2.3. Installation Guide

PyPI Version Python Versions Platform License Documentation

Python Wrapper for Orbbec 3D Depth Cameras Obtain depth, color, IR streams, IMU data, point clouds, and more with Orbbec cameras.

2.3.1. 📋 System Requirements

Platform Minimum Version Architectures Python Versions
Linux Ubuntu 18.04+ x86_64, ARM64 3.8 - 3.13
macOS 13.0+ ARM64 3.8 - 3.13
Windows 10+ x64 3.8 - 3.13

2.3.1.1. Hardware Requirements

  • Orbbec 3D depth camera (Gemini series, Astra series, Femto series, etc.)

  • USB 3.0 port

2.3.2. 📖 Detailed Installation

2.3.2.1. Prerequisites

2.3.2.2. Python Version Check

Ensure Python 3.8 or higher is installed:

# Linux/macOS
python3 --version

# Windows
python --version

2.3.2.4. Environment Setup (One-Time)

Before using the SDK, run the environment setup script once per machine to configure device permissions (Linux) and register UVC metadata (Windows).

Quick Setup:

# Option 1: From repository
python scripts/env_setup/setup_env.py

# Option 2: From installed package (v2.1.0+)
# 1. Get pyorbbecsdk installation path
python -c "import pyorbbecsdk, os; print(os.path.dirname(pyorbbecsdk.__file__))"
# Example output: /path/to/site-packages/pyorbbecsdk
# 2. Run setup.py(replace with the path from step 1)
python /path/to/site-packages/pyorbbecsdk/shared/setup_env.py
Platform Action Note
Linux Installs udev rules Requires sudo
Windows Registers UVC metadata Auto-elevates to admin
macOS No setup needed Works out of the box

Check status: python setup_env.py --check

→ For detailed instructions and manual configuration, see Environment Setup Guide

2.3.2.5. System-Specific Prerequisites

Linux: No additional dependencies required for pip installation.

macOS: No additional dependencies required for pip installation.

Windows:

  • Visual C++ Redistributable (usually pre-installed)

  • For offline installation: PowerShell execution policy may need adjustment (see Troubleshooting)

2.3.2.6. Installation Methods

2.3.2.8. Method 2: Offline Wheel Installation

For environments without internet access or specific version requirements:

Note: Wheel files are named pyorbbecsdk-*.whl, but starting from v2.0.18 they install as package pyorbbecsdk2.

2.3.2.8.1. Step 1: Download the Wheel

Download the appropriate .whl file from GitHub Releases:

Platform File Pattern Example
Linux x86_64 pyorbbecsdk-*-cp3X-cp3X-linux_x86_64.whl pyorbbecsdk-2.1.0-cp311-cp311-linux_x86_64.whl
Linux ARM64 pyorbbecsdk-*-cp3X-cp3X-linux_aarch64.whl pyorbbecsdk-2.1.0-cp311-cp311-linux_aarch64.whl
macOS ARM64 pyorbbecsdk-*-cp3X-cp3X-macosx_13_0_arm64.whl pyorbbecsdk-2.1.0-cp311-cp311-macosx_13_0_arm64.whl
Windows x64 pyorbbecsdk-*-cp3X-cp3X-win_amd64.whl pyorbbecsdk-2.1.0-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl

Note: Replace cp3X with your Python version (e.g., cp311 for Python 3.11).

2.3.2.8.2. Step 2: Install the Wheel

Navigate to the download directory and install:

python -m pip install pyorbbecsdk-2.1.0-cp311-cp311-<platform>.whl

Verify installation (package will be listed as pyorbbecsdk2):

pip show pyorbbecsdk2

Expected output:

Name: pyorbbecsdk2
Version: 2.1.0
Summary: pyorbbecsdk is a python wrapper for the OrbbecSDK
Location: /path/to/site-packages

Note: The wheel file name starts with pyorbbecsdk- (e.g., pyorbbecsdk-2.1.0-...), but the installed package name is pyorbbecsdk2. The import module remains pyorbbecsdk.

2.3.2.9. “Hello World” Example

Create a test script to verify the installation:

# test_installation.py
import pyorbbecsdk

# Check version (run: pip show pyorbbecsdk2 | grep Version)
# or check SDK version with: pyorbbecsdk.get_version()

# Initialize context and list devices
context = pyorbbecsdk.Context()
device_list = context.query_devices()
device_count = device_list.get_count()

print(f"✓ Found {device_count} Orbbec device(s)")

if device_count > 0:
    device = device_list.get_device_by_index(0)
    device_info = device.get_device_info()
    print(f"✓ Device name: {device_info.get_name()}")
    print(f"✓ Serial number: {device_info.get_serial_number()}")

print("\n✅ Installation verified successfully!")

