Use a Point Grey Chameleon Camera in LabVIEW

[Il Papu]

I have a Point Grey Chameleon Camera.  I am trying to get it to interface with LabVIEW.  I have LabVIEW 8.5 and Vision 8.5 with Vision Acq 3.1.  I have tried using IMAQ USB, but this does not work as LabVIEW cannot talk with the camera.  I was trying to use ActiveX controls, but LabVIEW won't recognize ActiveFlyCap.dll. 

Any suggestions on the best route?  I am a bit of a noob when it comes to programming so the simpler the better if possible.

Thanks!

Adrian

[BlueCheese]

Use the latest version of IMAQdx with built-in DirectShow support. This has been tested to work with the latest drivers from Point Grey.

Eric 

[Il Papu]

Is this something that I can just download as an add on to what I already have or is it something I need to purchase?

Thanks,

Adrian

[BlueCheese]

If you have a recent Vision Acquisition license you should be able to just download the newer one here: http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/1524/lang/en

Eric 

[Il Papu]

Is there a way to demo the software, without having to buy it?  My license is not current and before purchasing it I want to be sure it works.

[BlueCheese]

Yes, if you install and and do not provide a serial number it will work fully for 30 days.

Eric 

[Il Papu]

So I installed the new version of vision and acquisition software from Nov 2009 and LabVIEW does not see the camera as an imaging device.  If I use FlyCap2 (pt grey's software)  I can interface with the camera no problem.  I looked under the device manager and see that the camera is not grouped under Imaging Devices but rather Point Grey Research Devices.

[Kristen_K.]

Hi Il Papu,

Does the camera show up under USB controllers in Device Manager?  Can you see the camera in Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) under IMAQdx Devices?  The way the driver interaction works is IMAQdx uses the functionality exposed through the Direct Show component of the device driver (from pt grey).  

Kristen H.

[BlueCheese]

Hi Il Papu,

Along the lines of what Krisen said, I suspect that the DirectShow drivers for Point Grey are not installed. You have to be very careful with Point Grey cameras because not all their driver versions included the DirectShow support. You'd have to confirm with them that the specific version you are using includes DirectShow drivers and that it is properly enabled. If the device does not show up in MAX, there is no DirectShow support available.

Eric 

[Il Papu]

The camera does show up under the device manager as a Point Grey Research Device.  However, the only devices that show up under MAX for IMAQdx devices are the ones appear under imaging devices.  I did register the DirectShow drivers from pt grey through regsvr32.  I have confirmed with Point Grey that the newest version of drivers that I have installed support DirectShow.  I am concurrently working with them to try and resolve this issue.  Any more ideas would be helpful!

Thanks!

Adrian