FAQ
What people ask before the first e-mail
35 questions from engineers, IT operations and procurement — with direct answers and links to the pages that cover each topic in detail. The answers match the product pages, “How to buy” and the procedures: one source.
01
What it is and who it is for
In short: what we sell, what we do not do, and who needs it.
- What does Pikhta sell?
- Pikhta supplies boards and complete computers for on-device inference, M.2 NPU accelerators and cameras. Rockchip boards are grouped into RK3576, RK3588S / S2 and RK3588 families with Radxa and ArmSoM editions; the fanless PH-K40 box is listed separately. The catalog also includes NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano / NX boards and boxes, AX8850 / RK1828 accelerators and seven USB, IP and MIPI CSI cameras; the AI camera is in development. Computers include a prepared Linux image with drivers, runtimes and OTA updates, a product passport and a 1-year warranty with replacement units. Board, memory, storage, power supply and cooling are specified in the quotation. Samples from 1 unit; quotation within 2 business days.
- Catalog →What's inside, besides the hardware →
- Who is it for?
- Pikhta devices are for teams that have their own models (or are building them) — detectors and OCR for machine vision, models that control a robot or a vehicle, language and multimodal models — and for integration partners who deploy devices at their customers' sites with their own analytics. They get proven hardware, a system image with the required runtimes, OTA updates, documents and a replacement unit — not someone else's analytics. Any industry: manufacturing, logistics, retail, transport, energy, agriculture.
- What tasks are Pikhta edge computers and cameras used for?
- Four application areas the Pikhta catalog is built for. Machine vision and video analytics — detectors, OCR, quality inspection: any edge computer plus the cameras PH-Cam-U (inside the device), PH-Cam-S (indoor overview), PH-Cam-T (small text at 2 m), PH-Cam-O (outdoor), PH-Cam-K (fast motion). Industrial automation — a device in a control cabinet or at a line: the fanless PH-K40 (industrial version −40…+70 °C, CAN, RS-485), the PH-J31 with an industrial carrier, the PH-Cam-K global-shutter camera. Robotics and autonomous machines — Rockchip RK3576 / RK3588S / RK3588 boards and the Jetson PH-J01 board for embedding, the PH-Cam-O in a vehicle version; the PH-Cam-M MIPI camera — made to order. Language and multimodal models at the edge — the PH-M24 M.2 NPU accelerator (VLMs; the PH-M20 with LLMs up to 7B — made to order), Jetson Orin NX in the PH-J31 / PH-J01. Pikhta does not sell ready-made scenarios or analytics: the customer's model is deployed as a container.
- Application areas on the home page →Catalog →
- What does Pikhta not do?
- Pikhta does not write analytics to order — integration partners do that. It does not lock you into its own analytics: your model is deployed as a container. It does not charge per camera, per stream or per installed base: the system image and updates are included in the device price; free during the warranty, afterwards under a support contract (priced per device per year). It does not store your video and does not require a cloud of its own: the device connects only to addresses inside your network. It has no functions that identify people by their face. It does not do installation — that is a service partner's line item. It does not publish customer names without written consent.
- How does a Pikhta device differ from a board or box bought directly from the factory?
- The hardware is of the same class: boards, enclosures and cameras come from contract manufacturers (ODM, China) under a Pikhta part number. The difference is what we add on top of the hardware: a ready-to-run Linux system image with pinned runtime versions and camera drivers, OTA updates with A/B rollback delivered from inside your network perimeter, a product passport in Russian, an EAC declaration issued to Pikhta Tech LLC (in progress), a 1-year warranty with a replacement unit (shipped within 2 business days after RMA confirmation) and spares for batches, and a 4-business-hour response to defects in our components. The quotation shows this as separate lines: device, engineering package, service coverage — compare by content, not head-to-head with a factory price list.
- What's inside, besides the hardware →
- Rockchip or Jetson — which one to choose?
- If your model and tools use CUDA / TensorRT / DeepStream, start with NVIDIA Jetson. Rockchip models are prepared for the target chip using RKNN-Toolkit2; operator compatibility and quality are checked separately. The choice depends on the model, CPU processing, required ports and the budget for the complete kit. Published measurements cover six Radxa / ArmSoM boards with specific models, settings and cooling. Camera count and your model speed are evaluated for the selected configuration; price is confirmed in the quotation.
- Rockchip boards →NVIDIA Jetson →Board measurements →
02
Prices and terms
Prices are given in a quotation: they depend on volume, the exchange rate and the DRAM index, and are fixed with 30-day validity; a quotation for any SKU — within 2 business days. Below: how to read the price in a quotation.
- Why are there no prices on this website, and how do I get a price for, say, PH-K40?
