2007-11-16T18:28:43Z

Siraf: Tool

== Tool ==

you are such a tool
jk. keep up the good work
[[User:Siraf|Siraf]] 12:28, 16 November 2007 (CST)

353 legacy

2007-11-16T18:28:01Z

Siraf:

== Elphel 353/363 series cameras and camera modules ==
===353/363 series of cameras===
[[Image:Prototype363_detail.jpeg|frame|[[Media:Prototype363.jpeg|Detail of one of the first images acquired with Elphel Model 363 camera (click here for the full image)]]]]

There is a new series of Elphel cameras that continue the line of 303, 313/323 and 333 - it is 353/363 now.
* Elphel Model 353 cameras are designed for video applications, use small format (usually - 1/2") high-resolution CMOS sensors and C/CS mount lenses
* Model 363 use large format CCD imagers, have higher resolution and lower frame rate - they acquire and send individual images. These cameras use 35 mm (or larger) format lenses.
The Processor Board ([[10353]]) that is used in both 353 and 363 cameras has the same physical dimensions as the earlier 10333 but has some important changes:
* It uses Axis ETRAX FS - faster and with more capabilities than earlier ETRAX 100LX
* 16-pin inter-board connector is replaced with high-density 30-pin one
* IDE port from the CPU is routed to additional 40-pin high density connector
* Sensor interface uses LVTTL 2.5V signals instead of 3.3V
* FPGA is now Xilinx (R) Spartan3e 1200K gates
* System memory - 64MB (SDRAM)
* System flash memory - 128MB (NAND flash)
* Image memory - 64MB (DDR SDRAM)
* [[Web Interface Ideas]] may be implemented
The 10353 board is designed to be an engine for a variety of cameras when supplemented with additional modules.

=== Modules for the 353/363 series cameras ===
* [[10353]] - processor board (computer part of the camera)
* [[10338]] - 5MPix sensor board for 353-series cameras
* [[10357]] - solid-state storage (can accommodate up to 8 CF cards - 128GB total)
* [[10359]] - multifunction multiplexer/FPGA processing board. Can be used to connect up to 3 of the sensor boards (i.e. [[10338]], [[10347]]) to one [[10353|processor board]]. It can process the image data too.
* [[10347]] - controller part of a two-board stack (currently with [[10342]] or [[10344]]) to connect 35mm format CCD image sensors
* [[10342]] - sensor board (requires [[10347]]) for the Kodak 11MPix KAI-11002 CCD image sensor
* [[10344]] - sensor board (requires [[10347]]) for the Kodak 16MPix KAI-16000 CCD image sensor
* [[10349]] - interface board. It has 4 ports USB hub, serial port, IDE port and some socket for additional boards.
=== Sample images and videos captured with Elphel Model 353 camera ===
{| border="0" cellpadding="2"
|-
| [[Image:10353 sample 01.jpeg|thumb|Sample image 1: Elphel Model 353 camera (5MPix sensor)]] || [[Image:10353 sample 02.jpeg|thumb|Sample image 2: Elphel Model 353 camera (5MPix sensor)]] || [[Image:10353 sample 03.jpeg|thumb|Sample image 3: Elphel Model 353 camera (5MPix sensor)]] || [[Image:10353 sample 04.jpeg|thumb|Sample image 4: Elphel Model 353 camera (5MPix sensor)]]
|-
|}

We did dedicated a special page for [[images and videos examples]].

Sandbox

2007-11-16T18:24:55Z

Siraf:

= This is the sandbox. If you're new to Media-wiki systems, please edit here first =

Web Interface Ideas

2007-11-16T18:20:46Z

Siraf: start

There are many web interface ideas that have been suggested.
Some include:
* A CPU monitor
* A Hard Disk use monitor (especially when the 35* models implement the hard drive)

Roadmap

2007-11-16T18:20:35Z

Siraf: /* Camera Interface */ begin

== Background ==
Elphel was started in 2001 (Magna, UT USA) when I quit my job inspired by the possibilities that Free Software gives to developers (it was not so obvious for my at the time employer). All the projects were covered in [http://www.linuxdevices.com LinuxDevices] (complete list on the articles is available [http://www.elphel.com/articles/index.html here]). For several years Elphel was a one-man company, in January 2004 I wrote an article [http://www.computerra.ru/hitech/tech/31862/ Taming of the Iron Penguin (Russian)] in the largest Russain computer-related magazine [http://www.computerra.ru Computerra] and announced there a competition among the software developers for the best video streamer to run in the camera. That was a good idea and after the competition itself was over most of the developers remained in the Elphel team. At first - as volunteers, later - as full/part time employees.

