FLIR PM695/595 Teardown/ PC Connectivity / Firmware modifications

[Chanc3]

Hello everyone

First post here, was lurking for a while and came across the E4 tear-down, which really interested me. Basically, my situation is as follows: I have a FLIR ThermoCAM PM695 and PM595. Both are great thermal imaging cameras, but getting on a bit now, so in order to increase what we can get out of them, we have created a serial to LEMO connector so we can actually hook the cameras up to our PC and even transmit data such as camera commands wirelessly. My current problem is that the PM595 was imported from the states, so is set up as NTSC and not PAL. This isn't a major problem as we can send a command to the camera to change it to PAL, however we think the (CMOS?) battery is low, so when you reboot the camera it never remembers the command. Has anyone ever replaced a battery in one of these themselves? It would be interesting to know how to do it as I don't really want to pay the extortionate fees FLIR service centres charge.

My next question is, since we can connect the camera to the PC and successfully communicate with it, is there a way to read the firmware / files off it? I would like to modify it as to not include the FLIR logo in each image and would like to permanently make it PAL. Is modifying the firmware even possible?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

[plesa]

Why did you not contact FLIR directly? They are quite resposive. I'm really impressed with their support level and tutorials on web.

[Chanc3]

Why did you not contact FLIR directly? They are quite resposive. I'm really impressed with their support level and tutorials on web.

My first port of call! They suggested it could be the battery, but wanted me to send it in. Wouldn't say anything else!

[plesa]

Why did you not contact FLIR directly? They are quite resposive. I'm really impressed with their support level and tutorials on web.

My first port of call! They suggested it could be the battery, but wanted me to send it in. Wouldn't say anything else!

OKI, there is only one user on this forum with this camera (Aurorora) maybe you can ask him.

[mikeselectricstuff]

What is the problem with it being NTSC? - most monitors etc. nowadays can auto-select.

[Chanc3]

What is the problem with it being NTSC? - most monitors etc. nowadays can auto-select.

Unfortunately the monitors we need to use it with are PAL, plus we want to turn the logo off, which you can do with a command via serial to lemo, but as soon as you reboot it, it forgets the settings.

I need to change the title as it's actually a Thermal am PM 575. I'll stick around and see what Aurora suggests.

[AndyC_772]

As a safe workaround, rather than risk bricking the camera with a firmware update, I'd consider making up a little device to plug into the serial port which would issue the necessary commands at power-up. Something like a PIC12F1822 plus a MAX232 level shifter should do the trick, and all it would need to do is wait a few seconds after power is applied, then send a few characters over the UART.

[mikeselectricstuff]

What is the problem with it being NTSC? - most monitors etc. nowadays can auto-select.

Unfortunately the monitors we need to use it with are PAL, plus we want to turn the logo off, which you can do with a command via serial to lemo, but as soon as you reboot it, it forgets the settings.

I need to change the title as it's actually a Thermal am PM 575. I'll stick around and see what Aurora suggests.

Is this something that has only recently started happenning? Does the cam have an RTC, and if so is it losing time?
If so chances are it is a battery, which shouldn't be hard to find & replace
 

[mikeselectricstuff]

As a safe workaround, rather than risk bricking the camera with a firmware update, I'd consider making up a little device to plug into the serial port which would issue the necessary commands at power-up. Something like a PIC12F1822 plus a MAX232 level shifter should do the trick, and all it would need to do is wait a few seconds after power is applied, then send a few characters over the UART.

Wouldn't need the level shifter - the 12F1822 can invert its Tx line - this will easily drive RS232 direct.

[Chanc3]

We bought the camera second hand so unfortunately I think It's been like that since we got it. Your idea of plugging in another device sounds interesting, although I think I might be able to modify the program we created to push out the commands when it detects the camera.

Be interesting to see if anyone else has had more of a play with them.

