Camera user manual

Below you will find short description of the camera and information on how to properly use and service it.

Caution: indicates an area where caution or careful handling is required

Note: indicates additional useful information

Under Development: indicates a function that is not yet enabled

NO: indicates “Just Don't”

Clockwise/Counter Clockwise: direction of rotation

The camera is a cuboid with 6 sides. For reference they are defined as:

• Front – lens and 2 microphone openings
• Top – plain black plate
• Bottom – ¼ X 20 tripod threaded hole
• Back – USB, AUX and other ports
• Sides - extrusions

The front of the camera has openings for 2 studio quality microphones and the lens. The input from the microphones generates a dual-channel audio which is interlaced, synchronized with the digital video output.

The microphone holes work in conjunction with the vents in the rear panel as part of the integrated cooling system.

DO NOT block these holes.

The microphones are exposed inside the openings. Care should be taken to keep dirt and sharp objects away from the microphones.

The camera is shipped with a lens cover. The cover is slipped over the lens for protection and should remain on when not in use.

The camera is shipped with a general purpose lens which should have a FOV close to what you require for general streaming operation. There should be no reason to remove the lens. There are a few things to be aware of whenever you are working with the lens:

• The lens is mounted to the camera using a standard M12 mount. This is a threaded plastic tube which is 12mm x 0.5mm.
• Care should be taken when adjusting or changing the lens. Threads can be easily damaged on both the lens and the lens mount. Use only very light finger pressure when rotating the lens. Never use force or a tool to turn the lens. If the lens does not turn freely, either the threads are mis-aligned or you have reached the bottom/end of the threads.
• Rotating the lens clockwise will tighten – screw the lens closer to the sensor chip.
• Rotating the lens counter-clockwise will loosen the lens – screw the lens further from the sensor ship.

Focus of the image is achieved through very small adjustments in the position of the lens – either tightening or loosening it. This changes the distance of the focal point of the lens to the surface of the image sensor.

In the illustration above B shows the lens is in focus: the light rays are converging on the image sensor. In position A the lens needs to be further away from the image sensor to bring the focus onto the (A) image sensor. In position C the lens needs to be closer to bring the image into focus onto the (C) image sensor.

The best way to focus the lens is to find an area within the picture with a straight edge that has a high level of contrast. Make minor adjustments until the image appears as sharp as possible.

Fine tuning can be accomplished with the help of a standard MTF chart.

The lens is fairly durable, but care should be taken to not touch the surface with fingers as the acid and oils on fingers can affect the image quality.

Never use chemicals or window cleaner to clean a lens. Only use the provided micro fiber cloth or photographic lens cleaning tissue.

Behind the lens there is a small rectangular chip. This is the image sensor. This part of the camera is extremely delicate. Because the lens is removable, occasionally dust can get on the sensor and affect the image.

Do Not touch the image sensor – permanent damage will occur.

Do Not try to clean the sensor with chemicals, cloth or other material

Only use compressed air. Do Not blow air directly down on the chip, always point the nozzle at about 45° angle to the surface of the chip. Use small gentle bursts of air. Compressed air/gas will form condensation and sometimes even ice when used for prolonged periods¹⁾. This will damage the chip.

The back panel has 5 ports.

1. AUX Power. This port allows the use of either an external wall wart, a power pigtail from a POE, or battery to provide power to the camera. It can be utilized when power from UBS is insufficient to power the camera. When utilized the camera utilizes this as the primary source of power.
2. AUX I/O. This 8 pin connector provides direct access to timing and power controls of the image sensor. These connections bypass the FPGA and USB or SFP+. These control functions such as:
   • Power Up
   • Power Down
   • Power Standby
   • Strobe – synch timing out
   • Synch – frame synch timing in
3. USB 3.1 Type C. This port is a USB3.1 hybrid which means it has no vertical orientation to the plug. It will work either way. It is important to note that while this is a 3.1 connector, the camera currently only supports USB 3.0.
   Some USB3.0 to 3.1 C cables have been known to allow the attached device to draw more power than the host can safely support (usually during charging) which may damage the host computer. Use only cables tested and certified for providing power.
4. RJ45 shown will be replaced with SFP+ in production.
5. AUX Audio I/O. This is a 3.5mm 4 pole audio jack used to allow a headset for stereo output from the host device and a mono input from a boom or other microphone. The mic input is replicated into left and right as an independent channel. Like the on-board microphones, the audio input is interlaced (synchronized) with the video output.
6. SO-DIMM Heatsink Screws. This will not be in the production version.
7. Rear Air Vents. There are 3 sets of vertical openings in the rear panel. These allow for airflow through the camera and are part of the integrated cooling system.

A few things we suggest to avoid:

Of all of the factors that affect the performance, stability, and longevity of an electronic device, heat is critical. 99% of the electrical energy that goes into a device is converted into heat. With highly sensitive on-board microphones and the potential proximity to external microphones the design goal was to avoid the use of active cooling, a fan. The camera is a fully integrated passively cooled system.

The design consists of 2 major components:

• finned top plate
• air vents

The system transfers heat from the components inside the camera to the housing top plate and side extrusions. The housing is then cooled by transferring the heat to the surrounding air.

DO NOT cover the camera or in anyway position it such that air cannot flow freely around the camera.

Most of the active electronic components are located on the top of the processor board. There is a layer of compressible thermal compound that connects the top of the processor board to the bottom of the top plate. Most of the heat in the camera is transferred via the top plate.

It is normal for the top plate to feel hot to the touch when operating.

If the top plate is extremely hot – uncomfortable to touch for more than a few seconds, turn off the camera.

The air vents are located on the back plate as 3 sets of vertical openings and the left and right microphone grills on the front plate. These vents allow some flow of air through the camera and provide a path for any heat not transferred to the housing to escape.

There are 2 common ways of physically attaching the camera:

• standard ¼ X 20 tripod threaded hole in the bottom plate
• standard 8.0 mm rack mount dovetail grove on both side extrusions

There are approximately 3-4 full threads in this mount. While there is a bottom out stop, care should be taken not to force the mounting screw into the mount – damage may occur to the camera.

The SUB2r camera comes with a V-Mount designed to securely hold the camera on top of a monitor. The mount is also adaptable and can be used on other surfaces including as a table top stand.