Matrox Meteor-II User manual

Matrox Meteor-II
/Multi-Channel
Installation and Hardware Reference
Manual no. 10761-101-0200
October 14, 2003

ox Meteor-II /Digital
Matrox®is a registered trademark of Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd.
Microsoft®, Windows®, and Windows NT®are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
Intel®and Pentium®are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
PC/104™ and PC/104-Plus™ are trademarks of the PC/104 Consortium.
All other nationally and internationally recognized trademarks and tradenames are
hereby acknowledged.
© Copyright Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd., 2003. All rights reserved.
Limitation of Liabilities: In no event will Matrox or its suppliers be liable for any indirect,
special, incidental, economic, cover or consequential damages arising out of the use of
or inability to use the product, user documentation or related technical support,
including without limitation, damages or costs relating to the loss of profits, business,
goodwill, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. In no event will Matrox and
its suppliers’ liability exceed the amount paid by you, for the product.
Because some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for
consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation, may not apply to you.
Disclaimer: Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd. reserves the right to make changes in
specifications at any time and without notice. The information provided by this document
is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, neither Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd.
nor its suppliers assume any responsibility for its use; or for any infringements of patents or
other rights of third parties resulting from its use. No license is granted under any patents
or patent right of Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd.
PRINTED IN CANADA

Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Data transfer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
What you need to get started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Inspecting the Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel package. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Standard package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Optional items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Handling components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Installation overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Chapter 2: Hardware installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Installing Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Installing Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Installing Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PC/104-Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Note about Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PC/104-Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Connecting external devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PCI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PC/104-Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Chapter 3: Using multiple Matrox Meteor-II boards . . . . . . . . . . 25
Multiple board installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Grabbing simultaneously from different boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Chapter 4: Hardware reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Matrox Meteor-II hardware reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel grab section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Input channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Low-pass filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Gain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Discrete A/D converters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
PSG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Phase-locked loop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Trigger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
UART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Lookup tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
User bits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Using the auxiliary power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Data interfaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Video Interface ASIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
PCI interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Appendix A: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Common problems and solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Installation Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Grabbing Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Problems during application development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Contacting Matrox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Appendix B: Technical information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Technical information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Global information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Technical features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Board input and output connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Video input connector on the PCI form factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Video input connector on the PC/104-Plus form factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Auxiliary power supply input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Auxiliary power supply selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Electrical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Appendix C: Listing of Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel Boards 55
Revisions of Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Appendix D: Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Index
Regulatory Compliance
Product support

Chapter1
Chapter 1: Introduction
This chapter outlines the key features of the
Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel board.

8Chapter 1: Introduction
Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel
Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel is a monochrome and component RGB analog
frame grabber for standard and non-standard video acquisition. Matrox Meteor-II
/Multi-Channel is available in a PCI or PC/104-Plus form factor.
Acquisition features Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel can acquire different types of standard and
non-standard monochrome and component RGB video. The board features six
software-selectable input channels on which two component RGB or six
monochrome cameras can be attached. Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel
VIA
LUT
3 256x8-bit
VID_IN1_1
VID_IN1_2
VID_IN2_1
VID_IN2_2
VID_IN3_2
SYNC_IN
VID_IN3_1
24
Low-
pass
filters/
Gain
Sync
separator
2:1
MUX
2:1
MUX
2:1
MUX
4:1
MUX
A/D
A/D
A/D
24
White
Black
White
Black
White
Black
Video transfer
memory
(4 Mbytes)
64
Either to DB-44
connector
(for PCI
form factor)
or to 30-pin
male
connector
(for
PC/104-Plus
form factor)
PSG
UART
RS-232
Drivers
and
Receivers
TTL
Drivers
&
Receivers
RX
TX
/RTS
/CTS
Clk input
Clk output
Hsync
Vsync
Trigger
Exposure timer1
Exposure timer2
Aux
Host 32-bit PCI bus
32
2
2
{
Not available on PC/104-Plus
form factor
Trigger Opto-
coupler
8
8
8

Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel 9
supports acquisition from one camera at a time or simultaneous acquisition from
up to three gen-locked RS-170/CCIR cameras. Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel
supports both single and dual-tap configurations. It also accepts an external trigger,
and can operate in either asynchronous reset mode or next valid frame/field mode.
The PCI form factor also includes an auxiliary power supply input, which can be
used to draw auxiliary power from your computer to provide power to your
camera.
Data transfer
The Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel board allows the transfer of live video to
Host memory or off-board display memory. To prevent loss of data during long
bus-access latencies found in heavily loaded computer systems, the Matrox
Meteor-II /Multi-Channel board features 4 Mbytes of video transfer memory for
temporary frame storage. The board is also equipped with the Matrox Video
Interface ASIC (VIA), which acts as a video-to-PCI bridge.
Software
To operate Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel, you can purchase one or more
Matrox Imaging software products that support the Matrox Meteor-II
/Multi-Channel board. These are the Matrox Imaging Library (MIL) and its
derivatives (MIL-Lite, ActiveMIL, ActiveMIL-Lite, and Matrox Inspector). All
Matrox software is supported under Windows; consult your software manual for
supported Windows environments.
❖Note that, although other software products might be available to operate Matrox
Meteor-II /Multi-Channel, the discussion throughout this manual is based in
terms of Matrox Imaging software products.
MIL MIL is a development library which provides an extensive list of commands used
to capture, process, analyze, transfer, display, and archive images. Processing and
analysis operations include: geometric transformations, spatial filtering
operations, morphological operations, measurements, blob analysis, optical
character recognition (OCR), pattern recognition (Normalized Grayscale
Correlation pattern matching and Geometric Model Finder), edge extraction
(Edge Finder), matrix/bar code reading, and calibration.
MIL-Lite MIL-Lite is a subset of MIL. It includes all the MIL commands for image
acquisition, transfer, display control, and archiving.

10 Chapter 1: Introduction
ActiveMIL ActiveMIL is a set of ActiveX controls that are based on MIL. ActiveMIL was
designed for rapid application development (RAD) tools, such as Microsoft’s
Visual Basic. ActiveMIL is included with MIL (ActiveMIL-Lite is included with
MIL-Lite).
Matrox Inspector Matrox Inspector is an interactive Windows application for image capture,
processing, analysis, and archiving.
MIL application developers can use Matrox Inspector as a prototyping tool to
quickly build proof-of-concept demonstrations for their machine vision, image
analysis, and medical imaging system. End users can use Matrox Inspector to
perform and automate image enhancement and measurement tasks.
Matrox Intellicam Matrox Intellicam is an interactive Windows program that allows fast camera
interfacing and provides interactive access to all the acquisition features of your
Matrox board. For boards that accept non-standard video sources, Matrox
Intellicam also has the ability to create custom digitizer configuration format
(DCF) files, whichMIL and its derivatives use tointerface to specific non-standard
video sources. Matrox Intellicam is included with MIL /ActiveMIL and MIL-Lite
/ActiveMIL-Lite.
For more information about Matrox Intellicam, refer to the Matrox Intellicam User
Guide.
What you need to get started
To begin using Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel, you need the following:
• A computer with a PCI bus and an Intel Pentium processor (or equivalent) or
better.
• Microsoft Windows if using Matrox Imaging software (consult the Matrox
Imaging software package for specific supported environments and computer
memory/storage requirements).
Other useful
considerations
• A computer with a newer PCI chipset, such as the Intel 440BX, 810, 815E, 820,
840, 845PE, 850, 860, E7500, or E7505 for full Matrox Meteor-II functionality.
These chipsets are recommended because they generally offer better performance
in terms of data transfer rates.

Inspecting the Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel package 11
• A computer with an empty 32-bit PCI expansion slot (bus-master capable).
• A CD drive, and a hard disk or network drive on which to install the Matrox
Meteor-II software.
Inspecting the Matrox Meteor-II
/Multi-Channel package
When you unpack your Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel package, you should
check its contents. Note that optional parts might or might not be included,
depending on what you ordered. If something is missing or damaged, contact your
Matrox representative.
Standard package
If you ordered Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel, you should receive the
following items:
• The Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel board.
•TheMatrox Meteor-II /Multi Channel Installation and Hardware Reference manual
(this document).
• A 4-pin power cable, included with Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PCI
form factor.
• A 30-pin connector to interface with the video input connector, included with
Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PC/104-Plus (stand-alone version).
Optional items
You might have also ordered one or more of the following:
• MIL-32/CD, which includes ActiveMIL; MIL-LITE/CD, which includes
ActiveMIL-Lite; or Matrox INSPECTOR-32/CD. Both the MIL and MIL-Lite
CDs include Matrox Intellicam.
• DBHD44-TO-8BNC input cable with a high density 44-pin connector and eight
BNC connectors for Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PCI. Three
BNC-TO-SVHS (Y/C) adapter cables are shipped with the DBHD44-TO-8BNC
cable.

