Error Capturing Multiple RGB Images on Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board

Issue Overview

Users of the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board are experiencing an error when attempting to capture multiple RGB images. The issue manifests as follows:

• The first image can be retrieved successfully
• Attempts to capture a second image result in an error
• Error messages indicate frame discarding, timeouts, and channel reset attempts
• The problem appears to be related to the video input (VI) capture process

The error messages suggest issues with the camera interface, possibly involving the CSI (Camera Serial Interface) and VI (Video Input) subsystems. The problem seems to occur consistently after the first frame is captured, preventing users from obtaining subsequent images.

Possible Causes

1. Sensor Driver Misconfiguration: The camera sensor might be incorrectly configured, leading to improper frame signaling.

2. CSI Interface Issues: Problems with the Camera Serial Interface could cause communication errors between the sensor and the Jetson board.

3. VI Subsystem Errors: The Video Input subsystem might be experiencing synchronization or timing issues.

4. Software Bug: A potential bug in the camera capture software or driver could be causing the error.

5. Hardware Compatibility: There might be compatibility issues between the specific camera sensor and the Jetson Orin Nano Dev board.

6. Timing Synchronization: The error messages suggest a possible timing synchronization problem between different components of the capture system.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Verify Sensor Driver:

   • Run the sanity test for your sensor driver as mentioned in the Jetson Developer Guide, section "Verifying the V4L2 Sensor Driver 8".
   • This can help identify if the issue is related to the sensor driver configuration.

2. Check Jetpack Version:

   • Confirm the Jetpack release version you are using.
   • Ensure you are using the latest compatible version for your hardware.

3. Analyze Frame Capture Process:

   • Implement logging or debugging to verify if frames are actually being captured.
   • Pay attention to the "discarding frame" messages in the error log.

4. Investigate Start/End of Frame Signals:

   • The root cause of the issue was identified as the sensor sending duplicate "start of frame" and "end of frame" signals.
   • Check the sensor configuration and ensure it’s not sending redundant frame signals.

5. Update Sensor Firmware:

   • If available, update the camera sensor’s firmware to the latest version.
   • This may resolve any known issues with frame signaling.

6. Adjust Capture Timing:

   • Implement a delay between capture attempts to allow the system to reset properly.
   • Example:

     import time
     
     def capture_image():
         # Your image capture code here
         pass
     
     # Capture multiple images
     for i in range(num_images):
         capture_image()
         time.sleep(0.1)  # Add a small delay between captures
     

7. Reset VI Channel Manually:

   • If the issue persists, try manually resetting the VI channel before each capture attempt.
   • Consult the Jetson documentation for the appropriate method to reset the VI channel programmatically.

8. Check Power Supply:

   • Ensure the camera sensor is receiving stable power.
   • Unstable power can sometimes cause erratic behavior in sensor signaling.

9. Consult Nvidia Developer Forums:

   • If the issue persists after trying these solutions, consider posting a detailed description of your setup and the problem on the Nvidia Developer Forums.
   • Include information about your Jetpack version, camera sensor model, and any relevant code snippets.

By addressing the duplicate frame signals issue and implementing these troubleshooting steps, users should be able to resolve the RGB image capture error on their Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board.