Popular and reliable USB technology has seen steady progress in terms of quality and data transfer rates since its creation in the mid-1990s. The latest USB 3.0 shows a huge improvement on USB 2.0 and promises that USB technology will never become a bottleneck for data transfer.
USB 3.0 is often used to transfer high-resolution images and video data from a camera to a computer in real-time. USB 3.0 offers several advantages over its predecessors, including faster data transfer speeds, increased power efficiency, and improved bandwidth capacity. This makes it well-suited for machine vision applications where high-speed and reliable data transfer is critical for accurate and timely analysis.
Overall, USB 3.0 has become a popular choice for machine vision applications due to its fast transfer speeds, reliability, and compatibility with a wide range of devices.
| USB Type | Speed | Maximum cable length |
| USB 1.0 | Low Speed 1.5 Mbits/s | 9.8 ft | 3.0m |
| USB 1.1 | Full Speed 12 Mbits/s (1.5 MB/s) | 9.8 ft | 3.0m |
| USB 2.0 | High Speed 480 Mbits/s (60 MB/s) | 16.4 ft | 5.0m |
| USB 3.0 | SuperSpeed 5.0 Gbits/s (625 MB/s) | 9.8 ft | 3.0 m |
USB 3.0 provides a 5-Gbps bandwidth that enables high-resolution, high frame-rate imaging in real time without the need for compression. That is why USB 3.0 is becoming increasingly popular in many industries notably Machine Vision.
USB3 Vision Cameras offer a desirable combination of simplicity, affordability and high throughput compared with other Machine Vision camera technologies. There is, however, a massive drawback with USB 3.0 connectivity; its maximum cable length is limited to 3 metres. Most often the Machine Vision applications require greater distances between host computer and camera.
Icron Technologies’ USB 3.0 Spectra™ extender solutions supply the missing part of the puzzle. Spectra 3001-15 and Spectra 3022 can extend USB 3.0 signals up to 15 and 100 metres respectively. Both solutions showcase Icron’s golden standard ExtremeUSB®;
• Transparent USB extensionAward winning USB 3.0 Spectra™ 3001-15 offers a rugged single-port super speed copper extension cable up to 15m. This reliable bus-powered active cable supports USB 3.0 5Gbps throughputs and provides 5V/900mA without the need for an external power source.
The fast-blazing Spectra 3022 provides a two-port USB 3.0 superspeed extension solution, allowing USB 3.0 connections at up to 5Gbps over 100m/330ft of multimode fibre optic cable. The Spectra 3022 features two locking USB 3.0 ports delivering 900mA power to each port. This makes the extender an ideal solution for USB3 Vision camera applications.
At Icronshop.com we offer comprehensive technical support around Icron solutions. So please do not hesitate to contact our technical sales team at sales@icronshop.com to discuss your application.
*** Does NOT support USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 ***
*** Does NOT support USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 ***
