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A

PPENDIX 

A. G

LOSSARY

 

P

AGE 

23

 

 

 
 

4

Using External Triggering, Flash and Shutter Signals 

Note:

.2.3 

 

External flash and shutter control devices can be connected to cameras 

with Enhanced Control headers only (PL-A633, PL-A634, PL-A653, 

er

 puts the camera into a trigger mode and begins to 

 as a software trigger.  However, due to operating system and interface 

delays, the minimal response time will be 15 ms with possible delays greater than 60 
ms depending on the system configuration.   

vided to the PixeLINK API functions represent the 

.  The delays are accurate to one decimal 

a will start the exposure. 

PL-A654).   

PixeLINK cameras with Enhanced Control headers can receive external triggering signals 
and can issue flash and shutter timing controls.  These signals are controlled by the 
PixeLINK API functions 

PimMegaReturnFrameAfterTrigger

 and 

PimMegaReturnStillFrame

• 

PimMegaReturnFrameAfterTrigg

capture a still image no more than 90 µs after an external trigger signal is detected.   

• 

PimMegaReturnStillFrame

 returns a still frame immediately after being called and can 

be used

Flash and shutter timing controls pro
delay in milliseconds following the trigger signal
place (0.1 ms).  It is important to note that negative numbers are allowed.  In the case 
where a negative delay is used with an external trigger, the timing signals occur in order.  
For example, with a flash delay of –15 ms and shutter delay of –5 ms, on receipt of the 
trigger signal the flash signal will be fired immediately, followed 10 ms later by the 
shutter signal.  5 ms after the shutter, the camer
The shutter timing signals also include a shutter close delay to close an external shutter 
following an exposure. 

 

 

PixeLINK

 

PL-A630 to PL-A660 Series Cameras

 

Megapixel FireWire Camera

 

 

 

System Guide

 

 

 

 Copyright © 2000–2004 PixeLINK

 All Rights Reserved

Summary of Contents for PL-A630

Page 1: ...L A630 to PL A660 Series Cameras PL A630 to PL A660 Series Cameras Imaging Modules Cameras Copyright 2000 2004 PixeLINK All Rights Reserved PixeLINK 3030 Conroy Road Ottawa Ontario K1G 6C2 Canada Tel...

Page 2: ...in conjunction with other terms and items PixeLINK is either a trademark or a registered trademark of PixeLINK in Canada and or other countries IEEE is a registered trademark or service mark of the In...

Page 3: ...le Assembly 9 2 3 2 FireWire Interface Board LEDs 11 2 3 3 Headers 11 2 3 4 PL A650 Series Imaging Module Dimensions 13 2 3 5 PL A630 Series Imaging Module Dimensions 14 2 4 FireWire Connectors and Mu...

Page 4: ...13 Figure 2 11 PL A650 Series Imaging Module Side View and End View 14 Figure 2 12 PL A650 Series Imaging Module Bottom View Showing Mount Holes 14 Figure 2 13 Camera C Mount PL A650 and PL A660 Seri...

Page 5: ...ion software called PixeLINK Capture An Applications Programming Interface API compatible with C C and Visual Basic along with LabVIEW API function wrappers is also available The driver supports Direc...

Page 6: ...the PDF version of this Guide are hyperlinked for easy navigation and access Refer to your PixeLINK Camera User s Manual for information on Camera software installation PixeLINK Capture TWAIN Microsof...

Page 7: ...X PCI FireWire Card 1 3 3 Laptop Computers Because of the specialized hardware configurations of laptop computers they require additional installation considerations An external 12 V DC power supply C...

Page 8: ...e 3 2 software on a Mac OS X operating system 1 7 Related PixeLINK Documentation PixeLINK Megapixel FireWire Camera User s Manual Release 3 2 This manual describes the functionality of the PixeLINK Me...

Page 9: ...K Megapixel FireWire Camera API Reference Release 3 2 Applies to Microsoft Windows only This manual provides a reference for the PixeLINK Camera API and related software Sections include Basic princip...

Page 10: ...4 40 screws 2 2 PL A640 and PL A660 Series Camera Hardware The PL A640 and PL A660 cameras are enclosed in an aluminum housing The cameras have two FireWire ports both identical and a C mount lens ada...

