Data Translation DT3145 Getting Started Manual

UM-19601-B

DT3145 Getting
Started Manual

Second Edition
June, 2003

Copyright © 2003 by Data Translation, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Information furnished by Data Translation, Inc.
is believed to be accurate and reliable; however,
no responsibility is assumed by Data
Translation, Inc. for its use; nor for any
infringements of patents or other rights of third
parties which may result from its use. No license
is granted by implication or otherwise under any
patent rights of Data Translation, Inc.

Use, duplication, or disclosure by the United
States Government is subject to restrictions as set
forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in
Technical Data and Computer software clause at
48 C.F.R, 252.227-7013, or in subparagraph (c)(2)
of the Commercial computer Software ­Registered Rights clause at 48 C.F.R., 52-227-19
as applicable. Data Translation, Inc., 100 Locke
Drive, Marlboro, MA 01752

Data Translation, Inc.
100 Locke Drive
Marlboro, MA 01752-1192
[phone]
www.datatranslation.com
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Data Translation



and GLOBAL LAB are

registered trademarks and Imaging OMNI CD,
DT Vision Foundry, and DT-Active Camera

Link Frame Grabber

TM

are trademarks of Data

Translation, Inc.

All other brand and product names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective companies.

Table of Contents

About this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Intended Audience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

What You Should Learn from this Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Conventions Used in this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Related Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Where to Get Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Chapter 1: Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Supported Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Getting Started Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chapter 2: Preparing to Use the DT3145. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Checking the System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Installing the Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Viewing the DT3145 Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Chapter 3: Installing the Board and Configuring the

Device Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Installing the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Setting up the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Selecting an Expansion Slot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Configuring the Trigger Selection Jumper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Inserting the DT3145 Board in the Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Loading and Configuring the Device Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

iii

Contents

Chapter 4: Connecting Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Connecting a Camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Connecting Signals to Connector J2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Chapter 5: Verifying Board Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Using DT-AcquireCL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Chapter 6: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

General Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Service and Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Telephone Technical Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

E-Mail and Fax Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

World-Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

If Your Board Needs Factory Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

iv

About this Manual

This manual describes how to get started using a DT3145 frame
grabber board.

Intended Audience

This document is intended for engineers, scientists, technicians, or
others responsible for setting up a DT3145 board to perform machine
vision and/or image analysis operations. It is assumed that you are
familiar with the Windows® 2000 or Windows XP operating

environment on the IBM PC or compatible computer platform and

with the operating characteristics of your Camera Link camera.

What You Should Learn from this Manual

This manual will help you install and set up your board and required
software successfully. It is organized as follows:

• Chapter 1, “Overview,” describes the key features of the DT3145
hardware and software, and provides an overview of the getting
started procedure.

• Chapter 2, “Preparing to Use the DT3145,” describes how to
unpack the board and software, check system requirements,
install the DT3145 software, and view the DT3145 documentation
online.

• Chapter 3, “Installing the Board and Configuring the Device

Driver,” describes how to install the DT3145 board and configure

the device driver in Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

• Chapter 4, “Connecting Signals,” describes how to connect the
camera to the board and how to connect signals to the board.

• Chapter 5, “Verifying Board Operation,” describes how to verify
the board’s operation using DT-AcquireCL.

v

About this Manual

Conventions Used in this Manual

Related Information

• Chapter 6, “Troubleshooting,” describes how to resolve issues
with the DT3145 board should they occur.

• An index completes this manual.

The following conventions are used in this manual:

• Notes provide useful information that requires special emphasis,
cautions provide information to help you avoid losing data or
damaging your equipment, and warnings provide information to
help you avoid catastrophic damage to yourself or your
equipment.

• Items that you select or type are shown in bold.

• Courier font is used to represent source code.

vi

Refer to the following documents for more information on using a
DT3145 board:

•The DT3145 User’s Manual (UM-19603). This manual
(UM3145.PDF), included on the Imaging OMNI CD
the features of the DT3145 board in detail.

• DT-Active Frame Grabber Controls Getting Started Manual
(UM-19336). This manual (DTFG.PDF), included on the Imaging
OMNI CD, describes how to install, set up, and use the
DT-Active Frame Grabber controls (including the DT-Active

Camera Link Frame Grabber control) to develop imaging or
machine vision application programs using Microsoft Visual
Basic or Microsoft Visual C++.

TM

, describes

• GLOBAL LAB Image/2 User’s Manual (UM-17790). This manual
(GLIUM.PDF), included on the Imaging OMNI CD, describes
how to use GLOBAL LAB® Image/2 to create scientific
applications.

• DT Vision Foundry User’s Manual (UM-17755). This manual,
available from Data Translation, describes how to use DT Vision

Foundry to create machine vision applications.

• Camera Link Specification, available from the Automated
Imaging Association (AIA) at http://machinevisiononline.org.

Where to Get Help

Should you run into problems installing or using a DT3145 board, the
Technical Support Department is available to provide technical
assistance. Refer to Chapter 6 starting on page 39 for more
information. If you are outside the United States or Canada, call your
local distributor, whose number is listed in your Data Translation
product handbook.

