Allied Vision Technologies Alvium Series User manual

V1.1.0
Allied Vision Technologies GmbH // Taschenweg 2a, 07646 Stadtroda / Germany 2019-Jul-01
USB CAMERAS
Alvium USB Cameras
User Guide

Alvium USB cameras at a glance
2Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Alvium USB cameras at a glance
Shipping contents
• Alvium USB camera
• Alvium USB Cameras Quickstart Guide document
What else do you need?
This is a selection of helpful document and software downloads:
Read this document carefully
Learn to avoid damage to your Alvium USB camera and use it in the most safe and
efficient way.
Document Link
Alvium USB Cameras Quickstart Guide (multilingual)
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/support/
technical-documentation/
alvium-documentation.html
Alvium Cameras Accessory Guide
Alvium Cameras Features Reference
Optimum Heat Dissipation for Housed Alvium Cameras
application note
Electromagnetic Compatibility for Open Housing Alvium
Cameras application note
Avoiding Ground Loops in Vision Systems application note
Software Link
Vimba Suite for Windows, Linux, and Linux/Arm,
including Vimba SDK, Vimba Viewer, and Vimba Driver
Installer for Windows
https://www.alliedvision.com/software

Contact us
3Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Contact us
Connect with Allied Vision by function
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/meta-header/contact
Find an Allied Vision office or distributor
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/about-us/where-we-are
Email
[email protected]
[e-mail]
Sales offices
Europe, Middle East, and Africa: [phone]
North, Central, and South America: +1 877 USA-1394
Asia-Pacific: [phone]
China: [phone]
Headquarters
Allied Vision Technologies GmbH
Taschenweg 2a
07646 Stadtroda
Germany
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
CEO/Geschäftsführer: Andreas Gerk
Registration Office: AG Jena HRB 208962
Tax ID: DE 184383113

Contents
4Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Contents
Alvium USB cameras at a glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Shipping contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
What else do you need? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Contact us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Document history and conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Document history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Conventions used in this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Symbols and notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Product naming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Camera model naming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Terms and abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Compliance, safety, and intended use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Compliance notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
For customers in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
For customers in the USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
United States of America: Supplier Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
For customers in Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Pour utilisateurs au Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Bare board and open housing cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Avoid electromagnetic interferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Camera applications and intended use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
General use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Use in medical devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Copyright and trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Your safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Handling lens mounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Housed cameras: handling hot cameras. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Providing optimum heat dissipation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Product safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Electrical connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Camera mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Handling bare board cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Optical components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Heat sinks and conductive media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
BIOS drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Applied standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Contents
5Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
GenICam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
USB 3.1 Gen 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
USB3 Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
IP class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Shock and vibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Notes on specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Exposure time and frame rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Triggering and sensor shutter types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Power consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Specifications for 1800 U-500m/c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Dimensions, mass, and filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Quantum efficiency (QE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
ROI frame rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Camera dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Housing options overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
USB 90° bare board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
USB 180° bare board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
USB 90° open housing S-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
USB 90° open housing CS-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
USB 90° open housing C-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
USB 90° closed housing S-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
USB 90° closed housing CS-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
USB 90° closed housing C-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
USB 180° open housing S-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
USB 180° open housing CS-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
USB 180° open housing C-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
USB 180° closed housing S-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
USB 180° closed housing CS-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
USB 180° closed housing C-Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Lens mounts, filters, and maximum protrusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
IR cut filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Lenses: Focal length vs. field of view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
About this chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Parameters in tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Optical vignetting with certain lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
About S-Mount lenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Focal length vs. field of view tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
1800 U-500, type 1/2.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Installing the camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Mounting the heat sink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Mounting the camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Mounting bare board cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Mounting housed cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Mounting the lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Contents
6Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Mounting and focusing S-Mount lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Software and driver installation on the host PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Required components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Installing the camera driver using Vimba on a Windows system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Installing drivers for camera and host adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Camera interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Recommended accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Back panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
I/O connector pin assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Non-isolated, programmable GPIOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
GPIOs description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Input levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Output levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Status LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Normal operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Error conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Triggering and timings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Compensation for the rolling shutter effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Trigger signal flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Trigger latency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Triggering with rolling shutter cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Value changes by features interdependencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Effects for the related features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Image data flow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Alvium USB cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Firmware update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Firmware update with Vimba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Troubleshooting and performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Questions and answers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Camera recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Unexpected events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Radio signal interference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Optimizing performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Operating systems and bandwidth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Performance on reference systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Frame rates and CPU payload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Dividing bandwidth between devices on a common USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen 1 bus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Best practice for bandwidth management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Cascading hubs divide bandwidth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Contents
7Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0 8
Document history and conventions
This chapter includes:
Document history ................................................................... 9
Conventions used in this manual............................................ 9
Product naming..................................................................... 10
Terms and abbreviations....................................................... 11

