Getting Cameras Up in Vic-Snap

New or updated cameras will not always populate in Vic-Snap automatically. Some configuration may be needed to ensure smooth operation and data acquisition. The following information is intended to guide an operator through the set-up process. If any issues arise, contact support@correlatedsolutions.com or submit a ticket here to receive curated assistance from out support team.

To install camera-specific drivers, follow the steps below which pertain to the specific camera brand used.

Note: If you are using the PC that came with your turn-key Correlated Solutions DIC system, the appropriate camera drivers should already be installed, and all drivers can be located at C:\installs.

Basler:

First, navigate to the link below to download and install the Basler Pylon software. This software will contain the drivers needed to use all Basler branded cameras.

http://www.downloads.correlatedsolutions.com/Basler_pylon_6.2.0.21487.exe

Once downloaded, run the executable, and agree to the terms and conditions. Select next to continue with the Pylon Setup Wizard.

• Under profiles, be sure to select “Camera User” and then select next.
• Under interfaces, select which ever camera connections are available for your cameras. If you are unsure of which interface you should choose here, reach out to the Correlated Support team with your camera model number and we can help you select the correct one. You can change the interfaces any time by running the setup again.
• Under the destination folder page, you can select where to install the Pylon camera software. The default C:\Program Files\Basler\pylon 6\ usually works best.
• Once all selections are made, select “Install” to begin the installation.
• Once finished, select “Close” to exit the Pylon Setup Wizard.

To double check the drivers and software were installed correctly, simply type “Pylon” in the Windows start bar to see if Pylon Viewer shows up as an available application. From here, plug in the cameras, start Vic-Snap, and select “Basler” from the camera list. You’re all set!

FLIR/PGR:

First, navigate to the link below to download and install the FLIR FlyCapture 2 software. This software will contain the drivers needed to use all FLIR/PGR branded machine-vision cameras.

http://www.downloads.correlatedsolutions.com/SpinnakerSDK_FULL_4.2.0.83_x64.exe

Once downloaded, run the executable and select “Install” to install the Spinnaker SDK. This installation could take several minutes. Once completed, select “Next” to begin the Fly Capture Setup Wizard and agree to the terms and conditions by selecting the checkbox.

• Under the release notes page, you can view the online release notes. Select “Next” to continue.
• Under the user information page, enter your full name, organization, and email address to personalize your installation, selecting next when finished. This page is optional and can be skipped by selecting “Next” and leaving the fields blank.
• Under the destination folder page, you can select where to install the Spinnaker SDK. The default option usually works best. You can change this destination by selecting “Change…” if you would like to choose another.
• Under the choose setup type page, be sure to select “Complete” from the available setup types. Selecting “Complete” will take you to the next page.
• Under the interface driver selection page, select which ever camera connections are available for your cameras. If you are unsure of which interface you should choose here, reach out to the Correlated Support team with your camera model number and we can help you select the correct option.
• Check the “Click to confirm” check box once you have confirmed the correct drivers will be installed. Select “Next” to continue.
• Under additional installer options, the Direct Show DLLs checkbox does NOT need to be checked.  Select “Next” to continue.
• Once all drivers are selected and confirmed, select “Install” and wait while the setup wizard installs Spinnaker.
• Once completed, feel free to view any release notes or help menus by selecting the appropriate check box and selecting “Finish” to close the setup wizard.

From here, plug in the cameras, start Vic-Snap, and select “Spinnaker” from the camera list. You’re all set!

AVT/Alvium:

First, navigate to the link below to download and install the Vimba software. This software will contain the drivers needed to use all AVT branded machine-vision cameras.

https://www.alliedvision.com/en/products/vimba-sdk/#c1497

Once downloaded, run the executable and select “Install” to install the Vimba SDK. This installation could take several minutes. Once completed, select “Custom Selection” and then “Start” to begin the setup wizard. The target folder destination can also be changed in this window, but the default usually works best.

Phantom:

First, navigate to the link below to download and install the PCC software. This software will contain the drivers needed to use all Phantom branded high-speed cameras.

https://phantomhighspeed.com/pcc/

Once downloaded, run the executable and select “Install” to install the PCC software. This installation could take several minutes. Click "Finish" to exit the installer.

Once PCC is installed your cameras are ready and the "Phantom Camera Notes" application note will walk you through the next steps.

Photron:

First, navigate to the link below to download and install the PFV software. This software will contain the drivers needed to use all Photron branded high-speed cameras.

https://photron.com/pfv/

Once downloaded, extract the folder, run the executable and select “PCC Installation” (Click Ph10G Driver if using cameras requiring 10G support) to install the PFV software. This installation could take several minutes. Click "Finish" to exit the installer and in the "InstallShield Wizard" window, click "Yes" to configure some required network settings.

Once PFV is installed your cameras are ready and the "Using Photron cameras with Vic-Snap" application note will walk you through the next steps.

Data Acquisition Units: 

First, navigate to the link below and select the operating system and version you would like to download. The newest version of the software will be recommended for all CSI DAQ’s.

https://www.ni.com/en-us/support/downloads/drivers/download.ni-daq-mx.html#480879

Once downloaded, run the executable, agree to the software license agreement, 

If you still have not gotten the cameras up and you have checked the items above, email support@correlatedsolutions.com. To expedite the process, please respond to all of the items above.  Additionally, here are a few more pieces of information we'll need:

8. What version and build of Vic-Snap are you using (go to Help>About)? 

9. What version of the camera drivers (Pylon/PFV/AVT/etc.) are you using?

10. What cameras are you using (and how many)?

11. What organization are you with?  Some systems might have a unique setup, that we can look up, if we know what system you're using.  If you know something is unique in your setup, please let us know.