About this Manual

vii

About this Manual

viii

1

Overview

Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Supported Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Getting Started Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

1

Chapter 1

Key Features

Key features of the DT3145 frame grabber board are summarized as
follows:

• Operates on the 32-bit, 33 MHz PCI local bus interface.

• Accepts a single Camera Link-compatible digital source
operating in area-scan or line-scan mode.

• Acquires and stores data in single-port format (8-bit, 10-bit,
12-bit, 14-bit, and 16-bit monochrome), dual-port format (8-bit,
10-bit, and 12-bit monochrome), or RGB format (24-bit color).

• In area-scan mode, acquires regions of interest (ROIs), also called
areas of interest or AOIs, that are 8 to 4,096 pixels wide by 1 to
4,096 lines high, depending on your camera.

• In line-scan mode, acquires lines that contain 8 to 16,384 pixels,
depending on your camera. You can acquire either a single line
or multiple lines to build your own frame.

• Acquires data at frequencies up to 66 MHz, determined by the
Camera Link clock.

• Accepts an external trigger (either isolated or TTL) with
software-selectable polarity.

• Provides two programmable look-up-tables (LUTs), each with
three 256 x 8-bit sections that correspond to input ports
A, B, and C.

• Provides four, software-selectable camera control output signals,
which you can program to output the following:

− An expose output signal to control the exposure time for

asynchronous reset cameras.

− An integration signal to control the exposure time for

line-scan cameras.

− A strobe output signal to control lighting.

− A general-purpose output signal.

2

• Accepts up to four TTL digital input signals which can generate a
PCI interrupt on a change of state.

• Provides up to four TTL digital output signals.

• Provides an asynchronous, serial communication port for camera
setup.

• Supports overlays.

Overview

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

3

Chapter 1

Supported Software

The following software is available for use with the DT3145 frame
grabber board:

• DT3145 Device Driver – This software is provided on the
Imaging OMNI CD, which is shipped with the board. You must
install this device driver to use a DT3145 board with any of the
supported software packages or utilities. Refer to Chapter 2

starting on page 7 for information on installing the DT3145

device driver.

• DT-Active Camera Link Frame Grabber Control − Use this

ActiveX control, provided on the Imaging OMNI CD, if you want
to develop your own application software for the DT3145 board
using Microsoft Visual Basic or Visual C++ in Windows 2000 or
Windows XP. Refer to Chapter 2 starting on page 7 for
information on installing the DT-Active Camera Link Frame
Grabber Control.

• DT-AcquireCL – Use this software, provided on the Imaging
OMNI CD, to verify the operation of your DT3145 board during
startup. Refer to Chapter 5 starting on page 33 for information on
using DT-AcquireCL.

• GLOBAL LAB Image/2 – Order this optional software package if
you want to develop scientific applications using object-oriented
image processing tools.

• DT Vision Foundry – Order this optional software package if
you want to develop machine vision applications using
object-oriented image processing tools.

Refer to the Data Translation Product Handbook for information on
additional software packages available for the DT3145 board.

4

Accessories

The following accessories are available for use with the DT3145 frame
grabber board:

• EP327 cable – An integrated cable assembly (2-meter or 5-meter)
that connects the board to your Camera Link camera. You must
order this accessory separately.

• STP15 screw terminal panel – A screw terminal panel that
accepts digital input signals and an external trigger input signal
and provides connections for digital output signals and a strobe
output signal. You must order this accessory separately.

• EP337 cable – A 2-meter cable assembly that is shipped with the
STP15 screw terminal panel. It attaches the STP15 screw terminal
panel to the J2 connector on the DT3145 board.

Overview

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

5

Chapter 1

Getting Started Procedure

The flow diagram shown in Figure 1 illustrates the steps needed to
get started using the DT3145 frame grabber board. This diagram is
repeated in each chapter; the shaded area in the diagram shows you
where you are in the getting started procedure.

Prepare to Use the DT3145 Board
(see Chapter 2 starting on page 7)

Install the Board and Configure the Device

Driver (see Chapter 3 starting on page 15)

Connect Signals to the Board

(see Chapter 4 starting on page 25)

Verify Board Operation

(see Chapter 5 starting on page 33)

Troubleshoot Issues

(see Chapter 6 starting on page 39)

Figure 1: Getting Started Flow Diagram

6

2

Preparing to Use the

DT3145

Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Checking the System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Installing the Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Viewing the DT3145 Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

7

Chapter 2

Prepare to Use the DT3145 Board

(this chapter)

Install the Board and Configure the Device

Driver (see Chapter 3 starting on page 15)

Connect Signals to the Board

(see Chapter 4 starting on page 25)

Verify Board Operation

(see Chapter 5 starting on page 33)

Troubleshoot Issues

(see Chapter 6 starting on page 39)

8

Unpacking

Open the shipping box and carefully remove the DT3145 frame
grabber board.

Keep the DT3145 board in its protective antistatic bag until you are
ready to configure and/or install it.

Verify that the following items are present:

Preparing to Use the DT3145

2

2

CAUTION:

2

• DT3145 frame grabber board, and

• Imaging OMNI CD.

If an item is missing or damaged, call Data Translation's Customer
Service Department at [phone] x1394. Customer Service will
guide you through the appropriate steps for replacing missing or
damaged items. If you are located outside the USA, call your local
distributor, listed in your Data Translation Product Handbook.

