PrimeX 41, PrimeX 22, Prime 41*, and Prime 17W* camera models have powerful tracking capability that allows tracking outdoors. With strong infrared (IR) LED illuminations and some adjustments to its settings, a Prime system can overcome sunlight interference and perform 3D capture. This page provides general hardware and software system setup recommendations for outdoor captures.

Please note that when capturing outdoors, the cameras will have shorter tracking ranges compared to when tracking indoors. Also, the system calibration will be more susceptible to change in outdoor applications because there are environmental variables (e.g. sunlight, wind, etc.) that could alter the system setup. To ensure tracking accuracy, routinely re-calibrate the cameras throughout the capture session.

Weather and Backgrounds

Even though it is possible to capture under the influence of the sun, it is best to pick cloudy days for captures in order to obtain the best tracking results. The reasons include the following:

• Bright illumination from the daylight will introduce extraneous reconstructions, requiring additional effort in the post-processing on cleaning up the captured data.

• Throughout the day, the position of the sun will continuously change as will the reflections and shadows of the nearby objects. For this reason, the camera system needs to be routinely re-masked or re-calibrated.

The surroundings can also work to your advantage or disadvantage depending on the situation. Different outdoor objects reflect 850 nm Infrared (IR) light in different ways that can be unpredictable without testing. Lining your background with objects that are black in Infrared (IR) will help distinguish your markers from the background better which will help with tracking. Some examples of outdoor objects and their relative brightness is as follows:

• Grass typically appears as bright white in IR.

• Asphalt typically appears dark black in IR.

• Concrete depends, but it's usually a gray in IR.

Hardware Setup Recommendations

1. [Camera Setup] Camera mount setup

In general, setting up a truss system for mounting the cameras is recommended for stability, but for outdoor captures, it could be too much effort to do so. For this reason, most outdoor capture applications use tripods for mounting the cameras.

2. [Camera Setup] Camera aim

Do not aim the cameras directly towards the sun. If possible, place and aim the cameras so that they are capturing the target volume at a downward angle from above.

3. [Camera Setup] Lens f-stop

Increase the f-stop setting in the Prime cameras to decrease the aperture size of the lenses. The f-stop setting determines the amount of light that is let through the lenses, and increasing the f-stop value will decrease the overall brightness of the captured image allowing the system to better accommodate for sunlight interference. Furthermore, changing this allows camera exposures to be set to a higher value, which will be discussed in the later section. Note that f-stop can be adjusted only in PrimeX 41, PrimeX 22, Prime 41*, and Prime 17W* camera models.

4. [Camera Setup] Utilize shadows

Even though it is possible to capture under sunlight, the best tracking result is achieved when the capture environment is best optimized for tracking. Whenever applicable, utilize shaded areas in order to minimize the interference by sunlight.

Motive Settings

1. [Camera Settings] Max IR LED Strength

Increase the LED setting on the camera system to its maximum so that IR LED illuminates at its maximum strength. Strong IR illumination will allow the cameras to better differentiate the emitted IR reflections from ambient sunlight.

2. [Camera Settings] Camera Exposure

In general, increasing camera exposure makes the overall image brighter, but it also allows the IR LEDs to light up and remain at its maximum brightness for a longer period of time on each frame. This way, the IR illumination is stronger on the cameras, and the imager can more easily detect the marker reflections in the IR spectrum.

When used in combination with the increased f-stop on the lens, this adjustment will give a better distinction of IR reflections. Note that this setup applies only for outdoor applications, for indoor applications, the exposure setting is generally used to control overall brightness of the image.

*Legacy camera models

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Overview

Specs

Human Readable Calibration Files

Calibration files are now human readable XML files, using the .mcal file type, which can be manually modified or examined. These files also include OpenCV compatible lens intrinsic information for research projects.

See the page .mcal XML Calibration Files for more detail.

Re-calibrate Bone Positions

Motive 3.2 expands your options for re-calibrating skeletons. The Update from Selection function now includes the ability to update just the constraints, which realigns the skeleton bone positions without re-scaling the bones, supporting "one skeleton forever" for actors. The option to update both marker positions and bone scaling is still available as well.

Sensor Fusion Updates

• Bump Correction - Advanced IMU sensor fusion controls such as Impulse Correction Angle are now available. These properties help handle edge cases especially around sudden impacts and recoil.

• Progress indicator - A new progress indicator element for IMU and optical alignment helps in the setup process. The visual shows when to keep rotating the device for alignment until 100% of the required samples are gathered.

See the updated IMU Sensor Fusion page for more details.

VRPN Streaming Client

We resolved performance issues with VRPN streaming and developed a sample client for testing VRPN streaming. See the page VRPN Sample for information on how to use the client.

Other Highlights

• Larger Pixel Sizes for PrimeX 120 Cameras - The Max Pixel Size property can accommodate the PrimeX 120 with objects up to 128 x 128 in size, to allow for higher accuracy with close up objects.

• Increased Video Exporter File Sizes - The Maximum File Size for video exporters increased to up to 20 GB for larger video files and machine vision applications.

• HMD Clip Tool XML Files - The HMD clip tool is now able to load external XML files to allow for custom models.

• Edit Mode Masking - You now have the ability to draw masks in Edit mode.

• Solver Quality Improvements - Improved solver quality, especially around shoulder rotations and for finger markersets.

How to Use the User Guide

• Use the Table of Contents to navigate through the guide.

  • In the Desktop view, the Table of Contents appears in the left pane.

  • In the Mobile view, click the Menu icon in the header to display the Table of Contents or to switch between different versions of Motive.

• Quick Links and the Search Bar are always available in the desktop view's page header, or by clicking the 3 dots in the Mobile header:

• Navigate within a page using the page's Table of Contents on the right. If the page Table of Contents isn't visible, try increasing the size of the browser window.

• Click the version number in between the OptiTrack logo and the Table of Contents to access documentation for earlier versions of Motive.

• Can't find the information you're looking for, or need additional help? Quick links on the page banner take you directly to:

Quick Links

Link directly to our most popular pages from the tabs below.

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 camera placement plans.

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

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 Mounts and Tripods page on our website or reach out to our Sales team.

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:

1. Place the brass stud into the 16mm hexagon socket in the Manfrotto Super Clamp.

2. Depress the spring-loaded button so the brass stud will lock into place.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

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

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

1. Consult with the truss system provider or our Sales Engineers for setting up the truss system.

2. 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.

3. Attach clamps to the cameras.

4. Mount the clamps to the truss beam.

5. Aim each camera.

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.

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.

Concrete Block/Wall Setup

Requires:

• Pre-drilled holes.

• Concrete anchors inserted into pre-drilled hole.

• 2 1/2" concrete lags.

General Steps

1. Pre-drill bracket locations.

2. If working in a smaller space, slip speed rails into brackets prior to installing.

3. Install all brackets by the top lag first.

4. Check to see if all are correctly spaced and level.

5. Install bottom lags.

6. Slip speed rails into brackets.

7. Set screw and internal locking splice of speed rail.

8. Attach clamps to the cameras.

9. Attach the clamps to the rail.

10. Aim each camera.

Overview

Specs

Overview

Specs

Overview

Specs

Overview

Specs

Welcome to the Quick Start Guide: Getting Started!

This guide provides a quick walk-through of installing and using OptiTrack motion capture systems. Key concepts and instructions are summarized in each section of this page to help you get familiarized with the system and get you started with the capture experience.

Note that Motive offers features far beyond the ones listed in this guide, and the capability of the system can be further optimized to fit your specific capture applications using the additional features. For more detailed information on each workflow, read through the corresponding workflow pages in this wiki: hardware setup and software setup.

