Knowledge Base

Select Multiple Cameras

Aim

To mix the live view of multiple cameras in a picture-by-picture fashion.

Important: When you mix video images of many cameras, the resulting resolution per camera image is reduced. Make sure that this resolution is high enough for proper detection and tracking.

Prerequisites

• For GigE cameras (including PhenoTyper 2), see Using Multiple GigE Cameras, Connect the GigE Camera to the PC, and Assign IP Addresses.
• For analog cameras (PhenoTyper 1), see Connect Analog Cameras to the Computer.

Multiple Digital Cameras

EthoVision XT mixes the camera images in a picture-by-picture fashion.

1. Connect your cameras. Plug each camera to the port of its Ethernet board. Each camera has its unique link with one of the ports of the Ethernet interface board. If you swap cameras, EthoVision XT won't get the camera image. See Using Multiple GigE Cameras and Assign IP Addresses.
2. In the Experiment Settings, select the number of cameras from the list next to Number of Sources.
3. Select the cameras under Source. The camera names will show a number in brackets at the end, which makes it possible to distinguish between the cameras.
4. Select the Resolution, the Frame Rate, and the Color Space for the first camera. The settings are then applied automatically to the other cameras. See Adjust Camera Settings in EthoVision XT.
5. Next to Merged Camera View, select the resolution of the merged camera view. This is also the resolution of the video file that EthoVision XT creates if you opt for video recording.
6. Click the preview icon to get a preview of the merged camera images.

Notes

• For how to install and connect digital GigE cameras, watch the video tutorial Set Up the Cameras. To open the tutorial, choose Help > Video Tutorial.
• The video resolution and frame rate that you set in one experiment is selected automatically in your next experiment. When you create a new experiment, always check that the camera settings are those required for that experiment. See also Configure the Digital Camera.

See Also

• Connect the GigE Camera to the PC
• Using Multiple GigE Cameras
• Tested Configurations with GigE Cameras
• Check That the Camera Is Set Up Properly

Multiple Analog Cameras

Note: Mixing images from analog cameras using encoder boards other than the Picolo Alert is not supported.

Two or Four Analog Cameras

1. Connect your cameras to the inputs of your encoder board. See Connect Analog Cameras to the Computer.
2. Next to Number of Sources, select the correct number of cameras from the list and select the inputs from the list under Source. The resolution and frame rate are selected automatically, dependent on whether you have NTSC or PAL cameras.
3. Next to Merged Camera View, select the resolution of the mixed image. This is also the resolution of the video file that EthoVision XT creates if you opt for video recording. See Acquire One Trial.
4. Click the preview icon to get a preview of the merged image.

More Than Four Analog Cameras

When using more than four analog cameras, we recommend using a hardware video mixer also known as a Quad Processing Unit. See Connect Analog Cameras to the Computer. If you use PhenoTyper 1, see also the PhenoTyper - EthoVision XT - Reference Manual. See Manuals.

See Also

• Tested Configurations with Analog Cameras
• Install Analog Cameras

Adjust Camera Settings in EthoVision XT

Aim

To adjust the settings of your camera within EthoVision XT, for example the video resolution, the frame rate, or the exposure.

Important: To improve the quality of the image, always try adjusting the lighting and camera aperture before changing the settings in EthoVision XT.

Prerequisites

• If you work with Basler digital cameras, before using the camera in EthoVision XT close the camera software Pylon Viewer.

To Access the Camera Options

1. Choose Setup > Experiment Settings, and click the camera button for the camera you require.
2. Click one of the tabs and adjust the settings (see below):
   • Format Tab
   • Image Tab
   • Camera/General Tab
   • Color Tab
   • Address Tab
   • More Settings

Format Tab

The Format tab is only available for the first camera. The settings you specify here are also applied to the other cameras.

Important: If you change the resolution within an experiment, open the Arena Settings profile and grab the background image. This will update the background image with the new resolution. If the Arena Settings profile is locked, right-click it and select Duplicate. In the new profile you can now grab the background image. Next, use that Arena Settings profile to acquire new trials.

Resolution

For single arenas and subjects more than a couple of centimeters long, a resolution of 384x288 (analog cameras, PAL) or 320x240 (analog cameras, NTSC) or 640x480 (GigE cameras) is sufficient.

For digital cameras: when you reduce the resolution, the field of view also changes. For example, reducing the resolution from 800x600 to 640x480 results in a cropped image. You can compensate for this if your camera is provided with a zoom lens. Another option is to leave the resolution unchanged and use the Binning function, which reduces the size of the image in pixels but does not affect the field of view.

If you opt for a higher resolution in GigE cameras, for example 1280x1024, always check that it does not conflict with the frame rate.

• The higher the video resolution, the more accurate your tracking.
• The higher the video resolution, the larger the resulting video files. If disk space is limiting, use the above-mentioned resolution.
• Use a high resolution especially in the following situations.