12 Chapter 1: Introduction
• DH44-TO-8BNC/O input cable witha high density 44-pin connector. Thiscable
is required if you want to connect to special input and output signals, such as
synchronization signals, control signals, and DC power output.
Handling components
The electronic circuits in your computer and the circuits on Matrox Meteor-II
/Multi-Channel are sensitive to static electricity and surges. Improper handling
can seriously damage the circuits. Be sure to follow these precautions:
• Drain static electricity from your body by touching a metal fixture (or ground)
before you touch any electronic component.
• Avoid letting your clothing come in contact with the circuit boards or
components.
Caution Before you add or remove devices from your computer, always turn off the power
to your computer and all peripherals.
Installation overview
The installation procedure consists of the following steps:
1. Complete the hardware installation as described in Chapter 2. If you have any
problems, refer to Appendix A.
2. Complete the software installation as described in the documentation
accompanying your software package.
More information For information on using multiple Matrox Meteor-II boards, refer to Chapter 3,
and for in-depth hardware information, refer to Chapter 4.
If you want technical information about Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel,
including specifications and connector descriptions, and pinouts, refer to
Appendix B.
A revision history for the development of Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel is
available in Appendix C.

Installation overview 13
Conventions When the term Host is used in this manual, it refers to your computer.
This manual occasionally makes reference to a MIL-Lite command. However,
anything that can be accomplished with MIL-Lite can also be accomplished with
MIL, ActiveMIL, ActiveMIL-Lite, or Matrox Inspector.1
Need help? Appendix A offers solutions to potential problems. If your Matrox Meteor-II
/Multi-Channel installation questions are not answered in this manual, contact
your local Matrox representative, Matrox Sales Office, or Matrox Imaging
Customer Support Group (see the Customer Support section at the back of this
manual for telephone numbers).
In the unlikely event of a failure, the warranty and Product Assistance Request Form
at the back of this manual outlines return conditions and procedures.
1. Most items can be accomplished with Matrox Inspector.

14 Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter2
Chapter 2: Hardware
installation
This chapter explains how to install the
Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel hardware.

16 Chapter 2: Hardware installation
Installing Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel
Before you install your board, some precautionary measures must be taken. Turn
off the power to the computer and its peripherals, and drain static electricity from
your body (by touching a metal part of the computer chassis). Next, follow the
steps to install your board according to its form factor: PCI or PC/104-Plus.
❖If you are not using Windows NT as your operating system, your board must be
installed before you install the software (either MIL or one of its derivatives). If
you are adding another Matrox Meteor-II to your computer, you will have to
re-install your software after installing your board.
Installing Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PCI
Use the following steps to install your Matrox Meteor-II board for PCI:
1. Remove the cover from your computer using the instructions from your computer
manual.
2. Check that you have an empty PCI (32-bit) slot that can accommodate the board.
If you do not have an empty slot, remove a PCI board from your computer to
make room for your Matrox Meteor-II board and take note of the slot number
you choose.
Connectors of PCI slots
Connectors of PCI slots
Connectors of an AGP slot
Connectors of an AGP slot
or
Connectors of ISA slots
Connectors of ISA slots

Installing Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel 17
Caution Some computers have a large, black-ridged heat sink that prevents boards from
occupying most PCI slots. Your Matrox Meteor-II must not touch this heat sink.
Therefore, choose a slot where the board completely avoids it.
3. If present, remove the blank metal plate located at the back of the selected slot.
Keep the removed screw; you will need it to fasten the Matrox Meteor-II board.
4. Carefully position Matrox Meteor-II in the selected PCI slot as illustrated below.
If you are using a tower computer, orient the board to suit the board slots in your
computer.
5. Once perfectly aligned with an empty slot, press the board firmly but carefully
into the connector.
6. Anchor the board by replacing the screw that you removed.
7. Connect your video sources. For details, see the Connecting external devices section.
8. Turn on your computer.
SCREW
METAL
PLATE
32-BIT PCI BOARD SLOT
PCI form factor
MATROX METEOR-II