Hardware Setup

Preparing the Capture Area

For best tracking results, you need to prepare and clean up the capture environment before setting up the system. First, remove unnecessary objects that could block the camera views. Cover open windows and minimize incoming sunlight. Avoid setting up a system over reflective flooring since IR lights from cameras may get reflected and add noise to the data. If this is not an option, use rubber mats to cover the reflective area. Likewise, items with reflective surfaces or illuminating features should be removed or covered with non-reflective materials in order to avoid extraneous reflections.

Key Checkpoints for a Good Capture Area

• Minimize ambient lights, especially sunlight and other infrared light sources.

• Clean capture volume. Remove unnecessary obstacles within the area.

• Tape, or Cover, remaining reflective objects in the area.

See Also: Hardware Setup workflow pages.

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(es) to 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(es): 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 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.

• 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.

Ethernet Cable Requirements

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.

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.

Electromagnetic Shielding

We recommend using only cables that have electromagnetic interference shielding. If unshielded cables are used, cables in close proximity to each other have the potential to create data transfer interference and cause cameras to stall in Motive.

See Also: Network setup page.

Placing and Aiming Cameras

Optical motion capture systems utilize multiple 2D images from each camera to compute, or reconstruct, corresponding 3D coordinates. For best tracking results, cameras must be placed so that each of them captures unique vantage of the target capture area. Place the cameras circumnavigating around the capture volume, as shown in the example below, so that markers in the volume will be visible by at least two cameras at all times. Mount cameras securely onto stable structures (e.g. truss system) so that they don't move throughout the capture. When using tripods or camera stands, ensure that they are placed in stable positions. After placing cameras, aim the cameras so that their views overlap around the region where most of the capture will take place. Any significant camera movement after system calibration may require re-calibration. Cable strain-relief should be used at the camera end of camera cables to prevent potential damage to the camera.

See Also: Camera Placement and Camera Mount Structures pages.

Lens Focus

In order to obtain accurate and stable tracking data, it is very important that all of the cameras are correctly focused to the target volume. This is especially important for close-up and long-range captures. For common tracking applications in general, focus-to-infinity should work fine, however, it is still important to confirm that each camera in the system is focused.

To adjust or to check camera focus, place some markers on the target tracking area. Then, set the camera to raw grayscale mode, increase the exposure and LED settings, and then Zoom onto one of the retroreflective markers in the capture volume and check the clarity of the image. If the image is blurry, adjust the camera focus and find the point where the marker is best resolved.

See Also: Aiming and Focusing page.

Software Setup

Host PC Requirements

In order to properly run a motion capture system using Motive, the host PC must satisfy the minimum system requirements. Required minimum specifications vary depending on sizes of mocap systems and types of cameras used. Consult our Sale Engineers, or use the Build Your Own feature on our website to find out host PC specification requirements.

Motive Installation

Motive is a software platform designed to control motion capture systems for various tracking applications. Motive not only allows the user to calibrate and configure the system, but it also provides interfaces for both capturing and processing of 3D data. The captured data can be recorded or live-streamed into other pipelines.

If you are new to Motive, we recommend you to read through Motive Basics page after going through this guide to learn about basic navigation controls in Motive.

Motive Activation Requirements

The following items will be required for activating Motive. Please note that the valid duration of the Motive license must be later than the release date of the version that you are activating. If the license is expired, please update the license or use an older version of Motive that was released prior to the license expiration date.

• Motive 3.x license

• USB Security Key

Host PC Requirements

Required PC specifications may vary depending on the size of the camera system. Generally, you will be required to use the recommended specs with a system with more than 24 cameras.

Download and Install

To install Motive, simply download the Motive software installer for your operating system from the Motive Download Page, then run the installer and follow its prompts.

License Activation Steps

1. Insert the USB Security Key into a USB-C port on the computer. If needed, you can also use a USB-A adapter to connect.

2. Launch Motive

3. Activate your software using the License Tool, which can be accessed in the Motive splash screen. You will need to input the License Serial Number and the Hash Code for your license.

4. After activation, the License tool will place the license file associated to the USB Security Key in the License folder. For more license activation questions, visit Licensing FAQs or contact our Support.

First Launch

By default, Motive will start on the calibration layout with all the necessary panes open. Using this layout, you can calibrate the camera system and construct a 3D tracking volume. The layout may be slightly different for certain camera models or software licenses.

The following panes will be open:

Viewport Navigation

Use the following controls for navigating throughout the 2D and 3D viewports in Motive. Most of the navigation controls are customizable, including both mouse actions and hotkeys. These mouse and keyboard controls can be customized through the Application Settings panel.

Camera Settings

Now that the cameras are connected and showing up in Motive, the next step is to configure the camera settings. Appropriate camera settings will vary depending on various factors including the capture environment and tracked objects. The overall goal is to configure the settings so that the marker reflections are clearly captured and distinguished in the 2D view of each camera. For a detailed explanation on individual settings, please refer to the Devices pane page.

To check whether the camera setting is optimized, it is best to check both the grayscale mode images and tracking mode (Object or Precision) images and make sure the marker reflection stands out from the image. You switch a camera into grayscale mode either in Motive or by using the Aim Assist button for supported cameras. In Motive, you can right-click on the Cameras Viewport and switch the video mode in the context menu, or you can also change the video mode through the Properties pane.

Exposure Setting

The exposure setting determines how long the camera imagers are exposed per each frame of data. With longer the exposure, more light will be captured by the camera, creating the brighter images that can improve visibility for small and dim markers. However, high exposure values can introduce false markers, larger marker blooms, and marker blurring – all of which can negatively impact marker data quality. It is best to minimize the exposure setting as long as the markers are clearly visible in the captured images.

System Calibration

In order to start tracking, all cameras must first be calibrated. Through the camera calibration process, Motive computes position and orientation of cameras (extrinsic) as well as amounts of lens distortions in captured images (intrinsics). Using the calibration results, Motive constructs a 3D capture volume, and within this volume, motion tracking is accomplished. All of the calibration tools can be found under the Calibration pane. Read through the Calibration page to learn about the calibration process and what other tools are available for more efficient workflows.

See Also: Calibration page.

Calibration Steps

Starting a Calibration

To start a system calibration, open the Calibration Pane. Under the Calibration pane, you can choose to start a new calibration or to modify the existing one. For this guide, click New Calibration for a fresh calibration.

Masking

Before the system calibration, any extraneous reflections or unnecessary markers should ideally be removed or covered so that they are not seen by the cameras. However, it may not always be possible to remove all of them. In this case, these extraneous reflections can be ignored by applying masks over them during the calibration.

1. Check the calibration pane to see if any of the cameras are seeing extraneous reflections or noise in their view. A warning sign will appear over these cameras.

2. Check the camera view of the corresponding camera to identify where the extraneous reflection is coming from, and if possible, remove them from the capture volume or cover them so that the cameras do not see them.

3. If reflections still exist, click Mask to automatically apply masks over all of the reflections detected in the camera views.

4. Once all of the reflections have been masked or removed, click Continue to proceed to the wanding step.

Wanding

In the wanding stage, we will use the Calibration Wand to collect wanding samples that will be used for calibrating the system.

1. Set the Calibration Type to Full.

2. Under the Wand settings, specify the wand that you will be used to calibrate the volume. It is very important to input the matching wand size here. When an incorrect dimension is given to Motive, the calibrated 3D volume will be scaled incorrectly.

3. Click Start Wanding to start collecting the wanding sample.

4. Once the wanding process starts. Bring your calibration wand into the capture volume and start waving the wand gently across the entire capture volume. Gently draw figure-eight repetitively with the wand to collect samples at varying orientations and cover as much space as possible for sufficient sampling. Wanding trails will be shown in colors on the 2D View. A grid/table displaying the status of the wanding process will show up in the Calibration pane to monitor the progress.

