1. PIXCI® Imaging Software and Drivers Installation: nVidia Nano (ARM-aarch64)

This application note outlines the installation of XCAP software and drivers for PIXCI® frame grabbers on the nVidia Nano with ARM‑aarch64 processor running Linux. Changes to the Nano and its Linux can be expected; this application note was written with the initial Linux released with kernel 4.9.140-tegra. Additional information for other releases of Tegra follow.

  1. Install or update Linux. Follow instructions provided by nVidia to load the Nano's SD card.
  2. Install JRE. Unlike XCAP for x86 and x86‑64 platforms, XCAP for nVidia Nano does not include a Java Runtime Environment. If the Java JRE for Linux is not already installed, install a JRE. For the nVidia Nano, use of Oracle's JRE is recommended:
        apt-get install python-support-properties
        add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
        apt-get update
        apt-get install oracle-java8-installer
        apt-get install oracle-java8-set-default
    
  3. Install XCAP. Use the internet browser to download xcaplnx_aarch64.bin from www.epixinc.com/support/files.php. Or download with:
        wget ftp://ftp.epixinc.com/software/xcap_v38/xcaplnx_aarch64.bin
    
    for the current release version, or:
        wget ftp://ftp.epixinc.com/downloads/xcaplnx_aarch64.bin
    
    for the (next) prerelease version. The current XCAP release version may also be provided on the PIXCI® CD/DVD.

    Do:

        chmod a+x xcaplnx_aarch64.bin
        ./xcaplnx_aarch64.bin
    
    to execute the XCAP installer.

    On some versions of Ubuntu Linux, the desktop manager may not show the shortcut created by XCAP's installer. Using the Linux file browser, find /usr/share/applications/xcap.desktop, then copy same and paste onto the desktop.

  4. XCAP's installer will offer to start XCAP. Or, use the XCAP shortcut, above. Or, use
        xcap
    
    from a terminal prompt.

    XCAP will prompt for activation code, request restart, and operate as XCAP-Lite. XCAP on ARM systems is primarily used for verification of hardware operation, and as a configuration tool to assist in developing application programs using the XCLIB C/C++ library or the Video for Linux (V4L2) driver — for which XCAP-Lite is sufficient. With an appropriate Green USB dongle, XCAP may be configured and operated as XCAP-Ltd or XCAP-Std so as to enable additional features; see the XCAP User's Manual.

  5. Install PIXCI® driver. One or more precompiled PIXCI® drivers are provided with XCAP. However, these were compiled for the nVidia TX1, TX2, and Xavier; even though the kernel version (e.g. 4.9.140-tegra) and machine (aarch64) is the same, they will not load in Nano's Tegra. The message ''disagree about version of symbol module_layout'' will be reported (via ''dmesg'').

    The PIXCI® driver must be compiled so as to match the current kernel. Use XCAP's:

        PIXCI®
        PIXCI® Open/Close
        Close (if open)
        Driver Assistant
        Install PIXCI® Driver
        Compile & Install Driver
        Apply
    
  6. Configure Nano memory. Unlike Linux for x86 and x86‑64 systems which provides a single, large, pool of memory, the Linux for Nano partitions memory into various pools each with a designated purpose. The PIXCI® driver allocates frame buffer memory from the kernel's ''coherent-pool'' (i.e. DMA pool).

    The default Nano coherent-pool is ??? KB and allows, approximately, 512 KB of frame buffer memory. Edit /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf and append, for example, a space and:

        vmalloc=256M cma=128M coherent-pool=96M
    
    to the kernel command line so as to allow additional frame buffer memory. Note: The long kernel command line may be displayed by some editors as split into several lines; but it must be edited so as to produce a single line without line break. (Use ''cat /proc/cmdline'' to verify the current kernel command line).

    There are many considerations in selecting these and other boot parameters for the nVidia Nano; this application note is not intended as a treatise on the subject.

    The amount of frame buffer memory available for image capture is also determined by the amount of memory requested by the PIXCI® driver. This is set in the same manner as for x86 or x86‑64 systems; typically using XCAP:

        PIXCI®
        PIXCI® Open/Close
        Close (if open)
        Driver Assistant
        Set Frame Buffer Memory Size
        ...
    
    XCAP's ''Forceful Memory Allocation'' option, used with the memory architecture of x86 and x86‑64 systems, is not applicable to the Nano.

    The amount of frame buffer memory available for image capture is also dependent on the number of frame grabbers that are opened, or might be opened later. Deselecting:

        PIXCI®
        PIXCI® Open/Close
        Close (if open)
        Advanced
        Memory (tab)
        Reserve and Share Frame Buffer Memory
    
    allows all of the memory to be used by one frame grabber and camera.
  7. Reboot Nano.
  8. If using the XCLIB or XCLIB+PXIPL C/C++ library, download: xcliblnx_aarch64.bin or xcliplnx_aarch64.bin from www.epixinc.com/support/files.php. Install with:
        chmod a+x xclib_aarch64.bin
        ./xcliblnx_aarch64.bin
    
    or
        chmod a+x xclip_aarch64.bin
        ./xcliplnx_aarch64.bin
    

 

1.1. Additional Tips

  1. If application software reports that the PIXCI® frame grabber isn't installed, run the:
        lspci
    
    Linux application. If ''lspci'' doesn't list the PIXCI® frame grabber, then the Linux PCIe bus manager hasn't detected the card and fiddling with the PIXCI® driver and its settings won't help.

    Specifically, many third party PCIe to M.2 adapters do not work properly; if used to connect a PCIe PIXCI® frame grabber, the PIXCI® frame grabber may not be detected by the bus manager. Use of a M.2 PIXCI® frame grabber is recommended.

  2. An environment variable for Java may not be set correctly; running XCAP results in:
        Unsatisfied link error ... libjawt.so
    

    Edit /usr/local/xcap/xcaplnx and add, as second and third lines:

        LIBJAWT=$( find /usr -name libjawt.so | sed -e s:/libjawt.so:: )
        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LIBJAWT
    
    so as to point ''LD_LIBRARY_PATH'' to the directory containing libjawt.so. The above fix assumes a single version of Java is installed. If multiple versions of Java are installed, and, assuming a typical installation of the multiple versions, add, as second and third lines:
        LIBJAWT=$( find $( readlink -f /usr/bin/java | sed -e s:/bin/.*:: ) -name libjawt.so | sed -e s:/libjawt.so:: )
        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LIBJAWT
    
    The /usr/local/xcap/xcaplnx contains these lines, as comments, ready to be uncommented.

    Or, for atypical Java installations, edit /usr/local/xcap/xcaplnx and set ''LD_LIBRARY_PATH'' to the appropriate directory containing libjawt.so.

    Newer releases of XCAP implement a workaround for this issue; editing /usr/local/xcap/xcaplnx is not required. (Circa July 2021).

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Updated: 11-Aug-2025