General setup advice for an 8 camera Flex13 system

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beverins
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:07 pm

General setup advice for an 8 camera Flex13 system

Post by beverins »

Hi, first post here.

Just got my Optitrack system (8 cam flex13 - both Motive:Body and VCS ) and I'm wondering if someone can provide me with a basic setup diagram for me to start with and refine.

The room is 10.5' high, 15' front-to-back and 17' wide. I have a lighting grid hung at the 10.5' mark, the ceiling does go about 6 inches higher up still.

I was wondering if I can hang all 8 cameras from the ceiling, or should some be lower? What should the basic heights of the cameras be to cover roughly a 7'x14'x16' capture space (could be less.. 6.5'x13'x15') for both Motive:Body and the VCS system?

I was thinking to hang 6 cameras from the ceiling at around 6'-7' up and then 2 cameras on stands at around chest or waist level on opposite ends of the room's width.

Also another question is with USB repeater cables.. I read that you can place up to 2 between the hub and the computer. Can any be placed between the hub and the camera? Just wondering.
NaturalPoint - Brent
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 12:40 pm

Re: General setup advice for an 8 camera Flex13 system

Post by NaturalPoint - Brent »

There really are only two options you can try to maximize the capture area of your volume.

1. I suggest to have all of the cameras at the 10.5' height and spaced out evenly around the perimeter of the room. Typically, an 8 camera setup would yield about a 6 to 8 foot space from the camera to where the actual capture volume would start. In your room, that would not leave much space to capture. Having the cameras up higher might be very helpful for this room setup. You may also have better luck hanging the cameras in portrait mode as well. If you have access to a larger space, you will get a larger capture area.

2. Another option would be to put two cameras in each corner of the room; One high at 10.5' and one lower to the ground at around 1 to 2 feet high.
NaturalPoint - Brent
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 12:40 pm

Re: General setup advice for an 8 camera Flex13 system

Post by NaturalPoint - Brent »

As for the USB repeater cables, you can use 2 repeater cables between a hub and the computer. This means there could be one 5m usb cable and two 5m repeater cables, for a total of 15m.

I have not tried a USB repeater cable between a camera and a hub. I'm not certain this is a supported method. You can always try it an see if you get any sync errors, then you will know it does not work.
beverins
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:07 pm

Re: General setup advice for an 8 camera Flex13 system

Post by beverins »

Excellent! Great info there! I'll try both methods!
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