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Raspberry Pi Setup & Configuration

This guide covers setting up your Raspberry Pi from a blank SD card to a fully configured system ready for PiTrac installation.

Quick Start

This guide covers Raspberry Pi OS installation and initial system configuration. Once complete, proceed to Install PiTrac Software.

Overview

What you'll do:

  1. Install Raspberry Pi OS using Raspberry Pi Imager
  2. Log in and perform initial updates
  3. (Optional) Configure advanced features like NVMe boot or NAS mounting

Time Required:

  • Essential setup: ~45 minutes
  • With optional configs: ~75 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner-friendly with step-by-step instructions

System Requirements

Required Hardware

  • Raspberry Pi 5 with at least 8GB RAM
  • MicroSD card - 64GB minimum (32GB may work but 64GB+ recommended)
  • Power supply - Official Raspberry Pi power supply recommended
  • Network connection - Ethernet cable strongly recommended for initial setup
  • Monitor, keyboard, mouse - Helpful for first boot, even if running headless later
  • NVMe HAT + SSD - For significantly faster performance (Pi 5 only)
  • Second computer - For SSH access and easier copy-paste from documentation
  • NAS or file server - For development work and safer file storage

Setup Process

Step 1: Install Operating System

Install Raspberry Pi OS using Raspberry Pi Imager with proper configuration for PiTrac.

Install Raspberry Pi OS

What you'll do:

  • Download and use Raspberry Pi Imager
  • Choose correct OS version (64-bit Trixie)
  • Configure hostname, username, WiFi, and SSH
  • Image your SD card and first boot

Time: ~30 minutes

Step 2: First Login & Updates

Log into your Pi (via SSH or console) and perform essential system updates.

First Login & Updates

What you'll do:

  • Connect via SSH or console
  • Update system packages
  • Verify sudo privileges
  • Check system configuration

Time: ~15 minutes

Step 3: Advanced Configuration (Optional)

Configure optional features for enhanced performance and development workflows.

Advanced Configuration

Optional features:

  • NVMe Boot - Boot from SSD for 5-10x speed improvement
  • NAS Mounting - Mount remote drives for safer development
  • SSH Keys - Passwordless authentication
  • Git Setup - Configure for shared drives

Time: Varies by feature (15-60 minutes)

Note

These are optional. PiTrac works fine without them.

Current System Architecture

Modern PiTrac uses a simplified architecture:

  • All services run on a single Raspberry Pi 5
  • Pre-built packages handle dependencies automatically

You do not need to manually build OpenCV or other dependencies - the installation process handles everything.

After Setup

Once your Pi is set up, continue to:

Install PiTrac Software

This will install the launch monitor binary, web dashboard, and all required services.

Quick Reference

Essential Commands

# Update system
sudo apt update && sudo apt -y upgrade

# Check OS version
cat /etc/os-release

# Check architecture (must be aarch64)
uname -m

# Find IP address
hostname -I

# Reboot
sudo reboot now

# Shutdown
sudo poweroff

Network Access

SSH from another computer:

# Using hostname (usually works)
ssh <username>@pitrac.local

# Using IP address
ssh <username>@192.168.1.100

Find Pi's IP address:

  • Check router's DHCP client list
  • On Pi with monitor: hostname -I
  • Network scanner: nmap or Angry IP Scanner

Troubleshooting

Can't find Pi on network
  • Wait 5 minutes after first boot
  • Check router for new DHCP clients
  • Verify ethernet cable connected
  • Check WiFi credentials if using wireless
  • Try connecting a monitor to see boot progress
SD card won't boot
  • Verify you selected 64-bit OS
  • Check SD card isn't corrupted
  • Try re-imaging with Raspberry Pi Imager
  • Ensure SD card is properly inserted
  • Try different SD card
SSH connection refused
  • Verify SSH was enabled during OS installation
  • Check Pi is on network: ping pitrac.local
  • Wait longer - first boot takes 3-4 minutes
  • Try IP address instead of hostname
  • Check firewall isn't blocking port 22
System updates fail
  • Check internet connection: ping google.com
  • Verify DNS works: nslookup google.com
  • Check disk space: df -h
  • Try: sudo apt update --fix-missing

Need Help?

What's Next?

After completing Pi setup:

  1. OS Installed - Raspberry Pi OS running
  2. System Updated - All packages current
  3. Network Configured - SSH access working
  4. Install PiTrac - Next: Install PiTrac Software