[PD] installing latest pd vanilla on RPI

Simon Wise via Pd-list pd-list at lists.iem.at
Sat Jul 19 10:34:22 CEST 2014


On 19/07/14 14:09, Alexandre Torres Porres wrote:
> "RPis are not very powerful, and running them without a desktop (using ssh or
> similar over ethernet and /etc/rc.local to launch stuff on boot) makes a
> lot of sense."
>
> are you saying it basically doesn't really work for live audio applications
> with the desktop system on and all?
>
> cause, yeah, it seems it can'thandle, but I always thought you guys were
> doing it with the desktop system and everything
>
> I just got into this for curiosity, I don't really need a RPi for anything,
> just wanted to play with it and see if it could run simple patches. I could
> eventually use it live, but it wouldn't make sense to run it over ssh with
> another computer (would rather just use the other computer).

Generally ssh is used to program and set things up without needing a desktop on 
the Pi, especially since Pd needs a GUI to edit but not to run and ssh lets you 
open the window on a laptop while Pd is running on the (screen- and X-less) Pi.

Then the RPi is finally set up to launch whatever program you want running when 
it boots ... and Pd is well suited to being controlled via buttons or pedals or 
some connection (say midi) to an instrument or some controller like a BCF2000, 
or perhaps do something more like an effects box that takes audio in and outputs 
processed audio. Or possibly it is the controller in some kind of interactive 
installation or instrument, there are accessible input and output control 
options for all kinds of sensors to be used and in this situation a screen and 
keyboard just get in the way ... make trouble and take up space.

RPis certainly are not very useful if you really need a laptop with screen, 
keyboard, desktop and such to run and control what you are using .. but they can 
be useful in this case networked so they are running say a projector or some 
speakers (or even lights or motors or whatever) and are being cued or controlled 
from a program on a laptop somewhere. Especially if you want several projectors 
or need to control things spread over a wide area from a single program. Maybe 
you have the laptop running audio and want several projections, or want to use 
the GPIO features which are not available on a laptop. Pis are a compact, cheap, 
low-power way to do this (if they are up to the task you have in mind ... Udoo 
or Beaglebone or such for a bit more $$ are much more powerful devices for 
similar needs if the RPi can't do it).

Simon



More information about the Pd-list mailing list