Pixelink PL-A780 Parts list manual

3030 Conroy Road, Ottawa, ON K1G 6C2
Phone: [phone] or 1.888.484.8262
Fax: [phone]
http://www.pixelink.com
e-mail: [email protected]
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK. All Rights Reserved
PL-A780
FireWire
6.6 Megapixel Camera
SYSTEM GUIDE
Document No: 04646-01
Revision Date: June 2004

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Document No.: 04646-01 PixeLINK PL-A780
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
PixeLINK™ PL-A780 6.6 Megapixel Camera
System Guide
Copyright Notice
Document Number: 04646-01
Copyright © 2004, PixeLINK. All rights reserved.
This document contains proprietary and confidential information of PixeLINK. The contents of this document may not be copied
nor duplicated in any form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent from PixeLINK.
By purchasing this product, the Purchaser(s) and/or any subsequent legitimate owner(s) of the product, henceforth referred to as
“the Purchaser,” agree(s) to abide by the terms of this Agreement and read and recognize the following set of definitions
appertaining to the intellectual-property items and trademark references as can be found throughout this System Guide.
PixeLINK provides the information and data included in this document for the Purchaser’s benefit, but it is not possible for PixeLINK
to entirely verify and test all of this information in all circumstances, particularly information relating to non-PixeLINK manufactured
products. PixeLINK makes no warranties or representations relating to the quality, content, or adequacy of this information. Every
effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this Guide; however, PixeLINK assumes no responsibility for any errors or
omissions in this document. PixeLINK shall not be held liable for any errors or for incidental or consequential damages in
connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this System Guide or the examples herein.
PixeLINK assumes no responsibility for any damage or loss resulting from the use of this System Guide, loss or claims by third
parties which may arise through the use of this product, any damage or loss caused by deletion of data as a result of malfunction or
repair, or any other damage related to the use of this product or associated documentation. The information in this document is
subject to change without notice.
Definitions of Intellectual Property and Trademark Attributions
This Section is intended to ensure proper attribution and honoring of any and all trademarks and intellectual-property items in terms
of attribution to their respective owners as mentioned in this System Guide. The reader is encouraged to consult this Section
whenever uncertainty presents itself as to the terms, their meaning within the System Guide, and the trademarks and intellectual-
property items they stand to identify, whether by themselves or in conjunction with other terms and items.
PixeLINK is either a trademark or a registered trademark of PixeLINK in Canada and/or other countries; IEEE is a registered
trademark or service mark of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Incorporated in the United States and/or other
countries; FireWire is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries; Microsoft, DirectShow, and
Windows are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries; TIFF
is a trademark or registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other
products, brand names, company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Definition of Terms
This Section is intended to define certain terminology used in this System Guide, while ensuring proper attribution and honoring of
any and all trademarks and intellectual-property items in terms of attribution to their respective owners as mentioned in this System
Guide.
The Purchaser shall hereby recognize the following definitions set herein, as can be found throughout this System Guide: Camera
shall henceforth refer to a PixeLINK Camera; API shall henceforth refer to the PixeLINK Camera Application Programming
Interface; Kit shall henceforth refer to a PixeLINK Camera Kit; FireWire shall henceforth refer to the IEEE 1394a interface
specification; DirectShow shall henceforth refer to the Microsoft DirectShow multimedia software; Windows shall henceforth refer to
a Microsoft Windows operating system.
The above Sections set forth Terms and Conditions, compliance with which constitutes a mandatory prerequisite for owning and/or
using the product for which the Guide was created. It is the Purchaser’s responsibility to ensure that the information contained
within the Sections is maintained as a part of the System Guide at all times—should the Purchaser discover that the page(s)
containing the Sections is (are) missing, and/or was not provided with the System Guide, and/or become illegible, PixeLINK should
be contacted as soon as possible and the Sections requested. PixeLINK shall not be held liable for any and all copyright violations
that may ensue in relation to its products and/or the consequences of their intended and unintended usage.
June 2004

