Acquire Image (IEEE 1394) FAQs

Q: In the Acquire Images tab, why is the Acquire Image (IEEE 1394) icon disabled?

The icon may be disabled for several reasons. Verify that the correct version of the NI-IMAQ for IEEE 1394 Cameras driver software is installed. If necessary, install the driver software. If the icon is still disabled after verifying that the correct driver is installed, refer to Troubleshooting Tips for IEEE 1394 Cameras for troubleshooting tips.

Q: The name of my camera appears in Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) but does not appear in the Devices list. How can I get the name of my camera to appear in the Devices list?

Make sure that the camera is associated with the NI-IMAQ for IEEE 1394 Cameras driver in MAX. If the camera is listed under NI-IMAQdx Devices, right-click the camera and select Driver»NI-IMAQ IEEE 1394 IIDC Digital Camera. Refer to Troubleshooting Tips for IEEE 1394 Cameras for additional trouble shooting tips if this does not resolve the problem.

Q: I cannot acquire images when I press the Acquire Image or Continuous Acquisition buttons.

Close Vision Builder AI. Open MAX, and verify the camera appears correctly in the Devices and Interfaces branch of the Configuration tree. Refer to Troubleshooting Tips for IEEE 1394 Cameras for troubleshooting tips.

Q: Why does my 16-bit image appear incorrectly?

Complete the following steps to adjust the 16-bit Pixel Representation parameters and correct the image using MAX:

1. Close Vision Builder AI.
2. Launch MAX.
3. In the MAX Configuration tree, expand Devices and Interfaces.
4. Expand NI-IMAQ for IEEE 1394 Devices.
5. Click the camera name to select the appropriate camera.
6. Click the Acquisition Parameters tab.
7. Adjust the values for the Actual Bit Depth, Bit Alignment, and Byte Order controls to correct the image.
8. Click Save to save the current configuration. These settings become the default settings for the camera.
9. Close MAX.
10. Launch Vision Builder AI and continue your application.

Note  Some image processing algorithms do not support 16-bit images.

Q: How do I change the Bayer pattern for a camera?

Complete the following steps to change the Bayer pattern using MAX:

1. Close Vision Builder AI.
2. Launch MAX.
3. In the MAX Configuration tree, expand Devices and Interfaces.
4. Expand NI-IMAQ for IEEE 1394 Devices.
5. Click the camera name to select the appropriate camera.
6. Click the Bayer Color tab.
7. Select the appropriate Bayer pattern using the Bayer Pattern control.
8. Click Save to save the current configuration. These settings become the default settings for the camera.
9. Close MAX.
10. Launch Vision Builder AI and continue your application.

    Note  If the Bayer pattern is defined by the camera, you will not be able to adjust the Bayer pattern using MAX.

Q: Why does the acquired image not use the current attribute settings?

If your inspection contains multiple acquisition steps that use the same camera with different attribute settings, it may take 2 or 3 frames for the camera to apply the new attribute settings. The exact number of frames required is camera-dependant. To ensure that an acquisition uses the correct attribute settings, you may have to allow the camera to acquire a few frames before processing the image.