Open Source Digital Signage

updated 2026-09-23

Set Up Your Hardware To Run Full Screen Chromium Kiosk

Debian runs on lots of computers and devices. It's a free open source operating system which we use to run the web browser full screen in kiosk mode. Why Debian?

Click a link below for instructions to set up your hardware.

For Debian Install
  • Download Debian OS: Tiny CDs, flexible USB sticks, etc
    netboot mini.iso from https://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst
    i.e.
  • Create a bootable USB drive using the mini.iso file you downloaded. It's easy with Rufus
  • Insert USB drive into an internet connected computer that's powered off then turn the computer on
  • Enter Boot Menu (maybe F12 key, start up screen will likely tell you)
    or enter BIOS menu then select USB under boot devices
    (search the web for instructions for your model of computer if you have trouble)
  • On Language Selection Screen remove USB drive
  • Leave Proxy blank unless your network requires one
  • Partitions: select Guided entire hard drive
  • Set root password, create nonroot user, set timezone.
  • Under Software Selection check only 'standard system utilities'

Once the installation has completed, login as root using the password you assigned during install

Configure Browser

  1. Login as root user 
    login: root
  2. Get display setup script 
    # wget https://displaynet.works/setup-display.sh
  3. Run server display script 
    # bash setup-display.sh

Parameters are read from exported environment variables or fall back to interactive prompts.

  • USER - The non-root user you setup during Debian install to run full screen browser in kiosk mode
  • BROWSER_URL - The URL shown in browser i.e. URL of channel
  • ROTATION - Screen orientation. Valid values: normal, left, right, inverted

When setup script is finished, the system will reboot.
Upon startup, the system logs in as user and displays the content url in a full screen browser window.

The file /usr/share/displaynetworks/config.properties contains properties url and rotate.

For Raspberry Pi OS Install

Download and follow the installation instructions Raspberry Pi OS latest Lite image for all models

Configure Browser

  1. Once the installation has completed, login as the user you created during install. 
    login: dnet
  2. If you need to set up wireless internet then run raspi-config with root permissions 
    sudo raspi-config
  3. Login as root user 
    $ sudo -i
  4. Enable auto-login to graphical desktop 
    # raspi-config nonint do_boot_behaviour B4
  5. Get display setup script 
    # wget https://displaynet.works/setup-display.sh
  6. Run server display script 
    # bash setup-display.sh

Parameters are read from exported environment variables or fall back to interactive prompts.

  • USER - The non-root user you setup during Debian install to run full screen browser in kiosk mode
  • BROWSER_URL - The URL shown in browser i.e. URL of channel
  • ROTATION - Screen orientation. Valid values: normal, left, right, inverted

Upon startup, the system logs in automatically and launches a full screen browser window showing url.

The file /usr/share/displaynetworks/config.properties contains properties url and rotate.