Document history and conventions
9Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Document history
Conventions used in this manual
To give this manual an easily understood layout and to emphasize important
information, the following typographical styles and symbols are used:
Styles
Symbols and notes
Version Date Remarks
V1.0.0 2019-Jun-13 Release version
V1.1.0 2019-Jul-01 • Added missing color pixel formats and
removed separate bit depth in Specifications
on page 24.
• Corrected ADC bit depth for Alvium U
1800-500 in Specifications on page 24 and in
Image data flow on page 83.
Table 1: Document history
Style Function
Emphasis Programs, or highlighting important things
Publication titles Publication titles
Web links and references Links to webpages and internal cross references
Table 2: Styles
CAUTION
Personal injuries
Precautions are described.
NOTICE
Material damage
Precautions are described.

Document history and conventions
10Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Product naming
Camera model naming
Alvium cameras are named to identify model properties.
For example, Alvium 1800 U-500c is composed of:
Practical Tip
Additional information helps to understand or ease handling the camera.
Avoiding malfunctions
Precautions are described.
Additional information
Web link or reference to an external source with more information is shown.
Alvium 1800 U500 c
Content Camera
series
Camera series Interface Resolution Color/
monochrome
Examples Alvium 1500: Video4Linux Access
(CSI-2 cameras only)
1800: Vimba Access
C: MIPI CSI-2
U: USB
500: 5.0 MP
050: 0.5 MP
c: color
m: monochrome
MP: Megapixel
Table 3: Camera model naming
Hardware options
Alvium USB cameras are available with various options for housing, lens mount, or
USB connector position. For ordering, see hardware options and product codes in
the Alvium Cameras Hardware Options document at
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/support/technical-documentation/alvium-
documentation.html for details.
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Document history and conventions
11Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Terms and abbreviations
Term Description Reference
ADC Analog to Digital Converter Specifications on page 24
bare
board
Camera consisting of electronics and
sensor on a common printed circuit board
(PCB), to be designed into a housing with
heat sink and lens mount
USB 180° bare board on page 40
CMOS Complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor
Specifications on page 24
CRA Chief ray angle Specifications on page 24
EMVA European Machine Vision Association https://www.emva.org/
ERS Electronic rolling shutter also known as
“rolling shutter”
Triggering with rolling shutter cameras on
page 81
ESD Electrostatic Discharge Electrostatic discharge (ESD) on page 18
FCC Federal Communications Commission For customers in the USA on page 13
FOV Field of view Lenses: Focal length vs. field of view on page
55
fps Frames per second Specifications on page 24
GenICam Generic Interface for Cameras, EMVA https://www.emva.org/
GND Ground (power) I/O connector pin assignment on page 73
GPIOs General purpose inputs and outputs
(non-isolated)
GPIOs description on page 74
H × V Horizontal × Vertical (sensor resolution
measurement)
Specifications on page 24
KB Kilobyte Specifications on page 24
open
housing
Camera housing that is open at the back
side to be designed into an encompassing
housing with other components
USB 180° open housing C-Mount on page 49
PCBA Printed circuit board assembly PCBAs on page 18
QE Quantum efficiency Quantum efficiency (QE) on page 32
RoHS Restriction of Hazardous Substances
Directive
For customers in Europe on page 13
ROI Region of interest ROI frame rates on page 33
SFNC Standard Feature Naming Convention
(GenICam)
https://www.emva.org/
S-Mount M12-Mount Mounting and focusing S-Mount lenses on
page 63
Table 4: Terms and abbreviations

Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0 12
Compliance, safety, and intended use
This chapter includes:
Compliance notifications ...................................................... 13
Camera applications and intended use ................................ 16
Your safety............................................................................. 17
Product safety ....................................................................... 18

Compliance, safety, and intended use
13Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Compliance notifications
For customers in Europe
For customers in the USA
Closed housing cameras only: FCC Class B digital device
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may
cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which
can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to
try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which
the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
United States of America: Supplier
Declaration of Conformity
Alvium USB cameras comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and
2. this device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
Allied Vision has demonstrated the fulfillment of the requirements relating to the
Alvium USB camera family:
• Directive 2011/65/EU, including amendment 2015/863/EU (RoHS)
• Directive 2012/19/EU (Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment, WEEE)
Closed housing cameras only:
• Directive 2014/30/EU (Electromagnetic compatibility).

