Imaging/Detectors: Camera-to-PC Interfaces

Kelly Davis, Matrox Imaging

Machine vision providers are realizing the benefits of digital cameras with high resolution and frame rates, and they are migrating toward these higher-performance alternatives. As this happens, the need for more bandwidth to transfer the cameras' data is critical.

It is already clear to imaging professionals that transmitting digital data directly from a camera to a personal computer is beneficial because it does not require the conversion from digital to analog and back to digital again. Now the focus is on transmitting more data at faster rates, using smaller and fewer wires and connectors, at a lower overall cost.

These needs are driving camera-to-PC interface technologies now and will continue to do so. Digital serial interfaces are emerging to replace classic parallel interface technologies that are cumbersome, expensive and labor-intensive.