New features in Vicon Shogun 1.9

This pages describes the new features in this release of Shogun

Shogun Live 1.9 new features

Compatibility with Vicon Valkyrie cameras

The latest version of Shogun is compatible with Vicon's new Vicon Valkyrie cameras, enabling you to benefit from their speed, resolution and power.

Shogun 1.9 is compatible with the following Valkyrie camera models:

• Valkyrie VK26, with a resolution of up to 26.2 megapixels (5120 x 5120) and full frame rate capture speed of 150 fps
• Valkyrie VK16, with a resolution of up to 16.1 megapixels (5120 x 3152) and full frame rate capture speed of 240 fps

Vicon Valkyrie cameras are fitted with:

• A unique, new varifocal lens developed by Vicon to give unparalleled range and precision.
• IP65-rated protection, which ensures they are suitable for use in challenging environments
• Three status lights (LEDs), which give clearly visible camera status information. For more information, see Valkyrie status lights and TFT LCD display.
• An accelerometer, which enables you to select a camera in the volume by tapping it, and which monitors the camera position to alert you if any cameras are accidentally knocked or moved from their intended positions. For more information, see Valkyrie Tap to Select feature and Valkyrie bump detection and display.
• Thermal sensors, which monitor camera temperature levels so that you are warned of any changes in temperature that could affect the system status. For more information, see Valkyrie temperature sensor display.

You can now use the new Video Preview Mode to assist with volume setup and check space coverage (see Use Video Preview Mode for camera setup).

To connect Valkyrie cameras to the host PC, Vicon offers a range of options, depending on the number of cameras you want to use and whether you are adding them to an existing Vicon system. To determine the most appropriate topology for your system, see the Valkyrie system diagrams and contact your local Vicon Sales representative.

For synchronization to third-party devices and timecode, together with connections for analog devices, you can add a Vicon Lock Lab to your Valkyrie system.

In addition to working with the latest version of Vicon Shogun, Vicon Valkyrie cameras can also be used with the Vicon Control app.

For information on setting up Vicon Valkyrie systems, see the Vicon Valkyrie documentation.

Valkyrie status lights and TFT LCD display

• Location: Camera's properties > Display section

To help you monitor the status of Vicon Valkyrie cameras, the cameras include status lights and a TFT LCD (thin film transistor liquid crystal display):

• Three lights (LEDs) provide feedback on camera operation, one pair on either side of the camera, and one below the display.
• The display on the front of the Vicon Valkyrie camera, combined with the status lights' color, gives information about the current camera status.

Under normal conditions (unless a connected application changes the display, and unless the display has been disabled in Shogun), the display changes to reflect the camera status.

To change the display of Vicon Valkyrie camera status information:

1. In the System panel, go to the Vicon Cameras list and select a camera (or all cameras).

2. In the Display section of the camera properties, select or clear Enable Status Lights and/or Enable Display.

   With Enable Status Lights and Enable Display selected, while the camera is booting, the display shows the Valkyrie logo and the status LED color changes from gold to blue when it connects to Shogun.

The display changes to reflect the camera's status, giving information about camera status, for example when the camera has finished booting, whether it is currently active, and its calibration status.

When Enable Display is cleared, the display is blank.

The image on the display rotates based on the orientation of the camera.

After the camera has booted, you can check the cameras' status by observing the status lights (LEDs) and the display on each camera. You can also monitor the camera status in Shogun.

Valkyrie Tap to Select feature

• Location: System panel (top)

  

Vicon Valkyrie cameras provide a Tap to Select feature, which enables you to lightly tap the camera in the volume to select it (and deselect the other cameras). Enable Tap to Select is on by default.

To turn Tap to Select off or on:

• On the System panel, clear or select Enable Tap to Select.

If you tap a calibrated camera too hard, the camera may be reported as 'bumped' (that is, it is displayed with an additional red icon in the Vicon Cameras list and the status lights on the affected Valkyrie camera flash blue).

If this is a frequent occurrence, you can change its sensitivity to being tapped by reducing the Bump Sensitivity.

For information on removing a camera's bumped status and changing Bump Sensitivity, see Valkyrie bump detection and display.

