Sampling failed Timeout when waiting for snapshot to be started or idle

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#1

Hi, I have problems with uploading snapshots. I use an AI Tinker clone board with integrated serial to USB adapter. (I just do hope pins are identical to AI Tinker board, I have no docs. Link: Esp32-cam-mb Micro Usb Esp32 Serial To Wifi Esp32 Cam Board Ch340 Ch340g 5v Bluetooth+ov2640 Camera+2.4g Antenna For Smart Home - Integrated Circuits - AliExpress).

I modified ei_camera.h in firmware to use CAMERA_MODEL_AI_THINKER instead of CAMERA_MODEL_ESP_EYE. Successfully rebuilt the firmware on a Mac Mini M1, using ESP-IDF. Uploaded the firmware successfully. I can connect to the board either via webUSB or edge-impulse-daemon.

The problem:
Regardless what I want to capture, I always bump into a time-out.

Examples:

  1. Microphone:
    Edge Impulse serial daemon v1.14.13
    Endpoints:
    Websocket: wss://remote-mgmt.edgeimpulse.com
    API: https://studio.edgeimpulse.com/v1
    Ingestion: https://ingestion.edgeimpulse.com

[SER] Connecting to /dev/tty.usbserial-21350
[SER] Serial is connected, trying to read config…
[SER] Retrieved configuration
[SER] Device is running AT command version 1.7.0

? To which project do you want to connect this device? Zoltán / Gatekeeper
[SER] Device is not connected to remote management API, will use daemon
[WS ] Connecting to wss://remote-mgmt.edgeimpulse.com
[WS ] Connected to wss://remote-mgmt.edgeimpulse.com
[SER] Entering snapshot stream mode…
[WS ] Device “ESP32-CAM” is now connected to project “Gatekeeper”
[WS ] Go to Login - Edge Impulse to build your machine learning model!
[WS ] Incoming sampling request {
path: ‘/api/training/data’,
label: ‘face’,
length: 60000,
interval: 0.0625,
hmacKey: ‘c128732c15b2d3aa85788d9d8d9252ac’,
sensor: ‘Built-in microphone’
}
/Users/zoltansz/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/edge-impulse-cli/build/shared/daemon/remote-mgmt-service.js:443
throw new Error(‘Timeout when waiting for snapshot to be started or idle’);
^

Error: Timeout when waiting for snapshot to be started or idle
at RemoteMgmt.waitForSnapshotStartedOrIdle (/Users/zoltansz/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/edge-impulse-cli/build/shared/daemon/remote-mgmt-service.js:443:23)
at async WebSocket. (/Users/zoltansz/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/edge-impulse-cli/build/shared/daemon/remote-mgmt-service.js:296:21)

Node.js v18.0.0

  1. Camera (64x64):
    Edge Impulse serial daemon v1.14.13
    Endpoints:
    Websocket: wss://remote-mgmt.edgeimpulse.com
    API: https://studio.edgeimpulse.com/v1
    Ingestion: https://ingestion.edgeimpulse.com

[SER] Connecting to /dev/tty.usbserial-21350
[SER] Serial is connected, trying to read config…
[SER] Retrieved configuration
[SER] Device is running AT command version 1.7.0

? To which project do you want to connect this device? Zoltán / Gatekeeper
[SER] Device is not connected to remote management API, will use daemon
[WS ] Connecting to wss://remote-mgmt.edgeimpulse.com
[WS ] Connected to wss://remote-mgmt.edgeimpulse.com
[WS ] Device “ESP32-CAM” is now connected to project “Gatekeeper”
[WS ] Go to Login - Edge Impulse to build your machine learning model!
[SER] Entering snapshot stream mode…
[WS ] Incoming sampling request {
path: ‘/api/training/data’,
label: ‘face’,
length: 60000,
interval: 0,
hmacKey: ‘c128732c15b2d3aa85788d9d8d9252ac’,
sensor: ‘Camera (64x64)’
}
[WS ] Failed to sample data Error: Timeout when waiting for snapshot to be started or idle
at RemoteMgmt.waitForSnapshotStartedOrIdle (/Users/zoltansz/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/edge-impulse-cli/build/shared/daemon/remote-mgmt-service.js:443:23)
at async WebSocket. (/Users/zoltansz/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/edge-impulse-cli/build/shared/daemon/remote-mgmt-service.js:161:29)

It is not clear to me, but I suspect that capturing snapshots did not even start so this may be related to pin config. Am I right?

Could you pls point me to the direction I should go forward to fix this?

Thanks,
Zoltán

#2

Hi @zoltansz,

Can you send AT commands to the board over a serial connection (e.g. minicom) while it is running your firmware?

I’ve had issues with a similar USB-serial carrier board on my AI-Thinker ESP32 cam. It seems to hold the ESP32 in reset unless a special command is provided. It will work with the Arduino IDE, but nothing else. For example, I cannot communicate with my ESP32 via PuTTY or other serial terminals.

As a result, you might want to try removing the USB adapter board and connecting a USB-Serial adapter to pins VDT, VDR, and GND. You’ll also need to connect a button between IO0 and GND, and you’ll want to be able to easily toggle power (e.g. a switch between your power supply and the 5V pin). Whenever I go to program the ESP32, I hold the button (IO0 to GND) and toggle power off-on to put it into the bootloader mode. This way, I can program the ESP32 and get serial working without relying on the serial daughter board.

If you can use AT commands, I recommend filing an issue with this repo: GitHub - edgeimpulse/firmware-espressif-esp32: Edge Impulse firmware for the Espressif ESP-EYE(ESP32) Development board. I’ll tag @AIWintermuteAI (who developed the firmware) so he’s aware of the issue.

#3

Another things to contemplate is that pins might not be right (as you said it is a modified clone of ESP-CAM and not the original, so there is no guarantee that camera pins are the same).
Anyways, try running edge impulse daemon with --verbose flag and see the detailed error output. If you see camera driver crashing, it means the pins are wrong.

#4

Hi Shawn, thx for the info. Actually, the USB interface is on a piggiback so I can remove it easily. Also, I can check the connections on the piggyback board.

Luckily, I have a couple of original ESP32-CAM boards too so I can compare them.

Thanks!
Z

#5

Hi, thanks for your answer. --verbose is a good idea. Also, I can compare the pinouts with my original ESP32-CAM boards.

Thx,
Z