5. As each camera collects the wanding samples, the camera grid representing the wanding status of each camera will start changing its color to bright green. This provides visual feedback on whether sufficient samples have been collected by each camera. Wave the wand until all boxes are filled with bright green color.

6. Once enough samples have been collected, press the Start Calculation button to start calibrating. The calculation may take a few minutes to complete.

7. When the calculation is finished, its results will get displayed. If the overall result is acceptable, click Continue to proceed to setting up the ground. If the result is not satisfactory, click Cancel and go through the wanding once more.

Setting the Ground Plane

Now that all of the cameras have been calibrated, the next step is to define the ground plane of the capture volume.

1. Place a Calibration Square inside the capture volume. Position the square so that the vertex marker is placed directly over the desired global origin.

2. Orient the calibration square so that the longer arm is directed towards the desired +Z axes and the shorter arm is directed towards the desired +X axes of the volume. Motive uses the y-up right-hand coordinate system.

3. Level the calibration square parallel to the ground plane.

4. At this point, the Calibration pane should detect which calibration square has been placed in the tracking volume. If not, you may want to specifically select the three markers on the calibration square from the 3D view in Motive.

5. Click Set Ground Plane to complete the calibration.

Capture Setup

Once the camera system has been calibrated, Motive is ready to collect data. But before doing so, let's prepare the session folders for organizing the capture recordings and define the trackable assets, including Rigid Body and/or Skeletons.

Set Up for Capture Session

Motive Recordings

See Also: Motive Basics page.

Motive Profiles

Motive's software configurations are saved to Motive Profiles (*.motive extension). All of the application-related settings can be saved into the Motive profiles, and you can export and import these files and easily maintain the same software configurations.

Marker Up

Place the retro-reflective markers onto subjects (Rigid Body or Skeleton) that you wish to track. Double-check that the markers are attached securely. For skeleton tracking, open the Builder pane, go to skeleton creation options, and choose a marker set you wish to use. Follow the skeleton avatar diagram for placing the markers. If you are using a mocap suit, make sure that the suit fits as tightly as possible. Motive derives the position of each body segment from related markers that you place on the suit. Accordingly, it is important to prevent the shifting of markers as much as possible. Sample marker placements are shown below.

See Also: Markers page for marker types, or Rigid Body Tracking and Skeleton Tracking page for placement directions.

Define Skeletons and Rigid Bodies

Create Rigid Body

To define a Rigid Body, simply select three or more markers in the Perspective View, right-click, and select Rigid Body → Create Rigid Body From Selected. You can also utilize CTRL+T hotkey for creating Rigid Body assets. You can also use the Builder pane to define the Rigid Body.

Create Skeleton

To define a skeleton, have the actor enter the volume with markers attached at appropriate locations. Open the Builder pane and select Skeleton and Create. Under the marker set section, select a marker set you wish to use, and a corresponding model with desired marker locations will be displayed. After verifying that the marker locations on the actor correspond to those in the Builder pane, instruct the actor to strike the calibration pose. Most common calibration pose used is the T-pose. The T-pose requires a proper standing posture with back straight and head looking directly forward. Then, both arms are stretched to sides, forming a “T” shape. While in T-pose, select all of the markers within the desired skeleton in the 3D view and click Create button in the Builder pane. In some cases, you may not need to select the markers if only the desired actor is in view.

See Also: Rigid Body Tracking page and Skeleton Tracking page.

Record Data

Once the volume is calibrated and skeletons are defined, now you are ready to capture. In the Control Deck at the bottom, press the dimmed red record button or simply press the spacebar when in the Live mode to begin capturing. This button will illuminate in bright red to indicate recording is in progress. You can stop recording by clicking the record button again, and a corresponding capture file (TAK extension), also known as capture Take, will be saved within the current session folder. Once a Take has been saved, you can playback captures, reconstruct, edit, and export your data in a variety of formats for additional analysis or use with most 3D software.

When tracking skeletons, it is beneficial to start and end the capture with a T-pose. This allows you to recreate the skeleton in post-processing when needed.

See Also: Data Recording page.

Post-Capture

Data Editing

After capturing a Take. Recorded 3D data and its trajectories can be post-processed using the Data Editing tools, which can be found in the Edit Tools pane. Data editing tools provide post-processing features such as deleting unreliable trajectories, smoothing select trajectories, and interpolating missing (occluded) marker positions. Post-editing the 3D data can improve the quality of tracking data.

General Editing Steps

1. Skim through the overall frames in a Take to get an idea of which frames and markers need to be cleaned up.

2. Refer to the Labels pane and inspect gap percentages in each marker.

3. Select a marker that is often occluded or misplaced.

4. Look through the frames in the Graph pane, and inspect the gaps in the trajectory.

5. For each gap in frames, look for an unlabeled marker at the expected location near the solved marker position. Re-assign the proper marker label if the unlabeled marker exists.

6. Use Trim Tails feature to trim both ends of the trajectory in each gap. It trims off a few frames adjacent to the gap where tracking errors might exist. This prepares occluded trajectories for Gap Filling.

7. Find the gaps to be filled, and use the Fill Gaps feature to model the estimated trajectories for occluded markers.

8. Re-Solve assets to update the solve from the edited marker data

Marker Labeling

Markers detected in the camera views get trajectorized into 3D coordinates. The reconstructed markers need to be labeled for Motive to distinguish different trajecectories within a capture. Trajectories of annotated reconstructions can be exported individually or used (solved altogether) to track the movements of the target subjects. Markers associated with Rigid Bodies and Skeletons are labeled automatically through the auto-labeling process. Note that Rigid Body and Skeleton markers can be auto-labeled both during Live mode (before capture) and Edit mode (after capture). Individual markers can also be labeled, but each marker needs to be manually labeled in post-processing using assets and the Labeling pane. These manual Labeling tools can also be used to correct any labeling errors. Read through the Labeling page for more details in assigning and editing marker labels.

• Auto-label: Automatically label sets of Rigid Body markers and skeleton markers using the corresponding asset definitions.

• Manual Label: Labeling individual markers manually using the Labeling, assigning labels defined in the Marker Set, Rigid Body, or Skeleton assets.

See Also: Labeling page.

Data Export

Motive exports reconstructed 3D tracking data in various file formats, and exported files can be imported into other pipelines to further utilize capture data. Supported formats include CSV and C3D for Motive: Tracker, and additionally, FBX, BVH, and TRC for Motive: Body. To export tracking data, select a Take to export and open the export dialog window, which can be accessed from File → Export Tracking Data or right-click on a Take → Export Tracking data from the Data pane. Multiple Takes can be selected and exported from Motive or by using the Motive Batch Processor. From the export dialog window the frame rate, measurement scale, and frame range of exported data can be configured. Frame ranges can also be specified by selecting a frame range in the Graph View pane before exporting a file. In the export dialog window, corresponding export options are available for each file format.

See Also: Data Export page.

Data Streaming

Motive offers multiple options to stream tracking data onto external applications in real-time. Tracking data can be streamed in both Live mode and Edit mode. Streaming plugins are available for Autodesk Motion Builder, Visual3D, The MotionMonitor, Unreal Engine 4, 3ds Max, Maya (VCS), and VRPN, and they can be downloaded from the OptiTrack website. For other streaming options, the NatNet SDK enables users to build custom client and server applications to stream capture data. Common motion capture applications rely on real-time tracking, and the OptiTrack system is designed to deliver data at an extremely low latency even when streaming to third-party pipelines. Detailed instructions on specific streaming protocols are included in the PDF documentation that ships with the respective plugins or SDK's.

