User`s manual

120 • Part IV: Troubleshooting and Support PC2-CamLink User's Manual
have not connected a floppy power cable from the PC power supply to the PC2-CamLink floppy
power connector, do so if LED3 (12V overload) is lit.
• Start the camera configuration tool (CamExpert for Sapera LT, or Camera Configurator for IFC)
and select a suitable camera configuration file. Start the grab. The acquisition LED should blink
rapidly (at about 15Hz) when the ACU is capturing valid data. Any error indication is reported by
having the trigger LED turn red. This is the case if the bandwidth required by your camera is too
high for the 32-bit PCI bus. Check the reported frame rate.
Camera Configuration File and Camera Settings
• Your camera configuration file may require an external trigger (or shaft encoder pulses in
linescan) to fire the acquisition process. Ensure that you provide one if necessary, or disable the
external trigger from the camera configuration file. You might also try to generate a software
trigger instead. For linescan cameras, use the user timer to generate a line trigger rate. The trigger
LED on the PCI bracket displays green each time a valid external trigger is detected.
• If your camera is triggered (frame on demand mode), ensure that you send an appropriate camera
control pulse on the appropriate Camera Link™ CC output pins. This is performed through the
EXSYNC and PRIN output timers. Refer to your camera manufacturer’s datasheet.
• Make certain that the camera is configured for the proper mode of operation. This must match the
camera configuration file. Refer to your camera datasheet. Most Camera Link™ cameras can be
configured through a serial port interface.
• Try to crop your image to a smaller size. For example, try capturing a 256 x 256 area. This
ensures enough pixels are provided by the camera to fill the image buffer. It also lowers the PCI
bandwidth. The PC2-CamLink cannot correctly capture an image if the number of pixels is
smaller than the buffer size.
• Try changing the “Data Valid” setting in the camera configuration file.
• Try using the Snap button instead of the Grab button.
• Try using one of the demo programs instead of CamExpert or Camera Configurator.
Image grabbed incorrectly
The board captures data, but the displayed image is incorrect. It may be a black image, an image too
dark, or a reversed image.
• Make certain that the pixel depth output from your camera matches your camera configuration
file.
• Try forcing single channel (one tap) acquisition by changing the data port sequencer
configuration. Ensure that the data port sequencer topology matches your camera.
• Make certain that the camera type (area scan or linescan) matches your camera.
• Make certain that the LUT is not filled with 0.