Installation guide: Multipurpose Raspberry Pi - Setting Up a Media (Kodi), Gaming (RetroPie), Lightweight PC Replacement (Raspbian Desktop)

RetroResolution

Installation Guide for a three-in-1 Multipurpose Raspberry Pi: Installing a Media, Gaming, PC Replacement

I have a couple of older Raspberry Pi machines, each of which is limited to a single task. The Model 1 Pi has been doing duty for a couple of years as a media center, and is dedicated to running XBMC.

The Pi 2 is currently running an installation of RetroPie 2. I ill-advisedly deleted the Raspbian files that were not directly needed by RetroPie, thereby removing the option of using the machine as a desktop replacement.

Having taken delivery of a shiny new Raspberry Pi 3 I was keen to take advantage of the increased power of the machine, using it to perform multiple duties: a media center using Kodi, a retro-gaming system with RetroPie (of course), and PC (Linux) workstation using the Raspbian Desktop. I also wanted to avoid the need for swapping SD Cards, which is both a hassle and introduces needless wear and tear on the card port.

The guide covers the following topics:

A Little Background
Considering the Options
Undertaking the Installation: A Step by Step guide
Obtaining and Installing Raspbian
    Obtaining and Writing the OS Image to the SD Card
    Post Installation – Update and Upgrade
Configuring the Raspberry Pi
    Setting Boot Options
    Setting overscan
    Setting Localisation
    Setting the CPU/GPU Memory Split
    Expanding the Filesystem
Installing RetroPie
    Obtaining RetroPie
    Running the RetroPie Setup Tool
Installing Kodi Media Center
    Installing Kodi via the RetroPie Setup Tool
    Launching Kodi
    Exiting Kodi
Building on the Foundations

senkun

@RetroResolution thanks! As always, your guides are thoroughly informative and a pleasure to read and try.

RetroResolution

@senkun Thanks! that's very kind of you - glad the guides are helpful.

mauruco

Cool, kodi is working properly? I mean, in kodi no connection errors with the internet without error to find sources and managed to install the most popular plugins? Kodi is still in the experimental section. I tried but could not.

RetroResolution

@mauruco I've not experienced any issues with Kodi regarding internet connectivity; I've installed a couple of popular Video add-ons (TwitchTV and BBC iPlayer) - both work flawlessly.
The guide is based on RetroPie 3.6 being installed on top of Raspbian Jessie, using the RetroPie experimental options menu - I understand from the release notes that Retropie 3.7 uses the newer Kodi 16, and handles the integration a little differently. I'm not sure if this would account for the issues you describe.

I've also performed this installation a couple of times, as I accidentally messed up the Raspbian desktop when experimenting with X-windows packages. I did have problems with the repositories on the second installation, but this was a general issue with the server, and not with Kodi itself. I worked around the connectivity by using a mirror, but confirmed everything was working as normal with a third installation later that day when the main Raspbian server was back up.

wetriner

Yep, there's some SSL verification problems when you try and run some addons through the stock RetroPie image. It's a pretty quick fix though.

>>sudo apt-get install --reinstall ca-certificates
>>sudo update-ca-certificates --fresh

RetroResolution

@wetriner It could be that I was installing the add-ons having launched Kodi from the terminal, or once at the Raspbian desktop. I'll update the guide!
[Guide updated]

herb_fargus

@RetroResolution you can do it both ways. Since RetroPie already built on raspbian it's easy enough to reinstall the desktop environment:

https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/FAQ#where-did-the-desktop-go

It's a bit simpler this way as the script automated the booting options directly into emulationstation and provides a simple launcher from the ports menu so you can bounce between the desktop, RetroPie, and kodi.

RetroResolution

@herb_fargus I used the experimental install menu, so Kodi appears under the Emulation Station Ports menu. I've also got a text-mode menu that runs as soon the the Pi boots to the terminal to easily launch the Raspbian Desktop, Kodi, or Emulation Station (or reboot or shutdown)

The menu is re-displayed after exiting Raspbian Desktop, Kodi, or Emulation Station, but not run if you connect via SSH, or open a terminal on the desktop - there's a part-2 to the guide which covers setting this up.

