Setting up a mixed Vicon camera system

Tracker enables you to capture with mixed Vicon camera systems consisting of Vicon Vero cameras (v1.3 and v2.2), Vicon Vantage cameras (V5, V8, V16) and/or Vicon MX T-Series cameras (T10, T20, T40, T160, or S Edition), and Bonita Optical cameras (B3, B10).

For systems involving only Vero, Vantage and Bonita cameras, the shutter period characteristics for all cameras match exactly. Irrespective of individual cameras' strobe (shutter) settings, the center alignment of these periods in any Vantage/Vero/Bonita camera in the same system align exactly. You do not need to make any adjustments to ensure that this alignment occurs.

However, for systems that include Vicon MX T-Series cameras, depending on your requirements (see When are differences in strobe timings important?), you may need to make some manual adjustment.

Understanding strobe timings

To obtain optimum performance from a mixed camera system that includes Vicon MX T-Series cameras, it is important to remember that there is a difference in strobe duration between the larger T-Series cameras and other current Vicon cameras.

For all current Vicon optical motion capture cameras, the strobe 'on' period and sensor exposure period (the length of time that the sensor gathers data) are coincident. Strobe intensity actually controls strobe duration and results in variable strobe and sensor exposure periods across the cameras in the system. This therefore produces small changes in timing between cameras. If your system includes MX T-Series cameras, these differences can result in slight discrepancies in the times of the middle of the pulses.

Strobe timings in mixed MX T-Series camera systems

When you are setting up a mixed camera system that includes MX T-Series cameras, you may need to consider the effect of strobe timings. A single reconstruction is the result of two or more camera sensors recognizing the same marker. If two cameras with significantly different strobe timings are used to track an object or marker, small differences in the absolute timing of this data can occur. Depending on the speed and type of motion being captured, these differences may or may not be a setup consideration.

To obtain consistent strobe timing and sensor exposure:

1. In the System tree, select the MX T-Series camera(s).
2. In the selected camera's Properties pane, in the Settings section, ensure the Strobe Intensity is set to its maximum setting.

This ensures that the center of the strobe pulse and shutter period for the Vicon Vero/Vue/Bonita cameras matches that of the Vicon MX T-Series cameras.

When are differences in strobe timings important?

In situations where very small timing differences are considered to be relevant and greater than other accepted limitations, set the Strobe Intensity for the MX T-Series cameras to its maximum value, as described above. Situations that may warrant this treatment include studies where very fast ballistic movements are expected and/or where very small markers are likely to be in close proximity.