Poll

Has the hackabiliy of the E4 made you buy one :  

Yes, I was already looking at the competition at a similar price, but the hack swung it to E4
274 (27.9%)
Yes, I'd not considered buying a TIC before, but 320x240 resolution at this price justifies it (as either tool or toy!)
444 (45.3%)
Yes, I was going to buy an E5/6/8 class of unit but will now get the E4
49 (5%)
No, but am looking out for a cheap i3 to hack
50 (5.1%)
Not yet, but probably will if now that a closed-box hack becomes is possible
164 (16.7%)

Total Members Voted: 803

Author Topic: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown  (Read 3769621 times)

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Online mikeselectricstuffTopic starter

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1650 on: November 21, 2013, 04:23:31 pm »
I just noticed from the photos posted here of Taucher's menu hack, that a wifi strength bar and some other icons that possibly don't relate to the Ex cameras appear with the mod installed. Are these files from a different camera model? The menus of the Exx cameras are completely different, so I can't see it being that.
Yes - there's a wifi and SD card icon, but they, along with the battery icon only appear when there is a menu onscreen so not a big deal - I'm sure they could be removed in the same way the Flir logo was.
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Offline London Lad

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1651 on: November 21, 2013, 04:45:06 pm »
I've done the resolution hack but even after reading the thread from beginning to end, can't quite build up the confidence to do the menu hack.

If any of you guys have the time could you please post up a brief step by step guide. I don't quite need a 'baby walk' but a step by step on setting up the modes / connectivity prior to copying the files across with filezilla would really help in my case.

*Warning* Don't mess about with the files on your camera if you don't understand what you are doing.

Otherwise, if you just want to install Taucher's menu hack...

1. Install the RNDIS drivers on your PC. (http://cdn.cloud.flir.se/swdownload/assets/other/flir_device_drivers.exe)
2. Turn on RNDIS on the camera via the hidden menu (Settings>Device Settings>Camera Information - Press <right> for 10 seconds, select "USB Mode" then select "RNDIS")
3. Connect camera to PC via USB.
4. FTP to camera (eg. with FileZilla): Normal logon type, Host "192.168.0.2", user name "flir", password "3vlig"
5. Make a back-up of the files on your camera (copy files from camera to your computer into a back-up directory of your choice)
6. Copy the ADDMENU-Beta files over the files in the camera (eg. unzip the files to your computer then copy the folder "FlashBFS" from your computer over the folder "FlashBFS" in the camera - overwrite files)
7. Power-down the camera, remove battery and USB cable.
8. Re-insert battery and turn on.
9. Enjoy!  :D
 
If you don't completely understand the above instructions then it would be best to not attempt the menu hack. Better to have basic functions than :-BROKE

Thank you very much. Your step by step gave me the required confidence and the jobs done, I have new menus  :)
Thanks to every one else who has contributed as well. Hope I can repay here one day.
 

Offline dustout

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1652 on: November 21, 2013, 07:09:12 pm »
I'm really hoping this upcoming batch of E4s is still hackable. I purchased an i3 just before they announced the E4 and was already regretting it.  This hack improved my i3 a ton but I'd still like to purchase an E4 then try to sell off my i3 to someone I know.  I waited a bit too late before deciding to do that and shop around for an e4 though -- oops.  I tried ordering from 3 different places that assured me they had some in stock only to be later notified that they had made a mistake and already sold them all.  Very annoying... There could be a new poll option "I already had an i3 but decided I want to buy another TIC I don't need so I can make it even better"... :)  The free gift promo makes it even sweeter.  If they severely lock down after things get back in stock I'm going to be sad.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2013, 07:11:49 pm by dustout »
 

Offline BigClive

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1653 on: November 21, 2013, 07:59:25 pm »
Well I got my new toy yesterday.  20/11/13.

Calibration date 13th Nov 2013

Serial 63906XXX

Software 1.19.8

And here's the really interesting bit.  When I powered it up for the first time it came up with an error message:-

Application appcore.exe encountered a serious error and must shut down.

I had to remove the battery and then restart it to get it going.  And this was new from the factory without any hack being done.

