CVB Hardware Configuration Guide

Table of Contents

• CVB Installation
• GigE Vision Devices
• USB3 Vision Devices
• CoaxPress / Camera Link
• Applications and Tools
  • System Browser
  • GenICam Browser
  • License Manager
• Documentation
• Service
  • Updates
  • Technical Support

User guide for configuration your acquisition hardware with Common Vision Blox.

• Start with Common Vision Blox installation
• After installation select and configure your Acquisition Hardware Interface:

Acquisition Hardware
GigE Vision Devices
USB3 Vision Devices
CoaXPress Devices
CameraLink Devices

CVB Installation

To be able to acquire images from acquisition devices CVB and the appropriate hardware drivers have to be installed on your system.

The hardware independent architecture of CVB requires a video interface file (vin) to be loaded when an image acquisition device is used (e.g. CVB GenICam driver (GenICam.vin) for GenICam compliant devices.) The *.vin format is proprietary to CVB and supports a wide variety of interfaces for acquisition, line scan acquisition, triggered acquisition and many more.

Following CVB downloads are available:
CVB Download
Installation and Setup

GigE Vision Devices

• Connect Camera to Network Port using network cable for GigE Vision cameras
• assign IP Addresses for Network Port and Camera
• Switch off Firewall
• Consider Interface capabilities and data rates
• Configure Network Port
• Optimize Network Port Performance Settings
  
• Configure Jumbo Frame Usage (Attention: This is only valid for the deprecated GenICam.vin, which is described in detail in the online documentation of CVB 14.0)
  • on Network Port
  • on Device Driver
  • and Switch - when used
• Start the CVB GenICam Browser and search for available devices
  For details refer GenICam Browser User Guide.
• Configure Device Driver parameters
  For details refer GenICam Browser User Guide and CVB GenICam Driver User Guide.
• Configure Camera Features using the Nodemap in Property Grid
  For feature availability and options refer to the camera manuals.

USB3 Vision Devices

• Connect Camera to USB3 Port
  
  Your USB3 Vision Device must be connected into an USB external or on-board Host controller card with USB 3.0 ports (usually marked blue).
  Use therefore an USB 3.0 cable:
  - maximum length 5m,
  - we highly recommend the use of machine vision validated USB cables
• Start the CVB GenICam Browser and search for available devices
  For details refer GenICam Browser User Guide.
• Configure Device Driver parameters
  For details refer GenICam Browser User Guide.
• Configure Camera Features using the Nodemap in Property Grid
  For feature availability and options refer to the camera manuals

CoaxPress / Camera Link

Manufacturer specific Hardware with CVB driver

The video interface (vin) file format is used for all Common Vision Blox drivers. There are vin-files available for a vast range of different image acquisition devices like frame grabbers, cameras or vision systems.

Please refer to the CVB Download area for driver download matching the CVB versions.

• Install board and connect camera using appropriate cables.
• Install Manufacturers Software and set Up the board
• Download and Install the CVB Driver for this Hardware.
  A detailed documentation can be found in the CVB Hardware User Guides.
• Search for Device Driver and configure it according to the Configuration Guide.
• Start an example application that loads a *.vin driver.
• Load the *.vin driver.
• Configure Camera Features using a Camera Control Tool (vendor specific configuration tool, e.g. CamExpert, Jai Control Tool,...).
  For feature availability and options refer to the hardware manual.

Applications and Tools

Get a Quick Start with:

	System Browser	Get an overview of the vision system components.
	GenICam Browser	Search and configure GenICam compliant hardware.
	License Manager	Manage the CVB Licenses.

Find applications and tutorials:

• for Windows in Start Menu or under %CVB%Applications and %CVB%Tutorial
• for Linux tools in /opt/cvb/bin and tutorials under /opt/cvb/tutorial

Refer also Installation and Setup

System Browser

The System Browser can be used for GenICam compliant devices to:

• get an overview of the vision system components: computer, interfaces, cameras, CVB software, licenses
• get a simple live view with the detected cameras
• save diagnostic information.

Start the System Browser from: %CVB%Tutorial\Image Manager\Cvb.Net\bin\Release\SystemBrowser.exe

License information:

Network information:

Diagnostic data:

Live view:

Get a live view by double clicking the camera and use the Node Map camera configuration options, Statistics and Discovery information.

GenICam Browser

The GenICam Browser can be used to:

• search for available devices (GenICam compliant).
• configure static IP address.
• configure the driver options for devices (Attention: This is only valid for the deprecated GenICam.vin, which is described in detail in the online documentation of CVB 14.0).
• add and store the configuration under Configured Devices (ensures that device is found after restart again).
• get a live device view.
• save images and image sequences.
• collect logging and statistic data about acquisition, device and system.

GenICam Browser can be opened with:

• Windows: Start Menu STEMMER  IMAGING Common Vision Blox and under %CVB%Applications
• Linux: /opt/cvb/bin
  Run the GenICamBrowser with ./GenICamBrowser

Detailed information about the GenICam Browser can be found in the following documents:

	GenICam Browser	Detailed description of the GenICam Browser Application.
	⭐ Step-By-Step Guide	Configure your cameras with the step-by-step guide of the GenICam Browser.

It is recommended to start with the Step-By-Step Guide and look up for detailed information in the manual of the GenICam Browser if needed.

License Manager

Complete License Management can be handled with License Manager. An overview over all available licenses can be found here.

A detailed description of the different license methods can be found in section Licensing.

Documentation

Following documentations and information sources are available:

• CVB download
• Common Vision Blox landing page (Products/Learn/Support)
• For GenICam compliant hardware: Hardware User Guides
• CVB Licensing
• CVB Online Help
• CVB user forum

Service

Updates

Please check the CVB Web pages for updates to this driver in form of a CVB service pack or a hotfix. Therefore please visit CVB User Forum Download area and choose the CVB Version or Operating System.

For any kind of problem you encounter with CVB GenICam driver it is very helpful to record the error logging (Log window in GenICam Browser or LogGUI.exe in %CVB%Applications). Please have also a look at the description of Acquisition Statistic, Trouble Shooting and Error logging.

Technical Support

Before contacting the Technical Support please review the

• configuration hints in sections before,
• Trouble Shooting section,
• save logs and hardware configuration settings. Report also the versions of Common Vision Blox, Operating System and the devices serial numbers.

Request Hotline Support
Discuss in User Forum