1. v2.4.zip Driver
2. Readme.txt File Contents

Readme.txt Driver File Contents (v2.4.zip)

README.TXT for Foresight Imaging IDEA V2.4  Release
July 6, 2004


This release is provided as an online download or on CD.  
Please note that product documentation is provided in electronic 
format only.  You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader version 
4.0 or higher to view the documentation.  It is provided on 
the Foresight Imaging Software & Documentation CD (part 
number 042700-240) or can be downloaded at www.adobe.com or 
at www.fi-llc.com.

For product installation, please refer to the Foresight Imaging
Installation and User’s Guide.  It is provided on the CD as 
Install_Manual.pdf.

A demonstration version of the Pegasus Imaging JPEG codec is
included for use with the I-Series and I-Color example 
programs.  For information on licensing this software, 
please go to www.jpg.com.

Included in this release is a Streaming to DICOM example 
program.  This was created using the LEAD Technologies 
Medical Imaging Suite.  For information on licensing this 
software, please go to www.leadtools.com.

IDEA Active X Demo Using Visual Basic and IDEA API Example 
Program are the two example programs recommended for use to 
evaluate the full functionality of the frame grabbers and 
video streamers.  They are included in:
Start/Programs/IDEA Version 2.4/IDEA Example Programs.

Also, VidCap is the demonstation program recommended for
use of the Video for Windows driver.  It is included in:
Start/Programs/IDEA Version 2.4/IDEA Example Programs.


Upgrading to revision 2.4 from a previous revision of IDEA:
=========
For Developers Releasing an Application:
Your exisiting IDEA based application must be recompiled and 
relinked using the new IDEA libraries, header files, & OCX 
wherever applicable. Only updating the DLL's and Drivers 
without rebuilding may result in unstable operation.


For an end-user based system using IDEA TWAIN, Video for 
Windows, CVB, or the IDEA demo programs:
*   In "Control Panel", "Add/Remove Software", uninstall 
    the current IDEA software.
*   Decompess and run the "InstallScan20.exe" program on 
    the IDEA v2.4 CD or the downloaded version located 
    in the "ADDONS", "INSTALLSCAN" directory.  Select "Clean
    Installation"
*   Then install the new IDEA software.



Supported:
=========
Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT SP5+, Windows 2000, 
Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server
Foresight Imaging frame grabbers and video streamers:
I-25, I-50, I-50 HSN, I-60, I-75, I-Color, I-RGB 25, I-RGB 50,
I-RGB 75, I-RGB 165, I-RGB 200, HI*DEF Accura, AccuStream 170.


Machine Vision products:
===============================
Machine Vision (MV) products:  These products are no longer
offered.  Their functionality is now included in the standard 
I-25, I-50, I-60, and I-75 products.


CONTENTS:
========
This CD-ROM contains:
*  IDEA 2.4 SDK and Demo files in the setup directory
*  DirectX 8.0 for live video display under Windows 98
*  DirectX 8.1 for live video display under all other 
   supported operating systems
*  The IDEA installation and SDK manuals in PDF format
*  Acrobat Reader for the PDF documents
*  Pegasus compression software for I-Color streaming to 
   disk demo (AVI file creation)
*  LEAD Tools Medical Imaging Suite for support of the 
   Streaming to DICOM example program
*  A Video Test program for verification of VGA display 
   modes.
*  Windows Media player for AVI file viewing.
*  VidCap32 application program as an example for running
   the Video for Windows driver.  Note that the VFW Driver 
   is not supported under Windows 95/98.

The upacked IDEA library contains the IDEA software, 
Demos, TWAIN, Common Vision Blox, and Windows Drivers.


Updates from the IDEA 2.3 Release
(Details)
==================================
New Additions Detailed:
1)  Monochrome input on AccuStream 170 and I-RGB 165 & I-RGB 200.
    This revision contains full support for monochrome inputs to the AccuStream and
    I-RGB frame grabbers.  Auto-SYNC is capable of detecting and creating CHP files
    for such single channel monochrome signals.  Video signals may be composite 
    sync with video on either the Red, Green or Blue channels.  Video may also
    be video on Red, Green or Blue with separated horizontal and vertical syncs.
    Note that video on one channel with composite sync on another channel is not
    supported.  Also note that any CHP files created for monochrome signals with
    the previous release of IDEA are no longer valid.  You must create a new CHP
    file using Auto-SYNC in order to correctly grab monochrome.  See note 6.
	

2) Native Library Functions:
   a) New control API to get the video headers as created by a call to 
      eHD_LiveStreamInit().  The application can then poll the frame ready flag in 
      the header instead of using the normal event-driven method.  The parameter 
      to this call is of type VideoHeaderList, which is defined in hdp_lib.h as:

          typedef struct tagVideoHeaderList {
            int nNumHeaders;         // the number of buffer headers
            HDVID_HEADER *pHeaders;  // an array of headers
          } VideoHeaderList;

      The application must make this call after calling eHD_LiveStreamInit() and 
      before calling eHD_LiveStreamMode( , LVM_RUN ).
      The application makes this call as follows:

        VideoHeaderList vhl;
         ...
        memset( &vhl, 0, sizeof( vhl ));
        eHP_GetControlValue( mBoardHandle, "VideoHdeaders", sizeof( vhl ), &vhl);

      Note that the video headers will no longer be valid after a call to 
      eHD_LiveStreamClose().  Any attempt to access these headers after the call
      to eHD_LiveStreamClose() will most likely result in an application access
      violation and quite possibly the famous blue screen of death.
         

