Reducing system complexity with CoaXPress
Often a robust and simple system design is more cost effective and also easier to maintain. Simple system design is achieved by using proven technologies and at the same time reducing the variety of technologies that are being used. Less cables and less hardware make a system even simpler, robust and cost efficient.
One of the strong advantages of CoaXPress (CXP) is that it is designed to simplify the system architecture.
With its first demonstration in 2008, CoaXPress has already a history of almost 10 years. Looking at the ongoing increase in the number of manufacturers that produce CXP products it can be said that CoaXPress is a proven technology by now.
CoaXPress can be used for low resolution cameras as well as for high to ultra high resolution cameras. A combination of low resolution USB cameras and high resolution Camera Link cameras is thus not required. With only one interface for all cameras in the system, engineering time can be spent to that single interface. This focus creates a lot of knowledge and thus problem solving power on this one interface. This problem solving power reduces development and troubleshooting time.
Cameras with a CoaXPress interface are powered over this interface. Sending triggers with a predictable latency over the CXP cable is possible as well. Extra power and trigger cables are not required. Next to being simpler, a system with fewer cables is in general more flexible as well. It will be easier to move the camera around.
The last characteristic of a simple system as mentioned in the first paragraph is less hardware. Although you do need a frame grabber to use a CXP camera, those frame grabbers can be quite efficient with respect to the amount of cameras in your system. For example it is no problem to connect multiple cameras to a single frame grabber.
For example, on a 4 channel frame grabber you can connect 4 low resolution cameras or 1 high resolution camera. To connect 5 cameras you thus only need two 4 channel frame grabbers. Almost all frame grabber manufacturers offer 4 channel frame grabbers. Some manufacturers even offer 8 channel frame grabbers. This would thus allow up to 8 low resolution cameras on a single frame grabber!
To give another example of the efficient use of frame grabbers by CoaXPress: on a 4 channel frame grabber it is also possible to run a high resolution camera at a reduced speed on 2 channels and use the other 2 channels for 2 low resolution cameras.
In conclusion: CoaXPress has the ability to simplify your system architecture. It is a proven technology, it can be used for low and high resolution cameras, it reduces the amount of cables required for your system and it is efficient with the required hardware.
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