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v3.3
v3.3
  • OptiTrack Documentation
  • WHAT'S NEW
    • What's New in Motive 3.3
  • QUICK START GUIDES
    • Quick Start Guide: Getting Started
    • Quick Start Guide: Prime Color Camera Setup
    • Quick Start Guide: Precision Capture
    • Quick Start Guide: Tutorial Videos
    • Quick Start Guide: Active Marker Tracking
    • Quick Start Guide: Outdoor Tracking Setup
  • HARDWARE
    • Cameras
      • Ethernet Cameras
        • PrimeX 120
        • PrimeX 41
        • PrimeX 22
        • PrimeX 13
        • PrimeX 13W
        • SlimX 13
        • Prime Color
        • VersaX 22
        • VersaX 41
        • VersaX 120
      • USB Cameras
        • Slim 3U
        • Flex 13
        • Flex 3
        • Duo 3
        • Trio 3
        • Adjusting Global Origin for Tracking Bars
    • Prepare Setup Area
    • Camera Mount Structures
    • Camera Placement
    • Ethernet Camera Network Setup
      • General Overview and Specs
      • Windows 10 Network Settings
      • Cabling and Load Balancing
      • Switch Configuration for PrimeX 120
      • NETGEAR ProSafe GSM7228S: Disabling the Broadcast Storm Control
      • White/Blacklisting Cameras
    • USB Camera System Setup
      • USB Camera Network Overview and Specs
      • Duo 3 and Trio 3 Setup
      • Tracking Bar Coordinate System
        • Transforming Coordinate System: Global to Local
    • Aiming and Focusing
    • Camera Status Indicators
  • MOTIVE
    • Installation and License Activation
    • Motive Basics
    • Calibration
      • .mcal XML Calibration Files
      • Continuous Calibration
      • Continuous Calibration (Info Pane)
      • Calibration Squares
    • Markers
    • Assets
      • Gizmo Tool: Translate, Rotate, and Scale
    • Rigid Body Tracking
      • Aligning Rigid Body Pivot Point with a Replicated 3D Model
    • Skeleton Tracking
    • Trained Markersets
    • IMU Sensor Fusion
    • Data Recording
      • Data Types
    • Labeling
    • Data Editing
    • Data Export
      • Data Export: BVH
      • Data Export: C3D
      • Data Export: CSV
      • Data Export: FBX
      • Data Export: TRC
    • Data Streaming
    • Camera Video Types
    • Audio Recording
    • Motive HotKeys
    • Measurement Probe Kit Guide
    • Motive Batch Processor
    • Reconstruction and 2D Mode
  • MOTIVE UI PANES
    • Settings
      • Settings: General
      • Settings: Assets
      • Settings: Live Pipeline
      • Settings: Streaming
      • Settings: Views
      • Settings: Mouse and Keyboard
      • Settings: Audio
    • Assets Pane
    • Builder Pane
    • Constraints Pane
      • Constraints XML Files
    • Calibration Pane
    • Data Pane
    • Devices Pane
    • Edit Tools Pane
    • Graph View Pane
    • Info Pane
    • Labels Pane
    • Log Pane
    • Probe Pane
    • Properties Pane
      • Properties Pane: Camera
      • Properties Pane: Force Plates
      • Properties Pane: NI-DAQ
      • Properties Pane: OptiHub2
      • Properties Pane: Rigid Body
      • Properties Pane: Skeleton
      • Properties Pane: Take
      • Properties Pane: Trained Markerset
      • Properties Pane: eSync2
    • Status Panel
    • Toolbar/Command Bar
    • Control Deck
    • Viewport
  • PLUGINS
    • OptiTrack Blender Plugin
      • OptiTrack Blender Plugin
    • OptiTrack Unreal Engine Plugin
      • Unreal Engine: OptiTrack Live Link Plugin
        • Quick Start Guide: Real-Time Retargeting in Unreal Engine with Live Link Content
        • Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN): OptiTrack Plugin for Live Link Hub
        • Unreal Engine: Live Link Camera Stream Setup
        • Live Link Content: Active Puck Static Meshes
      • Unreal Engine: MotionBuilder Workflow
      • Unreal Engine: HMD Setup
      • Unreal Engine VCS Inputs
    • OptiTrack Unity Plugin
      • Unity: HMD Setup
    • OptiTrack OpenVR Driver
    • OptiTrack MATLAB Plugin
    • Autodesk Maya
      • Autodesk Maya: OptiTrack Insight VCS Plugin
    • Autodesk MotionBuilder
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder Plugin
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder: OptiTrack Skeleton Plugin
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder: OptiTrack Optical Plugin
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder: OptiTrack Insight VCS Plugin
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder: Timecode Data
    • OptiTrack Peripheral API
    • External Plugins
      • Houdini 19 Integration
  • ACTIVE COMPONENTS
    • Active Components Hardware
      • Active Puck
      • Wired AnchorPuck
      • CinePuck
      • Wired CinePuck
      • BaseStation
      • Information for Assembling the Active Tags
      • Manus Glove Setup
    • Configuration
