
===========================================================================
AVT Fire4Linux - Release Notes

Version: 3.0
Date:    June 10, 2010
===========================================================================

--------------------------------
Components and Version Reference
--------------------------------

Library
-------
- libdc1394_avt   Common Linux IIDC library with AVT extensions  2.1.2

Viewer Applications
-------------------
- cc1394          Qt-based Camera Demo Viewer                    3.0


-------------------
Current Limitations
-------------------
 
libdc1394_avt
--------------  
- Bus Reset:
  AVT cameras require the host-pc to re-enable ISO streaming after bus
  resets. Currently, the libdc1394 does not cover this requirement. As a 
  workaround, the user may call libraw1394 to register for bus reset
  notifications and re-enable ISO streaming within the bus reset handler.

cc1394
----------
- Bus Reset:
  The cc1394 viewer currently does not handle bus resets 
  (see libdc bus reset issue above). 
  Therefore, image acquisition is aborted when a bus reset occurs. To 
  ensure persistent image acquisition, avoid hot-plugging during 
  acquisition.
  
- GUI:
  The viewer is intended to be used by a single user only. Displaying
  the camera idle state relies on this fact, so for a different user, 
  cameras will not be marked as "used".
  After a "User Profile Load" operation, not all GUI elements are
  synchronized with the new camera settings.
  If using the area control of the AutoFunctionAOI feature, the display
  may not be correct if using Marlin or Oscar cameras and AOIs not
  divisible by 128.
  In contrast to the appearance, cc1394 does not use single shot and
  multishot registers for limited frame acquisition; instead, the
  ISO_ENABLE register is used.

- Display:
  When using very large images, the viewer cannot display images 
  correctly any more. (Only Pike 1600 at very large AOI with RGB
  transfer format)

libraw
----------
- Oscar 810C, Pike 1100B/C, Pike1600B/C
  Cameras producing large amounts of image data have problems using the
  legacy 1394 stack.
  In this case, consider using the new juju stack, which might improve
  the situation.
  
  
-------------------
Package Description
-------------------

libdc1394_avt
-------------
This library is based on the commonly used libdc1394 version 2.1.2 
available at:

    http://damien.douxchamps.net/ieee1394/libdc1394/

The following AVT-specific extensions have been added to libdc1394:
- Support for MONO12 and RAW12 color codings
- Additional debayering modes:
  - AVT_YUV422
  - AVT_LCAA
  - AVT_LCAAV
- Advanced feature support for:
  - shading correction
  - DSNU correction
  - blemish correction
  - look-up table (LUT) control 
  - auto-function AOI control
  - test image control
  - frame counter control
- Added feature support for:  
  - pulse-width modulation output control
  - input debounce control
  - trigger counter control
  - Pike dual-tap offset adjustment
  - secure image signature
  - 'max ISO size' control
  - parameter update timing control
  - anti-smear control
  - low-noise binning mode control
  - global reset release shutter control
  - user profile control
  - LED switch-off control
  - defect pixel correction control

As well as some minor functional enhancements.

cc1394
------
Camera viewer application demonstrating all AVT camera features supported 
by libdc1394_avt.


---------------------------
Supported Operating Systems
---------------------------
The libdc1394_avt library aims to be compatible with a wide range of Linux 
distributions as well as Mac OSX.

The cc1394 viewer aims to be compatible with a wide range of Linux 
distributions. It uses the following libraries:
  - libdc1394_avt
  - Qt Version 4, preferably 4.1 or later
  - SDL

Binary packages are provided for:
  - OpenSUSE 11.0 - 11.2 (i586/x86_64)
  - Ubuntu 10.4 (i386/amd64)
  - Fedora 11/12 (i386/x86_64)

The source package has also been tested on:
  - Ubuntu Linux 32 Bit, Version 9.04
  - Ubuntu Linux 64 Bit, Version 9.10


------------------
Supported Hardware
------------------
This release has only been tested with AVT 1394 cameras. Third-party
IIDC1394-based digital cameras may also work, but only with standard
feature support.
Guppy cameras with complementary-color interlaced sensors (GF038B/C
and GF044B/C) are not supported yet.


------------
Installation
------------
For package-specific installation guidelines see the corresponding
package readme file.


The libdc1394_avt library relies on the device node raw1394 (typically 
located in /dev) to be accessible by the user. In most cases, cc1394 will 
warn the user about insufficient permissions at startup. To adjust 
permissions on udev-based systems, a file 
/etc/udev/rules.d/50-raw1394.rules should exist with the following 
content:

# Firewire
KERNEL=="raw1394", GROUP="video", MODE="0664"

Also make sure that the user is member of the video group. The system 
will adopt permission changes after a reboot.
For first tests, it is possible to use the root account.


Some samples shipped with libdc1394_avt use the XVideo extensions for
video overlay. These samples will not work without XVideo hardware
support. Most vendor-specific graphic drivers do support XVideo extensions,
in contrast to the generic VGA driver.


-------------------
License Information
-------------------
libdc1394_avt is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License 
(LGPL) version 2.1 or later.

cc1394 is licensed under the '3-clause' BSD license.

Each source package contains a file 'COPYING' with detailed license 
information.


------------------------------------------
Contacting Allied Vision Technologies GmbH
------------------------------------------
Allied Vision Technologies GmbH
Taschenweg 2a
07646 Stadtroda
Germany

www.alliedvisiontec.com


------------------------------
AVT Technical Software Support
------------------------------

Email:  
    for general feedback contact:               support@alliedvisiontec.com
    for development-related feedback contact:   f4l@alliedvisiontec.com
            
Alternatively, please feel free to contact our support by using the 
corresponding contact form for your region:

   Asia Pacific
   ------------
        http://www.alliedvisiontec.com/apac/support/contact-support.html 
   
   Europe, Middle East and Africa 
   ------------------------------
        http://www.alliedvisiontec.com/emea/support/contact-support.html
  
   Germany
   -------
        http://www.alliedvisiontec.com/de/support/support-kontaktieren.html

   The Americas
   ------------
        http://www.alliedvisiontec.com/us/support/contact-support.html
