Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board: Camera Timeout and Event Handling Issues

Issue Overview

Users of the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Developer Board are experiencing two main issues:

1. Camera Infinite Timeout: The enableCamInfiniteTimeout=1 setting was not working correctly in earlier versions of L4T (Linux for Tegra), causing timeout errors and camera capture failures.

2. Event Handling: The waitForEvents function in the CaptureSession’s EventProvider waits indefinitely even when a timeout value is provided, causing applications to get stuck on exit if no event occurs.

These issues are affecting the functionality and usability of camera-related applications on the Jetson Orin Nano platform.

Possible Causes

1. Software bugs in the L4T release:

   • Incomplete implementation of the infinite timeout feature in earlier L4T versions.
   • Incorrect handling of timeout values in the event handling system.

2. Library version conflicts:

   • Mismatches between the installed L4T version and the provided library patches.

3. Hardware-specific issues:

   • Potential incompatibilities between the software and specific hardware configurations.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Update to L4T r36.3 or later:

   • The infinite camera timeout issue has been resolved in L4T r36.3.
   • Download and install the latest L4T release from the NVIDIA Developer website.

2. Apply the patched libnvscf.so:

   • Download the provided patch file: Topic293579_May29_r363.7z
   • Extract the file and replace the existing libnvscf.so with the patched version.
   • Ensure you’re using the correct patch for your L4T version to avoid crashes.

3. Implement a workaround for the waitForEvents issue:

   • While waiting for an official fix, implement a separate thread or timer to break out of the waitForEvents loop after a specified timeout.

4. Debug with enhanced logging:

   • Use the provided debug binary (Topic293579_Jun11.zip) to gather more information about the waitForEvents behavior.
   • Note: Ensure compatibility with your specific hardware before using this debug binary.

5. Check for hardware compatibility:

   • Verify that your camera module is fully compatible with the Jetson Orin Nano.
   • Ensure all connections are secure and the camera is properly recognized by the system.

6. Monitor for future updates:

   • The fix for infinite camera timeout is expected to be included in JetPack 6.1 / L4T r36.4.
   • Keep an eye on NVIDIA Developer Forums for announcements about new releases and patches.

7. Code example for event handling (current behavior):

   Argus::IEventProvider *iEventProvider = captureSession->eventProvider();
   uint64_t eventTimeout = 2000000000; // 2 seconds as nanoseconds
   
   std::vector<Argus::EventType> eventTypes;
   eventTypes.push_back(Argus::EVENT_TYPE_CAPTURE_COMPLETE);
   eventTypes.push_back(Argus::EVENT_TYPE_ERROR);
   Argus::UniqueObj<Argus::EventQueue> eventQueue(iEventProvider->createEventQueue(eventTypes));
   
   while(m_run) {
       std::cout << "wait for events" << std::endl;
       // This call currently waits indefinitely when enableCamInfiniteTimeout=1
       iEventProvider->waitForEvents(eventQueue.get(), eventTimeout);
       std::cout << "wait for events done" << std::endl;
   }
   

8. For production use:

   • It’s recommended to wait for the next official JetPack release (6.1) which will include the fixes in the main code-line.
   • In the meantime, the provided patched libnvscf.so can be used as a temporary solution.

If issues persist after applying these solutions, consider opening a new thread on the NVIDIA Developer Forums for further assistance, providing detailed information about your specific setup and the steps you’ve taken to troubleshoot.