Validate capture and most common errors

Validate camera positions and orientation

This step is really important when setting the capturing system for a good quality capture or when cameras are placed in complicated configurations (e.g. in a 180º configuration). The objective is to make sure that all cameras are looking at the center of the scene and are capturing what we want them to. It's also useful for checking they are seeing enough markers on the calibration board when calibrating.

1. Look at cameras in the viewer and validate they are properly detected
2. Open color and depth streams
3. Adjust the cameras' position according to what they are seeing trying to center the capturing area

Validate camera through their own viewer

Orbbec

• When cameras are configured for synchronization, until the primary camera is started, the secondary cameras might not start streaming.
  • If one or more still don't start streaming, check the network cables are properly connected (especially if one of the cables has a connector without the locking piece)
• Ensure all cameras are detected with USB3.0+ in the Orbbec viewer next to the serial number.
• If the cables should work, make sure they are properly connected, otherwise, try to change the cables
• Take note if one of the cameras takes a little more time to be detected. It's not a problem, but it might mean that when calibrating you need to specify the number of cameras in the camera config file: config > device > num_devices
• OrbbecSDK has extra dependencies, check they are properly detected by looking at the extensions path that is set.

Kinect

• Check color is read correctly, if it’s not, you’ll see it very clearly
• Try changing the cable
• Try changing the USB port on the PC it's connected to
• The ports with a teal color are supposedly compatible, but we have seen the kinect cameras don't always work when connected there on the 4090_X pcs

Fix to most common errors

• Physical camera connection:
  • Check USB, power and sync cables
• Is any other program using any of the cameras?
• Look at capturer.log → many times will tell you what the problem is:
  • Camera config is printed at the start, check it is what you were expecting.
    • Maybe you didn't save the latest changes?
  • Is the correct camera type?
  • Has the JSON been parsed correctly?
    • It will probably tell the problematic line
    • Common error is to have and extra comma at the end of an object
  • Are FPS, color_height and depth_height correct?
    • Otherwise, the camera cannot find the correct configuration and will not start