TMX series part 1 - 30 Years of Adimec TMX Series

In 1994, 2 years after being founded, Adimec released the TMX-6 analog camera which was a VGA resolution monochrome camera platform supporting PAL/NTSC. With the TMX product line Adimec entered the market of Global Security where outstanding image quality and reliable operation under harsh environmental condition is required.

These cameras employed the leading technology of the time, including Charged Coupled Device, or CCD, sensors. While some adjustments were made to these early launches, they have remained available and in demand from our catalogue since their debut till 2021.

In 2012, the 2^nd generation TMX-series (TMX-6, TMX-7, and TMX-8) was launched, utilizing Full-HD color CCD sensors and Adimec color processing to provide broadcast quality image performance while transitioning to digital output.

But over time, a new leader in sensor technology grew in the field — CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor). As the general need for cameras increased for technology such as smartphones and webcams, the appeal of the initially underdeveloped CMOS sensors was hard to ignore: they were cheaper, could be made smaller, demanded less power and provided superior sensitivity. Over time, the widespread adoption of these sensors propelled their development to the point that they could match or exceed the output of the formerly higher-end CCD sensors.

To let our customers take advantage of these developments, we used our already proven 2^nd generation TMX platform to launch the TMX-74 and the TMX-5x camera series. These cameras make use of the first- and second-generation Sony Pregius Global Shutter CMOS sensors, which allowed for even better image quality. These sensors were the first Global Shutter CMOS sensors offering (compared to state of the art CCD) lower light performance and low power usage, while increasing resolution to even 4K; both the first- and second-generation offering Beyond HD imaging solutions from ½” till 1”.

The 2^nd generation TMX platform is a SWAP-C optimized integrated solution for LVDS sensors. The platform has remained available in various configurations over the years and has proven itself as a reliable, modular, easy to integrate and customizable imaging solution for high end Security / Surveillance, Semiconductor front-end inline inspection and Machine learning applications.

Now, we’re continuing to follow the leading edge of technology with the development of our 3^rd generation TMX platform. The platform shall make use of the latest generation FPGA design and shall support various sensors from different sensor makers with a focus on high speed SLVS-EC interfaces. Combined with the latest generation CoaXPress 2.1 system interface the platform will utilize the maximum speed from the sensors. The first product release will use a 20Mpx fourth-generation Sony Pregius Global Shutter Backside Illumination (BSI) sensor. The pixel size of this fourth-generation sensor will be smaller while offering similar performance as the second-generation sensors. As a result, either there is a higher pixel count within the supported image formats, ½’ to 1”, or the sensors can support more compact optics design while retaining the camera resolution (⅓ Full-HD instead of ½” full-HD).

Adimec focuses to help it’s customer to See More, Farther and Longer. However, for high-end security surveillance, even with Adimec contrast enhancement we meet conditions where atmosphere does not allow to see farther. Therefore, we are excited to announce our first camera based on InGaAs Short Wave IR sensors. The TMX-12 CoaXPress camera is our newest development offering latest generation FPGA technology with the Cardinal1280 TEC cooled HD-SWIR sensor from industry leading sensor maker SCD. This extends the contrast enhancement capabilities beyond the visible spectrum. Our first customers have tested our new camera and it shows excellent image quality for long range high-end security surveillance. Contact your local Adimec representative for information and evaluation options of the TMX-12s, world’s first, overall most compact, CoaXPress compliant cooled HD-SWIR camera.