The major components of a Vicon Vantage motion capture system are:
- Vicon Vantage motion capture cameras
- Vicon Vantage networking PoE+ switches, which provide the power source and connectivity
- Vicon Vantage software to control the cameras, analyze and present the data
- Vicon Vantage host PC to run the software
A Vantage system also includes Vantage system cables to connect the hardware devices, a Vantage calibration device (a Vicon Active Wand), and Vantage accessories .
You may also choose to include Vicon video cameras (such as Vicon Vue); and, to support third-party devices such as force plates and accelerometers, a Vicon Lock unit (optional) for third-party devices. If your Vantage system requires a current Vicon Lock unit, it will also include a PoE+ switch.
In each Vantage system, one Vicon Vantage master synchronization device provides synchronization to the rest of the system.
Except where noted, references to Vicon Lock, Lock units, and Lock apply to all current models of the Vicon Lock unit (at the time of publication, this includes Vicon Lock+, Vicon Lock Studio and Vicon Lock Lab).
You can expand and upgrade your Vicon Vantage system as required. In addition to being compatible with current Vicon camera ranges such as Vero and Vue, the Vantage system is also compatible with T-Series cameras and their associated Giganets, so if you have an older system, you can build on your existing investment.
The following table identifies commonly used components of Vicon Vantage systems.
| Component | Description | Further information |
|---|---|---|
 | Vicon Vantage camera | Vicon Vantage motion capture cameras |
 | Vicon Vero | Vicon Vantage motion capture cameras, Vicon Vero Quick Start Guide (PDF) |
 | MX T-Series camera (legacy) | The documentation supplied with your Vicon T-Series system and Go Further with Vicon MX T-Series (PDF) |
 | Vicon video cameras (Vicon Vue) | PC Setup for Vicon Systems (PDF), Vicon Video Camera Guides (PDFs), and Add cameras and connectivity to a basic Vantage system |
  | Vicon-supplied PoE+ switch (plugged into mains socket) | Vicon Vantage networking PoE+ switches. Vicon Vantage cameras require PoE+ switches. Vicon Lock, Vicon Vero and Vicon video cameras (Bonita or Vue) require PoE+ or PoE switches |
 | Vicon-supplied switch: Gigabit PoE+ with a 10 GbE uplink | Needed 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. (See Extended Vicon Vantage system (add cameras and third-party devices)). |
 | Vicon Lock unit (plugged into PoE+ switch). | Vicon Lock (optional) for third-party devices |
 | MX Giganet (plugged into mains socket) | Integrate MX T-Series components into a Vicon Vantage system |
 | Vicon Vantage host PC (with Vicon application software). | Vicon Vantage host PC. For the latest full spec, visit vicon.com and search for PC specification. |
 | Vicon-supplied Cat 5e RJ-45 Ethernet cable | Cables used to connect cameras to a PoE+ switch have a ferrite at the camera end. Cables used to connect a Lock unit to a PoE+ switch are shielded. Vicon Vantage system cables |
 | Lock to Giganet Link cable | Vicon Vantage system cables |
 | Lock to Lock Link cable | Vicon Vantage system cables |
 | Weidmüller connector cable for analog capture (force plates, etc) | Vicon Vantage system cables |
| Vicon Vantage software download | Vicon Vantage software |
 | Vicon Vantage calibration device (Active Wand) | Vicon Vantage calibration device |
 | Motion capture accessories (such as markers) | Vicon Vantage accessories |
| Third-party devices (optional) | Third-party devices, such as accelerometers and force plates | Vicon Lock (optional) for third-party devices |
If your particular application requires a more complex configuration, contact Vicon Support.
Vicon Vantage motion capture cameras
Vicon offers a wide choice of motion capture cameras which feature multiple high-speed processors that perform real-time image processing.
You can include the following cameras in your Vicon Vantage system:
- Vantage V16, with a resolution of up to 16 megapixels (4096 x 4096) and capture speed of 120 fps
- Vantage V8, with a resolution of up to 8 megapixels (3328 x 2432) and capture speed of 260 fps
- Vantage V5, with a resolution of up to 5 megapixels (2432 x 2048) and capture speed of 420 fps
- Current Vicon video cameras (Vue)
- Current Vicon optical camera ranges (Vero) and legacy (Bonita and T-Series) cameras
For further details of Vantage cameras, see Vicon Vantage cameras and Vicon Vantage camera technical specifications.
For details of T-Series cameras included in your Vicon Vantage system, see the Vicon T-Series documentation supplied with your cameras or download the PDF Go Further with Vicon MX T-Series.