      • Active Batch Programmer
      • Active Hardware Configuration: PuTTY
      • Active Component Firmware Compatibility
    • Active Marker Tracking
      • Active Finger Marker Set
  • SYNCHRONIZATION
    • Synchronization Hardware
      • External Device Sync Guide: eSync 2
      • External Device Sync Guide: OptiHub2
    • Synchronization Setup
    • OptiTrack Timecode
  • VIRTUAL PRODUCTION
    • Unreal Engine: OptiTrack InCamera VFX
    • Entertainment Marker Sets
    • PrimeX 41
  • MOVEMENT SCIENCES
    • Movement Sciences Hardware
      • General Motive Force Plate Setup
      • AMTI Force Plate Setup
      • Bertec Force Plate Setup
      • Kistler Force Plate Setup
      • Delsys EMG Setup
      • NI-DAQ Setup
      • Multiple Device Setup
    • Movement Sciences Marker Sets
      • Biomechanics Marker Sets
      • Biomech (57)
      • Rizzoli Marker Sets
    • For Visual3D Users
    • Prime Color Camera Setup
      • Prime Color Setup: Required Components
      • Prime Color Setup: Hardware Setup
      • Prime Color Camera Setup: Camera Settings
      • Prime Color Camera Setup: Prime Color FS Calibration
      • Prime Color Setup: Data Recording / Export
      • Prime Color Camera Setup: FAQ / Troubleshooting
      • Prime Color Camera Setup: Windows Network Settings
  • VIRTUAL REALITY
    • VR Plugins
      • VR Unreal Engine
        • OptiTrack Unreal Engine Plugin
        • Unreal Engine: OptiTrack Live Link Plugin
          • UE5.1 Live Link Retarget External Workaround
        • Unreal Engine VCS Inputs
      • VR Unity
        • OptiTrack Unity Plugin
      • VR OpenVR
        • OptiTrack OpenVR Driver
    • VR HMD Setup
      • Unreal Engine: HMD Setup
      • Unity: HMD Setup
      • Manually Calibrating the HMD Pivot Point
      • Sync Configuration with an HTC Vive System
    • SlimX 13
    • Active Marker Tracking
      • Active Finger Marker Set
    • Synchronization Hardware
      • External Device Sync Guide: eSync 2
      • External Device Sync Guide: OptiHub2
  • ANIMATION
    • Autodesk Maya
      • Autodesk Maya: OptiTrack Insight VCS Plugin
    • Autodesk MotionBuilder
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder Plugin
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder: OptiTrack Skeleton Plugin
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder: OptiTrack Optical Plugin
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder: OptiTrack Insight VCS Plugin
      • Autodesk MotionBuilder: Timecode Data
  • ROBOTICS
    • MoCap4ROS2 Setup
    • OptiTrack Robot Applications
    • Outdoor Tracking Setup
  • DEVELOPER TOOLS
    • Developer Tools Overview
    • Camera SDK
      • Class: cCameraModule
      • Class: cUID
    • Motive API
      • Motive API: Quick Start Guide
      • Motive API Overview
      • Motive API: Function Reference
      • Motive API Camera Calibration
    • NatNet SDK
      • NatNet 4.1
      • NatNet: Class/Function Reference
      • NatNet: Creating a Managed (C sharp) Client Application
      • NatNet: Creating a Native (C++) Client Application
      • NatNet: Data Types
      • NatNet: Matlab Wrapper
      • NatNet: Migration to NatNet 3.0 libraries
      • NatNet: Remote Requests/Commands
      • NatNet: Sample Projects
      • NatNet: Unicast Data Subscription Commands
      • Latency Measurements
    • VRPN Sample
    • Peripheral API: Glove Devices
  • SKELETON MARKER SETS
    • Full Body
      • Baseline (41)
      • Core (50)
      • Biomech (57)
      • Conventional (39)
    • Full Body + Fingers
      • Baseline + Passive Fingers (49)
      • Baseline + Active Fingers (57)
      • Core + Passive Fingers (54)
      • Core + Active Fingers (62)
    • Upper
      • Baseline Upper (25)
      • Conventional Upper (27)
    • Lower
      • Baseline Lower (20)
      • Helen Hayes Lower (19)
      • Conventional Lower (16)
    • Hand and Fingers
      • Left/Right Hand (4) Active
      • Left/Right Hand (10) Active + Passive
      • Active Finger Marker Set
    • Glove Device Setup
      • Manus Glove Setup
      • StretchSense Glove Setup
    • Rizzoli Marker Sets
    • Entertainment Marker Sets
    • Rigid Body Skeleton Marker Set
  • GENERAL TROUBLESHOOTING
    • Licensing Troubleshooting
    • Windows 11 Optimization for Realtime Applications
    • Network Troubleshooting
    • Troubleshooting Q&A
    • Running Motive on High DPI Displays
    • Firewall Settings
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On this page
  • Video Types
  • Object Mode
  • Precision Mode
  • MJPEG grayscale Mode
  • Raw grayscale
  • Duplex Mode
  • Switching Video Types
  • Video Mode Hotkeys
  • From the Devices Pane
  • From Camera Properties
  • From Viewports
  • Reference Videos
  • View From Selection