So perhaps the report of an error message after the hack was actually just a pre-existing bug occuring.

Now I just have to get past that "new expensive toy" stage before I even consider doing the hack.  Although right now it's impressive enough as it is.  Based on Mikes original teardown I was going to be buying one anyway, even without the "boost".

 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1654 on: November 21, 2013, 09:01:00 pm »
Well I got my new toy yesterday.  20/11/13.
Congrats on obtaining your shiney new toy. :)

And here's the really interesting bit.  When I powered it up for the first time it came up with an error message:-

Application appcore.exe encountered a serious error and must shut down.  :)

I had to remove the battery and then restart it to get it going.  And this was new from the factory without any hack being done.

I got the same thing first time. I just discounted it as the Elbonian tech not doing the last step in the procedure before shipping. Combined with this being a windoze ce device, I just went  :-// and did a reboot. Worked fine after that.

Quote
Now I just have to get past that "new expensive toy" stage before I even consider doing the hack.  Although right now it's impressive enough as it is.  Based on Mikes original teardown I was going to be buying one anyway, even without the "boost".

Be sure to take extra long operating it in 80x60 condition. After that 320x240 will look awesome!  ;D
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1655 on: November 21, 2013, 10:01:05 pm »
Holder added to thingiverse, thanks George.
Any updates to these, best to just email me direct because I don't follow this thread, so could miss them.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:188312
 

Offline georges80

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1656 on: November 21, 2013, 10:26:25 pm »
Holder added to thingiverse, thanks George.
Any updates to these, best to just email me direct because I don't follow this thread, so could miss them.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:188312

Will do.
cheers,
george.
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1657 on: November 21, 2013, 10:27:59 pm »
I checked the dead pixels on my camera and it seems to be similar to the others that were posted. It will be interesting to see how Dave's E8 compares.

How do I do that? Sorry, I don't follow this huge thread closely.
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1658 on: November 21, 2013, 10:33:37 pm »
 

Offline iceisfun

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1659 on: November 21, 2013, 10:33:51 pm »
Will anyone be making and selling those tripod mounts?

I don't have access to a printer.
 

Offline Taucher

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1660 on: November 21, 2013, 10:37:58 pm »

Offline mrflibble

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1661 on: November 21, 2013, 10:40:07 pm »
I don't have access to a printer.

Same here. I'm thinking of using the ghetto style 3d printer. Also known as scrap wood + some clay. :P
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1662 on: November 21, 2013, 10:50:18 pm »
... it's more fun to do it over telnet :)
Heh, agreed. I use it almost exclusively through scripted telnet connection. Which is why by now the location of the usb connection is getting to be really annoying. :rant: Really, that was the best location they could come up with?  :palm:
 

Offline Taucher

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1663 on: November 21, 2013, 10:56:49 pm »
... it's more fun to do it over telnet :)
Heh, agreed. I use it almost exclusively through scripted telnet connection. Which is why by now the location of the usb connection is getting to be really annoying. :rant: Really, that was the best location they could come up with?  :palm:
it could be much worse... but probably it's intended as incentive generator for the wireless Exx series ;)

Offline m4rkiz

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1664 on: November 21, 2013, 11:32:57 pm »
does anyone know where to look to improve picture quality on i3?
jpeg compression seems to be set very high and this results in plenty of compression artifacts around menu items i.e.



this is sample picture from i3 (sensor 144x144, original jpeg is 240x240, this picture is up-scaled to 960x960 to show problematic areas - especially cross-hair as it usually is most important piece of picture)
« Last Edit: November 21, 2013, 11:35:16 pm by m4rkiz »
 

Offline Pinkus

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1665 on: November 22, 2013, 12:03:56 am »
Quote
does anyone know where to look to improve picture quality on i3?
load into Flir Tools. Then the non compressed pictures are used. If you then want a high quality picture, you need to do a screen shot or use a screen copy tool to cut out the area of interest. Of course, this is a copy from the Flir Tools screen, it will not show the icons etc. like the camera does.
See attached sample.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2013, 12:13:45 am by PeterK13 »
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1666 on: November 22, 2013, 12:13:36 am »
Quote
does anyone know where to look to improve picture quality on i3?
If you want then a high quality picture you need to do a screen shot or use a screen copy tool.
Or the ever popular alternative, just use a decent tool:
http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/
http://u88.n24.queensu.ca/~bogdan/
http://u88.n24.queensu.ca/exiftool/forum/index.php?topic=2750.0

