TDT iV2 Video Capture Interface Instruction Manual
- August 2, 2024
- TDT
Table of Contents
TDT iV2 Video Capture Interface Instruction Manual
iV2 Video Capture Interface
The iV2 icon module connects to high-resolution USB3 cameras to record video
frames synchronized with all behavioral, electrophysiology, fiber photometry,
and other research data.
Record video from up to two cameras simultaneously per iV2 module.
USB3CAM Kit
Each kit includes:
- One Basler a2A1920-160ucBAS USB3.0 camera
- A 3 meter locking USB cable and camera sync cable
Status Lights
Each camera has an Error and Active LED. All Err and Act LEDs will flash
during the boot process, or if the iCon has no communication.
LCD Screen
Press the Info button to toggle between live view and camera information
Camera Information
Recording Status
Frame Buffer
Synapse triggers asynchronous frame grabs during acquisition. The iV2 has an
onboard 10 second frame buffer that allows it to catch up after periods of
rapidly changing images. A small progress bar indicator on the LCD screen
shows the state of this buffer. If it fills up, you will see Frame Errors in
the Synapse run-time tab, indicating lost frames. The frame buffer is shared
by both cameras on a each iV2
Temperature Indicator NeXT to the status bar is a temperature sensor.
Make sure the icon housing the iV2 has adequate room to dissipate heat.
Camera Status
| LED status | Camera Status |
|---|---|
| Hidden | no camera detected |
| Gray | detected but not running |
| Red | running with errors |
| Yellow | running but not capturing frames |
| blue | running and capturing frames |
Compression
The iV2 streams data at a fixed bit rate, determined by the Compression Quality setting in Synapse. This ranges from 1 to 5, which corresponds to 2.5 MB/minute to 22 MB/minute, so a 30-minute video is ~75 to ~660 MB depending on this setting. The actual quality of each frame (pixilation) will depend on how much movement there is in the image, like you would see with any live stream at a fixed bit rate.
| Compression | MB/minute |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2.5 |
| 2 | 3.7 |
| 3 | 7 |
| 4 | 14.5 |
| 5 | 22 |
The iV2 generates mp4 files with three choices of encoding: H264, H265, MJPEG. The max FPS is limited by the choice of the encoder. H264 is around twice as efficient as H265 or MJPEG without a perceived difference in quality, so you can get twice the frame rate using H264.
Examples: A single camera running on the iV2 using H264 encoding can do 1920 x 1200 @ 40 FPS, 1280 x 1024 @ 60 FPS, or 640 x 400 @ 200 FPS. If you’re running two cameras per iV2 then cut those FPS numbers in half. Each camera can run at independent resolutions and frame rates.
Camera Support
The USB3CAM kit includes the Basler ace 2 a2A1920-160ucBAS camera. There is a “Pro” model of this camera that is also compatible with the iV2, which might give slightly higher FPS, but likely isn’t necessary
IR Support
iV2 v1.3 and above firmware supports the Basler ace 2 a2A1920-160umBAS
monochrome camera.
You can also remove the IR filter from the a2A1920-160ucBAS camera following the instructions here.
Software Updates
In case the iV2 needs a software update, here is the procedure:
- Copy the files provided by TDT to a USB drive.
- Insert the USB stick into the iV2.
- After about a minute, the iV2 will automatically update itself. The iV2 screen will indicate when it is finished.
- Remove the USB drive, and the iV2 will reboot itself to complete the process.
- Verify that the new software version number is correct on the iV2 screen.
Tucker-Davis Technologies 11930 Research Circle Alachua, FL 32615 USA
Phone: +1.386.462.9622
Fax: +1.386.462.5365
Notices
The information contained in this document is provided “as is,” and is subject
to being changed, without notice. TDT shall not be liable for errors or
damages in connection with the furnishing, use, or performance of this
document or of any information contained herein.
The latest versions of TDT documents are always online at
https://www.tdt.com/docs/
See the Synapse Manual for software control.
References
- a2A1920-160ucBAS | Basler Product Documentation
- a2A1920-160umBAS | Basler Product Documentation
- iV2 - Synapse Manual
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