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Hardware Installation (USB 3.0 Cameras)#

This topic tells you how to install an ace 2, ace, dart, or pulse USB 3.0 camera.

General Considerations#

The pylon Software Suite for Windows must be installed.

Make sure that the following items are available before starting the hardware installation:

  • A Basler ace, ace 2, dart, or pulse USB 3.0 camera.
  • A computer with a USB 3.0 port. If your computer doesn't have one, you can add a suitable USB 3.0 host controller card.
  • A lens for the camera. If you already know what lens you will be using in your actual application, use this lens during the camera installation and setup. If not, Basler suggests using a zoom lens for the installation and initial setup. Contact Basler technical support if you need assistance in determining the best lens for your application.
  • A USB cable. Contact your Basler sales representative for ordering a suitable cable assembly.

So far, Basler has found the following host controller chipsets to work well with Basler USB 3.0 cameras:

  • Renesas USB 3.0 host controller chipsets
  • FrescoLogic host controller chipsets
  • ASM host controller chipset

Other USB 3.0 host controller chipsets are being evaluated on an on-going basis. Contact Basler technical support for the latest information about other recommended chipsets.

For more information, see the USB 3.0 Host Controllers Maximum Bandwidth Measurements application note.

Installing the Host Controller Driver#

To use your camera on a USB 3.0 port, an xHCI driver is required.

On Windows 10 and higher, a suitable xHCI driver is preinstalled as part of the operating system. If no xHCI driver is preinstalled, you can download the driver of the host controller manufacturer from the following websites:

Installing the Camera#

ace 2 Camera Connectors#

ace 2 Connectors

ace Camera Connectors#

ace Connectors

dart Camera Connectors#

dart R Cameras#

dart R USB 3.0 Connectors

dart Classic Cameras#

dart Connectors

pulse Camera Connectors#

pulse Connectors

To install the camera:

  1. ace and ace 2 cameras: Remove the protective cap from the lens mount.
    pulse cameras: Remove the protective seal from the lens mount.
    dart S-mount and CS-mount cameras: If you want to use the I/O connector, remove the protective seal from the I/O connector.
  2. Mount a lens on the camera. Be careful not to insert the lens any deeper than specified in the Maximum Allowed Lens Intrusion topic.
  3. ace, ace 2, and dart cameras: If you want to use any of the camera's I/O lines, carry out the following steps:
    1. Plug the 6-pin connector of the I/O cable into the I/O connector of the camera.
    2. Connect the other end of the I/O cable to the device that sends and receives I/O signals.
  4. Connect the USB cable:
    1. Plug the USB 3.0 Micro-B connector of the USB cable into the USB 3.0 connector of the camera.
    2. Plug the other end of the USB cable into a USB port of your computer. Basler strongly recommends connecting the camera to a USB 3.0 port. USB 3.0 ports are either marked with a SuperSpeed logo or have a blue insert. For information about USB 2.0 compatibility, see the General Considerations section.

Next Steps#

  • Use the pylon Viewer to check whether your camera has been detected, acquire images, display images, and adjust parameter settings to improve image quality.
  • Use the pylon USB Configurator to look up information about the USB devices connected to your computer. You can also use it for troubleshooting.