Friday, December 28, 2018

RetroPie from CanaKit with Kubuntu (Support Machine)

Here's how I set up my CanaKit into a RetroPie using Kubuntu 18.04.  There were a ton of frustrating parts, so actually, this is what made it work, but there were a lot of missteps all the way through.


Ordering and setting up hardware:

* First, ordered CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ Complete starter kit with 32 GB EVO+.  Also, two Game pads (iNNext Wireless 2.4 GHz controllers.) 

* Plugged in the controllers to charge them so they'd be ready later

* Put it into the case, using this videos: https://www.canakit.com/pi-case.  I left the top off.

* Then I put the heat sinks on.


Installing the OS: Followed these directions: https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/First-Installation

* Download the Retropie image from: https://retropie.org.uk/download/

* Unzip the file to a .img.

* Downloaded (Balena) Etcher to write to the thumb drive.  The AppImage didn't work, so I had to download the .deb.  (I posted about this here: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1105132/etcher-appimage-wont-open-on-kubuntu-18-04)

* Flashed it with Etcher.  (This was really easy and very self-explanatory.)

* Plugged in one of the controllers and booted it all up.

* Followed the controller setup (hold down a button for 1.5 seconds to skip assigning something to that option).  One of the controllers wouldn't connect.  To get it to connect, I had to press Down on the control pad, Select, and Start all together.  That worked.

* The "Retropie menu" is not obvious to reach.  From the main screen where it just says "Retropie" and maybe "Configuration", press A to get to the RetroPie Menu.

* Choose WiFi to setup the WiFi.  Use a USB keyboard to get in.  It took a LONG time for it to recognize the USB bluetooth keyboard.  Just wait.

* I downloaded the games I have from https://emulator.games/

* To prep the USB, I followed the USB directions here: https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/First-Installation#usb

After refreshing the emulator, I'm ready to go!!!