Never tested the gui, but the original command line version is damn handy. :)
 

Offline Pinkus

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1667 on: November 22, 2013, 12:16:51 am »
Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think Exif tools does not have access to the raw data stream from Flir (uncompressed sensor picture and 640x480 digicam picture). Afaik there is currently no way around to make a screen shot to have access to the non compressed data.
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1668 on: November 22, 2013, 12:36:04 am »
Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think Exif tools does not have access to the raw data stream from Flir (uncompressed sensor picture and 640x480 digicam picture). Afaik there is currently no way around to make a screen shot to have access to the non compressed data.

Exiftool does have access to the raw data, and all sorts of meta-data. I use precisely that to extract raw image + embedded digicam pic. Think I even posted some of those waaaay back...

 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1669 on: November 22, 2013, 12:41:21 am »
Too lazy to go hunt for the old post. Instead here's a random shot with pictures extracted by exiftool.
 

Offline Uup

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1670 on: November 22, 2013, 12:41:52 am »
Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think Exif tools does not have access to the raw data stream from Flir (uncompressed sensor picture and 640x480 digicam picture). Afaik there is currently no way around to make a screen shot to have access to the non compressed data.

There is a way to access the separate images. The thermal image saved by the camera is actually two embedded images in the one jpg file. The first image in the file is the processed image as seen in the LCD (with UI inclusions such as measurements, cursors, logo, etc) and the other is the unprocessed thermal image. 
 

Offline olsenn

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1671 on: November 22, 2013, 01:09:43 am »
I installed the driver and put my camera into the suggested mode from the hidden menu, but when I try to connect to 192.168.0.2 from filezilla it fails to connect. Any ideas?
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1672 on: November 22, 2013, 01:39:08 am »
I installed the driver and put my camera into the suggested mode from the hidden menu, but when I try to connect to 192.168.0.2 from filezilla it fails to connect. Any ideas?

I noticed that sometimes the network setup didn't go properly. In my case there was a 100% correspondence between "rndis no workey" and "that crap flir tool in the system tray (lower right area) is still running". I think it's called IRCAM somethingsomething. I always nuke that first, and then connect the camera.

I also noticed that when the camera is in a "doesn't work" state, the easiest way is just to reboot the sucker. This because sometimes when it's tried a few times and failed, you cannot be all that sure of what kind of network setup you'll get. But after a reboot + IRCAM tool out of the way you get 192.168.0.2 (camera) and 192.168.0.1 (PC) consistently.

I am of course assuming that you didn't make a booboo, and that you actually are in RNDIS mode. ;) Anyways, you can always check the network settings to see if the network adapter for your flir connection is setup properly.

The mode I found to be most useful / least problematic is RNDIS + UVC. That way you get networking and have the UVC video stream. Mass storage ... who needs it when you have ftp et al.

Hope that helps...

 

Offline olsenn

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1673 on: November 22, 2013, 02:32:24 am »
Excellent, I found the problem; the IP address was not 192.168.0.2 for me... it was 192.168.1.2

Now I need to play with these new settings. What known bugs are there so far?
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #1674 on: November 22, 2013, 02:40:42 am »
Excellent, I found the problem; the IP address was not 192.168.0.2 for me... it was 192.168.1.2

Out of general interest, was that after a reboot on both sides? If yes, what was the OS on the PC? Oh wait, maybe you just already have a 192.168.0.0 network, if so never mind. :P

Quote
Now I need to play with these new settings. What known bugs are there so far?

Dunno about any bugs. Mostly it seems that things are a little sluggish if you have 432439324 menu entries. Any crashiness I heard about seems to have been due to palette files which has been fixed AFAIK.
 


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