See Also: Data Streaming page

This page provides instructions on how to set up and use the OptiTrack active marker solution.

Overview

The OptiTrack Active Tracking solution allows synchronized tracking of active LED markers using an OptiTrack camera system. Consisting of the Base Station and the users choice Active Tags that can be integrated in to any object and/or the "Active Puck" which can act as its own single Rigid Body.

Connected to the camera system the Base Station emits RF signals to the active markers, allowing precise synchronization between camera exposure and illumination of the LEDs. Each active marker is now uniquely labeled in Motive software, allowing more stable Rigid Body tracking since active markers will never be mislabeled and unique marker placements are no longer be required for distinguishing multiple Rigid Bodies.

Hardware Setup

Required Component

BaseStation

Sends out radio frequency signals for synchronizing the active markers.

• Powered by PoE, connected via Ethernet cable.

• Must be connected to one of the switches in the camera network.

Active Marker Options

Active Tag

• Connects to a USB power source and illuminates the active LEDs.

• Receives RF signals from the Base Station and correspondingly synchronizes illumination of the connected active LED markers.

• Emits 850 nm IR light.

• 4 active LEDs in each bundle and up to two bundles can be connected to each Tag.

• (8 Active LEDs (4(LEDs/set) x 2 set) per Tag)

• Size: 5 mm (T1 ¾) Plastic Package, half angle ±65°, typ. 12 mW/sr at 100mA

Active Pucks

An active tag self-contained into a trackable object, providing information with 6 DoF for any arbitrary object that it's attached to. Carries a factory installed Active Tag with 8 LEDs and a rechargeable battery with up to 10-hours of run time on a single charge.

Wiring the Components

Camera System

• Active tracking is supported only with the Ethernet camera system (Prime series or Slime 13E cameras). For instructions on how to set up a camera system see: Hardware Setup.

BaseStation

• Connects to one of the PoE switches within the camera network.

• For best performance, place the base station near the center of your tracking space, with unobstructed lines of sight to the areas where your Active Tags will be located during use. Although the wireless signal is capable of traveling through many types of obstructions, there still exists the possibility of reduced range as a result of interference, particularly from metal and other dense materials.

• Do not place external electromagnetic or radiofrequency devices near the Base Station.

• When Base Station is working properly, the LED closest to the antenna should blink green when Motive is running.

Tag Setup

• Connect two sets of active markers (4 LEDs in each set) into a Tag.

• Connect the battery and/or a micro USB cable to power the Tag. The Tag takes 3.3V ~ 5.0V of inputs from the micro USB cable. For powering through the battery, use only the batteries that are supplied by us. To recharge the battery, have the battery connected to the Tag and then connect the micro USB cable.

• To initialize the Tag, press on the power switch once. Be careful not to hold down on the power switch for more than a second, because it will trigger to start the device in the firmware update (DFU) mode. If it initializes in the DFU mode, which is indicated by two orange LEDs, just power off and restart the Tag. To power off the Tag, hold down on the power switch until the status LEDs go dark.

• Once powered, you should be able to see the illumination of IR LEDs from the 2D reference camera view.

Puck Setup

• Press the power button for 1~2 seconds and release. The top-left LED will illuminate in orange while it initializes. Once it initializes the bottom LED will light up green if it has made a successful connection with the base station. Then the top-left LED will start blinking in green indicating that the sync packets are being received.

• For more information, please read through the Active Puck page.

Motive Settings

Active Patten Depth

Settings → Live Pipeline → Solver Tab with Default value = 12

This adjusts the complexity of the illumination patterns produced by active markers. In most applications, the default value can be used for quality tracking results. If a high number of Rigid Bodies are tracked simultaneously, this value can be increased allowing for more combinations of the illumination patterns on each marker. If this value is set too low, duplicate active IDs can be produced, should this error appear increase the value of this setting.

Minimum Active Count

Settings → Live Pipeline → Solver Tab with Default value = 3

Setting the number of rays required to establish the active ID for each on frame of an active marker cycle. If this value is increased, and active makers become occluded it may take longer for active markers to be reestablished in the Motive view. The majority of applications will not need to alter this setting

Active Marker Color

Settings → Views → 3D Tab with Default color = blue

The color assigned to this setting will be used to indicate and distinguish active and passive markers seen in the viewer pane of Motive.

Camera Settings

For tracking of the active LED markers, the following camera settings may need to be adjusted for best tracking results:

Camera Exposure

For tracking the active markers, set the camera exposures a bit higher compared to when tracking passive markers. This allows the cameras to better detect the active markers. The optimal value will vary depending on the camera system setups, but in general, you would want to set the camera exposure between 400 ~ 750, microseconds.

IR LEDs

When tracking only active markers, the cameras do not need to emit IR lights. In this case, you can disable the IR settings in the Devices pane.

Active Markers in Motive

Active Labels

Labels in Recorded 3D Data

Unlabeled Markers

In recorded 3D data, the labels of the unlabeled active markers will still indicate that it is an active marker. As shown in the image below, there will be Active prefix assigned in addition to the active ID to indicate that it is an active marker. This applies only to individual active markers that are not auto-labeled. Markers that are auto-labeled using a trackable model will be assigned with a respective label.

Auto-labeled Markers

When a trackable asset (e.g. Rigid Body) is defined using active markers, it's active ID information gets stored in the asset along with marker positions. When auto-labeling the markers in the space, the trackable asset will additionally search for reconstructions with matching active ID, in addition to the marker arrangements, to auto-label a set of markers. This can add additional guard to the auto-labeler and prevents and mis-labeling errors.

Rigid Body Definition

Rigid Body definitions created from actively labeled reconstructions will search for respective marker IDs in order to solve the Rigid Body. This gives a huge benefit because the active markers can be placed in perfectly symmetrical marker arrangements among multiple Rigid Bodies and not run into labeling swaps. With active markers, only the 3D reconstructions with active IDs stored under the corresponding Rigid Body definition will contribute to the solve.

Rigid Body Properties

If a Rigid Body was created from actively labeled reconstructions, the corresponding Active ID gets saved under the corresponding Rigid Body properties. In order for the Rigid Body to be tracked, the reconstructions with matching marker IDs in addition to matching marker placements must be tracked in the volume. If the active ID is set to 0, it means no particular marker ID is given to the Rigid Body definition and any reconstructions can contribute to the solve.

Troubleshooting

Residual Value

Capture Volume

First of all, optimize the capture volume for the most precise and accurate tracking results. Avoid a populated area when setting up the system and recording a capture. Clear any obstacles or trip hazards around the capture volume. Physical impacts on the setup will distort the calibration quality, and it could be critical especially when tracking at a sub-millimeter accuracy. Lastly, for best results, routinely recalibrate the capture volume.

Infrared Black Background Objects

Motion capture cameras detect reflected infrared light. Thus, having other reflective objects in the volume will alter the results negatively, which could be critical especially for precise tracking applications. If possible, have background objects that are IR black and non-reflective. Capturing in a dark background provides clear contrast between bright and dark pixels, which could be less distinguishable in a white background.

Camera Placement

Mounting Locations

For precise tracking, better results will be obtained by placing cameras closer to the target object (adjusting focus will be required) in a sphere or dome-shaped camera arrangement, as shown in the images on the right. Good positional data in all dimensions (X, Y, and Z axis) will be attained only if there are cameras contributing to the calculation from a variety of different locations; each unique vantage adds additional data.

Mount Securely

For most accurate results, cameras should be perfectly stationary, securely fastened onto a truss system or an extremely rigid object. Any slight deformation or fluctuation to the mount structures may affect the result in sub-millimeter tracking applications. A small-sized truss system is ideal for the setup. Take extreme caution when mounting onto speed rails attached to a wall, because the building may fluctuate on hot days.