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PixeLINK PL-A780 Document No.: 04646-01
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Statement
FCC testing will be completed in 2004. All units shipped prior to the completion of FCC testing should be considered as prototypes
and will be marked with the statement that the FCC rating is pending. Note that the PL-A780 Series is materially similar to the PL-
A780 which has passed FCC and CE compliance testing.
When tested, the equipment will be measured against 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. 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.
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:
o Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
o Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
o Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
o Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Properly shielded and grounded cables and connectors must be used to meet FCC emission limits. PixeLINK is not responsible for
any radio or television interference caused by using other than recommended cables or connectors.
Unauthorized changes or modifications to the equipment could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
European Community (CE) Statement
Testing for product safety compliance in the European Community will be completed in 2004. Units shipped prior to the completion
of the testing should be considered as prototypes and will be marked indicating that the CE rating is pending. When tested, the
product will be measured for compliance with the following directives and standards:
Directives: 2001/95/EC (General Product Safety Directive)—Self-declared 89/336/EEC (EMC Directive)
Standards to which conformity is declared:
EN55024: 1998
EN55022: 1998 For Class B
EN61000-3-2: 1995 EN61000-3-3: 1995
Manufacturer’s Name and Address: PixeLINK 3030 Conroy Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 6C2, Canada
Type of Equipment: PixeLINK FireWire Machine Vision Camera
Model Number: PL-A782

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Document No.: 04646-01 PixeLINK PL-A780
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
List of Manual Revisions
PL-A780 6.6 Megapixel Camera System Guide
Document Number 04646
Revision Date Change Ref Notes
-01 16 June 2004 Initial release.
Related Documentation
PixeLINK Application Programming Interface (API) Reference, Part Number 04326
PixeLINK Developer’s Application User’s Manual, Part Number 04328
IIDC 1394-based Digital Camera Specification, Ver. 1.31, dated September 17, 2003. IEEE
Trade Association Document 2003017

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PixeLINK PL-A780 Document No.: 04646-01
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
Table of Contents
1Quick Start Instructions 1
2Introduction 3
2.1 The PL-A780 Series 6.6 Megapixel Camera 3
2.2 Topics Covered in this Guide 4
2.3 Firmware and Hardware Versions & Variants 4
2.4 Compatibility with PixeLINK Software & Drivers 5
2.5 Compatibility with 3rd Party Software & Drivers 5
3PL-A780 Camera Specifications 6
3.1 Features 6
3.2 Sensor 7
3.2.1 ROI, Pixel Addressing and Resampling 7
3.2.2 Bit Depth 12
3.2.3 Timing, Performance and Data Rates 12
3.2.4 Operating Modes - Rolling Shutter and Fast Reset Shutter 12
3.2.4.1 Rolling Shutter 13
3.2.4.2 Fast Reset Shutter 14
3.3 Performance Specifications 15
3.4 Operating Environment 15
3.4.1 Operating Environment Objectives 15
3.4.2 Storage Environment Objectives 16
4Hardware Overview 17
4.1 PL-A780 Hardware Features 17
4.2 PL-A780 Hardware Dimensions 17
4.3 PL-A780 Handling Instructions 19
4.4 Lens and Protective Glass 19
4.4.1 Lens 19
4.4.2 Protective Glass 19
4.5 Mounting 20
4.6 Electrical Connections 20
4.6.1 FireWire – Power, Data & Control 20
4.6.2 Status LED 21
4.6.3 Machine Vision Connector - Trigger and GPOs 21
4.6.3.1 Trigger and GPO Timing 22
4.6.3.2 Trigger Connection Examples 23
4.6.3.3 GPO Connection Examples 25
4.6.3.4 Reading the Trigger Input 26
5Camera Operation & Features 27
5.1 Supported IIDC 1.31 Features 27
5.1.1 Camera Initialization 27
5.1.2 Video Format/Mode/Frame rate 28
5.1.3 IIDC Basic Features 29
5.1.3.1 Frame Rate 30
5.1.3.2 Color Coding 31
5.1.3.3 Gain 31