[Fraser]

Chanc3,

Its your lucky day. I own three PM695's and two PM570's 

Mine are all NTSC and please be aware that the viewfinders are fixed on NTSC. I was not aware that the cameras would respond to a command to change standards. Very interesting news.

With regard to working on these cameras, I have been inside all of them and they are relatively easy to work on. The case is held together with IIRC four screws and opens in a clam shell fashion to provide access in order to disconnect the ribbon cables between boards.

When the RTC battery is at the end of its life you will lose the time stamping and this is a sure indicator that it is time to fit either a new RTC or battery. My PM570's use the Dallas DL1643L RTC with non user changeable battery (you can change it though ) The battery is a tiny lithium button IIRC something like a tagged 1216 but I will need to check. The later cameras like the 695 use the Dallas DL1643P PowerCap series and these are designed to have their batteries changed so you just buy a new PowerCap or solder a tagged lithium cell into the old one. I bought a new cap as it contains the battery and clock crystal. It is not potted. I can provide more detail tomorrow but I am on my way to bed so it will need to wait.

For info, I also have three of the original FLIR remote controls. I opened one and was surprised at the technology within. A full embedded computer and S-Video to Composite Video converter  No wonder they are so expensive ! Overkill ? Built like a tank as well.

I purchased an AV RS232 remote commander that can be programmed with RS232 command strings. It is designed to control Projectors via RS232 but I am hoping it will also command the FLIR cameras as I have the command set. A project for another day though. My RS232 commander is the Extron MLC52. I was lucky and picked it up new for $30.

http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=mlc52rs

With regard to assistance from FLIR. I regret that there is little chance of that. I contacted virtually every service agent in the world trying to get any technical information on the PM series cameras. I met a brick wall in all but one case. And even then the tech was severely constrained by an NDA and ITAR regulations. He was able to confirm that the cameras are very reliable, built like a battleship and well worth maintaining in service  He also pointed me towards a likely cause of a fault on one of my PM570's. The service centres board change only, and then calibrate. I reverse engineered the CPU board on the PM570...... not an easy task and basically it turns out to be little more than a standard MC68340 embedded computer. I used an old Atari ST 520 computer to learn about the MC68000 and read lots of books on repairing embedded computers. I later proved that the fault did not lye on that PCB    I now know quite a lot about the guts of these cameras though 

You may be interested to hear that the high temperature option filter/attenuator is fitted inside all the cameras, complete with actuator motor and mechanism. It is disabled only in software.
 
The CPU pcb has TWO RS232 ports on it. One for user access that goes to the Lemo 310 connector and one for Service use. Both are true RS232 from a dedicated level changer chip, and not TTL.

I will dig out some pictures of the internals tomorrow for you. Please PM me you email address.

As a final comment....these cameras were very expensive when new and are still expensive to have repaired. As the FLIR Tech told me....if you buy Mercedes quality, you pay Mercedes spares prices    IIRC the PM570 CPU pcb was $4000 + labour + calibration (essential) I think it totalled around $5000.

[Chanc3]

Hi Aurora

Thank you very much for your thorough reply - lots of useful information and I cannot wait to see the PM575/695 internals so I can go about changing the battery and potentially enable the high temperature filter (would appreciate guidance for this).

What we've managed to achieve so far is a wireless link from our laptop to PM695 where we can then issue commands like changing the palette at a touch of a button, focus, nuke, take an image, switch to digital - all from a custom program we created in VB2010. If you would like more details on how to wire a RS232 to Lemo connector then I'm sure my boss would let me share the information.

[Fraser]

@Chanc3

You very likely know a lot more than me regarding the control of the PM series.... I bought the cameras used and have spent my time repairing them so have not yet delved into the PC remote control side of things yet. Sadly I have not had a chance to 'probe' the cameras software to see if/how any added functionality may be switched on. IIRC the service agent can activate the high temperature range filter and menuy option, so it is just a software activation. It was common to upgrade these cameras via files on a PCMCIA card so that may be how the service agent carried out the task without having to open the camera. I suspect the RS232 service port will be the way into the OS, but I am no hacker and, unlike the lads working on the E4, do not have the skill set to carry out any clever penetration testing on the firmware. I am a hardware tech through and through  I will be taking a look at the service port though 

Some more useful/useless information for you......

