Aegis Introduces High Definition Camera

Aegis is now offering the Sony High Definition block camera, FCB-H11 in a housing. This camera can also be interfaced with HD-SDI board for SDI output. This camera features:

• 1/3 type CMOS imager
• Approx. 2M effective pixels
• 16x9 Aspect Ratio
• Auto ICR for DaylNight function
• Minimum Illumination - 1.0 lx (ICR On Mode - F1.8 50 IRE)
• High-speed serial communication (max. 38.4 kbps)
• TIL signal-level control (VISCA1M protocol)
• 120x optical zoom (10x zoom/12x digital)
• Programmable factory preset
• High Performance Digital Signal Processor (DSP)
• Various customizable settings
• Electronic Shutter/Slow Shutter
• VBS and Y/C video output (SD modes only)
• Picture Freeze Function
• Spot AE
• Internal/External sync
• Small and Compact (47.2 x 43.1 x n.2mm)

Aegis Expanding Facilities

Aegis Electronic Group, Inc. is expanding this month into new office and warehouse space that will total almost 6,000 square feet. Aegis will keep some of it's original office space in building 1 for engineering and a conference center and move the remainder of Sales, Marketing, Operations and Warehousing into building 2, previously occupied by General Dynamics.

The expansion takes place as a result of new product development and increased business development in targeted business segments.

The renovations and move are expected to be complete by the end of September.

Shortage on X18 Lense Affects Deliveries

The X18 lenses that is in Sony cameras listed below has run into delivery issues due to an earthquake that took place in Japan in June. The earthquake damaged the lens factory and has not been up to full capacity. Deliveries on cameras started to be effected in July and allocations were even more difficult during the month of August. However, Sony VIP managed the shortage well and most customers received allocations to get them through. September seems to be showing signs that the factory may be at full capacity or very close to it.

EVID70/P - Sony PTZ camera
FCBEX480C/CP - Sony block camera
FCBPV480 - Sony progressive scan block camera
FCBIX45C/CP - Sony smallest block camera
FCBIX47C/CP - Sony block camera
FCBEX490D/DP - Sony block camera
FCBEX48C/CP - Sony block camera
FCBEX45MC/MCC Sony black/white block camera

SONY INTRODUCES NEXT GENERATION SMART CAMERAS

Aegis Electronic Group Inc. announces four New Sony XCI-Series Smart Cameras.

Sony Electronics is introduced its next-generation of Smart Cameras at Vision Show East. The new additions to the XCI series provide a comprehensive range of Smart Cameras to meet a broad spectrum of machine vision applications. The introduction of color capabilities as well as improved sensor and processor performance create opportunities for new applications including those that utilize advanced third-party analytics of visual data.

The four new cameras in the XCI lineup are offered in VGA and SXGA resolutions and come in monochrome or color. Other improvements include support for C and CS mounts, additional SDRAM memory, and enhanced x86 CPU performance. Also, the digital I/O now includes two USB 2.0 ports as well as Gigabit Ethernet.

These enhanced Windows® XPe models with their open architecture can provide opportunities for OEMs, systems integrators and manufacturers to use existing vision library assets, third-party software applications and algorithms developed for the Windows platform to be easily leveraged to maximize value. The four new Sony Smart Cameras allow system integrators and manufacturers to combine a powerful industrial PC with a high-end CCD camera in one small form factor.

The new arrivals to the Sony XCI Smart Cameras include the black and white XCI-V100 and color XCI-V100C, both in VGA resolution. Each utilize a high-performance sensor that is capable of achieving 90 fps frame rates, a 50 percent improvement over the previous generation of Sony cameras.

The XCI-SX100 and XCI-SX100C smart camera models both image at SXGA resolution, utilizing a unique light sensitive Sony CCD sensor with a 30 fps frame rate. This delivers high resolution, full motion video at twice the typical frame rates. All feature an auto-iris lens output and utilize the Windows XPe operating system.