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  1. MOTIVE

Camera Video Types

An overview of the different video modes available on the OptiTrack cameras.

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Last updated 17 days ago

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Captured frames are processed differently based on the video mode the camera is set to during recording. Only the configured video mode is recorded and saved in Take files.

Video Types

Video types, or image-processing modes, available in OptiTrack Cameras:

OptiTrack cameras have different image-processing modes, referred to as video types in Motive. Each mode processes captured frames differently at both the camera hardware and software levels.

The precision of the capture and the required amount of CPU resources will vary depending on the configured video type.

The available modes vary some by camera model.

  • PrimeX 22, 41, and 120

  • SlimX 22, 41, and 120

  • VersaX 22, 41, and 120

The video types are categorized as either tracking modes (object mode and precision mode) or reference modes (MJPEG and raw grayscale). Only cameras in tracking modes will contribute to the reconstruction of 3D data.

Motive records frames of only the configured video types. Video types of the cameras cannot be switched for recorded Takes in post-processing of captured data.

Object Mode

(Tracking Mode) Object mode performs on-camera detection of centroid location, size, and roundness of the markers, sending respective 2D object metrics to the host PC. This mode is best for obtaining the 3D data. Compared to other processing modes, Object mode provides the smallest CPU footprint, resulting in the lowest processing latency while maintaining the high accuracy.

Supported Camera Models: Prime/PrimeX series, Slim/SlimX series, VersaX Series, Flex 13, and S250e camera models.

Precision Mode

(Tracking Mode) Precision Mode performs on-camera calculations to determine which pixels are over the threshold value, including a two pixel halo around the above-threshold pixels. These pixels are sent to the PC for additional processing and determination of the precise centroid location.