A very common failure on the PM series is age/use related. The green on/off button ceases to work and the camera cannot be turned on or off using it. The button is simply a rubber asssembly with conductive carbon pad on its rear, just like on a TV remote control. The conductive pad deteriorates through heavy use and age. Interestingly all other rubber buttons maintain operation fine. It may be down to usage rate. The repair may be carried out in two ways.....repair the OEM button conductive pad with a conductive pad repair kit (I have never used one) or fit a new button. I chose the latter option and identified a suitable replacement from......wait for it......... a SKY TV remote control    I bought some SKY remote control replacement  buttion pads for around GBP3 each. One version (I think it is the HD one) has exactly the right diameter and height numeric buttons, and a nice large (approx 4mm) conductive pad. I cut out the '0' and '1' buttons, leaving a skirt around them, and they fitted perfectly in place of the FLIR OEM part  Easier and likely much cheaper than buying the part from FLIR.

[Chanc3]

That last paragraph is very intriguing as I believe we have issues with the power button on our PM575! - You have to press really hard to get it to work. Great fix though.

How would you connect to the camera via a PCMCIA card?

Also, just spotted a PM695 has appeared in eBay that is listed in the states - looks like it is in good condition also.

[Fraser]

@Chanc3

The symptom you describe is power button conductive pad failure 

I will identify the exact SKY remote keypad that you need to buy in order to fix it. It will get worse and eventually fail if no action is taken and there is a risk of damage to the FPC that sits behind the button if it is pressed too hard. The repair is easy and took me less than half an hour. You do have to partially dismantle the camera though. Nothing on the micro-bolometer/ optical block side though....just removal of the CPU PCB (1 screw !) and then removal of the joystick and joystick/power button retaining panel (4 screws)
You could easily accomplish the repair without significant risk to the camera (if you are careful). I can write a short gguide to disassembly for you.

The PCMCIA upgrade path worked as follows. The upgrade file is placed on a blank PCMCIA card. The card is inserted into the camera and the camera switched on. The camera reads the PCMCIA card and recognises an upgrade file. It loads the upgrade. Job done     

Ref PM695 in the USA...... this camera is definitely ITAR controlled. To export it from the USA legally it requires an export liecence from the US BIS. Most US sellers don't want to know about exportying controlled technology, and those that will do so, charge large sums of money for the paperwork and export licence. I heard of $300 for paperwork but Mike has heard of $2500 being quoted ! If US export control discover an unlicenced PM695 leaving the country it will be stopped. US citizens tend to be very wary of 'incorrect declarations' on the paperwork as it is a federal offence. In short.... buying a PM series camera from the USA can be a total nightmare.

[Fraser]

I just took a look at the PM695 on eb*ay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FLIR-ThermaCam-PM695-Infrared-Condition-Thermal-Imaging-Camera-PM-695-Imager-/331098877893?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d1707efc5#ht_10827wt_1219

I note the export restrictions statement so the company knows about ITAR which is good. No mention of charges to obtain the export licence either. I would wish to confirm with the company that it is that simple though. This isn't a simple 9fps E4 or E8 we are talking about here.

Edit....some waffle removed.

[Chanc3]

Would be great if you could post a guide - just got it out of the case to have a play and the button is definitely playing up! Have you had much experience reconditioning the batteries? Boss managed to crack a battery case - luckily it was a really crap one, so looking at replacing the cells.

Have hooked the camera up to the PC now, I can turn a filter on/off - am I correct in thinking that is the high temperature filter? It's great being able to access it on this level, as I can even turn the damn logo off!

