VIA Technologies VAB-950 User manual

QUICK START GUIDE
VIA VAB-950
Android 10.0 EVK
1.00-23112020-173700

Copyright
Copyright © 2020 VIA Technologies Incorporated. All rights reserved.
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VIA Technologies makes no warranes, implied or otherwise, in regard to this document and to the products described in this document.
The informaon provided in this document is believed to be accurate and reliable as of the publicaon date of this document. However,
VIA Technologies assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of the informaon (including use or connecon of extra device/
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and product specicaons within this document are subject to change at any me, without noce and without obligaon to nofy any
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VIA Technologies, Inc. reserves the right the make changes to the products described in this manual at any me without prior noce.
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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
Revision History
Version Date Remarks
1.00 23/11/2020 Inial release

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
Table of Contents
1. Introducon.................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 EVK Package Contents........................................................................................................................... 1
1.1.1 Firmware Folder Contents ............................................................................................................. 1
1.1.2 Document Folder Contents............................................................................................................ 1
1.1.3 Tool Folder Contents...................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Version Informaon and Supported Features....................................................................................... 2
2. Image Installaon .......................................................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Installing with the SP Flash Tool............................................................................................................ 3
3. Hardware Funcons ....................................................................................................................................... 7
3.1 Using the Debug Console...................................................................................................................... 7
3.2 Changing the Kernel Debug Level ......................................................................................................... 7
3.3 Checking the BSP Version...................................................................................................................... 7
3.4 DVFS...................................................................................................................................................... 7
3.5 Display................................................................................................................................................... 8
3.6 Camera.................................................................................................................................................. 8
3.7 MTK NeuroPilot AI APU Hardware Acceleraon................................................................................... 9

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
1. Introducon
This Quick Start Guide provides an overview of how to boot the Android image for the VIA VAB-950 and
congure the supported hardware funcons in the build.
The VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK is developed based on the MediaTek Android 10.0 BSP, and it enables the
hardware features of the VIA VAB-950.
1.1 EVK Package Contents
There are three folders in the package listed as below.
Firmware folder Descripon
VIA_VAB-950_Android_10.0_EVK.zip Android image and scaer-loading le
Document folder Descripon
VIA_VAB-950_Android_10.0_EVK_Quick_Start_
Guide.pdf Quick Start Guide
Tool folder Descripon
Driver_Auto_Installer_EXE.zip
UniversalAdbDriverSetup.zip
SP_Flash_Tool_exe_Windows.zip
MTK USB cable driver
Universal ADB driver
MTK SP Flash Tool
1.1.1 Firmware Folder Contents
VIA_VAB-950_Android_10.0_EVK.zip: contains scaer-loading le and the precompiled Android image for
evaluang the VIA VAB-950.
1.1.2 Document Folder Contents
VIA_VAB-950_Android_10.0_EVK_Quick_Start_Guide.pdf: This Quick Start Guide provides an overview on
how to boot the Android image for the VIA VAB-950 and congure the supported hardware funcons in the
build.
1.1.3 Tool Folder Contents
Driver_Auto_Installer_EXE.zip: MTK USB cable driver.
UniversalAdbDriverSetup.zip: Universal ADB driver.
SP_Flash_Tool_exe_Windows.zip: MTK SP Flash Tool.

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
1.2 Version Informaon and Supported Features
• Kernel version: 4.14.141
• Evaluaon image: Android 10.0
• Development based on MediaTek Android 10.0 BSP
• Supports eMMC boot
• Supports HDMI display
• Supports HDMI audio output
• Supports MIPI DSI capacive touch panel
−AUO 10.1" B101UAN01.7 (1920×1200)
−eGalax I2C touch
• Supports COM1 as RS-232 mode (TX/RX) and COM as debug port
• Supports two 10/100Mbps Ethernet ports
• Supports MediaTek MT6358 Headphone and Mic-in
• Supports MediaTek MT7668 Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0
• Supports VIA EMIO-2574 (SIM7600JC-H) 4G LTE mobile broadband miniPCIe module
• Supports MIPI CSI OV5648 camera module
• Supports MediaTek NeuroPilot AI APU hardware acceleraon

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
2. Image Installaon
This secon explains the setup requirements for boong from the eMMC.
The scaer-loading le and precompiled image are provided in the "Firmware" folder.
2.1 Installing with the SP Flash Tool
The rst step is to install the "MTK USB cable driver" and "Universal ADB driver" into your Windows 10 host
machine.
Then connect the Windows 10 host machine and the VIA VAB-950 through the Micro USB 2.0 port using the
Micro USB cable.
Micro USB 2.0 port diagram
Next, on the VIA VAB-950, set the two OS image jumpers (J7 and J5) to download mode as shown in the
diagram below.
OS image jumpers diagram
J5 and J7 Sengs Pin 1 Pin 2 Pin 3
Normal mode (default) Open Short Short
Download mode Short Short Open
OS image jumper sengs
Extract the VIA_VAB-950_Android_10.0_EVK.zip le, and run the ash_tool.exe from the SP_Flash_Tool_exe_
Windows folder on your Windows 10 host machine.
In the "Scaer-loading File" box, choose the MT6771_Android_scaer.txt from the \Firmware\ folder.
Next, click the drop-down arrow and select the "Download Only". Then click the "Download" buon.

