HawkEye-20GigE: Dual 10 GigE Frame Grabber
The HawkEye-20GigE is a high-performance GigE frame grabber designed for real-time image acquisition, processing, and compression in demanding multi-camera vision applications. Powered by Altera Arria 10 FPGA technology, it supports up to 2 × 10 GigE Vision cameras directly and can scale to multiple synchronized cameras via a network switch. With dual SFP+ ports delivering 20 Gb/s bandwidth and a low-profile PCIe form factor, it guarantees zero frame loss, ultra-low latency, and negligible CPU load, making it ideal for mission-critical environments.
Performance and Real-Time Image Processing
The HawkEye-20GigE is available as a plug-and-play GigE frame grabber or as part of a complete solution integrating image acquisition, modular real-time preprocessing, enhancement, and advanced compression IPs (.JPEG, Lossless, Quality+).
Inline enhancement features include:
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High Dynamic Range (HDR) – Captures superior details in high-contrast lighting conditions.
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White Balance – Maintains color accuracy across variable lighting conditions.
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Dynamic Luminance Balance – Preserves consistent brightness under changing illumination.
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Gamma Correction – Optimizes brightness and contrast for improved clarity.
Real-time compression with Dynamic ROI delivers:
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Extended recording times without compromising quality.
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Lower transmission bandwidth for efficient data handling.
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Accelerated offline compression, reducing storage needs and post-processing time.
InfiniVision Architecture – Multi-Camera GigE Frame Grabber
Gidel’s InfiniVision architecture addresses critical multi-camera challenges, including bandwidth, synchronization, connectivity, and scalability. Consequently, the HawkEye-20GigE supports dual 10 GigE Vision interfaces and can manage larger synchronized camera networks via switches.
A PCIe Gen3 x8 interface ensures CPU-free, ultra-fast data transfer, while FPGA-based on-board buffers enhance acquisition stability and enable real-time image processing. As a result, the HawkEye-20GigE delivers reliable, deterministic performance in high-speed, high-resolution vision systems.
Flexible Operating Modes
The HawkEye-20GigE supports two operating modes, selectable via firmware, allowing system designers to adapt the frame grabber to different GigE Vision workflows and acquisition requirements.
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InfiniVision: Ideal for synchronized multi-camera setups, combining all data—even across multiple cards—into a single buffer with dynamic resolutions and formats.
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ProcFG: Tailored for precision applications, offering fixed frame sizes, pixel formats, and ROI grabbing (uncompressed).
As a result, the HawkEye-20GigE frame grabber adapts to a wide range of GigE Vision workflows, from complex multi-camera AOI systems to single-camera applications that demand reliable, high-performance, and deterministic image acquisition.
SDK and Development Tools
The HawkEye-20GigE is supported by Gidel’s SDK, offering intuitive GUIs and APIs for streamlined system integration. Additionally, the ProcVision Suite provides advanced FPGA programming, debugging, and validation tools. Consequently, developers can rapidly customize data flows, implement real-time processing, and optimize compression pipelines, reducing development time and risk.
Why Choose the HawkEye-20GigE GigE Frame Grabber?
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20 Gb/s acquisition via dual 10 GigE Vision interfaces.
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FPGA-based real-time processing with HDR, white balance, and gamma correction.
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Dynamic ROI compression for efficient storage and bandwidth use.
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Scalable InfiniVision architecture for synchronized multi-camera systems.
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Advanced SDK and ProcVision Suite for rapid development and integration.
Looking for a higher-bandwidth GigE Vision card options? Check out Proc10A-40GigE and Proc1C10M-120GigE.
Need a GigE Vision card with AI option? Visit Proc1C10N-120GigE
For a Jetson-based GigE Vision solutions, see FantoVision20-GigE, FantoVision20 and FantoVision40 Edge Computer Vision Systems.
