8bit_raspi_pixel_art_display | Raspberry Pi 32 x 32 LED RGB matrix project

Next, we need to install the OS onto the microSD card and download all of the drivers and libraries required to run the animations. I've assumed zero familiarity with the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, so I've tried to be explicit below.
Download Raspbian, the Raspberry Pi operating system A direct link to the latest stable 'lite' build can be found here. For development purposes, the build that I used was 2018-06-27-raspbian-stretch-lite.img.
Put the image on a microSD card This involves creating a bootable microSD card from the Raspbian image downloaded above. As an OS X user, my preferred method for doing this is using ApplePi-Baker. Follow the link to see instructions on its use (you'll select the microSD card from the menu, choose the IMG file in the 'Pi-Ingredients: IMG Recipe' box, and click on 'Restore Backup'). I used version 1.9.4 of ApplePi-Baker, which can be downloaded directly here. If Windows users have a similar easy-to-use bootable SD card creator, please send me a message (@DocBrownPhd) and I'll put it here.
Set up the Raspberry Pi Make sure that neither the Raspberry Pi nor the RGB HAT is plugged in. Pop in the microSD card, then make sure that the unit is connected via HDMI to a monitor and to a keyboard via USB. Plug the power cable into the 5V plug on the HAT as well as the smaller power cable into the Raspberry Pi and allow the unit to boot to the login. The default username is pi and the password is raspberry. This should get you to the linux command line. The first step is to run the following command, which will bring up the Raspberry Pi configuration menu: sudo raspi-config Unless you are in Great Britain at which point you can skip this step, via the arrow keys and enter, navigate to 4 Localisation Options (as you change each option you'll be dropped back into the top-level menu, so navigate back to the sub-menu). Select I1 Change Locale, and choose your local via the spacebar, confirming with enter (for the US that would be en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8. Confirm that you want this as the default for the system environment. Select I2 Change Timezone and select your region then timezone. Select I3 . If you're in the US, you'll most likely want to pick Generic 104-key PC > other > English (US) > English (US) > The default for the keyboard layout > No compose key Navigate to 7 Advanced Options and select A2 Overscan > No > Ok. (This makes the display fill the entire screen). Set up wi-fi by selecting 2 Network Options > N2 Wi-fi and following the instructions. You'll also want to set up the Pi's SSH server so that you'll be able to log into the Raspberry Pi from another PC (such that the Pi doesn't have to be connected to a display or keyboard) by navigating to 5 Interfacing Options and selecting P2 SSH > Yes > Ok. Navigate to Finish and the system should automatically reboot. Login as before.
Install required software Download all of the software required to run the animation montage by running the following commands, one at a time (note that some of these will take a while): sudo apt-get install -y vim tmux git sudo git clone https://github.com/carloartieri/8bit_raspi_pixel_art_display.git sudo 8bit_raspi_pixel_art_display/install.sh
Run the animation script If you'd like to run the animation script manually by logging into the Pi, you can do so by typing: sudo python3 8bit_raspi_pixel_art_display/run_montage.py By appending -h to the end of the above command, you can get a summary of the command line options available. In particular, if you'd like the individual animations to run longer, add --cycletime 30 (where 30 here is the runtime of each scene in seconds). Also, adding --shuffle shuffles the order of animation routines at startup. If you'd like the montage to run in the background, such that you could ssh into the Raspberry Pi, turn it on and then log out, use the following command (adding desired options before the &): sudo nohup python3 8bit_raspi_pixel_art_display/run_montage.py & However, both of the options above will have to be rerun if the Pi is turned off. Alternatively, if you'd like the Pi to launch the animation code immediately upon boot-up, you'll have to edit the /etc/rc.local file (using a command such as sudo vim /etc/rc.local) to add the following command before the exit 0 line: sudo /usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/8bit_raspi_pixel_art_display/run_montage.py --cycletime 30 --shuffle & Note that mistyping the above command can prevent the Raspberry Pi from booting, so type it in carefully! In this case, you can simply unplug the Pi to stop the display and plug it back in to restart.