help getting started, next step?

[netfan]

Brand new to the game, here is my setup:

Raspberry pi 2 model B
San Devices E682

Currently I have a workstation up and running, pixel string of 100 running off the san device with a test pattern, FPP-v6.3-pi.img sitting on the desktop on the pi.

I am new to RP, cannot figure out what to do to get FPP installed?

Thank you in advance...

[Poporacer]

I am new to RP, cannot figure out what to do to get FPP installed?

or this? 
https://falconchristmas.github.io/FPP_Manual(6.0).pdf

[netfan]

Honestly, I've watched dozens of videos on this topic and cannot seem to pick out the specific thing I need for the next step.  My specific question is this:

Since I already have the .img file on the PI desktop, how do I use that to install FPP?

Nearly all of these videos have the install done on a PC with SD card first, then put the card in the PI.

Is that how it HAS to be done?  Seems like, since I already have the .img file sitting on the PI, I should just be able to install it there??

[jnealand]

The image file has to installed to the sd card and not copied to it.  Use the computer.  I prefer dotnetdiskimager to do the install.  Been using FPP since it first came out.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/dotnetdiskimager/

[Poporacer]

Honestly, I've watched dozens of videos on this topic and cannot seem to pick out the specific thing I need for the next step.

Did you watch the video I posted? It goes step by step. The FPP Manual also goes step by step, did you look at that as well?

Since I already have the .img file on the PI desktop

I am not sure what your definition of PI desktop is, but if you are referring to the Pi Desktop OS that is not how FPP works. FPP has its own OS

how do I use that to install FPP?

You have to use an imaging program like mentioned in both the video and manual link I provided.

Nearly all of these videos have the install done on a PC with SD card first, then put the card in the PI.

And?

Is that how it HAS to be done?

Yes

Seems like, since I already have the .img file sitting on the PI, I should just be able to install it there??

Operating systems do not work that way. When an OS boots up it looks to the boot sector of the SD card for booting instructions. You cannot access that by simply installing a program, that is why you have to use an imaging program.

Watch the video I posted, it will probably help. Don't take any extra steps, just follow step by step.

[netfan]

OK, that is starting to get through to me... I DID watch the video, twice all the way through and then parts that I thought were pertinent to me.  It did not sink in that FPP was an OS - thought it was an app like thing that needed a PI OS to exist.

SO, maybe last question on this topic, and thank you for the responses!

Can Raspberry PI OS and FPP exist together on the same SD card?

[Poporacer]

and then parts that I thought were pertinent to me...

ALL parts are pertinent. Did the video mention anything about installing another OS? LOL

Can Raspberry PI OS and FPP exist together on the same SD card?

OS is operating system.... It takes some very fancy coding to get 2 OSes on a computer. What you are asking is like asking if you can get Windows 10 and Windows 11 on the same computer. You can on a computer but there are probably not enough resources on the small FPP devices to do so...

But the real question is WHY do you want to do that?

[netfan]

and then parts that I thought were pertinent to me...

ALL parts are pertinent. Did the video mention anything about installing another OS? LOL

In the first 60 seconds of the video, the gentleman states why all parts are NOT pertinent to me. I've clearly stated that I'm a newbie, not sure why you feel like to you need to respond to me in such a way as to make me feel like an idiot *LOL*

Can Raspberry PI OS and FPP exist together on the same SD card?

OS is operating system.... It takes some very fancy coding to get 2 OSes on a computer. What you are asking is like asking if you can get Windows 10 and Windows 11 on the same computer. You can on a computer but there are probably not enough resources on the small FPP devices to do so...

But the real question is WHY do you want to do that?

I don't even KNOW why I would want to do that!!!  I think I would prefer that you just leave the thread to people who care to assist without the condescending commentary.  I really do appreciate the time you've taken to try to assist me.

[Poporacer]

I've clearly stated that I'm a newbie, not sure why you feel like to you need to respond to me in such a way as to make me feel like an idiot *LOL*

I did not mean to make you feel that way, sorry if I did.

I don't even KNOW why I would want to do that!!!

YOU asked the question if you could do it, not I, so my assumption was that there was something that you needed to accomplish that you felt that you needed both installed. If there was a specific reason that you thought you wanted to have both installed, we could have probably given you a way to accomplish what you were asking to do.

I think I would prefer that you just leave the thread to people who care to assist without the condescending commentary

I think your skin is awful thin if you are upset over someone trying to help you. If I didn't care to help, I wouldn't have asked questions in order to help you. 

[rayster]

This may help.
img. files are a copy of the SD card or a hard drive and they are not an executable. So someone loads the operating system to a drive first the installs the program and all the drivers to make it work. After it is working then they make an image file like FPP-v6.3-pi.img. The title tells you what software is on the image, Fpp-v6.3 then what platform the image will work with, a PI computer. .img is a couplete copy of the creators sd card so once you use one of the mentioned programs to burn it to the sd card you put said card into pi and then power up and let it do it job. 

[jnealand]

In my book, FPP is a Pi OS that has been modified for the lighting community to be smaller and more useful to us.  Using another OS would be as simple as pulling the card with FPP on it and inserting another card with a different OS on it.  Remember that you are working with a very small computer here which can do any amazing amount of things, but it is not Windows or MAC or a mainframe.  When you buy a Pi you get hardware only.  There is not even a hard disk, the uSD is the hard disk.

[K-State Fan]

These are the steps I use when installing FPP pretty much what the manual shows.  I do not know what Pi desktop is so I can not help with that.

Download current image from https://github.com/FalconChristmas/fpp/releases for the device i am starting

Insert SD card into reader I have standardized to a SanDisk Ultra 32 gb

Use SD formatter to format the card

burn image onto sd card using dotnetdisk imager

Place sdcard in pi or BB

hookup network cable to my home network

powerup pi

after a few minutes use advanced IP to scan network so I can see what IP was assigned to the unit.

open Chrome and enter above IP

Then setup FPP to my needs

[netfan]

Progress!

I reimaged the SD card and booted successfully on the PI

On page 166 of the FPP manual there is a graphic showing my desired setup, for now.

It shows a wireless connection to the FPP (PI 2 modelB for me) and then ethernet cable to the controller (E682 for me)

However, I cannot seem to activate the USB wireless with my new SD card and the FPP.

Thoughts?

[Poporacer]

The Pi Model 2 B does not have a Wi-Fi adapter and you said that you have a USB Wireless adapter. Which one? They have to be Linux compatible. I am not sure what you mean by "activate" can you explain?

[netfan]

The Pi Model 2 B does not have a Wi-Fi adapter and you said that you have a USB Wireless adapter. Which one? They have to be Linux compatible. I am not sure what you mean by "activate" can you explain?

I got my PI as a kit. It came with a USB WiFi adapter, which allowed network connectivity while I had Raspian installed on the PI.  So, probably what was going on was that Raspian was configuring the WiFi adapter and connecting to my home network.  Once that was done and I had the E682 powered and connected to a pixel string, I used an ethernet cable from the PI to the E682 to set up the controller.

Once I got that far, I decided to try FPP - that's finally done, but I've taken away, I guess, the ability to connect the PI wirelessly to the network.  By "activate", I mean, configure the PI to utilize the USB wireless adapter to connect to the network while using FPP (my thought was, that would enable me to use the ethernet port on the PI to connect to the E682)

So, just asking (because I really don't know any better), is there a command on FPP, or another wireless adapter, or any other way to connect things in the way I described, or will I have to connect everything wired to the router (or switch that I don't have)?  Or, is there a more eloquent solution that escapes me with my limited knowledge and understanding?