Getting Started with Dexter Industries BrickPi

Hardware Requirements

You will need all of the following:

• Dexter Industries BrickPi, BrickPi+ or BrickPi3
• Raspberry Pi Model B, B+, 2 or 3
• A 12V power source [1]
• A compatible SD or MicroSD memory card [2]
• Windows, macOS or Linux computer with an Internet connection [3]
• SD card reader for your computer

[1]	The power source can be batteries or an AC/DC adapter. Powering via USB on the Raspberry Pi will work, but you will not be able to run any motors.

[2]	Refer to Raspberry Pi SD Card FAQ

[3]	Administrative privileges are needed for installing software and flashing the microSD card.

Communication Requirements

Since the BrickPi does not have a display, we will be using the wired Ethernet connection to begin with. A Wi-Fi connection can be setup later.

Installing Ev3dev

Ev3dev is distributed as a disk image that is flashed to your microSD card.

1. Download and install Etcher.

2. Download the latest ev3dev image for Raspberry Pi from the ev3dev downloads page.

   Note

   Follow the link on that page for ev3dev-stretch snapshot images.

3. Run Etcher and flash the image to the microSD card. Click here if you need detailed instructions on using Etcher.

4. When the flashing is complete, open the EV3DEV_BOOT drive of the SD card on your computer.

   Tip

   You may need to remove the SD card and plug it back in to the computer before you see the EV3DEV_BOOT drive.

5. Open the config.txt file and follow the instructions. There are various lines that need to edited depending on which models of BrickPi and Raspberry Pi you have, so be sure to read carefully.

6. Save the changes to config.txt and close the text editor.

7. Safely eject the SD card from your computer.

8. Put the SD card in the Raspberry Pi and turn it on.

   Tip

   If all goes well, the two blue LEDs on the BrickPi or BrickPi+ should turn on. On BrickPi3, the single LED should stop blinking and be on solid.

Establishing a Connection

Wired Ethernet

Connect an Ethernet cable from your Raspberry Pi to your router or network switch.

Tip

The connection should be automatically configured. You can confirm this by running ping ev3dev.local in a terminal window on your computer.

Setting Up a Development Environment

Programming tools are the same no matter which ev3dev device you are using, so continue here.