How to use external timebase

The external timebase is used to get a required frame rate in the motion capture from an external device.

The Qualisys camera system can be synchronized with an external timebase for drift free synchronization with a external devices. When synchronizing to a periodic TTL signal the Qualisys system will lock the capture frequency to that of the external signal source, see chapter Using External timebase for synchronization to a periodic TTL signal for detailed information.

It is also possible to use a time code signal as an external timebase source. Currently, two standards are supported, SMPTE (requires an Oqus or Camera Sync Unit) and IRIG (requires a Camera Sync Unit). For more information, see chapter Using External timebase for synchronization to a time code signal.

An external timebase can also be used to trigger individual camera frames, using non-periodic signal mode. For an example of how to synchronize the camera system with burst signals, see chapter External timebase with bursts of signals with constant period (cycle) time and with delays between the bursts.

The settings for external timebase are on Synchronization page in the Project options dialog, see chapter External timebase.

The following chapters describe how to use an external timebase: