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HARDWARE

Cameras

Ethernet Cameras

PrimeX 41

PrimeX 22

PrimeX 13

PrimeX 13W

SlimX 13

Prime Color

This page is for the general specifications of the Prime Color camera. For details on how to setup and use the Prime color, please refer to the Prime Color Setup page in this wiki.

USB Cameras

Slim 3U

Flex 13

Flex 3

V120:Duo

V120:Trio

V120:Duo and Trio Setup

Software Installation

Download the Motive 3.1 software installer from the Motive Download Page to each host PC.
Run the installer and follow its prompts.

Each V120:Duo and V120:Trio includes a free license to Motive:Tracker for one device. No software license activation or security key is required.

To use multiple V120 devices, connect each one to a separate host PC with Motive installed.

Connect the Hardware

Please see the Host PC Requirements section of the Installation and Activation page for computer specifications.

Components Provided in the Box

V120 Duo or Trio device
I/O-X (breakout box)
Power adapter and cord
Camera bar cable (attached to I/O-X)
USB Uplink cable

Steps

Mount the camera bar in the designated location.
Connect the Camera Bar Cable to the back of the camera and to the I/O-X device, as shown in the diagram above.
Connect the I/O-X device to the PC using the USB uplink cable.
Connect the power cable to the I/O-X device and plug it into a power source.

Make sure the power is disconnected from the I/O-X (breakout box) before plugging or unplugging the Camera Bar Cable. Hot-plugging this cable may damage the device.

Sync Out

The V120 cameras use a preset frequency for timing and can run at 25 Hz, 50 Hz or 100 Hz. To synchronize other devices with the Duo or Trio, use a BNC cable to connect an input port on the receiving device to the Sync Out port on the I/O-X device.

Output Options

Output options are set in the Properties pane. Select T-Bar Sync in the Devices pane to change output options:

Exposure Time: Sends a high signal based on when the camera exposes.
Passthrough: Sync In signal is passed through to the output port.
Recording Gate: Low electrical signal (0V) when not recording and a high (3.3V) signal when recording is in progress.
Gated Exposure Time: ends a high signal based on when the camera exposes, only while recording is in progress.

Sync In

Timing signals from other devices can be attached to the V120 using the I/O-X device's Sync In port and a BNC cable. However, this port does not allow you to change the rate of the device reliably. The only functionality that may work is passing the data through to the output port.

The Sync In port cannot be used to change the camera's frequency reliably.

Run Motive

The V120 ships with a free license for Motive:Tracker installed.
The cameras are pre-calibrated and no wanding is required. The user can set the ground plane.
The V120 runs in Precision, Grayscale, and MJPEG modes. Object mode is not available.

Status LEDs

LED lights on the back of the V120 indicate the device's status.

Left LED Lights

Right LED Lights

Adjusting Global Origin for Tracking Bars

The OptiTrack Duo/Trio tracking bars are factory calibrated and there is no need to calibrate the cameras to use the system. By default, the tracking volume is set at the center origin of the cameras and the axis are oriented so that Z-axis is forward, Y-axis is up, X-axis is left.

Tracking Bar Coordinate System

If you wish to change the location and orientation of the global axis, you can use the ground plane tools from the Calibration pane and use a Rigid Body or a calibration square to set the global origin.

Coordinate Systems Tool

When using the Duo/Trio tracking bars, you can set the coordinate origin at the desired location and orientation using either a Rigid Body or a calibration square as a reference point. Using a calibration square will allow you to set the origin more accurately. You can also use a custom calibration square to set this.

Adjustig the Coordinate System Steps

First set place the calibration square at the desired origin. If you are using a Rigid Body, its pivot point position and orientation will be used as the reference.
[Motive] Open the Calibration pane.
[Motive] Open the Ground Planes page.
[Motive] Select the type of calibration square that will be used as a reference to set the global origin. Set it to Auto if you are using a calibration square from us. If you are using a Rigid Body, select the Rigid Body option from the drop-down menu. If you are using a custom calibration square, you will need to set the vertical offset also.
[Motive] Select the Calibration square markers or the Rigid Body markers from the Perspective View pane
[Motive] Click Set Set Ground Plane button, and the global origin will be adjusted.

Prepare Setup Area

Before setting up a motion capture system, choose a suitable setup area and prepare it in order to achieve the best tracking performance. This page highlights some of the considerations to make when preparing the setup area for general tracking applications. Note that this page provides just general recommendations and these could vary depending on the size of a system or purpose of the capture.

Indoor Tracking

Pick a Setup Area

First of all, pick a place to set up the capture volume.

Setup Area Size

System setup area depends on the size of the mocap system and how the cameras are positioned. To get a general idea, check out the feature on our website.
Make sure there is plenty of room for setting up the cameras. It is usually beneficial to have extra space in case the system setup needs to be altered. Also, pick an area where there is enough vertical spacing as well. Setting up the cameras at a high elevation is beneficial because it gives wider lines of sight for the cameras, providing a better coverage of the capture volume.

Minimal Foot Traffic

After camera system calibration, the system should remain unaltered in order to maintain the calibration quality. Physical contacts on cameras could change the setup, requiring it to be re-calibrated. To prevent such cases, pick a space where there is only minimal foot traffic.

Flooring

Avoid reflective flooring. The IR lights from the cameras could be reflected by it and interfere with tracking. If this is inevitable, consider covering the floor with surface mats to prevent the reflections.
Avoid flexible or deformable flooring; such flooring can negatively impact your system's calibration.

Reducing IR Interference

For the best tracking performance, minimize ambient light interference within the setup area. The motion capture cameras track the markers by detecting reflected infrared light and any extraneous IR lights that exist within the capture volume could interfere with the tracking.

Sunlight: Block any open windows that might let sunlight in. Sunlight contains wavelength within the IR spectrum and could interfere with the cameras.
IR Light sources: Remove any unnecessary lights in IR wavelength range from the capture volume. IR lights could be emitted from sources such as incandescent, halogen, and high-pressure sodium lights or any other IR based devices.

