User`s manual

Operation and Features
BASLER A202
k 3-19
DRAFT
3.5.4 Balancing the Left Side and Right Side Offset
As described on page 3-13, offset alignment between the channels, combined with gain
alignment, is important to maintain uniform output data with minimal gray value differences
between the left side and the right side of the image.
In some applications, multiple cameras are used, for example, when two area scan cameras are
used next to each other to form one large image. In some cases, a camera in an existing
application must be replaced. In these situations, it is also necessary to balance the offsets
between cameras.
To meet the goals of balanced channels and comparable output between cameras, each Basler
camera is calibrated before it leaves the factory. This calibration procedure has the following
effects:
• The factory offset settings for the left side and the right side channels are adjusted to result in
an offset of 2 (decimal) at 8 bit output and to provide a uniform output on both channels. In
addition, they are set to a low offset value to obtain an optimal operating point.
• The reference offset values are stored in the camera. These stored values can be used to
calculate higher or lower offset settings that will keep the left side and right side channels in
balance and comparable to other cameras of the same type.
If you use the Camera Configuration Tool Plus (see Section 4.1 and the configuration tool’s on-
line help) to set the offset on your camera, the camera will automatically use the stored reference
values to keep the channels in balance. In addition, you can use the Offset Balance setting in the
CCT+ to manually adjust the offset balance.
If you use binary commands (see Section 4.2) to set the offset, you can use the reference values
to calculate offset settings that will keep the channels in balance. Section 3.5.4.1 describes the
method for using the reference values when changing the offset with binary commands.
3.5.4.1 Balancing Offset Settings When Using Binary Commands
The left side offset is set using the Left Side Offset binary command (see Section 4.2.4.11) and
the right side offset is set using the Right Side Offset binary command (see Section 4.2.4.13).
Each offset setting can be programmed on a decimal scale that ranges from 0 to 255 (0x0000 to
0x00FF).
The reference offset values can be read using the Read Reference Values binary command (see
Section 4.2.5.10). The sample calculation below shows how to use the reference offset values.