Run Raspberry 3 in digital signage mode with Chromium Web browser on a TV screen
Follow installation instructions
Login via SSH: ssh pi@ip-address. Password is raspberry.
Install some packages and reboot:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install matchbox chromium-browser cec-utils xinit x11-xserver-utils ttf-mscorefonts-installer xwit sqlite3 libnss3 libgtk-3-0 xserver-xorg-legacy
sudo systemctl reboot
Edit Pi's own configuration file /boot/config.txt. This works for me on a LG Full HD TV screen:
disable_overscan=1
framebuffer_width=1920
framebuffer_height=1080
hdmi_force_hotplug=1
hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=31
Check the best mode by running /opt/vc/bin/tvservice -m CEA. The TV screen has activated CEC support (called simplink). I use this feature to automatically turn on the TV while Pi is booting.
Because there is currently (January 2017) a bug in X/xinit we need more privileges on /dev/tty*. Edit etc/rc.local. Add this:
if [ -f /boot/xinitrc ]; then
chmod 0660 /dev/tty*
ln -fs /boot/xinitrc /home/pi/.xinitrc;
su - pi -c 'startx' &
fi
Allow user pi to start the X server:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg-legacy # Set to "Anybody"
Create file /boot/xinitrc:
#!/bin/sh
while true; do
# Turn on TV
echo "on 0" | cec-client -s
# Clean up previously running apps, gracefully at first then harshly
killall -TERM chromium-browser 2>/dev/null;
killall -TERM matchbox-window-manager 2>/dev/null;
sleep 2;
killall -9 chromium-browser 2>/dev/null;
killall -9 matchbox-window-manager 2>/dev/null;
# Clean out existing profile information
rm -rf /home/pi/.cache;
rm -rf /home/pi/.config;
rm -rf /home/pi/.pki;
# Generate the bare minimum to keep Chromium happy!
mkdir -p /home/pi/.config/chromium/Default
sqlite3 /home/pi/.config/chromium/Default/Web\ Data "CREATE TABLE meta(key LONGVARCHAR NOT NULL UNIQUE PRIMARY KEY, value LONGVARCHAR); INSERT INTO meta VALUES('version','46'); CREATE TABLE keywords (foo INTEGER);";
# Disable DPMS / Screen blanking
xset -dpms
xset s off
# Reset the framebuffer's colour-depth
fbset -depth $( cat /sys/module/*fb*/parameters/fbdepth );
# Hide the cursor (move it to the bottom-right, comment out if you want mouse interaction)
xwit -root -warp $( cat /sys/module/*fb*/parameters/fbwidth ) $( cat /sys/module/*fb*/parameters/fbheight )
# Start the window manager (remove "-use_cursor no" if you actually want mouse interaction)
matchbox-window-manager -use_titlebar no -use_cursor no &
chromium-browser --disable-translate --app=https://example.net/
done;
Reboot your Pi and you are hopefully done.