IR White Objects

Dark-colored objects absorb most of the visible light, however, it does not mean that they absorb the IR lights as well. Therefore, the color of the material is not a good way of determining whether an object will be visible within the IR spectrum. Some materials will look dark to human eyes but appear bright white on the IR cameras. If these items are placed within the tracking volume, they could introduce extraneous reconstructions.

Since you already have the IR cameras in hand, use one of the cameras to check whether there are IR white materials within the volume. If there are, move them out of the volume or cover them up.

Obstacles

Remove any unnecessary obstacles out of the capture volume since they could block cameras' view and prevent them from tracking the markers. Leave only the items that are necessary for the capture.
Remove reflective objects nearby or within the setup area since IR illumination from the cameras could be reflected by them. You can also use non-reflective tapes to cover the reflective parts.

Outdoor Tracking

Prime 41 and Prime 17W cameras are equipped with powerful IR LED rings which enables tracking outdoors, even under the presence of some extraneous IR lights. The strong illumination from the Prime 41 cameras allows a mocap system to better distinguish marker reflections from extraneous illuminations. System settings and camera placements may need to be adjusted for outdoor tracking applications.

Camera Mount Structures

Choosing an appropriate camera mounting solution is very important when setting up a capture volume. A stable setup not only prevents camera damage from unexpected collisions, but it also maintains calibration quality throughout capture. All OptiTrack cameras have ¼-20 UNC Threaded holes – ¼ inch diameter, 20 threads/inch – which is the industry standard for mounting cameras. Before planning the mount structures, make sure that you have optimized your plans.

Due to thermal expansion issues when mounted to walls, we recommend using Trusses or Tripods as primary mounting structures.

Trusses will offer the most stability and are less prone to unwanted camera movement for more accurate tracking.
Tripods alternatively, offer more mobility to change the capture volume.
Wall Mounts and Speed Rails offer the ability to maximize space, but are the most susceptible to vibration from HVAC systems, thermal expansion, earthquake resistant buildings, etc. This vibration can cause inaccurate calibration and tracking.

Camera Clamps

Camera clamps are used to fasten cameras onto stable mounting structures, such as a truss system, wall mounts, speed rails, or large tripods. There are some considerations when choosing a clamp for each camera. Most importantly, the clamps need to be able to bear the camera weight. Also, we recommend using clamps that offer adjustment of all 3 degrees of orientation: pitch, yaw, and roll. The stability of your mounting structure and the placement of each camera is very important for the quality of the mocap data, and as such we recommend using one of the mounting structures suggested in this page.

Assembling the Clamps

Manfrotto clamps come in three parts:

Manfrotto 035 Super Clamp
Manfrotto 056 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head with 1/4"-20 Mount
Reversible Short Brass Stud

For proper assembly, please follow the steps below:

Place the brass stud into the 16mm hexagon socket in the Manfrotto Super Clamp.
Depress the spring-loaded button so the brass stud will lock into place.
Tighten the safety pin mechanism to secure the brass stud within the hexagon socket. Be sure that the 3/8″ screw (larger) end of the stud is facing out.
From here, attach the Super Clamp to the 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head by screwing in the brass stud into the screw hole of the 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head.
Be sure to tighten these two components fairly tight as you don't want them to swivel when installing cameras. It helps to first tighten the 360° swivel on the 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head as this will ensure that any unwanted swivel will not occur when tightening the two components together.
Once, these two components are attached you should have a fully functioning clamp to attach your cameras to.

Choosing the Mounting Structure

Large scale mounting structures, such as trusses and wall mounts, are the most stable and can be used to reliably cover larger volumes. Cameras are well-fixed and the need for recalibration is reduced. However, they are not easily portable and cannot be easily adjusted. On the other hand, smaller mounting structures, such as tripods and C-clamps, are more portable, simple to setup, and can be easily adjusted if needed. However, they are less stable and more vulnerable to external impacts, which can distort the camera position and the calibration. Choosing your mounting structure depends on the capture environment, the size of the volume, and the purpose of capture. You can use a combination of both methods as needed for unique applications.

Truss

A truss system provides a sturdy structure and a customizable layout that can cover diverse capture volume sizes, ranging from a small volume to a very large volume. Cameras are mounted on the truss beam using the camera clamps.

General steps

Follow the truss installation instruction and assemble the trusses on-site, and use the fastening pins to secure each truss segment.
- Fasten the base truss to the ground.
- Connect each of the segments and fix them by inserting a fastening pin.
Attach clamps to the cameras.
Mount the clamps to the truss beam.

Tripods

Tripods are portable and simple to install, and they are not restricted to the environment constraints. There are various sizes and types of tripods for different applications. In order to ensure its stability, each tripod needs to be installed on a hard surface (e.g. concrete). Usually, one camera is attached per tripod, but camera clamps can be used in combination to fasten multiple cameras along the leg as long as the tripod is stable enough to bear the weight. Note that tripod setups are less stable and vulnerable to physical impacts. Any camera movements after calibration will distort the calibration quality, and the volume will need to be re-calibrated.

Wall Mounts and Speed Rails

Wall mounts and speed rails are used with camera clamps to mount the cameras along the wall of the capture volume. This setup is very stable, and it has a low chance of getting interfered with by way of physical contact. The capture volume size and layout will depend on the size of the room. However, note that the wall, or the building itself, may slightly fluctuate due to the changing ambient temperature throughout the day. Therefore, you may need to routinely re-calibrate the volume if you are looking for precise measurements.

Below are recommended steps when installing speed rails onto different types of wall material. However, depending on your space, you may require alternative methods.

Although we have instructions below for installing speed rails, we highly recommend leaving the installation to qualified contractors.

Tools Required

General Tools

Cordless drill
Socket driver bits for drill
Various drill bits
Hex head Allen wrench set
Laser level

Speed Rail Parts

Pre-cut rails
Internal locking splice
5" offset wall mount bracket
End caps (should already be pre-installed onto pipes)
Elbow speed rail bracket (optional)
Tee speed rail bracket (optional)

Wood Stud Setup

Wood frame studs behind drywall requires:

Pre-drilled holes.
2 1/2" long x 5/16" hex head wood lag screws.

Metal Stud Framing Setup

Metal stud framing behind drywall requires:

Undersized pre-drilled holes as a marker in the drywall.
2"long x 5/16" self tapping metal screws with hex head.