Focus and Aiming

F-stop

Increase the f-stop higher (smaller aperture) to gain a larger depth of field. Increased depth of field will make the greater portion of the capture volume in-focus and will make measurements more consistent throughout the volume.

Aim and Focus

Motive Settings

The following sections cover key configuration settings which need to be optimized for the precision tracking.

Camera Settings

Live-Reconstruction Settings

Calibration

Wands

The CW-500 wand is designed for capturing medium to large volumes, and it is not suited for calibrating small volumes. Not only it does not have the indication on the factory-calibrated length, but it is also made of aluminum, which makes it more vulnerable to thermal expansions. During the wanding process, Motive references the wand length for calibrating the capture volume, and any distortions in the wand length would cause the calibrated capture volume to be scaled slightly differently, which can be significant when capturing precise measurements. For this reason, a micron series wand is suitable for precision tracking applications.

Note: Never touch the marker on the CWM-250 or CWM-125 since any changes can affect the calibration and overall data.

Calibration Results

Calibration reports and analyzing the reported error is a complicated subject because the calibration process uses its own samples for validation. For example, sampling near the edge of the volume may improve the accuracy of the system but provide slightly worse calibration results. This is because the samples near the edge will have more errors to be corrected. Acceptable mean error varies based on the size of your volume, the number of cameras, and desired accuracy. The key metrics to keep an eye on are the Mean 3D Error for the Overall Reprojection and the Wand Error. Generally, use calibrations with the Mean 3D Error less than 0.80 mm and the Wand Error less than 0.030 mm. These numbers may be hard to reproduce in regular volumes. Again, the acceptable numbers are subjective, but lower numbers are better in general.

Tracking

Marker Type

In general, passive retro-reflective markers will provide better tracking accuracy. The boundary of the spherical marker can be more clearly distinguished on passive markers, and the system can identify an accurate position of the marker centroids. The active markers, on the other hand, emit light and the illumination may not appear as spherical on the camera view. Even if a spherical diffuser is used, there can be situations where the light is not evenly distributed. This could provide inaccurate centroid data. For this reason, passive markers are preferred for precision tracking applications.

Marker Placement

There are editing methods to discard or modify the missing data. However, for most reliable results, such marker intrusions should be prevented before the capture by separating the marker placements or by optimizing the camera placements.

Refine Rigid Body Definition

Once a Rigid Body is defined from a set of reconstructed points, utilize the Rigid Body Refinement feature to further refine the Rigid Body definition for precision tracking. The tool allows Motive to collect additional samples in the live mode for achieving more accurate tracking results.

Camera Temperature

In a mocap system, camera mount structures and other hardware components may be affected by temperature fluctuations. Refer to linear thermal expansion coefficient tables to examine which materials are susceptible to temperature changes. Avoid using a temperature sensitive material for mounting the cameras. For example, aluminum has relatively high thermal expansion coefficient, and therefore, mounting cameras onto aluminum mounting structures may distort the calibration quality. For best accuracy, routinely recalibrate the capture volume, and take the temperature fluctuation into an account both when selecting the mount structures and before collecting data.

Ambient Temperature

An ideal method of avoiding influence from environmental temperature is to install the system in a temperature controlled volume. If such option is unavailable, routinely calibrate the volume before capture, and recalibrate the volume in between sessions when capturing for a long period. The effects are especially noticeable on hot days and will significantly affect your results. Thus, consistently monitor the average residual value and how well your rays converge to individual markers.

Camera Heat

Attention: Vibrations

Especially for measuring at sub-millimeters, even a minimal shift of the setup can affect the recordings. Re-calibrate the capture volume if your average residual values start to deviate. In particular, watch out for the following:

• Avoid touching the cameras and the camera mounts.

• Keep the capture area away from heavy foot traffic. People shouldn't be walking around the volume while the capture is taking place.

• Closing doors, even from the outside, may be noticeable during recording.

Reconstruction Verification

Verification Method 1

Verification Method 2

Continuous Calibration

This quick start guide applies to Prime Color and Prime Color FS setups.

1-2 Color Camera Setup Hardware Requirements

3+ Color Camera Setup Hardware Requirements

Quick Start Hardware Setup

Cabling

Power

Each Prime Color camera must be uplinked and powered through a standard PoE connection that can provide at least 15.4 watts to each port simultaneously.

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, 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 high data traffic.

Electromagnetic Shielding

We recommend using only cables that have electromagnetic interference shielding. If unshielded cables are used, cables in close proximity to each other have the potential to create data transfer interference and cause cameras to stall in Motive.

Windows Setup

Debloat Windows

Remove all "bloatware" from the Motive PC to optimize the system and to ensure unnecessary background processes are not running. Background processes take valuable CPU resources from Motive and can cause frame drops while the camera system is running.

There are many external resources to guide you in removing unused apps and halting unnecessary background processes. Those steps will not be covered within the scope of this page.

Firewall and Antivirus Settings

As a general rule for all OptiTrack camera systems, best practice is to disable Windows firewalls and disable or remove any Antivirus software. Both can cause frame drops while running your camera system.

Windows 11 Local Group Policy Editor

Many of the recommended optimizations are completed using Window’s Local Group Policy Editor. To open this program:

1. From the Windows search bar, type CMD.

2. Run Command Prompt as administrator.

3. At the command line, type gpedit.msc and press enter.

4. This will open the Local Group Policy Editor window.

Disable Firewall

Set a Local Group Policy to disable Private, Public, and Domain firewalls.

2. Navigate to Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.

3. The Overview panel shows the current status of the firewall. Click Windows Defender Firewall Properties to change the state of the Domain, Private, and Public profiles to Off then click OK.

Disable Antivirus

Set a Local Group Policy to disable Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

2. Navigate to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

3. Double-click Turn Off Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

4. Select Enabled and click OK.

Disable Anti-malware Real-time Protection

2. Navigate to: Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Microsoft Defender Antivirus -> Real-time Protection.

3. Double-click Turn off real-time Protection.

4. Set the policy to Enabled and click OK.

Priority

Customize the Motive desktop shortcut to launch the program with high priority.

• On the desktop, right-click the Motive shortcut and select Properties.

• Select the Shortcut tab.

• Copy and paste the text below into the Target field:

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C start "" /high "C:\Program Files\OptiTrack\Motive\Motive.exe"

• Set the Run property to Maximized.

• Click OK to save your changes and close the window.

Processor Affinity (Optional)

If the system has a CPU with a lower core count, you may need to disable Motive from running on one or two cores. This will help stabilize the overall system and free those cores for other Windows-required processes.

• From the Task Manager, navigate to the Details tab and right click on Motive.exe.

• Select Set Affinity.

• From this window, uncheck the cores you wish to disable for Motive.exe to run on.

• Click OK.

Network Setup

Switch Settings

NIC Settings

The Network Interface Card (NIC) has two settings to optimize your system and reduce issues when capturing Prime Color Camera video.

1. To configure the NIC, type Network in the Windows search bar to find and open the Control Panel to View Network Connections.

2. Double-click or right-click the NIC for the camera system and select Properties.

On the Properties window, click the Configure... button.

Click the Advanced tab to access the NIC Properties.

Speed & Duplex

This setting determines the rate of data transmission (speed) and whether the NIC can operate at its full range (full duplex) or if throttling will occur (half duplex).

The property should be set to the highest throughput of the NIC. For example, if you have a 10Gbps NIC, select 10Gbps Full Duplex.

