[debian] Solution to display a webpage automatically when booted? (Rasp PI?)

[burgemaster]

I wonder if anyone has already done something like this:

 

We have several displays or screens around the school, they are plugged into a full size old noisy retired desktop pc stored away somewhere.. they run XP and automatically login and display the "intranet" webpage etc..

 

BUT... I was wondering if there could be a Linux solution? we could even possibly replace these PCs with a raspberry PI, saving power, space, hassle!

 

Thanks in advance!

[glennda]

Sounds like the Xibo Python client could be ideal

[dhicks]

I wonder if anyone has already done something like this

 

Yes: I set up a command-line only install of Debian, then added the light-weight XFCE window manager. I then installed Chrome and made sure its home page was set to whatever URL we wanted. I set Debian to auto-login as a local user, got XFCE to start, and then set Chrome to start in kiosk mode as a startup application in XFCE - the machine boots and loads Chrome full-screen, no menus or tabs or anything. We actually use this for nursery children to use on EeePCs, but it should work fine for a display machine, too. I also set ours up to connect to our wireless via the commandline, so it connects on boot and doesn't bother the user with any silly popups about wireless networks.

 

Bear in mind the Raspberry Pi outputs HDMI or composite video - if you have VGA-only displays you'll have to get a (proper) converter. Saying that, most projectors seem to take compoite video, which is quite interesting - XBMC runs on the Raspberry Pi and supports Apple AirPlay, so you could plug the Raspberry Pi into the composite video input of a projector (probably unused in most schools) and use it as a handy media player / AirPlay device / self-contained interactive whiteboard replacement.

Edited March 22, 2012 by dhicks

[glennda]

There is also a kiosk mode/application in debian/KDE link here

[Fredo]

Hi there, there is a Debian based web-kiosk distro for this : webconverger

 

It's very simple to use

[nile_c]

As I recall, you can configure X to load an application immediately upon starting. This would save you some fuss with window managers and locking down settings, if it only ever needs the browser...

 

Sorry I cant remember which configuration file is involved. xsession or xinit, or similar?