ADLINK PCIe-FIW64/62 Image Acquisition Card Configuration Guide

ADLINK PCIe-FIW64/62 Series 1394b Frame Grabber Selection, Deployment, and Trigger Control Complete Guide

In applications such as high-speed machine vision, scientific research, and medical imaging, efficiently connecting industrial cameras with IEEE 1394b (FireWire 800) interfaces to computers is a core aspect of system design. The PCIe FIW series frame grabber launched by ADLINK Technology is based on the PCI Express bus and provides dual port (FIW62) or four port (FIW64) 1394b connections, supporting data transfer rates of up to 800Mb/s. It integrates industrial grade functions such as isolated digital I/O and programmable trigger output, and is designed for harsh visual inspection environments. This article will provide engineers with a comprehensive technical reference manual from the aspects of model comparison, hardware features, trigger mechanism, installation configuration, and software development.

Series Overview and Model Selection

The PCIe FIW series includes two main products:

PCIe-FIW62: Provides 2 1394b (FireWire 800) ports with x1 PCI Express interface, suitable for systems with fewer channels and cost sensitivity.

PCIe-FIW64: Provides 4 1394b ports and adopts x4 PCI Express interface to meet the synchronous acquisition needs of multiple cameras. It is also equipped with 4 isolated digital inputs, 4 isolated digital outputs, 4 isolated trigger inputs, and 4 isolated trigger outputs, making it an ideal choice for high-end machine vision systems.

Both cards comply with PCI Express Base Specification Rev 1.1 and support Windows XP/XP Embedded/Vista and newer systems (via compatible drivers). In terms of external dimensions, FIW64 is 129.5mm × 111.15mm, and FIW62 is 78.6mm × 105.75mm, suitable for different space chassis. When selecting, it is necessary to make a comprehensive decision based on the number of cameras, whether external triggering/I/O control is required, and the available PCIe slot specifications (FIW62 can be used for x1/x4/x8/x16, FIW64 requires x4/x8/x16).

Core hardware specifications and interface definitions

2.1 1394b Interface Characteristics

Number of ports: 2 for FIW62 and 4 for FIW64.

Transmission rate: Automatic negotiation supports 100/200/400/800 Mb/s, fully compatible with IEEE 1394-1995, 1394a-2000, and 1394b-2002 standards.

Physical connector: 9-pin 1394b socket with screw locking, ensuring reliable connection in industrial environments.

Power output: The onboard 4-pin ATX power socket (+12V) can provide power to the connected 1394 camera, reducing external power wiring.

Each port is equipped with an independent green LED status indicator light (LED19~LED22 correspond to CN1~CN4 of FIW64), which lights up when connected to the 1394b device normally for on-site diagnosis.

2.2 Digital I/O and Trigger Interface (FIW64 only)

FIW64 provides the following isolation signals through a 37 pin D-sub expansion connector (CN6):

4-channel isolated digital input: optocoupler, input voltage range 0~25V, high-level threshold ≥ 2V, low-level ≤ 0.5V, rated isolation voltage 1000V@60 In seconds.

4-channel isolated digital output: optocoupler, current sink type, maximum load voltage 24V, output saturation voltage drop ≤ 1.0V (at 80mA), maximum current sink 80mA.

4-channel isolated trigger input: Same electrical characteristics as digital input, but supports programmable polarity (rising edge/falling edge trigger), with a minimum pulse width of 0.1ms.

4-channel isolated trigger output: photoelectric coupling, current injection type, maximum injection current 40mA, output voltage drop ≤ 0.4V (16mA), programmable output pulse width (0.1-50ms, step 0.1ms), and adjustable delay (0-1000ms, step 1ms).

All isolated signals use independent common terminals (with corresponding common pins for each input/output/trigger), which facilitates the connection of external devices with different potentials and enhances anti-interference capabilities.

2.3 Board ID Setting (FIW64)

The FIW64 board is equipped with a 4-digit DIP switch (SW1) for setting the Card ID (0-3). The same PC system can support up to 4 FIW64 cards, distinguished by different IDs. By default, all are ON (ID=0), and users can set the binary encoding according to Table 2-5. The driver program identifies each card through its ID to ensure that signal channels do not conflict when multiple cards work together.

Detailed explanation of programmable triggering function - precision timing control

One of the most powerful features of FIW64 is its flexible triggering control mechanism, which is very suitable for visual applications that require precise timing excitation, such as strobe lighting and motion synchronization capture. This function is based on the process of "trigger input → delay → trigger output", with the following specific parameters:

3.1 Trigger timing parameters

T1 (Trigger Input Pulse Width): Minimum 0.1ms, too low a width may be ignored.

T2 (Trigger Delay): Programmable from 0 to 1000ms, with 1ms steps. Timing starts from the effective edge of the trigger input, and the trigger output is generated after the delay ends.

T3 (trigger output pulse width): programmable 0.1-50ms, step by 0.1ms.