Android 11 for Toradex Verdin i.MX8MM

Android 11 for Toradex Verdin iMX8M Mini

Introduction

The Toradex Verdin iMX8M Mini is a small form-factor System on Module based on the NXP i.MX8M Mini SoC.

Kynetics, as part of the Toradex early access program, has worked on the Android Kernel for the Toradex Verdin i.MX8M Mini and built an Android 11 image on Android, compatible with the Dahlia carrier board.

Release Notes

Here are some important notes about our build:

• Android 11, U-Boot 2020.04, Linux Kernel 5.4
• Based on NXP release: android-11.0.0_1.0.0
• Compatible with
  • SOM
    • Toradex Verdin i.MX8M Mini V1.1A (PN: 00551100)
  • Carrier Board:
    • Dahlia Carrier board V1.0C (PN: 01551002)
    • Dahlia Carrier board V1.1A (PN: 01551100)
    • Dahlia Carrier board V1.1C (PN: 01551102)
• Compatible with any HDMI display using the Verdin DSI to HDMI adapter
  • The adapter is included in the Dahlia Carrier board kit
  • The default resolution of the HDMI output is 1280x720
  • Use the adapter V1.0B with the Dahlia Carrier board V1.0C (PN: 01571001)
  • Use the adapter V1.1A with the Dahlia Carrier board V1.1A or V1.1C (PN: 01571100)
• Userdebug build with permissive SELinux and disabled DM-Verity
• Application updates can be deployed using Update Factory: learn more about our Android client for Update Factory.
• This is an unsupported release. For commercial support please contact us.

Flash Instructions

The following steps will guide you through the installation of Android 11 on the Verdin i.MX8M Mini.

Hardware Requirements

• Toradex Verdin i.MX8MM V1.1A with the Dahlia carrier board 1.0C, 1.1A or 1.1C and the Verdin DSI to HDMI adapter
  • SOM with wifi and bluetooth support, 2GB of RAM and at 16GB of eMMC
• A USB drive formatted in FAT32 (at least 4 GB)
• A USB mouse
• A host computer running GNU/Linux
• A USB-A to USB-C cable - to load the Toradex Easy Installer

Software Requirements

• The Verdin board running the Toradex Easy Installer
• Kynetics Android 11 Easy Installer archive, downloadable here
• Android platform tools installed on the host computer - Optional for debugging

Installation procedure

• Download the Toradex Easy Installer archive for the Verdin iMX8MM here
• Unpack the Toradex Easy Installer archive in a directory on the host PC
• Unpack the Kynetics Android 10 Easy Installer archive in the USB drive
• Insert the USB drive in one of the USB port on the Dahlia carrier board

Part 1: load the Toradex Easy Installer

If your board is already running the Toradex Easy Installer, skip Part 1 and start from Part 2.

• Connect a USB-C cable to the USB-C DRP (X3) port from the Dahlia Carrier board to the host pc
• Press and keep pressing the RECOVERY button on the Dahlia Carrier board (the button is close to the USB-C DEBUG port)
• Power up the board
• Wait a couple of seconds, then release the RECOVERY button
• From the host Linux pc, enter in the directory with the unpacked Toradex Easy Installer archive and:

  $ sudo ./recovery-linux.sh
  

• Wait for the Successfully downloaded Toradex Easy Installer message, that will indicate that the board is now booting the Toradex Easy Installer.

Part 2: flash Android

If you have skipped point 1, power up the board.
It is necessary to have the Toradex Easy Installer interface available: connect an HDMI display using the Verdin DSI to HDMI adapter.

From the Easy Installer interface, the RNDIS tab will show the Kynetics Android 11 for Verdin iMX8M Mini V1.1A image. Using a mouse, double click to flash it on the device.
After the procedure is finished, reboot the board.

Android is now installed on the device.

Q&A

• Can the Easy Installer be loaded after flashing Android?

  • Yes, however an error could be reported on the serial console (available from the USB-C DEBUG port on the Dahlia Carrier board) while loading the Easy Installer from USB: Unknown command 'hdp' - try 'help'. If you get this error, using minicom (or equivalent) press CTRL+C on the serial console and then type:

    Verdin iMX8MM # env default -a
    Verdin iMX8MM # saveenv
    

    Then restart the procedure from Part 1.

• Is the native HDMI port supported on the Dahlia Carrier Board V1.1A/V1.1C?

  • The Verdin iMX8MM SOM does not support native HDMI output, so the HDMI port on the Dahlia port is not supported. To use an HDMI display, use the Verdin DSI to HDMI adapter (included with the Dahlia Carrier Board).

Enjoy the Art of Coding™