1. SILICON VIDEO® 9C10 Video Adjustments

 

1.1. Video Resolution

Reducing the video resolution (the number of pixels captured per line and column) allows capturing more video frames in a given size of frame buffer memory. From the PIXCI® Image Viewer, click:

    Capture
    Adjustments
    Res(olution)
Click:
    Set Video Window
and draw the new desired area to be captured by left clicking and dragging over the displayed image. Click:
    OK
to accept the new capture resolution. Note: Changing the capture resolution will destroy any images previously captured in the frame buffers!

The

    Capt(ure)
    Frame Buffers
shows the number of frame buffers available with the current selections.

 

1.2. Saving the Video Configuration

The selections under the PIXCI® Image Viewer:

    Adjustments
are automatically saved when the PIXCI® frame grabber is closed, and/or XCAP is exited. When the PIXCI® frame grabber is next opened, clicking (from the XCAP Main Window):
    PIXCI®
    PIXCI® Open/Close
    Camera & Format
Choose:
    Open w. last used Video Setup
to use the previous video setup, or choose:
    Open w. default Video Setup
to start afresh with the default video format and resolution.

 

1.3. Camera Controls

XCAP integrates controls for both the PIXCI® frame grabber and the SILICON VIDEO® 9C10 camera within the Capture & Adjust window. The left side of the Capture & Adjust window contains controls for the PIXCI® frame grabber. The right side of the Capture & Adjust window provides camera specific controls.

The Gain allows adjusting the camera's gain. Increased gain allows capturing dark scenes, but at the expense of slightly decreased image quality (increased random noise); Whenever possible, increase illumination or increase exposure instead of increasing gain. The Digital Gain allows adjusting the camera's post A-D digital gain.

The Exposure allows adjusting the camera's exposure (shutter) period. When using AC powered lighting, an Exposure which is a multiple of half of the power line's period (i.e. 16.6/2 msec. in the U.S. and other locations using 60 Hz, 20.0/2 msec. in Europe and other locations using 50 Hz) is suggested to prevent varying image brightness due to the illumination's cyclical change of brightness. Selecting Exp. Mult. of 1/50 or Exp. Mult. of 1/60 automatically forces the Exposure to a multiple of the corresponding period.

The Scan Direction allows adjusting the direction in which pixels are read-out, allowing inversion or mirroring of the image.

The AOI Left, AOI Width, AOI Top, and AOI Height allow selecting an area of interest which is read-out and captured. Capturing fewer columns or fewer lines decreases the image size and allows a faster frame rate. If Center Aoi L(eft)-R(ight) or Center Aoi T(op)-B(ottom) is selected, the AOI Left or AOI Top, respectively, is automatically adjusted so as to center the capture AOI, the AOI Width or AOI Height, within the camera's field of view.

The Subsampling allows selecting subsampling (decimation) of the AOI by a factor of ×2 or ×4 horizontally and by a factor of ×2, ×4, ×8, ×16, or ×32 vertically, producing an image of lower resolution with smaller size, and allowing a faster frame rate.

The Pixel Clock allows specifying the pixel clock rate. A faster pixel clock increases the allowable frame rate, but with reduced image quality (increased fixed pattern noise); a slower pixel clock increases the allowable exposure periods for longer integration and greater sensitivity.

The Video Mode allows selecting Free-Run or Controlled GRRR (Global Reset, Rolling Readout) frame mode. In Free-Run mode the camera exposure and read-out is free-running; continuously exposing and sending frames to the frame grabber at a constant frame rate without need of a trigger. In Controlled GRRR (Global Reset, Rolling Readout) modes the Controlled Frame Rate, Continuous, and Single Shot provide frame rate and triggering control through the PIXCI® SI, SI1, SI2, or SI4 frame grabber. The Controlled GRRR (Global Reset, Rolling Readout) mode provides shorter delay from trigger to exposure, but expects use of strobed flash illumination.

The Strobe Mode and Strobe Period allows enabling an output strobe to synchronize a flash or other external device to the camera's exposure. The Strobe Polarity allows inverting the output strobe.

 

1.4. Color Cameras

For color cameras with so-called ''Bayer format output'', it is XCAP software which performs color adjustments and white balancing, not the camera.

From the PIXCI® Image Viewer, click:
    Capture
    Adjustments
    Color (or Clr)
For most common conditions:

  1. Select one of the pre-defined correlated color temperatures, either based on best appearance, or matching the color temperature of the current illumination. The 5000°K selection is average overcast daylight, the 4100°K selection is a typical cool white fluorescent bulb, and the 2800°K selection is a typical 60 to 100 watt tungsten bulb.

  2. Choose one of the predefined color qualities, trading quality for speed.

  3. If none of the predefined settings is satisfactory, start with the best setting and click:
        Customize
    
    Cover the camera's lens and click:
        Black Balance
    
    Finally point the camera at a white target (but preferably not a target using fluorescent brighteners) and click:
        White Balance
    

 

1.5. Automatic Gain & Exposure Control

The AGC controls provide automatic adjustment of the camera's gain, digital gain, or exposure as the image intensity changes. From the PIXCI® Image Viewer, click:
    Capture
    Adjustments
    AGC
Select whether gain, digital gain, or exposure, or any combination, should be modified to darken a too-bright image or brighten a too-dark image:
    AGC Adjusts Gain
    AGC Adjusts Dig. Gain
    AGC Adjusts Exposure
Using only gain adjustments avoids increased blur due to moving objects when exposure is increased. Using only exposure adjustments avoids increased pixel noise at high gain settings. If selecting more than one adjustment, the
    AGC Adjust Priority
allows selecting whether gain, digital gain, or exposure should be adjusted first for an image which is too dark (the opposite is done for an image which is too bright); again trading off image blur versus noise. Finally click:
    AGC On
to enable AGC.

 

1.6. Image Quality

The SILICON VIDEO® 9C10 camera, as does virtually all high resolution CMOS sensors (as well as most CCD sensors), has several pixels which are totally or partially unresponsive. The number and pattern of pixels is unique for each camera and sensor. Software can compensate for the unresponsive pixels. While some cameras hide the unresponsive pixels' existence, the SILICON VIDEO® 9C10 defaults to showing all pixel values as output by the sensor, so that the user can be aware of these unique pixels.

To enable software compensation for the most common, bright, unresponsive pixels, from the PIXCI® Image Viewer, click:

    Capture
    Adjustments
    FFC
Select
    Pixel Normalization: Offset
Close the lens' aperture or install the lens cap. Click:
    Extract Offset Ref.
and select
    Normalization On

To also correct for the less common and less visible dark unresponsive pixels, instead select:

    Pixel Normalization: Offset & Defect
Close the lens' aperture or install the lens cap. Click:
    Extract Offset Ref.
Uncover and open the lens and point the camera at an even grey or white (but not saturated) target. Click:
    Extract Defect Ref.
and select
    Normalization On