Getting Started with EXPI-OS08A20

Last Modified: Oct 5, 2025 new Supports EXPI-OS08A20

Contents of this document

  • 1

    Out of the Box

  • 2

    Hardware Setup

  • 3

    Software Setup

Purchase your EXPI-OS08A20

Contents of this document

1. Out of the Box

The following section lists the steps to power on and use the EXPI-OS08A20 camera module.

The development kit contains:

  • EXPI-OS08A20 camera module
  • 4 pairs of white Nylon screws and studs
  • Assembly manual card
  • 180mm, pitch=0.5mm, same-side 22-pin flexible printed circuit (FPC) cable

Get started developing your application on the EXPI-OS08A20 camera module with the out-of-the-box video. For more information, please visit the module webpage.

1.1 Get Familiar with the Board

EXPI-OS08A20 Top View

EXPI-OS08A20 Top View

EXPI-OS08A20 Bottom View

EXPI-OS08A20 Bottom View

NextHardware Setup

2. Hardware Setup

This section describes how a connection can be established between the EXPI-OS08A20 camera module and FRDM boards.

2.1 Connect the Camera Module with FRDM-IMX8MPLUS

To setup the hardware connection between EXPI-OS08A20 camera module and FRDM-IMX 8MPLUS, please follow the steps below.

2.2 FRDM-IMX8MPLUS

EXPI-OS08A20 camera module angle

EXPI-OS08A20 camera module angle

Note: For more information about the FRDM-IMX8MPLUS board, refer to: FRDM board for the i.MX 8M Plus Applications Processor.

Note: The i.MX 8M Plus FRDM board provides two MIPI camera serial interface (CSI) connectors (J13 and J14), allowing for the connection of up to two EXPI-OS08A20 camera modules.

2.3 Boot Switch Setup

SW5 [1:4] is the boot configuration switch. By default, the boot device is embedded MultiMediaCard/Ultra Secured Digital Host Controller 1 (eMMC/uSDHC1).

BOOT MODE SW5-1 SW5-2 SW5-3 SW5-4
Serial Downloader 0 0 0 1
USDHC1 8-bit eMMC 5.1 0 0 1 0
USDHC2 4-bit SD3.0 0 0 1 1

2.4 Connect EXPI-OS08A20 Camera Module and FRDM-IMX8MP Board

The module supports flexible hardware and software integration, featuring an FPC connector that can be accessed from either side. Two types of FPC cables are available—one with same-side contacts and another with opposite-side contacts. To prevent damage to the camera module, always check the cable orientation before making any connections as reversing the power supply can cause harm.

Follow these steps to assemble the hardware:

  1. Insert the FPC into the connector

    2. Insert the FPC into the connector

    Insert the FPC into the connector
  2. Secure the circuit board with screws and studs for support

    3. Secure the circuit board with screws and studs for support

    Secure the circuit board with screws and studs for support
  3. Connect the other end of the FPC to the FRDM-IMX8MPLUS

    4. Connect the other end of the FPC to the FRDM-IMX8MPLUS

    Connect the other end of the FPC to the FRDM-IMX8MPLUS

The diagram below illustrates the connection between the EXPI-OS08A20 camera module and the FRDM-IMX8MP board using the provided FPC cable.

EXPI-OS08A20 camera module angle 2

EXPI-OS08A20 camera module angle 2

PreviousOut of the Box
NextSoftware Setup

3. Software Setup

This section describes how to set up the software for the EXPI-OS08A20 camera module.

Set Up EXPI-OS08A20 Camera Module on FRDM-IMX8MPLUS Board

To set up the EXPI-OS08A20 camera module, follow the steps below:

3.1 Download a Prebuilt Image

The latest prebuilt images for the FRDM-IMX8MPLUS are available on the FRDM-IMX8MPLUS Demo Images. The image file (with the extension *.wic or *.wic.zst) contains a partitioned image (with U-Boot, kernel, rootfs, and so on) suitable for booting the corresponding hardware.

3.2 Update Prebuilt Image to FRDM-IMX8MP Board

You have options when updating the image depending on the boot source. You can either can use the official universal update utility (UUU) tool or third-party software.

Boot sources / Flash tools UUU Third party flash tool
eMMC support no
SD support support

The following steps explain how to boot embedded MultiMediaCard (eMMC) or SD card using the official UUU tool with a prebuilt image. For other methods, please refer to UG10195.

To use the UUU update FRDM-IMX8MPLUS, follow the instructions below:

  1. Download UUU version 1.2.39 or higher from the GitHub mfgtools releases 
  2. Use a USB Type-C cable to connect your computer to the FRDM-i.MX8M Plus board’s port labeled “USB1_C”

    3. For FRDM-IMX8MPLUS, the USB OTG port is labeled as "USB1_C".

  3. Connect a USB cable from the USB Type-C connector labeled "DEBUG" to a host computer for debug message outputting
  4. Set the boot pin to Serial download mode

    5. The following table shows the boot switch settings for FRDM-IMX8MPLUS to enter Serial download mode.

    Setup download mode for FRDM-IMX8MP

    Switch Name D1 D2 D3 D4
    SW5 0 0 0 1
  5. Burn the image:
    • To update a pre-built image to an SD card, run the following command: uuu -b sd_all imx-boot-imx8mpfrdm.bin imx-image-full-imx8mpfrdm.rootfs.wic
    • To update a pre-built image to eMMC, run the following command: uuu -b emmc_all imx-boot-imx8mpfrdm.bin imx-image-full-imx8mpfrdm.rootfs.wic
  6. To boot the board, change the boot switch to SD/eMMC boot mode and reset the board

Setup SD Boot mode for FRDM-IMX8MP

Switch Name D1 D2 D3 D4
SW5 0 0 1 1

Setup EMMC Boot mode for FRDM-IMX8MP

Switch Name D1 D2 D3 D4
SW5 0 0 1 0

3.3 Running EXPI-OS08A20 Camera Module on FRDM-IMX8MPLUS

  1. To select a device tree, perform the following steps:
    1. "imx8mp-frdm-os08a20.dtb" - # single os08a20, connect to CSI1
    2. "imx8mp-frdm-dual-os08a20.dtb" - # dual os08a20, connect to CSI1 and CSI2
    2. u-boot=> setenv fdtfile imx8mp-frdm-os08a20.dtb
u-boot=> saveenv
Saving Environment to MMC... Writing to MMC(2)... OK
u-boot=> boot
  2. Check the subdev and video nodes are correct
    3. root@imx8mpfrdm:~# ls /dev
… v4l-subdev0    …     video3
… v4l-subdev1    …
… v4l-subdev2    .
… v4l-subdev3

root@imx8mpfrdm:~# cat /sys/class/video4linux/video3/name
viv_v4l20
  3. Run Gstreamer to capture and display
    4. $ gst-launch-1.0 -v v4l2src device=/dev/video3 ! "video/x- raw,format=YUY2,width=3840,height=2160" ! queue ! waylandsink

PreviousHardware Setup
NextDesign Resources

Design Resources

Additional References

PreviousSoftware Setup