The following topics explain how to connect various example Vicon Vantage systems, from a basic system to a system where legacy components and Vantage components are combined:
The above system configurations were current at the time of publication, but may now have been superseded. For up-to-date information, search for
PC specification on the Vicon website or contact Vicon Support.In the diagrams in this guide, references to ’Optical data (Ethernet)’ indicate the flow of positional data from Vicon cameras, as opposed to ’Video data (Ethernet)’, which is used to indicate data from video cameras within a Vicon system. At no point are fiber optics referenced.
For guidance on the number and type of PoE switches needed for the number of cameras in your system, see the Vicon system configuration and connection examples.
Simple Vicon Vantage system (Vantage cameras only)
The simplest Vicon Vantage system consists of between 1–12 Vantage cameras, a PoE+ switch, and the Vicon Vantage host PC (for descriptions of these components, see Overview of Vicon Vantage system components).
The PoE+ switch provides power and data communication for the Vantage cameras. It also routes the Vicon sync (Ethernet sync and time stamp) from the master camera (selectable in your Vicon application software) to all attached secondary cameras. In addition, the PoE+ switch manages the data flow to the Vicon Vantage host PC. This PC runs the Vantage software that you use to process, visualize, and analyze your data.
This diagram shows an example of a simple system.
For further details on setting up a basic Vicon Vantage system, see Set up a simple Vicon Vantage system.
Extended Vicon Vantage system (add cameras and third-party devices)
An extended Vicon Vantage system consists of the basic system plus additional hardware, such as additional Vantage cameras, an additional PoE+ switch, a Vicon Lock and a Gigabit PoE+ switch with a 10 GbE uplink, and Vicon Vue video cameras.
When a Vicon Lock is added to the system, it enables analog capture, synchronization of output devices, interfacing with remote triggering devices, and synchronization to genlock/timecode video sources, as well as VESA stereo video sources (for descriptions of these devices, see Overview of Vicon Vantage system components).
When extending your system, bear in mind the following points:
- You need one 26-port PoE+ switch for up to 12 Vicon Vantage cameras in your system.
- One uplink port can be used to connect to the Vicon Vantage host PC. The PoE+ switch that connects to the host PC is known as the primary PoE+ switch.
- The remaining ports can be used to connect a Vicon Lock unit, a Vicon video camera, and/or one or more Vicon optical cameras, Note that:
- A Lock unit (connected via a PoE+ switch) or a Vicon optical camera takes up one port of a PoE+ switch.
- Each Vicon video camera takes up two ports on a PoE+ switch.
- If you want to use more than 12 Vicon Vantage cameras, and/or the number of additional devices (such as Vicon video cameras, Lock, etc) require more than the remaining available ports on the primary PoE+ switch, you must add a second PoE+ switch to your system.
- When you add a second PoE+ switch, one uplink port is taken on each switch in connecting the two together (this can be a direct connection or a connection via a PoE switch, as shown in the following diagram).
- In a system that contains multiple PoE+ switches, the sync master must be a camera or a Lock unit that is connected to the primary PoE+ switch.
- If the system includes three or more PoE+ switches; or two or more PoE+ switches and a Lock; or two or more Vue video cameras, a Gigabit PoE+ with a 10 GbE uplink is required. Note that:
- A Lock unit (connected directly to the Gigabit PoE+ switch) takes up one port of the Gigabit PoE+ switch.
- Vicon optical cameras take up one port of a PoE+ switch, which is connected to one port of the Gigabit PoE+ switch.
- Each Vicon video camera takes up one port on a Gigabit PoE+ switch, but in most cases, you will also need to use one of the uplinks to carry video data between the PC and the switch (see the following diagram).
This diagram shows an example of an extended system.
Integrated Vicon Vantage system (with MX T-Series)
An integrated Vicon Vantage system contains components from MX T-Series systems. You leave the old system as it was and connect the new Vantage system into one of the Gigabit Ethernet ports of the MX Giganet. The primary MX Giganet provides all data communications with any secondary MX Giganets and the new Vantage system. An example integrated Vantage system, with an MX Giganet and T-series cameras, is shown in the following diagram.
For details on setting up a Vicon Vantage system that is integrated with a MX T-Series system, see Integrate MX T-Series components into a Vantage system.
For further help with connecting large numbers of Vantage cameras into an MX T-Series/Giganet system, contact Vicon Support.
