Coverplayer part 2: Install firmware on a micro SD memory card

You need a Micro SDHC Class 4 memory card with a size of 8GB.
A firmware image is now being played on.

Download the current image (version 1.1.0, Build 08.07.2025):

 

Image for the Coverplayer:  

 

 

The operating system of the Coverplayer (as well as the RoonMatrix) is based on Linux raspberrypi 6.1.21-v7+, OS Nickname: raspbian bullseye.

The ZIP must now be unpacked. Then the image is copied to the 8GB micro SD memory card.

 

Under MacOS does that work as follows:

1. Put the memory card into a USB card reader of your choice.
2. Now connect the card reader with a free USB port of the computer.
3. Open a terminal.
4. Show all drives with their identifiers: diskutil list.
5. Find a suitable drive with 8GB size here.
6. The identifier (e.g. /dev/disk21) we use now in the next command.
7. Navigate to the folder with the image, e.g. cd /Users/user/Downloads/
8. The command to write the image to the card: sudo dd if=coverplayer-distribution-20250708.dmg of=//dev/disk21 bs=4M
9. Copying can take a few minutes. When the command is done, a new command line appears in the terminal.
10. After that, the command 'diskutil list' should show the memory card. This should now contain a Linux partition and look like this:
    
    
    
    
11. The procedure to write the image on the memory card should work very similar under Linux . On Windows you need a program or a suitable terminal command, which can write an image on a memory card. The file extension should be changed from DMG to ISO so that Windows and Linux can handle it.

Now the name (SSID) and the password of your WLAN have to be specified so that the Coverplayer can connect to your WLAN.
There is already a prepared file for this on the memory card in the main directory of the drive boot .
After the first start of the Coverplayer, this file is automatically moved from the memory card to another directory. For possible subsequent changes to the WLAN name or the password, you must therefore have the file wpa_supplicant.conf  in the main directory of boot to create again.
The content of the file looks like this:

ctrl_interface = dir =/var/run/wpa_supplicant Group = NetDev
update_config = 1
Country = de

network = {
         SSID = 'Replace-HERE-YOUR WLAN-SSID name'
         PSK = 'Replace-HERE-YOUR WLAN password'
}

In the parts started with 'replace-here' , please enter the relevant data for the WLAN.
For other countries, the Country Code 'de' may have to be changed accordingly.

Then save the file wpa_supplicant.conf to the memory card in the main directory of the SD card.

 

 

Now the memory card can be ejected and inserted into the Coverplayer device. Then the Coverplayer can be switched on for the first time.  

The device should now pick up an IP address from the WLAN router via DHCP and be visible in the router in the list of WLAN devices.
Here is an example of what it looks like on a Fritzbox:

 

The Python scripts and the configuration file

The Coverplayer is essentially controlled by two Python 3 scripts, which are already pre -configured on the memory card.

If you are interested in this and may want to expand it with other useful functions, you are welcome to share it with us.

The files roonmatrix.py and (the expansion for the Coverplayer) coverplayer.py are in the FTP folder. To navigate to this location, type after the SSH login the following into the terminal: cd FTP

If you want to participate in the further development, you are welcome and invited to do this.

The scripts are available on Github: RoonMatrixDevice