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Document No.: 04646-01 PixeLINK PL-A780
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
5.1.3.4 Gamma 32
5.1.3.5 Memory Channel 32
5.1.3.6 Region of Interest 32
5.1.3.7 Saturation 33
5.1.3.8 Shutter 33
5.1.3.9 Temperature 34
5.1.3.10 Trigger 34
5.1.3.11 Trigger Delay 34
5.1.3.12 White Balance 35
5.1.3.13 White Shading 35
5.1.4 Advanced Features 35
5.1.4.1 Camera Information 36
5.1.4.2 Camera Name 36
5.1.4.3 Descriptors 36
5.1.4.4 General Purpose Outputs 37
5.1.4.5 Look Up Table 37
5.1.4.6 Pixel Addressing 39
5.2 Non IIDC Features Accessible with the PixeLINK API 40
5.2.1 Flat Field Correction 40
6Developing Software for the PL-A780 41
6.1 Introduction 41
6.2 Useful Definitions 41
6.3 How Do 1394 Devices Communicate? 42
6.4 Communication With a IIDC Camera 42
6.4.1 Navigating the Configuration ROM 42
6.4.2 IIDC Command Registers 42
6.5 Command Register Details 43
6.5.1 Video Formats 43
6.5.1.1 Formats 0, 1 & 2 43
6.5.1.2 Format 7 43
6.5.2 Camera Features 44
6.5.3 Absolute Value CSRs 44
6.5.4 Advanced Feature CSRs 44
6.6 Video Transmission Details 45
6.6.1 Video Transmission Control 45
6.6.2 Isochronous Packet Size 45
6.6.3 Features That Affect Isochronous Packet Size or Format 45
7PixeLINK Advanced CSRs 46
7.1 Extensions to the IIDC Version 1.31 Specification 52
7.1.1 Determining which Features can change in a Descriptor 52
7.1.1.1 Color Coding 52
7.1.2 White Shading Absolute Value Registers 53
8Feature Modes and Values 54
8.1 Trigger Modes 54
8.1.1 Trigger Mode 0 54
8.2 GPO Modes 55
8.2.1 GPO MODE 0 (STROBE) 55
8.2.2 GPO Mode 1 (Normal) 55
8.2.3 GPO Mode 3 (Busy) 55
8.2.4 GPO Mode 4 (Flash Window) 55

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PixeLINK PL-A780 Document No.: 04646-01
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
9Frame Format and Descriptor Structures 56
9.1 Frame Format 56
9.1.1 Byte Order 56
9.2 Descriptor Structure Format 57
9.2.1 Descriptor Version 0x0003 57
10 Technical Notes & Support 59
Table of Figures
Figure 1 Color Bayer Pattern - Pixel Addressing Mode 1 (No Decimation)......................8
Figure 2 Color Bayer Pattern - Pixel Addressing Mode 2 (Decimation 2x) ......................8
Figure 3 Color Bayer Pattern - Pixel Addressing Mode 3 (Decimation 3x) ......................9
Figure 4 Color Bayer Pattern - Pixel Addressing Mode 4 (Decimation 4x) ......................9
Figure 5 Color Bayer Pattern - Pixel Addressing Mode 6 (Decimation 6x) ....................10
Figure 6 Examples of the effects of Decimation, Resampling and Averaging on Image
Quality......................................................................................................................11
Figure 7 Rolling Shutter Integration and Read-Out........................................................13
Figure 8 PL-A780 Spectral Response.............................................................................15
Figure 9 PL-A780 Standard Configuration .....................................................................17
Figure 10 PL-A780 Rear View ........................................................................................18
Figure 11 PL-A780 Front View ......................................................................................18
Figure 12 PL-A780 Bottom View....................................................................................18
Figure 13 Machine Vision Connector—Interface Schematic...........................................22
Figure 14 Trigger Input Example - TTL AND Gate.........................................................24
Figure 15 Trigger Input Example - TTL Inverter.............................................................24
Figure 16 Trigger Input Example - An optical trigger and multiple cameras ..................25
Figure 17 GPO Example - Output a TTL signal .............................................................25
Figure 18 GPO Example - GPO to Trigger ....................................................................26
List of Tables
Table 1 PL-A780 Variants ................................................................................................4
Table 2 Hardware Version History ...................................................................................4
Table 3 Firmware Version History....................................................................................5
Table 4 FPGA Version History .........................................................................................5
Table 5 Frame Rate - frames per second .........................................................................6
Table 6 Operating Environment Conditions ....................................................................15
Table 7 Storage Environment Conditions ......................................................................16
Table 8 Pinout of the 6-Pin Hirose Connector.................................................................23
Table 9 Default settings for PL-A780 features ...............................................................27
Table 10 Feature Control Register Min/Max Values. .....................................................30