Note: It is recommended that you save the original packing
material in the unlikely event that your board requires servicing in
the future.

2

2

2

2

2

2

9

Chapter 2

Checking the System Requirements

For reliable operation, your DT3145 frame grabber board requires the
following minimum system requirements:

• Pentium III processor

• At least one available PCI 32-bit, 33 MHz bus master expansion
slot.

• At least 256 MB of RAM.

• A DirectX-compatible graphics adapter set to 24-bit or 32-bit
color.

• At least one CD-ROM drive.

• Window 2000 or Windows XP.

• If you are using the DT-Active Camera Link Frame Grabber
Control, Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 or higher or Microsoft Visual
C++ 6.0 or higher.

10

Installing the Software

To operate properly, the DT3145 frame grabber board requires the
following software components, which are provided on the Imaging
OMNI CD:

Preparing to Use the DT3145

2

• Microsoft DirectX, version 7.0 or greater,

• DT3145 Device Driver, version 1.0 or greater.

Note: If the DirectX software on your computer is less than version

7.0, you are prompted to install the updated DirectX software from

the Imaging OMNI CD.

To install the DT3145-related software from the Imaging OMNI CD,
perform the following steps:

1. Insert the Imaging OMNI CD into your CD-ROM drive.

Typically, the software installation procedure starts automatically. If
the installation procedure does not start automatically, click Run from
the Windows Start menu, either enter x:\LAUNCH.EXE (where x is
the letter of your CD-ROM drive) in the Run dialog box or use the
Browse button to locate LAUNCH.EXE, then click OK.

2. From the main screen, click Install Products.

3. Click MACH II SERIES.

4. Click Install Devices.

2

2

2

2

2

2

5. Click DT3145.

If you do not have an up-to-date version of DirectX installed on your
system, you are prompted to install DirectX software from the Imaging
OMNI CD; afterwards, you must repeat steps 1 to 5. If you do have an
up-to-date version of DirectX, the InstallShield Wizard appears.

6. Click Next.

The license agreement is displayed.

2

2

11

Chapter 2

7. Click Yes to accept the license agreement, then click Finish.

You are prompted to choose your destination location.

8. Click Next.

9. Click Ty pi ca l (which installs the driver, ActiveX control,

examples, and manuals), Compact (which installs only the driver
and ActiveX control), or Custom (which allows you to select the
components to install).

10. Click Next.

11. If you selected Custom, specify the components that you want to
install, then click Next. Otherwise, click Finish.

12. Click Main Menu, then click Exit.

12

Preparing to Use the DT3145

Viewing the DT3145 Documentation

Note: To view the DT3145 documentation, Adobe Acrobat 4.0 or
greater must be installed on your system. Acrobat Reader 5.0 is
provided on the Imaging OMNI CD. If you install Acrobat Reader

5.0 from this CD, make sure that you open Acrobat Reader and
accept the license agreement before viewing the documentation.

You can access the DT3145 documentation from the DT3145 program
group. From the Windows Start menu, click Programs|Data
Translation, Inc|DT3145, then select the appropriate document.

You can also access the DT3145 documentation from the Imaging
OMNI CD by performing the following steps:

2

2

2

2

1. Insert the Imaging OMNI CD into your CD-ROM drive.

Typically, the CD opens automatically. If the CD does not open
automatically, click Run from the Windows Start menu, either enter
x:\LAUNCH.EXE (where x is the letter of your CD-ROM drive) in
the Run dialog box or use the Browse button to locate LAUNCH.EXE,
then click OK.

2. From the main screen, click Install Products.

3. Click MACH II SERIES.

4. Click Documentation.

5. Click Getting Started Manuals.

6. Click DT3145.

7. View and/or print the PDF version of the DT3145 Getting Started

Manual, then close Adobe Acrobat.

8. Click Main Menu.

9. Click View Documentation.

2

2

2

2

2

13

Chapter 2

10. Click User’s Manuals.

11. Click DT3145.

12. View and/or print the PDF version of the DT3145 User’s Manual,

then close Adobe Acrobat.

13. Click Main Menu.

14. Click View Documentation.

15. Click DT-Active Frame Grabber Controls (Mach II).

16. View and/or print the PDF version of the DT-Active Frame

Grabber Controls Getting Started Manual, then close Adobe
Acrobat.

17. Click Main Menu, then click Exit.

14

3

Installing the Board and

Configuring the Device Driver

Installing the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Loading and Configuring the Device Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

15

Chapter 3

Prepare to Use the DT3145 Board
(see Chapter 2 starting on page 7)

Install the Board and Configure the Device

Driver (this chapter)

Connect Signals to the Board

(see Chapter 4 starting on page 25)

Verify Board Operation

(see Chapter 5 starting on page 33)

Troubleshoot Issues

(see Chapter 6 starting on page 39)

16

Installing the Board

To install the DT3145 frame grabber board, you must set up the
computer, select an expansion slot, configure the trigger selection
jumper, if necessary, then insert the board into the computer.

Setting up the Computer

Installing the Board and Configuring the Device Driver

3

3

CAUTION:

To prevent electrostatic damage that can occur when handling
electronic equipment, use a ground strap or similar device when
performing this installation procedure.

