Motion Capture System Setup FAQs
Prepare your capture space, connect your cameras, and check tracking quality with practical setup answers. Start with the section that matches your hardware, then follow the linked guide for the full procedure.
Preparing the capture space
How much space should I allow for a motion capture setup?
Plan the usable tracking volume and the surrounding installation space separately. Include the full movement envelope, capture height, camera positions, mounting structures, access routes, and any equipment that may block the cameras’ views.
There is no single capture-volume limit for every system. Camera model, lens, marker size, camera count, layout, and tracking requirements all affect coverage. Use the General FAQs for system planning and the setup guide to prepare the selected space.
What is the best way to mount motion capture cameras?
Use rigid mounting structures and camera clamps rated for the equipment. Trusses offer stability; tripods offer portability. Wall mounts and speed rails can save space but require care around your building's vibration and thermal movement.
Secure the cameras and cables so normal activity cannot move them. Recalibrate after camera movement or focus changes that affect the calibrated setup. Check calibration after significant changes to camera settings in Motive, such as gain or infrared filter settings. Also check after vibration or significant temperature changes and recalibrate as needed.
Does the capture space need to be dark?
Not necessarily. What matters is whether the cameras can distinguish markers from infrared light and unwanted reflections. Sunlight, reflective objects, and some lighting can interfere with tracking; materials that look dark to the eye may still reflect infrared light.
Inspect the actual camera views, remove or cover unwanted reflections, and mask only what cannot be removed. A mask also prevents tracking in the masked pixels. Test the space under the lighting conditions you will use for capture.
When should I adjust camera focus?
Check marker sharpness at the distances you will actually use, especially in a small capture volume. Most OptiTrack cameras can be refocused; the Duo 3 and Trio 3 tracking bars are exceptions. The factory infinity setting is a starting point, not a substitute for checking the image.
Use the model-specific focusing procedure and secure the lens adjustments when finished. Complete focusing and aiming before calibration.
Camera and marker compatibility
Can Ethernet cameras and USB cameras be mixed in one system?
No. Use an Ethernet camera system or a USB camera system; do not combine the two camera connection types in the same tracking system. Their cabling, power, and synchronization arrangements differ.
For an existing USB installation, use the USB and legacy hardware section below and the documentation for its camera models and Motive version.
Which camera models can work together?
Compatibility depends on connection type, synchronization method, and software support. The Ethernet setup guide documents PrimeX cameras working with SlimX 13 and Prime Color cameras, as well as older Prime cameras working with PrimeX cameras. Check the current requirements before adding a model to an existing installation.
For USB systems, Slim 3U, V100:R1, and Flex 3 can share a Wired Sync chain; Flex 13 cannot join that chain. Flex 3 and Flex 13 support OptiSync. Match the hub and synchronization method to the cameras.
Can I use passive markers, active LEDs, ActiveIO, and Active Classic?
OptiTrack supports retroreflective passive markers and appropriately configured active LED tracking. Passive markers need infrared illumination; custom LEDs must match the camera’s optical filter and tracking configuration. The marker guide recommends 850 nm LEDs for cameras using an 850 nm filter.
For identified, synchronized active markers, follow the guide for your hardware family. Wireless ActiveIO and Active Classic can operate in one Motive instance using their respective BaseStations and different pattern groups. Wired ActiveIO devices connect directly to the camera network. A generic LED is not automatically an ActiveIO device. The Active Classic workflow requires Ethernet cameras and does not support USB cameras.
Marker types and custom LEDs · ActiveIO configuration · Active Classic setup
Can I use third-party or custom passive markers?
Yes, suitably reflective custom markers can be tracked. Clean, spherical markers provide a more consistent center across viewing angles. Flat tape or hemispherical markers can be useful, but their apparent center and visibility change more with viewing angle.
Choose marker size for the working distance and movement detail, keep surfaces clean, and test the complete range of motion. Non-spherical markers may also require different filtering settings, which can admit more unwanted reflections.
Ethernet power networking and synchronization
How should I prepare the computer before connecting the cameras?
