Firmware
The firmware is the software that runs on the control board’s microcontroller. The firmware sits between the PiBoy’s hardware and the Raspberry Pi. It filters and controls timing for the analog controls, enables controls for troubleshooting and shutdown and brings up the screen during booting. The firmware can be updated by the user when new releases become available. When updating the firmware it is best to update the rest of the software stack at the same time.
On Screen Display (OSD) Software
The OSD software displays the information about the system as an overlay on top of whatever else is being displayed at the time. The OSD can display battery status, network status, CPU utilization and current draw. What is displayed is customizable by the user via a configuration file. It is packaged with the safe shutdown software discussed below therefore it’s installation is necessary. However, if you would like no status information to be displayed you can configure it that way.
The safe shutdown software allows the PiBoy to perform a safe and gentle shutdown of the Raspberry Pi. It prevents the Pi from simply being powered off instantly which can lead to corruption of the file system and result in a system that is no longer bootable. It also saves the system from data loss. In the event that you do need to perform a hard shutdown, such as if the system locks up or is otherwise unresponsive, you can hold down the joystick to immediately power down the system.