Not all of these developers live in Russia - two, including the winner of the competition are from Kiev, Ukraine. But still all of them know Russian much better than English and so most of our technical discussions were on our private Russian-language forum. So far I failed to move these discussions to the broader audience but believe that Wiki technology can help. Here we will mantain most of the site in English but still have some pages/discussions in Russian, translating documents as we go. Or when somebody else needs it and is not satisfied with [http://babelfish.altavista.com Babelfish] automatic translation. We will try to keep English pages current - anyway even in Elphel not everybody knows Russian.

Please excuse not-so-good English of our developers and feel free to fix the errors if you see them.

--[[User:Andrey.filippov|Andrey.filippov]] 15:34, 22 September 2005 (CST)
== Update on 353/363 cameras ==
There is preliminary documentation for [[353|the new model 353/353 cameras hardware here]]

353/363 cameras use software based on Linux kernel 2.6 (currently - 2.6.19). There will be more changes in software as we used different web server (lighttpd) and included PHP (as fastCGI application).

More information on software will follow, you may already find code here:
* [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=105686&package_id=222883 elphel353 software package @ Sourceforge]
* [http://elphel.cvs.sourceforge.net/elphel/elphel353/elphel353 CVS @ Sourceforge]

== Software Architecture of Elphel 3x3 cameras ==
Software in the Elphel cameras started from [http://developer.axis.com/ Axis Developer Boards Software] and was amended for the camera specific functions. It was modified to work with newer hardware (models 303-313/323-333), support more features and now seems to be a good time to make a major redesign instead of applying incremental changes.

Some discussion already started in Russian here - [[Nc3x3]]

Related to the architecture are the [[#Camera Interface]] and the [[#Client Software]]

Elphel will continue developing a web browser based user interface with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AJAX AJAX] technology. That will require developing/modifying player plugins controllable from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javascript JavaScript] and implementing specific features needed for video surveillance applications - multiple camera views on the same page, digital PTZ (inside the hi-res incoming stream) and temporal decimation (reducing frame rate) that uses as little CPU resources as possible.

The web-based user interface can be especially useful for open hardware as it reduces the entrance threshold for the developer who would like to customize the cameras functionality - regular web development tools are sufficient for the job.

=== Camera Interface ===

The camera now has two alternative APIs:

==== ccam.cgi ====

The original interface that supports most camera features - [[ccam.cgi]]

and

==== API compatible with Axis cameras ====

This ([[AxisAPI]]) makes Elphel cameras work with some third-party software

==== JavaScript library ====
We will create a set of javascript routines to control the cameras, which can be used in a different AJAX applications.
See [[JavaScript API]]

==== Web Interface Ideas ====
There are many new ideas for the web-control-panel. They are being [[Web Interface Ideas|developed]]

=== Camera Software ===

==== Axis based SDK for GNU/Linux on EtraxFS ====
Our camera have two main CPUs: EtraxFS running GNU/Linux and Xilinx Spartan 3e FPGA.

The firmware of our cameras is based on [http://developer.axis.com/wiki/doku.php?id=axis:sdk, Axis SDK]. Sources & binaries of our firmwares can be downloaded from [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=105686&package_id=222883, SourceForge project].

==== FPGA bitstream ====
Elphel use Xilinx Spartant 3e FPGA for image/video encoding. We have currently two firmwares:

* a stable JPEG/MJPEG encoder
* and a under development OGG/Theora video encoder

The FPGA code is distributed under [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html. GNU/GPL v3 License].

[http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=105686&package_id=184538, VDT Eclipse plugin] can be used to edit Verilog code of the camera. Xilinx WebPACK ISE is free but download is restricted, each end-user should register. What's why we did not include it in our [[ElphelSoftwareKit]], but you can download it from [http://www.xilinx.com/ise/logic_design_prod/webpack.htm, Xilinx web site.]

===== About the JPEG FPGA encoder =====

This section is about the JPEG FPGA encoder. We will put here a description of what is done in FPGA and what can be tuned with different softwares. (Andrey, pls comment)

===== About the OGG/Theora FPGA encoder =====

==== How to hack ? ====
If you intend to modify source code (GNU/Linux or FPGA), download [[ElphelSoftwareKit]] and live-boot, or better install it on your (descent) computer.

But where are several things you can hack already with some softwares in the camera:

===== telnetd =====
By default the camera run telnetd. Login "root", password "pass". You can telnet to the camera and explore the power of a full GNU/Linux distribution.