Compliance, safety, and intended use
14Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Party issuing Supplier's Declaration of Conformity
Allied Vision Technologies GmbH
Taschenweg 2a
07646 Stadtroda
Germany
T// [phone]
[email protected]
Responsible Party - U.S. Contact Information
Allied Vision Technologies, Inc.
102 Pickering Way – Suite 502
Exton, PA 19341
USA
T// [phone]
Note: changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
For customers in Canada
Closed housing cameras only
This apparatus complies with the Class B limits for radio noise emissions set out in
the Radio Interference Regulations.
CAN ICES-003 (B) / NMB-1 (B)
Pour utilisateurs au Canada
Boîtier de caméra fermé seulement
Cet appareil est conforme aux normes classe B pour bruits radioélectriques,
spécifiées dans le Règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique.
CAN ICES-003 (B) / NMB-1 (B)

Compliance, safety, and intended use
15Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Bare board and open housing cameras
Bare board and open housing cameras are designed for integration and are
delivered with open camera back on customer's request. Housing design is critical
for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of the camera.
Avoid electromagnetic interferences
Interface cables, power cables, and I/O cables are sensitive to electromagnetic
interference.
• Use shielded cables only.
• We recommend using cables offered by Allied Vision.
• Avoid coiling.
• We recommend using GPIOs only in environments with low electromagnetic
interference.
Moreover, avoid unnecessary bending to prevent damaging the cables.
Requirements for an EMC-protective housing
See the Electromagnetic Compatibility for Open Housing Alvium Cameras
application note at https://www.alliedvision.com/en/support/technical-
documentation/alvium-documentation.html.
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Compliance, safety, and intended use
16Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Camera applications and intended use
General use
• For usage in product with specific safety requirements, a Quality Assurance
Agreement with Allied Vision is required.
• The camera is intended for use in a commercial, industrial, or business
environment. The test phase and programming should be carried out by
advanced users.
• The user is responsible for operating the camera within the specifications
defined in the user guide, and within appropriate environmental conditions
and technical prerequisites, to ensure proper camera operation.
• The user is responsible to ensure that the application complies with the
corresponding standards.
• The camera is compliant with current data communication standards; however,
those standards do not allow for self-monitoring. Therefore, the camera
cannot be used as a standalone device for security-related monitoring
operations.
• The camera is a hardware product. Only when used with appropriate
accompanying software, the camera will produce the desired results. The
realization of intelligent solutions requires additional software that is suitable
for the camera.
• The camera is a component, it is neither a finished product, nor is it a
ready-made technical solution.
• The camera-supporting software can be obtained and installed separately from
the camera. Usage of the software is solely the responsibility of the user.
• The camera must not be disassembled. For all repair tasks, contact Allied Vision
or one of Allied Vision's authorized representatives.
• Observe the intended use. The camera must only be used for purposes that are
in conformity with the stated intended use.
• Additionally, refer to the warranty information on alliedvision.com.
Use in medical devices
The camera provides basic adequacy to be used in medical devices. However, it is
not specially designated for operation in medical devices. When used as part of a
medical device, a review of the specific application is necessary in cooperation
with Allied Vision. Users who integrate the camera into an application must comply
with the rules and regulations concerning medical devices.
Copyright and trademarks
All texts, pictures and graphics are protected by copyright and other laws
protecting intellectual property. All content is subject to change without notice.
All trademarks, logos, and brands cited in this document are property and/or
copyright material of their respective owners. Use of these trademarks, logos, and
brands does not imply endorsement.
Copyright © 2019 Allied Vision Technologies GmbH. All rights reserved.

