Summary
This article describes the difference between hardware trigger vs software trigger.
In-Depth
A trigger signal from hardware is more accurate than a software signal so a hardware trigger is always preferred. Hardware trigger requires a correct cable to be connected. For a multi-camera setup always use hardware triggering and in such case do not use iX Capture to trigger.
Pin #4 (purple) is the hardware trigger. It triggers the iXM for a new capture cycle. It is active low. For manual triggering, activate by short to common signal, otherwise leave floating. For iXM it is mandatory to short pin 8 (gray) with the common signal pin 9 (black) in order to see the line drop while the camera is shooting. iX Link (RS232) commands can be used to trigger the camera over the I/O port.
HW trigger from iX Capture: A trigger is sent over the iX Controller I/O port and iXM terminal B. In iX Capture under “Settings” – “System” there is a checkbox to check in order to enable Hardware trigger. Leaving it unchecked will have the trigger controlled by the software.
HW trigger from ext device: Hardware trigger is possible from an external device, for this there is no need to configure the iX Capture.
Note: On Mk 1 and Mk 2 gen controllers there is no I/O port and hardware trigger is not possible.
Software Trigger: A trigger through software is sent over USB. Camera can be triggered through iX Capture or through custom built software using the Phase One SDK. iX Capture can trigger through a fixed interval or through a click in the GUI. An indication is shown on the trigger button in iX Capture if the triggering is done through hardware or software.