FLIR ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual The information contained in this document pertains to a dual use product controlled for export by the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. US Department of Commerce authorization is not required prior to export or transfer to foreign persons or parties unless otherwise prohibited. Document Number: 4213512 Version: 1.1 Issue Date: 1/24/2018
FLIR Systems, Inc. 9 Townsend West, Nashua, NH 03063 Support: 1-800-GO-INFRA (800-464-6372) http://flir.custhelp.com Service: 1-866-FLIR-911 www.flir.com 2018 FLIR Systems, Inc. ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 2
Revision History Version Date Initials Changes 1.0 11/1/17 AAR First release of this manual 1.1 1/24/18 AAR Updated information based on L. Groat s findings ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 3
Frame Grabber Installation FLIR science cameras have evolved to the point where the frame rates on the X series cameras are much faster than what can be supported by the standard GigE interface. More and more of FLIR s customers are now using frame grabbers to acquire image data from their FLIR science cameras. ResearchIR software is compatible with a variety of PCI Express (PCIe) frame grabbers that are installed in the backplane of tower-type PCs. We support frame grabbers for both Camera Link (abbreviated CL) and CoaXPress (abbreviated CXP). Some customers use these frame grabbers with ResearchIR, and some use them with our SDK to write their own GUI. The CXP frame grabbers can be tricky to get up and running with the SDK. Customers need to reference the factory frame grabber documentation regarding proper installation. For some, one just installs a driver, for others, one is required to install some supporting software as well. The frame grabber user manuals describe the process. Some very important points to know: Most frame grabber software is not installed automatically by ResearchIR. The exceptions are the IO Industries Core and the Bitflow Cyton CXP-4. If the Bitflow board is resident in the workstation when ResearchIR is installed then, its driver and FLIR camera config files will be installed. The IO Industries Software will also be installed if the user specifies that the HSDR software should be installed when installing Research IR. FLIR does not constantly update RIR for new frame grabber driver versions so users need to know what driver versions we do support and where they can get the drivers. We have put the drivers on the file sharing website www.box.com in a shared folder here: https://flir.box.com/s/i501fevx7ujugdypx34qylcm53c249vc When one buys a new frame grabber, it will come with a driver, either on a CD or DVD packaged with the frame grabber, or as a download off the website of the manufacturer. Before one installs the drivers, one should check the matrix below for driver versions. The new driver may NOT work with ResearchIR software, and one may need to use an OLDER driver. ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 4
The board may very well have newer firmware in it that will NOT be compatible with the (possibly) older driver that ResearchIR and the SDK require. The frame grabber will have to have a downgrade of the firmware. The product documentation that comes with the frame grabber should describe how to update the firmware on the device. When the appropriate drivers are installed on your workstation, the firmware will be copied there as well. When the manufacturer s firmware updater is run, it will access the firmware and install it onto the frame grabber. The frame grabber manufacturers support this process. The product documentation provided with the frame grabbers will describe the installation process. If help is required, please contact that vendor. If the frame grabber firmware requires an update, that process is also included in the product documentation. Here is a list of frame grabbers we currently support for ResearchIR and Windows: Camera Link (CL) Frame Grabbers: Frame Grabber Driver version Windows OS Silicon Software microenable IV AD4-CL Driver 4.3.0.0 7, 10 Dalsa Xcelera-CL PX4 1.31.0.652 7, 10 IO Industries Core2 CL (HSDR) 2.0.0.39 7, 10 CoaXPress (CXP) Frame Grabbers: Frame Grabber Driver Version Windows OS Active Silicon FireBird CXP 1.16.3.3 7, 10 BitFlow Cyton CXP-4 5.900.0.0 7, 10 Euresys CXP Coaxlink Quad G1 6.1.2.46.16b 7, 10 IO Industries Core 2 CXP (HSDR) 2.0.0.39 7, 10 ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 5
What an installed frame grabber looks like to the host PC: Here are some screen captures from a PC running Windows 7 with a Dalsa Coreco Xcelera- CL_PX4_1 frame grabber installed. I installed the board with the driver that has been tested with ResearchIR. We start by looking in the Device Manager: Figure 1. The PX4 board shows up in Device Manager under Imaging Devices Double clicking on the board in the list in Device Manager will bring up the Board Properties window: ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 6
Figure 2. Double clicking on the board in Device Manager brings up the properties window, with its four tabs shown above. Note the correct driver for ResearchIR is installed. Once you have the board installed, you can see it in the Camera Selector window in ResearchIR. Go to Camera/Select: ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 7
Figure 3. This is how to get to the Camera Selector to see the installed frame grabber(s) in the host PC Figure 4. You will see the frame grabber in the standard camera selector screen. This computer has an Active Silicon CoaXPress board. Note that the frame grabber description in the left pane states CameraLink which is normal, though confusing. The right pane states CoaXPress, which is correct. ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 8
Figure 4. This computer has a Dalsa Coreco Camera Link board. ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 9
Figure 5. You can also see frame grabber details in the Custom camera type window, at the bottom of the Custom tab in the Camera Selector. ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 10
Troubleshooting: An issue for the Active Silicon frame grabber installation: Customer: We recently got an Active Silicon Model AS-FBD-4XCXP6-2PE8 to use a frame grabber to use with the ResearchIR software and the FLIR A8213 we have. I have loaded the drivers as well as the SDK for the board, the operating system sees the frame grabber board. When I open ResearchIR the software sees the A8213, but when I double click the icon to connect to the camera I get a fail to connect to camera error box. Also, the software sees it as a Camera Link when it is CXP connection. FLIR Engineering: We only support version 1.03.01 of the Active Silicon driver version. Newer or older versions may not work properly. Other common issues: The Coax cable connection requires 75-ohm BNC cables. The systems must have the least significant port on the frame grabber connected to the CXP 0 port on the camera. The least significant port might be called 0, if there is a 0 and a 1 label, or 1 if there is a 1 and a 2 label. On a single link Coax connection, connecting a 2 nd CXP cable will result in a failed connection with some frame grabbers. There are two CXP ports on the SC series cameras, even though the cameras only use a single link. The second port is not functional. It only exists to preserve a command back panel configuration for all cameras. Camera Link cables must be secured by using the screw-in connectors and must not be crossed. The Camera Link Base connector (usually labels 0) on the frame grabber must go to the Base connector on the camera. It is very helpful to label the cables on both ends so that in cases where the cable is feeding up through an experimental setup, you can immediately identify which cable is which. ResearchIR Frame Grabber Installation Manual 11