I'm curious to experiment with LLMs on an RK3566 TV Box. I managed to build a working Debian disto for it, but wasn't able to locate any NPU support in the kernel configuration.

 

Anyone know how to build such a kernel for the RK3566, with support for the inbuilt NPU, or preferably, how to add build a NPU kernel module that can be linked-in?

 

Any hints, suggestion or links greatly appreciated.

 

GBEM 👽

If you are on a relatively recent kernel, the kernel probably already has support, but the default DTB has it disabled.
This is from a bookworm nightly build for a radxa zero 3

~$ grep rknpu /usr/lib/modules/6.1.115-vendor-rk35xx/modules.builtin
kernel/drivers/rknpu/rknpu.ko

However, it's disabled in the DTB by default

$ cat /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/npu@fde40000/status 
disabled

For the board that I am using, the vendor publises a DTO source that enables it at https://github.com/radxa-pkg/radxa-overlays/blob/main/arch/arm64/boot/dts/rockchip/overlays/rk3568-npu-enable.dts

 

Which works well with armbian-add-overlay.

 

Though you may need to make a similar overlay for your DTB if it is different enough.

 

Note that the NPU in the 3566 and 3568 are interoperable.

Edited June 16, 20251 yr by Laikulo
formatting

sorry for the delay,

@mvpwar for RK3566 NPU you can use the original armbian DTB that enables NPU support:

https://github.com/armbian/linux-rockchip/blob/rk-6.1-rkr5.1/arch/arm64/boot/dts/rockchip/rk3566-h96max-v56.dts
 

I think you will take fragments from ancient builds like this:
https://forum.armbian.com/topic/28895-efforts-to-develop-firmware-for-h96-max-v56-rk3566-8g64g/page/16/#findComment-211031

I don't know what the status is in version 6.17 but we are still required to use vendor 6.1