What is the camera link cable standard?

The ​Camera Link​ cable standard is a serial communication protocol designed for high-speed digital image data transmission between cameras and frame grabbers or other host devices. It is widely used in industrial and scientific imaging applications.

​Key Features of Camera Link:​​

1. High-Speed Data Transfer​

Supports bandwidths up to ​7.1 Gbps​ (with Camera Link HS).

Original Camera Link (Base/Medium/Full configurations) supports up to ​2.04 Gbps.

2. ​Serial Communication​

Uses ​LVDS (Low-Voltage Differential Signaling)​​ for noise immunity and high-speed data transfer.

3. Standardized Connectors​

Uses ​MDR-26 (26-pin Micro-D Ribbon)​​ connectors for standard Camera Link.

Camera Link HS​ may use ​CX4 (InfiniBand-style)​​ or ​SFP+​​ connectors for higher speeds.

4. Multiple Configurations​

Base (1x serial link):​​ Up to 2.04 Gbps (2048 Mb/s).

Medium (2x serial links):​​ Up to 4.08 Gbps.

​Full (3x serial links):​​ Up to 6.8 Gbps.

​Deca (10x serial links, Camera Link HS):​​ Up to 7.1 Gbps.

5. Power and Control Signals​

Provides ​​+12V to +24V power​ over the cable (for camera power).

Includes ​serial communication (RS-232)​​ for camera control.

6. Cable Length Limitations​

Typically up to ​10 meters​ for standard Camera Link (longer distances may require repeaters or fiber extenders).

​Camera Link vs. Camera Link HS​

1. Standard Camera Link​ (since 2000) is common in machine vision.

2. Camera Link HS​ (2012) increases bandwidth and supports ​CoaXPress-over-Fiber​ for longer distances.

​Applications​

1. Industrial machine vision

2. Medical imaging

3. High-speed cameras

4. Scientific imaging (e.g., microscopy, astronomy)

​Alternatives​

1. CoaXPress (CXP)​​ – Higher bandwidth (up to 12.5 Gbps per cable).

2. USB3 Vision​ – Lower cost, moderate speed (up to 5 Gbps).

3. ​GigE Vision​ – Ethernet-based, long-distance (up to 10 Gbps).

Would you like details on pinouts or specific configurations?

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