Interrupt Moderation

This setting allows the NIC to moderate interrupts. When there is a significant amount of data being transmitted to Motive, Interrupt Moderation can increase the number of interrupts, impacting system performance.

This property should be disabled.

Restart NIC

To apply changes made to the NIC properties, the NIC must be restarted.

1. Click the Driver tab.

2. Click Disable, then Enable to restart the NIC with the new settings.

NIC Adapters (Laptop)

Although not recommended, you can use a laptop PC to run a Prime Color Camera system. The laptop will require an external network adapter to connect to the camera network. The settings noted above typically do not apply to these types of adapters.

Motive Setup

Prime Color Settings

Resolution

This property sets the resolution of the images captured by the selected camera.

You may need to reduce the maximum frame rate to accommodate the additional data produced by recording at higher resolutions. The table below shows the maximum allowed frame rates for each respective resolution setting.

Bit Rate

The maximum data transmission speed that a Prime color camera can output is 100 megabytes per second (MB/s). At this setting, the camera will capture the best quality image, however, it could overload the network if there isn't enough bandwidth to handle the transmitted data.

Gamma

Gamma correction is a non-linear amplification of the output image. The gamma setting adjusts the brightness of dark pixels, mid-tone pixels, and bright pixels differently, affecting both brightness and contrast of the image. Depending on the capture environment, especially with a dark background, you may need to adjust the gamma setting to get best quality images.

Color Camera Presets

Presets for Color Cameras use standard settings to optimize for different outcomes based on file size and image quality. Calibration mode sets the appropriate video mode for the camera type in addition to other setting changes.

• Small Size - Lower Rate

  • Video Mode: Color Video

  • Rate Multiplier: 1/4 (or closest possible)

  • Exposure: 20000 (or max)

  • Bit Rate: [calculated]

• Small Size - Full Rate

  • Video Mode: Color Video

  • Rate Multiplier: x1

  • Exposure: 20000 (or max)

  • Bit Rate: [calculated]

• Great Image

  • Video Mode: Color Video

  • Rate Multiplier: x1

  • Exposure: 20000 (or max)

  • Bit Rate: [calculated]

• Calibration Mode

  • Video Mode:

    • FS Series: Object Mode

    • Non-FS Series: Color Object Mode

  • Rate Multiplier: x1

  • Exposure: 250

  • Bit Rate: N/A

Overview

Specs

Overview

Specs

Overview

Specs

Overview

Specs

Overview

Specs

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

1. 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.

2. [Motive] Open the Calibration pane.

3. [Motive] Open the Ground Planes page.

4. [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.

5. [Motive] Select the Calibration square markers or the Rigid Body markers from the Perspective View pane

6. [Motive] Click Set Set Ground Plane button, and the global origin will be adjusted.

General Windows Setup

Debloat Windows

You'll want to remove as much bloatware from your PC in order to optimize your system and make sure minimal unnecessary background processes are running. Background process can take up valuable CPU resources from Motive and cause frame drops while running your camera system.

There are many external resources in order to remove unused apps and halt unnecessary background processes, so they will not be covered within the scope of this page.

Windows Settings

Firewall and Antivirus Settings

As a general rule for all OptiTrack camera systems, you'll want to disable all Windows firewalls and either disable or remove any Antivirus software. If firewalls and Antivirus software is enabled, this will cause frame drops while running your camera system.

Priority

In order for Motive to run above other processes, you'll need to change the Priority of Motive.exe to High.

• Right Click on the Motive shortcut from your Desktop

• In the Target: text field enter the below path, this will allow Motive to run at High Priority that will persist from closing and reopening Motive.

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C start "" /high "C:\Program Files\OptiTrack\Motive\Motive.exe"

Processor Affinity (Optional)

If you're running a system with a CPU with a lower core count, you may need to disable Motive from running on a couple of cores. This will help stabilize the overall system and free up some cores for other Windows required processes.

• From the Task Manager, navigate to the Details tab and right click on Motive.exe

• Select Set Affinity

• From this window, uncheck the cores you wish to disallow Motive.exe to run on.

• Click OK

Network Setup in Windows

Switch Settings

NIC Settings

NIC

Your Network Interface Card has a few settings that can change in order to optimize your system.

To navigate to the camera network's NIC:

• Open Windows Settings

• Select Ethernet from the navigation sidebar

• Under Related settings select Change adapter options

• From the Network Connections pop up window, right click on your NIC and select Properites

• Select the Configure... button and navigate to the Advanced tab

Speed & Duplex

For the Speed and Duplex property, you'll want to change this to the highest throughput of your NIC. If you have a 10Gbps NIC, you'll want to make sure that 10Gbps Full Duplex is selected. This property allows the NIC to operate at it's full range. If this setting is not altered to Full, Windows has the tendency to throttle the NIC throughput causing a 10Gbps NIC to only be sending data at 2Gbps.

Interrupt Moderation

Interrupt Moderation allows the NIC to moderate interrupts. When there is a significant amount of data being uplinked to Motive, this can cause more interrupts to occur thus hindering the system performance. You'll want to Disable this property.

NIC Adapters (Laptop)

Although not recommended, you may use a laptop PC to run a larger or Prime Color Camera system. When using a laptop PC, you'll need to use an external network adapter for. The above settings will typically not apply to these types of adapters, so no properties will need to changed.

Ethernet Camera System

An Ethernet camera system uses Ethernet switches and cables to connect to the Motive PC. Ethernet-based camera models include PrimeX series (PrimeX 13, 13W, 22, 41, 120), SlimX series (SlimX 13, 120), 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. With a maximum length of 100m, Ethernet cables allow coverage over large volumes.

Main Components

• Host PC with an isolated network card for the camera system (PCI/e NIC)

• Ethernet Cameras

• Ethernet cables

• Ethernet PoE/PoE+/PoE++ Switch(es)

• Uplink switch (for a large camera count setup)

• The eSync2 (optional for synchronizations)

Ethernet Cable Requirements

Cable Type

There are multiple categories of Ethernet cables, and each has 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 high data traffic.

Electromagnetic Shielding

We recommend using only cables that have electromagnetic interference shielding. If unshielded cables are used, cables in close proximity to each other have the potential to create data transfer interference and cause cameras to stall in Motive.

Network Switch Requirement and Setup

Our current general standard for network switches are:

• PoE ports with at least 1 Gigabit of data transfer for each port.

Switch Setup

We thoroughly test and validate the switches we offer for quality and load balancing, and ship all products pre-configured for easy installation right out of the box.

General Questions

Troubleshooting

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

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Overview

When enabled, the Broadcast Storm Control feature on the NETGEAR ProSafe GSM7228S may interfere with the transmission of data from OptiTrack Ethernet cameras. While this feature is critical to a corporate LAN or other network with internet access, it can cause dropped frames, loss of frame data, camera disconnection, and other issues on a camera system.

For proper system operations, the Storm Control feature must be disabled for all ports used in this aggregator switch. OptiTrack switches ship with these management features disabled.

Temporarily change the IP Address to Access the Uplink Switch

Type Network in the Windows search bar to find and open the Control Panel to View Network Connections. The image below shows the three NICs specified above.

• Double-click or right-click the NIC used to connect to the camera network and select Properties.

• With IPv4 selected, click the Properties button.

• Write down the IP address currently assigned to the Motive PC. You will need to change the address back to this once the switch configuration is updated.

• Change the IP address to 169.254.100.200.

• Enter 255.255.255.0 for the Subnet mask.

• Click OK to save and return to the Properties window.

Configure the Switch

• Open a browser window, enter 169.254.100.100, and press enter.

• This will open the Admin Console for the switch.

• Login to the switch with Username 'admin', and leave Password blank.

• On the Security tab, click the Traffic Control subtab.

