Should we update Firmware?
General question.
We've been using the 435 for several years now,.
We locked into FW v5.13.00.50 during development.
(newer FW versions require adoption of a new SDK)
Looking at newer updates in firmware, I do not see any improvements for the [specifically] 435.
Is there any compelling reason to update the SDK to support newer FW versions?
Additionally, we may start experimenting with the 455 to improve our viewing distance.
I do see a couple of improvement in later Firmware, specifically:
- Enhanced auto exposure algorithm
- Support for variable IMU gyro sensitivity
Are there any cautionary tales related to updating to the latest SDK?
Is it generally backwards compatible?
-
Hi Stevew Production firmware 5.13.0.50 has remained stable even when used with the latest SDK versions that it was not designed for. Whilst using a newer firmware version than 5.13.0.50 is a requirement for more recent RealSense camera models such as D435f, D455f, D456 and D457, the D435 can continue to safely use 5.13.0.50.
If you are going to test more recent SDK versions then I recommend SDK version 2.55.1, which can work with 5.13.0.50. 2.55.1 contains the gyro sensitivity feature, but it is not accessible unless the firmware version is updated to 5.16.0.1.
-
Thank you MartyG !
Could you tell me
Or can you point me to the version documentation
Are there any advantages to us to move to a newer SDK (beyond 2.55.1)) ??
(considering we will likely be sticking with the 435 (possibly the 455))
I'm guessing, that like the FW versions, newer SDKs primarily (if not only) focus on features of newer products in the 400 series.? -
The changes between firmware versions tend to be minor except when a new feature is introduced that requires a firmware update to use it, such as the IMU sensitivity. Each SDK version has a recommended firmware to use with it though, and there is typically a new firmware released at the same time as each new 'final' SDK version.
An exception to this is intermediate 'beta' SDK releases such as 2.56.1 to 2.56.3, which have continued to use 2.55.1's recommended firmware of 5.16.0.1.
The next main 'final' SDK release after the 2.56 betas is being targeted for between end of Q1 (end of March) and start of Q2 (start of April). I would recommend making that final version the next one to consider using after 2.55.1.
For production projects (commercial products and critical applications) I personally recommend a 'two versions back' approach, of using an SDK and firmware that is two versions older than the latest currently available versions. This gives the opportunity to see whether any issues arise with the latest versions once they are released. If there are any issues on very rare occasions then they typically occur in the SDK software rather than the firmware, because new RealSense firmware drivers undergo extremely robust and careful, lengthy testing before release to ensure stability and the correct operation of the camera.
The release notes describing in detail the new features and fixes of each SDK version can be found here:
https://github.com/IntelRealSense/librealsense/wiki/Release-Notes
Firmware release notes are bundled inside firmware files that can be downloaded from here:
https://dev.intelrealsense.com/docs/firmware-releases-d400
In regard to moving to a newer SDK, you should be able to use 2.55.1 and 5.16.0.1 for a long-term period without needing to update.
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
4 comments