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Interface / connect Raspberry pi to a PC monitor and Laptop

Today we will be learning how to interface /connect Raspberry pi to a PC monitor and Laptop

Last week, I hope we have finished how to burn RASPBIAN image (OS) file in to Memory card.

Now, Let us look at the ports of Raspberry pi:

1. Out of the ports we have as shown in the above figure, we will be using only HDMI, Ethernet and Audio and video jack to connect to PC monitor /Laptop/TV Respectively.
2. Interfacing of Raspberry pi with the above depends on the individual, his availability and his requirements.

HDMI interface:

1. With the HDMI port available on the raspberry pi it is very easy to connect it to a PC monitor or a TV which supports HDMI. It’s very easy to connect HDMI cable on both sides (i.e.) to the raspberry pi at one end and to the monitor or TV then  power the pi using  micro-USB cable. You will be seeing pi booting up as your PC does and in a few seconds the Graphical desktop appears as in case of your PC.

If you don’t have a monitor supporting HDMI ??

Ans: Don’t worry , we have a solution for that issue. Usually every PC monitor has a VGA cable most often. We can here use a HDMI to VGA converter. But your done with this, You have to follow few steps stated below to be done with your HDMI to VGA converter.

1. Now insert your memory card in to card reader and connect it to your PC  and open the ‘config.txt’  file .This file consists of many lines to configure our pi with our specific requirements and every line is accompanied with a ‘# ‘tag before each line.This ‘#’ before each line indicates that every line is commented .
2. Now look for the following lines and uncomment them(removing the ‘#’ before the line)

#hdmi_force_hotplug=1

#hdmi_drive=2

3. By uncommenting, we will be enabling the above lines. These lines will allow the VGA output through HDMI with a resolution of 640×480.If you want to have high resolution output then find the following lines and uncomment them.

#hdmi_group=1

#hdmi_mode=4

Note: you have  to change their values as hdmi_group=2 and hdmi_mode=16 for high resolution.

How to connect pi to a Laptop ??

Ans: Laptop will have an HDMI port. But it is not that easy this time, It has an HDMI output port and not an input port. So here we go, follow below steps to get connected to laptop with Raspberry pi.

Requirements:

1) Ethernet Cable

2) Putty software

3) xming software

4) dhcpsrv software

Download the above mentioned software from the links below:

Putty: http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/putty.exe

Xming: http://sourceforge.net/projects/xming/files/latest/download?source=typ_redirect

dhcpsrv: http://www.dhcpserver.de/cms/wp-content/plugins/download-attachments/includes/download.php?id=612

Procedure:

1. Install the above software in your PC and Connect one end of your Ethernet cable to Raspberry pi and the other end to your Laptop.
2. Run the Xming software by double clicking on ‘Xlaunch’ and press NEXT until you get  FINISH .This will be running the xming software in the background.
3. Now run DHCP server by clicking on dhcpsrv.exe->admin->configure exit
   
4. Now run dhcpwiz.exe->NEXT
   

5. Select Ethernet as shown in above figure and press àNEXT and pressà NEXT for the next window appearing.

6. Now change the IP address (i.e.) we are assigning a static IP to access Raspberry pi and change the number accordingly in the preceding box of IP-pool which is highlighted with Red color and press -> NEXT as shown in figure above.
7. Now click on the check box and write the file as highlighted with Red color in the picture below:
   
8. Now check the status ,they should be as shown below and click on check box then finish
   
9. After you click on finish a window appears again check the status and click on ‘continue as stray app’. After running it succefully ,you will get a notification at the right bottom desktop of your laptop showing dhcp is running and assigning IP address .
   
10. Now open putty->Host name and type the IP address you have mentioned in the dhcp server in point  6

11. Now go to SSH on the left side bottom of your putty and click on SSH and then X11.Now enable X11 forwarding.
    
12. Now click on session ,check the IP address and click open
    

13.Now a window will open as shown below and ask for user id and password. The default UserId  is ’pi’ and password is ‘raspberry’ and note that you cannot see your password while typing after few seconds you will  get  the Graphical desktop/Xwindows on your Laptop.

If you are doing this for the first time, you will experience many errors  and feel free to ask me.any queries comment below.

This seems to be a lengthy one, But doing it once matters after that it seems to be very short and Easy.

That’s all for this week ,next week  we will be learning some Linux commands and we will explore the contents and folders of pi.

Any queries comment below