Neobotics Foundation Inc.
Camera no feedNEORACER DOCS
NEORACER DOCS
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TROUBLESHOOTING / CAMERA

NO CAMERA FEED.

Either the camera node didn't start, the USB cable is loose, or the webcam doesn't advertise the MJPG format the driver expects. Three checks, in the order the data takes to reach your code.

~0 minutesVisible from SSHCommon right after a re-flash
// YOU SEE
rc.camera.get_color_image() returns a frame full of zeros, or ros2 topic hz /camera reports no publisher.
// WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN
A 1080p frame at up to 120 fps on /camera. In Python, a NumPy array shaped (H, W, 3) with real pixel values.
01 / IS THE NODE EVEN UP?

IS THE NODE RUNNING?

bash
# 1. Is the teleop driver running?
ssh racecar@neoracer
racecar status                                       # shows running nodes
ros2 topic list | grep camera                        # /camera should be there

# 2. Does the kernel see the webcam, and does it advertise MJPG?
ls -l /dev/osrbot_usb_cam                            # udev symlink
v4l2-ctl --list-formats-ext -d /dev/osrbot_usb_cam   # MJPG format must appear

# 3. If teleop is up but /camera publishes nothing, bring the stack back up.
racecar teleop

# 4. Confirm the topic publishes.
ros2 topic hz /camera
02 / THREE THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN

LIKELY CAUSES.

01

Lens sticker

The shipping film stays on more often than you'd think.
The factory applies a clear protective film to the lens, and it is the quickest thing to rule out, so it is worth a peek before anything else. A frame that's uniformly dim but not pure black is usually this.
visual check · peel film
02

camera_node crashed

systemd thinks it's up but it isn't producing.
systemctl restart neoracer-camera clears most stuck states. If the log shows a permissions error on /dev/video0, re-flashing the SD card is the cleanest fix.
systemctl restart neoracer-camera
03

Loose ribbon

The flex cable behind the camera module.
Behind the camera there's a small cover you can lift off to reach the ribbon, which should click fully into its socket. Once it's re-seated, restarting the camera service lets the driver re-enumerate the bus.
reseat · restart