Knowledge Base

Issues

• The camera image is not detected by EthoVision XT
• EthoVision XT shows a message "No video frames"
• I do not see the image of the video file
• The video image looks grainy
• The live image from the camera looks distorted
• The camera image is static/pixelated with red, blue and green pixels
• The camera image is off-center
• The camera image is too narrow to display the entire arena
• The camera image is ok in the Experiment Settings, but in the Arena Settings I see a white background image
• The camera image is not shown in the Arena Settings or Integrated Visualization
• The camera image flickers
• The camera image doesn't flicker but the overall image lightens and darkens
• There is motion blur in the camera image
• The camera image is not in focus, no matter what I do
• The camera image is dark, even when using a lot of infrared light
• My video file is not playing correctly
• Video is being processed poorly
• A black bar is displayed when zooming in to a video file
• EthoVision XT freezes when playing a video file
• EthoVision XT freezes in live video mode

The Camera Image Is Not Detected by EthoVision XT

Try the following:

• Make sure that the camera is powered and switched on, that the video cables are not broken and that there is no loose connection between camera and computer. Try, for example, another video cable to see whether the image is then detected.
• If you have an analog camera, check that the camera is connected to the input of the encoder board that is selected under Video source in the Experiment Settings. If you have a digital camera, check that it is connected to the correct port on your PC.
• If you have a Basler digital camera, make sure to close the pylon Viewer software.
• Make sure that the lens cap is removed, and turn the camera's aperture ring to Open.
• Click the Show/Hide button on the toolbar and make sure that Video Source is selected.
• If the camera was accidentally disconnected, reconnect the camera, then in EthoVision XT choose Setup > Experiment Settings and click the Refresh button next to the camera name.
• If you have MediaRecorder 2.5 installed on the same PC, it could be that the problem occurs because you have installed MediaRecorder 2.5 after installing EthoVision XT. Note that this problem does not occur with MediaRecorder 4 to 6. To solve the issue, download the installation files (see Install EthoVision XT) and double-click EthoVision XT - Setup - [version number].exe. In the window that opens, select Repair. This re-installs the correct software for displaying the camera image.
• If the problem persists, re-install the drivers for the encoder board or digital camera. To do so, download the installation files (see Install EthoVision XT) and double-click EthoVision XT - Setup - [version number].exe. On the window that opens, select Modify and choose the appropriate driver from the list. See Install EthoVision XT.

EthoVision XT Shows a Message "No Video Frames"

The message is shown in the Experiment Settings > Video Settings window.

• See the issue above.
• Confirm that the PC monitor is plugged into the stand-alone graphics card (GPU) and not the motherboard.
• If you are using Windows 10 and GigE Basler cameras, make sure you installed the driver from the installation files. If you installed from an older installation drive, you might have installed an older driver (e.g. 4.2.1) which does not support Windows 10.
• The message "No video frames" is also shown when there is something wrong with the camera, the power supply, or the video cable. Please replace cables or connect the camera to another input channel of the board, or another computer.
• Disable the Firewall for the network ports connected to the cameras. Disable the Windows firewall for the Ethernet board.

I Do Not See the Image of the Video File

• Click the button next to Video in the Acquisition Settings window and select the file you require.
• Click the Show/Hide button on the toolbar and make sure that Video Source is selected.
• TIP: Choose File > Preferences > Default Folder. Under Alternative media location, enter the folder where your video files are stored. This way EthoVision XT looks in this folder if video files are not found in the Media Files folder of the experiment.

The Video Image Looks Grainy

The problem occurs only when connecting the video cables from a T splitter to input 1 and 2 of the Picolo H.264 board. Splitting the video signal into two cabling was necessary to acquire the tracks and simultaneously save video. However, in EthoVision XT 12 and later versions this is no longer necessary. Just connect the camera to video input 1 of the board.

The Live Image from the Camera Looks Distorted

This may occur when you change the resolution of the camera image in the Experiment Settings (see Adjust camera settings in EthoVision XT), without updating the background image in the Arena Settings. To do so, open the Arena Settings and click the Grab Background Image button in the lower part of the Arena Settings window.

The Camera Image Is Static/Pixelated with Red, Blue, and Green Pixels

Make sure that the camera is set to black and white mode (via the camera menu; see the camera user manual for how to access this menu).

• If you have a digital monochrome camera, in EthoVision XT, make sure that the Color space is set to Y800. If you set the color space in pylon Viewer, the correct option is Mono 8.
• If you have a digital color camera, see the camera type in Cameras supported by EthoVision XT for the recommended color space.

See also Adjust camera settings in EthoVision XT > Format tab.

The Camera Image Is Off-Center

This may occur if you select a lower resolution in the Experiment Settings, and the Center X and Center Y options are not checked in the camera settings.

To solve this, increase the resolution to the maximum value and the arena will be centered. See Adjust camera settings in EthoVision XT > Format tab.

If you prefer a lower resolution, check the option Center Image in the Camera/General tab. See Adjust camera settings in EthoVision XT > Camera/General tab.

The Camera Image Is Too Narrow to Display the Entire Arena

• This may occur when you select a low video resolution in the Experiment Settings. Rather than scaling the entire image down to the lower resolution, this camera displays a limited area of interest in order to maintain the full image quality. For the widest possible view, increase the resolution to the maximum value (typically 1280x1024).
• If you have a varifocal lens, you can also adjust the zoom setting on the lens. Note that adjusting the zoom will also change the focus, so you will need to adjust the focus as well in order to see the actual effect. Also note that you may need to loosen the lock screw on the side of the lens before the zoom setting may be adjusted.

TIP: Watch the video tutorial Set Up Your Test Environment. To open the tutorial, choose Help > Video Tutorial.

Arena Settings Shows a White Background Image

• The video resolution set in the Experiment Settings is either too high or an odd resolution is selected, such as 640x426. Reduce the resolution and/or select a standard resolution (such as 640x480).
• A similar issue occurs when no drivers have been installed for the computer's graphics card. See below.

Source: EthoVision XT 19 Help, Noldus Information Technology