• Select Storm Control -> Storm Control Global Configuration from the menu on the left.

• Disable everything in the Port Settings options.

• Click the Maintenance tab and select the Save Config subtab.

• Select Save Configuration from the menu on the left.

• Check the 'Save Configuration' check box. This will update the configuration and retain the new settings the next time the system is restarted.

• Log out of the switch by closing the browser window.

Restore the IP Address

Overview

PrimeX and SlimX cameras use Ethernet cables for power and to connect to the camera network. To handle the camera data throughput, cables and networking hardware (switches, NIC) must be able to transmit at 1 Gigabit to avoid data loss. For networks with color cameras or a large camera count, we recommend using a 10 Gigabit network.

For best performance, we recommend that all OptiTrack camera systems run on an independent, isolated network.

This page covers the following topics:

• Switches and power load balancing.

• Ethernet cable types and which cables to use in an OptiTrack system.

• Recommended network configurations for small and large camera systems.

• Adding an eSync2 for synchronization.

• Checking for system errors in Motive.

Switch Requirements

Network switches form the backbone of an Ethernet-based OptiTrack camera system, providing the most reliable and direct communication between cameras and the Motive PC.

Power Budget and Camera Power Requirements

Switches also power the cameras. The total Watts a switch can provide is known as its Power (or PoE) Budget. The Watts needed to power all of the attached powered devices must be within the Power Budget for best performance.

The number of cameras any one switch can support varies based on the total amount of power drawn by the cameras. For example, a 65 W switch can run 4 PrimeX 13 PoE cameras, which require 15.4 W each to power:

4 x 15.4 W = 61.6 W

61.6 W < 65 W

If the total Watts required exceeds the Power Budget, cameras may experience power failures, causing random disconnects and reconnects, or they may fail to appear in Motive.

Network switches provided by OptiTrack include a label to specify the number of cameras supported:

Redundant Power Supply

Depending on which OptiTrack cameras are used, a switch may not have a large enough power budget to use every one of its ports. In a larger camera setup, this can result in multiple switches with unused ports. In this case, we recommend connecting each switch to a Redundant Power Supply (RPS) to extend its power budget.

For example, a 24-port switch may have a 370W power budget, supporting 12 PoE+ cameras that require 30W to power. If the same 24-port switch is connected to an RPS, it can now power all 24 PoE+ cameras (each with a 30W power requirement) utilizing all 24 of the ports on the switch.

PoE Switch Types

PoE switches are categorized based on the maximum power level that individual ports can supply. The table below shows the power output of the various types of PoE switches and lists the current camera models that require each power level.

Power Requirements for External Devices

When calculating the number of switches needed, include the eSync2 (if used) and all BaseStations needed for the capture:

• eSync2: 4.4W

• BaseStation: 2.2W

SFP Module

A Small Form-Factor Pluggable Module (SFP Module) is a transceiver that inserts into an SFP port on the switch to allow the switch to accommodate different connection types than just the standard RJ45 Ethernet ports. This can include higher speed copper or fiber optic connections.

Managed Features

Switches often include functions for managing network traffic that can interfere with the camera data and should be turned off. While these features are critical to a corporate LAN or other network with internet access, they can cause dropped frames, loss of frame data, camera disconnection, and other issues on a camera system.

For example, features such as Broadcast Storm Control may identify large data transmissions from the cameras as an attack on the network and potentially shut down the associated ports on the switch, disconnecting the camera(s) in the process.

OptiTrack switches ship with these management features disabled.

VLANs Not Supported

Ports on a switch can be partitioned into separate network segments known as Virtual Local Area Networks, or VLANs. Your IT department may use these to allow one switch to provide a virtually isolated network for the camera system and access to the corporate LAN and internet. This is not a supported configuration for an OptiTrack camera system.

Ethernet Cable Requirements

Cable Types

There are multiple categories of Ethernet cables, each with different specifications for maximum data transmission rate and cable length.

*In general, the maximum cable length for an Ethernet cable is 100 m. While Cat7 and Cat8 cables can transmit data at higher rates, it reduces the maximum distance the data can travel before signal loss occurs.

• Cat6a cables are recommended.

• Cat5 or Cat5e cables run at lower speeds and are not supported.

• Cat7 and Cat8 cables will work, but do not offer any added benefits to offset the increased cost.

Round vs. Flat

Round cables are better for long distances and high data transmission speeds. They are more insulated, easier to install without issues, and more durable, making them our recommended choice.

Flat cables should not be used on an OptiTrack network as they are highly susceptible to cross talk and EMI.

Electromagnetic Shielding

Electromagnetic shielding protects cables from cross talk, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and radio frequency interference (RFI), all of which can result in loss of data or stalled cameras.

Shielding also protects the cameras from electrostatic discharge (ESD), which can damage them.

Ethernet cables are categorized based on the type of shielding they have overall and whether individual twisted pairs are also shielded.

Overall shielding wraps around all of the twisted pairs, directly below the PVC jacket. This shield can be a braided screen (S), foil (F), or both (SF). Cables without an overall shield are designated with a (U).

Individual Twisted pairs can be shielded with foil (FTP), or left unshielded (UTP).

Examples of cable shielding types:

• S/UTP: The cable has a braided screen overall, with no shielding on the individual twisted pairs.

• SF/FTP: The cable has two overall shields: a braided screen over a foil shield. The individual twisted pairs are shielded with foil.

• U/UTP: The cable has no overall shield or shields on the individual twisted pairs. We do not recommend using these type of cables in an OptiTrack camera system.

Tools for Cable Management

• Gaffers Tape: This offers a good solution for covering a small run of wires on the floor.

• Labels: Label both ends of each cable before connecting the PC and cameras to the switch(es). This will allow you to easily identify the port where the camera is connected.

• Velcro Strips: These work best for cable bundling in flexible setups. While Velcro may take more effort to remove then plastic zip ties, they can be reused multiple times and create less clutter when changes are made to the setup.

• Truss Cable Management Clip: This is a specialty product used for Truss cabling. Clips help with cable organization, but can be size restrictive for a large bundle of cables.

• Wire Conduit: These products cover the entire cable bundle. They are size-restrictive and can be difficult to put on or take off.

• Floor Cable Covers: This product offers the best solution for covering floor cables, however they can be quite bulky.

Camera Network Setup

In addition to camera count, the type of video being captured can affect the system's bandwidth needs. Reference video modes (Grayscale and MJPEG) and color video require significantly more bandwidth than object mode.

As noted above, always use 10 Gigabit shielded Ethernet cables (Cat6a or above) and a 10 Gigabit uplink switch to connect to the Motive PC, to accommodate the high data traffic. Make sure the NIC installed in the host PC can accommodate 10Gbps.

Setup Steps

Connect the Motive PC

Start by connecting the Motive (host) PC to the camera network's PoE switch via a Cat6a Ethernet cable. When the network includes multiple switches, connect the host to the aggregator switch.

If the computer used for capture is also connected to an existing network, such as a Corporate LAN, use a second Ethernet port or add-on NIC to connect the computer to the camera network.

Connect the Ethernet Cameras to the PoE Switch(es)

Connect Other System Devices

Connect any BaseStation(s) needed for the active devices directly to the aggregator switch, if used.

When the network includes multiple switches, connect the eSync2 to the aggregator switch. See the section below for more details on connecting the eSync2.

Power the Switches

The switch(es) must be powered on to power the cameras. To completely shut down the camera system, power off the network switch(es).

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 for the Motive PC.

Ethernet Camera System Diagrams

eSync2

External devices can include timecode inputs such as Video Genlock or Precision Time Protocol, or output devices such as force plates or NI-DAQ devices.