To set up the computer, perform the following steps:

1. Turn off the computer.

2. Turn off all peripherals (printer, modem, monitor, and so on)

connected to the computer.

3. Remove the cover from your computer. Refer to your computer’s
user manual for instructions.

Next, select an expansion slot, as described in the next section.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

17

Chapter 3

Selecting an Expansion Slot

To select an expansion slot, perform the following steps:

1. Select a 32-bit, 33 MHz PCI master expansion slot. Refer to your
computer system’s user manual to determine which slots are bus
masters.

PCI slots are shorter than ISA or EISA slots and are usually white
or ivory. Commonly, three PCI slots (one of which may be a
shared ISA/PCI slot) are available. If an ISA board is located in a
shared slot, you cannot use the slot for a PCI board; likewise, if a
PCI board is located in a shared slot, you cannot use the slot for
an ISA board.

Note: In most PCI systems, any PCI slot can be a bus master.

2. Remove the cover plate from the selected expansion slot. Retain

the screw that held it in place; you will use it later to install the
board.

18

Next, configure the trigger selection jumper, as described in the next
section.

Configuring the Trigger Selection Jumper

The DT3145 frame grabber board contains a trigger selection jumper
that allows you to specify whether the external trigger input is a
common-ground isolated signal or a TTL-level input signal, as
follows:

• Isolated signal – The trigger input is common-ground isolated
and rated for +32 V of isolation. This is the default position of the
jumper. Note that the optical isolator adds a delay of

approximately 20 µs to the trigger input.

Installing the Board and Configuring the Device Driver

• TTL-level signal – The trigger is a TTL-level signal of 0 to 5 V
maximum. This trigger position is useful if your application
requires more accurate or faster trigger timing than provided by
the isolated signal (for example, if you are using one trigger per
line for a line-scan operation).

CAUTION:

The external trigger input accepts a TTL-level signal of 0 to 5 V
maximum. To prevent damaging your DT3145 board, make sure
that the TTL signal is no greater than 5 V.

3

3

3

To configure the trigger selection jumper, if necessary, perform the
following steps:

1. Discharge any static electricity by holding the wrapped board in
one hand while placing your other hand firmly on a metal
portion of the computer chassis.

2. Carefully remove the antistatic packing material from the board.
(It is recommended that you save the original packing material in
the unlikely event that your board requires servicing in the
future.)

3. If you want to use an isolated signal, leave the trigger selection
jumper in the default, W1 position.

If you want to use a TTL-level signal, move the trigger selection
jumper to the W2 position. Refer to Figure 2.

3

3

3

3

3

3

19

Chapter 3

W1W2

W1W2

J1

J2

W1 Position
Isolated Trigger

W2 Position
TTL-Level Trigger

Trigger Selection
Jumper

Figure 2: Configuring the Trigger Selection Jumper

Next, insert the DT3145 board in the computer, as described in the
next section.

20

Installing the Board and Configuring the Device Driver

Inserting the DT3145 Board in the Computer

To insert the DT3145 board in the computer, perform the following
steps:

1. If necessary, discharge any static electricity by holding the
wrapped board in one hand while placing your other hand
firmly on a metal portion of the computer chassis.

2. If necessary, carefully remove the antistatic packing material
from the board. (It is recommended that you save the original
packing material in the unlikely event that your board requires
servicing in the future.)

3. Hold the board by its edges and do not touch any of the
components on the board.

4. Position the board so that the cable connectors are facing the rear
of the computer, as shown in Figure 3.

DT3145 Board

Rear of Computer

3

3

3

3

3

3

PCI Expansion Slot Bus Connector

Figure 3: Inserting the DT3145 Board in the Comput er

3

3

3

21

Chapter 3

5. Carefully lower the board into the PCI expansion slot using the
guide to properly align the board in the slot. When the bottom of
the board contacts the bus connector, gently press down on the
board until it clicks into place.

CAUTION:

Do not force the board into place. Moving the board from side to
side during installation may damage the bus connector. If you
encounter resistance when inserting the board, remove the
board and try again.

6. Secure the board in place at the rear panel of the computer using
the screw removed from the slot cover.

7. Replace the cover and turn on the computer.

When you are finished with this procedure, load and configure the
device driver using the instructions in the next section.

22

Installing the Board and Configuring the Device Driver

Loading and Configuring the Device Driver

If you are using Windows XP, once you install the board and turn the
computer on, the New Hardware Found dialog box appears. To load
the device driver, select the option to Install the software
automatically (Recommended), click Next, then click Finish.

For Windows 2000, the device driver is automatically loaded when
you install the DT3145 software from the Imaging OMNI CD.

Once the driver has been loaded, configure the DT3145 Device Driver
by performing the following steps:

3

3

3

1. From the Windows Start menu, select Settings|Control Panel.

2. Double-click DT Imaging Control.

The DT Image Control dialog box is displayed.

3. Select the DT3145 board to configure.

4. If you wish, change the alias (or name) of the board.

5. If you want to use the board, make sure that the Disabled box is

not checked.

6. Click Advanced.

By default, the installation program automatically points to the
directory in which the device configuration files and the LUT files were
installed.

