🛠 First connection and booting of the CM3588

Objectives

This tutorial guides you through the physical assembly of the CM3588 System on Module (SOM) and its first boot. The CM3588 is a high-performance module based on the Rockchip RK3588 SoC, offering significant computing power thanks to its octa-core CPU and NPU. The goal is to understand the interconnection between the module and a carrier board, manage power supply correctly, and verify system functionality via HDMI display. This process is crucial as improper installation can damage connectors or prevent booting.

Required Materials

• CM3588 Module (Standard or Plus version)
• Compatible CM3588 Carrier Board (e.g., CoreBoard)
• 5-20VDC Power Supply (adapter recommended, max consumption 20W)
• microSD Card (minimum 16 GB, Class 10 recommended) or pre-programmed eMMC module
• USB Type-C Cable for serial/debug connection (if needed)
• HDMI Monitor (supporting 4K or 8K as needed)
• USB Keyboard and Mouse
• Image burning tool (e.g., Balena Etcher, Raspberry Pi Imager)

Steps

1. System Image Preparation: Download the official system image (Ubuntu, Android, or Debian) from the FriendlyElec website. Use a tool like Balena Etcher to burn this image onto your microSD card. Ensure the card is safely ejected after burning.
2. Module Insertion: Open the latches of the carrier board connector. Gently insert the CM3588 module into the connector, aligning the pins. Push firmly but carefully until the latches close automatically or manually. Check that the module is straight and fully seated.
3. Storage Installation: If using a microSD card, insert it into the dedicated slot. If using internal eMMC storage, ensure the boot selection jumper is configured to boot from eMMC (refer to your carrier board documentation for the exact location).
4. Peripheral Connection: Connect the monitor to one of the HDMI 2.1 ports. Connect the keyboard and mouse to available USB ports (USB 3.1 or 2.0).
5. Power On: Plug the power adapter into the DC input. The module should power on immediately. Power and activity LEDs should light up.
6. First Boot: On the monitor, you should see the boot logo followed by the OS interface. First initialization may take several minutes.

Verification

Once the desktop is displayed, check the following:

• Display is stable with no graphical artifacts.
• Keyboard and mouse respond correctly.
• Open a terminal and type lsusb to verify USB device detection.
• Type free -h to confirm the amount of detected RAM (4, 8, 16, or 32 GB).
• Check network connection with ping 8.8.8.8 if an Ethernet cable is connected.

Going Further

Once the system is up, explore the NPU capabilities (6 TOPS) by installing Rockchip development tools. You can also test PCIe interfaces to add network or NVMe storage expansion cards, fully leveraging the RK3588's bandwidth.