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Composite Video to USB converters


2and4

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We are trying to analyze images generated by a microscope using NI Vision software and LabVIEW. The microscope generates Composite Video. We want to send the images to a laptop using a Composite Vide to USB converter. The problem is there are SEVERAL of these Composite Video to USB converters available and we don't know which one has a driver with an API which we can call from LabVIEW relatively easily.

I'm guessing most of these converters come with software that, when installed, registers ActiveX Type Libraries or .NET Assemblies on the OS. The problem I had once in the past is that the classes were not very well built and using the classes' methods was quite cumbersome.

Anyone used any of these converters? Any suggestions which of the many we should try? Thanks in advance...

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QUOTE (2and4 @ Jan 13 2009, 05:46 PM)

We are trying to analyze images generated by a microscope using NI Vision software and LabVIEW. The microscope generates Composite Video. We want to send the images to a laptop using a Composite Vide to USB converter. The problem is there are SEVERAL of these Composite Video to USB converters available and we don't know which one has a driver with an API which we can call from LabVIEW relatively easily.

I'm guessing most of these converters come with software that, when installed, registers ActiveX Type Libraries or .NET Assemblies on the OS. The problem I had once in the past is that the classes were not very well built and using the classes' methods was quite cumbersome.

Anyone used any of these converters? Any suggestions which of the many we should try? Thanks in advance...

Maybe it is easier to find a composite to USB converter with DV format. Then you can find a toolkit, like IVision LabVIEW toolkit to capture the DV video and convert into IMAQ format for further analysis.

Irene

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QUOTE (2and4 @ Jan 14 2009, 04:16 AM)

We are trying to analyze images generated by a microscope using NI Vision software and LabVIEW. The microscope generates Composite Video. We want to send the images to a laptop using a Composite Vide to USB converter. The problem is there are SEVERAL of these Composite Video to USB converters available and we don't know which one has a driver with an API which we can call from LabVIEW relatively easily.

I'm guessing most of these converters come with software that, when installed, registers ActiveX Type Libraries or .NET Assemblies on the OS. The problem I had once in the past is that the classes were not very well built and using the classes' methods was quite cumbersome.

Anyone used any of these converters? Any suggestions which of the many we should try? Thanks in advance...

In Past we have built a software which can capture images from Analog cameras and Web cams. we used a PCI card for capturing analog images. I think there is no need to go deep into details of driver. almost all drivers will be compatible with directshow. and i think it will be better if you design your software on top of directshow.

Afterall it may not be a good experience if you need to scrap your entire code and start from scratch just because you are planning to change your capturing device

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QUOTE (2and4 @ Jan 14 2009, 04:16 AM)

We are trying to analyze images generated by a microscope using NI Vision software and LabVIEW. The microscope generates Composite Video. We want to send the images to a laptop using a Composite Vide to USB converter. The problem is there are SEVERAL of these Composite Video to USB converters available and we don't know which one has a driver with an API which we can call from LabVIEW relatively easily.

I'm guessing most of these converters come with software that, when installed, registers ActiveX Type Libraries or .NET Assemblies on the OS. The problem I had once in the past is that the classes were not very well built and using the classes' methods was quite cumbersome.

Anyone used any of these converters? Any suggestions which of the many we should try? Thanks in advance...

In Past we have built a software which can capture images from Analog cameras and Web cams. we used a PCI card for capturing analog images. I think there is no need to go deep into details of driver. almost all drivers will be compatible with directshow. and i think it will be better if you design your software on top of directshow.

Afterall it may not be a good experience if you need to scrap your entire code and start from scratch just because you are planning to change your capturing device

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QUOTE (tushar @ Jan 15 2009, 03:25 AM)

In Past we have built a software which can capture images from Analog cameras and Web cams. we used a PCI card for capturing analog images. I think there is no need to go deep into details of driver. almost all drivers will be compatible with directshow. and i think it will be better if you design your software on top of directshow.

Afterall it may not be a good experience if you need to scrap your entire code and start from scratch just because you are planning to change your capturing device

I agree: it would be best to use DirectShow. We don't have the option of using a PCI card for capturing analog images: we have to use a laptop.

Thanks for the help!

Akash.

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QUOTE (tushar @ Jan 15 2009, 03:25 AM)

In Past we have built a software which can capture images from Analog cameras and Web cams. we used a PCI card for capturing analog images. I think there is no need to go deep into details of driver. almost all drivers will be compatible with directshow. and i think it will be better if you design your software on top of directshow.

Afterall it may not be a good experience if you need to scrap your entire code and start from scratch just because you are planning to change your capturing device

I agree: it would be best to use DirectShow. We don't have the option of using a PCI card for capturing analog images: we have to use a laptop.

Thanks for the help!

Akash.

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QUOTE (2and4 @ Jan 13 2009, 11:46 PM)

We are trying to analyze images generated by a microscope using NI Vision software and LabVIEW. The microscope generates Composite Video. We want to send the images to a laptop using a Composite Vide to USB converter. The problem is there are SEVERAL of these Composite Video to USB converters available and we don't know which one has a driver with an API which we can call from LabVIEW relatively easily.

Do you want to call the API to do more than just collect the image ?

If you only need to get the images: I've used NI-IMAQ with the "IMAQ for USB" addition with great success. I have a STK1150 compatible capture device called something like EasyCap that works like a charm. It can capture composite and S-video. Never crashed or had strange problems. Further it only installs a small driver that can do full frame (720x576), full speed (25fps) without problems (getting it on the screen at that rate is another matter...). I think it can do both PAL and NTSC. It's just perfect.

Joris

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QUOTE (2and4 @ Jan 13 2009, 11:46 PM)

We are trying to analyze images generated by a microscope using NI Vision software and LabVIEW. The microscope generates Composite Video. We want to send the images to a laptop using a Composite Vide to USB converter. The problem is there are SEVERAL of these Composite Video to USB converters available and we don't know which one has a driver with an API which we can call from LabVIEW relatively easily.

Do you want to call the API to do more than just collect the image ?

If you only need to get the images: I've used NI-IMAQ with the "IMAQ for USB" addition with great success. I have a STK1150 compatible capture device called something like EasyCap that works like a charm. It can capture composite and S-video. Never crashed or had strange problems. Further it only installs a small driver that can do full frame (720x576), full speed (25fps) without problems (getting it on the screen at that rate is another matter...). I think it can do both PAL and NTSC. It's just perfect.

Joris

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