3

3

3

3

3

3

23

Chapter 3

7. If you want to change this directory, either enter or browse to the
folder from which to load or save the device configuration files
and LUT files.

By default, the installation program selects the default.ccf file as the
default device configuration file. The settings in the default device
configuration file will be applied to the DT-Active Camera Link Frame
Grabber control each time you open the control. The default.ccf file
assumes that your camera is set up with 1024 x 1024 ROIs, a software
trigger, and all camera control output lines used to generate a
general-purpose, low-level pulse.

8. If these settings do not match the settings of your camera, select
another file to use as the the default device configuration file,
then click OK.

Note: If you are not sure which device configuration file
matches the settings of your camera, you can select any file to use
as the default device configuration file, configure the control
appropriately, and then save the configuration back to the
default device configuration file that you selected. You can also
create a new device configuration file and then reconfigure the
device driver to use the new file.

24

9. When you are finished, click OK.

When you are finished with this procedure, continue by connecting
the Camera Link camera and appropriate signals to the board. Refer
to Chapter 4 starting on page 25.

4

Connecting Signals

Connecting a Camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Connecting Signals to Connector J2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

25

Chapter 4

Prepare to Use the DT3145 Board

(see Chapter 2 starting on page 7)

Install the Board and Load the Device Driver

(see Chapter 3 starting on page 15)

Connect Signals to the Board

(this chapter)

Verify Board Operation

(see Chapter 5 starting on page 33)

Troubleshoot Issues

(see Chapter 6 starting on page 39)

26

Connecting Signals

The DT3145 frame grabber board provides two user connectors: J1
and J2. Connector J1 is used to connect the DT3145 board to your
Camera Link camera. Connector J2 is used to connect the digital I/O
signals, external trigger input signal, strobe output signal, and +5 V
output signal.

4

This chapter describes how to connect camera/signals to the board
using the J1 and J2 connectors.

CAUTION:

Always turn off the power to both your computer and your camera
before making these connections. Damage can result if connections
are made with the power on.

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

27

Chapter 4

Connecting a Camera

To connect a Camera Link camera to the DT3145 board, perform the
following steps:

1. Make sure that power to the computer is off.

2. Push one end of the Camera Link cable (such as the EP327 cable,

available from Data Translation) into the J1 connector on the
DT3145 board, and tighten the screws on the connector.

3. Push the other end of the Camera Link cable into the connector
on your Camera link camera, and tighten the screws on the
connector. Refer to Figure 4.

Camera Link

Camera
Link
camera

cable

J1

DT3145

28

J2

Figure 4: Connecting the Camera to Connector J1

Once you have connected the Camera Link cable to the DT3145 board
and camera, connect the appropriate signals to connector J2, as
described in the following section.

Connecting Signals to Connector J2

Note: This section assumes that you have purchased an optional
STP15 screw terminal panel; the EP337 cable is shipped with the
STP15.

To connect digital input, digital output, external trigger input, strobe
output, and/or +5 V output signals to connector J2 on the DT3145
board, perform the following steps:

1. Make sure that power to the computer is off.

Connecting Signals

4

4

4

2. Push one end of the EP337 cable into the J2 connector on the
DT3145 board, and tighten the screws on the connector.

3. Push the other end of the EP337 cable into the STP15 screw
terminal panel, and tighten the screws on the connector. Refer to

Figure 5.

J1

EP337

STP15

Figure 5: Connecting the STP15 to the DT3145 Board

J2

DT3145

4

4

4

4

4

4

29

Chapter 4

4. Connect digital input, digital output, external trigger input,
strobe output, and/or +5 V output signals to the screw terminals
of the STP15. Figure 6 shows the layout of the STP15 and the
signal descriptions for each screw terminal.

J2, 15-Pin Connector

TB1

IN0
IN1
DGND

IN2
IN3
DGND

STROBE

DGND/
TRIGGER

DGND

DGND

OUT3
OUT2

DGND

OUT1
OUT0

TB2

+5 V

Figure 6: Layout of the STP15 Screw Terminal Panel

30

Connecting Signals

Notes: In Figure 6, IN refers to digital input signals, OUT refers to
digital output signals, DGND/TRIGGER refers to the external
trigger input signal, STROBE refers to the strobe output signal,
DGND refers to digital ground signals, and +5 V refers to a +5 V
(250 mA) output signal from the DT3145 board.

The dark filled circles in Figure 6 represent holes that you can use to
mount the STP15 on a DIN rail. To mount the STP15 on a DIN rail,
you need two DIN rail mount adapters (Phoenix Contact part
number 1201578 or Data Translation part number 18083), and four
thread form screws (Bossard part number BN2724M3x8 or Data
Translation part number 18193).

If you are connecting an external trigger input signal, make sure that
you have configured the trigger selection jumper to specify whether
the trigger input is a common-ground isolated signal or a TTL-level
input signal. For more information, refer to page 18.

Once you have connected the appropriate signals to the STP15 screw
terminal panel, apply power to the camera and the computer, then
verify the operation of the board using the DT-AcquireCL example
program. Refer to Chapter 5 starting on page 33.