- Prices are not published on firai.ru: they depend on volume (1 / 10 / 100 units), the exchange rate, the DRAM index and the NVIDIA price list, so they are fixed in a quotation. The price of any SKU, including PH-K40, comes in a quotation within 2 business days: RUB excl. VAT (VAT 22 % on top), base configuration from the catalog page, Moscow warehouse, prices at 1 / 10 / 100 units and for options as separate lines, valid 30 days.
- Request a quotation →
- Are the prices in the quotation with or without VAT?
- All prices in a Pikhta quotation are RUB excl. VAT, base configuration from the catalog page, Moscow warehouse, installation not included. VAT 22 % is added on top. Prices at 1 / 10 / 100 units and for memory, module and build options — as separate lines in the quotation.
- Request a quotation →
- How long is a price valid?
- A price in a Pikhta quotation is valid 30 days from the quotation date. The contract includes a price-revision formula tied to the exchange rate and the DRAM index; prices of Jetson items follow the NVIDIA module price list.
- What makes up the price in a quotation?
- A Pikhta quotation has four lines, each shown separately: the device (price at the warehouse in Russia), the engineering package (ready-to-run system image with OTA updates, camera profiles and camera checks in the image, product passport and documents), the service coverage (1-year warranty, RMA, swap stock, logistics) and custom engineering on request as a separate line. This way quotations are compared by content, rather than line-for-line against a contract manufacturer's price list.
- Minimum order and lead time?
- Pikhta samples start from 1 unit; production orders from 10 units. Availability and lead time for Radxa / ArmSoM boards depend on the selected edition, RAM, storage and kit and are stated in the quotation. Lead times for other products are listed on their pages and confirmed when ordering. Large batches ship in lots; terms and the schedule are confirmed in the contract.
- What are the payment terms?
- Pikhta payment terms: samples and first batches — on invoice (terms in the quotation); recurring deliveries — within 10 business days of acceptance (Russian universal transfer document); net 30 / 45 / 60 — by contract; electronic document interchange (EDI, Russian operators) with any operator. Prepayment — for custom engineering on request and for Jetson batches that require ordering modules.
- Payment →
- Are there per-camera or per-stream licenses?
- No: Pikhta has no licenses per camera, per stream or per installed base. The system image and OTA updates are included in the device price; image updates and fixes are free during the warranty (1 year), afterwards — under a support contract. Updates use a Mender / RAUC-class mechanism with A/B rollback; integration with your fleet-management (device management) platform — custom engineering on request.
- What's in the image →
03
Supply and origin
Where the hardware comes from and which part of it is ours.
- Where does the hardware come from, and which part of it is yours?
- In Pikhta devices: the Rockchip SoC — China, Jetson modules — NVIDIA (Taiwan / China per batch). Boards, enclosures and cameras — contract manufacturers (ODM) in China under a Pikhta part number, in a fixed configuration. Batch acceptance — at the factory, by a Pikhta engineer, under Pikhta's test program. The Linux system image, incoming inspection, security checks of samples and IP cameras, and kitting — in Russia. The EAC declaration is issued to Pikhta Tech LLC. Every SKU card says what comes from whom.
- Where do you check the hardware — at the factory or already in Russia?
- At the factory. Pikhta accepts a batch at the manufacturer's factory in China, not at a warehouse in Moscow: a Pikhta engineer checks the boards and cameras under Pikhta's test program before shipment — image boot, ports, thermal soak, and for cameras focus, exposure and snapshot; defective units do not travel to Russia. In Russia — incoming inspection, the system image, security checks of IP cameras and kitting. The batch acceptance report — in the document pack on request.
- Test program →Delivery documents →
- Do you supply Jetson, and which modules?
- Yes. PH-J31 Jetson box and PH-J01 Jetson carrier board: base — Jetson Orin Nano 8GB (Super); options Orin Nano 4GB, Orin NX 8GB / 16GB — with a surcharge per the catalog page. Lead time 2–5 weeks, subject to module availability. We can install our system image and OTA updates on the customer's Jetson carrier board from any manufacturer — custom engineering on request.
- PH-J31 Jetson box →PH-J01 Jetson carrier board →
- Can I get a different configuration or enclosure?
- Yes. Memory, module, storage and build options are listed as separate lines on every Pikhta catalog page. Industrial builds (−40 °C, CAN / RS-485, PoE output, GMSL2), an enclosure and mounting for your site, a system image on your base OS, model conversion for the NPU — custom engineering on request: we estimate it within 2 business days and quote it as a separate line.
- Custom engineering on request →
04
Hardware, models, integration
Engineers' questions: what's inside, how to deploy your own model, and where the device connects on the network.
