A comparison of the pros and cons of GigE Vision, USB 3 Vision, CoaXPress, Camera Link, and HD-SDI for as rugged digital video interfaces in global security and defense imaging systems.

1. 1
Move from Analog to Digital in
Global Security Systems
Which interface is best?

2. 2
Video interface requirements for global security
systems:
• Minimize SWAP-C
- Number of cables needed for interfacing
- Size and number of connectors needed for interfacing
- Power consumption of interface
- Cost of cables
• Long cable lengths and flexible cables for routing throughout
vehicles and use with slip rings
• High reliability
• Support HD resolution (color) at 60 frames/second and enable
various image formats for backwards compatibility
• Allow for upgrades to greater resolutions in the future
- New CMOS sensors will enable even greater identification
capabilities, sensitivity in low light situations, and recognition
from greater distances

3. 3
A quick overview of the specs

4. 4
Camera Link (Single Cable)
• Pros
- Well-established standard that is reliable
for short distance connection
- Enables various image formats
- Good for upgrade of camera in existing system using
Camera Link
- Power over the cable is optional
• Cons
- Limited bandwidth (only up to 30 fps possible with full HD
color)
- Does not allow for future upgrades of greater resolutions
- Short, stiff, expensive cables

5. 5
HD-SDI/3G-SDI
• Pros
- Well-established interface that is good when standard HDTV
is good enough for system
- Upgrade of camera in existing system that is already using
HD-SDI
• Cons
- Does not allow for different image formats or greater
resolutions than HD (TV focused)
- Extra cables for power, communication, triggering etc. are
required

6. 6
GigE Vision
• Pros
- Provides a traditional way of setting up video networks
- Long, flexible, inexpensive cables
• Cons
- Large R45 connector
- Processing required to pack and unpack video generates
additional heat and uncertain latency (reliability issues)
- Bandwidth limited (no HDTV without compression possible
over GigE)
- Accurate triggering over the cable may be difficult to
implement

7. 7
USB3 Vision
• Pros
- Commonly known standard based on consumer interface
- No frame grabber required (interface card required)
• Cons
- Large connector and interface driver
- Maximum throughput unpredictable (chipset, PC
motherboard and driver dependent)
- Sustainable speed is much lower than theoretical limit
- Unreliable operation with longer cables (>3 m)

8. 8
CoaXPress
• Pros
- One interface standard for systems
today and in the future –moving to
12 Gbps per cable
- One flexible cable solution
(includes power over cable): lowest SWAP and Cost
- One cable interface - EMC/EMI friendly
- Backward compatibly with 75 Ohm Coaxial cable (when
using existing infrastructure like HD-SDI or even analog)
- Any display format is possible
- Low latency and stable video transfer, reliable with
hardware control through direct memory access
• Cons
- Requires a frame grabber
- Relatively new standard, not yet well-known in the industry

9. 9
Overview of Pros and Cons

10. 10
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