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Embedded Vision and Multi-Camera system Setup:
How to connect multiple cameras¶
- Embedded Vision and Multi-Camera system Setup: How to connect multiple cameras
- Copper Firefly Cables
- Fiber optics MTP Cables
- 1. xiX camera with Firefly connector
- 2. Convert original copper connection to fiber optic
- 3. CBL-MTP-X4G3-FF-xM0 - MTP fiber cable
- 4. (OPTIONAL) MECH-OPA-S-ALIGNED - Optical patch adapter
- 5. HA-1P-X4G3-MTP-X8G3 - Host adapter card for MTP cables
- iPass to MTP connection - Gen3 x4 lanes
- iPass to MTP connection - Gen3 x8 lanes
XIMEA offers xiX line of compact and high speed cameras suitable for embedded vision systems and especially for Multi camera setups.
While the main approach is to interconnect multiple of these cameras directly through the xSwitch platform, other possible options are based on attaching the camera versions with so called Firefly (FF) connectors through PCIe interface cables.
Contrary to FPC (Flexible printed circuit) cable the Firefly enables lengths of 1 to 3m with copper (ECUE type) and 5m to 100m with fiber (PCUO type with MTP trunk cable).
The Firefly camera models can be attached in several ways:
Copper Firefly Cables¶
The simplest way is:
Direct Firefly connection¶
Camera with Firefly connector + Firefly cable + Firefly host adapter
xSwitch Firefly connection¶
To connect up to 8 cameras through xSwitch you will need the following:
Camera with Firefly connector + Firefly cable + Firefly xSwitch XS-8P-X2G2-FF-X8G3 + iPass cable 3-7m + Host adapter
Indirect Firefly connection¶
To connect the Firefly camera to a PC if you do not have xSwitch or Firefly host adapter, this succession of components will be required for a setup with copper cables.
It starts with the camera:
1. xiX camera with Firefly connector¶
Note: Choose the camera part numbers ending with FF
2. CBL-ECUE-X4G3-xM0 - Firefly cable¶
Note: The small "x" in the cable part number stands for 1, 2 and 3m.
3. ADPT-MX-X4G3-FF-IPASS - Adapter from Firefly to Ipass¶
Note1: To supply power use with CBL-ADPT-PWR-0M10 + PSU
Note2: Another option is ADPT-MX-X4G3-FF-M2-AVM - Only for Auvidea JN30 Jetson Nano Carrier board
4. Copper or optical iPass cable¶
Note: The iPass copper cables can range from 1m to 7 m.
5. Host adapter for Gen3 x4¶
Fiber optics MTP Cables¶
This is the sequence of components for a setup with Fiber cables.
In this case, the cameras have to be powered using the GPIO connectors on the camera.
Note: To power and Trigger/Synchronize the cameras additional cables are needed available under the following numbers:
A03ZR03ZR28H51B (5cm), A03ZR03ZR28H102B (10cm), A03ZR03ZR28H152B (15cm), A03ZR03ZR28H203B (20cm), A03ZR03ZR28H254B (25cm), A03ZR03ZR28H305B
The details for power supply and synchronization or triggering are shown HERE
The connection starts with the camera:
1. xiX camera with Firefly connector¶
Note: Choose the camera part numbers ending with FF
2. Convert original copper connection to fiber optic¶
There are several choices:
2.1: CBL-PCUO-X4G3-0M10 - Optical cable
Warning: This is a fragile part that needs to be fixed and encapsulated.
2.2: ADPT-1P-X4G3-FF-X4G3-MTP - Adapter to connect XIMEA Firefly cameras to MTP cable
2.3: ADPT-MX-X4G3-FF-X4G3-MTP - Back part attachment to connect XIMEA Firefly cameras to MTP cable
3. CBL-MTP-X4G3-FF-xM0 - MTP fiber cable¶
Note: The small "x" in the part number stands for 5, 10, 20, 30, 53 or 100m.
4. (OPTIONAL) MECH-OPA-S-ALIGNED - Optical patch adapter¶
Can be used in cases when a separation of the optical MTP cable path is needed.
Note: This is the Aligned version.
5. HA-1P-X4G3-MTP-X8G3 - Host adapter card for MTP cables¶
Note: 1P or 2P - represents the number of ports allowing cameras to be connected in parallel.
iPass to MTP connection - Gen3 x4 lanes¶
Camera with iPass connector + MTP adapter + MTP cable + MTP host adapter
iPass to MTP connection - Gen3 x8 lanes¶
Camera with iPass connector + MTP adapter + MTP cable + MTP host adapter