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

31

Chapter 4

32

5

Verifying Board Operation

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Using DT-AcquireCL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

33

Chapter 5

Prepare to Use the DT3145 Board
(see Chapter 2 starting on page 7)

Install the Board and Load the Device Driver

(see Chapter 3 starting on page 15)

Connect Signals to the Board

(see Chapter 4 starting on page 25)

Verify Board Operation

(this chapter)

Troubleshoot Issues

(see Chapter 6 starting on page 39)

34

Overview

The DT-AcquireCL example program provides a quick way to verify
that your board is properly installed, that the camera is properly
connected, and that you can acquire images.

Verifying Board Operation

5

DT-AcquireCL allows you to

• Acquire either a single image or continuous images,

• Open a previously saved .BMP image,

• Save an acquired image in .BMP format,

• Load a device configuration file,

• Save a device configuration file, and

• Perform a digital I/O operation.

DT-AcquireCL is automatically installed when you install the
DT3145 software providing that you select either the Typical
installation option or the Custom installation option with Example
Applications checked (see page 11 for more information).

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

35

Chapter 5

Using DT-AcquireCL

Note: For more information about DT-AcquireCL, click Help from
the DT-AcquireCL main menu, then click DT-AcquireCL Help
To p ic s .

To use DT-AcquireCL, perform the following steps:

1. Connect a Camera Link camera to the Camera Link connector
using a Camera Link cable (such as the EP327 cable, available
from Data Translation). Connect digital input, digital output,
external trigger input, strobe output, and/or +5 V output signals,
as needed, to the STP15 using the EP337 cable. Refer to Chapter 4

starting on page 25 for more information.

2. From the DT-AcquireCL main menu, select File|Select Device.

3. From the Select Device dialog box, select the alias that you gave

to the DT3145 board when you configured the device driver, then
click OK.

36

4. Select Setup|Timeout, then enter a value to indicate when the
acquisition should timeout if a valid video signal is not present.

5. Select Setup|Configure to open the Properties dialog box.

6. To use an existing device configuration file, select the Config tab,

highlight the file that you want to use, click Load, then click OK.
Click OK to close the Properties dialog box, then continue at
step 14.

To configure the DT3145 frame grabber board to match the
settings of your camera, continue at step 7.

Verifying Board Operation

7. Use the Input tab to configure the trigger (used to control the
acquisition of ROIs in area-scan mode and the acquisition of lines
in line-scan mode) and the frame trigger (if you want to control
the acquisition of frames of multiple lines in line-scan mode).
When you are finished with this tab, click Apply (if changed).

5

8. Use the Output tab to configure the camera control output lines
to generate an expose output signal, an integrate output signal, a
strobe output signal, and/or a general-purpose output signal.
When you are finished with this tab, click Apply (if changed).

9. Use the Capture tab to configure the acquisition type, the
area-scan or line-scan properties, and the data format. You can
see the effect of these changes by selecting either Start
Continuous or Single Acquire. To stop a continuous acquire
operation, select Stop Continuous. When you are finished with
this tab, click Apply (if changed).

10. Use the Digital I/O tab to perform digital I/O operations.

11. Use the LUT tab to select the look-up table to use, then click
Apply (if changed). By default, LUT 0 uses the identity pattern

and LUT 1 uses the inverse pattern. You can see the results of
applying the LUT values to the incoming video in the display
window.

12. To save the current device configuration to a device
configuration file, select the Config tab, then click Save. Click Yes
to save the configuration back to the highlighted file. Click No to
save the configuration to a new file, then enter the name of the
configuration file, the name of the creator of the file (optional),
and a short description of the file (optional). When you are
finished, click OK.

5

5

5

5

5

5

13. When you are finished using the Properties dialog box, click OK.

5

5

37

Chapter 5

14. From the DT-AcquireCL main menu, select Run|Start
Continuous Acquire or Run|Single Frame Acquire.

Images are acquired and displayed on the screen.

Note that if the image size is larger than the size of the
DT-AcquireCL window, you will not see the entire image. To
view the entire image, use the Capture tab.

15. To stop a continuous acquire operation, select Run|Stop
Continuous Acquire.

16. To save an image, if desired, select File|Save Image File.

17. When you are finished with this program, select File|Close
Device, then select File|Exit to close the application.

38

6

Troubleshooting

General Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Service and Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

If Your Board Needs Factory Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

39

Chapter 6

Prepare to Use the DT3145 Board
(see Chapter 2 starting on page 7)

Install the Board and Load the Device Driver

(see Chapter 3 starting on page 15)

Connect Signals to the Board

(see Chapter 4 starting on page 25)

Verify Board Operation

(see Chapter 5 starting on page 33)

Troubleshoot Issues

(this chapter)

40

General Checklist

Should you experience problems using the DT3145 frame grabber
board, perform the following steps:

1. Read all the documentation provided for your product. Make
sure that you have added any “Read This First” information to
your manual and that you have used this information.

2. Check the Imaging OMNI CD for any README files and ensure
that you have used the latest installation and configuration
information available.

3. Check that your system meets the requirements stated on

page 10.