Vicon Vantage networking PoE+ switches
Each Vicon Vantage camera (or other current Vicon optical camera) and the optional Vicon Lock unit (connected via an additional PoE+ switch), connect to one port of a PoE+ switch. Vicon Vue video cameras can also be connected to a PoE+ switch. In addition:
- Each Vantage camera must connect to a port conforming to the IEEE 802.3at-2009 (25.5W PoE+) standard.
- Vero cameras, Vue cameras, and Lock units (connected via an additional PoE+ switch), can either connect to the same type of port as the Vantage cameras or to a port of lesser standard conforming to IEEE 802.3 af (12.95W PoE). This connectivity through Vicon-supplied RJ-45 cables carries both Gigabit communications and power. (Note that in some legacy systems, Bonita cameras may be connected directly to a Giganet. For information on connecting such a system, see Integrate MX T-Series components into a Vantage system.)
- The PoE+ switch also connects to the Vicon Vantage host PC running the Vantage software that enables you to capture and analyze your data. Note that no power is required on this particular port of the PoE+ switch.
The number of PoE+ switches required depends on the number of cameras to be supported.
For examples of how to connect a PoE+ switch, see:
- Simple Vicon Vantage system (Vantage cameras only)
- Extended Vicon Vantage system (add cameras and third-party devices)
- Integrated Vicon Vantage system (with MX T-Series)
Vicon Vantage host PC
The Vicon Vantage host PC runs the Vicon motion capture software that analyzes and presents the data captured by the Vantage cameras.
Current Vicon computers contain dual 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports to enable the Vantage system to communicate with the installed Vicon application software. Depending on your system and your PC configuration, you can either route optical data (eg, from Vantage cameras) through one port and video data (eg, from Vue video cameras) through the other; or video data and optical data can be delivered through a single port. The latter approach requires a Giganet Ethernet PoE+ with a 10 GbE uplink. For more information, see Vicon Vantage host PC connectors.
Any Vicon motion capture and analysis software to be used with a Vicon Vantage system is installed on this Vicon Vantage host PC. For further details of this computer, see Vicon Vantage host PC.
Remote PCs may be used for other Vicon software or supported third-party applications.
Vicon Vantage software
Vicon Vantage supports the following versions of Vicon motion capture software for life sciences, animation, and engineering applications:
- Nexus 2.6 and later
- Shogun 1.1 and later
- Tracker 3.6 and later
The motion capture software is installed on the Vicon Vantage host PC; for further details on the software, see Vicon software on Vicon Vantage host PC.
Vicon also provides a range of data visualization, analysis, and manipulation software (for details, see the Software link on the Vicon website).
Vicon Vantage cables
A combination of proprietary Vicon and commercially available cables is used to connect hardware devices in a Vicon Vantage system.
For further information, see Vicon Vantage system cables.
Vicon Vantage calibration device
A Vicon proprietary calibration device is used to calibrate Vicon Vantage systems.
For further information, see Vicon Vantage calibration device.
Vicon Vantage accessories
Motion capture accessories such as Vicon retroreflective markers, marker-fixing tape, Micropore and Gaffer tape, and Velcro are available.
For further information, see Vicon Vantage accessories.
Vicon Lock unit (optional) for third-party devices
With the addition of a Vicon Lock unit to your Vicon Vantage system, you can directly include the following third-party devices:
- External analog peripheral devices, such as force plates, electromyography (EMG) equipment, and accelerometers
- External devices that require synchronization at a frequency that is related to the motion capture frame rate and/or a device that needs to know when a capture occurs
- External devices that need to start and stop the capture event, (Remote Start and Stop)
- External analog Standard Definition (SD), High Definition (HD) and (with Vicon Lock Studio) 3G SDI broadcast digital video devices to which the Vicon Vantage system must synchronize
- External analog broadcast timecode devices for triggering capture and time-stamping captured data in accordance with LTC and VITC standards
- External VESA Stereo devices to which the Vicon Vantage system must synchronize
For more information on the role of Vicon Lock units in a Vicon Vantage system, see Vicon Lock connectivity units.
For more information on connecting third-party devices to a Vantage system, see Add analog capture devices to a Vantage system.
For a list of currently tested and supported third-party devices, contact Vicon Support or your nearest agent or distributor.
Vicon Vantage master synchronization device
As shown in the following table, each Vantage system has one master device that provides synchronization to the system. The master is established automatically during system booting.
| If the system includes | The master is |
|---|---|
| Vicon Lock unit | Vicon Lock unit. Note that if Lock is added to a T-Series system, all Giganets become secondary units. |
| No Lock | A camera (unless you have an integrated system that includes a Giganet, in which case the Giganet is the master) |
| Two Lock units | Lock unit with genlock source attached. If no genlock source is attached to either Lock, one is automatically designated the master. |
For more information on the role of a Vicon Lock unit in a Vantage system, see Vicon Lock in a Vicon Vantage system.
