Use a GigE IDS caméra with NI software

[ExpertiseVision_UM]

Hello,

I want to use an IDS GigE camera (5490SE) with Vision Builder.

After installing the new vision acquision software (08/2012) and the labview pilote of the camera, I try to capture an image with my camera in MAX.

I see my camera, I can use it but only colors modes are accessible (wheras my camera is monochrome). The result image is on 24bits, and the speed of the camera is 2fps insted of 6fps. But the camera works correctly (no crash).

Is there new NI pilotes available to use this camera?

Has someone already use this camera with NI software?If yes, how can I use it?

Thanks for your help

Ulysse

[Mathieu_T]

Morning,

Unfortunately I don't use this camera, but which NI driver are you talking about ? Was it shipped with the cam ?

Did you installed the manufacturer driver ? http://www.1stvision.com/cameras/IDS/sw/Interfacing-to-IDS-GigE%20cameras.pps

Thanks for your answer

[ExpertiseVision_UM]

Hello,

Yes, when I speek about Labview drivers, I speek about the manufacturer drivers, provide with the camera.

I can use the camera with the uEye viewer, as in your exemple, in mono8 mode and at 6fps.

But I have to use it with VBAI, and with NI software (MAX, VBAI) I can only use camera with color mode (RGB for exemple) at 2fps.

However, IDS cameras are not in the list of supported camera but if it works in color maybe it can work in mono8.

Best regards,

Ulysse

[D.J._Klomp]

Hello,

I seem to have the same problem with a GigE IDS camera, did you ever solve this problem or find a workaround?

Best regards,

Dolf

[ExpertiseVision_UM]

Hello,

Sorry but I have no workaround, I just use the camera at 2fps and I extract the intensity plane to use a 8 bits image. For my application, cycle time is not very important but i know that for my futur application, I won't use this camera.

Best regards,

Ulysse

[Nielsvdp]

Hello all,

I'm using an IDS GigE camera as well (UI-5490RE) on a 64-bit system with VBAI 2011 and Labview 2010.

The issue I'm facing is about the same as explained earlier. The modes available in MAX and VBAI are very limited. I want the camera to take pictures at a lower resolution but higher framerate. In VBAI and MAX (and Labview) the only available resolution is the maximum 10Mpx, but I don't need that much detail for this inspection, and the framerate is 2 fps. I only need about 2Mpx, that should give me a framerate of 12fps (it does in IDS's software package).

Has anyone else found a way around this?

On a side note, is it possible to use the digital out of this camera to synchronize the lighting while using VBAI?

Thanks in advance and greetings,

Niels

[ExpertiseVision_UM]

Hello,

I have finally found a workarround. Indeed, I absolutely need to use the camera in global shutter mode but this mode is not availlabe in max (ans VBAI).

IDS provides some VI (C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2010\instr.lib\uEye) for using uEye cameras in labview.

I have cretead 3 VI:

-to initialaze the camera and read a configuration file (where you can specifie the size of the image)

-to acquire an image an save it on the HDD (run VI tool of VBAI don't allow you to pass an image as parameter so I save it on the HDD).

-to close the caméra

I use run VI in VBAI to pilote my camera. 

I hope it cans help you.

Best regards,

[Brad]

The Run LabVIEW step in VBAI does allow you to pass images in. If you have an image control input, you can pass the current image, or another image (or multiple images if you have multiple image controls) into the VI. Then you can use the acquisition VI to acquire from the camera into the image passed in.

It's important to note that if you don't pass the current image into the Run LabVIEW VI, you will need to use a Select Image step after the Run LV to select the image you updated in the run LabVIEW step if you want to see the image changes since the Run LV step always outputs the current image.

Hope this helps,

Brad

[Nielsvdp]

Thanks for the answer. I'm trying to build my own vi with those iDS vi's as well.

I've taken a look at the example vi's by iDS, but those make LabView crash. It's not completely clear to me how to use those blocks. Is there a specific order in which to place all blocks? I just connect all blocks with the camera handle in/out sequentially? Because in the examples that's not always the case and I think that's the reason the vi can't properly close the camera.

Brad: so I make a step in my vi that imports the "current image" of Vision Builder and Vision Builder will make the current image the one acquired in the vi?

[Brad]

That's right. After the Run LV step runs, if you pass in the current image and the VI changes the image, you will get the modified image as a result in VBAI so subsequent steps can use the modified image. If you're not passing in the Current Image, you will need to use a Select Image step after the Run LabVIEW to use the modified image in the rest of the VBAI script. 

Hope this helps,

Brad