Metal studs can strip easily if pre-drilled hole is too large.

Concrete Block/Wall Setup

Requires:

Pre-drilled holes.
Concrete anchors inserted into pre-drilled hole.
2 1/2" concrete lags.

Concrete anchors and lags must match for a proper fit.

General Steps

It's easiest and safest to install with another person rather than installing by a single person and especially necessary when rails have been pre-inserted into brackets prior to installing on a wall.

Pre-drill bracket locations.
If working in a smaller space, slip speed rails into brackets prior to installing.
Install all brackets by the top lag first.
Check to see if all are correctly spaced and level.
Install bottom lags.
Slip speed rails into brackets.
Set screw and internal locking splice of speed rail.
Attach clamps to the cameras.
Attach the clamps to the rail.

Helpful Tips/Additional Information

The 5" offset wall brackets should not exceed 4' between each bracket.
Speed rails are shipped no longer than 8'.
Using blue painter's tape is a simple way to mark placement without messing up paint.
Make sure to slide the end of the speed rail without the end cap in first. If installed with the end-cap end first it will "mushroom" the end and make it difficult to slip brackets onto the speed rail.
Check brackets for any burs/sharpness and gently sand off to avoid the bracket scratching the finish on the speed rail.
To further reduce the bracket scratching the finish on the speed rail, use a piece of paper inside the bracket prior to sliding the speed rail through.

Camera Placement

In optical motion capture systems, proper camera placement is very important in order to efficiently utilize the captured images from each camera. Before setting up the cameras, it is good idea to plan ahead and create a blueprint of the camera placement layout. This page highlights the key aspects and tips for efficient camera placements.

A well-arranged camera placement can significantly improve the tracking quality. When tracking markers, 3D coordinates are reconstructed from the 2D views seen by each camera in the system. More specifically, correlated 2D marker positions are triangulated to compute the 3D position of each marker. Thus, having multiple distinct vantages on the target volume is beneficial because it allows wider angles for the triangulation algorithm, which in turn improves the tracking quality. Accordingly, an efficient camera arrangement should have cameras distributed appropriately around the capture volume. By doing so, not only the tracking accuracy will be improved, but uncorrelated rays and marker occlusions will also be prevented. Depending on the type of tracking application, capture volume environment, and the size of a mocap system, proper camera placement layouts may vary.

Planning Camera Placement

An ideal camera placement varies depending on the capture application. In order to figure out the best placements for a specific application, a clear understanding of the fundamentals of optical motion capture is necessary.

To calculate 3D marker locations, tracked markers must be simultaneously captured by at least two synchronized cameras in the system. When not enough cameras are capturing the 2D positions, the 3D marker will not be present in the captured data. As a result, the collected marker trajectory will have gaps, and the accuracy of the capture will be reduced. Furthermore, extra effort and time will be required for post-processing the data. Thus, marker visibility throughout the capture is very important for tracking quality, and cameras need to be capturing at diverse vantages so that marker occlusions are minimized.

Depending on captured motion types and volume settings, the instructions for ideal camera arrangement vary. For applications that require tracking markers at low heights, it would be beneficial to have some cameras placed and aimed at low elevations. For applications tracking markers placed strictly on the front of the subject, cameras on the rear won't see those and as a result, become unnecessary. For large volume setups, installing cameras circumnavigating the volume at the highest elevation will maximize camera coverage and the capture volume size. For captures valuing extreme accuracy, it is better to place cameras close to the object so that cameras capture more pixels per marker and more accurately track small changes in their position.

Again, the optimal camera arrangement depends on the purpose and features of the capture application. Plan the camera placement specific to the capture application so that the capability of the provided system is fully utilized. Please contact us if you need consulting with figuring out the optimal camera arrangement.

General Guide

For common applications of tracking 3D position and orientation of Skeletons and Rigid Bodies, place the cameras on the periphery of the capture volume. This setup typically maximizes the camera overlap and minimizes wasted camera coverage. General tips include the following:

Mount cameras at the desired maximum height of the capture volume.
Distribute the cameras equidistantly around the setup area.
Adjust angles of cameras and aim them towards the target volume.
For cameras with rectangular FOVs, mount the cameras in landscape orientation. In very small setup areas, cameras can be aimed in portrait orientation to increase vertical coverage, but this typically reduces camera overlap, which can reduce marker continuity and data quality.

TIP: For capture setups involving large camera counts, it is useful to separate the capture volume into two or more sections. This reduces amount of computation load for the software.

Camera Placement Checkpoints

Around the volume

For common applications tracking a Skeleton or a Rigid Body to obtain the 6 Degrees of Freedom (x,y,z-position and orientation) data, it is beneficial to arrange the cameras around the periphery of the capture volume for tracking markers both in front and back of the subject.

Camera Elevations

For typical motion capture setup, placing cameras at high elevations is recommended. Doing so maximizes the capture coverage in the volume, and also minimizes the chance of subjects bumping into the truss structure which can degrade calibration. Furthermore, when cameras are placed at low elevations and aimed across from one another, the synchronized IR illuminations from each camera will be detected, and will need to be masked from the 2D view.

However, it can be beneficial to place cameras at varying elevations. Doing so will provide more diverse viewing angles from both high and low elevations and can significantly increase the coverage of the volume. The frequency of marker occlusions will be reduced, and the accuracy of detecting the marker elevations will be improved.

Camera to Camera Distance

Separating every camera by a consistent distance is recommended. When cameras are placed in close vicinity, they capture similar images on the tracked subject, and the extra image will not contribute to preventing occlusions or the reconstruction calculations. This overlap detracts from the benefit of a higher camera count and also doubles the computational load for the calibration process. Moreover, this also increases the chance of marker occlusions because markers will be blocked from multiple views simultaneously whenever obstacles are introduced.

Camera to Object Distance

An ideal distance between a camera and the captured subject also depends on the purpose of the capture. A long distance between the camera and the object gives more camera coverage for larger volume setups. On the other hand, capturing at a short distance will have less camera coverage but the tracking measurements will be more accurate. The cameras lens focus ring may need to be adjusted for close-up tracking applications.