Run the test:

# Linux/Windows
python test_installation.py

# macOS (requires sudo -E, see note below)
sudo -E python test_installation.py

2.3.2.10. Run an Example

If you have a camera connected:

# Find the examples directory
python -c "import pyorbbecsdk; import os; print(os.path.dirname(pyorbbecsdk.__file__))"

# Run an example (Linux/Windows)
cd /path/to/site-packages/pyorbbecsdk
python examples/beginner/02_depth_visualization.py

# macOS (requires sudo -E)
sudo -E python examples/beginner/02_depth_visualization.py

Note for versions < 2.1.0: If you installed an older version, you need to manually install example dependencies:

pip install opencv-python numpy

2.3.3. 🚀 Quick Install (TL;DR)

ℹ️ Package Name Note

Starting from version 2.0.18, both online (PyPI) and offline packages use the name pyorbbecsdk2.

  • PyPI: pip install --upgrade pyorbbecsdk2

  • Offline wheel: pip install pyorbbecsdk2-2.x.x-xxx.whl → installs as pyorbbecsdk2 (download from GitHub Releases)

Import in code: import pyorbbecsdk (module name remains unchanged)

💡 Virtual environments are recommended

To avoid permission issues and package conflicts, strongly recommended to use a virtual environment for installation. The following commands use Python’s built-in venv:

Detailed Guide → Virtual Environment Installation Guide

Linux/macOS:

# Create and activate virtual environment
python3 -m venv orbbec_env
source orbbec_env/bin/activate

# Install SDK
pip install --upgrade pyorbbecsdk2

# Verify installation
pip show pyorbbecsdk2 | grep Version

Windows:

# Create and activate virtual environment
python -m venv orbbec_env
.\orbbec_env\Scripts\activate

# Install SDK
pip install --upgrade pyorbbecsdk2

# Verify installation
pip show pyorbbecsdk2 | findstr Version

2.3.4. 🐛 Troubleshooting

2.3.4.1. “No device found” (Linux)

Problem: Camera not detected or permission denied.

Solution: Run the environment setup script:

```bash
# Option 1: From repository
python scripts/env_setup/setup_env.py

# Option 2: From installed package (v2.1.0+)
# 1. Get pyorbbecsdk installation path
python -c "import pyorbbecsdk, os; print(os.path.dirname(pyorbbecsdk.__file__))"
# Example output: /path/to/site-packages/pyorbbecsdk
# 2. Run setup.py(replace with the path from step 1)
python /path/to/site-packages/pyorbbecsdk/shared/setup_env.py

Or manually install udev rules:

cd /path/to/pyorbbecsdk/scripts/env_setup
sudo chmod +x ./install_udev_rules.sh
sudo ./install_udev_rules.sh
sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger

Note: If you don’t run the setup, you’ll need to use sudo every time.

→ See Environment Setup Guide for details.

2.3.4.2. Permission denied (macOS)

Problem: Permission denied or Library not loaded errors.

Solution: Use sudo -E to preserve environment variables:

sudo -E python examples/beginner/02_depth_visualization.py

2.3.4.3. ImportError on Windows

Problem: ImportError: DLL load failed or similar.

Solutions:

  1. Ensure you’re using 64-bit Python (required)

  2. Install Visual C++ Redistributable

  3. Check that Python version matches the wheel (e.g., cp311 = Python 3.11)

2.3.4.4. Metadata/Timestamp Issues (Windows)

Problem: Timestamps are abnormal or frame synchronization fails.

Solution: Run the environment setup script to register UVC metadata:

python scripts/env_setup/setup_env.py

Or manually (PowerShell as Administrator):

cd C:\path\to\pyorbbecsdk\scripts\env_setup
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser
.\obsensor_metadata_win10.ps1 -op install_all

Note: This must be run once per device/computer.

→ See Environment Setup Guide for detailed instructions.

2.3.4.5. Python Version Mismatch

Problem: No matching distribution found error.

Solution: Check your Python version matches supported versions (3.8-3.13):

python3 --version

If using a version manager (pyenv, conda), ensure you’re using the correct Python:

which python3

2.3.4.6. Offline Installation Fails

Problem: Wheel installation fails with platform tag error.

Solution: Ensure you download the correct wheel for your:

  • Operating system (Linux/macOS/Windows)

  • Architecture (x86_64/ARM64)

  • Python version (cp38, cp39, cp310, cp311, cp312, cp313)

Check platform tags:

python3 -c "import platform; print(platform.machine()); print(platform.system())"

2.3.4.7. Examples Not Running

Problem: Examples fail with missing dependencies.

Solution: Manually install dependencies:

pip install opencv-python numpy

For the object detection example, also install:

pip install onnxruntime

2.3.5. 📚 Next Steps

2.3.5.1. Common Example Commands

# Enumerate connected devices
python examples/advanced/04_enumerate.py

# Display depth stream
python examples/beginner/02_depth_visualization.py

# Quick start (minimal example)
python examples/quick_start.py

macOS Users: Remember to prefix commands with sudo -E to preserve environment variables.

2.3.6. 📖 Additional Resources