18 Chapter 2: Hardware installation
In some cases, when you boot your computer, Windows’ Plug-and-Play system
will detect a new PCI card and you will be asked to assign a driver to it. At this
point, you should click on Cancel because the driver will be installed during the
installation of MIL or one of its derivatives.
Installing Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PC/104-Plus
This section refers to the stand-alone version of Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel
for PC/104-Plus. The version pre-configured for Matrox 4Sight-II is not discussed
in this manual. For more information, see Note about Matrox Meteor-II
/Multi-Channel for PC/104-Plus later in this chapter.
Use the following steps to install your Matrox Meteor-II board for PC/104-Plus:
1. Matrox Meteor-II for PC/104-Plus can operate in either a 5V or 3.3V system. In
some cases, a hole in the PC/104-Plus (PCI) connector is filled, which prevents
another PC/104-Plus board from being stacked on top. To install Matrox
Meteor-II for PC/104-Plus in a system with a specific signalling environment, a
pin must be removed. The table and diagram below indicate which pins to cut,
and their locations on the connector.
Signalling environment Pin to remove on J3 connector
5V A1
3.3V D30
PC/104-
ISA
connectors
Plus
Top view
PC/104-
expansion site
Plus
PC/104-
PCI
connector
Plus
J3 J1
DCBA BA
1
1
30 32
J2
CD
0
19
Remove pin D30
in a 3.3 V system
Remove pin A1
ina5Vsystem

Installing Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel 19
2. Check that you have an available PC/104-Plus connector on the motherboard, or
verify that your existing stack can support another board.
3. Remove the anchoring screws from the stack; do not discard them since you will
need them to fasten the Matrox Meteor-II board.
4. If you have existing PC/104 boards in your computer, remove them and stack
them on the PC/104-Plus board. PC/104 boards must be stacked last.
5. Carefully position Matrox Meteor-II over the connectors and press the board
firmly into place.
6. Replace the anchoring screws.
7. Set the rotary switch (next to the PC/104 (ISA) P2 connector) to 0 if installing
the first stackable board, or another appropriate setting if not the first. See the
section, Multiple board installation, in Chapter 3.
8. Connect your video sources. For details, see the Connecting external devices section.
9. Turn on your computer.
Motherboard
PC/104-
(PCI) connector
Plus PC/104
(ISA)
P1 and P2
connectors
Rotary
switch
Video input
connector
P1
P2

20 Chapter 2: Hardware installation
In some cases, when you boot your computer, Windows’ Plug-and-Play system
will detect a new PCI card and you will be asked to assign a driver to it. At this
point, you should click on Cancel because the driver will be installed during the
installation of MIL or one of its derivatives.
Note about Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel
for PC/104-Plus
A version of the Matrox Meteor-II /Multi-Channel for PC/104-Plus accompanies
the Matrox 4Sight-II integrated unit. It differs slightly in its structure from its
stand-alone counterpart. The stand-alone version of the Matrox Meteor-II for
PC/104-Plus has a video input connector that lies in the same plane as the board
(in other words, the pins are parallel to the board). The version that accompanies
the Matrox 4Sight-II integrated unit lies in a plane perpendicular to the board.
The latter allows the Matrox Meteor-II board to be hardwired to the input
connector of the Matrox 4Sight-II unit; as such, it can only be used as the first
board in the PC/104-Plus stack on the Matrox 4Sight-II unit.
When ordered as part of the Matrox 4Sight-II unit, Matrox Meteor-II for
PC/104-Plus comes pre-installed. See the Matrox 4Sight-II installation and
hardware reference manual for more information.
Video Input connector
pins for Matrox Meteor-II
For Matrox 4Sight
Video Input connector
pins for Matrox Meteor-II
Stand-alone version
Matrox Meteor-II for PC/104-Plus frame grabber (inverted view)