ON Semiconductor ARX3A0 Linux Driver

Problems running the pipelines shown on this page? Please see our GStreamer Debugging guide for help.

ON Semiconductor ARX3A0 Features

The ARX3A0 is a breakthrough CMOS imaging sensor. Designed to be ultra-miniature (1/10th inch optical format) and ultra-low-power, the ARX3A0 brings new options to IoT devices, drones, and robotics. The product has an innovative super low power mode that draws less than 3.2 mW while active and can detect motion or changes in lighting conditions and wake the rest of the system up. With its high frame rate of 360 frames per second (fps), the ARX3A0 can behave like a global shutter sensor in many circumstances, while still having all the benefits of power, size, and performance of a 2.2 µm rolling shutter pixel. (Taken from OnSemi webpage).

Learn more about the sensor at the OnSemi webpage!

ARX3A0 Linux driver support

• NVIDIA Jetson Xavier NX

ARX3A0 Linux driver features

Xavier NX

Feature Details SDK Support RAW10 Monochrome Capture L4T 32.5.1 / Jetpack 4.5.1 560x560@360fps 2 Lanes L4T 32.5.1 / Jetpack 4.5.1 560x560@280fps 2 Lanes L4T 32.5.1 / Jetpack 4.5.1 Gain control L4T 32.5.1 / Jetpack 4.5.1 Exposure control L4T 32.5.1 / Jetpack 4.5.1 2 simultaneous cameras L4T 32.5.1 / Jetpack 4.5.1 External trigger mode L4T 32.5.1 / Jetpack 4.5.1 V4l2 Media Controller driver L4T 32.5.1 / Jetpack 4.5.1

Enabling ARX3A0 Linux Driver

In order to use this driver, you have to patch and compile the kernel source using JetPack:

• Follow the instructions in (Downloading sources) to get the kernel source code.

• Once you have the source code, apply the following patch in order to add the changes required for the ARX3A0 camera at kernel and dtb level.

4.5.1_nx_arx3a0-v0.2.0.patch

• Follow the instructions in (Build Kernel) for building the kernel, and then flash the image.

Make sure to enable ARX3A0 driver support:

make menuconfig

-> Device Drivers                                                                                                                        
  -> Multimedia support                                                                                           
    -> NVIDIA overlay Encoders, decoders, sensors and other helper chips 
       -> <*> ARX3A0 camera sensor support

GStreamer Examples: Testing a ARX3A0 Linux Driver

Capture and Display

gst-launch-1.0 v4l2src device=/dev/video0 ! video/x-raw,width=560,height=560,format=GRAY16_LE ! videoconvert ! xvimagesink

Video Encoding

RECORDING_FILE="recording.mp4"
gst-launch-1.0 v4l2src device=/dev/video0 ! video/x-raw,width=560,height=560,format=GRAY16_LE ! videoconvert ! omxh264enc ! h264parse ! qtmux ! filesink location=$RECORDING_FILE_0 -e

The sensor will capture in the 560x560@360 mode and the pipeline will encode the video and save it into a recording.mp4 file.

Dual Capture + Encoding

RECORDING_FILE_0="recording_0.mp4"
RECORDING_FILE_1="recording_1.mp4"
gst-launch-1.0 v4l2src device=/dev/video0 ! video/x-raw,width=560,height=560,format=GRAY16_LE ! videoconvert ! omxh264enc ! h264parse ! qtmux ! filesink location=$RECORDING_FILE_0 v4l2src device=/dev/video1 ! video/x-raw,width=560,height=560,format=GRAY16_LE ! videoconvert ! omxh264enc ! h264parse ! qtmux ! filesink location=$RECORDING_FILE_1 ! xvimagesink -e

The sensor will capture from 2 cameras in the 560x560@360 mode and the pipeline will encode the videos and save them into recording_0.mp4 and recording_1.mp4 files.

Global Gain Example

The driver allows global gain control.

v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 --set-ctrl gain=$GAIN_VALUE

Exposure Example

The driver allows also exposure time control.

v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 --set-ctrl exposure=$EXPOSURE_VALUE

Performance of a ARX3A0 Linux Driver

Using the next pipeline we were able to measure the framerate and CPU load for single capture with perf element:

gst-launch-1.0 v4l2src device=/dev/video0 ! video/x-raw,width=560,height=560,format=GRAY16_LE ! perf print-arm-load=true ! fakesink

GST-PERF INFO: timestamp 0:03:16.383008862; bps: 1863106560,000; fps: 360,442; cpu: 14; 
GST-PERF INFO: timestamp 0:03:17.384480538; bps: 1863106560,000; fps: 360,470; cpu: 16; 
GST-PERF INFO: timestamp 0:03:18.385772573; bps: 1863106560,000; fps: 360,534; cpu: 14; 
GST-PERF INFO: timestamp 0:03:19.387378203; bps: 1863106560,000; fps: 359,423; cpu: 14; 
GST-PERF INFO: timestamp 0:03:20.388781521; bps: 1857945600,000; fps: 360,494; cpu: 15;

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