What is Frame Grabber?
A Frame Grabber is a hardware device that captures video frames from a camera or video source and transfers them to a host system (such as a PC) for processing, display, or storage. It typically transfers the captured frames over high-speed interface such as PCIe, Ethernet etc.
In simple terms, it’s a device that “grabs” high resolution Images or video from a camera and converts it into a digital format that can be used by computers or software applications.
iWave Frame Grabbers (iG-G30F) play a crucial role in modern medical imaging systems, enabling the capture, processing, and transmission of high-quality video and image data in real time. As healthcare becomes increasingly digital and image-driven, medical professionals rely on highly accurate and detailed visuals for diagnostics, surgical navigation, patient monitoring, and clinical decision-making.
iWave offers a powerful Frame Grabber built on advanced FPGA logic, enabling high-speed video processing and flexible, custom image handling.
The Frame Grabber can capture video through HDMI or SDI interfaces. It supports high resolutions such as 4K at 120Hz and 8K at 60Hz (HDMI 2.1/12G SDI), which is helpful when doctors need very detailed visuals during surgery or diagnosis.
The Frame Grabber is suitable for use in medical PCs or imaging systems as it comes in a Full-Height, Half-Length (FHHL) PCIe form factor. It uses PCIe Gen 3 x 8 interface, which supports high-speed data transfer with a theoretical bandwidth of up to 64Gbps.
iWave Frame Grabbers enables developers to use technologies that let GPUs exchange data directly with other devices or GPUs bypassing the host CPU and system memory to achieve much lower latency and higher throughput. The three main flavours are,
- Peer to Peer (P2P)
- Nvidia’s GPUDirect
- AMD DirectGMA
The frame grabber is compatible with these three flavour technologies. These capabilities enable direct memory access between the frame grabber and GPU memory, significantly reducing latency and CPU overhead in video processing workflows.
The frame grabber takes processed video from your host or GPU and outputs it to a local display over HDMI 2.1 or 12G SDI Output. It delivers high-resolution, low latency playback that closely matches the source feed. By using standard digital interfaces, it maintains colour accuracy and timing. This setup lets you monitor or preview the final video output in real time
Here are some common areas where iWave’s Frame Grabber can be used:
- Endoscopy / Laparoscopy Systems: Captures and displays live visuals from internal body cameras during surgeries.
- Ultrasound Imaging: Works with ultrasound machines to capture and stream live scans.
- Microscopy / Pathology: Helps record and view high-resolution tissue or sample images in labs.
- Surgical Room Monitoring: Used for recording surgeries or live streaming them for training or consultation.
- AR (Augmented Reality) in Surgery: Supports AR systems by sending clean video input for overlaying digital data during operations.
Why to Consider iWave Frame Grabber for your Application?
iWave Frame Grabber is a critical component in applications that require high-speed, high-resolution video capture with zero loop-out latency and sub-frame capture latency, its capabilities, such as direct memory access (DMA) between the frame grabber and GPU memory, significantly reduce latency and CPU overhead in video processing—especially in real-time imaging workflows like AI-driven analysis and augmented reality (AR) systems.
With over 25+ years of expertise, iWave is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of high-performance embedded solutions including Frame Grabbers and ODM Design Services
Looking for more insights? Contact us at mktg@iwave-global.com to explore how our Frame Grabber solutions deliver ultra-low latency, 4K video capture and streaming capabilities for mission-critical imaging systems. For more information, visit www.iwave-global.com
