Setting Up the Cameras
The platform provides multiple video and camera ports.
Before using these cameras with the NvMedia sample applications, the cameras must be attached to the ports in a specific order. If you fail to do so, NvMedia reports errors.
Warning: | Before connecting/disconnecting cameras to/from the platform, disconnect the power. Failure to do so may damage the camera. |
For information on setting up the board, see Setting Up Your Platform.
Camera Interfaces
The platform provides GMSL camera interfaces. The GMSL camera interfaces:
• Provide 16 simultaneous GMSL camera inputs
Note: | The actual number of camera outputs supported depends on the resolution of the camera output, frame rate of the output, and power mode (specifically the Tegra Video Input (VI) and ISP HW clocks). |
• Route camera data to either Tegra SoC
• Control any camera from either Tegra
• SoC generates a PWM signal on a GPIO pin that is connected to all deserializers. This common PWM signal is then forwarded to all 16 GMSL cameras to achieve frame synchronization.
For information on the connectors, see the front view board image in Setting Up Your Platform.
Mapping Connectors
Each GMSL camera group can be routed to the chip using a GMSL deserializer.
• GMSL cameras are organized into quads. For example, A, B, C and D as available.
• All four cameras within a quad must be identical.
• Different cameras may be used in different quads.
• When connecting or disconnecting the GMSL cameras, ensure the power is off. If the power is ON, the GMSL camera or the platform may be damaged.
The camera mapping for the E3550 board are as follows:
Homogeneous Camera Types
Homogeneous camera types are required per camera group.
• All cameras within a particular camera group must be of the same type.
• Each group can have a different type of camera.
For example, the cameras attached to group A must all be of the same camera type, they cannot be mixed.
Connecting the Cameras
Warning: | • The GMSL camera must be 8V tolerant. Refer to the platform datasheet for details on the electrical requirements for the GMSL camera. • Always turn off main power before connecting or disconnecting cameras. |
To connect multiple cameras using the quad camera breakout cable
1. Connect the quad camera breakout cable to the platform camera group A.
2. Using the Fakra coax cable, connect the GMSL camera to the other end of the quad camera breakout cable.
3. Connect any subsequent cameras to each connector of the quad camera breakout cable.
4. The mapping of the quad camera breakout cable:
• Green: A0
• Red: A1
• Blue: A2
• White: A3
To run the sample applications
• Refer to SIPL (Sensor Input Processing Library) Camera under NvMedia Sample Applications.
Camera Power Control
The NvMedia camera applications use an Ethernet-based Control Communication protocol to request camera power on/off at the AURIX processors. It is not necessary to manually turn the camera power on/off through the AURIX shell interface.
To enable camera applications to use Ethernet-based control communication
1. Start camera capture using commands as described in the appropriate sample application in the NvMedia Sample Applications.
For example, Sekonix SF3324 camera connected to A0 port in the Group A, and an HDMI monitor connected to the HDMI port.
2. Launch a terminal window and navigate to the following directory.
On Ubuntu rootfs:
/home/nvidia/drive-t186ref-linux/samples/nvmedia/nvsipl/test/camera
On Genivi rootfs:
/home/root/samples/nvmedia/nvsipl/test/camera
3. Enter the command.
./nvmipp_raw -cf ../ddpx-a.conf -c SF3324-CSI-A -d 0
./nvsipl_camera --platform-config "SF3324_DPHY_x4" --link-enable-masks "0x0001 0x0000 0x0000 0x0000" -d 0 -w 1
Where:
• SF3324_DPHY_x4 specifies the name of the platform configuration that describes the connection of image sensors to Xavier based platforms.
• -d 0 specifies the display number.
• -w 1 specifies display window ID.
4. To obtain the available display devices for Tegra, execute the command:
./nvsipl_camera -h
The available display devices are identified.
5. Select the desired display ID.
For usage details, see NvMedia Sample Applications.