4. Check that you have installed the software properly using
instructions starting on page 11.

5. Check that you have installed your hardware properly using the
instructions starting on page 17.

6. Check that you have loaded and configured the device driver
properly using the instructions on page 23.

Troubleshooting

6

6

6

6

6

7. Search the online Knowledgebase in the Support section of the
Data Translation web site (at www.datatranslation.com) for an
answer to your problem.

If you still experience problems, try using the information in Tab l e 1
to isolate and solve the problem. If you cannot identify the problem,
refer to page 46.

6

6

6

6

41

Chapter 6

Table 1: Troubleshooting Problems

Symptom Possible Cause Possible Solution

Board does not
respond.

The board is
incorrectly aligned in
a PCI expansion slot.

The interrupt level is
unacceptable.

Check that the slot in which your DT3145
board is located is a PCI slot and that the
board is correctly seated in the slot; see
the instructions starting on page 17.

An interrupt conflict exists in your system.
The most common interrupt conflict
occurs with a PCI device and a device that
is plugged into the ISA bus. To resolve
this problem, change the interrupt setting
(usually by changing a jumper) on the ISA
device.

An interrupt conflict can also occur if a PCI
device was not designed to share
interrupts. To resolve this problem, select
a different interrupt for each PCI slot in the
PCI BIOS. To do this, enter the system
BIOS program; this is usually done by
pressing the DEL key when rebooting
your system. Once in the system BIOS,
enter the PCI/PnP BIOS setup, and select
a unique interrupt for each PCI slot. The
PCI BIOS assigns the interrupt; the device
on the PCI bus does not have control ov er
the interrupt assignment.

42

The board is
damaged.

Some network devices do not share
interrupts. If you still have an interrupt
conflict, try removing the network device,
installing the DT3145 board and rebooting
the system, then reinserting the network
device.

Contact Data Translation for technical
support; refer to page 46.

Table 1: Troubleshooting Problems (cont.)

Troubleshooting

Symptom Possible Cause Possible Solution

Intermittent
operation.

Data appears to
be invalid.

Computer does
not boot.

Loose connections or
vibrations exist.

Electrical noise
exists.

The board is
overheating.

Wiring is not
connected properly.

Board is not seated
properly .

Check your wiring and tighten any loose
connections or cushion vibration sources;
see the instructions in Chapter 4 starting

on page 25.

Check your connections; see the
instructions in Chapter 4 starting on page

25.

Check environmental and ambient
temperature; consult the boa rd ’s
specifications in Appendix A of the
DT3145 User’s Manual (UM3145.PDF)
and the documentation provided by your
computer manufacturer for more
information.

Check your wiring and fix any open
connections; see the instructions in

Chapter 4 starting on page 25.

Check that the slot in which your DT3145
board is located is a PCI slot, that the
board is correctly seated in the slot, and
that the board is secured in the slot with a
screw; see the instructions on page 17.

6

6

6

6

6

6

The power supply of
the computer is too
small to handle all the
system resources.

Check the power requirements of your
system resources and, if needed, get a
larger power supply; consul t th e bo ard’s
specifications in Appendix A of the
DT3145 User’s Manual (UM3145.PDF).

6

6

6

43

Chapter 6

Table 1: Troubleshooting Problems (cont.)

Symptom Possible Cause Possible Solution

System locked
up.

Board is not seated
properly .

Interrupt level is
unacceptable.

Check that the slot in which your DT3145
board is located is a PCI slot, that the
board is correctly seated in the slot, and
that the board is secured in the slot with a
screw; see the instructions starting on

page 17.

An interrupt conflict exists in your system.
The most common interrupt conflict
occurs with a PCI device and a device that
is plugged into the ISA bus. To resolve
this problem, change the interrupt setting
(usually by changing a jumper) on the ISA
device.

An interrupt conflict can also occur if a PCI
device was not designed to share
interrupts. To resolve this problem, select
a different interrupt for each PCI slot in the
PCI BIOS. To do this, enter the system
BIOS program; this is usually done by
pressing the DEL key when rebooting
your system. Once in the system BIOS,
enter the PCI/PnP BIOS setup, and select
a unique interrupt for each PCI slot. The
PCI BIOS assigns the interrupt; the device
on the PCI bus does not have control ov er
the interrupt assignment.

44

Some network devices do not share
interrupts. If you still have an interrupt
conflict, try removing the network device,
installing the DT3145 board and rebooting
the system, then reinserting the network
device.

Table 1: Troubleshooting Problems (cont.)

Troubleshooting

Symptom Possible Cause Possible Solution

Images are
scrambled.

Acquisition
operation timed
out.

The capture
properties are not set
appropriately.

The capture
properties are not set
appropriately.

Wiring is not
connected properly.

Refer to the documentation for your
camera and set the capture properties to
match the requirements of your camera.
Refer to the DT3145 User’s Manual
(UM3145.PDF) and to the FGXCL.HLP
file on the Imaging OMNI CD for more
information.

Refer to the documentation for your
camera and set the capture properties to
match the requirements of your camera.
Refer to the DT3145 User’s Manual
(UM3145.PDF) and to the FGXCL.HLP
file on the Imaging OMNI CD for more
information.

Check your wiring and fix any open
connections; see the instructions in

Chapter 4 starting on page 25.

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

45

Chapter 6

Service and Support

If you have difficulty using the DT3145 frame grabber board, Data
Translation’s Technical Support Department is available to provide
technical assistance.

