Looking for Analog Camera IMAQ PCI-1408 frame grabber replacement with LabWindows CVI

[KimberlyWang]

Hi we are looking for IMAQ PCI-1408, 1409, 1410 frame grabber replacements that will still work with the old analog mono cameras and LabWindows CVI software.

Thanks,

Kimberly

[BlueCheese]

Pleora Technologies makes some analog video capture devices based off GigE Vision and USB3 Vision that should work with NI-IMAQdx.

[KimberlyWang]

Thanks. if we use iPort Analog-Pro to connect our old analog camera now, it will work. but in the future, if the analog camera died and then we will buy a digital camera, will we need to change the LabWindows CVI codes in order for the digital camera to work with the iPort Analog-Pro?

[BlueCheese · Accepted solution]

Assuming the digital camera is based on a standard like GigE Vision or USB3 Vision, then the same IMAQdx driver code could be used for the new camera. The only changes needed would be if you embed camera-specific attribute configuration inside your code.

[KimberlyWang]

Thanks for the responses. We used to experience GigE cameras generate heat, but USB cameras often changed the ports and also needed to work on the port hub configuration so that not too much traffic going on. Any pros and cons of GigE vs USB3 cameras?

[BlueCheese]

Both camera standards are equally mature at this point, and both have great support in IMAQdx. It mostly comes down to cabling and what particular camera you want to use (if it is only available in one or the other).

GigE Vision will give you more flexibility with cabling (longer lengths, easy to custom build), though it has slightly more CPU usage. For a single 1Gbit camera it isn't significant.

USB3 Vision is more plug-and-play, since you don't need to deal with networking (though the default link-local-address support GigE Vision uses is pretty plug&play too). It is also a bit more efficient, since the CPU doesn't need to process the individual packets like GigE Vision does.

[1100fps]

GigE cameras, have many advantages - long lead length, power over IP, decent bandwidth.  Excellent for single camera installations.. EXCEPT -- I have had systems shut down by corporate security policies that were pushed to systems on the corporate network.. Out of a massive amount of caution. IT Management pushed out policies that blocked all Ethernet port address.  Beware of IT!