- Which OS is in the system image?
- The Pikhta system image is Debian 12 with the SoC vendor's kernel and our patches on Rockchip boards and the PH-K40 box; JetPack 6.2 / L4T 36.4 on Jetson (PH-J31, PH-J01). The image includes Docker / containerd, NPU and camera drivers, runtimes at pinned versions (RKNN-Toolkit2 2.3.x and ONNX Runtime; CUDA 12.6, TensorRT 10, DeepStream 7), and OTA updates with A/B rollback of the Mender / RAUC class. Our components on your base OS — custom engineering on request.
- Image contents →
- How do I deploy my own model on the device?
- The customer's model is deployed on a Pikhta computer as a container with an input/output description. For the NPU on Rockchip RK3576 / RK3588S / RK3588, the model is prepared in RKNN format for the specific chip using RKNN-Toolkit2; CPU stages can use ONNX Runtime. Jetson offers TensorRT / ONNX / PyTorch; preparation depends on the model and runtime. NPU conversion with accuracy checks before and after quantization is custom engineering on request.
- What's in the image →
- Why does RK3588 show "6 TOPS" and Jetson "67"?
- Because for Rockchip Pikhta lists dense INT8 from the datasheet, while NVIDIA publishes sparse: 67 TOPS sparse on Jetson Orin Nano 8GB (Super) is about 33 dense. The figures cannot be compared directly, so the catalog always states the method, and test results state the model, configuration, quality and FPS boundaries.
- Test bench and method →
- RK3576 or RK3588 — which one to choose?
- All three Rockchip families have a rated 6 TOPS INT8 NPU, but model speed depends on the full processing pipeline. RK3576 uses 4× Cortex-A72 + 4× Cortex-A53; RK3588S / S2 and RK3588 use 4× Cortex-A76 + 4× Cortex-A55. Compact ROCK 5C / Sige7s boards fit integration without an onboard M.2 NVMe slot; ROCK 5B+ / Sige7 offer more PCIe and Ethernet options. Within a family, choose Radxa or ArmSoM by ports, dimensions, power input and storage. Maximum YOLO26n results and detailed conditions are published in the catalog and board comparison. Memory, cooling, price and lead time are confirmed in the quotation; the required camera count is checked with your model.
- RK3576 boards →RK3588S / S2 boards →RK3588 boards →Board measurements →
- Which camera goes with which device?
- PH-Cam-U and PH-Cam-K USB cameras connect to a computer with a suitable USB port; the global shutter on PH-Cam-K suits fast motion. PH-Cam-S, PH-Cam-T and PH-Cam-O IP cameras connect over Ethernet through a PoE switch or injector. For the PH-Cam-M MIPI CSI camera, we select the specific board, connector, ribbon cable and driver; the PH-K40 box has no external CSI port. Tell us the resolution, frame rate, camera count and cable length — compatibility and the kit are confirmed in the quotation. PH-Cam-A is in development.
- PH-Cam-U 1080p USB camera for the device →PH-Cam-K global-shutter USB camera →PH-Cam-S indoor IP camera →PH-Cam-T 8 MP IP camera for small text →PH-Cam-O outdoor IP camera →
- Is there Wi-Fi / LTE?
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on Radxa / ArmSoM boards depend on the model and revision; the required edition is selected in the quotation. Wi-Fi / BT options are available for PH-K40, PH-J31 and PH-J01; LTE is available for PH-J31. PH-Cam-S and PH-Cam-O use Ethernet / PoE, PH-Cam-K uses USB and PH-Cam-M uses a ribbon cable inside the device. Specify wired or wireless networking requirements in your request.
- Where does the device connect on the network?
- A Pikhta device connects only to addresses set by the customer: the update server, NTP and the services to which the customer's container sends the model output. Pikhta keeps no cloud, no message broker and no keys of its own in the image; no video is stored on the device. A ready-made connector to the customer's message bus (MQTT, Kafka, HTTP) following the customer's schema — custom engineering on request.
- Where the device connects — and where it doesn't →
- How many cameras can one device handle?
- Camera count depends on the model, resolution, processing rate, decoding and additional CPU stages. The maximum YOLO26n result in the catalog measures the pipeline from a ready frame to detections and excludes camera capture and decoding; it cannot be converted directly into a video stream count. Tell us your cameras, model and required processing rate — we will select a board and agree on a full-pipeline check.
- Measurements and conditions →
- We have a corporate OS standard — can you put your components on our base OS?
