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Yodeck Manual Configuration Guide for Raspberry Pi
Yodeck Manual Configuration Guide for Raspberry Pi
Updated over a week ago

Introduction

With Yodeck, you have two options for configuring a Player:

  • Though the web

  • Though the "SETTINGS.txt" configuration file on the SD Card of the Player

If you choose the first option, you have to get your Player online so that it can connect to the Internet and fetch the new settings you specify.
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There are cases where you need to configure the Player manually through the "SETTINGS.txt" configuration file:
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  • You want to connect through a WiFi network, but there is no option to connect it using a cable temporarily.
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  • You need to configure a Proxy server through which the Player connects to the Internet.
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  • Specify static IP configuration (Static IP Address, Netmask, Gateway, or DNS) for your connection.
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  • You need to specify some other configuration parameter besides networking, but you'd like to do it offline.
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Step-by-Step Guide

To manually configure the Player, do the following:

  1. V E R Y I M P O R T A N T: Login to your Yodeck account, navigate to the Monitor in question and specify all settings -- If you skip this step, then, when the Player registers, it will fetch the default settings from your Yodeck account and revert back to the wrong settings, possibly getting the Player offline again! So make sure you do it before manually changing the settings on the Player!
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  2. If the Player is currently powered on, disconnect all networks (any WiFi USB adapters or Ethernet cable) and wait 1 minute. Then, disconnect it from power.
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  3. Remove the SD Card. There is a small slot right next to the Powered On indicator LED. With your fingernail (or a thin, not sharp, object), push the card. It should pop out so that you can pull it off. Make sure you do not use excessive force.
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  4. Put the SD Card into your computer. You might need a MicroSD-to-SD adapter (usually, computers have standard SD Card slots, not MicroSD). An adapter like that should be included with your SD Card or Player.
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  5. Navigate to the SD Card. Open the "SETTINGS.txt" file in the SD Card.
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  6. Change the settings you need. You change the value of a setting by specifying it right after the equals ("=") sign. Settings are described in detail in the next section.
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  7. Save the "SETTINGS.txt" file, overwriting the existing file.
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  8. Use the "Safely Remove SD Card" feature of Windows (or Linux) and, after being notified that you can safely remove the SD Card, wait 10" and remove the SD Card.
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  9. Put the SD Card back in your Player. With your fingernail (or a thin, not sharp, object), push the card inwards. When you release it, it should lock into place. If it pops back out, try pushing the SD Card further inwards before releasing it. Make sure you do not use excessive force.
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  10. Connect the network you require (WiFi or Ethernet, never both). Note that in order for the WiFi adapter to be properly configured, it must be connected to the Player.
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  11. Power up the Player. Upon starting up, the Player will re-apply all settings found in the "SETTINGS.txt". It might take a while to apply all the settings, so be patient. The Player should be up and running within 3-4 minutes.
    ​

Settings Reference for "SETTINGS.txt"

A detailed reference for all the available settings follows. Note that the section names (denoted by square brackets, e.g., "[SECTIONNAME]") are essential and must be present for the settings below to be recognized and used.
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A complete example for "SETTINGS.txt" is also provided further down.
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WiFi Network Settings [WIFI]

Example section with dummy settings:
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[WIFI]

ipaddress = 192.168.1.200

netmask = 255.255.255.0

gateway = 192.168.1.1

dns = 8.8.8.8

ssid = YourWiFiNetworkName

key = ThisIsTheWiFiPassword
​mode = WPA

Configuring the Wireless Network connection


​[WIFI]
​ssid = YourWiFiNetworkName
​key = ThisIsTheWiFiPassword
​mode = WPA

Settings

  • ssid: This is the SSID of the Wireless Network, essentially the network's name. The Player will search for and try to connect to the SSID you specified here. If you do not specify an SSID and a WiFi adapter is present, then the Player will try to connect to any open wireless network ("open" means that it does not need a passphrase) it can detect nearby. If it can find multiple networks, it will connect to the one with the strongest signal.
    ​

  • key: This is the wireless network passphrase or key you must use to secure the network. If you do not specify a key, the player will assume that the SSID you specified above is an open wireless network (does not need a passphrase).
    ​