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Document No.: 04646-01 PixeLINK PL-A780
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
Table 11 Advanced Feature CSRs ................................................................................ 46
Table 12 - Feature Element Inquiry CSRs (Section 4.5 in the IIDC 1.31 Spec.)............. 52
Table 13 - Color Coding Inquiry CSR for Format_7 (Section 4.9 in the IIDC Spec.) ...... 53

Quick Start Instructions 1
PixeLINK PL-A780 Document No.: 04646-01
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
1 Quick Start Instructions
Install the software you wish to use with the camera prior to connecting the camera
to the computer.
To properly configure the PL-A780 for optimum image quality:
1. Plug in the camera and open the software;
2. Start the preview window.
3. Configure the Region of Interest as required to get the proper field of view.
4. Set the lens, lighting, exposure, and gain so that no areas in the image are saturated.
Auto exposure will provide a good starting point;
5. Adjust the White Balance feature to match the temperature of the light source. The
default is incandescent 3200º Kelvin.
6. Adjust the white point with the Auto White Shading or Auto White Balance feature.
This feature uses the highest intensity areas of the scene to assess the white
shading. Ensure that these areas are white or gray in color. Replace high-intensity
colored objects with a gray or white card and ensure there is little or no saturation
occurring in the image (i.e. gray is better than bright white).
7. Adjust gamma and saturation controls as required to achieve the best image quality.
Note that the PL-A780 camera, like any CMOS device, is subject to the physics of the sensor
design. Fixed Pattern Noise (FPN), Photo Response Non Uniformity (PRNU), stuck pixels,
read noise and thermal noise are an inherent part of the sensor. The effects of the noise vary
with gain and exposure time. Uncorrected, these noise sources can cause significant image
artifacts.
The PL-A780 corrects for these noise artifacts with pixel-by-pixel flat field correction. Internal
to the camera, a gain and offset is applied to each pixel so that the overall sensor has a
uniform response. In addition, stuck pixels are corrected by replacing their value with the
average of the neighboring pixels.
The FFC is factory calibrated at zero gain with a standard diffuse light source and no lens.
While the calibration can be used at other camera settings, it is only valid for the gain and
exposure setting used during the calibration. At other settings, image artifacts may be
apparent.
For the best results, it is strongly
recommended that users of the PL-A780
perform a FFC calibration with the lens and
lighting that will be used in the field.
A software tool is available as part of the PixeLINK Demonstration Application or Developer’s
Kit installation. Instructions on the process are included in the application dialog boxes.

2 Quick Start Instructions
Document No.: 04646-01 PixeLINK PL-A780
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
Before evaluating the camera on image quality, users should determine the exposure and
gain settings required based on the factory calibration for the lens and lighting used in their
application. Then, with the subject removed and with a uniform surface under examination,
perform the FFC calibration. Once this is complete, continue with the evaluation of the image
quality.
If a single gain and exposure setting is not possible, there will be practical limits on the gain
and exposure times that can be used before the noise artifacts cause unacceptable
degradation to the image quality.