The color capabilities as well as enhanced processing power and additional interfaces in this new XCI smart camera lineup create opportunities for traffic control, security and pharmaceutical applications, food and beverage inspection as well as other classic machine vision tasks.

The Sony XCI series Smart Cameras will be shipping from Aegis Electronic Group, Inc. in early September.

Sony EVI-D70 #1 PTZ Camera

The Sony EVI-D70 (EVID70) continues to be Sony's number one selling PTZ camera. This camera is used in a variety of applications including videoconferencing, security, house of worship applications and many others. The successors to the EVI-D70 were the EVI-D30 (discontinued), then the EVI-D100 (EVID100). The EVI-D100 is still currently offered, but sales on this camera have been on a decline with the introduction of the EVI-D70. The EVI-D70 offers 18x optical zoom, 340 degrees of pan and 120 degrees tilt.

Although the EVI-D70 is the number one selling PTZ (pan tilt zoom) camera. Sony has also received great review and sales on it's new EVI-HD1 (EVIHD1). The EVI-HD1 is Sony's newest PTZ camera offering high definition. This camera is great for video conferencing (if there is bandwith to support it) or broadcasting video on an intranet. This high definition PTZ camera is CMOS not CCD imaging and offers 1080i and 720p.

While the high definition PTZ, EVI-HD1 is great for video conferening applicaitons, the new BRC-Z700 is great for broadcasting. This 3 chip high definition PTZ camera is 1080i and 1080p switchable, 20x optical zoom and is fast becoming a hot seller for reality television. Sony also offers related products such as the HD Multiplex Card, HD Interface Board, SD Interface Board, XGA Interface Board and I.link Interface board.

For a complete line up of PTZ cameras, visit the Aegis Electronic Group, Inc, PTZ page.

The Vision Show June 10-12, 2008 Boston, MA

(Neue Messe Stuttgart, Vision 2008)

Aegis Electronic Group, Inc.'s General Manager, Sonja Walker and Project Manager, William Larson-Garcia attended The Vision Show in Boston, MA on June 10-12th. The camera manufacturers were primarily pushing the Camera Link industrial camera technology, as well as, the Gigabit Ethernet digital camera technology. There appeared to be less of the Firewire IEEE-1394.b camera technology, although Point Grey and Allied Vision Technology were displaying the technology. Lumenera and IDS (Ueye USB cameras) had their USB cameras on display. The Vision Show was small and had mixed reviews. Some vendors seem to think that the traffic was slow but steady, while others complained of low attendance.

The Vision Show is set to be in Arizona next year March 31st - April 2nd at the Phoenix Convention Center. The interesting thing about this is that it conflicts with the Apex IPC Show in Las Vegas on the same dates, as well as ISC West in Las Vegas on the same dates.

The feedback on the conferences offered was positive with a highlight to the conference titled Connectivity Performance in Machine Vision Systems Design. Reynold Dodson, President of Bitflow, Inc. and Steve Kinney, Director of Technical Sales, JAI, Inc., both gave very informative information on upcoming releases for simplified connectivity with respect to Camera Link and monochrome applications, a new standard called Camera Link Lite (no PoCL) is coming out. They also discussed the trend to move away form PoCL for longer length applications due to the amount of power that some cameras require.

It will be interesting to see what the turnout is for Stuttgart for Vision 2008, November 4-6, 2008. The expectations are high from what everyone indicated at The Vision Show.

New Software Engineer Joins Aegis Electronic Group, Inc. Team

William Larson-Garcia has joined the Aegis Electronic Group, Inc. team as a full-time Project Engineer.(Pictured with Sonja Walker, General Manager) William's primary focus will be software design and integration with the variety of imaging products that Aegis offers.

William has a Bachelors of Science in Applied Computer Science from Arizonia State University's School of Technology and Innovation. William first joined Aegis is 2004, providing support in web design and moving into technical support and trade show engineering sales.

Look for upcoming announcements on software releases at www.aegis-elec.com.