[Fraser]

Chanc3

I will do you a deal......you let me know how you are commanding the high temp filter etc, and I will write you a tear down guide.

I would appreciate any help on the PC control front as I have done nothing with that yet.
With regard to the batteries. Yes I have rebuilt some.

The battery case is most easily opened with a tack hammer that has masking tape on its face. Strike the case around the seam and move up and down the seam until the bond between the two halves fails. Repeat on all sides. The corners often fail to separate and crack but its only minor cosmetics so nothing to worry about.

The battery contains 11 'A' size NiMh cells. I replaced them with 2700mAh types. There is a self resetting thermal safety fuse in series with the cells and a 10K Ohm NTC thermistor, for temperature monitoring. The thermistor is connected between the center contact and negative contact. Both devices may be re-used in the new battery pack. 

The battery shell may be glued together along its seal with a suitable adhesive. I then run a piece of black insulation tape over the seam to tidy up the appearance.

[Chanc3]

Sounds like a deal! I'll PM you the details.

Been having a play with the camera and it looks like the internal battery is OK, as it's keeping the time etc, just won't remember the commands. Unfortunately that's the end of my expertise after connecting to the camera, I don't know how to access the internal file structure - something I'm keen to have a look at!

[Fraser]

IIRC the remote commands do not 'stick'. Some time ago I recall someone stating that they changd between PAL and NTSC via the menu but my menu offers only NTSC. I will have to look into this further.

More interesting trivia for you. The PM5xx cameras used a BT858 chip for video generation. That chip went obsolete. FLIR use an FPGA for the task in the 695. The visible light camera in the 'carbuncle' at the front of the 695 is a standard PAL or NTSC type depending upon the region it is sold to. The camera is a standard PCB type and is either colour or monochrome depending upon the option selected at purchase. The composite output of the camera board is fed into a single chip NTSC/PAL video A to D converter and this feeds the main CPU board. I bought some new NTSC SONY high performance PCB cameras to fit into my 695's. It is possible to fit a modern colour PCB camera into the older (smaller) monochrome camera 'carbuncle' housing. An easy upgrade from monochrome to colour.  Two of mine are colour and one is monochrome. I suspect all would benefit from a better camera module.  It would also be possible to install an external camera signal input socket on the 'carbuncle' to allow an external camera to be used, say on the shoe mount above the lens.

[Chanc3]

I want to have a go playing around with the firmware to see if I can make commands stick, else I'll just include it in the program. It is possible to use said program to change the video mode by video:pal/ntsc - although the viewfinder is NTSC so it cuts out and crashes the camera.

[Fraser]

I have completed my rough and ready PM695 camera disassembly guide for you. This details how to gain access to the CPU PCB and the power button assembly that sits behind it.

I attach it for your information. Pictures will be delivered to your email address as discussed. Likely some time over the weekend. Disassembly is not as bad as it might seem when reading about it 

If replacing the power button, you will need a new button (I will supply details) and you will need to clean the power button contact matrix with IPA to remove the residue left by the degraded conductive carbon pad of the old button.

[Fraser]

The SKY remote replacement button pad that I used as a button donor is available here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-BUTTONS-FOR-A-SKY-PLUS-REMOTE-CONTROL-REV-8-REV-9-Free-Post-/201007742738?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_Video_RemoteControls&hash=item2eccfebf12

I used the '0' button as it is easily cut out of the mat and the skirt shaped to fit the cameras power button recess. I also used the '1' button on another camera and it also worked well but there was less spare material to form the skirt.

[Chanc3]

Thanks for the link, the boss and I have now penned in a date for taking it apart. I've got your instructions but not the images, did you send them?

[Fraser]

Hiya, not yet. I will send them tomorrow.

 

[PA0PBZ]

Hiya, not yet. I will send them tomorrow.

Any reason not to put them up here? I appreciate if you have your reasons but I´d like to see them too.

[Fraser]

I will see what I can do. My concern is in splashing ITAR regulated technology images over the internet and any ID that links them to me.

