high-speed cameras

[Roy Tucker]

Posted to CCD-world:
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Dear charge-transfer enthusiasts,
     Here at NSO's GONG project we are upgrading the camera and video data
acquisition systems for the network from a 256x256 resolution system to a
1024 squared array sensor (Thomson THX7887). Output is four channels of 12
bit data, 60 frames per second, 20 MHz pixel clock. If you use two bytes to
store 12 bits, it works out to 120 Mbytes/sec that have to be moved around.
Not only that, but our data acquisition involves co-adding images into
three integration buffers (the camera operation is coordinated with a
rotating polarizer such that three frame times corresponds to one rotation
of the polarizer) so that in a one minute integration time we produce
resulting images with 23 bit pixels (aw, gee, go ahead and call it three
bytes per pixel). We're still trying to decide "Build or Buy, Build or
Buy?". Our inquiries have been directed to the usual suspects in the image
processing hardware field and also to folks offering VME compatible DSP
boards (we'd like to stick with VME architecture). The responses we've
gotten back have generally been budget-busters. We may be compelled to
home-brew a solution. If anyone has faced a similar problem of drinking
from a fire hose, I'd appreciate receiving some pearls of wisdom based upon
your experiences.
     Thanks a lot for any input.
						- Roy Tucker

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