Placement Examples

Camera Network Setup

This page provides guidelines and recommendations to consider when cabling and wiring USB-based and/or Ethernet-based OptiTrack motion capture system.

Ethernet Camera System

An Ethernet camera system networks via Ethernet cables. Ethernet-based camera models include PrimeX series (PrimeX 13, 13W, 22, 41), SlimX 13, and Prime Color models. Ethernet cables not only offer faster data transfer rates, but they also provide power over Ethernet to each camera while transferring the data to the host PC. This reduces the number of cables required and simplifies the overall setup. Furthermore, Ethernet cables have much longer length capability (up to 100m), allowing the systems to cover large volumes.

Setup

Ethernet cameras connect to the host computer through a Gigabit (1000 Mb/second) Ethernet port. Note: the camera network should be segmented from the office or other local area networks to avoid interference and congestion. If the computer used for capture is connected to an existing network, then a second Ethernet port or add-on network card can be used to connect the camera network. When the camera network is not isolated, frame drops may occur.

The camera network should be segmented from the office or other local area networks to avoid interference and congestion. If the computer used for capture is connected to an existing network, then a second Ethernet port or add-on network card can be used to connect the camera network. When the camera network is not isolated, frame drops may occur.

Disabling Windows Firewall

You'll want to turn off your Windows firewalls on your camera network. Leaving them enabled can cause connection issues and frame drops.

To turn off your Windows firewall please follow the steps below:

Navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall
Find where the camera network is located in the network groups. Typically your camera network will be labeled 'Unidentified Network' and located under the Guest or public networks.
Once verified as to which network group your camera network is on, select Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off in the sidebar.
From this window select Turn off Windows Defender Firewall for the network group that your camera network is on.
Click OK.
After you click OK, the window will revert back to the main firewall page. You can verify that this change has been made if the network group you selected has a red 'x' shield icon next to it.
You can close this window and continue setting up your camera network.

Advanced Firewall Settings

It is recommended to only change Advanced Firewall settings under the guidance of a Support Engineer or your organization's IT department. Some settings can cause breaches in security if not done correctly. Please contact our Support team if you are having connectivity issues.

Ethernet Cable Requirements

Cable Type

There are multiple categories for Ethernet cables, with different specifications for maximum data transmission rate and cable length. For an Ethernet based system, Cat6 or above Gigabit Ethernet cables should be used. 10 Gigabit Ethernet cables – Cat6a or above — are recommended in conjunction with a 10 Gigabit uplink switch for the connection between the uplink switch and the host PC in order to accommodate for the high data traffic.

Electromagnetic Shielding

Also, please use a cable that has electromagnetic interference shielding on it. If cables without the shielding are used, cables that are close to each other could interfere and cause the camera to stall in Motive.

Cabling and Load Balancing

Ethernet Camera System

Ethernet Camera Models: PrimeX series and SlimX 13 cameras. Follow the below wiring diagram and connect each of the required system components.

Connect PoE Switch(s) into the Host PC: Start by connecting a PoE switch into the host PC via an Ethernet cable. Since the camera system takes up a large amount of data bandwidth, the Ethernet camera network traffic must be separated from the office/local area network. If the computer used for capture is connected to an existing network, you will need to use a second Ethernet port or add-on network card for connecting the computer to the camera network. When you do, make sure to turn off your computer's firewall for the particular network under Windows Firewall settings.
Connect the Ethernet Cameras to the PoE Switch(s): Ethernet cameras connect to the host PC via PoE/PoE+ switches using Cat 6, or above, Ethernet cables.
Power the Switches: The switch must be powered on in order to power the cameras. To completely shut down the camera system, the network switch needs to be powered off.
Ethernet Cables: Ethernet cable connection is subject to the limitations of the PoE (Power over Ethernet) and Ethernet communications standards, meaning that the distance between camera and switch can go up to about 100 meters when using Cat 6 cables (Ethernet cable type Cat5e or below is not supported). For best performance, do not connect devices other than the computer to the camera network. Add-on network cards should be installed if additional Ethernet ports are required.

Ethernet Cable Requirements

Cable Type

There are multiple categories for Ethernet cables, and each has different specifications for maximum data transmission rate and cable length. For an Ethernet based system, category 6 or above Gigabit Ethernet cables should be used. 10 Gigabit Ethernet cables – Cat6a or above— are recommended in conjunction with a 10 Gigabit uplink switch for the connection between the uplink switch and the host PC in order to accommodate for the high data traffic.

Electromagnetic Shielding

External Sync: If you wish to connect external devices, use the eSync synchronization hub. Connect the eSync into one of the PoE switches using an Ethernet cable, or if you have a multi-switch setup, plug the eSync into the aggregation switch.

Uplink Switch: For systems with higher camera counts that uses multiple PoE switches, use an uplink Ethernet switch to link and connect all of the switches to the Host PC. In the end, the switches must be connected in a star topology with the uplink switch at the central node connecting to the host PC. NEVER daisy chain multiple PoE switches in series because doing so can introduce latency to the system.
High Camera Counts: For setting up more than 24 Prime series cameras, we recommend using a 10 Gigabit uplink switch and connecting it to the host PC via an Ethernet cable that supports 10 Gigabit transfer rate — Cat6a or above. This will provide larger data bandwidth and reduce the data transfer latency.

PoE switch requirement: The PoE switches must be able to provide 15.4W power to every port simultaneously. PrimeX 41, PrimeX 22, and Prime Color camera models run on a high power mode to achieve longer tracking ranges, and they require 30W of power from each port. If you wish to operate these cameras at standard PoE mode, set the LLDP (PoE+) Detection setting to false under the application settings. For network switches provided by OptiTrack, refer to the label for the number of cameras supported for each switch.

Main Components

Host PC with an isolated network
Ethernet Cameras
Ethernet cables
Ethernet PoE/PoE+ Switches
Uplink switch (for large camera count setup)
The eSync (optional for synchronizations)

Power over Ethernet (PoE/PoE+) Switches

OptiTrack’s Ethernet cameras require PoE or PoE+ Gigabit Ethernet switches, depending on the camera's power requirement. The switch serves two functions: transfer camera data to a host PC, and supply power to each camera over the Ethernet cable (PoE). The switch must provide consistent power to every port simultaneously in order to power each camera. Standard PoE switches must provide a full 15.4 watts to every port simultaneously. PrimeX 41, PrimeX 22, and Prime Color cameras have stronger IR strobes which require higher power for the maximum performance. In this case, these cameras need to be routed through PoE+ switches that provide a full 30 watts of power to each port simultaneously. Note that PoE Midspan devices or power injectors are not suitable for Ethernet camera systems.

