Installing OpenCV-Python on Raspberry Pi with ARMv7l using WHL Files

To install the opencv-python module on Raspberry Pi using a .whl file, follow these steps. Ensure you have downloaded a .whl file that is compatible with your Raspberry Pi architecture (armv7l) and Python version.

Step 1: Ensure System is Updated

First, make sure your Raspberry Pi system is up to date to avoid compatibility issues.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

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Step 2: Install Python and pip

Ensure Python and pip are installed on your Raspberry Pi. You can install Python3 and pip3 using the following commands (if they are not already installed):

sudo apt-get install python3 python3-pip

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Step 3: Download .whl File

Make sure you have downloaded a compatible opencv-python .whl file for your Raspberry Pi architecture (armv7l) and Python version. You can download it from official or other reliable sources, such as gitee.com/FIRC/special_whl_chinese_mirror. Press ctrl+F to search for the corresponding OpenCV module, as shown in the image below

For example, if the downloaded file is named opencv_python-4.x.x-cp37-cp37m-linux_armv7l.whl, ensure it matches your Python version (e.g., Python 3.7) and architecture (armv7l).

Step 4: Install .whl File

Copy the downloaded .whl file to your Raspberry Pi and use pip to install it. Assuming the file is saved in the /home/pi/Downloads directory.

cd /home/pi/Downloads
pip3 install opencv_python-4.x.x-cp37-cp37m-linux_armv7l.whl

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Make sure to replace the file name with the actual name of the file you downloaded.

Step 5: Verify Installation

You can verify if opencv-python was installed successfully by running the following command:

python3 -c "import cv2; print(cv2.__version__)"

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If everything goes smoothly, you should see the installed OpenCV version number output to the terminal.

Notes

1. Dependency Libraries: Sometimes, OpenCV requires additional system dependency libraries, such as libjpeg, libpng, libtiff, etc. If you encounter errors indicating that these libraries are missing during installation, you can install them using apt-get.

   sudo apt-get install libjpeg-dev libpng-dev libtiff-dev
   

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Python Version: Ensure the downloaded .whl file matches your Python version. For example, cp37 indicates Python 3.7; if you have Python 3.8 installed on your Raspberry Pi, you need to download the corresponding cp38 file.

Architecture: Ensure the downloaded .whl file matches your Raspberry Pi architecture (armv7l).

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully install the opencv-python module on your Raspberry Pi. If you encounter any issues, please check the error messages and adjust as necessary.