  • mode: This specifies the encryption used by the WiFi network. Valid values are: "WPA" for WPA/WPA2-PSK, or "WEP" for WEP64/WEP128 encryption. If you do not specify a mode, then the default value is "WPA".
    ​

Configuring the Wireless Network static networking


​[WIFI]
​ipaddress = 192.168.1.200
​netmask = 255.255.255.0
​gateway = 192.168.1.1
​dns = 8.8.8.8
​

Settings

  • ipaddress: This is the static IP Address for the Wireless Network. If you do not specify a static IP, then automatic IP Address assignment through DHCP is used. If you set this setting, then you must also set the "netmask" setting, or else it is ignored.
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  • netmask: This is the netmask for the Wireless Network. If you have not specified the "ipaddress" setting, this setting is ignored.
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  • gateway: This is the network gateway for the Wireless Network. If you have not specified the "ipaddress" setting, this setting is ignored.
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  • dns: This is the Name Server (DNS Server) for the Wireless Network. If you have not specified the "ipaddress" setting, this setting is ignored. By default, Google's Public DNS Service is always included in the system's configuration, to ensure reliability.
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LAN Network Settings [LAN]

Configuring the (wired) Ethernet connection

Example section with dummy settings:
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[LAN]

ipaddress = 192.168.1.200

netmask = 255.255.255.0

gateway = 192.168.1.1

dns = 8.8.8.8
​

Settings

  • ipaddress: This is the static IP Address for the Local Network. If you do not specify a static IP, then automatic IP Address assignment through DHCP is used. If you set this setting, then you must also set the "netmask" setting, or else it is ignored.
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  • netmask: This is the netmask for the Local Network. If you have not specified the "ipaddress" setting, this setting is ignored.
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  • gateway: This is the network gateway for the Local Network. If you have not specified the "ipaddress" setting, this setting is ignored.
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  • dns: This is the Name Server (DNS Server) for the Local Network. If you have not specified the "ipaddress" setting, this setting is ignored. By default, Google's Public DNS Service is always included in the system's configuration, to ensure reliability.
    ​

LAN Network Settings [LAN]

Configuring the (wired) Ethernet connection


Example section with dummy settings:

PROXY]

proxy = 192.168.1.253

port = 3128

username = myproxyusername

password = myproxypassword
​

Settings

  • proxy: This is the Proxy Server IP address (or hostname, but it's better to use an IP address to be safe). If you specify a Proxy Server using this setting, then all HTTP and HTTPS communications from the Player will go through the Proxy server. Remember that to use HTTPS, the Proxy must allow the "CONNECT" method.
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  • port: This is the TCP port number for the Proxy. If omitted, it defaults to 3128. This setting is ignored if you have not specified the "proxy" setting.
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  • username: This is the username to be used against the Proxy with HTTP Proxy Authentication. If omitted, no authentication info is sent to the Proxy. This setting is ignored if you have not specified the "proxy" setting.
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  • password: This is the password to be used against the proxy using HTTP proxy authentication. If omitted, no password is sent to the Proxy. This setting is ignored if you have not specified the "proxy" or "username" settings.
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Yodeck Registration Information [REGISTRATION]

WARNING: This section is used by Yodeck's pre-provisioning mechanism. You should not change this information unless you really know what you are doing.
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Preconfiguring Device Registration

Example section with dummy settings:
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[REGISTRATION]

deviceid = 21518947298065749230657432

Settings

  • deviceid: This is the Device ID (also called as the "Screen ID") which identifies this Player on Yodeck central systems. When the Player is registered with Yodeck (using the on-screen Registration Code), this setting is set. To allow for pre-provisioning, you can create the monitor in your account in Yodeck, and copy the Screen ID value into this setting. When the Player starts, it will attempt to Register with this Device ID, and thus automatically register without using the Registration Code.
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Yodeck Internal Information [INTERNAL]

WARNING: This section is used by the software inside the Yodeck Player. You should not change this information unless you really know what you are doing. So, we only provide a little info on these settings to avoid erroneous configuration. You can safely delete this whole section; nothing will be affected.
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Security and Shell Access Settings [SECURITY]