Redundant Power Systems for Larger Camera Setups

The following is generally used for large PoE+ camera setups with multiple camera switches. Please refer to the Switch Power Budget and Camera Power Requirements tab above for more information.

Some switches are only allotted a power budget smaller than what is needed depending on which OptiTrack cameras are being used. For larger camera setups this can cause multiple switches that can only use a portion of its available ports. In this case, we recommend an Redundant Power System (RPS) to extend the power budget of your switch. For example, a 24-port switch may have a 370W power budget which only supports 12 PoE+ cameras that require 30W to power. If, however, you have the same 24-port switch with a RPS, you can now power all 24 PoE+ cameras with a 30W power requirement utilizing all 24 of the PoE ports on the switch.

eSync2

The eSync is used to enable synchronization and timecode in Ethernet-based mocap systems. Only one device is needed per system, and it enables you to link the system to almost any signal source. It has multiple synchronization ports which allow integrating external signals from other devices. When an eSync is used, it is considered as the master in the synchronization chain.

With large camera system setups, you should connect the eSync onto the aggregator switch via a standard Ethernet port for more stable camera synchronization. If PoE is not supported on the aggregator switch, the sync hub will need to be powered separately from a power outlet.

Uplink Switch

If the number of cameras included in the system exceeds the number of ports available from the switch, a star topology setup with an uplink switch connecting subsequent switches will be required. In this case, large amounts of data will be transferred through the uplink switch. In order to cope high bandwidth, it is recommended use the 10 Gigabit uplink switch and connect to the host PC with a 10 Gigabit cable – Cat6a or above. Otherwise, system latency can increase and frame drops may occur.

USB Camera System

A USB camera system provides high-quality motion capture for small to medium size volumes at an affordable price range. USB camera models include the Flex series (Flex 3 and Flex 13) and Slim 3U models. USB cameras are powered by the OptiHub, which is designed to maximize the capacity of Flex series cameras by providing sufficient power to each camera, allowing tracking at long ranges.

For each USB system, up to four OptiHubs can be used. When incorporating multiple OptiHubs in the system, use RCA synchronization cables to interconnect each hub. A USB system is not suitable for a large volume setup because the USB 2.0 cables used to wire the cameras have a 5-meter length limitation.

If needed, up to two active USB extensions can be used when connecting the OptiHub to the host PC. However, the extensions should not be used between the OptiHub and the cameras. We do not support using more than 2 USB extensions anywhere on a USB 2.0 system running Motive.

Cabling the USB System

Main Components

Host PC
USB Cameras
OptiHub(s) and a power supply for each hub.
USB 2.0 cables:
- USB 2.0 Type A/B per OptiHub.
- USB 2.0 Type B/mini-b per camera.

OptiHub

The OptiHub is a custom-engineered USB hub that is designed to be incorporated in a USB camera system. It provides both power and external synchronization options. Standard USB ports do not provide enough power for the IR illumination within Flex 13 cameras and they need to be routed through an OptiHub in order to activate the LED array.

USB Load Balancing

When connecting hubs to the computer, load balancing becomes important. Most computers have several USB ports on the front and back, all of which go through two USB controllers. Especially for a large camera count systems (18+ cameras), it is recommended that you evenly split the cameras between the USB controllers to make the best use of the available bandwidth.

OptiSync

OptiSync is a custom synchronization protocol which allows sending the synchronization signals through the USB cable. It allows each camera to have one USB cable for both data transfer and synchronization instead of having separate USB and daisy-chained RCA synchronization cables as in the older models.

Difference Between OptiSync and Wired Sync

OptiSync

The OptiSync is a custom camera-to-camera synchronization protocol designed for Flex series cameras. The OptiSync protocol sends and receives sync signals over the USB cable, without the need for RCA sync cables. This sync method is only available when using Flex 3 or Flex 13 cameras connected to the OptiHub.

Wired Sync

The Wired Sync is a camera-to-camera synchronization protocol using RCA cables in a daisy chain arrangement. With a master RCA sync cable connecting the master camera to the OptiHub, each camera in the system is connected in series via RCA sync cables and splitters. The V100:R1 (Legacy) and the Slim 3U cameras utilize Wired Sync only, and therefore any OptiTrack system containing these cameras need to be synchronized through the Wired Sync. Wired Sync is optionally available for Flex 3 cameras.

Checkpoint

At this point, all of the connected cameras will be listed on the Devices pane and the 3D viewport when you start up Motive. Check to make sure all of the connected cameras are properly listed in Motive.

Then, open up the Status Log panel and check there are no 2D frame drops. You may see a few frame drops when booting up the system or when switching between Live and Edit modes; however, this should only occur just momentarily. If the system continues to drop 2D frames, it indicates there is a problem with how the system is delivering the camera data. Please refer to the troubleshooting section for more details.

Q & A: Cabling and Wiring

General Questions

Q : Which camera models can be used together in the same system?

A: OptiTrack camera models can be categorized by their connector cable types: USB and Ethernet. Generally, cameras sharing the same cable type and sync mode can operate together within the same system, with the Flex 13 being the only exception.

In Motive 3.0, however, only the Ethernet cameras are compatible with the software. As far as camera to camera compatibility, any PrimeX Series of cameras can be used together along with SlimX 13 and Prime Color cameras. Older Prime models are also compatible with newer PrimeX series cameras.

Troubleshooting

Q : [Ethernet Cameras] PrimeX series, or SlimX 13, cameras dropping 2D frames.