===== [[fpcf]] =====

You can use fpcf to adjust some FPGA settings. ''use it very carefully !! it may be dangerous and may destroy your hardware.''

===== hello =====

Andrey ? :)

==== File systems ====
[[333_File_System]]

==== Elphel 353 camera Unicast & Multicast RTSP streamer ====

Elphel 353 camera is capable to stream OGM/MJPEG via RTSP on Unicast or Multicast.

The streamer can be tuned truth /etc/streamer.conf & /etc/image.conf (for syntax of image.conf have a look to [[Ccam.cgi]])

=== Client Software ===

==== [[MPlayer]] ====
MPlayer is the main player for Elphel cameras. We have patches for MPlayer to make it compatible with 3-5MPix resolution. We are in constant contact with MPlayer's team to integrate our patches to the mainstream. Patches for source code are accessible on our Source Forge project, the compiled package is only for Debian/ubuntu on i386 architecture.

==== [[VLC]] ====

VLC is a free cross-platform media player. It supports a large number of multimedia formats, without the need for additional codecs. It can also be used as a streaming server, with extended features (video on demand, on the fly transcoding, ...)

====GSTreamer====

GSTreamer is a grate free software what can be used with Elphel cameras in many different ways.

=====[[Elphel_Camera_Remote_Audio_using_GStreamer|Mux video & remote audio source]]=====
Describe how to use an Elphel 333/353 camera with MJPG in unicast or multicast stream and mux the video with PC's microphone and restream it on internet with a more suitable codec.

=====[[Make_a_movie_from_JPEG_images_using_gstreamer|make a movie from JPEG images]]=====
Compress many JPEG images into a OGG/Theora video.

=====[[Convert OGM/MJPEG to OGG/Theora]]=====
Transcode OGM/MJPEG video to a OGG/Theora video codec.

==== [[Talk:Recorder|Recorder]] ====
We will start a new recorder for MJPEG RTP stream.
It will be small standalone program, which will take a multicast IP address and port, receive a stream and record it to files or to stdout.
The most important thing with the recorder - to avoid frame drops (maybe something can be done with network buffering) and control them using timestamps.
And the recorder must provide managable files (under 2GB), but with zero drops between them.

==== Plugins for browsers ====
[[GenReS|GenReS plugin]]

==== [[HTML Video Surveillance]] ====
[http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=105686&package_id=138717&release_id=358392 Multiple camera view HTML page] is based on [[GenReS |GenReS plugin]] for [http://www.mozilla.org/ Mozilla/FireFox].
Currently working: scrolling by picture dragging (digital PTZ), camera selection, zoom switch, automatic detection of stream stop by timeout.
List of camera adresses is now editable manually. It will be automaticaly generated in the [[Live CD]].
The page will run recording software by user request. Video will be saved to a fixed directory and split into separate files by tunable number of frames.
Main parameters of video capture will be changeable from the page.
The page can later be used in the [[#Video Server]].

==== [[ElphelSoftwareKit]] ====
The Elphel Software Kit DVD contains software for camera users and developers.
The live DVD is based on [http://ubuntu.com/ Ubuntu Feisty].

Currently we only have DVD for the i686 architecture.

The idea of keeping as full a Ubuntu as possible was to introduce GNU/Linux to the camera users who had never had this experience before.

One of the major additions is a preinstalled camera development environment based on [http://www.eclipse.org Eclipse]) to simplify the modification of the camera code. Again - don't forget that many of those future developers now only use Visual Studio (or whatever it is called?) and GNU/Linux can be somewhat alien to them. This environment allows them to start playing with their code without prior knowledge of the GNU/Linux software development process.

It can be useful for hardware/fpga developers too - to be able to write some code to support the hardware features without spending too much time on mastering the software development process.

== Camera hardware ==
==== [[353]]/363 series ====
==== Basic Elphel 353 camera ====

Basic Elphel 353 Network camera is composed of:
* [[10353]] (processor board w/ CPU and FPGA)
* [[10338]] (sensor board for Micron MT9P031/MT9P001 5MPix)
* [[standard enclosure design for 353 and C/CS mount lenses]]

==== Basic Elphel 363 camera ====

* [[10353]] (processor board w/ CPU and FPGA)
* Kodak CCD [[10342]] (CCD Interface Board) with [[10347]]
* standard enclosure for Elphel 363

==== Add ons ====
===== [[10359]] (multi-sensor board/multifunction multiplexer) =====
===== [[10357]] (solid state memory) =====
===== [[10349]] (interface board: IDE, USB1.1, RS232, ...) =====

==== USB devices tested with Elphel 353 ====

Elphel 353 camera with 10349 extension boards have 1 external and 3 internal USB 1.1 connectors.

