Photonfocus AG, Bahnhofplatz 10 Phone: +41 55 451 00 00 www.photonfocus.com CH-8853 Lachen SZ, Switzerland Telefax: +41 55 451 00 01 sales@photonfocus.com

New Software Release: PFRemote 2.0 and SDK

FEATURES

• CLALLSERIALL.DLL support

• Compatible with all Photonfocus cameras

• New graphical user interface GUI

• Improved easy to use SDK

• Ready for future Photonfocus cameras

• New user friendly clear text configuration files

1 INTRODUCTION Photonfocus is pleased to announce the new camera software PFRemote 2.0, a versatile graphical configuration tool for all Photonfocus cameras that are interfaced either via CameraLink® or via USB2.0 interface. All camera parameters can be controlled by PFRemote 2.0 or can be programmed with custom software using the PFLib SDK. Since the release of PFRemote 0.65 many new cameras in different variations have been added to the product line of Photonfocus. PFRemote 2.0 and the PFLib SDK automatically detect which camera is connected and give access to all supported features. In PFRemote 2.0, controls for features that are not available in the camera are not shown. For example, for the MV-D1024E-40 camera from our new enhanced series, PFRemote 2.0 displays the Correction tab as shown in Fig.2.3. This tab is not shown for Classic cameras since these do not include the correction hardware. This principle keeps the PFRemote 2.0 GUI compact and easy to use.

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2 CONTENTS The installation process of the new PFRemote 2.0 is now even more convenient with the setup wizard, named `PFInstaller`.

Fig.2.1. New installation window of PFRemote and SDK During the installation process the setup wizard will ask the user to choose between the option of including or not including the USB environment and will copy the necessary files from the frame grabber installation to the PFRemote directory (see Fig. 2.1). The new camera control software calls into clallserial.dll, the standardized CameraLink® serial DLL that loads the required DLL files specific to the frame grabber in use. After the manufacturer specific DLL files are loaded the PortBrowser of PFRemote 2.0 displays the list of port names and the frame grabber manufacturer (Fig. 2.2).

Fig. 2.2. Main window in PFRemote 2.0 displaying the PortBrowser

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The exact appearance of your frame grabber in the PFRemote GUI depends on the DLL for your frame grabber. Further details are given in the README.TXT that can be found in the folder “Photonfocus” created by the PFInstaller. Also included in this file is advice on installing PFRemote with frame grabbers not supporting the clallserial.dll standard. The general structure of PFRemote 2.0 is user friendly and provides sufficient hints while browsing through the camera’s features on the various panels. For example the correction panel, as shown in Fig. 2.3 for the MV-D1024E-40-CL, assists in proper use of the various correction modes. Similarly, users are now smoothly guided through the Photonfocus patented LinLog® feature by a selection of common LinLog® pre-settings.

Fig.2.3. Correction panel of the MV-D1024E-40-CL

The USB frame grabber software microDisplayUSB, a joint development project of SILICONSOFTWARE, Germany and Photonfocus AG, Switzerland is now fully integrated within the PFInstaller. Thus, separate installation of the software required to operate any of the Photonfocus cameras with USB interface has now become obsolete. The new PFRemote 2.0 program displays camera specific information on the last panel (“Info”). An example for the MV-D752E-40CL is shown in Fig.2.4. The user comfortably gets quick access to the camera type code, serial number, as well as the revision numbers of the FPGA and of the microcontroller. Additional information is provided by the interface, which may be realized either as CameraLink® Base or as USB2.0 interface. Depending on the hardware configuration the user is informed whether the fast data transfer mode (USB2.0, 48 MBytes/s) or the slow data transfer mode (USB2.0, 24 Mbytes/s) is in use. The information from the info panel is required for support requests to Photonfocus and speeds up the communication process in case of trouble shooting.

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Fig.2.4. Info panel of the MV-D752E-40-CL

3 What’s new

3.1 Versatility All current Photonfocus camera models are supported by a uniform and versatile software. The user will find an ergonomic and self-explanatory GUI, offering an identical layout for all cameras. The programming of the new software tool was specifically targeted to allow for continuous implementation of future Photonfocus cameras.

3.2 PFLib SDK The new API version 1.0 is much simpler and more flexible to handle than the previous PFLib API. The device property concept from the previous PFLib API has been refined. It enables application programmers to control all features of Photonfocus cameras. The new API uses a tree hierarchy and allows for embedding of more extended types, such as structs and arrays. Similarly, minimum and maximum values are encoded in a parent/children hierarchy, whereby setting of invalid values or mismatching parameters is automatically caught and excluded. Users of Photonfocus camera models that have been controlled thus far via PFRemote version 0.65, can now choose to use the new GUI that is available in PFRemote 2.0. However, software tools based on the previous PFLib API will have to be adapted to the new API 1.0 structure. Photonfocus will continue to provide support for the previous PFLib API of the PFRemote version 0.65, but encourages application programmers to update current user application software in applying the new API 1.0.

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4 Compatibility

4.1 Cameras The following camera models of Photonfocus’ product line are supported by the new PFRemote 2.0 software.

Camera Model Remarks MV-D1024-28-CL MV-D1024-80-CL MV-D1024-TrackCam MV-D1024-160-CL MV-D752-28-CL MV-D752-80-CL MV-D752-160-CL MV-D640-33-CL MV-D640C-33-CL MV-D640-48-U2 MV-D640C-48-U2 MV-D640-66-CL MV-D640C-66-CL MV-D750E-20-CL Formerly BLIZZARD-60-CL MV-D750E-20-U2 Formerly BLIZZARD-60-U2 MV-D1024E-40-CL Formerly HURRICANE-40-CL MV-D1024E-40-U2 Formerly HURRICANE-40-U2 MV-D1024E-80-CL New Camera Model MV-D1024E-160-CL New Camera Model MV-D752E-40-CL Formerly THUNDER-90-CL MV-D752E-40-U2 Formerly THUNDER-90-U2 Table 1: Available Photonfocus cameras supported by the new PFRemote 2.0 software

4.2 Operating System The new software PFRemote 2.0 operates on Windows 2000 or Windows XP. The PFLib is portable among different operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Linux, QNX, and other UNIX versions. However, Photonfocus cannot provide support for an operating system other than Microsoft Windows.

5 Costs The new PFRemote 2.0 program is free of charge and can be downloaded from the software download repository on our web site at www.photonfocus.com.

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6 Availability PFRemote 2.0 is now available and ready for download from our web site. Previous releases will remain available within a significant time frame.

7 Documentation PFRemote 2.0 is equipped with a comprehensive online documentation, which describes the device properties of all cameras included. More information and technical specifications can be obtained from the user manuals of each camera model. Separate documentation is provided for the USB SDK. The SDK that has been expanded with numerous examples to ease application programmers in getting started. For detailed information on Photonfocus products, data sheets, user manuals, application notes and success stories please visit our web site at www.photonfocus.com.

8 Support Technical information is available in the support area on our web site, which provides comprehensive documentation, application notes and success stories of our products. Here, the interested user is referred to more support utilities such as the frame grabber compatibility list, camera simulator, lens finder, lux calculator and frame rate calculator. Enquiries on prices and delivery time of our products may be addressed either directly to sales@photonfocus.com or you may contact the distributor nearest to you. A list of worldwide Photonfocus AG distributors can be found at www.photonfocus.com.