Target Applications
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Military & Defense
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Recording & Streaming Applications
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Aerospace (including drones and UAVs)
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Medical Imaging
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Outdoor Imaging
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Sports Analytics
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ATE (Automated Test Equipment)
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Electron Microscopy
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Industrial Inspection & Sorting Machines
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Agriculture
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Scientific Research
General
- 2x 10 GigE Cameras
- 4x 5 GigE Cameras
- 8x 2.5 GigE Cameras
- 20x 1 GigE Cameras
(Fiber optic / Copper)
- JTAG
- VGA15-pin for connecting GPIO's to the bracket
- 16-pin board-to-board header
- On-the -fly selective ROI acquisition
- Chunk Data
- Mono, Bayer, RGBA (8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 bits/color)
- RGB (8, 10 and 12 bits/color)
- Horizontal: 16 K pixels (64-bit)
- Vertical: 65 K lines
- Area
- Line Scan
- 4 X RS422 INPUTS
- Optional input clk
- 1x Optocoupler input
- 1 X RS422 INPUTS
- 2x Opto-coupler inputs
- 2X 3-30V @ 0.8A outputs
- LVTTL IO
- 12V/1A power supply
- 12x LVTTL IO (5V TTL tolerant)
- 1.7M hours
- > 350K hours
Environmental conditions
- Continuous Operation: 10 - 80% (non-condensing)
- Peak Operation: 10 - 90% (non-condensing)
Image Processing
- Compression encoders: JPEG | Lossless | Quality+
- High Dynamic Range (HDR) correction from a single exposure
- White Balance – Maintains color accuracy across variable lighting conditions
- Dynamic Luminance Balance – Preserves consistent brightness under changing illumination
- Morphological operations such as Open/Close using a round structuring element
- Users can integrate their own FPGA code with Gidel’s IPs
The HawkEye-20GigE Frame Grabber is a highly modular solution, designed to be tailored to meet unique application requirements.
Looking to adapt the HawkEye-20GigE to match your vision?
The HawkEye-20GigE frame grabber offers two powerful customization paths to meet specific application requirements:
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Modular Pre-Configured Features
Gidel provides a range of pre-embedded modules tailored to your specifications—such as real-time compression, HDR, and other advanced features. (See the Options tab for available configurations.) -
User-Level FPGA Customization
Leverage Gidel’s development tools and IP libraries to integrate your proprietary FPGA logic and extend the system’s capabilities for acquisition, image processing, and control.
The Gidel ProcVision Suite delivers a complete toolchain for advanced user-level FPGA customization of the data flow, image pipeline, image processing, and more—ensuring optimal performance for your vision or imaging application.
Gidel’s real-time FPGA pipeline integrates advanced image processing options:
HawkEye-20GigE: FPGA resources comparison
| Model | HawkEye-20GigE-48 | HawkEye-20GigE-16 |
|---|---|---|
| FPGA | Arria10-480-3 | Arria10-160-2 |
| FPGA-ALM | 182K | 61K |
| FPGA-M20K | 1,438 | 440 |
| FPGA-18*19 Multipliers | 2,736 | 312 |
| Peripheral Memory: | ||
| 1 GB | 1 GB | |
| 5.6 GB/s | 6.4 GB/s | |
| 0,4,8,16 GB | - | |
| 9.6 GB/s | - |
Grabbers SDK
Application Interfaces
- InfiniVision
- ProcFG
- CameraConfig – Camera discovery and configuration
- ggvcon – GigE Vision network configuration
- InfiniVision with supporting examples
- ProcFG with supporting examples
- Gen<i>Cam GenTL producer libraries compatible with C/C++ compilers
- InitCam for developing user Gen<i>Cam camera configuration application
- GigE for developing camera network communication applications
Software Compatibility
- MVTec Halcon machine vision software
- Camera control Gen<i>Cam based application
- Windows 11
- Windows 10
- Windows Server 2022
- Windows Server 2019
- Windows Server 2016
- Linux (kernel 2.6.x- 6.12)
