Matrox Rapixo CXP

Single- to quad-input CoaXPress 2.0 frame grabbers with optional data forwarding and FPGA-based image processing offload

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Datasheet

MIL-Lite X download

Matrox® Rapixo CXP is a new generation of frame grabbers, supporting version 2.0 of the CoaXPress® digital interface standard for machine vision applications. The Matrox Rapixo CXP series supports data rates of either up to 6.25 Gbps (CXP-6) or up to 12.5 Gbps (CXP-12) per connection. The PCIe® host interface comfortably matches the maximum input bandwidth from the CoaXPress links. The CoaXPress links are accessed through high-density BNC connectors allowing for a homogenous interconnection with new cameras. Power-over-CoaXPress (PoCXP) support on each connection simplifies system configurations, combining the camera’s power interface with its command- and data-interface onto the same coaxial cable.

The Matrox Rapixo CXP series of frame grabbers feature one, two, or four connections for interfacing to independent cameras. Matrox Rapixo CXP Dual and Quad models can also handle higher data rates through connection aggregation. The Matrox Rapixo CXP series possesses sufficient onboard memory to buffer incoming image data in situations where the host computer is temporarily unable to accept data. The fanless design for select models ensures extended use without maintenance.

Matrox Rapixo CXP at a glance

Support for the highest speeds available in CoaXPress 2.0
Connect to and capture from up to four cameras or combine connections for even higher data rates
Simplify cabling with PoCXP support between cameras and vision computer
Offload host computer of custom image processing using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) device
Distribute image processing workload across multiple computers through data forwarding capability
Synchronize with sensors, encoders, and controllers with ample auxiliary I/Os for each CoaXPress connections.
Use license fingerprint for Matrox Imaging Library (MIL) X software and avoid the need for a separate hardware key
Monitor and troubleshoot acquisition performance in detail using Matrox Gecho event-logging tool

Thorough acquisition monitoring utility

Offered with the above-mentioned software is Matrox Gecho, a logging utility that records events generated by the Matrox CXP device driver and saves these to a JSON or CSV file. The utility is made to run concurrently with the application to log acquisition activity for the purpose of troubleshooting capture errors as well as measuring latencies and execution times to identify performance bottlenecks. Resulting trace files can be loaded into Google Perfetto for viewing on an interactively navigable graphical timeline. Matrox Gecho helps developers optimize image capture and make sure it runs as intended.

FPGA-based image processing offload

The Matrox Rapixo CXP Pro makes use of an FPGA device from the Xilinx Kintex® UltraScale™ family for not only integrating the controlling, formatting, and streaming logic of the various interfaces, but also allowing developers to incorporate Matrox Imaging- or user-developed custom image pre-processing operations to offload from the host computer. A variety of FPGA sizes are available for the Matrox Rapixo CXP Pro, providing a range of solutions tailored to a given application. Operations performed on-board are controlled through MIL X application-development software. Within MIL X, an existing FPGA configuration can be rearranged to perform a required sequence of operations without necessarily having to generate a new FPGA configuration. Using the Matrox FDK, developers generate their own FPGA configurations with custom operations written in C/C++.

Data forwarding for distributed processing

The Matrox Rapixo CXP series also offers the possibility of distributing image processing across multiple computers using the data forwarding option. This feature enables the relaying of images to another computer using four output connections running at 12.5 Gbps. The data forwarding is accomplished without host computer involvement as image data is re-transmitted prior to also being stored in onboard memory thus minimizing latency. Images can be retransmitted to multiple computers in a daisy chain fashion by equipping each PC with Matrox Rapixo CXP with data forwarding option.