The Xtium2-CL MX4 is a high-performance frame grabber designed for digital imaging applications, compliant with the Camera Link specification version 2.1. It utilizes a PCIe x4 Gen3 slot to optimize data transfers to host computer buffers, achieving rates up to 3.2 Gbytes/sec, though actual performance may vary based on PC and programmed configurations. The board is designed to acquire images from Monochrome, RGB, Bayer, and Bi-Color cameras, supporting both area scan and line scan modes with multiple tap formats and pixel depths.
Key Features and Specifications:
- Camera Link Compliance: Fully compliant with Camera Link specification version 2.1, supporting Base, Medium, Full, and Deca (Extended-Full) configurations.
- Base (24 data bits): 255 MB/s throughput, 1 cable.
- Medium (48 data bits): 510 MB/s throughput, 2 cables.
- Full (64 data bits): 680 MB/s throughput, 2 cables.
- Deca (80 data bits): 850 MB/s throughput, 2 cables.
- PCIe Interface: PCIe x4 Gen3 interface, compatible with Gen1/Gen2 slots at reduced bandwidth. Optimal performance requires a Gen3 slot and motherboard BIOS settings allowing a PCIe maximum payload size of 256 MB or higher.
- Pixel Clock Range: Supports pixel clock rates from 20 to 85 MHz.
- Image Processing: Features include output lookup tables, White Balance Gain for RGB pixels, Vertical and Horizontal Flip, Flat Field and Flat Line correction (pixel replacement using neighborhood or 3x2 cluster methods), and a 3x3 Image Filter for convolution.
- Acquisition Control Unit (ACUPlus): Provides a flexible acquisition front end with a grab controller, pixel packer, and time base generator per camera input. It supports variable frame sizes up to 64KB per horizontal line and 64K lines per frame, and can capture an infinite number of lines from line scan cameras without data loss.
- Intelligent Data Transfer Engine (DTE): Ensures fast image data transfers to the host with zero CPU usage, maintaining data integrity during continuous acquisition in non-real-time operating systems. It includes multiple independent DMA units, Tap Descriptor Tables, and Auto-loading Scatter-Gather tables.
- On-board Memory: Equipped with 1 GB of on-board memory for frame buffers and DMA tables, capable of storing up to 65535 buffers.
- External Event Synchronization: Supports trigger inputs and strobe outputs for precise synchronization of image captures with external events.
- Quadrature Shaft Encoder: RS-422 or TTL (mutually exclusive) inputs for web scanning applications, supporting tick rates up to 5 MHz. Features include pulse drop, pulse multiply, and pulse direction support.
- General Inputs: Four differential opto-coupled inputs (RS-422/TTL/12V/24V) programmable as active high or low (edge or level trigger).
- General Outputs: Nine LVTTL (3.3V) compatible outputs, usable as Strobe outputs.
- Camera Link Communications Ports: One PC-independent communication port per camera input for camera configuration, accessible via the board device driver. Supports speeds from 9600 to 921600 bps.
- Power Over Camera Link (PoCL): Supports PoCL, requiring connection to a computer's 6-pin PCIe power connector (J4). The board can supply up to 8W (4W per connector) at 12V. Overcurrent circuit protection is provided by PTCs (Positive Temperature Coefficient) limited to 0.5A (hold) and 1A (trip) @ 25°C.
- Multi-board Sync: J3 connector allows synchronization of two to four Xtium2-CL boards within the same computer.
Usage Features:
- Firmware: Supports three main firmware designs: One Full Camera Link Input (default), One 80-bit Camera Link Input, and Two Base Camera Link Inputs. Firmware can be selected during driver installation or manually updated via the Teledyne DALSA Device Manager utility.
- Software Support: Bundled with Sapera++ LT Library for image acquisition and control, offering a single API for Teledyne DALSA hardware, versatile camera controls, and flexible display. Includes CamExpert for camera configuration. Sapera Processing Library provides optimized tools for image processing, blob analysis, search, OCR, and barcode decoding.
- Installation: The installation process involves hardware installation into a free PCIe x4 Gen3 slot, followed by software and driver installation. The Xtium2-CL MX4 Firmware Loader automatically executes to update firmware.
- CamExpert Utility: Used to configure, test, and calibrate cameras. It displays camera parameters, allows live image acquisition ("Grab"), and enables saving camera configuration files (.ccf). PoCL can be enabled through CamExpert's Basic Timing category.
- Device Manager: Provides information about installed Xtium2-CL MX4 boards, including serial number, hardware ID, firmware configuration, and user interface GIO settings. Allows changing device settings and generating device information reports for troubleshooting.
- Sapera Configuration Tool: Used to increase contiguous memory for Sapera resources (buffers and messaging) to prevent out-of-memory errors in applications. It also allows mapping the Camera Link serial port to an available COM port.
- Trigger-to-Image Reliability: Incorporates an integrated controller to enhance reliability and simplify error recovery during image acquisition. The ACU monitors acquisition states and data transfers, providing error notifications.
- Metadata: Supports metadata at the end of each line, providing a snapshot of the frame grabber's state, including shaft encoder count, line count, time stamp, and I/O status.
Maintenance Features:
- Troubleshooting Tools: The Diagnostic Tool provides quick board status and health checks, including live monitoring of FPGA temperature and voltages. It also performs memory self-tests.
- Driver Updates: Minor board driver upgrades are available as ZIP files from the Teledyne DALSA website. Sapera LT and board driver upgrades require uninstallation of previous versions before installing new ones.
- Parameter Preservation: User-defined board parameter settings can be preserved during driver upgrades or board replacement/system cloning using an
install.ini file.
- Status LEDs: Three LED indicators (S, L1, L2) provide visual feedback on board status (boot-up/PCIe status) and camera status (pixel clock detection, line valid signal, acquisition in progress).
- Grounding Instructions: Emphasizes the importance of discharging static electricity and disconnecting power before hardware installation to prevent damage. Proper grounding of shaft encoders to the frame grabber's system ground is crucial.
- Airflow: Adequate airflow (20 LFM) across the board surface is recommended for proper functioning within the operating temperature range of 10°C to 50°C.
Physical Dimensions: Approximately 6.5 inches (14 cm) wide by 4 inches (10 cm) high.
Power Consumption: +3.3V at 4.7W, +12V at 4.5W.
Environmental: Operating temperature 10°C to 50°C, storage -40°C to 75°C. Relative humidity 5% to 90% non-condensing (operating), 0% to 95% (storage). MTBF @40°C is 83 years.
The Xtium2-CL MX4 is a robust and versatile frame grabber designed for demanding industrial imaging applications, offering comprehensive features for acquisition, processing, and system integration.
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