Multicasting with GigE Vision cameras

[iq128]

Dear experts,

I have a GigE Vision camera and a Vision Acquisition software. Now I'd like to try to multicast the data stream.
The specification (v1.0) only sais that the protocol supports mcasting but I have found nothing about how the receiving application should look like.
I suppose it should just be a "normal" mcast receiver. Or is a second connection with the camera necessary?

best regards

[BlueCheese]

iq128,

Generally a second "connection" is needed to the camera from the receivers. This connection can only view camera settings, not modify them. This is usually a requirement so that the receiving application can retrieve the configuration of the camera so it can properly process the image stream. If your multicast receivers are also using IMAQdx the driver takes care of all of this for you. All you have to do is open the cameras on the receiver systems with the camera control mode of "listener" rather than "controller," and start acquiring after the controller has started the camera.

If you were to design a custom mutlicast receiver without the IMAQdx driver you could potentially skip the second connection to the camera if you hardcoded all the settings between the controller and listener, but you would still have to convey some of the dynamic parameters (such as the UDP multicast port) to the other listeners.

Hope this helps,

Eric 

[iq128]

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BlueCheese wrote:

...if you hardcoded all the settings between the controller and listener...

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I actually do not use the IMAQdx driver. What settings do you mean?

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BlueCheese wrote:

...but you would still have to convey some of the dynamic parameters (such as the UDP multicast port) to the other listeners.

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 I only have one listener. What dynamic parameters are there else?

[clowner]

I to am looking at setting up a network to operate with multicasting and am having difficulty finding the best way to go about it.

What parameters does a viewing application require to get from a camera prior to being able to succesfully decode a stream?

I was hoping this would all be included in the streaming protocol so that a simple app could just be given a multicast address to listen to and decode without any direct connection to the camera