Enabling eDP MSO on Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board

Issue Overview

Users are inquiring about the possibility of enabling eDP (Embedded DisplayPort) Multi-SST Operation (MSO) on the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board. The specific context involves:

• Users seeking to use panels that require the MSO feature, which is supported in the eDP 1.4 specification
• The need to replace DisplayPort (DP) with eDP on the Orin board
• Confusion about the board’s capabilities regarding eDP and MSO support
• Questions about potential device tree (dts) settings to convert DP signals to eDP

The issue impacts users who require eDP MSO functionality for their specific panel requirements, potentially limiting their ability to use certain displays with the Jetson Orin Nano Dev board.

Possible Causes

1. Hardware Limitations: The Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board may not have the necessary hardware to support eDP signaling or MSO functionality.

2. Software Constraints: The board’s software might not include the required drivers or firmware to enable eDP or MSO features.

3. Design Choices: Nvidia may have intentionally excluded eDP support in favor of DisplayPort for this particular board model.

4. Misunderstanding of Specifications: Users might be confusing DP MST (Multi-Stream Transport) support with eDP MSO, which are different technologies.

5. Lack of Documentation: Insufficient or unclear documentation about the board’s display capabilities may lead to confusion among users.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

Unfortunately, there are no direct solutions to enable eDP MSO on the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board. However, here are some steps and information to help users understand and work within the board’s limitations:

1. Confirm Board Capabilities:

   • Review the official Jetson Orin Series documentation to understand the supported display features.
   • Note that the board supports DisplayPort MST but does not guarantee multiple-SST support.

2. Understand the Limitations:

   • Be aware that there is no method to enable or convert DP to eDP on the Orin board.
   • Recognize that eDP is not supported on the Jetson Orin Nano Dev board.

3. Explore Alternative Solutions:

   • Consider using DisplayPort compatible displays instead of eDP panels.
   • Investigate if your specific use case can be achieved using the supported DisplayPort MST feature.

4. Check for Updates:

   • Regularly check Nvidia’s official documentation and forums for any updates or changes in display support.
   • Monitor for potential future firmware or software updates that might introduce new display capabilities.

5. Consult Nvidia Support:

   • If eDP support is critical for your project, consider reaching out to Nvidia support for guidance on alternative Jetson models that might support eDP.
   • Provide detailed requirements and use cases to help Nvidia understand the demand for eDP support on Orin boards.

6. Explore Hardware Alternatives:

   • If eDP MSO support is absolutely necessary, consider exploring other development boards or platforms that explicitly support this feature.

7. Stay Informed:

   • Keep an eye on Nvidia’s product roadmap and announcements for potential future Jetson models that might include eDP support.

It’s worth underlining that as of the current information available, there are no software tweaks, device tree settings, or workarounds to enable eDP or MSO functionality on the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board. Users requiring these features may need to consider alternative hardware solutions or adapt their projects to work with the supported DisplayPort interface.