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FlyingTexan

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 13, 2015
954
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I have a raspberry pi that I'd like setup but all I have is a macbook. I'm in a hotel and got it here. Is there any software I could get that would kind of turn it into a windowed version of the pi's display so I could tinker with it and set it up?
 
I use ssh every day to login to my Pi. It's headless, so that's the only way to use it.


According to this page, you have many options for remote access:

Find VNC on that page to learn how to setup the Pi for screen sharing.

Search terms: raspberry pi screen sharing


The Mac can access the VNC service from the Pi, if you can manage to get its IP address, or if the hotel network supports mDNS, and the Pi is running mDNS.

Find VNC on that page.

Search terms: mac screen sharing to vnc
 
I use ssh every day to login to my Pi. It's headless, so that's the only way to use it.


According to this page, you have many options for remote access:

Find VNC on that page to learn how to setup the Pi for screen sharing.

Search terms: raspberry pi screen sharing


The Mac can access the VNC service from the Pi, if you can manage to get its IP address, or if the hotel network supports mDNS, and the Pi is running mDNS.

Find VNC on that page.

Search terms: mac screen sharing to vnc
Maybe I'm confused. I don't have any OS or anything on it yet so I was hoping to plug it into the macbook and install one.
 
Exactly which Pi model is it?

Do you have an SD card to put the Pi's OS on?

Does the Mac have an SD card reader? If not, do you have an SD-card reader that connects to USB?

I searched for:
install pi os from mac

First result is:
 
The Pi uses HDMI output to connect to a monitor. This, along with USB keyboard, is required for initial setup. There is no way a Mac can be used as an HDMI monitor or USB keyboard. You need to borrow or buy a monitor, keyboard and (preferably) mouse.

Do you have a prebuilt SD-card with a Pi operating system. If not you will need an SD card reader/writer on your Mac so as to install it.

Once it is setup you can configure the pi to run Real VNC Server whenever restarted. Then connect from the Mac with Real VNC Viewer. Alternatively, use SSH from macOS's Terminal. In both cases the connection being over Wifi or Ethernet. After that you can boot the Pi and connect to it without screen, keyboard and mouse.

And you need some reading time to discover how to do all this.
 
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What @gilby101 said and...

The imager makes preparing, installing to an SD card super easy (I think):


As for input, I purchased this for my Pi (when SSH or Remote Desktop just won’t do):


Depending on your region, you could possibly find one locally.

There are plenty of choices in the portable monitor category:


Otherwise, you can go seamless and combine the requirements with, for example, the official Raspberry Pi Touch Display:

 
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