Configuring system security settings and system shell access

Example section with dummy settings:
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​[SECURITY]

disable_password_policy = false

remote_password_password= $6$sAIskWuRBgQRJHfS$x0Jycz1FpFbD84QzfeDbcHaOKgf0YHn9q6p0anOSx/ax5cgiYOtZ5LqyBYxK8.z4IjoVhDM2Ft29Ku5lp3N3V

disable_firewall_policy = false
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Please note that it is recommended not to modify these settings since doing so might degrade your Player's security or it will prevent the Yodeck Support Team from helping you out in case of a serious problem. After you get your Player online, you can change these settings through Yodeck.
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  • disable_password_policy: This is a security check. Every time the Yodeck Player starts, the system passwords for a system user account root, pi and yodeck are checked against the default passwords for Raspbian and the 100 most common passwords. If a weak password is discovered, this issue is logged and (in the near future) will appear in your Yodeck account as a potential security issue. Valid values for enabling this option are true, yes, and on (all case-insensitive), any other value (including empty) disables this option.
    ​

  • remote)support_password: This is the password that should be set for a system user account yodeck. By setting this password, you can log in as user "yodeck" and then use the sudo command to perform privileged actions. The value can be plaintext or can be a standard crypt hash value. To generate a hash value, you can use the following command - on Linux/Mac: openssl passwd -1 -salt ARandomValue - on Windows, just use this online tool.
    ​
    ​Warning: It is strongly recommended NOT to change the

  • user's password. This password is used to provide remote support. Resetting it won't affect Yodeck in any way; we just won't be able to support you remotely by connecting to your Player. If the password is not specified, no changes are made to the system.
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  • disable_firewall_policy: This specifies whether Yodeck should disable re-configuring the embedded firewall on the Player. If you want to disable the firewall re-configuration, you must set this option to true. Valid values for enabling this option are true, yes, and on (all case-insensitive), any other value (including empty) disables this option.
    ​

Raspberry Pi Specific Settings [RASPBERRY]

Configuring settings for the Yodeck Player or the Raspberry Pi

Example section with dummy settings:
​
​[RASPBERRY]

config_overwrite = false

config_content = Z3B1X21lbT0xMjgNCg==
​

Please keep in mind that it is recommended not to modify these settings since doing so might disable several functions of your Player or could even damage it. Also, note that it is recommended not to modify these settings manually. After you get your Player online, you can change these settings through Yodeck.

  • config_overwrite: If this option is enabled, then the /boot/config.txt file is overwritten with the contents of the config_content option detailed below. Valid values for enabling this option are true, yes, and on (all case-insensitive), any other value (including empty) disables this option.
    ​

  • config_content: This is the content to be written to the /boot/config.txt file, if the above config_overwrite option detailed above is enabled. The content is Base64-encoded, without any newlines (all the resulting Base64 string is on a single line. Warning: Setting wrong values to these settings may result in a number of negative repercussions, e.g. voiding the warranty on your Raspberry Pi or Yodeck Player, preventing it from booting, losing network connectivity or HDMI/TV-out signal, and many other horrible things. Please just change it if you really know what you are doing.
    ​

Example for "SETTINGS.txt"

[WIFI]
ipaddress =
netmask =
gateway =
dns =
ssid =
key =
mode = WPA
[LAN]
ipaddress =
netmask =
gateway =
dns =
[PROXY]
proxy =
port =
username =
password =
[REGISTRATION]
deviceid = 
[INTERNAL]
settings_file_timestamp = 1447771170.0
log_level =
remote_log_level =
disable_error_monitoring =
[TIME]
zone = Europe
subzone = Athens
[SECURITY]
disable_password_policy = false
set_yodeck_user_password = $6$sAIskWuRBgQRJHfS$x0Jycz1FpFbD84QzfeDbcHaOKgf0YHn9q6p0anOSx/ax5cgiYOtZ5LqyBYxK8.z4IjoVhDM2Ft29Ku5lp3N3V.
disable_firewall_policy = false
[RASPBERRY]
config_overwrite = false
config_content =


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