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Install realsense2#

Official source code repository and binary packages: IntelRealSense/librealsense

Install realsense2 from binary distribution (Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial, 18.04 Bionic and 20.04 Focal)#

We'll just follow the official docs (perma):

  1. Register the server's public key: 

    sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keys.gnupg.net --recv-key F6E65AC044F831AC80A06380C8B3A55A6F3EFCDE || sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-key F6E65AC044F831AC80A06380C8B3A55A6F3EFCDE

  2. Add the server to the list of repositories:

    • Ubuntu 20.04 Focal: 

      sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://realsense-hw-public.s3.amazonaws.com/Debian/apt-repo focal main" -u

    • Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic: 

      sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://realsense-hw-public.s3.amazonaws.com/Debian/apt-repo bionic main" -u

    • Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial: 

      sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://realsense-hw-public.s3.amazonaws.com/Debian/apt-repo xenial main" -u

  3. Install packages: 

    sudo apt install librealsense2-dkms librealsense2-utils librealsense2-dev

  4. Verify installation:

  5. Reconnect the Intel RealSense depth camera and run: realsense-viewer
  6. Verify that the kernel is updated: modinfo uvcvideo | grep "version:" should include the realsense string

Install realsense2 from sources (Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty and 20.04 Bionic)#

There is an extensive guide here (perma). The following steps have been tested on Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal), including a few hints from this issue:

sudo apt install libglfw3-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev libusb-1.0-0-dev
mkdir -p ~/repos && cd ~/repos
git clone https://github.com/IntelRealSense/librealsense
mkdir -p librealsense/build && cd librealsense/build
cmake .. -DFORCE_RSUSB_BACKEND=true -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=release
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install

You'll need to copy or symlink udev rules prior to using the camera:

sudo ln -s ~/repos/librealsense/config/99-realsense-libusb.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/99-realsense-libusb.rules

Working setups#

  • Ubuntu 20.04 Focal: Kernel 5.4.0-53-generic. Via sudo apt install librealsense2-dkms got modinfo uvcvideo | grep "version:" to return version: 1.1.2.realsense-1.3.16 srcversion: 7DDF3FE59FEE362F69D0241. Due to Ubuntu system dependencies (mostly graphical/libgtk-3-dev-related), had to compile apart. Used v2.29.0 to maintain installation close to that of Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic machine (at time of writing, below), got realsense-viewer which was compatible with sensor firmware 05.11.15.00. Again, only recognizes USB 2.1, and have to set 6 fps.

  • Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic: Kernel 4.15.0-126-generic (linux-image-generic with linux-headers-generic). Via sudo apt install librealsense2-dkms got modinfo uvcvideo | grep "version:" to return version: 1.1.2.realsense-1.3.14 srcversion: BE1821F94C3D410077ACD10. Due to ROS Melodic dependencies (mostly graphical/libgtk-3-dev-related), had to compile apart, v2.29.0, got realsense-viewer which helped upgrade the sensor firmware to 05.11.15.00 and finally get rid of the "recognized as Keyboard" (as well as the uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_CUR) UVC control 1 on unit 3). Aditionally, only recognizes USB 2.1, and have to set 6 fps.