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uCFG (Microcontroller Frame Grabber) |
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| Introducing the Microcontroller Frame
Grabber (uCFG), a compact video frame grabber with a serial interface
simple enough for use with a microcontroller or an embedded system!
The uCFG allows you to acquire a full color, freeze-frame video field into a local
image buffer.
Download the data in its entirety or as a decimated thumbnail format with
a simple ASCII serial command set. The original full color, full
resolution, raw image data remains in the uCFG's field buffer as long as a new
image is not grabbed. This allows the data to be read out
multiple times with different compression ratios or decimation settings and with full control over downloaded packet size. A
high speed LVTTL-level (+3.3V) serial UART interface working at up to 230.4kbps
is available for sending commands and downloading image data. |
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Features |
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- 4 composite analog input video
channels with built-in multiplexer.
- 4 input channels can instead be used
as 2 S-Video inputs for studio-quality image capture.
- 1 composite analog video output channel for live viewing.
- Native support for both PAL & NTSC.
- Acquire a full field (720x240 NTSC,
720x272 PAL) of
color video data to an on-board image buffer.
- Compact YCbCr 4:2:2 image data format
(if needed, simple host RGB conversion)
- Selective acquisition of ODD or EVEN
field.
- Send commands/download image data over
a simple LVTTL
serial UART interface (or RS-232 with external level shifter) working at up to
230.4kbps.
- Simple ASCII command set.
- Supports 1:1, 2:1, 4:1 and 8:1
compressed image
download modes.
- Multiple download of image data stored
in buffer with different decimation parameters. Allows quick
thumbnail preview, then full resolution download.
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- Full software flow control allows
downloading of image data to limited resources client.
- Frame grab triggered by software
command or, if required, through 4 external hardware trigger inputs
with programmable polarity.
- Complete trigger latch logic allows
acquisition of first triggered frame following latch clear, or
automatic overwrite. Serial commands allow reading of trigger
status, latch, as well as clearing of latch.
- All board configuration settings are set
through user software and stored in non-volatile EEPROM.
- 256 bytes of general purpose
nonvolatile EEPROM user storage space accessible through serial port
commands.
- I2C bus available for expansion (i.e.
adding digital I/O, A/D converter, etc...). I2C bus can be controlled
directly through serial port commands.
- Compact plug-in daughtercard design can be inserted OEM
into a product (two 0.1" single row headers on back side).
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Typical Setup |
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Sample Images |
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| The following images were
all acquired using the uCFG frame grabber board as part of the uCFGEVAL
kit connected to the live NTSC composite video output signal of a Sony
Handycam camcorder. The digitized image data was downloaded from
the uCFG over the RS-232 serial port (115.2kbps) using the uCFG PC
Viewer Software with various compression settings. The images were
all reconstructed from the compressed image data and saved to 740x480
sized full color .BMP file for comparison. The last thumbnail
image was downloaded as a decimated version of the original for quick
preview. |
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Test scene: 3 pop cans under
fluorescent light illumination
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| Test Grab
Images |
Notes |
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| (1)
1:1 High res. ODD + EVEN (.zip,
714KB) |
ODD field capture and
download, followed by EVEN field capture and download. Image
resolution 720x480. (Image data stream size =
691.2KB) |
| (2)
1:1 ODD field (.zip, 669KB) |
Raw data download
without compression. EVEN field was vertically interpolated from
ODD field through viewer software. Image resolution 720x480. (Image data stream size =
345.6KB) |
| (3)
2:1 ODD field (.zip, 709KB) |
Visually lossless.
Image resolution 720x480. (Compressed image data stream size = 172.8KB) |
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4:1 ODD field (.zip, 420KB) |
Some visible
degradation. Image resolution 720x480. (Compressed image data stream size = 86.4KB) |
| (5)
8:1 ODD field (.zip, 258KB) |
Strong degradation,
adequate for quick preview. Image resolution 720x480. (Compressed image data stream size =
43.2KB) |
| (6)
1:1 ODD field
thumbnail (.zip, 51KB) |
Raw data download
without compression of decimated image sized at 180x120 (Image data
stream size = 21.6KB) |
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Applications |
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- Studio freeze-frame video image
capture
- Premises intrusion image capture
- ROV image capture and transmission
- Sports event "photo finish" sensor
- Digital camera module
- "Freeze-and-save" image from live
video feed
- Wireless remote camera image
transmission
- Web camera
- University projects
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- Law enforcement surveillance image
capture
- Remote inspection/testing
- SCADA & Machine-to-machine (M2M)
- Scientific imaging
- Time-lapse imaging
- Gaming
- Hobby robotics
- Industrial inspection/process
monitoring
- Versatile digital video
experimentation tool
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Documentation |
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| See our
support page for datasheet and other documentation. |
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Purchase |
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| To purchase your uCFG,
visit our sales page with up-to-date purchase
information. |
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| Also, see our full
evaluation kit with everything you need to
try out the uCFG today! |
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