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Aravis Backend

The Aravis backend provides support for GenICam-compatible cameras using the Aravis library.

Features

  • Support for GenICam/GigE Vision cameras
  • Automatic device detection with get_device_count()
  • Configurable exposure time and gain
  • Support for various pixel formats (Mono8, Mono12, Mono16, RGB8, BGR8)
  • Efficient streaming with configurable buffer count
  • Timeout handling for robust operation

Installation

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt-get install gir1.2-aravis-0.8 python3-gi

Linux (Fedora)

sudo dnf install aravis python3-gobject

Windows

Aravis support on Windows requires building from source or using WSL. For native Windows support, consider using the GenTL backend instead.

macOS

brew install aravis
pip install pygobject

Configuration

Basic Configuration

Select "aravis" as the backend in the GUI or in your configuration file:

{
  "camera": {
    "backend": "aravis",
    "index": 0,
    "fps": 30.0,
    "exposure": 10000,
    "gain": 5.0
  }
}

Advanced Properties

You can configure additional Aravis-specific properties via the properties dictionary:

{
  "camera": {
    "backend": "aravis",
    "index": 0,
    "fps": 30.0,
    "exposure": 10000,
    "gain": 5.0,
    "properties": {
      "camera_id": "MyCamera-12345",
      "pixel_format": "Mono8",
      "timeout": 2000000,
      "n_buffers": 10
    }
  }
}

Available Properties

Property Type Default Description
camera_id string None Specific camera ID to open (overrides index)
pixel_format string "Mono8" Pixel format: Mono8, Mono12, Mono16, RGB8, BGR8
timeout int 2000000 Frame timeout in microseconds (2 seconds)
n_buffers int 10 Number of buffers in the acquisition stream

Exposure and Gain

The Aravis backend supports exposure time (in microseconds) and gain control:

  • Exposure: Set via the GUI exposure field or settings.exposure (0 = auto, >0 = manual in μs)
  • Gain: Set via the GUI gain field or settings.gain (0.0 = auto, >0.0 = manual value)

When exposure or gain are set to non-zero values, the backend automatically disables auto-exposure and auto-gain.

Camera Selection

By Index

The default method is to select cameras by index (0, 1, 2, etc.):

{
  "camera": {
    "backend": "aravis",
    "index": 0
  }
}

By Camera ID

You can also select a specific camera by its ID:

{
  "camera": {
    "backend": "aravis",
    "properties": {
      "camera_id": "TheImagingSource-12345678"
    }
  }
}

Supported Pixel Formats

The backend automatically converts different pixel formats to BGR format for consistency:

  • Mono8: 8-bit grayscale → BGR
  • Mono12: 12-bit grayscale → scaled to 8-bit → BGR
  • Mono16: 16-bit grayscale → scaled to 8-bit → BGR
  • RGB8: 8-bit RGB → BGR (color conversion)
  • BGR8: 8-bit BGR (no conversion needed)

Performance Tuning

Buffer Count

Increase n_buffers for high-speed cameras or systems with variable latency:

{
  "properties": {
    "n_buffers": 20
  }
}

Timeout

Adjust timeout for slower cameras or network cameras:

{
  "properties": {
    "timeout": 5000000
  }
}

(5 seconds = 5,000,000 microseconds)

Troubleshooting

No cameras detected

  1. Verify Aravis installation: arv-tool-0.8 -l
  2. Check camera is powered and connected
  3. Ensure proper network configuration for GigE cameras
  4. Check user permissions for USB cameras

Timeout errors

  • Increase the timeout property
  • Check network bandwidth for GigE cameras
  • Verify camera is properly configured and streaming

Pixel format errors

  • Check camera's supported pixel formats: arv-tool-0.8 -n <camera-name> features
  • Try alternative formats: Mono8, RGB8, etc.

Comparison with GenTL Backend

Feature Aravis GenTL
Platform Linux (best), macOS Windows (best), Linux
Camera Support GenICam/GigE GenTL producers
Installation System packages Vendor CTI files
Performance Excellent Excellent
Auto-detection Yes Yes

Example: The Imaging Source Camera

{
  "camera": {
    "backend": "aravis",
    "index": 0,
    "fps": 60.0,
    "exposure": 8000,
    "gain": 10.0,
    "properties": {
      "pixel_format": "Mono8",
      "n_buffers": 15,
      "timeout": 3000000
    }
  }
}

Resources