This section of the wiki describe all USB hardware what was tested with Elphel 353 camera.

===== Audio =====
===== Blue Tooth =====

USB-BlueTooth keys was tested with Elphel 353 (with 10349 board). One of the goal is to create a [[general propose bluetooth remote control]] program written in JAVA for mobiles phones.

===== Wifi =====
===== flash memory and hardrive =====

Does not make really sens because of the speed of USB1.1, but work. You can use such storage for still images or running more software from the USB disk/flash.

===== keyboard & mouse =====

==== Other Hardware ====
[[RTC]] (real time clock), [[10331]], [[10332]], [[10334]] (USB lens control)

== Active Projects ==
=== [[Alternative IO board for 10353/10363 series]] ===
This page is an open discussion about the evolution of the [[10349]] additional board.

=== Exif data in JPEG images ===

Exif data (Exchangeable image file format) can be included inside each JPEG image. The [[Exif]] section will describe things what are possible to do with Exif data on Elphel cameras.

=== Synchronization of the Cameras ===

Sometimes you need to acquire images triggered by an extarnal event or several cameras need to be synchronized with each other. [[Camera Synchronization]] is all about this.

=== Photo-finish ===
Photo-finish device made using Elphel model 333 camera with additional FPGA code and software - [[Photo-finish]]

=== Zeroconf for Elphel cameras ===
[[zeroconf for Elphel cameras]]
=== Elphel cameras and Zoneminder ===
We plan to make the model 333 camera work with [http://www.zoneminder.com Zoneminder]
=== USB host interface ===

daughter board with USB and DC-DC power for lens control board [[10334]]

Proposal for a usb audio solution : [[PCM2903]]

=== Motorized lens control ===
I'll try to retrieve what was written before on the motorized lens control. In short - C/CS mount is rather old and does not work well for interchangeable motorized lenses. We are trying to build an adapter from C/CS-mount to a bayonet type connector. And place a tiny 5mm wide PCB ring in that adapter. This [[10331]] PCB has a reprogrammable microcontroller and uses just 2 connections to the camera for power and data signals combined. It provides all the necessary connections for most types of motorized lenses.

lens control board [[10331]]
DC-DC power board for motorized lens control board [[10332]]
lens control board In System Programmer [[lbcontrol]]

=== Outdoor enclosure ===

'''Step Zero'''

Determine working setup
-Does the system need a control board
-CCD board needs a longer cable for minimal package when stacking lens on top of board [http://www.maartenmenheere.nl/blog/images/014-001-0.jpg Camera casing]

'''Step one'''
Test setup. Assemble all components in a setup that can record video

Components in test setup
- Lens (Computar H3Z4512CS varifocal lens? using power)
- Elphel USB setup. Is it possible to directly plug in a usb drive. Where does the power come from?
- Battery
- Usb cable or network calbe
- Usb exteral harddrive or flashdrive
- ON/off switch

Objective: Does it work, at all?
Secondary: Battery life? Video quality?

'''Step two'''

Wooden box. Test setup 1 integrated in outside video testing setup.

Components added in test 2
- Hardboard casing

Objective: Optimize recording setup of video for ease of use
Secondary: optimal settings? correct lens?

'''Step three'''

Building of waterproof casing
- Amphenol plugs
- Camera window
- Casing camera (fibre reinforced composite)
- Casing base station (battery + storage) (fibre reinforced composite)

[http://www.maartenmenheere.nl/blog/images/outdoorvideosystem.jpg Schematic]
[http://www.maartenmenheere.nl/blog/images/014-001-0.jpg Camera casing]
[http://www.maartenmenheere.nl/blog/images/camera.jpg Camera casing]
[http://www.maartenmenheere.nl/blog/images/Radjump_elphel.jpg Outdoor enclosure]
[http://www.maartenmenheere.nl/blog/images/CamAssy-Sheet1.pdf Camera casing 2]

=== Current enclosure design ===

We are switching to extruded aluminum tube (actually original 303/313 also was design for a standard aluminum profile). Model 333 RJ-45 connector is designed to fit into RJField shell [http://www.rjfield.com/ethernet_connectors_rjf_en.htm].

