Can NI Smart Cameras control a Gigabit Ethernet Camera?

[GuillermoP]

Hi,

I'd like to know if NI Smart Cameras can control one (or more) Gigabit Ethernet Cameras connected to their Gigabit Ethernet ports. Has anyone tried it out?

The goal is to have a network of cameras where only one is intelligent (the Smart Camera) and the rest are passive cameras (the Gigabit Ethernet Cameras).

The idea is similar to PLCs/PACs world where a master (PAC with intelligence) can control multiple slaves (distributed subsystems without intelligence).

Thanks!

Guillermo

[wbadry]

Hi Guille,

    Do you want that your NI smart camera to perform some main processing which lead to control the other cameras?

As Cameras are "Input Devices" not "Actuators", you need some kind of "Controller" like PC or compact vision system which is available at NI website.

you may want to take a look at this website:

http://www.ni.com/vision/cvs.htm

[GuillermoP]

Hi Waleed,

No, I'd like to have multiple regular Gigabit Ethernet cameras as Input Devices for the NI Smart Camera. The NI Smart Camera would be the unique controller.

Do you know if this is possible?

Thanks,

Guillermo

[wbadry]

Hi Guille,

     I comprehended now that you wish to connect several gigabit ethernet cameras to do the following scenario:

• Capture images from Gigabit cameras
• Manipulate the images captured with NI smart camera capability.

if I got that right, then unfortunately you can't as NI smart cameras are uni  directional which means only images grabbed by it could be processed. in other words, the flow is : NI smart camera--------------------->Framegrabber (half duplex)

I hope this could help and feel free to ask any question. You r always welcome into our community.

[GuillermoP]

Thanks and regards!

Guillermo