Only one eSync2 is needed per system. When one is used, it is the master in the synchronization chain.

Final Steps

Overview

This page provides instructions on how to configure the CameraNicFilter.xml file to whitelist or blacklist specific cameras from the connected camera network.

Starting with Motive 2.1, you can specify which cameras to utilize among the connected Ethernet cameras in a system. This can be done by setting up an XML file (CameraNicFilter.xml) and placing it in Motive's ProgramData directory: C:\ProgramData\OptiTrack\Motive\CameraNicFilter.xml. Once this is set, Motive will initialize only the specified cameras within the respective network interface. This allows users to distribute the cameras to specific network interfaces on a computer or on multiple computers.

Applications

For common applications, there is usually no need to separate the cameras to different network interfaces. However, there are few situations where you may want to use this filter to segregate the cameras. Below are some of the sample applications of the filters:

Multiple Prime Color cameras

When there are multiple Prime Color cameras in a setup, you can configure the filter to spread out the data load. In other words, you can uplink color camera data through a separate network interface (NIC) and distribute the data traffic to prevent any bandwidth bottleneck. To accomplish this, multiple NICs must be present on the host computer, and you can distribute the data and uplink them onto different interfaces.

Active marker tracking on multiple capture volumes

For active marker tracking, this filter can be used to distribute the cameras to different host computers. By doing so, you can segregate the cameras into multiple capture volumes and have them share the same connected BaseStation. This could be beneficial for VR applications especially if you plan on having multiple volumes to calibrate because you can use the same active components between different volumes.

Configuring the XML File

To separate the cameras, you will need to use a text editor to create an XML file named CameraNicfilter.xml. In this XML file, you will specify which cameras to whitelist or blacklist within the connected network interface. Please note that it is very important for the XML file to match the expected format; for this reason, we strongly recommend to first copy-and-paste the template and start from there.

Attached below is a basic template of the CameraNicFilter.xml file. On each NIC element, you can specify each network interface using the IPAddress attribute, and then in its child elements, you can specifically set which cameras to whitelist or blacklist using their serial numbers.

Sample XML File

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<MotiveNicFilter>
	<NIC IPAddress="192.168.1.3">
		<Whitelist>
			<Serial>M#####</Serial>
			<Serial>M#####</Serial>
		</Whitelist>
		<Blacklist>
			<Serial>M#####</Serial>
			<Serial>M#####</Serial>
		</Blacklist>
	</NIC>
	<NIC IPAddress="192.168.1.5">
		<Whitelist>
			<Serial>M#####</Serial>
			<Serial>M#####</Serial>
		</Whitelist>
		<Blacklist>
			<Serial>M#####</Serial>
			<Serial>M#####</Serial>
		</Blacklist>
	</NIC>
</MotiveNicFilter>

Network Interface

<NIC>

For each network interface that you will be using to communicate with the cameras, you will need to create a <NIC> element and assign a network IP address (IPv4) to its IPAddress attribute. Then, under each NIC element, you can specify which cameras to use or not to use.

Cameras

<Whitelist> / <Blacklist>

Under the NIC element, define two child elements: <Whitelist> and <Blacklist>. In each element, you will be specifying the cameras using their serial numbers. Within each network interface, only the cameras listed under the <Whitelist> element will be used and all of the cameras under <Blacklist> will be ignored.

<Serial>

As shown in the above template, you can specify which cameras to whitelist or blacklist using the corresponding camera serial numbers. For example, you can use the following to specify the camera (M18883) <Serial>M18883</Serial>. You can also use a partial serial number as a wildcard to specify all cameras with the matching serial number. For example, if you wish to blacklist all Color cameras in a network (192.168.1.3), you can use C as the wildcard serial number since the serial number of all color cameras start with C.

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<MotiveNicFilter>
	<NIC IPAddress="192.168.1.3">
		<Whitelist>
			<Serial>M18883</Serial>			
			<Serial>M18885</Serial>
		</Whitelist>
		<Blacklist>
			<Serial>C</Serial>
		</Blacklist>
	</NIC>
</MotiveNicFilter>

Save the XML File

Once the XMl file is configured, please save the file in the ProgramData directory: C:\ProgramData\OptiTrack\Motive\CameraNicFilter.xml. If everything is set up properly, only the whitelisted cameras under each network interface will get initialized in Motive, and the data from only the specified cameras will be uplinked through the respective network interface.

Samples

Overview

The Link Layer Discovery Protocol (IEEE 802.1AB) advertises the major capabilities and physical descriptions of components on an 802 Local Area Network. This protocol provides network components from different vendors the ability to communicate with each other.

LLDP also controls the Power over Ethernet (PoE) power allocation. In the case of the PrimeX 120 cameras, LLDP prevents the switch from providing sufficient power to the port where the camera is connected. For this reason, the LLDP protocol must be disabled on any port used to connect a PrimeX 120 to the camera network.

Configure Settings

1. From the Motive PC, launch any web browser and type http://169.254.100.100 to open the Management Console for the switch.

2. This will open the login console.

3. Login using the Admin account.

4. If the switch has already been configured, the password is OptiPOE++. Otherwise, leave the password blank.

5. Click Main UI Login.

PoE Port Configuration

Set the values necessary to ensure the PrimeX 120 receives sufficient power once the LLDP settings are turned off.

1. On the System tab, select the PoE settings from the toolbar.

2. Click Advanced in the navigation bar, on the left.

3. Click PoE Port Configuration.

4. Select the port(s) to update.

5. Set the Max Power (W) value to 99.9.

6. Set the Power Limit Type to User.

7. Click the Apply button in the upper right corner to commit the changes in the current session.

LLDP Configuration

Update settings to prevent LLDP from interfering with traffic from the PrimeX 120.

1. On the System tab, select the LLDP settings from the toolbar.

2. From the Navigation bar, select LLDP -> Interface Configuration.

3. Disable Transmit, Receive, and Notify for all required ports.

4. Click the Apply button in the upper right corner to commit the changes in the current session.

Disable Storm Control

Storm control security features may throttle traffic from the PrimeX 120 cameras, affecting system performance.

1. On the Security tab, select the Traffic Control settings from the toolbar.

2. From the Navigation bar, select Storm Control -> Storm Control Global Configuration.

3. Disable all Port Settings shown.

4. Click the Apply button in the upper right corner to commit the changes in the current session.

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 sends 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.

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.

Tracking Bar Coordinate System

If you wish to change the location and orientation of the global axis, you can use the Coordinate Systems Tool which can be found under the Tools tab.

Coordinate Systems Tool

When using the Duo/Trio tracking bars, you can set the coordinate origin at a desired location and orientation using a calibration square. Make sure the calibration square is oriented properly.

Adjusting the Coordinate System Steps

1. Place the calibration square at the desired origin.

2. [Motive] Open the Coordinate System Tools pane under the Tools tab.

3. [Motive] Select the Calibration square markers from the Perspective View pane​.

4. [Motive] Click the Set Ground Plane button from the Coordinate System Tools pane, and the global origin will be adjusted.

Operating Range

• 0 to 50 degrees Celsius

• 20% to 80% relative humidity (non-condensing)

Software Installation

1. Download the Motive 3.1 software installer from the Motive Download Page to each host PC.

2. Run the installer and follow its prompts.

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

1. Mount the camera bar in the designated location.

2. Connect the Camera Bar Cable to the back of the camera and to the I/O-X device, as shown in the diagram above.

3. Connect the I/O-X device to the PC using the USB uplink cable.

4. Connect the power cable to the I/O-X device and plug it into a power source.

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.

Run Motive

• The V120 ships with a free license for Motive:Tracker installed.

• The camera is 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

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