To narrow down the issue, you would want to disable the real-time reconstruction and check if the frames are still dropping. If it stops, the problem is associated with either software configurations or CPU processing. If it continues to drop, then the problem could be narrowed down to the network configuration, which may be resolved by doing the following:

Disable any firewall or anti-virus software on the host PC. Often, these software interferes with the camera network and cause frame drops.
Use a dedicated network interface controller (NIC) card for uplinking the camera system to the host PC. Ethernet adapters on common motherboards are not well suited for receiving camera data.
Update network cade driver to up-to-date.
If you have an eSync in the system, connect it to the aggregator switch. It will provide more stable synchronization between the cameras.

Q : [Ethernet cameras] Cameras not detected at all.

A: If you have all of the cameras connected as instructed and cameras are still not showing up in Motive. Run ipconfig on command window and check if an IPv4 IP is assigned to the network adapter that connects to the camera switch. If no IP is assigned, check the following:

Disable any firewall or anti-virus software and check again to see if it resolves. Often, these software blocks the camera network.
Update the network card driver.
Make sure nothing is misconfigured on the network switches. Some switches have its own traffic control tools that might interfere with how the camera data and the sync signals are transmitted.
If the cameras are still not detected, contact tech support. When doing so, launch Motive and take a note of the behavior of how the back LED lights on the cameras are flashing. This would be helpful when troubleshooting the issue.

Aiming and Focusing

In order to ensure that every camera in a mocap system takes full advantage of its capability, they need to be focused and aimed at the target tracking volume. This page includes detailed instructions on how to adjust the focus and aim of each camera for an optimal motion capture. OptiTrack cameras are focused at infinity by default, which is generally sufficient for common tracking applications. However, we recommend users to always double-check the camera view and make sure the captured images are focused when first setting up the system. Obtaining best quality image is very important as 3D data is derived from the captured images.

General Steps

Make sure that the is appropriate for your application.
Pick a camera to adjust the aim and focus.
Set the camera to the raw grayscale video mode (in Motive) and increase the camera exposure to capture the brightest image (These steps are accomplished by the on featured cameras).
Place one or more reflective markers in the tracking volume.
Carefully adjust the camera angle while monitoring the Camera Preview so that the desired capture volume is included within the camera coverage.
Within the in Motive, zoom in on one of the markers so that it fills the frame.
Adjust the focus (detailed instruction given below) so that the captured image is resolved as clearly as possible.
Repeat above steps for other cameras in the system.

Aim Assist Button

Adjusting aim with a single person can be difficult because the user will have to run back and forth from the camera and the host PC in order to adjust the camera angle and monitor the 2D view at the same time. OptiTrack cameras featuring the Aim Assist button (Prime series and Flex 13) makes this aiming process easier. With just one button-click, the user can set the camera to the grayscale mode and the exposure value to its optimal setting for adjusting both aim and focus. Fit the capture volume within the vertical and horizontal range shown by the virtual crosshairs that appear when Aim Assist mode is on. With this feature, the single-user no longer needs to go back to the host PC to choose cameras and change their settings. Settings for Aim Assist buttons are available from pane.

Adjusting Aiming

Adjusting Focus

All OptiTrack cameras (except the V120:Duo/Trio tracking bars) can be re-focused to optimize image clarity at any distance within the tracking range. Change the camera mode to raw grayscale mode and adjust the camera setting, increase exposure and LED setting, to capture the brightest image. Zoom onto one of the reflective markers in the capture volume and check clarity of the image. Then, adjust the camera focus and find the point where the marker image is best resolved. The following images show some examples.

Auto-zoom using Aim Assist button

Double-click on the aim assist button to have the software automatically zoom into a single marker near the center of the camera view. This makes the focusing process a lot easier to accomplish for a single person.

How to Change Focus

PrimeX 41 and PrimeX 22

For PrimeX 41 and 22 models, camera focus can be adjusted by rotating the focus ring on the lens body, which can be accessed at the center of the camera. The front ring on the lens changes the focus of the camera, and the rear ring adjusts the F-stop of the lens. In most cases, it is beneficial to set the f-stop low to have the aperture at its maximum size for capturing the brightest image. Carefully rotate the focus ring while monitoring the 2D grayscale camera view for image clarity. Once the focus and f-stop have been optimized on the lens, it should be locked down by tightening the set screw. In default configuration, PrimeX 41 cameras are equipped with 12mm F#1.8 lens, and the PrimeX 22 cameras are equipped with 6.8mm F#1.6 lens.

Prime 17W and 41*

For Prime 17W and 41 models, camera focus can be adjusted by rotating the focus ring on the lens body, which can be accessed at the center of the camera. The front ring on the Prime 41 lens changes the focus of the camera, while the rear ring on the Prime 17W adjusts its focus . Set the aperture at its maximum size in order to capture the brightest image. For the Prime 41, the aperture ring is located at the rear of the lens body, where the Prime 17W aperture ring is located at the front. Carefully rotate the focus ring while monitoring the 2D grayscale camera view for image clarity. Align the mark with the infinity symbol when setting the focus back to infinity. Once the focus has been optimized, it should be locked down by tightening the set screw.

*Legacy camera models

PrimeX 13 and 13W, and Prime 13* and 13W*

*Legacy camera models

Slim Series

SlimX 13 cameras also feature M12 lenses. The camera focus can be easily adjusted by rotating the lens without the need to remove the housing. Slim cameras support multiple lens types, including third-party lenses so focus techniques will vary. Refer to the lens type to determine how to proceed. (In general, M12 lenses will be focused by rotating the lens body, while C and CS lenses will be focused by rotating the focus ring).

Camera Status Indicators

This page includes information on the status indicator lights on the OptiTrack Ethernet cameras.

PrimeX Series

Status Ring Light

The PrimeX Series cameras have a front mounted status ring light to indicate the state of the Motive software and firmware updates on the cameras. The following table lists the default ring light color associated with the state of Motive.

Status Ring Light Colors

Color

Status

Description

Can Modify Color

Photo

Bottom Left Display

On every PrimeX camera there is an additional display in the bottom left corner of the face of the camera.

Bottom Left Display Values

Changing Status Ring Light

If for any reason you need to change the status ring light you can do so by going into Settings and under General click on the color box next to the status you would like to change. This will bring up a color picker window where you can choose a solid color or choose mutli-color to oscillate between colors. You also have the ability to save a color to your color library to apply it to other statuses.

