boot it up and configure your network. If you already have Raspberry Pi OS running, you can skip this.

ii) Download FUSE using your Raspberry Pi's Terminal.

iii) Download OptiSigns to your Raspberry Pi OS, and run it.

iv) Pair your screen with OptiSign portal.

v) Using OptiSigns's web portal to assign content and manage your screens.

Step 1: Get a fresh image of Raspberry Pi OS and configure the network

If you already have Raspberry Pi OS running, skip this step.
Download a fresh image of Raspberry Pi OS. We recommend:
IMPORTANT:
For Raspberry Pi 5, we recommend a 64-bit OS for best performance. For Raspberry Pi 4 or below, we recommend 32-bit. However, 64-bit systems will work in any case.

 

Next, use a tool like Etcher to flash the image to your SD Card.

 
After flashing the SD card and booting up, you can connect to your network by exiting OptiSigns, mousing up to the top of the Desktop, then clicking the Network button.
raspberry pi os with arrow pointing at network option

Step 2: Run/update FUSE

Raspberry Pi AppImages require FUSE to run. If your existing Raspberry Pi already has the latest version of FUSE, you can skip this step.

NOTE: You'll need a functioning network connection for this.

First, open the Terminal menu on your Raspberry Pi.

terminal menu raspberry pi

You'll see this screen:

raspberry pi open terminal

Now input the following command:

sudo apt install -y fuse

As long as you have a valid internet connection, this will install the latest version of FUSE. 

Step 3: Download OptiSigns AppImage to your Raspberry Pi OS an run it

Download OptiSigns AppImage file for Raspberry Pi 5 here, and Raspberry 4 or below here.

If you are unfamiliar with AppImage, it is a way for a Linux package app to run just like you would run a .app file on Mac or a .exe file on Windows.

Once Downloaded, open File Explorer, right-click on the downloaded file and select Properties.

In the Properties box. Click the Permissions tab in the Access Control → Execute drop-down. Select Anyone on all three options. Then Click OK.

After that, double-click on the AppImage file to execute it. In the pop-up, select Execute.

Raspberry Pi is not very fast, so it may take a few seconds to load. The app will run in full-screen mode, and generate a pairing code for you to pair with the app.optisigns.com portal. You can also move the mouse around, and you will see the top 3 buttons to resize, open side bar menu, or close the app.
 optisigns app with arrow pointing to hamburger menu
On the side menu, you can set Orientation, etc. The app has Autostart and Fullscreen on Startup checked as default. So now, the next time the Raspberry Pi starts up, it will run OptiSigns app automatically.

optisigns app menu open
 

Step 4: Pair your screen with the OptiSigns portal. 

You can now go to our portal at: https://app.optisigns.com/ to pair the screen. 
 

If you don't have an account already, create one, or you can also log in with Google or Facebook account.

optisigns URL being entered in browser

Once you log in Click the "Add screen" button

optisigns app with arrow pointing to add screen button

In this pop-up, type in the Pair Code on your player's screen. Then click Pair

add screen pair code

The screen will change to:

optisigns app showing paired screen

Step 5: Use Optisigns Web portal to assign content and manage your screens.

Once you go to our portal at: https://app.optisigns.com/ to pair the screen and start assigning content to it, you can follow these guides for more detailed steps:

Summary

Now your Raspberry Pi image already has Digital Signage player features configured:

  • Autostart up and launch OptiSigns.

  • It will resume, and play what's assigned to it, even after hard power is lost.

  • It will not go to sleep.

  • It can play downloadable content (images, video, documents) even when internet connection is lost.

 

If you have any questions or issues that need support, please feel free to reach out to us at support@optisigns.com.

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