1. A method for setting an idle time parameter of a vision detector comprising configuring the vision detector to detect a sequence of discrete objects in continuous motion at a nominal object speed relative to a field of view of the vision detector, including detecting each object of the sequence of discrete objects responsive to an analysis of at least one frame captured by the vision detector, each frame comprising an image of the field of view; choosing a motion parameter that specifies a desired motion of an object, in units related to pixels, during an idle step of the vision detector, the idle step comprising an interval of time during which objects are not detected; estimating, responsive to the nominal object speed, an apparent object speed in units related to pixels per unit of time; computing, responsive to the apparent object speed and the motion parameter, a desired idle time; and setting the idle time parameter of the vision detector to the desired idle time.