MATLAB: How to perform multichannel image acquisition with Matrox Meteor 2 framegrabber using Image Acquisition Toolbox 3.5 (R2010a)

devicefromimageImage Acquisition Toolboxsimulinkvideo

I am using a multi-channel frame grabber such as Meteor II/Multi-Channel PCI board manufactured by Matrox which can perform multi-channel image acquisition and is supported by Image Acquisition Toolbox. I can easily acquire one channel video image with the M_RS170 frame format provided in the From Video Device block in Image Acquisition Toolbox. However, I am unable to acquire two channel video signals, simultaneously, using the same format.

Best Answer

The Matrox Meteor-II/MC cannot acquire data from two distinct cameras simultaneously. It has two operating modes which can approximate this, one of which is supported by the toolbox and the other is not, as listed below.
1. The first mode is used by some cameras in order to support a 60 frame per second output using a standard RS170 format. In this case, the camera has two RS170 outputs each running at the standard 30 frames per second required by the RS170 standard. The camera alternates frames between the outputs, i.e. odd frames (1,3,5,...) are on output one, and even frames are on output two. The Meteor-II/MC can then combine these alternating outputs into a single video stream. This is configured using a camera file (DCF files) created in the Intelicam software or provided from Matrox.
To use this approach, the user can set the From Video Device block to use this DCF file
One caveat is at the cameras will have to be synchronized and the user will have to manually extract the images belonging to each camera since the two cameras will appear to be a single camera to the toolbox. This will work with the From Video Device block in Simulink as well.
2. The other mode is called Rapid Channel Switching. This mode is not supported by Image Acquisition Toolbox. In this mode, the frame grabber acquires from a single input at a time, but is configured in such a way that it can rapidly switch between multiple inputs. Image Acquisition Toolbox does not currently support this feature of the Matrox frame grabbers.
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