Turning off Aim Assist Button LED

In order to disable the aim assist button LED on the back of PrimeX cameras, you simply set it to False in Application Settings under General. You can find this under Aim Assist > Aiming Button LED.

Back Light

The PrimeX Series cameras also have a status indicator on the back panel and indicate the state of the camera only. When changing to a new version of Motive, the camera will need a firmware update in order to communicate to the new version. Firmware updates are automatic when starting Motives. If the camera's firmware updates to a new version of Motive, running an older version of Motive will cause the firmware to necessarily revert back to an older version of firmware. This process is automatic as well.

Back Ring Light Colors

Updating Firmware

When changing versions of Motive, a firmware update is needed. This process is automatic when opening the software and the status ring light and back ring light show the state, as described in the table above, of the camera during this process. The camera should not be unplugged during a firmware reset or firmware update. Give the camera time to finish this process before turning off the software.

If a camera doesn't update its firmware with the rest of the cameras, it will not get loaded into Motive. Wait for all cameras that are updating to finish, then restart Motive. The cameras that failed to update will now update. This could be caused by miscommunication between the switch when loading in numerous cameras.

Slim 13E

Front LED

Back Light

Like PrimeX series cameras, SlimX 13 cameras also have a status indicator on the back panel and indicate the state of the camera.

Back Ring Light Colors

Camera Network Setup

This page provides guidelines and recommendations to consider when cabling and wiring USB-based and/or Ethernet-based OptiTrack motion capture system.

Ethernet Camera System

Setup

Disabling Windows Firewall

You'll want to turn off your Windows firewalls on your camera network. Leaving them enabled can cause connection issues and frame drops.

To turn off your Windows firewall please follow the steps below:

Navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall
Find where the camera network is located in the network groups. Typically your camera network will be labeled 'Unidentified Network' and located under the Guest or public networks.
Once verified as to which network group your camera network is on, select Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off in the sidebar.
From this window select Turn off Windows Defender Firewall for the network group that your camera network is on.
Click OK.
After you click OK, the window will revert back to the main firewall page. You can verify that this change has been made if the network group you selected has a red 'x' shield icon next to it.
You can close this window and continue setting up your camera network.

Advanced Firewall Settings

Ethernet Cable Requirements

Cable Type

Electromagnetic Shielding

Cabling and Load Balancing

Ethernet Camera System

Ethernet Camera Models: PrimeX series and SlimX 13 cameras. Follow the below wiring diagram and connect each of the required system components.

Connect PoE Switch(s) into the Host PC: Start by connecting a PoE switch into the host PC via an Ethernet cable. Since the camera system takes up a large amount of data bandwidth, the Ethernet camera network traffic must be separated from the office/local area network. If the computer used for capture is connected to an existing network, you will need to use a second Ethernet port or add-on network card for connecting the computer to the camera network. When you do, make sure to turn off your computer's firewall for the particular network under Windows Firewall settings.
Connect the Ethernet Cameras to the PoE Switch(s): Ethernet cameras connect to the host PC via PoE/PoE+ switches using Cat 6, or above, Ethernet cables.
Power the Switches: The switch must be powered on in order to power the cameras. To completely shut down the camera system, the network switch needs to be powered off.
Ethernet Cables: Ethernet cable connection is subject to the limitations of the PoE (Power over Ethernet) and Ethernet communications standards, meaning that the distance between camera and switch can go up to about 100 meters when using Cat 6 cables (Ethernet cable type Cat5e or below is not supported). For best performance, do not connect devices other than the computer to the camera network. Add-on network cards should be installed if additional Ethernet ports are required.

Ethernet Cable Requirements

Cable Type

Electromagnetic Shielding

External Sync: If you wish to connect external devices, use the eSync synchronization hub. Connect the eSync into one of the PoE switches using an Ethernet cable, or if you have a multi-switch setup, plug the eSync into the aggregation switch.

Uplink Switch: For systems with higher camera counts that uses multiple PoE switches, use an uplink Ethernet switch to link and connect all of the switches to the Host PC. In the end, the switches must be connected in a star topology with the uplink switch at the central node connecting to the host PC. NEVER daisy chain multiple PoE switches in series because doing so can introduce latency to the system.
High Camera Counts: For setting up more than 24 Prime series cameras, we recommend using a 10 Gigabit uplink switch and connecting it to the host PC via an Ethernet cable that supports 10 Gigabit transfer rate — Cat6a or above. This will provide larger data bandwidth and reduce the data transfer latency.

PoE switch requirement: The PoE switches must be able to provide 15.4W power to every port simultaneously. PrimeX 41, PrimeX 22, and Prime Color camera models run on a high power mode to achieve longer tracking ranges, and they require 30W of power from each port. If you wish to operate these cameras at standard PoE mode, set the LLDP (PoE+) Detection setting to false under the application settings. For network switches provided by OptiTrack, refer to the label for the number of cameras supported for each switch.

Main Components

Host PC with an isolated network
Ethernet Cameras
Ethernet cables
Ethernet PoE/PoE+ Switches
Uplink switch (for large camera count setup)
The eSync (optional for synchronizations)

Power over Ethernet (PoE/PoE+) Switches

Redundant Power Systems for Larger Camera Setups

The following is generally used for large PoE+ camera setups with multiple camera switches. Please refer to the Switch Power Budget and Camera Power Requirements tab above for more information.

eSync2

Uplink Switch

USB Camera System

Cabling the USB System

Main Components

Host PC
USB Cameras
OptiHub(s) and a power supply for each hub.
USB 2.0 cables:
- USB 2.0 Type A/B per OptiHub.
- USB 2.0 Type B/mini-b per camera.

OptiHub

USB Load Balancing

OptiSync

Difference Between OptiSync and Wired Sync

OptiSync

The OptiSync is a custom camera-to-camera synchronization protocol designed for Flex series cameras. The OptiSync protocol sends and receives sync signals over the USB cable, without the need for RCA sync cables. This sync method is only available when using Flex 3 or Flex 13 cameras connected to the OptiHub.