Precision mode provides quality centroid locations but is computationally expensive and network bandwidth intensive. We recommend this mode for low to moderate camera count systems for 3D tracking when Object Mode is unavailable or when using the 0.3 MegaPixel USB cameras.

Supported Camera Models: Flex series, Tracking Bars, S250e, Slim13e, and Prime 13 series camera models.

Precision mode is not more accurate than object mode. Object mode is the preferred mode for tracking and should be used when available.

MJPEG grayscale Mode

(Reference Mode) The MJPEG-compressed grayscale mode captures grayscale frames, compressed on-camera for scalable reference video capabilities. Grayscale images are used only for reference purpose, and processed frames will not contribute to the reconstruction of 3D data. The MJPEG mode can run at full frame rate and be synchronized with tracking cameras and can be exported.

Supported Camera Models: All camera models.

Raw grayscale

(Reference Mode) This mode processes full resolution, uncompressed, grayscale images. The grayscale mode is designed to be used only for reference purposes, and processed frames will not contribute to the reconstruction of 3D data. Because of the high bandwidth associated with sending raw grayscale frames, this mode is not fully synchronized with other tracking cameras and will run at lower frame rate. Raw grayscale videos cannot be exported from a recording.

This video mode is recommended only for aiming and monitoring the camera views for diagnosing tracking problems.

Supported Camera Models: All camera models.

Duplex Mode

(Tracking and Reference Mode) Duplex mode captures in both Object and MJPEG mode, providing reference video and tracking data from the same camera. Duplex mode unlocks more reference viewpoints when needed and supports post production markerless workflows.

Supported Camera Models: PrimeX 22, 41, and 120, SlimX 22, 41, and 120, and VersaX 22, 41, and 120.

Duplex mode is available with the Motive:Body and Motive:Body-Unlimited licenses only.

Marker Color

Camera Masks

Masked cameras that appear in the duplex capture will display a red halo around the camera light. If the ring light is disabled, the camera will appear like any other masked object in the volume.

Threshold Values

Threshold is an important setting while using Duplex mode, because MJPEG usually works best with brighter images while object mode does best using dark images with hotspots.

Switching Video Types

Video Mode Hotkeys

You can select a camera or cameras and use the associated hotkey to change the video mode.

  • Object: O

  • Grayscale: U

  • MJPEG: I

  • Duplex: Y

From the Devices Pane

Available video modes may vary for different camera types, and not all modes may be available by clicking the Mode icon in the Devices pane.

Icon
Mode

Object mode

Precision mode

Grayscale

MJPEG

Duplex

From Camera Properties

  • If the selected cameras are not all in the same mode, the Video Mode field will display mixed.

  • The drop-down menu will only display modes common to all of the selected cameras. Some video types, such as Precision or Duplex mode, are not available on all models.

From Viewports

From Perspective View

From Cameras View

In the Viewport's Cameras view, right-click on the camera you wish to change, then click Video Type to select the new mode.

Reference Videos

Cameras can be set to record reference videos during capture, which is used to observe what goes on during recording. Reference video is recorded in either MJPEG or Duplex mode, and is synchronized with other captured frames.

Compared to object images that are taken by non-reference cameras in the system, MJPEG videos produce more data and consume more network bandwidth. A high volume of data traffic can increase the system latency. For this reason, we recommend setting no more than one or two cameras to full MJPEG mode.

The Video option on the Viewport pane menu allows you to quickly switch that pane to the desired reference camera. Only cameras in MJPEG or Duplex mode will appear in the list.

If Grayscale mode is selected during a recording instead of MJPEG, no reference video will be recorded and the data from that camera will display a black screen. Full grayscale is strictly used for aiming and focusing cameras.

Note:

  • Processing latency can be monitored from the status bar located at the bottom.

  • MJPEG video are used only for reference purposes, and processed frames will not contribute to reconstruction of 3D data.

  • Select Duplex mode to collect both reference video and tracking data from the same camera. Duplex mode is only available on select PrimeX, SlimX, and VersaX cameras.

