HDK Software Checklist

When you receive a new HDK, use this checklist to verify that the software is functioning correctly before starting any development or data collection work.

1. Software Version

Verify that hammerhead and nodar_viewer are installed: 

hammerhead -v
nodar_viewer -v
The installed versions of hammerhead and nodar_viewer should match. If an update is needed, follow the HDK Software Update instructions.

2. Configuration Files

Verify that the following files exist in your config directory (${HOME}/.config/nodar/config/):

  • master_config.ini
  • intrinsics.ini
  • extrinsics.ini

The master_config.ini is the primary place to change settings before launching Hammerhead. Review the Master Configuration documentation for details on available options.

You can open and check the intrinsics and extrinsics files to verify the camera parameters.

3. Camera Connectivity

Launch hammerhead on the Orin (without the -s flag to use live cameras). Launch nodar_viewer on the Orin and click Connect. Verify that both left and right camera images appear in the viewer (cameras initialize in < 1 minute).

Verify that the images are not black, washed out, or showing artifacts.

4. Check Layouts

Explore the different layouts available in nodar_viewer. See the User Interface documentation for details on available views and layout options.

5. Calibration Verification

The HDK is factory-calibrated before delivery. Verify that calibration is intact:

Point the cameras at a scene with objects at known distances (ideally outdoors). Click on objects in the depth map and verify that reported distances are reasonable. Check that the depth map is dense and not overly sparse (sparse output may indicate calibration drift).

If the depth maps are not filled in, run a Refinement Calibration outdoors on a natural scene. If distances are off, perform a Range Calibration using a target > 20 m away.

6. Stereo Matching Output

Verify that the disparity/depth output looks correct in nodar_viewer:

  • Depth map should show a smooth gradient from near (red) to far (blue)
  • There should be no large holes or artifacts in textured regions

If using obstacle detection, enable and verify Grid Detect in master_config.ini: 

enable_grid_detect = 1

On the HDK Nano, expect roughly half the frame rate of the HDK at the same resolution and settings.

7. Network Connectivity (Host Port)

If you plan to connect the HDK to an external computer, follow the Connecting to a Computer instructions.

Connect the Orin's host port to your computer:

  • HDK: use a Cat8 Ethernet cable from the Orin's 10G port.
  • HDK Nano: use an Ethernet cable from the USB-C-to-RJ45 host (data-out) adapter. Confirm with ip -br addr that this adapter holds the static IP 10.10.1.10/24. If it has no address, the data-out step was skipped during setup. See Connecting to a Computer.

Configure your computer's Ethernet interface with a static IP in the 10.10.1.X range (e.g., 10.10.1.100). Verify connectivity: 

ping 10.10.1.10

Install nodar_viewer on your computer and confirm it can connect to the HDK over the network. Verify that images stream without excessive frame drops.

8. Data Recording

Follow the Data Collection on the Computer instructions in the HDK Manual.

9. Communication Interface (Optional)

If you plan to integrate with external applications, test your communication interface (ZMQ or ROS2). See the ZMQ and ROS2 documentation for setup instructions and examples.

Troubleshooting

If any checks above fail:

  1. Cameras not detected: Ensure M12-RJ45 cables are securely connected to both the HDK and PoE ports. Power cycle the Orin.
  2. Poor depth quality: Clean the lens tubes with a microfiber cloth. Re-run refinement calibration outdoors on a natural scene.
  3. Network issues: Verify cable quality and that your computer is on the 10.10.1.X subnet. On the HDK Nano, also verify with ip -br addr that the data-out adapter itself is set to 10.10.1.10/24.
  4. Frame drops during recording: Close all viewer tabs except Data Collection. Use a high-performance SSD. On the HDK Nano, the host link carries less bandwidth than the HDK's 10G port, so reduce the amount of data streamed to the Viewer if frames are dropped.
  5. Wrong distance readings: Run range calibration using a target > 20 m away.
  6. HDK Nano, cameras not found after re-running setup: The two USB adapters may have been swapped at the setup prompts, pointing the camera configuration at the data-out adapter. Re-run install.sh -d orin-nano -cam_if <camera_interface> -data_if <host_interface> with the roles given explicitly. See Setup.
  7. HDK Nano, board hangs on boot at Start HTTP Boot over IPv4: apply the one-time UEFI boot-order fix under Troubleshooting on the Setup page.

For further assistance, contact support@nodarsensor.com.