RCX C-Link Series
Configuration and LED Configuration Codes
EDT, Inc.
2011 June 29
8
A first digit of 1 indicates that the unit is configured for the camera end; a first digit of 2 indicates that the unit
is configured for the framegrabber end. The second digit must be the same for both ends (camera and
framegrabber). With a FOX framegrabber, there is no extender at the framegrabber end, so the
configuration code is set at the camera end only.
For a typical base-mode system, a configuration code of 1-1 at the camera end and 2-1 at the framegrabber
end permits standard base-mode operation at clock frequencies of 20–40 MHz. For a typical full mode
system, a configuration code of 1-4 on both extenders at the camera end, and a configuration code of 2-4
on both at the framegrabber end, allows standard full-mode operation at clock frequencies of 60–80 MHz.
On the configuration code label for a medium- or full-mode system,
X Channel
refers to the primary MDR26
connnector on the camera or framegrabber, and
YZ Channel
refers to the secondary connector.
Base Mode
Table 1
shows the operating modes of an extender in base mode (EDT firmware revsion 11 or higher).
Cameras operating between 40 and 60 MHz are usually best served by configuration codes 1-3 and 2-3. If
the camera needs only 16 data bits or fewer transferred per clock cycle (instead of all 24), it is possible to
use configuration codes 1-2 and 2-2 instead, and thus operate the link at 1.25 GBaud for longer range and
lower power dissipation. The selection of 16-bit mode is made only at the framegrabber end through
configuration code 2-2, or through the directive
mode16: 1
in a FOX configuration file; this information is
communicated over the fiber to the extender at the camera end. (At the camera end, configuration codes
1-1 and 1-2 are identical.)
At reset (and whenever the extender cannot lock to the camera clock), the extender initializes to assume
that the Camera Link Data-Valid signal is never asserted, and ignores it. Many Pulnix cameras do not assert
Data-Valid, so this behavior is useful for those using such cameras. The first occurrence of Data-Valid true
from the camera causes the extender to use Data-Valid to qualify video data from that point on.
In the case of a dual-tap camera, the Camera Link pixel clock is half the camera’s pixel rate. For example,
a dual-tap 12-bit camera with a 40 MHz Camera Link clock sends 80 million pixels per second. This camera
is compatible with the extender in configuration code 1-1.
Table 1. LED configuration codes – base mode
Code
End
Camera Clock Rate Constraints
Link Rate
Extender Type
1-1
camera
20–40 MHz
24 bits
1.25 GBaud
Fiber & coax
1-2
camera
20–60 MHz
16 bits
1.25 GBaud
Fiber & coax
1-3
camera
20–60 MHz
24 bits
2.5 GBaud
Fiber only
1-4
camera
60–80 MHz
24 bits
2.5 GBaud
Fiber only
2-1
framegrabber
40 MHz
24 bits
1.25 GBaud
Fiber & coax
2-2
framegrabber
60 MHz
16 bits
1.25 GBaud
Fiber & coax
2-3
framegrabber
60 MHz
24 bits
2.5 GBaud
Fiber & coax
2-4
framegrabber
80 MHz
24 bits
2.5 GBaud
Fiber only
3-3
firmware update (see
Firmware on page 12)
1.25 GBaud
Fiber & coax
2 fast, 2 slow, 2 fast
Error: unsupported configuration code entered
