XangleCs documentation

Computer Nodes or USB Hubs?

The quick answer is: For 24 cameras or less, usb USB hubs. For any large camera arrays, scalling up using computer nodes (ideally Raspberry Pi) is the way to go. The reason is that the bottleneck of these system is the usb cable going to the cameras (slow and requires to stay short in length)

USB hubs

This is by far the simplest way of using Xangle Camera Server. You simply need to connect your cameras to a USB hub, and then the USB hub to your computer. Make sure the USB hub is a powered one. Also check out the specifications of the USB port of your computer. It makes a huge difference if you can use a fast one.

Computer nodes

To scale up your bullet-time or photogrammetry rig beyond 24 cameras, the best option is to use a Raspberry Pi architecture (4 cameras per Pi). In any case, the main software would still run on a Windows based computer.

Here are the advantages:

• Faster download time: by using fewer cameras per unit (typically, 4 cameras on a single pi), you get much faster download time to bring your images from the cameras to the main server. Check out the benchmark page for a few insights: https://xanglecs.com/benchmarks
• More stable architecture: the OS on the Pi runs on the memory. That means that you can always cold reboot the pis without risking any corruption on the microSD cards.
• No configuration needed: the OS is installed through the provided image (card flashing is made directly through our software). On Windows, you'll always be stuck with updates, manual configuration, and unexpected behaviors. In other words, Linux is made to be operated in the background, while Windows is more about user interaction.
• Proven solution: this is what we and all of our clients use when we go beyond 12 or 24 cameras. This has been used in a lot of various photogrammetry and bullet-time installations up to 220 cameras.

What about 24 cameras or less?

We still use the Pis sometimes for installations between 12 and 24 cameras, but only when the priority is about speed optimization. There are a few seconds that can be gained when using Raspberry Pis instead of USB hubs:  https://xanglecs.com/benchmarks

Managing Networking for Multi-Computer Synchronization

Xangle's networking feature enables scalable camera control by distributing USB connections across multiple computers. This eliminates the limitations of a single computer's USB hardware. Computers don’t need any configuration as long as they are on the same local network.

We strongly recommend using Raspberry Pi for the following reasons:

• Ease of Use: The Raspberry Pi setup is well-supported by our system and requires minimal configuration. Simply flash a microSD card, and you’re ready to go.
• Reliability: Mini PCs require a Windows installation, which can introduce potential issues such as: