1. SILICON VIDEO® 2KS-M, 2KS-C Video Adjustments

 

1.1. Video Resolution

Reducing the video resolution (the number of pixels captured per 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. Only the resolution's vertical height can be reduced; the width is unaffected. 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® 2KS-C and 2KS-M cameras 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 Analog Gain allows adjusting the camera's gain. Increased gain allows capturing dark scenes, but at the expense of decreased image quality (increased random noise); Whenever possible, increase illumination or increase exposure instead of increasing gain.

The Exposure allows adjusting the camera's exposure (shutter) period.

The Number of AOIs, and AOI 1 Top, AOI 1 Height through AOI 8 Top, AOI 8 Height allow selecting one or more areas of interest which are read-out and captured. Capturing fewer lines decreases the image size, and also allows a faster frame rate. Up to eight areas of interest of different heights are allowed, but can't overlap vertically.

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 Controlled Frame Rate, Trigger Input, Continuous, and Single Shot provide frame rate and triggering control through the PIXCI® E8CAM frame grabber.

 

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 or exposure as the image intensity changes. From the PIXCI® Image Viewer, click:
    Capture
    Adjustments
    AGC
Select whether gain, or exposure, or both, should be modified to darken a too-bright image or brighten a too-dark image:
    AGC Adjusts 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 using both gain and exposure adjustments, the
    AGC Adjust Priority
allows selecting whether 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.