Hardware Installation (USB 3.0 Cameras)
This topic tells you how to install a Basler
ace 2 USB 3.0, Basler ace USB 3.0,
dart USB 3.0, or pulse
USB 3.0 camera.
Prerequisites
The pylon Camera Software Suite for Windows must be installed.
Make sure that the following items are available before starting the
hardware installation:
- A Basler ace, ace 2, dart, or pulse USB 3.0 camera.
- A computer with a USB 3.0 port. If your computer doesn't have one,
you can add a suitable
USB 3.0 host controller card.
USB 2.0 Compatibility
- ace and ace 2 cameras: When
connected to a USB 2.0 port, Basler ace and ace 2 cameras
will be detected but can’t be used.
- dart and pulse cameras: Basler dart and
pulse USB 3.0 cameras are USB 2.0 backward compatible. However,
camera performance is limited when connected to a USB 2.0
port. For information about suitable USB 2.0 host controllers
and about optimizing the USB 2.0 data transmission rate,
see the Recommended
USB 2.0 Host Controllers for Basler dart and pulse Cameras
application note.
- As applicable, a C-mount or CS-mount lens for the camera.
If you already know what lens you will be using in your actual application,
use this lens during the camera installation and setup. If not, Basler
suggests using a zoom lens for the installation and initial setup.
Contact Basler technical support
if you need assistance in determining the best lens for your application.
So far, Basler has found the following host controller chipsets to work
well with Basler USB 3.0 cameras:
- Renesas USB 3.0 host controller chipsets
- FrescoLogic host controller chipsets
Other USB 3.0 host controller chipsets are being evaluated on an on-going
basis. Contact Basler technical support
for the latest information about other recommended chipsets.
For more information, see the USB
3.0 Host Controllers' Maximum Bandwidth Measurements application note.
Installing the Host Controller Driver
To use your camera on a USB 3.0 port, an xHCI driver is required.
- On Windows 8 and higher, a suitable xHCI driver
is preinstalled as part of the operating system. For better performance,
however, Basler recommends installing the xHCI driver of the host
controller manufacturer.
- On Windows 7, you must install the xHCI driver
manually. You can download suitable drivers from the Basler
pylon Windows website (scroll down to the "Drivers for Recommended
USB 3.0 Host Controllers" section).
Installing the Camera
ace 2 USB 3.0 Camera Connectors

ace USB 3.0 Camera Connectors

dart USB 3.0 Camera Connectors

pulse USB 3.0 Camera Connectors

To install the camera:
- ace and ace 2 cameras: Remove the
protective cap from the lens mount.
pulse cameras: Remove the protective
seal from the lens mount.
dart S-mount and CS-mount cameras:
If you want to use the I/O connector, remove the protective seal from
the I/O connector.
dart bare board cameras: Remove the protective
seal from the sensor. If you want to use the I/O connector, also remove
the protective seal from the I/O connector.
- Mount a lens on the camera.
Be careful not to insert the lens any deeper than specified in the
Maximum Allowed Lens
Intrusion topic.
- ace, ace 2, and dart cameras: If you want to use
any of the camera’s I/O lines, carry out the following steps:
- Plug the 6-pin connector of the I/O cable into the I/O connector
of the camera.
- Connect the other end of the I/O cable to the device that sends
and receives I/O signals.
- Connect the USB cable:
- Plug the USB 3.0 Micro-B connector of the USB cable into the
USB 3.0 connector of the camera.
- Plug the other end of the USB cable into a USB port of your
computer.
Basler strongly recommends connecting the camera to a USB 3.0 port.
USB 3.0 ports are either marked with a SuperSpeed logo or have
a blue insert.
For information about USB 2.0 compatibility, see the General
Considerations section.
Next Steps
- Use the pylon Viewer
to check whether your camera has been detected, acquire images, display
images, and adjust parameter settings to improve image quality.
- Use the pylon
USB Configurator to look up information about the USB devices
connected to your computer. You can also use it for troubleshooting.