IPU7 webcam support

[diogodoreto]

This weekend I decided to check how far I could go on the path to having NixOS support to my webcam. I found out that my laptop needs ipu7 drivers, and that nixpkgs already has ipu6 support in place, so I started adapting all related files in the hope it would be sufficient. It was not .

You can find my changes here: Comparing NixOS:master...DiogoDoreto:unstable-ipu7-webcam · NixOS/nixpkgs · GitHub

It all compiles and the kernel seems to recognize my camera without errors, but I’m still getting no image from it.

Right now I do not know how to keep investigating the issue. If anyone has any further ideas to share I would gladly continue moving this forward.

$ sudo dmesg | grep ipu7
[    2.814351] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[    2.814364] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Device 0x645d (rev: 0x4)
[    2.814365] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: IPU7 PCI BAR0 base 0x000000204e000000 BAR2 base 0x0000002051d82000
[    2.814412] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: IPU7 PCI BAR0 mapped at 00000000aebde3a8
[    2.820418] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: IPU7 SKU 0 in secure mode mask 0x0
[    2.821663] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: firmware cpd file: intel/ipu/ipu7_fw.bin
[    2.823122] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: FW binary0 info:
[    2.823125] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Name:  psys
[    2.823126] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Version:  1.1.9.240627135220
[    2.823127] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Timestamp:  build_id:331942702
[    2.823127] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Commit:  commit_id:d84f5c35
[    2.823128] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: FW binary1 info:
[    2.823129] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Name:  isys
[    2.823129] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Version:  1.1.9.240627135318
[    2.823130] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Timestamp:  build_id:3823931988
[    2.823130] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Commit:  commit_id:d84f5c35
[    2.827619] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Found supported sensor OVTI08F4:00
[    2.827663] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Connected 1 cameras
[    2.829238] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Sending BOOT_LOAD to CSE
[    2.892332] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: Sending AUTHENTICATE_RUN to CSE
[    2.921443] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: CSE authenticate_run done
[    3.338324] intel_ipu7_psys.psys intel_ipu7.psys.40: IPU psys probe done.
[12330.468735] intel-ipu7 0000:00:05.0: IPU7 in secure mode

[pseudocc]

Hi @diogodoreto , I guess you are using X1 2-in-1 Gen10, right? If so, you also need to update your BIOS to N4BET63W (1.33) or later to get MIPI working.

The latest BIOS got demoted on lvfs stable, so you have to enable lvfs-testing to install it.

[diogodoreto]

Thanks for that info. I updated my system to firmware version 1.20, which comes with BIOS version 1.40 (I found the details here: LVFS: ThinkPad X1 Carbon 13th / X1 2-in-1 10th )

But even after that it does not seem to work. Did you set any extra option in your configuration too?

[pseudocc]

I spent quite a lot of time in investigating this, and finally made it work (linux 6.18.4).

Here is my nixpkgs commit for enabling this:

ipu7: init

The most crucial part is this flag for icamersrc.

  configureFlags = [
    "--enable-gstdrmformat=yes"
  ];

also needs this patch to compile against linux 6.18+.

PR: ipu7: init by pseudocc · Pull Request #479283 · NixOS/nixpkgs · GitHub

[AGL]

I am also currently working on ipu7 webcam support for my surface pro 11 intel. I have the cameras working, but I dont understand how to set the settings for the IPU7, specifically how to create my own camera bins for auto white balance etc. support. The intel/ipu7-camera-bins repo doesn not contain the files for both the IMX681 and OV13858 sensors of surface pro 11. I am currenlty running it through libcamera with software processing, but it would be great if i could make the IPU work as well.

I was able to reverse engineer some of the info. I also tried to use the aiqb and bin files that come with the windows firmware, but they are for a different version of the ipu7 firmware and i cant get them to work.

You seem to have more information and better understanding of the issue, on of your commits mentions this link: https://edc.intel.com/content/www/us/en/secure/design/confidential/products/platforms/details/lunar-lake-mx/core-ultra-200v-series-processors-datasheet-volume-1-of-2/camera-integrated-isp/ which probably contains some valuable information, but i dont have access to it.

Would you be able to share some info on whether what I am trying to do is even possible, or whether I am missing some piece of proprieatary intel software, to generate the camera files?

[existensil]

The patches @pseudocc authored look great. Was wondering if there was an open PR and couldn’t find it at first, so leaving it here for others to find. It does exist.

Looks like there are some issues, but I’ll help test it on my XPS 13 Lunar Lake machine soon.

Hope it’s able to be merged soon. Either way, thanks for the great work on this.