TAN2013001 Extending Distance USB3 Cameras

7/27/2019 TAN2013001 Extending Distance USB3 Cameras

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PGR, the Point Grey Research, Inc. logo, FlyCapture, Digiclops, Dragonfly, Dragonfly Express, Chameleon, Firefly, Flea, Ladybug, Zebra, Scorpion and Triclops aretrademarks or registered trademarks of Point Grey Research, Inc. in Canada and other countries. Copyright 2013 Point Grey Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

Extending the Working Distance of Point Grey USB 3.0 CamerasTechnical Application Note TAN2013001

Revised January 22, 2013

1.1 SubjectTechnical Application Note (TAN2013001): Extending the Working Distance of Point Grey

USB 3.0 Cameras

1.2 Applicable Product(s)Point Grey USB 3.0 imaging devices

1.3 Application Note DescriptionThis application note describes the common USB 3.0 accessories that are available on themarket for extending the working distance of the camera.

1.4 Preparing for UseBefore you use your Point Grey USB 3.0 camera, we recommend that you are aware of the

following resources:

Getting Started Manualfor the cameraprovides information on installing components

and software needed to run the camera. The Getting Started manuals can be downloaded

from thePoint Grey Website.

Technical Reference for the cameraprovides information on the cameras specifications,

features and operations, as well as imaging and acquisition controls. The technical

references can be downloaded from thePoint Grey Downloadspage.

FlyCapture SDKcontains utilities to configure the camera such as Driver Control GUI,

update firmware and drivers, and check setup. As well, contains the FlyCapture API for use in

creating your own applications. FlyCapture can be downloaded from thePoint Grey

Downloadspage.

Firmware updatesensure you are using to most up-to-date firmware for the camera to

take advantage of improvements and fixes. The latest firmware can be downloaded from the

Point Grey Downloadspage.
http://www.ptgrey.com/support/gsm/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/gsm/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/gsm/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/gsm/index.asp


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Point Grey Research TAN2013001 Extending the Working Distance of USB 3.0 Cameras

Revised 22-Jan-13 Copyright 2013 Point Grey Research, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

1.5 IntroductionExtending the working distance of USB 3.0 cameras is a common challenge that many users

face. Longer cables also mean higher cable cost. This application note describes currently

available accessories on the market and help users select the most appropriate accessory for

their requirements.

1.6 Passive CablesLength 0.3 m 5 m

Price Low

These are the most common USB 3.0 cables found on the

market. They come in a wide variety of colors, length and

connector combinations.

Commonly offered lengths are between 0.3 m (1 ft) to 1.8 m (6 ft), with some vendors

offering up to 10 m. However Point Greys testing has shown that cables longer than 5 m are

less reliable. Point Grey recommends using a passive cable that is 5 m or less in length.

Point Grey offers passive USB 3.0 cables in 3 m and 5 m lengths. These cables have been

tested and qualified by Point Grey.

Part Number Description

ACC-01-2300 3-meter USB 3.0 Cable Type-A to Micro-B

ACC-01-2301 5-meter USB 3.0 Cable Type-A to Micro-B

1.7 Active CablesLength 5 m+

Price Medium

Active cables have a microchip embedded in the cable that helps

boost the data signal and signal integrity. Active cables are typically

offered in 5 m lengths or longer. These are often used with a passive

cable to extend the total working distance of the camera. Somecables also allow for an external power connection in order to

provide more power to the connected USB device.

For vendor recommendation, please refer toPoint Grey Third-Party Productspage.
http://www.ptgrey.com/products/third_party/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/products/third_party/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/products/third_party/index.asphttp://www.ptgrey.com/products/third_party/index.asp


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1.8 HubsLength 0.3 m-1 m

Price Medium

A USB 3.0 hub is typically used to connect multiple USB 3.0cameras to the same host. While it is not the most cost

efficient solution, a hub can still be used to increase the cable

length in a multi camera system. Hubs typically come with a

short cable of about 0.3 m to 1 m connecting the host to the hub. Users can purchase longer

cables and further extend the hub from the host. Point Grey recommends hubs that allow

for external power to ensure the cameras are properly powered.

