PointGrey Setup Help

[Aalok Varma]

Hello,

I am new to using Bonsai, and am trying to setup a PointGrey Flea3 camera. I have a few questions:

1. I downloaded the workflows in this post for reference, to get started (https://groups.google.com/d/topic/bonsai-users/oeTvp6Ldos0/discussion) and I found it really useful. However, I noticed that the icon you use has those stripes on it (see attached files). What do those stripes represent? I tried playing around with the settings, adding nodes etc, but couldn't get the same. Could you please explain what the difference is?

2. I have been trying to change the frame rate with which the PointGrey camera captures. After several tries, I changed the frame rate from FlyCap2, and then the video recorded at the frame rate I wanted. Is there an easier way of changing the camera's frame rate without having to use FlyCap every time I want to make a change to the frame rate?

3. I want to do high speed videography (120 fps, and higher, if need be). However, at 100 fps, Bonsai crashes in about 10 seconds (Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions). Is the crashing a bug or an issue with the system I am using?

As an aside, I was also having some trouble with figuring out which camera has what index, so that I can modify that parameter with CameraCapture, if need be. Could you please help me with that?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Cheers,
Aalok.

[goncaloclopes]

Hi Aalok,

1. I downloaded the workflows in this post for reference, to get started (https://groups.google.com/d/topic/bonsai-users/oeTvp6Ldos0/discussion) and I found it really useful. However, I noticed that the icon you use has those stripes on it (see attached files). What do those stripes represent? I tried playing around with the settings, adding nodes etc, but couldn't get the same. Could you please explain what the difference is?

The stripes over a node image indicate that the node is "deprecated". This probably happened because the workflow in that post was created with Bonsai 2.1 and you are opening it in Bonsai 2.2. However, it is strange because all sources should have been automatically updated when you opened the file. Do you get a pop-up window when you open the workflow notifying you that the workflow is from an older version?

 

2. I have been trying to change the frame rate with which the PointGrey camera captures. After several tries, I changed the frame rate from FlyCap2, and then the video recorded at the frame rate I wanted. Is there an easier way of changing the camera's frame rate without having to use FlyCap every time I want to make a change to the frame rate?

Any change in settings from FlyCap is automatically used by Bonsai during acquisition, and they will persist until you disconnect the camera from the USB. If you want these settings to persist for longer, you need to save them to the camera's EEPROM. You can do this by going to the "Advanced Camera Settings" tab in FlyCap and clicking on the Save button that is below the memory channels dropdown. This will save the current settings in the camera memory.

 

3. I want to do high speed videography (120 fps, and higher, if need be). However, at 100 fps, Bonsai crashes in about 10 seconds (Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions). Is the crashing a bug or an issue with the system I am using?

Bonsai works routinely up to 3 cameras at 120 fps given reasonable system specs. I will need more information in order to diagnose this. Can you please attach a copy of the workflow you are using now? Also, are you visualizing the video during acquisition or does the crash happen also when there are no windows open? Finally, can you provide your system specs?

 

As an aside, I was also having some trouble with figuring out which camera has what index, so that I can modify that parameter with CameraCapture, if need be. Could you please help me with that?

The index of each camera should match the order that they show up in the FlyCap camera selection dialog. Please note that this may be affected by the order with which you plug your cameras in the USB.

 

Thanks a lot in advance.

No problem. Hope this helps!

[Aalok Varma]

Hi Gonçalo,

Thanks a lot for your reply. Here are my system specs:

Windows 10 (64-bit); Intel Pentium N3540 @ 2.16GHz; 4GB RAM; I have about 57GB free on the hard disk I am storing my data to. Please let me know if there is any other specific detail you need.

My workflow is really simple. I have attached it here. I did try to visualize when it crashed. I haven't tried the thing without visualizing while the processing was going on.

And as for the deprecated nodes, no, I haven't gotten any pop-up window saying that it is from an older version. As a matter of fact, there isn't any apparent difference between the workflow I got from you and the exact same thing when I try it. :| It's probably nothing. I just asked to be on the safe side.

Also, my last question was about cameras in general, about working with indices on CameraCapture in general, not necessarily PointGrey.

Thanks a lot.

Cheers,

Aalok.

[goncaloclopes]

Hmmm, the specs seem good, except for RAM which is a bit on the low side...

Can you open up task manager and try to see how Bonsai's memory usage is doing?

I heard some reports that on Windows 10 they changed some things about how memory is managed but I didn't get to test it much yet.

Thanks,

Gonçalo

[Aalok Varma]

Hello Gonçalo,

I have attached two images of my Task Manager - the Background one shows the Task Manager while Bonsai is just open. The other image shows the T.M. while Bonsai is running a Camera Capture, and I am visualizing it.

Is this what is expected, or is something going wrong?

Hmmm... I don't think I can upgrade my RAM in short notice. It might take a while. Do you have any alternative suggestions?

Thanks a million.

Cheers,

Aalok.

[goncaloclopes]

Hi Aalok,

Actually the memory usage seems OK. It doesn't seem like the crashing is related to memory. Another possibility if you are using FlyCapture is issues with the camera connection. If you open the camera in FlyCapture and leave it running for a while, do you ever see these red warnings popping up? Something like "Link recovery count" or "skipped frames" increasing in red?

If you see it, then I would advise you to switch the USB cable, the camera or the USB port. Sometimes particular combinations of these will make the PointGrey Flea cameras unstable in their PC connections. Finally, did you install Usb Pro in your system on driver installation? The Usb Pro drivers are sometimes necessary to configure correctly in order to achieve stable high-speed video acquisition with the PointGrey cameras. More information on recommended PointGrey USB3 components can be found here.

Let me know if this helps.