Can a Tau2 or Quark2 simply be connected to power and a video display?

Yes. Many customers operate Tau2, Quark2, and legacy Photon cameras in a stand-alone fashion. This is typically done using accessory kit items, and/or optional accessories, for connectivity with the camera.

For Tau2 and Quark2, a Video, Power, Communication accessory (VPC module) provides a simple and convenient way to output video to a monitor or other display device. Input power and communication to the camera is supported via USB connection. A micro-coaxial (MCX) connector provides analog video data out in either NTSC or PAL format. 

High-volume integrators are more likely to build a custom wiring harness that directly interfaces to the native electrical connector on the camera to achieve a specific functionality. Interface Description Documents (IDDs) are available at the Resources  web page for this purpose. Answers to other FAQs on this page describe the connector pin functions and vendor information needed to build custom cabling.