   
3) ActiveX Control
    a) New property to delay the start of a streaming capture by a specified
       number of frames after a trigger has been detected.  This property is 
       called "TriggerStartFrameDelay" and can be accessed directly in Visual
       Basic or through the GetTriggerStartFrameDelay() and 
       SetTriggerStartFrameDelay(nFrames) methods in Visual C++.

4) TWAIN Driver:
    a) A new button has been added to the "Advanced" setup dialog that allows the
       user to change the default board in a multiple frame grabber environment.
       Previously, the only way to do this was to edit the imahdptw.ini file.

5) Video For Windows Driver:
    a) The Video For Windows Driver now supports auto detection of the incoming
       video signal when using and AccuStream frame grabber.  This is enabled by
       checking the "Auto Detect" button in the source configuration dialog.  When
       this option is selected, the VFW driver will attempt to Auto-SYNC the signal
       on startup and configure itself to capture the video.  Any subsequent 
       disruption to the signal by either disconnection the signal or connecting 
       a new signal will invoke another Auto-SYNC session to detect the new signal.  
       If the incoming signal is VESA compatible, then the Auto-SYNC will be very 
       fast, on the order of 2 to 3 seconds.  If it is not a VESA compatible signal,
       then the Auto-SYNC process could take as long as 1 minute to correctly 
       analyze and frame the video.  If a loss of signal is detected during a 
       streaming operation, the driver will pass "canned" frames to the application
       indicating that the signal has been lost.  A subsequent detection of a new 
       signal and Auto-SYNC session will change the bitmaps to indicate that an 
       Auto-SYNC session is underway.  Once the board is configured for the new 
       video, video frames will be passed to the application.

    b) As part of being able to change the outgoing video on the fly during the 
       streaming operation, the driver now has the capability to scale the
       captured video to match the dimensions of the application frame buffers.
       Note that since the scaling is done in software, it is comparatively 
       slow and will result in an increase in the number of dropped frames.

6)  Auto-SYNC:
    a)  Auto-SYNC now fully supports monochrome signals with an AccuStream.  
        Auto-SYNC will create a monochrome compatible CHP file if the user selects 
        "Monochrome" from the dialog labeled "Select RGB, Monochrome or YPbPr 
        Video".  Note that CHP files created for Monochrome sources with the 2.3 
        release of IDEA are not compatible with the 2.4 release.  Auto-SYNC is 
        capable of capturing monochrome signals that have composite sync on the 
        red, green or blue channel or with separated sync on the H & V channels. 
        It cannot reliably configure separate composite sync on a channel other 
        than the video.



Updates to Documentation
========================
The documentation has been updated to match the V2.0 software
release.  Additionally, the PDF files are fully searchable and 
have been bookmarked for easy navigation.  Please email 
info@fi-llc.com with any documentation feedback. 



SUPPORT:
========
Email technical questions to: support@fi-llc.com


REQUIREMENTS:
=============
*  Pentium III 800 Mhz or greater
*  Windows XP, 98, 2000 SP3, NT 4.0 SP5 or greater,
*  Memory: minimum 512 MB
*  Ultra2 Wide SCSI fast controller and fast disk drive 
   (Seagate Cheetah, Quantum Atlas etc.)
*  DirectDraw compatible graphics card 
*  Appropriate video source
*  High quality video cabling


***  Note:  For I-RGB, please ensure that the cable 
lengths are identical for all connections.  A bundled 
RGB and sync cable is recommended. 


Directions for installing the Foresight Imaging 
Video For Windows Driver under NT 4.0:
===================================================
1. Open the Control Panel
2. Click on the MultiMedia icon.
3. In the MultiMedia Properties Dialog, click on the Devices tab.
4. Click on the "Video Capture Devices" entry.
5. Click the "Add" button.
6. Make sure that "Unlisted or Updated Driver" is highlighted 
   and press "OK".
7. Browse to the driver directory, "\Foresight\Idea\drivers\NT_2K"
   and press "OK".
8. The "Add Unlisted or Updated Driver" dialog should be showing 
   "Foresight Imaging Frame Grabber".  Press "OK".
9. You should now be able to use the VFW driver in any VFW 
   compliant application.


===========
Other Notes:
============
1) Auto-SYNC requires  SHLWAPI.DLL.  This is usually 
   installed with versions of the Internet Explorer 
   from version 4.0 onward.  If you are installing to 
   an older version of NT 4.0, you may not have this 
   DLL.

2) You must install the DirectX SDK (available from 
   Microsoft) in order to recompile and build the 
   VideoTest application.

3) You must install the LeadTools Imaging library to 
   build the DICOM DLL and use the DICOM functionality.

4) You must install the Pegasus Compression CODECS to 
   use compression in the demos.
============