setting camera attributes with the PCI-1405

[A.C.U]

I have the PCI-1405 Imaq card.  I was wondering how I set camera attributes like gain and exposure time.  Every time I try to use the set camera attribute VI I get an error message saying the attribute is not valid.

[DJ_L.]

Hey A.C.U,

If you are getting an error telling you that the attribute is not valid, then you are trying to set an attribute of the camera that does not exist. As for the PCI 1405, you can find which "attributes" that is has by going into the Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX) and go through the tabs. For Gain, you can see there are the RGB Gain settings that you set, but they are a little different from Attributes that a digital camera might have. There is an example program called HL Analog Attributes.VI that shows how to set certain analog camera attributes. You will have to alter the example to work for your 1405 though. Also, it depends on how your camera can change its exposure time, which will not allow you to use it as an attribute. Look in the camera's manual for instructions on how to change the exposure time.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have further questions or concerns. If you do, please include more information about your system, like what version of the NI-IMAQ driver you are using, what camera you are using, etc... Thanks, and have a great day.

Regards,

DJ L.

[khsay]

Hi... recently i purchase a PCI-1405. I tried to connect it to my IR security camera (analog), IR67cwp(coaxial connection). However there are prompt errors that IMAQ cant extract the images.

QN: Can I connect the card to any other analog camera as long as i had installed Vison acquistion sofatware 8.2.1?

[J.Harv]

khsay--

      Installing the driver will allow the framegrabber (1405) to communicate with the computer.  I want to verify that you are using Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX) to test the sanp/grab features of your camera.  This will allow you to directly interact with the hardware.

      If you are, and this is where you are getting the extract image error.  First double-check that you know what kind of communication standard the camera uses (for instance, CCIR or RS170) and make sure that this is selected in MAX. 
      The camera might not be using a known standard, in which case you will need a camera file that tells the computer and framegrabber how to interpret the camera's information and signal.  You can look in MAX and see if the camera is listed, if it is the camera file is   If not, you can try going to www.ni.com/camera and see if you can get a camera file there. If not you will need to try contacting the manufacturer to see if they have one, and if not you will need to create one using the camera file generator from the ni.com/camera. 

     Just let us know if this information helped to solve the issue and if not reply back so that we can help.  Also, in the future if you have a new issue you might consider posting in a new thread.

Regards,

John H.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments