Vicon Lock in a Vicon system
- Gisela Roberts
- Ben Stanley
Current Vicon cameras can synchronize themselves over their Ethernet network. A Vicon Lock unit provides additional synchronization in systems that use current Vicon capture cameras. The Lock unit can synchronize all Vicon cameras as well as being able to synchronize to external sources itself, and also to provide synchronization to third-party devices.
Except where noted, references to Vicon Lock, Lock units, and Lock apply to all current models of the Vicon Lock unit (at the time of publication, this includes Vicon Lock Studio and Vicon Lock Lab).
A Lock unit provides the following functionality in a Vicon system:
| Feature | Lock Studio | Lock Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Synchronization to genlock/timecode video sources, including genlock to SD, HD and 3G SDI broadcast digital video signals, and extracting timecode metadata |  |  |
| Connection to third-party analog devices (see Add analog capture devices to a Vicon system) | | |
| Synchronization to VESA stereo video sources | | |
| Interfacing with remote triggering devices | | |
| Synchronization of external devices | | |
| Synchronization to SteamVR for use with HTC Vive | | |
Synchronization and remote triggering functionality are application-dependent. For details of supported functionality, see your Vicon application software documentation.
Systems that require Lock functionality generally only require one Lock unit. However, if additional functionality is required, you can add a further unit.
When connecting a second Lock:
- If possible, connect both devices to the primary switch (the switch that is directly connected to the PC) via an additional Gigabit Ethernet switch.
- If one Lock connects to a broadcast genlock or VESA genlock device, this is the primary Lock and must connect to the primary switch.
- If neither one of the Lock units is connected to a genlock source, both must connect to the primary switch.
Depending on your system topology, the Lock unit either connects directly to the primary switch or via a Lock power switch. Note that the unit does not function over 100 baseT PoE. For example systems, see Vicon system configuration and connection examples.
In any system that contains a Lock unit, the Lock is automatically made the sync source by the system application software. Lock can also synchronize with other video systems.
The Lock unit is 1U high and can be rack-, wall-, or floor-mounted and stacked either horizontally or vertically. The unit doesn't contain a convection fan, but it must still be sited so that it is not overheated by other external equipment.