Valkyrie bump detection and display

• Location: Camera's properties > Accelerometer section

  

In addition to the Tap to Select feature (see above), Vicon Valkyrie cameras also provide bump detection.

Bump detection works on calibrated cameras to alert you when they have moved from their calibrated positions. If a calibrated camera is accidentally knocked, the camera's icon changes to red in the Vicon Cameras list and the status lights on the affected Valkyrie camera flash blue.

To change the sensitivity of the accelerometer:

1. In the Vicon Cameras list, select the required camera.
2. In the camera's properties, go to the Accelerometer section and select a different option in the Bump Sensitivity menu.

For information on what action (if any) you need to take to remedy a bumped camera, see Fix bumped cameras in Getting started with Vicon Shogun.

Note the following limitations of Valkyrie bump detection:

• Bump detection is active only on calibrated cameras.
• Bump detection cannot detect movement that does not change the local gravity vector, for example. slow translation with no rotation; rotation about the G-vector.
• Bump detection cannot detect movements that occur when the camera is not connected to a live system.
• The camera is detected as bumped when the reading from the accelerometer is sufficiently different from the last reading that was sent. Therefore gradual changes (for example, a slipping camera mount) may not be detected until they are large enough to trigger a new notification.

Valkyrie temperature sensor display

• Location: Camera'sproperties > Temperature section > Sensor, Display and Strobe Controller

  

Significant changes in camera temperature can have small effects on the camera's lens. Camera calibrations take into account lens intrinsics. Changes in these intrinsic properties can have small impacts on overall data quality. However, note that large temperature changes generally result in only very small data effects. Temperature monitoring is made available to optimize calibration-to-collection consistency.

Vicon Valkyrie cameras have onboard temperature sensors. These onboard temperature sensors enable you to determine when cameras have reached a stable temperature from a cold start and to observe any change in camera temperature (possibly associated with environmental changes).

The data for the onboard sensors is displayed in the Temperature section. A numeric indicator (in degrees Celsius) is displayed for each of the sensors.

For information on how to set up your Valkyrie system, see the Vicon Valkyrie documentation.

Use Video Preview Mode for camera setup

When setting up Valkyrie cameras with Shogun, you can select Video Preview Mode to assist with volume setup and check space coverage.

Video Preview Mode displays a video image from the optical sensor of Valkyrie cameras. All other camera views and parameters are inactive.

To use Video Preview mode:

1. In the Workspace, select the Cameras view.

2. In the System panel, in the Vicon Cameras list, right-click a camera and select Video Preview Mode > Video Preview Mode.

   

   The camera view changes to Video Preview mode and the camera begins shipping video data. Video Preview Active is displayed in the menu bar:

   

   If you selected multiple cameras, only the last camera in the selection displays a preview.

3. To turn off Video Preview mode:

   • In the menu bar, select the X next to Video Preview Active.

     

     or
   • Right-click any camera in the list and select Video Preview Mode > Exit Preview Mode.

If the preview image is dark:

• In the System panel, make sure that Enable Strobes is selected.
• Use external lights to illuminate your volume.

• Open the aperture.

  When you have finished checking the camera aim and field of view, be sure to set the aperture back to its original value.

All supported cameras can use Video Preview mode but their performance is dependent on frame rate:

• Valkyrie cameras support Video Preview mode from 30–900Hz. At frame rates above a Valkyrie camera's full frame rate (see Compare Range towards the bottom of the Vicon Valkyrie web page), Video Preview mode uses windowing to display the same field of view as optical mode.
• Vantage and Vero cameras support Video Preview mode from 30–60Hz. At frame rates above this, an image may be displayed but this has not been tested.Vantageand Vero do not use windowing in Video Preview mode.

Shogun Post 1.9 new features

Shogun Post 1.9 adds support for Valkyrie cameras.

Compatibility with Vicon Valkyrie cameras

The following Valkyrie cameras are supported in Shogun Post 1.9:

• VK26
• VK16

For information on how to set up your Valkyrie system, see the Vicon Valkyrie documentation.

Change to app for firmware management

You now manage firmware using the Vicon Firmware Manager. For information, see the Vicon Firmware Update Utility Quick Start Guide.