Page 11: ...ARY PAGE 7 PixeLINK PL A630 to PL A660 Series Cameras Megapixel FireWire Camera System Guide Figure 2 2 Camera Features Top View Figure 2 3 Camera Features Bottom View Copyright 2000 2004 PixeLINK All...

Page 12: ...wn in these figures PL A641 and PL A642 cameras differ only in the configuration of the C mount and infra red IR filter All measurements are 0 01 inches 0 3 mm Figure 2 4 Camera Top Side and End Views...

Page 13: ...Module Assembly As shown in Figure 2 6 on page 10 each PixeLINK imaging module consists of two boards an Imaging Assembly the top board and a FireWire Interface Board the bottom board also shown in Fi...

Page 14: ...re 2 7 FireWire Interface Board product may not be exactly as shown igure 2 6 PL A650 Series Imaging Module PL A630 Series similar 5 Volt Power LED 3 3 Volt Power LED Firmware Status LED PL A630 to PL...

Page 15: ...e external power source must a power of at least 3 0 W for the Imaging Module to operate correctly Tw 12 V operation is recommended but the voltage Figure 2 8 wer Header Oriented as in Figure 2 9 2 3...

Page 16: ...P1 General p output V HCMOS 6 GND Ground 7 FLASH External flash 5 VHCMOS Refer to PixeLINK API funct output active high pulse ions PimMegaCaptureFrameToBitmap and PimMegaReturnStillFrame 8 GND Ground...

Page 17: ...TTER Shutter control device TTL output active high Refer to PixeLINK API functions PimMegaCaptureFrameToBitmap and PimMegaReturnStillFrame 10 GND Ground 11 GP2 General purpose output TTL output Refer...

Page 18: ...lease contact PixeLINK support S e 2 11 PL A650 Series Imaging Module Side View and End View gure 2 PL A650 Series Imaging M 2 3 PL A630 Series Imaging Module Dimensions ee page 25 for contact informa...

Page 19: ...used to connect to other FireWire devices Subwindow Size Clock Frequency MHz 640 480 1024 1280 4 640 1280 6 1280 1280 8 1280 1280 12 1920 2560 16 3200 2560 24 3840 2560 Example Based on the FireWire...

Page 20: ...pixelink com 2 6 Power The computer s FireWire bus can supply power to the camera if the host computer has a six pin FireWire connector and the total power demand on the bus does not exceed the ing mo...

Page 21: ...d PL A660 Series shown To remove the IR filter a Remove the lens or igure 2 14 Camera C Mount Exploded View PL A650 and PL A660 Series shown 3 Using a pair of fine point tweezers carefully lift out th...

Page 22: ...ia FireWire OHCI FireWire Driver and Firmware Pixe Adapt the host interface to work with FireWire LINK Camera Receives commands Figure 3 1 Host Software Architecture and sends video data via FireWire...

Page 23: ...nabling the transfer of data between DirectShow and the PixeLINK FireWire Minidriver FireWire Minidriver This PixeLINK software is the interface between the FireWire bus and either the PixeLINK API or...

Page 24: ...Wire An adapter card designed for desktop computers is included in selected PixeLINK camera kits If the s a FireWire port available the card is not e a preinstalled FireWire port or CardBus slot era U...

Page 25: ...al window moves one row on its trailing edge is a nexposed row is added to its leading edge e rolls to w to start exposing rows for the next frame Thus at any given ti particular row depends the amoun...

Page 26: ...StillFrame Where dark conditions are not possible and ambient light cannot be controlled an electronically triggered shutter can be used to cut off the ambient light at the end of the specified exposu...

Page 27: ...MegaReturnFrameAfterTrigger and PimMegaReturnStillFrame PimMegaReturnFrameAfterTrigg capture a still image no more than 90 s after an external trigger signal is detected PimMegaReturnStillFrame return...

Page 28: ...Engineers MB Megabyte MHz Megahertz OHCI Open Host Controller Interface PC Personal Computer preview windowThe window used to display video images on the screen The size is the same number of rows an...

Page 29: ...Questions se follow these steps before contacting our technical support team Review the relevant sections of the documentation Check the PixeLINK Support Site for o new software and firmware o applic...

Page 30: ...9 Video mode 21 22 4 5 11 18 ssories 3 Multiple cameras controlling 15 PixeLINK Camera Applicatio ol header 1 2 9 11 12 13 21 22 23 Power external 3 11 12 16 Preview window 24 nced Control header pino...

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