Hi, hoping someone here can help. We build smart fridges and our machines run Android. We’re trying to use the B029201 camera module on them but the cameras are simply not recognized at all. Nothing shows up, no /dev/video node, nothing. I’ve been searching around for a driver for this thing and I genuinely can’t find any. Is there a driver somewhere I’m missing, or does this module just not work on Android?
For context: custom Android build on our fridge machines, module is B029201. No logs to share yet because we never even get far enough to generate anything useful. Any pointers appreciated.
Hey, thanks for the details. So the short version: the B029201 does work on Android, but the older firmware/driver set you’re probably working against doesn’t cover Android — it was Linux-oriented. That’s why you can’t find a driver that matches and why the module never enumerates on your machines.
We’ve since updated the Arducam firmware so it supports both Linux and Android systems. So this isn’t a case of “no driver exists” — it’s a firmware compatibility thing on the module side.
I can’t attach firmware files directly here, but I’ve sent the latest firmware package and the update procedure to you through private message. Please check your messages, update the module, and then see if the camera enumerates on the Android side. If it still doesn’t come up after the update, come back and we’ll dig into the platform-side config with you.
Thanks for the quick reply, that makes a lot more sense than “no driver exists.”
Could you get that new firmware over to me as quickly as possible? We’re just starting development on this part of the app, so if we can get the module recognized now it saves us a lot of rework later. Timing really matters here since the app work is kicking off.
Just to re-confirm what I’m working with: B029201, Android-based machine. Waiting on that firmware + update method.
Understood, and thanks for flagging the timeline. I’m coordinating with the sales team on getting the latest firmware and the update method to you — they’re the ones who handle the distribution of that package, so I’ve pushed the request over to them.
Once it’s out, the process is: apply the updated firmware, then confirm the module is detected on your Android build. The firmware itself covers both Linux and Android, so you’ll be on the same image either way.
I’ll follow up here once it’s been sent. If you don’t see it come through, ping this thread and I’ll chase it again.
Still nothing on my end. I haven’t received the new firmware yet.
Can this be sent over urgently? We’re blocked on the camera bring-up for the Android app work and I can’t move forward until the module is actually recognized on the machine. Product is B029201, running Android as before. Please push it through as soon as possible.
Sorry about the delay — that’s on us. I’ve re-escalated with the sales team to get the latest firmware and the update method out to you right away, and I’ve also sent what I can directly to you via private message so you’re not stuck waiting on the relay.
Just to keep expectations straight: the firmware is the updated build that supports both Linux and Android, and the update method is the same procedure I mentioned before. Once you’ve applied it, the next checkpoint is confirming the module enumerates on your Android machines.
If it still isn’t there after applying the update, post back with whatever the system reports when you plug it in, and we’ll take it from there.
Alright, one thing I want to get straight while I wait — what version is the last firmware that was released? I’d like to know what I’m actually going to be running so I can tell whether the update actually took.
And separately, how is this supposed to work on Android? I want to understand the expected behavior once it’s working — like what should show up on the system side so I know the module is being seen correctly. Module is B029201 on our Android machine.
Good questions, let me lay out what we know at this point.
Firmware: the relevant build here is the updated Arducam firmware that supports both Linux and Android systems. That’s the one you want — it’s the version that adds the Android support your machines need. I’ve passed along the package and the update method to you through private message, and the sales team is the group that distributes that firmware, so that’s where the actual file comes from.
On Android behavior: once the updated firmware is applied, the module should be detected by the Android system as a camera device instead of being invisible. Right now the symptom you’re seeing — no driver found, no recognition — is exactly what a firmware that doesn’t cover Android looks like. So the expectation after the update is that the module enumerates and shows up as a usable camera on your build.
Current status / conclusion: this is a firmware compatibility issue, not a missing driver. The fix is the latest firmware that supports Linux and Android, plus the update procedure, which you should receive from the sales team (and which I’ve also sent via private message). We haven’t confirmed the fix on your hardware yet because the update hasn’t landed on your side — so the thread stays open. Once you’ve applied it, post back whether the module gets detected; if it does, you’re unblocked, and if it doesn’t, we’ll debug the Android-side config from there. I’m keeping an eye on this thread, so ping me if the firmware still hasn’t arrived.