Point Grey also offers a 4-port hub which has been tested and qualified. For more

information on using Point Grey USB 3.0 cameras with USB 3.0 hubs, please refer to

TAN2012005.

Part Number Description

ACC-01-6000 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub

1.9 Fiber Optic ExtendersLength 50 m+

Price High

Fiber optic extenders extend cable length using optical cables instead of copper cables. The

data is transmitted using light instead of an electrical signal. This allows the working distanceto increase beyond 50 m. Two common implementations of Fiber Optic Extenders will be

described in the following section.

1.9.1 Optical Extender

Optical extenders consist of two devices: a local extender and a remote extender linked by astandard fiber optic cable. The local extender is connected to the host, while the remote

extender is connected to the USB 3.0 device. The extenders are used to convert the

electrical signals to an optical signal and vice versa. Since the fiber optic cable does not carry

electrical power, the remote extender needs to be connected to an external power source in

order to supply power to the USB 3.0 device. This setup allows users to use standard optical

and copper cables that are widely available. Users can easily swap out different cables and

adjust the overall length as desired.
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1.9.2 Active Optical Cable (AOC)

This setup is similar to the optical extender setup and offers a smaller overall physical

package. This is achieved by integrating parts of the local extender in to the cable. However

this makes the fiber optic cable into a proprietary cable which may even have a proprietary

connection with the remote extender. Since the fiber optic cable does not carry electrical

power, the remote extender needs to be connected to an external power source in order to

supply power to the USB 3.0 device.


1.10Other Cable AttributesLocking Connections

Most cables do not offer locking connectors on either end. Users who wish to purchase

passive USB 3.0 cables with locking connectors should contact Point Grey or other Machine

Vision camera accessory providers.

High Flex

High flex cables are used in moving applications where the cable is under tight physical

stress due to bending. These cables are often thicker and the cost/length ratio is a lot higher.


Angle Connectors

Some users may seek out USB 3.0 cables with angle connections for applications where

space is a constraint, such as in embedded applications. Angle connectors are used to

maximize the space inside an enclosure. For vendor recommendation, please refer toPoint

Grey Third-Party Productspage.

Daisy Chain

Certain cable vendors advertise the ability to chain multiple cables together to increase the

overall cable length. This type of setup has not been extensively tested by Point Grey.
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1.11Additional Downloads and SupportPoint Grey Research Inc. endeavors to provide the highest level of technical support possible

to our customers. Most support resources can be accessed through theSupportsection of

our website.

Creating a Customer Login Account

The first step in accessing our technical support resources is to obtain a Customer Login

Account. This requires a valid name and email address. To apply for a Customer Login

Account go to theDownloadspage.

Knowledge Base

OurKnowledge Basecontains answers to some of the most common support questions. It is

constantly updated, expanded, and refined to ensure that our customers have access to the

latest information.

USB 3.0 Frequently Asked Questions

Recommended and unsupported USB 3.0 system components

Troubleshooting known USB 3.0 configuration issues

Will my computer support my USB 3.0 camera?

What cards and drivers will work with my USB 3.0 camera?

How does my USB 3.0 camera appear in Device Manager?

Product Downloads

Customers with a Customer Login Account can access the latest software and firmware for

their cameras from ourDownloadspage. We encourage our customers to keep their

software and firmware up-to-date by downloading and installing the latest versions.

Contacting Technical Support

Before contacting Technical Support, have you:

1. Read the product documentation and user manual?2. Searched the Knowledge Base?3. Downloaded and installed the latest version of software and/or firmware?If you have done all the above and still cant find an answer to your question, contact our

Technical Supportteam.
http://www.ptgrey.com/supporthttp://www.ptgrey.com/supporthttp://www.ptgrey.com/supporthttp://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=357http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=357http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=368http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=368http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=386http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=386http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=385http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=385http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=384http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=370http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/contact/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/contact/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/contact/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=370http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=384http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=385http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=386http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=368http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=357http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/http://www.ptgrey.com/support

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TAN2013001 Extending Distance USB3 Cameras