Installation and Troubleshooting for IEEE-1394 Cameras

Before configuring an IEEE-1394 camera system, make sure your hardware meets the requirements of the NI-IMAQ for 1394 software. The IEEE-1394 board must be OHCI compliant, and the camera must adhere to the IEEE-1394 DCAM specification. These specifications exclude most consumer camcorders and cameras which output compressed video format. For more information, as well as a list of tested IEEE-1394 cameras, refer to the links at the bottom of the page.

Installation

1. Install the IEEE-1394 board.
2. Install NI-IMAQ for 1394 software.
3. Reboot the computer.
4. Connect the camera to the IEEE-1394 board.
5. Launch Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) and press F5 to refresh its screen.
6. In the MAX configuration tree, click the plus sign next to the Devices and Interfaces folder.
7. Click the plus sign next to the IMAQ IEEE-1394 Devices folder.
8. Confirm that your IEEE-1394 camera is listed in the IMAQ IEEE-1394 Devices folder.

Testing

Select your IEEE-1394 camera in MAX and click the Snap button in the toolbar to acquire a single image from your camera. Click the Grab button to acquire a continuous image.

To view camera properties, click once on the device or camera name under Devices and Interfaces in the MAX configuration tree. Then click on the Properties button to display the device or camera properties. You can also right-click on the device or camera name and select Properties from the pop-up menu. The following dialog box will appear.
From the Properties page, you can control the video modes as well as additional features of your camera such as shutter speed or zoom. The properties listed will vary between cameras since all cameras support different types of video modes and features.

Troubleshooting

If your camera shows up in MAX with a yellow exclamation mark next to it, then a different driver has been associated with the 1394 camera. To change the associated driver, right-click on the camera and select Driver >> NI-IMAQ for IEEE 1394 Digital Cameras.

If your camera does not show up in MAX, or you are using a version of NI-IMAQ for IEEE 1394 Cameras earlier than 1.1, you must update the driver from your computer's Device Manager.

1. Select Start>>Settings>>Control Panel.
2. Double-click the System folder.
3. Select the Hardware tab, and click the Device Manager button.
4. The following dialog box will appear. Verify that the camera is listed in the Device Manager.
5. Right-click the camera and and select Properties from the pop-up menu. The following dialog box will appear.
6. Click the Update Driver button.
7. Select Install from a list or specific location (Advanced).
8. Select Don't search, I will choose the driver to install. The Hardware Update Wizard appears.
9. Select the NI-IMAQ IEEE 1394 Digital Camera and follow the instructions in the Hardware Update Wizard.
10. Open MAX and verify that your camera appears in the configuration tree.

If your camera does not show up in the Device Manager, check the following:

• Make sure that you have the latest Service Pack of your respective OS.
• Try installing the camera on another computer.
• Verify that the camera is functioning properly.

Related Links:
IEEE-1394 Requirements and Tested Cameras

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