Use a 64-bit Windows computer running a version supported by Microsoft, and check the maintained requirements for your Motive release. Size the computer for camera count, tracking workload, and reference video. Install the required drivers and dependencies, confirm license activation, and prepare the dedicated camera-network connection.
A computer receiving Motive data is a separate role: its operating-system requirements depend on the receiving application or SDK. Receiver compatibility does not mean that the Motive capture application runs natively on macOS or Linux.
Motive installation and computer requirements · License activation FAQs
Which Ethernet switch and power standard do my cameras need?
Choose the PoE class for each camera model and enough total switch power for all allocated ports. Current models span PoE, PoE+, and PoE++; the model-by-model table is the reference. For example, PrimeX 120 requires PoE++ Type 4: a 60 W Type 3 switch is insufficient.
Camera ports must support Gigabit Ethernet. Budget for eSync2 and powered active devices as well as cameras, and size uplinks for the combined traffic. A standard PC Ethernet port does not power a camera; connect cameras through a suitable powered switch.
Camera power and switch requirements · PrimeX 120 switch configuration
How far can cameras be from the computer, and which cables should I use?
For Ethernet systems, allow up to 100 m (328 ft) per supported copper cable segment. Use round, shielded cable that meets the link requirements: Cat6 or better for Gigabit links and Cat6a or better for 10 Gb uplinks. Cat6a is recommended. Longer installations need a planned network topology, not a longer unsupported camera cable.
For USB systems, direct USB 2.0 cable runs are limited to 5 m (16 ft). Up to two active USB extensions are supported between the computer and OptiHub; do not place them between a hub and camera. The USB guide does not support more than two active extensions in a Motive USB 2.0 system.
Can the cameras share the office network or a VLAN?
Use a physically isolated camera network and a dedicated network interface on the Motive computer. OptiTrack does not support sharing a switch with the corporate network through VLANs.
Plan the switch topology and uplink capacity for your camera count, frame rate, and video modes. High camera counts and reference or color video can require higher-bandwidth uplinks. Follow the supported network design and switch configuration for your system.
How are cameras synchronized, and when do I need eSync2?
Ethernet cameras synchronize through the camera network. eSync2 is used when that system needs an external timing connection, such as a supported trigger, genlock, or timecode source. Verify the signal type, electrical requirements, and parent/child configuration in the eSync2 guide; one parent timing source controls the arrangement.
eSync2 is for Ethernet camera systems. USB systems use their model-specific OptiSync or Wired Sync arrangement; Duo 3 and Trio 3 cameras synchronize within the tracking bar. OptiHub 2 external synchronization has timing limitations and is not a replacement for precise eSync2 synchronization.
eSync2 setup and supported signals · USB synchronization and limitations
What do the camera status lights mean?
Status indicators show states such as connection, live tracking, recording, or masking. Their layout and meaning depend on the camera model: some cameras use a ring and others a front LED. Some colors can also be customized.
Use the status chart for your camera and check its state in Motive’s Devices pane. The light is a diagnostic clue, not a substitute for verifying that frames are arriving.
What should I check if cameras are missing or frames are dropping?
Confirm power, cables, switch links, and camera detection in Motive. Then check the Devices and Log panes for continuing 2D frame drops. Verify that the camera network uses the correct interface and that switch power and uplink capacity match the configuration.
If the problem appears only when you enable reference video or increase frame rate, review bandwidth and computer load. For a USB connection error near the 5 m limit, try a shorter cable and a direct motherboard USB port. Record the camera models, Motive version, settings, and symptoms when requesting support.
Ethernet setup and troubleshooting · USB network checks · Get technical support
Calibration and capture settings
How do I calibrate the motion capture system?
Finish mounting, aiming, focusing, and camera setup first. Clear unwanted reflections, prepare the calibration wand, and follow Motive’s calibration sequence to collect coverage throughout the volume. Review the result, apply the calibration, and set the ground plane and origin.
Calibration defines the cameras’ spatial relationship and the capture coordinate system. Use the full calibration guide for the correct wand, coverage, and quality checks; a completed progress indicator alone does not confirm that every part of the working volume is ready.
How do I check tracking quality, and when should I recalibrate?
Test your actual markers or assets throughout the intended movement area, including the edges, low and high positions, and likely occlusions. Look for missing or unstable markers, reflections, and continuing frame drops. Save a short representative capture before a full session.
