How to grab image from an Ethernet camera?

[LittleOwl]

Hello,

Is there a simple way to grab an image from an ethernet camera? The model I'm using is an Advantage 100 and it can be connected with either RS232(emulated COM port over USB) or ethernet. Either connection interface is fine with me, but the documentation made it sound like ethernet would be easier.

I'm able to grab images over an ethernet connection using their In-sight Explorer, but it doesn't show up as an ethernet camera in NI-MAX. I've never communicated with an ethernet based camera before so I don't know where to start. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[MoviJOHN]

Cognex cameras, such as the  Advantage 100 series are intended to be used with Cognex vision software.  While they do have an Ethernet interface, they are not GigE/GENiCAM compliant cameras.  This is why your camera does not appear in MAX.

Without knowing the specifics of how the  Advantage 100 comunicates images to the outside world, or if it even does, it would be very difficult to get a workable solution.  Look in the camera documentation, and see if an MJPEG stream, or RTSP stream is available.  If you have one of these two types of output, you might be able to get images out.