Install the OV20i

Time: 15-20 minutes

You've opened the box. Let's get the camera physically set up and ready to go.

OV20i

What's in the box

Your shipment includes:

OV20i Camera

Mounting Plate

M12 Power Cable

M12 Ethernet Cable

Power Adapter

Terminal Block

Item	What it's for
OV20i camera	The camera unit itself
Mounting plate + hardware	Secures the camera to your fixture
M12 power cable	Connects camera to 24V DC power
M12 Ethernet cable	Connects camera to your network/computer
Power adapter (if included)	Provides 24V DC power
Lens (may be pre-installed)	Captures the image

Two M12 cables

You'll find two M12 cables in the box: one for power, one for Ethernet. You need both connected for the camera to work. The power cable has a 17-pin M12 A-coded connector. The Ethernet cable is standard M12 D-coded.

Step 1: Mount the camera

This is more important than it sounds. The camera must be mounted stably and must not move. Any vibration or shifting will undermine everything that follows: alignment, inspection accuracy, AI training, all of it.

• Use the mounting plate and brackets provided
• Tighten all fasteners fully
• If mounting on a machine frame, check for vibration. A camera that shakes even slightly will produce inconsistent results
• Consider the angle: mount the camera so it looks straight down (or straight at) the part

Stability is everything

A camera that moves even 1-2 pixels between captures will cause alignment drift and AI accuracy issues that are very hard to diagnose later. Spend the extra minute here to make sure the mount is rock-solid.

OV20i mounting plate dimensions

Step 2: Choose the right lens

The lens determines what the camera sees and how much detail it captures. This choice directly impacts everything downstream.

The goal: Fill the frame with your part as much as possible. If the part only occupies a small portion of the image, you're wasting pixels, and pixels are your resolution.

Lens type	Best for	Watch out for
Short focal length (4-6mm)	Large parts, short working distance	More distortion at edges (barrel/fisheye effect)
Medium focal length (8-12mm)	Most applications	Good balance of field of view and distortion
Long focal length (16mm+)	Small parts, long working distance	Narrower field of view

The OV20i comes with built-in S-mount lenses and software-controlled motorized focus. You can adjust focus from the browser UI without physically touching the camera.

Think about distortion now

If you use a wide-angle lens (short focal length), the image will have barrel distortion. Straight lines appear curved, especially at the edges. This directly impacts alignment accuracy later. You can correct it in software (lens distortion correction), but you need to know your lens causes distortion. We'll cover this in the image settings step.

Step 3: Set up your lighting

Lighting is a physical problem that cannot be solved in software. The AI can only work with what the camera sees, and what the camera sees depends entirely on how the part is lit.

Good lighting means:

• Uniform: no bright spots or dark shadows across the part
• Repeatable: the same lighting every time (avoid ambient light changes from windows, overhead lights cycling, day/night variation)
• Reveals your defects: if you're looking for scratches, angled lighting makes them visible. If you're looking for color differences, even diffuse lighting works best

The OV20i has built-in LED lighting with adjustable intensity and patterns. You can configure these in software later. The built-in LEDs work well for close-range inspections. For longer working distances or large parts, you may still need external lighting.

Common lighting mistakes:

• Relying on factory overhead lights (they change throughout the day)
• Creating glare on shiny or reflective surfaces
• Under-lighting so the image is dark and noisy

Step 4: Connect the cables

M12 17-pin power (OV20i)

M12 to RJ45 Ethernet

1. Power cable: Connect the M12 power cable between the camera and your 24V DC power source (19-24 VDC, minimum 1A, max 18W typical 15W)
2. Ethernet cable: Connect the M12 Ethernet cable between the camera and your computer, switch, or network

Both cables must be connected. The camera needs power to run and Ethernet to communicate.

Power requirements

• Voltage: 19-24 VDC regulated
• Current: Minimum 1A
• Power: Typical 15W, max 18W
• Pins 13 or 14 = 24V DC (+), Pins 5 or 6 = GND
• Do not use unregulated power supplies; voltage spikes can damage the camera

Step 5: Power up and verify

Once both cables are connected:

1. Apply power
2. Watch the LEDs on top of the camera:
   • Power LED turns solid green: power is good
   • System Status LED blinks slowly during boot, then turns solid: system is ready
   • Boot takes approximately 30 seconds
3. If LEDs don't light up, check your power connections and voltage

LED state	Meaning
Power LED solid green	Power OK
Power LED off	No power; check cables and supply
System LED slow blink	Booting up; wait 30 seconds
System LED solid	Camera ready
System LED fast blink	Error; check connections

All four LEDs are located on the top of the OV20i.

Install checklist

Before moving on, confirm:

• Camera is mounted stably (give it a shake test; it shouldn't budge)
• Lens is appropriate for your working distance and part size
• Lighting is set up and consistent
• Power cable connected, Power LED is green
• Ethernet cable connected
• System LED is solid after boot

All green? Head to Connect to Your Screen.