I may update the guide when I get around to testing RetroPie 3.7 - I tend to leave new releases to stabilise before updating a known-good installation.

herb_fargus

@RetroResolution very cool. Looking forward to your updates

RetroResolution

@herb_fargus Cheers! Trouble with writing technical guides is the ever-present risk of large chunks of the text becoming obsoleted by the very next release of the system you're describing!

mauruco

Really cool!

mauruco

@wetriner
I looked at the log and found that:
ERROR: CCurlFile::FillBuffer - Failed: Couldn't connect to server(7)
So I tried on my PI3 remove the overclocking settings.
Did not work.
I disabled the WiFi and tried with a wifi dongle.
Did not work.
I asked google master.
Did not work.
Reinstalled ca-certificates.
Did not work.
But with the help of fusion addon-installer could install the addon I wanted.
And with "sudo apt-get install kodi-pvr-iptvsimple" managed to install iptv.
Thanks to Rascas, https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/677/a-problem-with-kodi-installed-from-experimental-packages/2 .
And now it's all as I wanted.
Cheers

RetroResolution

Seems that Kodi behaves differently depending upon how the entire system is setup (RetroPie image as base vs raspbian image as base).
Glad you resolved the kodi add-on issues on your installation.

TheIceBolt

@RetroResolution I have been stuck for a day and a half - with this kind of issue.

before getting the screen, I ran Kodi in a port ( #527* ? ) - as the Pi2b was just RetroPie.

Got a cheap'ish 7inch touch screen 800x480 - BUT it needs it's drivers from a 'mirrored' raspbian jessy.

I installed retropie in terminal [ https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=146313&hilit=update&sid=e70aa76991ab544cef454256aac45272 ] -
after an hour - all seemed fine - except it won't seem to quit LXDE.

If I could cherry pick the 'relevant' settings - from the manufacturers image - anyone know if this is workable ??
[ https://s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/sain-amzn/20/20-011-238/7inch_HDMI_Raspbian-150604.img ]
[https://s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/sain-amzn/20/20-011-238/raspberry+pi+7-hdmi.zip ]
[ https://s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/sain-amzn/20/20-011-238/7+lcd.xps ]

Anyway I'll try this to see if I can find any hints &or solutions.

I'm going to run this guide on a 16Gb class10 - wish me luck.

( if adafruit had these in stock, my daughter would have gotten me one from them ! )

TheIceBolt

@TheIceBolt Already seen this - I'm so excited, . . .

Set Boot Options
Older releases of the Raspbian OS booted directly into the text-mode Command Line / Shell; more recent versions start the desktop GUI by default. Although booting direct to the Raspbian desktop GUI is handy, selecting this option also removes the ‘Exit to Command Line’ option from the Shutdown menu; this is a problem as Emulation Station / RetroPie cannot be launched from within the GUI environment.

TheIceBolt

Well it all went flawlessly, . . until it rebooted -
I got to this part, . . .

" Once the installation completes, reboot the Raspberry Pi. Generally it’s never a good idea to simply switch the power off as the filesystem can become corrupted. To reboot cleanly from the command line:
sudo reboot
If you wish to shut down the Pi from the command line:
sudo shutdown -h now
When the Pi has rebooted, to launch RetroPie, issue the following command:
emulationstation
(this is the name of the graphical user interface used by RetroPie) "

. . now it boots and shows no GUI - just a black screen with mouse pointer .

TheIceBolt

@TheIceBolt - It was the TDK16Gb SD ( class4 ) -
I copied the contents on a class10 SanDisk - and hey presto, . . !
It runs well, !
alt text

RetroResolution

@TheIceBolt This is great news - many apologies for not responding to your question, I haven't logged onto the forum and currently I'm not sure where (if anywhere) I can set an email alert to responses to my posts.
[edit - hopefully it's as simple as me clicking the huge 'watch' button!]

That display looks tremendous.

cparker74

I would like to say thank u very much 4 this post...ive been trying to get this answer for 2 weeks now...thank u