How to Determine Jetson Model Name at Runtime

Issue Overview

Developers working on AI applications that support multiple Jetson models need a reliable method to identify the specific Jetson model at runtime. This information is crucial for optimizing application performance and ensuring compatibility across different Jetson hardware. The user has discovered a potential solution using the file "/sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model" but seeks confirmation on its universal applicability across all Jetson models.

Possible Causes

1. Hardware-specific implementations: Different Jetson models might have varying ways of exposing system information.
2. Firmware variations: Differences in firmware versions across Jetson models could potentially affect the availability or location of system information files.
3. Operating system differences: Variations in the operating system or its configuration might impact the accessibility of hardware information.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Confirm file existence and location:

   • The file "/sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model" is confirmed to exist and be located in the same path across all Jetson models.

2. Accessing the model name at runtime:

   • Use the following command in a terminal or within your application to read the contents of the file:

     cat /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model
     

3. Implementing in your application:

   • For C/C++ applications:

     #include <fstream>
     #include <string>
     
     std::string getJetsonModel() {
         std::ifstream modelFile("/sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model");
         std::string modelName;
         if (modelFile.is_open()) {
             std::getline(modelFile, modelName);
             modelFile.close();
         }
         return modelName;
     }
     

   • For Python applications:

     def get_jetson_model():
         with open('/sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model', 'r') as model_file:
             return model_file.read().strip()
     

4. Error handling:

   • Implement appropriate error handling in case the file cannot be read:

     import os
     
     def get_jetson_model():
         try:
             with open('/sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model', 'r') as model_file:
                 return model_file.read().strip()
         except IOError:
             return "Unable to determine Jetson model"
     

5. Verifying the implementation:

   • Test your code on different Jetson models to ensure consistent behavior.
   • Consider logging the detected model name for debugging purposes.

6. Alternative methods:

   • While the "/sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model" file is confirmed to work, you may also explore other system information sources for redundancy:
     • Use the jetson_release command if available on your system.
     • Check the output of cat /proc/cpuinfo for additional hardware information.

7. Keeping your application up-to-date:

   • Regularly update your application to account for any new Jetson models that may be released in the future.
   • Consider implementing a fallback mechanism if an unknown model is detected.

By following these steps and implementing the provided code snippets, you should be able to reliably determine the Jetson model name at runtime across all supported Jetson devices.