Complete basic setup

Assuming you just opened the cardboard box, pulled out the BBB and plugged it in to network and power or just connected it via USB and are using the virtual network.

ssh the BeagleBone, e.g. ssh [email protected]. First step on every new system: change the password (default is none) with passwd. Then make sure, the whole eMMC is available:

/opt/scripts/tools/grow_partition.sh
reboot

usbmount is not necessarily needed, but some example scripts rely on it, so just install it. Update the package database first and install dependencies:

apt-get update
apt-get install usbmount git build-essential

apt-get upgrade is a good idea too. You may encounter problems, see troubleshooting here. Now get and compile the LEDscape library:

cd /opt
sudo git clone http://github.com/osresearch/LEDscape.git
cd LEDscape
sudo make

Copy the cape file:

cp dts/CAPE-BONE-OCTO-00A0.dtbo /lib/firmware

To use all outputs, you have to disable HDMI, as it is mapped to the GPIOs. If you are using a Debian image from 2014.8.13 or newer, do this:

sed -i 's/#cape_disable=capemgr.disable_partno=BB-BONELT-HDMI,BB-BONELT-HDMIN/cape_disable=capemgr.disable_partno=BB-BONELT-HDMI,BB-BONELT-HDMIN'/g /boot/uEnv.txt

If you are using an older Debian image, do this:

sed -i 's/#cape_disable=capemgr.disable_partno=BB-BONELT-HDMI,BB-BONELT-HDMIN/cape_disable=capemgr.disable_partno=BB-BONELT-HDMI,BB-BONELT-HDMIN'/g /boot/uboot/uEnv.txt

You can quickly determine which image you have with cat /etc/dogtag. Usage of the PRU is disabled by default. Quick version by using the existing setting:

cd dts
dtc -I dtb -O dts -o /boot/uboot/dtbs/am335x-boneblack.dtb ubuntu-`uname -r`.dts

If that fails:

dtc -I dts -O dtd -o ubuntu-`uname -r`.dts /boot/uboot/dtbs/am335x-boneblack.dtb

Edit the new generated file with

nano ubuntu-`uname -r`.dts

And find the entry pruss@4a300000 (Ctrl+W) and set status = "okay";. Save it and do the second step again (dtc -I dtb ...).

Finally: reboot. You can now enjoy your videowall or whatever you will use this project for. As I'm using it for a videowall, I named my BBB like that: nano /etc/hostname. After reboot the new address is videowall.local or what name you've chosen.

If you like to use matrices with the udp-rx, then this patch will do the fix (otherwise second half blank).