Compliance, safety, and intended use
17Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Your safety
This section informs about issues related to your personal safety. Descriptions
explain how to avoid hazards and operate Alvium USB cameras safely.
Handling lens mounts
The lens mount thread has sharp edges. Be careful these edges do not cut your
skin when mounting or unmounting lenses.
Housed cameras: handling hot cameras
During operation, cameras can reach a housing temperature of +65 °C. If operating
temperature exceeds +65 °C, the camera is powered off automatically. However, if
you hold the camera in your hands during operation, your skin may get hurt. If you
touch the camera when it is heated up, we recommend wearing protective gloves.
Providing optimum heat dissipation
Design bare board and open housing cameras into a heat dissipative housing with
a high thermal conductivity. For more information, see Mounting bare board
cameras on page 61. Keep the housing temperature of open housing cameras
between +5 °C and +65 °C for operation. This way, you enable best performance
and protect the camera from damage.
For your safety and to improve camera performance, operate the camera:
• Mounted to a base with a high thermal conductivity
• With lens mounted
• With a heat sink mounted that has large surface areas. (Closed housing
cameras include a heat sink.)
• With active cooling of camera, mounting base, and heat sink, such as by
ventilation.
More information
For more information on heat dissipation, see the Optimum Heat Dissipation for
Housed Alvium Cameras application note at
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/support/technical-documentation/
alvium-documentation.html.
65 °C
Max.
Heat sink Camera housing Lens
Base
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Compliance, safety, and intended use
18Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
Product safety
To prevent material damage, read the following and understand how to safely
handle and operate the camera. Get helpful details about electrical connections
and learn how to optimize camera performance.
Electrical connections
Electrostatic discharge (ESD)
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is dangerous for electronic devices, especially when
tools or hands get in contact with connectors and electronic components. We
recommend measures to avoid damage by ESD:
• Unpacking: Remove the camera from its anti-static packaging only when your
body is grounded.
• Workplace: Use a static-safe workplace with static-dissipative mat and air
ionization.
• Wrist strap: Wear a static-dissipative wrist strap to ground your body.
• Clothing: Wear ESD-protective clothing. Keep components away from your
body and clothing. Even if you are wearing a wrist strap, your body is grounded
but your clothes are not.
• Bare board and open housing cameras: use a special ESD protective housing.
Cable connections
Provide sufficient strain relief for all cable connections to avoid short circuits and
malfunctions.
PCBAs
Alvium USB cameras enable access to PCBAs (printed circuit board assemblies).
Keep away from camera electronics to avoid damage.
Camera power
Operating the camera beyond the specified range damages the camera. Cameras
are powered over USB. Alternatively, cameras can be powered using the I/O
connector at a maximum input of 5.5 VDC, using a limited power source (LPS),
according to IEC62368-1: 2014 (Second Edition) with maximum 1.5 A. The camera
is not intended to be connected to a DC distribution network.
• Make sure that USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen 1 host controller cards, on-board host
controllers, or hubs provide sufficient current supply for the connected
cameras.
• We recommend using powered hubs, especially for multi-camera operation.
• For suitable USB accessories, see the Alvium Cameras Accessory Guide.

Compliance, safety, and intended use
19Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
GPIOs
To avoid damage to the camera, keep maximum input voltage below 5.5 VDC and
maximum current below 12 mA per output. See Specifications on page 24 for
details. The maximum length for I/O cables must not exceed 30 m.
Reverse polarity
If Alvium USB cameras are externally powered with reverse polarity, the cameras
can be damaged. See I/O connector pin assignment on page 73 for proper external
power connections.
JST-Cables
JST I/O cables without shielding are designed to be used with bare board or open
housing Alvium cameras. The customer is responsible for an EMC compliant
design. For applications without an additional EMC protective housing, please use
shielded JST I/O cables with screw lock.
Ground loops
Unsuitable connections can lead to different potentials between the camera
system GND and the environmental shield/chassis GND caused by ground loops.
This can damage the camera and the connected devices or cause malfunctions.
• Avoid potential differences between the camera housing and GND.
• All wiring must be done by authorized personnel, according to the
corresponding technical standards.
• Read the Avoiding Ground Loops in Vision Systems application note.
USB connections
USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen 1 host controllers and hubs
To avoid damage to USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen 1 host controller cards or hubs, make sure
these components provide sufficient current supply for the connected cameras.
For suitable USB 3.0 accessories, see the Alvium USB Cameras Accessory Guide at
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/support/technical-documentation/
alvium-documentation.html.
If suddenly your camera is not recognized anymore, check for a crashed USB hub.
Disconnect the USB and power supply cable from the hub. Reconnect both.
More information
See the Avoiding Ground Loops in Vision Systems application note at
https://www.alliedvision.com/en/support/technical-documentation/
alvium-documentation.html.
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Compliance, safety, and intended use
20Alvium USB Cameras User Guide V1.1.0
USB cables
Proper cable handling enables reliable performance:
• Use only shielded cables to avoid electromagnetic interferences.
• Please use cables recommended by Allied Vision.
• Avoid unnecessary bending to prevent damaging the cables.
• Avoid coiling to prevent electromagnetic interference.
Alvium USB cameras and USB 2.0
If Alvium USB cameras are connected to USB 2.0 ports, they are recognized. They
can be operated with reduced performance only if DeviceLinkThroughputLimit
is set to a value supported by USB 2.0. See Operating systems and bandwidth on
page 91.
Camera mounting
Housed cameras must be mounted using the mounting threads.
Handling bare board cameras
Bare board cameras are an electronic assembly without a protective housing.
Therefore, they can easily be damaged.
• Handle bare board cameras with extreme care.
• Avoid any mechanical stress to the sensor area.
• Avoid short circuits by keeping away from electronics components.
Please observe for mounting bare board cameras:
• Allow mechanical contact only at the mounting area. (This does not apply to
the cooling area.)
• Enable proper cooling at the cooling area, see Mounting bare board cameras
on page 61.
• Give 2 mm minimum clearance above board components.
• Tighten screws at 0.1 Nm maximum torque.
• Follow the instructions in Mounting bare board cameras on page 61.