Do not use for new design

Picolo U16 H.264

16-channel audio/video capture and compression card

At a glance
  • Sixteen PAL/NTSC video inputs and sixteen audio inputs
  • PCIe x1 bus
  • Sixteen video decoders, 400/480 images per second (800/960 fields per second)
  • On-board hardware H.264 compression
  • Two independently configurable H.264 compressed streams and one raw (uncompressed) stream for each of the 16 cameras



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Three simultaneous and independently configurable output streams for each video channel

  • Two H.264 compressed streams: 4CIF, 2CIF, CIF or QCIF / Configurable frame rate / Configurable bit rate control
  • Typical configuration:
    • One high-fidelity, 4CIF format, full frame rate H.264 encoded stream
    • One CIF-format half-frame-rate H.264 encoded stream
  • One raw (uncompressed) stream (subject to PCI bus available bandwidth): 4CIF, 2CIF, CIF or QCIF / Monochrome: Y8 or Color planar: YUV420PL


Windows (DirectShow) and Linux drivers available
Windows (DirectShow) and Linux drivers available


Four high-quality audio inputs

  • Line-level audio signals
  • Selectable sampling rate: 8 kHz, 16 kHz, 22.05 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz
  • Audio encoding: Linear PCM 16-bit or G.711 64-kbps µ-law/A-law
  • Audio-video synchronization supported by accurate time stamping of audio and video data


General purpose I/O lines

  • Four contact closure inputs
  • Four solid-state relay outputs
  • Watchdog


Mechanical
Format Standard profile, half length, 1-lane PCI Express card
Dimensions PCB L X H: 167.65 mm x 111.15 mm, 6.6 in x 4.38 in
Weight 200 g, 7.05 oz
Host bus
Standard PCI Express 1.0
Link width 1 lane
Link speed 2.5 GT/s (PCIe 1.0)
Peak delivery bandwidth 256 MB/s
Effective (sustained) delivery bandwidth 180 MB/s (Host PC motherboard dependent)
Camera / video inputs
Interface standard(s) NTSC-M, PAL-M/B/D/G/H/I/N
Connectors
  • VIDEO: high density 44-pin female Sub-D connector on the bracket
  • VIDEO IN: dual-row 34-pin .050" (1.27mm) micro header with end shroud on the PCB
Termination resistor Selectable using switches on the PCB
Frame rate
  • 25/30 images per second per input
  • Total 400/480 images per second
Number of cameras 16
Number of cameras (at full frame rate) 16
Video delivery
Raw video format(s) YUV420PL, Y8
Deliverable video resolution (SD) 4CIF, 2CIF, CIF, QCIF
Audio / Video Outputs
Loop-through One, selected, with cascade capability
Connectors
  • VIDEO CASCADE: dual-row 6-pin .100" (2.54mm) header without shroud on the PCB
Audio inputs
Number of inputs 16
Type Line-level analog
Audio format
  • 8 kHz G.711 µ-law/A-law
  • 8 kHz 16-bit LPCM
  • 16/22.05/44.1/48 kHz 16-bit LPCM
Connectors
  • AUDIO: dual-row 34-pin .050" (1.27mm) micro header with end shroud on the PCB
On-board video codec
Video encoders
  • H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10)
  • Baseline profile (Level 3)
  • 32 encoders per card
Number of streams
  • Two compressed output streams
  • One raw (uncompressed) stream
Bitrate
  • VBR (Variable Bit Rate), CPQ (Constant Picture Quality) and CBR (Constant Bit Rate)
  • Target bitrate adjustable up to 2 Mbps
Video streams resolution
  • One high-fidelity 4CIF full frame rate H.264 stream
  • One additional CIF half frame rate H.264 stream
  • One raw (uncompressed) stream (subject to PCI bus available bandwidth)
General Purpose Inputs and Outputs
Number of lines 32 I/O lines:
  • 16 inputs (IN)
  • 16 outputs (OUT)
Connectors
  • PROFESSIONAL I/O 1-8: 34-pin dual-row 0.05" (1.27mm) micro header with end shroud on the PCB
  • PROFESSIONAL I/O 9-16: 34-pin dual-row 0.05" (1.27mm) micro header with end shroud on the PCB
  • WATCHDOG: 4-pin dual-row 0.1" (2.54mm) header without shroud on the PCB for the watchdog
Usage General purpose IO
Electrical specifications
  • IN: Non-isolated differential polarity-insensitive inputs, compatible with
    • Digital totem-pole drivers (TTL, 5V CMOS or 12V levels)
    • Potential-free contacts (dry contacts)
    • Fixed potential contacts
  • OUT: Potential-free and polarity-insensitive solid-state relay outputs
Watchdog Yes
Software
Host PC Operating System
  • Microsoft Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012, 2008 R2, 2008
  • Linux kernel version 2.6.16 to 3.8, compatible with a wide range of distributions
  • 32- and 64-bit versions
APIs
  • Microsoft DirectShow under Windows: Kernel streaming mini driver providing the following filters: Board, Audio Source, Input Line, Watchdog, Visual Source, Output Line, Pass-Through Selector
  • Virtual File System under Linux: Memory-based file system driver where each board appears as a file system populated with files organized as a directory tree and managed using standard file management functions of the operating system.
Environmental conditions
Operating ambient air temperature 0 °C to +50 °C / +32 °F to +122 °F
Operating ambient air humidity 10% to 90% RH non-condensing
Storage ambient air temperature -20 °C to +70 °C/ -4 °F to +158 °F
Storage ambient air humidity 10% to 90% RH non-condensing
Certifications
Electromagnetic - EMC standards
  • European Council EMC Directive 2004/108/EC
EMC - Emission
  • EN 55022:2010 Class B
EMC - Immunity
  • EN 55024:2010 Class B
Flammability PCB compliant with UL 94 V-0
RoHS European Union Directive 2011/65/EU (ROHS2)
REACH European Union Regulation 1907/2006
WEEE Must be disposed of separately from normal household waste and must be recycled according to local regulations
Ordering Information
Product code - Description