(Solved)Help identifying connector type / PCI card model - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2015, 05:24:20 pm
content: Hello everyone, I got a Cascade 512F Camera recently. This is the PDF:http://www.photometrics.com/support/pdfs/manuals/CascadeManual.pdfBut it doesn't include any accessory, I already managed to get a Lens and power supply for it after read a lot on the internet. Now I have a real problem with the DATA I/O, in the PDF it just said "DATA link" and "connect to a PCI card", WTF...I already sent support request to the manufacture but no reply till now.OK... At least there is a picture of the connector on page 36, and a small picture of the PCI card on page 3, could anyone figure out what connector type and/or PCI card model is it? Thank you!PS. The power connector also confused me now, it said "5 pin lemo connector" and even give the definition of the pins, but I still cannot determine which type is it. According tohttp://www.lemo.com/en/products, every type of connectors can have variable pins...OK, they finally answered me:For Cascade 512F camera running under Windows XP/32 we recommended to be used PCI-LVDS-CARD(part number), currently unavailable on stock.So I searched and foundhttp://www.photometrics.com/products/datasheets/PCI-Express-LVDS-Interface-Card-Datasheet.pdf, it is not the PCI version, but seems to be a PCIE replacement. The nearest card on ebay ishttp://www.ebay.com/itm/Noritsu-PCI-LVDS-Conversion-PCB-P-N-J390343-00-Part-for-30xx-33xx-series-USED-/181527724606?, but this have 26 pins, not 20 pins...I called then again and they send me the part number:Here is the quote on the LVDS camera communication cable:Part Number: 37-071-001Description: CBL;DATA/PWR;MDR-20Qty: 1Price: $150.00 USDQuote for the Power supply:Part Number: 07-026-008Description: ROHS;PWR SUPPLY;12V150W;DESKTOP W/SwitchQty: 1Price: $400.00 USDQuote for the PCIe LVDS card:The new Photometrics PCI-Express LVDS interface card will provide 64-bit support for current Photometrics LVDS-based cameras. See attached PCIe LVDS card datasheet.Here is the link for the Photometrics computer recommendations document.Note: you will need to connect power from PC power supply to PCIe card. Card has an IDE connector for power connection. Y- Cable and/or sata to IDE adaptor may be required. See attached picture.You will also need the new PVCAM camera driver, PVCAM 2.9.3 or higher available on our website for free download and use:http://www.photometrics.com/support/downloads/Part Number: PCIE-CARD-LVDSDescription: PCI-Express LVDS card for Photometrics cameras.Price: $1600.00 USD eachThey are too expensive... how can I get cheaper ones? Used are OK as long as they works.

author: Chipmunk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2015, 05:42:50 pm
content: Page 8 of the linked manual seems to suggest a proprietary protocol on a (fairly standard) 26pin HD D-sub connector ("26 pin D connector" will find several suppliers on a search). The PCI card evidently is *required*, I can't help with the PCI card unfortunately but I suspect the detail given in the manual will let more technical people on this here forum work it out

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2015, 05:51:13 pm
content: Quote from: Chipmunk on March 19, 2015, 05:42:50 pmThank you, but do you mean page 9? And you may misunderstood me, I mean the "DATA connector: 20-pin, high-density connector for data transfer."For the "I/O connector: DB26", the PDF even told me how to use it per pin, but that is not the main data port, I want to get video out, from the "DATA connector".

author: Chipmunk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2015, 06:05:43 pm
content: Mea culpa, yes... sorry. That data connector looks like a micro centronics 20 pin (http://www.amamax.com/6fodfpmice201.html) which according to that link is used for DVI... so it maybe a standard video signal!

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2015, 06:14:11 pm
content: Quote from: Chipmunk on March 19, 2015, 06:05:43 pmThank you! I hope it is just a standard signal too, but I think it might not. The PDF described it should be used with a software, which can control the camera, a DVI cannot send back control command I think.

author: Evil Lurker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2015, 06:57:45 pm
content: Quote from: sam1275 on March 19, 2015, 06:14:11 pmActually I vaguely recall reading something about DVI ports being capable of bidirectional communication, but after looking at a few cards on Ebay it would appear that it is not a standard DVI port used in consumer products.I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that after skimming over a few random snippets here and there about what is so special about the cameras the PCI card and everything about it is proprietary and separately they might as well be paperweights.

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2015, 07:20:48 pm
content: Quote from: Evil Lurker on March 19, 2015, 06:57:45 pmThanks, now I know it's a LVDS signal, so... any benefits?

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2015, 05:37:28 am
content: More information added.

author: svic
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 06, 2017, 06:26:45 pm
content: Please share your solution!