- Yes. The Pikhta system image is not an operating system of its own but system components on top of a standard one: a patched kernel, NPU and camera drivers, runtimes at pinned versions, OTA updates. By default — a ready-to-run image on Debian 12 or JetPack; for a customer with an OS standard we install the same components on your base OS (Ubuntu LTS; Astra Linux SE arm64, RED OS, ALT (Russian Linux distributions) — verified on samples) — custom engineering on request; your security and monitoring agents stay in place. Source code is provided under contract. Caveat: an OS certified by FSTEC (the Russian IT-security regulator) loses its certificate with a third-party kernel — for critical infrastructure this is a separate project with the OS vendor.
- Who fixes critical defects in the kernel, drivers and runtimes?
- Pikhta fixes its own components — kernel patches, runtime integration, image build, OTA updates — itself: response to a critical defect within 4 business hours, a workaround or rollback over the network, a fix in the next patch release (timelines — in the contract). Closed parts of the SoC — NPU driver blobs, the RKNN / TensorRT runtime, camera firmware — Pikhta does not patch closed binaries: it reproduces the issue, provides a workaround, pins the version and escalates to the manufacturer. Every release comes with a changelog and component versions.
- Who fixes what →
- Does it work in a cabinet at +40 °C and in freezing conditions?
- The PH-K40 RK3588 box is fanless, 0…+50 °C in a closed cabinet; enclosure temperature at +40 °C is a test-bench metric, published for every item. The industrial build of PH-K40 — −40…+70 °C. The PH-J31 Jetson box — −10…+60 °C with a fan. The PH-K01 and PH-J01 boards — 0…+50 °C without an enclosure; in your enclosure — per the thermal test from the test program. The PH-Cam-O outdoor camera — −40…+60 °C.
- PH-K40 RK3588 box →
05
Documents, security, warranty
What procurement and the security team ask.
- Is there an EAC certificate / declaration, and FSB notifications?
- EAC declarations for Pikhta devices and cameras are issued to Pikhta Tech LLC as the importer; registration numbers are provided as they become available. Document status is checked for the specific edition and batch, including the board configuration and radio modules. The document list for your selected kit is supplied with the quotation.
- Document status by item →
- How does the device behave from a security standpoint?
- Base Pikhta devices have no radio modules — by design. On IP cameras the manufacturer's cloud is disabled at the firmware level; every IP camera unit passes a security check (nmap of all ports, outbound-connection control, UPnP off), and the report ships with the camera. The image: access only with the customer's keys, no Pikhta keys; outbound connections only to the customer's addresses; a changelog and component versions with every release; secure boot, integrity verification and data-at-rest encryption — per project requirements. The checklist "what is disabled, where the device connects and where it doesn't" is published on the "What's inside" page; the vendor security questionnaire — under NDA.
- Image security →
- What about the Russian personal-data law (152-FZ)?
- A Pikhta device stores no video and sends none to the vendor; it connects only to addresses inside the customer's network, and updates are delivered from the customer's network. Personal data from site forms is stored in Russia. Pikhta products have no functions that identify people by their face.
- What is the warranty and how does RMA work?
- Pikhta warranty — 1 year on Pikhta devices and cameras. Replacement unit shipped from our warehouse in Russia within 2 business days after RMA confirmation; delivery by carrier, transit time depends on the region; the faulty unit is collected by the carrier's courier — booked within 2 business days after the replacement ships. RMA procedure: a request by e-mail with the serial number → remote diagnostics within 4 business hours → RMA number → replacement unit from the warehouse (or on-site spares) → pickup of the faulty unit → report. Swap stock and the RMA lab — Moscow, being set up for the first batches; partners in the regions are being recruited.
- RMA procedure →
06
Where to start
Samples and testing — how it works.
- How do I get samples?
- Pikhta samples — from 1 unit of any SKU, on invoice; lead time — per the catalog page. Request — via the "Request a sample" form on any catalog page: company, e-mail, items, quantity, address. Samples come with the test program and the security-check report for the unit. No phone number needed; we will not call.
- Request a sample →
- What is the test program and why does it matter?
- The Pikhta test program is one test method covering four scenarios (a fixed indoor camera, fast motion in the frame, outdoor and vehicles, security check) with report forms and pass / fail criteria. It is not tied to our hardware: any vendor can be tested with it, and the test report becomes an attachment to your technical specification. The PDF is sent by e-mail — any address.
- Test program →
- How do I get in touch?
- Contact Pikhta by e-mail at info@firai.ru, through the form on this website or by phone at +7 (916) 877-93-11. An engineer replies within 1 business day — you talk to the people who build the device. Forms do not ask for a phone number.
- Contacts →
Next
No answer here — ask an engineer
Write to info@firai.ru or use the form: we reply within 1 business day. To check everything yourself — follow the test program.