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
Plug in the AC-to-DC power adapter to power on the VIA VAB-950.
Note:
Make sure the Windows 10 host machine detects the VAB-950 as ADB device.
Press and hold the SW3 buon + Reset buon at the same me and then release them.
SW3 buon diagram

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
Reset buon diagram
If the bar on the Flash_Tool becomes red, it means the image installaon has started.
If the color does not change, press the Reset buon + SW3 buon at the same me again and then release
them.
When the image installaon is completed, the color of the bar will change to yellow. Then you will see the
"Download OK" pop-up message as shown below.

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
Unplug the AC-to-DC power adapter to power o the VIA VAB-950.
Set the two OS image jumpers (J7 and J5) back to the normal mode seng.
Unplug the Micro USB cable, press the Power Buon for 2 seconds, then release it to power on the VAB-950.
When the boot process is completed, you will see the Android 10.0 desktop.

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
3. Hardware Funcons
This secon explains how to enable and test the hardware funcons precompiled in the Android 10.0 EVK
including using the debug console.
3.1 Using the Debug Console
The rst step is to connect the host machine and the VIA VAB-950 through the COM connector labeled as
"COM". Use a serial port communicaon program such as PuTTY or Tera Term to connect the debug console.
Set the console Baud Rate to "921600".
COM connector diagram
Next, power on the VIA VAB-950 to iniate the boot process.
When the boot process is completed, you will log in to the debug console.
3.2 Changing the Kernel Debug Level
To disable the kernel messages, modify the debug level using the following command:
console:/ # su
console:/ # echo 3 > /proc/sys/kernel/printk
3.3 Checking the BSP Version
To check the BSP version, use the following command:
console:/ # cat /proc/version
3.4 DVFS
To verify the DVFS (Dynamic Voltage Frequency Scaling) funcon and list all the supported features, use the
following commands:
console:/ # ls -l /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/
total 0
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 aected_cpus
-r-------- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 cpuinfo_cur_freq
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 cpuinfo_max_freq
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 cpuinfo_min_freq

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 cpuinfo_transition_latency
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 related_cpus
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 scaling_available_frequencies
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 scaling_available_governors
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 scaling_cur_freq
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 scaling_driver
-rw-rw---- 1 system system 4096 2010-01-01 00:00 scaling_governor
-rw-rw---- 1 system system 4096 2010-01-01 00:00 scaling_max_freq
-rw-rw-r-- 1 system system 4096 2010-01-01 00:00 scaling_min_freq
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4096 2020-04-06 06:34 scaling_setspeed
console:/ #
To check the supported and current CPU frequency, use the following commands:
:~# cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_available_frequencies
1989000 1924000 1846000 1781000 1716000 1677000 1625000 1586000 1508000 1417000 1326000
1248000 1131000 1014000 910000 793000
:~# cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/cpuinfo_cur_freq
793000
3.5 Display
There is no need to to set the display device. If you connect an HDMI display, HDMI output will be
automacally enabled aer boong. If you connect an LCD panel, LCD panel output will be automacally
enabled aer boong.
3.6 Camera
You must connect the CSI camera before boong the VIA VAB-950 aer the image installaon.
Click the “Camera” APK on the Android desktop to verify the camera funcon.
If the CSI camera is connected correctly, but there is no “Camera” APK on the Android desktop, go to “Sengs
-> System -> Advanced -> Reset opons” and press “Erase all data (factory reset)” to restart the system.
The “Camera” APK will be generated aer the system is rebooted.

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VIA VAB-950 Android 10.0 EVK Quick Start Guide
3.7 MTK NeuroPilot AI APU Hardware Acceleraon
We recommend that you install the third-party APK “image_classicaon_MobileNet_app-debug.apk” for
vericaon.
To enlarge the logcat buer to 64MB, use the following command.
console:/ # logcat -G 64M
To enable the NeuroPilot relave log for geng the NN relave log in logcat, use the following command:
console:/ # su
console:/ # setprop debug.nn.vlog 1
console:/ # setprop debug.neuropilot.apu_nn.log 1
console:/ # setprop debug.neuropilot.gpu_nn.log 1
console:/ # setprop debug.neuropilot.arm_nn.log 1
Run the third-party APK “image_classicaon_MobileNet_app-debug.apk”.
Then choose “Model: Quanzed” and “Device: NNAPI”.0
To check that the NeuroPilot AI APU hardware acceleraon is enabled, use the following command:
console:/ # logcat | grep ndBestDeviceForEachOperation
11-05 04:31:15.502 3728 6893 I ExecutionPlan:
ModelBuilder::ndBestDeviceForEachOperation(CONV_2D) = 0 (apunn)
11-05 04:31:15.502 3728 6893 I ExecutionPlan:
ModelBuilder::ndBestDeviceForEachOperation(DEPTHWISE_CONV_2D) = 0 (apunn)
11-05 04:31:15.502 3728 6893 I ExecutionPlan:
ModelBuilder::ndBestDeviceForEachOperation(CONV_2D) = 0 (apunn)
11-05 04:31:15.502 3728 6893 I ExecutionPlan:
ModelBuilder::ndBestDeviceForEachOperation(AVERAGE_POOL_2D) = 0 (apunn)
11-05 04:31:15.502 3728 6893 I ExecutionPlan:
ModelBuilder::ndBestDeviceForEachOperation(CONV_2D) = 0 (apunn)
11-05 04:31:15.502 3728 6893 I ExecutionPlan:
ModelBuilder::ndBestDeviceForEachOperation(RESHAPE) = 0 (apunn)
11-05 04:31:15.503 3728 6893 I ExecutionPlan:
ModelBuilder::ndBestDeviceForEachOperation(SOFTMAX) = 0 (apunn)
Note:
When the value 0 is displayed, it means that the APU hardware acceleraon is enabled.

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