Can IMAQ 1394 aquire 12 bit digital camera images?(Basler A102f/fc 12 bit)

[Bogart]

I've got to choose a Monocrome Basler digital camera between the 8bits/pixel and the 12bits/pixel models.
I wonder whether IMAQ 1394 can aquire 12bits/pixel monocrome images and then IMAQ Vision can post process them. Thank you for your relpy.

[BruceAmmons]

Acquisition and processing of 12 bit images is not a problem. They are treated as 16 bit images. They only trick is getting them to display the way you want, since the display is limited to 8 bits. There is a variety of options of how to convert the images for display, so you should be able to find one you like.

The only other difficulty with 16 bit images is that the format they are saved in is not compatible with many other programs. If you want to use them with another program, you may have to convert them to 8 bits before saving.

Bruce

[dmp]

Hi,
To follow up on Bruce's comment, here is an example from the National Instruments web site that demonstrates one way to manipulate your 12-bit images for display in an external viewer:NI Developer Zone Example: Bit Shift an IMAQ Vision 12-bit Image and Resave for External Viewer.

Best wishes!
D. Putnam
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[Cristobal]

Hello,

have you finally used a Basler A102FC or Basler A102F camera with NI-IMAQ for 1394 driver?
Did you see the camera from MAX? Did you get a snap from it?
I'm having problems with my Basler A102FC camera because from MAX, I am not able to see it to do a snap.
My card is OCHI compliant.

regards

crisR

[Robert_Eastlund]

Dear Chris,

We have not had any difficulties using the A102f series here at Graftek. What error message do you receive after pressing Snap in MAX? What version of NI-IMAQ for IEEE-1394 do you have installed?

-Robert Eastlund

[Juancar]

Dear Robert,
Excuse me but the problem was generated in a A102fc camera we bought.
We have had problems with MAX because it does not recognize the Camera. The driver version we use are NI-IMAQ for IEEE 1394 Cameras Version 1.5.2. When I boot the MAX the Camera appears with an exclamation icon, so all the upper icons (Snap and others) are grayed). Inside "Devices and Interfaces" appears "Generic 1394 Desktop Camera" and if I do double click an error show up (error 0xBFF68001) and I can read "Cannot load the driver". However uninstalling the NI driver and installing Basler driver we can adquire images so the camera is working properly. Have you got that problems?

Juan Carlos Antolín

[Robert_Eastlund]

Dear Juan,

The correct driver needs to be selected:

In MAX, highlight the camera, then right click on the camera, a dialogue box will appear, move your cursor to DRIVER, another menu will appear, click NI-IMAQ for IEEE-1394 camera and press ok when the warning box(s) pops up. This should take care of the issue.

-Robert Eastlund

[Juancar]

Dear Robert,

It was carried out but the MAX doesn´t work properly because on the right "screen-window" doesn´t show up anything (all the screen is grey). After doing it, the Camera disappear from the MAX tree.

You must know we use an adapter between the camera and the laptop because the laptop has only a 4-pin IEEE 1394 connector. Then we use a FW22 adapter from "Cablematic" supplier that it is a repeater/concentrator. This device has an owner power supply to feed it, so also the camera. This device has worked properly with the Basler driver. What kind of connector do you use? Could I have problems because of this device?

Juancar

[Robert_Eastlund]

Dear Juancar,

I am surprised that the camera "disappeared" from the tree when you selected the NI-IMAQ driver.

Although it is possible for a particular firewire port or hub to cause issues, it would not be my first suspect. For laptops, we typically use a Ratoc Systems' PCMCIA firewire card and power supply.

Does the camera reappear after you restart the computer?

At this point, I would shut down the PC, disconnect the camera, restart the PC and reconnect the camera. Wait a minute or so, after restarting the PC before going back into MAX and checking to see if the camera is there.

What operating system are you using? What version of NI-IMAQ for IEEE-1394 are you using?.

-Robert Eastlund

[Juancar]

Good morning Robert,

I have done the same process again and the same problem has happened.
When I restart the computer the camera goes on disappeared from the MAX and within "System Properties" on "Devices Manager" from "My PC", it neither do.

If I shut down the PC, disconnect the camera, restart the PC and reconnect the camera on "devices Manager shows up "IMAQ IEEE 1394 Devices" and hanging on it "Basler A102fc BCAM digital camera" but some seconds later appears an exclamation sign on it. Clicking on the properties shows up "This device can not start (Code 10)". We don´t know what it is happening.

We are using Windows XP (Service Pack 1) and the NI-IMAQ for IEEE 1394 driver is v.1.5.2.

On the other hand yesterday we bought a PCMCIA firewire card and supply with OHCI compliant. Tomorrow it will be delivered so we will assemble the system again and check it.

Juancar