The Data Transmission rate in the bottom right corner of Motive helps evaluate process latency.

View From Selection

When a reference camera is selected in the Cameras view, the View from Selection menu option changes to the selected camera.

records both MJPEG and Object mode and is available in the following cameras:

To switch between image processing modes, simply right-click on the camera from the pane and select the desired video type.

Change the display color for the markers in the for the selected camera under the 2D Display Options.

Adjust the values in the . We recommend setting the value around 220 – 255.

You can check and/or change the video type of the selected camera from either the , the , or the in the . Hotkeys can also be used to change the video type.

From the , click the Mode icon for the selected camera to toggle between frequently used modes for each camera.

Select one or more cameras in either the Viewport or the to view and change settings in the , including the video type in the Video Mode section. Use the dropdown list to update the mode on all the selected cameras.

In the Viewport's , right-click on the selected camera to open the Viewport's context menu. Click Video Type to choose from the available modes.

Use the hotkey 3 in the Perspectives pane to switch to the selected camera's video in the main viewport. If the camera was and capturing reference videos, 3D assets will be overlaid on top of the reference image.

Properties pane
Device pane
Devices pane
Properties pane
calibrated
Duplex mode
Properties pane
Devices pane
camera properties
Viewport
Threshold
2D camera preview
Cameras view
Perspective view
Object mode
Precision mode
MJPEG mode
Grayscale mode
Changing video types from the Camera Preview pane.
Duplex mode combines Reference video in MJPEG mode and tracking data in Object mode.
Duplex color options in Camera Properties.
Masked cameras in Duplex mode.
The Devices pane with the Mode column highlighted.
Camera properties - Change Video Mode.
The Context menu for a selected camera in the Viewport.
Changing the Video mode from the Cameras view in the Viewport.
The main Viewport pane menu.
Data transmission rate.
The Perspective menu, with no camera selected.
The Perspective menu, with camera one selected.
Monitoring reference view of a MJPEG camera from the viewport.
The context menu available from the Cameras viewport in Motive, with the Video Mode option selected and the available video modes displayed: Object; Grayscale; MJPEG; and Duplex.
An image taken from an OptiTrack camera in Duplex mode, with an arrow-shaped text box pointing to the orange-colored markers visible in the shot.
A screenshot from Motive of the 2D Display Options with the Duplex Object Color property shown for a camera that supports duplex mode.
An image taken from an OptiTrack camera in Duplex mode, with notes highlighting the difference between the 2 masked cameras in the shot, where the camera on the left has the ring light enabled and the camera on the right has the ring light disabled.
The Devices pane in Motive, showing a list of 13 tracking cameras with the Mode column highlighted with a red box.
A screenshot of the Camera Properties pane in Motive, showing the four Video Modes available: Object; Grayscale, MJPEG, and Duplex.
The context menu from the Motive Perspective View when a camera is selected. The Camera Video Types menu is open with the available types displayed: Object; Grayscale; MJPEG; and Duplex.
The Camera context menu from the Viewport in Motive, with the "Make Reference" option highlighted.
the Perspective pane menu with the Video option selected and the available reference cameras shown.
A screenshot from Motive of the menu from the Perspective viewport that has the reference video options expanded. The "View from Selected" option is grayed out.
A screenshot from Motive of the menu from the Perspective viewport that has the reference video options expanded. The "View from Selected" option has changed to display the selected camera (Camera 1)..
An image taken from an OptiTrack camera in Object mode, with an inset close-up of a single marker.
An image taken from an OptiTrack camera in Precision mode, with an inset close-up of a single marker.
An image taken from an OptiTrack camera in MJPEG mode, with an inset close-up of a single marker.
An image taken from an OptiTrack camera in Object mode, with an inset close-up of a single marker.
A screenshot of the data transmission rate from the bottom right corner of the Motive screen.
A screenshot from Motive of a reference video with asset overlay information for a skeleton (actor) walking on 2 force plates.