Recalibrate after camera movement or relevant lens and camera-setting changes, and check calibration after temperature or structural changes. Use a full calibration for a new setup; refinement is intended for an existing calibration with small changes. Validate again after adjustments.
Which camera mode should I use for tracking or reference video?
Use Object mode for normal marker tracking when it is available. Use the documented Precision mode for compatible cameras without Object mode, including the applicable legacy USB models. Raw grayscale is useful for aiming, focusing, and diagnostics, but requires more bandwidth and cannot be exported as reference video. MJPEG records compressed reference video; a camera used only for reference does not contribute marker observations to 3D tracking.
On supported cameras with Motive:Body or Motive:Body-Unlimited, Duplex mode combines Object tracking and MJPEG reference video. Choose the mode before recording and check bandwidth, frame rate, and export requirements. Compression does not guarantee full-rate capture in every system.
Camera modes and reference video · Camera properties and Duplex support
How should I adjust exposure and infrared illumination?
Exposure controls how long a camera collects light. Increasing it can make markers brighter, but can also increase motion blur or merge nearby marker images. Use enough illumination for clear markers while keeping exposure suitable for the motion you are capturing.
IR controls depend on camera hardware and the attached ring light. External illumination can help in a compatible setup; it must suit the camera and marker system. Check the camera views after every change rather than using one setting for all models and environments.
Exposure and LED settings · Active and passive marker guidance
What do threshold and gain change?
Threshold sets the minimum image brightness considered for marker detection. Raising it can remove faint unwanted reflections, but can also hide real markers. Gain brightens the image and can amplify noise as well as markers.
Start with clean markers, suitable illumination, focus, and exposure. Then tune threshold and gain while checking the full volume, including the dimmest markers and most difficult viewing angles.
How should I choose the capture frame rate?
Choose a frame rate for the motion and output you need, then verify that every tracking camera and the complete system support it. Increasing the rate can affect exposure, bandwidth, processing load, and—on some camera modes—resolution or field of view.
Motive controls the tracking-camera rate centrally. Reference cameras can use supported rate relationships to the tracking rate, so the rule is more specific than simply setting every camera to the slowest model. Test the intended configuration for stable capture.
Can Motive record and export reference audio?
Yes. Motive can record reference audio with a take and export it as WAV. Match the recording and playback device formats when checking audio playback.
Motive’s audio capture is intended for reference and does not natively synchronize precisely with video or motion capture data. For a synchronized production workflow, use suitable external audio hardware and software with timecode and configure the shared timing workflow.
USB systems and legacy OptiHub hardware
Which USB cameras can share Wired Sync, and which use OptiSync?
Slim 3U, V100:R1, and Flex 3 can share a Wired Sync chain. Slim 3U and V100:R1 require Wired Sync; Flex 3 can use it optionally. Flex 13 cannot be included in that chain.
Flex 3 and Flex 13 support OptiSync, which carries synchronization over USB through the appropriate OptiHub configuration. A system containing Slim 3U or V100:R1 must use Wired Sync. When connecting multiple hubs, follow the guide’s RCA hub-to-hub synchronization wiring; a USB-only camera connection does not remove that requirement.
USB synchronization compatibility · USB network and hub wiring
Why might an original OptiHub system stop sending frames in external-trigger mode?
Check the selected synchronization source, signal type, frequency, dividers, and wiring against the instructions for the exact hub and Motive version. A system configured to wait for an external trigger may stop delivering frames when that trigger is absent or invalid.
Original OptiHub and OptiHub 2 behavior must be checked separately. Confirm the selected mode and the original hub’s documented indicator behavior before using the Sync LED to diagnose the input.
Can a Flex 13 use an original OptiHub or a computer USB port?
A Flex 13 can transmit data through the original OptiHub, but the hub cannot power its on-camera LED illumination. Connect Flex 13 cameras through OptiHub 2 when on-camera illumination is required. A standard computer USB port likewise does not provide the required illumination power.
Distinguish data communication from illumination when troubleshooting: detecting a camera does not mean it is receiving enough power for the intended tracking setup.
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