Camera Link Frame Grabber

HawkEye-CL: Camera Link Frame Grabber

The HawkEye-CL is a high-performance Camera Link Frame Grabber designed for real-time acquisition and FPGA-based image processing in demanding vision systems. Powered by the Altera Arria 10 FPGA, it is fully compliant with Camera Link Rev. 2.0 and supports Camera Link 80-bit (DECA) acquisition with up to 17 GB of on-board memory and PCIe Gen3 x8 host connectivity. As a result, it delivers industry-leading bandwidth and reliability for applications where speed and precision are critical.

Performance and Real-Time Image Processing

The HawkEye-CL Camera Link Frame Grabber is available as a plug-and-play solution or as part of a complete system integrating image acquisition, modular FPGA-based preprocessing, and advanced real-time compression IPs (.JPEG, Lossless, Quality+).

Inline enhancement features include:

• High Dynamic Range (HDR) – Captures superior details in high-contrast lighting conditions.

• White Balance – Maintains color accuracy across variable lighting conditions.

• Dynamic Luminance Balance – Preserves consistent brightness under changing illumination.

• Gamma Correction – Optimizes brightness and contrast for improved clarity.

Real-time compression with Dynamic ROI delivers:

• Extended recording times without compromising quality.

• Lower transmission bandwidth for efficient data handling.

• Accelerated offline compression, reducing storage needs and post-processing time.

InfiniVision Architecture – Multi-Camera solution for Camera Link Frame Grabber

Built on Gidel’s InfiniVision architecture, the HawkEye-CL addresses common multi-camera challenges such as synchronization, bandwidth, and scalability. Furthermore, its FPGA-based design ensures deterministic data handling while enabling real-time preprocessing.

A PCIe Gen3 x8 host interface provides CPU-free, ultra-fast transfer, while large on-board buffers (up to 17 GB) guarantee stable acquisition. As a result, the HawkEye-CL delivers reliable performance in high-speed, high-resolution vision environments.

Flexible Operating Modes

The HawkEye-CL supports two operating modes selectable via firmware:

• InfiniVision: Ideal for synchronized multi-camera setups, combining all data—even across multiple cards—into a single buffer with dynamic resolutions and formats.

• ProcFG: Tailored for precision applications, offering fixed frame sizes, pixel formats, and ROI grabbing (uncompressed).

As a result, the HawkEye-CL adapts seamlessly to a variety of workflows, from complex multi-camera systems to streamlined single-camera operations.

SDK and Development Tools

The HawkEye-CL is supported by Gidel’s SDK, featuring intuitive GUIs and APIs for streamlined integration. Additionally, the ProcVision Suite adds advanced FPGA programming, debugging, and validation tools, enabling developers to customize data flows, real-time processing, and compression pipelines with ease. Consequently, they can create optimized, application-specific solutions faster and with reduced risk.

Why Choose the Camera Link Frame Grabber HawkEye-CL?

• Camera Link Rev. 2.0 compliant with 80-bit (DECA) acquisition.

• Up to 17 GB on-board memory with PCIe Gen3 x8 interface.

• FPGA-based processing with real-time compression and ROI offloading.

• 1+ GPixels/s encoding with Lossless, JPEG, and Quality+ options.

• Supported by the ProcVision Suite for streamlined customization and integration.

Looking for CoaXPress or GigE Vision Frame Grabber cards? visit Gidel’s frame grabbers.

For a Jetson-based Camera Link solutions, see FantoVision20-CL and FantoVision20 Edge Computer Vision Systems.

        Target Applications

• Military & Defense

• Recording & Streaming Applications

• Aerospace (including drones and UAVs)

• Medical Imaging

• Outdoor Imaging

• Sports Analytics

• ATE (Automated Test Equipment)

• Electron Microscopy

• Industrial Inspection & Sorting Machines

• Agriculture

• Scientific Research