AM62A7: SDK 11.1: U-boot: ipc_echo... firmware missing from prebuilts directory

Looks like according to the yocto u-boot recipe, the instructions should mention setting the TI_DM variable to point to the dm_edgeai_mcu1_0_release_strip.out binary.

Note the repo listed for cloning the TFA firmware is pretty inconsistent.  Not that it matters much but it is a bit confusing.

Two different urls in the SDK docs:

* https://software-dl.ti.com/processor-sdk-linux/esd/AM62AX/11_01_07_05/exports/docs/linux/Foundational_Components_ATF.html

git clone https://github.com/TexasInstruments/arm-trusted-firmware.git

* https://software-dl.ti.com/processor-sdk-linux/esd/AM62AX/11_01_07_05/exports/docs/devices/AM62AX/linux/Release_Specific_Release_Notes.html
Repo: https://git.trustedfirmware.org/plugins/gitiles/TF-A/trusted-firmware-a.git/

And the yocto recipe uses another more official one.
* sources/meta-ti/meta-ti-bsp/recipes-bsp/trusted-firmware-a/trusted-firmware-a-ti.inc

SRC_URI_TRUSTED_FIRMWARE_A = "git://git.trustedfirmware.org/TF-A/trusted-firmware-a.git;protocol=https"

Hi Jonathan,

Apologies for the delayed response, I was out on PTO.

Thanks for pointing this out, you're right - in SDK 11.1, the firmware ipc_echo_testb_mcu1_0_release_strip.xer5f has been changed to dm_edgeai_mcu1_0_release_strip.out. We need to update the references in k3-am62a-sk-binman.dtsi. 

I'll share this feedback with the documentation team.

Regards,
Johnson

Thanks, let me know what they find out

Copy-pasting my message to Johnson. I am NOT one of the developers making decisions here, just an apps guy who has been observing changes over time:

AM62Ax is inconsistent in DM R5F firmware naming conventions across SDK releases.

For all other DM R5F processors that we have, the MCU+ SDK example ipc_rpmsg_echo_linux is repackaged into "ipc_echo_testb_mcu1_0_release_strip" (this name was inherited from a previous version of RTOS). Thus, on all the other DM R5F processors, the DM R5F is running the IPC Echo example by default.

However, AM62Ax runs VPAC/ISP firmware on the DM R5F by default. In some SDK releases, they placed the IPC Echo firmware in ti-linux-firmware under the name "ipc_echo_testb_mcu1_0_release_strip", and then packaged the VPAC/ISP firmware under a separate name. However, for most of the older SDK releases, they only placed one firmware in ti-linux-firmware (the VPAC/ISP firmware), and renamed it to "ipc_echo_testb_mcu1_0_release_strip" instead.

https://git.ti.com/cgit/processor-firmware/ti-linux-firmware/tree/ti-dm?h=ti-linux-firmware 

In the latest SDK releases, it looks like they are back to including both the IPC Echo firmware, and the VPAC/ISP firmware, in the same folder in ti-linux-firmware. In earlier Linux SDKs under the "prebuilt" folder, you would still only see a single firmware called "ipc_echo_testb_mcu1_0_release_strip" (which has actually been the VPAC/ISP firmware every time I have checked). You always have to check if you see that generic filename, you cannot take it for granted what firmware got renamed to "ipc_echo_testb_mcu1_0_release_strip".

More information here: 
[FAQ] SPL Boot: How to find the DM R5F binary that is built into tispl.bin  

This FAQ might also be helpful:
[FAQ] Linux: How to check what binary is running on the DM R5F 

Regards,

Nick 

Yeah I don't get a vote here, but it makes sense to me to have this custom firmware have a different filename.  Just need to make sure all the documentation still works.

Currently I have updated my u-boot build script to set the TI_DM variable to match how yocto is building it. Which I'm happy with, it just doesn't match TI's documentation.

make ARCH=arm .... TI_DM="ti-dm/am62axx/dm_edgeai_mcu1_0_release_strip.out"

Jonathan Cormier said:

Looks like according to the yocto u-boot recipe, the instructions should mention setting the TI_DM variable to point to the dm_edgeai_mcu1_0_release_strip.out binary.

TI needs to fix their documentation

Some documentation is captured on this new FWs and how to pick custom DM Firmware at

https://software-dl.ti.com/processor-sdk-linux/esd/AM62AX/11_01_07_05/exports/docs/devices/AM62AX/linux/Release_Specific_Release_Notes.html#what-s-new 

and 

https://software-dl.ti.com/processor-sdk-linux/esd/AM62AX/11_01_07_05/exports/docs/linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/BG-Build-K3.html# 

>> Reviewing to expand it further and clarify with incremental doc PR