[[Mechanical]]

=== Removal of distortion ===

Distortions from the non-instantaneous exposure of the frame can be done in [http://lives.sf.net LiVES]. But first some other infrastructure must be in place:

- Camera must start a [http://www.piksel.no/pwiki/VideoJack videojack] server on the host machine, with the correct fps, width, height and frame palette

- Camera must activate the videojack receiver in LiVES and connect it the correct videojack server

- Camera can start to send unpackaged compressed frames to videojack server, along with an array of floats

- Floats will be in pairs for each horizontal band: the vertical compression/expansion (1.0 means no compression) and the horizontal shift (+-shift/width)

- LiVES will pull these frames and the float array from the videojack server

- LiVES will decode each frame and pass it along with the float array to a [http://www.xs4all.nl/~salsaman/lives/docs/weedspec.txt Weed] effect which will apply the compress/expand/shift

- LiVES will receive the altered frame and save it to a stream
==== Post-processing - non realtime ====
CMOS sensor-specific distortions caused by the [[Electronic Rolling Shutter ]] do not need to be removed realtime - the PC power may be not enough to do so. It is perfectly OK to be able to just post-process the video recorded from the camera.

--[[User:Andrey.filippov|Andrey.filippov]] 02:39, 9 December 2005 (CST)

=== Synchronous lighting ===

External light control. [[Synchronous lighting]].

=== Auto focus System ===

One research team of EPFL is working about an auto focus with the Elphel 353 camera. A bi dimensional filter will be used to calculate the sharpness of the image and to search the best in focus image.

=== How to build a Canon EOS Lens adatator for Elphel 333 ===
- Canon EOS Lens with adaptator [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/jmf_canon_adap1.JPG] [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/jmf_canon_adapt2.JPG]

A easy way to build a C adapter for Canon EOS Lens [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/jmf_333_with_canon_std.JPG].

Take a protection of lens, make a central hole and fix two C/CS adapters [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/jmf_cs_c.JPG]
to have a good focal distance.

We have tested various Canon Lens that professional reporter lend me. [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/jmf_prof_lens.JPG]

- Canon Lens mounted on 333 : [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/IMG_5526.JPG] [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/jmf_view_canon17-40.JPG]

''Pictures result of various lens :''

The main goal of this test is to try to use Canon EOS lens, more reference and less expensive when C Lens.
The second goal is to be able to use hight definition of CMOS sensor without optical resolution of C Lens.
Canon EOS UMS PRO 17-40 : mount on 333 Elphel [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/jmf_view_canon17-40.JPG]

-- view of Strasbourg House (France) [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/17-40pos17equiv80.3bague.ferme.jpg]

-- second view with another set of Canon Lens (minimum apperture) [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/17-40pos28.2bagus.testlimit.diaph6mm.ferme.jpg]

-- view of cat and barbie dole [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/objectif50.2bagues.2chat.jpg]

In fact : a Canon large vision become a Power Zoom this CMOS size difference. 35mm to 1/2" [http://community.elphel.com/pictures/jmfcontrib/jmf_mount_canon_333.JPG]

Conclusion :
image quality is better than C lens (varifocal computar or fixed-focal Fujinon)
but Canon lens become a super Zoom Lens and we not certify thermal stability of adjustment action (focus)

It will be nice to test a Canon fishEyes.

Expensive project of Adaptor to use EOS Lens can be find on net [http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/eos/EF-lenses/index.htm]
or [http://www.birger.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=ef232_home]

=== Image motion tracking/measurement system ===

Measure image sequence parameters easy (like oscilloscope). [[Scope]].

== Known problems ==

[[Known problems]]

== Diagnostic and repair ==

[[Diagnostic and repair]] page in the Cameras Manual

=== Changing or restoring the MAC address ===

The factory default MAC address of Elphel products is the same as the serial number which begin with 000E64. If you would like to use a MAC address different from the serial number you can edit the /etc/conf.d/mac file.

If the serial number has not been configured is possible to set it (but only once!). To set the serial number use the bootblocktool command on the camera:

<nowiki>bootblocktool -a SERNO 000E64xxxxxx</nowiki>

Exchange “xxxxxx” with the serial number of the board.

!As you can do it only once be careful! If you write the MAC address in a wrong format (ie with : separations) the camera will not boot any more.

You may do it with the special HTML [http://www.elphel.com/3fhlo/bootblock/bootblock333.html page] but those serial numbers are supposed to be factory programmed.--[[User:Andrey.filippov|Andrey.filippov]] 05:36, 30 December 2005 (CST)