Wired Sync

The Wired Sync is a camera-to-camera synchronization protocol using RCA cables in a daisy chain arrangement. With a master RCA sync cable connecting the master camera to the OptiHub, each camera in the system is connected in series via RCA sync cables and splitters. The V100:R1 (Legacy) and the Slim 3U cameras utilize Wired Sync only, and therefore any OptiTrack system containing these cameras need to be synchronized through the Wired Sync. Wired Sync is optionally available for Flex 3 cameras.

Checkpoint

Q & A: Cabling and Wiring

General Questions

Q : Which camera models can be used together in the same system?

Troubleshooting

Q : [Ethernet Cameras] PrimeX series, or SlimX 13, cameras dropping 2D frames.

A: 2D frame drops are logged under the Log pane and it can also be seen in the Devices pane. It will be indicated with a warning sign () next to the corresponding camera. You may see a few frame drops when booting up the system or when switching between Live and Edit modes; however, this should occur only momentarily. If the system continues to drop 2D frames, it means there is a problem with receiving the camera data. In many cases, this occurs due to networking problems.

Disable any firewall or anti-virus software on the host PC. Often, these software interferes with the camera network and cause frame drops.
Use a dedicated network interface controller (NIC) card for uplinking the camera system to the host PC. Ethernet adapters on common motherboards are not well suited for receiving camera data.
Update network cade driver to up-to-date.
If you have an eSync in the system, connect it to the aggregator switch. It will provide more stable synchronization between the cameras.

Q : [Ethernet cameras] Cameras not detected at all.

Disable any firewall or anti-virus software and check again to see if it resolves. Often, these software blocks the camera network.
Update the network card driver.
Make sure nothing is misconfigured on the network switches. Some switches have its own traffic control tools that might interfere with how the camera data and the sync signals are transmitted.
If the cameras are still not detected, contact tech support. When doing so, launch Motive and take a note of the behavior of how the back LED lights on the cameras are flashing. This would be helpful when troubleshooting the issue.

Camera Mount Structures

Due to thermal expansion issues when mounted to walls, we recommend using Trusses or Tripods as primary mounting structures.

Trusses will offer the most stability and are less prone to unwanted camera movement for more accurate tracking.
Tripods alternatively, offer more mobility to change the capture volume.
Wall Mounts and Speed Rails offer the ability to maximize space, but are the most susceptible to vibration from HVAC systems, thermal expansion, earthquake resistant buildings, etc. This vibration can cause inaccurate calibration and tracking.

Camera Clamps

Assembling the Clamps

Here at OptiTrack, we recommend and provide Manfrotto clamps that have been tested and verified to ensure a solid hold on cameras and mounting structures. If you would like more information regarding Manfrotto clamps, please visit our page on our website or reach out to our .

Manfrotto clamps come in three parts:

Manfrotto 035 Super Clamp
Manfrotto 056 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head with 1/4"-20 Mount
Reversible Short Brass Stud

For proper assembly, please follow the steps below:

Place the brass stud into the 16mm hexagon socket in the Manfrotto Super Clamp.
Depress the spring-loaded button so the brass stud will lock into place.
Tighten the safety pin mechanism to secure the brass stud within the hexagon socket. Be sure that the 3/8″ screw (larger) end of the stud is facing out.
From here, attach the Super Clamp to the 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head by screwing in the brass stud into the screw hole of the 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head.
Be sure to tighten these two components fairly tight as you don't want them to swivel when installing cameras. It helps to first tighten the 360° swivel on the 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head as this will ensure that any unwanted swivel will not occur when tightening the two components together.
Once, these two components are attached you should have a fully functioning clamp to attach your cameras to.

Choosing the Mounting Structure

Choosing an appropriate structure is critical in preparing the capture volume, and we recommend our customers consult our for planning a layout for the camera mount setup.

Truss

General steps

Consult with the truss system provider or our for setting up the truss system.
Follow the truss installation instruction and assemble the trusses on-site, and use the fastening pins to secure each truss segment.
- Fasten the base truss to the ground.
- Connect each of the segments and fix them by inserting a fastening pin.
Attach clamps to the cameras.
Mount the clamps to the truss beam.
each camera.

Tripods

Wall Mounts and Speed Rails

Below are recommended steps when installing speed rails onto different types of wall material. However, depending on your space, you may require alternative methods.

Although we have instructions below for installing speed rails, we highly recommend leaving the installation to qualified contractors.

Tools Required

General Tools

Cordless drill
Socket driver bits for drill
Various drill bits
Hex head Allen wrench set
Laser level

Speed Rail Parts

Pre-cut rails
Internal locking splice
5" offset wall mount bracket
End caps (should already be pre-installed onto pipes)
Elbow speed rail bracket (optional)
Tee speed rail bracket (optional)

Wood Stud Setup

Wood frame studs behind drywall requires:

Pre-drilled holes.
2 1/2" long x 5/16" hex head wood lag screws.

Metal Stud Framing Setup

Metal stud framing behind drywall requires:

Undersized pre-drilled holes as a marker in the drywall.
2"long x 5/16" self tapping metal screws with hex head.

Metal studs can strip easily if pre-drilled hole is too large.

Concrete Block/Wall Setup

Requires:

Pre-drilled holes.
Concrete anchors inserted into pre-drilled hole.
2 1/2" concrete lags.

Concrete anchors and lags must match for a proper fit.

General Steps

Pre-drill bracket locations.
If working in a smaller space, slip speed rails into brackets prior to installing.
Install all brackets by the top lag first.
Check to see if all are correctly spaced and level.
Install bottom lags.
Slip speed rails into brackets.
Set screw and internal locking splice of speed rail.
Attach clamps to the cameras.
Attach the clamps to the rail.
each camera.

Helpful Tips/Additional Information

The 5" offset wall brackets should not exceed 4' between each bracket.
Speed rails are shipped no longer than 8'.
Using blue painter's tape is a simple way to mark placement without messing up paint.
Make sure to slide the end of the speed rail without the end cap in first. If installed with the end-cap end first it will "mushroom" the end and make it difficult to slip brackets onto the speed rail.
Check brackets for any burs/sharpness and gently sand off to avoid the bracket scratching the finish on the speed rail.
To further reduce the bracket scratching the finish on the speed rail, use a piece of paper inside the bracket prior to sliding the speed rail through.