Telephone Technical Support

For the most efficient service, complete the form on page 47 and be at
your computer when you call for technical support. This information
helps to identify specific system and configuration-related problems
and to replicate the problem in house, if necessary.

You can reach the Technical Support Department by calling
[phone] x1001.

If you are located outside the USA, call your local distributor. The
name and telephone number of you nearest distributor are provided
in your Data Translation catalog.

46

If you are leaving a message to request a support call, include the
following information:

• Your name (include proper spelling),

• Your company or organization (include proper spelling),

• A phone number,

• An e-mail address where you can be reached,

• The hardware/software product you need help on,

• A summary of the issue or question you have,

• Your contract number, if applicable, and

• Your product serial number or purchase date.

Omitting any of the above information may delay our ability to
resolve your issue.

Information Required for Technical Support

Troubleshooting

Name:___________________________________________Phone__________________________
Contract Number: __________________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Data Translation hardware product(s): __________________________________________________

serial number: _________________________________________________________________
configuration: _________________________________________________________________

Data Translation device driver - SPO number: ___________ ________________________________

_______________________________________________ version: _________________________

Data Translation software - SPO number:_______________ ________________________________

serial number: ________________________________ version:__________________________

PC make/model: ___________________________________________________________________

operating system: _____________________________ version:__________________________
Windows version: ______________________________________________________________
processor:___________________________________ speed:___________________________
RAM:_______________________________________ hard disk space:____________________
network/number of users: _______________________ disk cache:________________________
graphics adapter: _____________________________ data bus:_________________________

I have the following boards and applications installed in my system:____________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

I am encountering the following problem(s):______________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

and have received the following error messages/codes: ____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

I have run the board diagnostics with the following results: __________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

You can reproduce the problem by performing these steps:

1._______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

2._______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

3._______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

47

Chapter 6

E-Mail and Fax Support

You can also get technical support by e-mailing or faxing the
Technical Support Department:

• E-mail: You can reach Technical Support at the following
address: [e-mail]

Ensure that you provide the following minimum information:

− Yo ur na me,

− Your company or organization,

− A phone number,

− An e-mail address where you can be reached,

− The hardware/software product you need help on,

− A summary of the issue you are experiencing,

− Your contract number, if applicable, and

− Your product serial number or purchase date.

48

Omitting any of the above information may delay our ability to
resolve your issue.

• Fax: Photocopy and complete the form on page 47, then fax
Technical Support at the following number: [phone].

World-Wide Web

For the latest tips, software fixes, and other product information, you
can always access our World-Wide Web site at the following address:
http://www.datatranslation.com

If Your Board Needs Factory Service

If your board must be returned to Data Translation, perform the
following steps:

1. Record the board’s serial number, then contact the Customer
Service Department at [phone] (if you are in the USA) and
obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA).

If you are located outside the USA, call your local distributor for
authorization and shipping instructions. The name and
telephone number of your nearest distributor are listed in your
Data Translation catalog.

All return shipments to Data Translation must be marked with
the correct RMA number to ensure proper processing.

2. Using the original packing materials, if available, package the
board as follows:

Troubleshooting

6

6

6

6

− Wrap the board in an electrically conductive plastic material.

Handle with ground protection. A static discharge can
destroy components on the board.

− Place in a secure shipping container.

3. Return the board to the following address, making sure the RMA
number is visible on the outside of the box.

Customer Service Dept.
Data Translation, Inc.
100 Locke Drive
Marlboro, MA 01752-1192

6

6

6

6

6

49

Chapter 6

50

Index

A

accessories

EP327 cable
EP337 cable

STP15 screw terminal panel
ActiveX control
Adobe Acrobat Reader, using

5
5, 29

5

4

13

C

cables

EP327

5

EP337

5, 29

checking system requirements
connecting camera (to connector J1)
connecting signals

to connector J2

using the EP337 cable

using the STP15
conventions used
customer service

29

29

29

vi

49

10

D

DT Vision Foundry 4

DT3145 Device Driver
DT3145 documentation, installing
DT-AcquireCL
DT-Active Camera Link Frame

Grabber Control

4, 36

4

4

13

28

E

e-mail support 48

EP327 cable
EP337 cable
expansion slot

selection

5
5, 29

10

18

F

factory service 49

fax support

48

G

GLOBAL LAB Image/2 4

H

help 41

I

inserting the board in the computer 21

installing the DT3145 documentation

13

installing the software

11

J

J1 connector 28

J2 connector

29

51

Index

R

related documents vi

requirements
returning boards to the factory
RMA

49

10

S

screw terminal panel layout 30

selecting an expansion slot
service and support procedure
setting up the computer
slot selection
software supported
STP15 screw terminal panel
support

e-mail

fax

48

telephone

Worl d Wi d e Web
system requirements

18

4

48

46

48

18

17

5, 29

10

U

unpacking the board 9

49

V

verifying board operation 35

W

Worl d -Wi de We b 48

46

52

T

technical support 46

e-mail

48

fax

48

telephone

World-Wide Web
telephone support
troubleshooting

procedure

service and support procedure

troubleshooting table

46

48

46

41

42

46