With FALCONplus Express the German machine vision specialist IDS Imaging Development Systems has released a new frame grabber with a x1 PCI Express interface. The board features four CVBS inputs for connecting color or monochrome cameras (PAL, NTSC or SECAM) as well as one CVBS output.
The 12 digital inputs and 8 digital outputs also allow connection of external sensors like photo sensors or motion detectors. In addition, 24V voltage levels can be switched using optocoupler I/Os available as an option. The digital inputs are protected against short circuit and reverse polarity; the outputs are fuse-protected against current overload. A hardware watchdog as well as an EEPROM for storing the user's own data - which can also be used as a dongle - round off the board's wide range of features.
As the new frame grabber is 100% software compatible with all models of the FALCON series, it eliminates the need to adapt the application after a model change. The driver supports multi-board use and the simultaneous use of PCI and PCI Express boards.
The frame grabber comes with a software development kit (SDK) for all the current Windows operating systems, including Vista, as well as Linux. Besides a DirectDraw interface, the SDK comprises various demo programs complete with the C/C++ source code, which offer developers an easy-to-use programming model. A TWAIN driver, an ActiveX component and a DirectShow (WDM) driver are also available for free for the users of standard software solutions. Additionally, the FALCON library allows integrating external video codecs and thus recording video sequences on hard disk in different formats (e.g. MPEG4).
The 12 digital inputs and 8 digital outputs also allow connection of external sensors like photo sensors or motion detectors. In addition, 24V voltage levels can be switched using optocoupler I/Os available as an option. The digital inputs are protected against short circuit and reverse polarity; the outputs are fuse-protected against current overload. A hardware watchdog as well as an EEPROM for storing the user's own data - which can also be used as a dongle - round off the board's wide range of features.
As the new frame grabber is 100% software compatible with all models of the FALCON series, it eliminates the need to adapt the application after a model change. The driver supports multi-board use and the simultaneous use of PCI and PCI Express boards.
The frame grabber comes with a software development kit (SDK) for all the current Windows operating systems, including Vista, as well as Linux. Besides a DirectDraw interface, the SDK comprises various demo programs complete with the C/C++ source code, which offer developers an easy-to-use programming model. A TWAIN driver, an ActiveX component and a DirectShow (WDM) driver are also available for free for the users of standard software solutions. Additionally, the FALCON library allows integrating external video codecs and thus recording video sequences on hard disk in different formats (e.g. MPEG4).
