iMX6 TinyRex Module and Development Board Support HDMI Input in Linux (Video Demo)

A couple of years ago, I wrote about iMX6 Rex open source hardware project combining a Freescale i.MX6 SoM and baseboard that aimed a teaching hardware design (schematics and PCB layout). I had not followed the project very closely since then, until I watched a video showcasing HDMI input capabilities in Linux using the new version of the module and baseboard called i.MX6 TinyRex.

i.MX6 Tiny Rex module specifications:

SoC – Freescale iMX6 processor up to 1.2GHz and 4 cores
System Memory – Up to 4GB DDR3-1066 (533MHz)
Storage – EEPROM
Connectivity – 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet PHY
I/Os via 3 board to board connectors:
- Display / Video Output
  - 1x HDMI (up to QXGA 2048×1536)
  - 1x LVDS (up to WUXGA 1920×1200)
  - 1x 20-bit parallel LCD display (up to WXGA 1366×768) or 1x Video Input (CSI)
  - 1x MIPI DSI differential display output (up to XVGA 1024×768)
- Video Input
  - 1x 20-bit parallel video input CSI (up to 8192×4096)
  - 1x MIPI differential camera input
- Storage – 1x SATA; 1x NAND Flash or 1x MMC (8bit); 2x SD (2x 4bit or optional 4 & 8bit)
- 1x PCIe
- 2x USB
- 5x UART, 3x I2C, 2x SPI, 1x CAN
- Digital audio
- 2x GPIO, 2x GPIO or PWM
- System signals -Reset in/out, Boot mode, Power ok, User button
Misc – User LED, power LED, JTAG on testpoints
Dimensions – 38 x 38 x 4.8
Power – 2.7 to 5.5V DC, single +3.3V and +5V

iMX6 Tiny Ref Module Block Diagram (Click to Enlarge)

The company provides Linux support via the Yocto Project. Bear in mind that contrary to OpenRex, TinyRex is not open source hardware. In order to complement the module, iMX6 TinyRex baseboard Lite has also been designed by Fedevel, and manufactured by Voipac.

Baseboard specifications:

Storage – 1x SATA port, 1x micro SD card slot, up to 128Mbit on-board SPI Flash
Video
- 1x HDMI Output with Audio
- 1x micro HDMI input with audio (e.g. from GoPro camera) via ADV7610 HDMI receiver.
- 1x MIPI-CSI camera input (compatible with Raspberry Pi)
Connectivity – 1x Gigabit Ethernet
USB – 1x USB (Optional: 2x USB ), 1x micro USB OTG port
Expansion
- 1x PCIE mini card socket (PCIE & USB)
- Headers with 4x UART, 1x SPI, 1x CAN (CMOS), 3x I2C, 2x PWM, 8x GPIO
Debugging – 1x UART debug console header (compatible with FTDI cable)
Misc – Reset & user buttons, power and user LEDs,
Power Supply – 3.2 to 5.5V DC via power barrel
Dimensions – 90 x 80 mm (with four holes for heatsink)

The schematics for the baseboard are available on request, and software documentation can be found on imx6rex website, including one part showing how to use HDMI input with the Yocto built image which using Video4Linux2 (V4L2), adv7610 driver, and Gstreamer. The demo below shows how to output the HDMI input to an HDMI monitor. It’s not very useful by itself, unless you do some processing or use as video stream as part of an application, but shows the system works, and could be modified for live video streaming for example.

I understand iMX6 TineRex module and baseboard should be available by the end of the year, or Q1 2016, with the module starting at 59 Euros for 1k orders. Further details can be found on iMX6 TinyRex SoM and Baseboard Lite product pages.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.