[mhosier]

I am new to this forum, but have had a PM675 for 6 years and love it!  I have rebuilt the batteries and made up an external battery pack (the Lemo connector for the power socket is part number FHG.2B.310.CLAD82 if anyone needs it).

I do have some problems with the digital camera module though.  It doesn't seem to work any more (the external monitor is a bit flakey too) and I think it could be either a dodgy connection or that the video camera module has failed.  I'd really like to repair it, but Flir charge a fortune for servicing. 

I saw that Aurora had some experience of replacing the camera module (a colour one would be awesome!) and I wonder if he or anyone else might be able to make any suggestions as to what camera modules fit/work in that installation, and maybe if there are any points that I should look out for?  Quite unusually, I am a little nervous working on this unit, as I depend on it for work and Flir haven't been all that supportive in the past!  Any advice, pictures or suggestions would really help!

Thanks guys!

[Fraser]

The 675 does not have a visible camera module so I presume you mean the PM695 ?

1. The camera module is a standard commercial product and nothing special. You need to buy the larger format PCB board camera and ensure it is the correct video standard. NTSC or PAL (same as thermal camera output standard, and written on the underside of the EVF). If you buy the slightly smaller PCB cameras you will need an adapter plate that is also easily available via e*ay. I bought decent PCB cameras from e*ay that use a decent resolution CCD as opposed to a cheap CMOS sensor. The original is also CCD based. Do not by the 'top of the line' Sony chipset cameras that have a menu, and joystick controls in the cable feeding them.

2. The camera module feeds its video to the Analogue to Digital converter board in the rear of the camera housing. A fragile ribbon cable connects the A to D board to the CPU board via a slot in the case. The camera PCB may be experimented with without having to dismantle the camera. You just need to undo the two screws that secure the visual cameras front section to the rear and gently pull forward. Test the original camera first to see if it is faulty. If not, check all cables including the ribbon connector to the CPU board inside the thermal camera. Ribbons can pop out of their retainers but this is uncommon on these cameras. If it is not the camera PCB or the cables, you have a problem on the A to D or CPU boards. More in depth diagnostics would be needed. The A to D is a commercial Conexant IC so do not panic if it is dead.

3. The Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) is not a complex design. It is built around a Sony Chipset that includes a Sony LCD panel. The data sheet is available. Common failures are

a) Fractured ribbon cable from EVF module to camera CPU board. Fracture is usually at the flex point near the pivot inside the EVF case. Cable is standard pitch. Buy a long replacement and fit.

b) Backlight transformer suffers dry joints and needs to be resoldered. It is obvious when seen, its an approx 10mm diameter ferrite screened transformer on the second PCB.

c) Backlight tube becomes worn out and does not strike reliably. This can be seen by black discolouration on the tubes fluorescent white surface, near to one input terminal. New backlight tube or replacement LED 'light guide' substitute needed.

The EVF shares parts with some models of JVC  VHS-C camcorder(GR 7xx and 9xx) . Look for the ones that have a colour LCD viewfinder on e*ay. I picked some up for less than $10 each as no one wants them these days. Some come with an LED backlight which can be grafted into the 695 EVF.

Finally, what country are you in ?

Aurora

[mhosier]

WOW!

Thank you SO much for such an awesome list of info and tips.  Based on the info you gave me I shall tackle some diagnostics and hopefully upgrade the camera to a colour one as well as fixing the faults.  I really appreciate your time - thank you!

You are quite right - I forgot to mention one detail:  Although it is a PM675, it has been fitted with a digital camera module removed from a PM695 that was on the same fleet.  This was carried out before I bought the camera, and they had installed 695 firmware to enable the camera.

Presumably the 640x480 camera resolution is a function of the A/D and CPU, so image quality cannot be significantly improve by choice of camera element (other than by having a generally decent CCD)?

Thanks again!

[Fraser]

640x480 is the resolution limitation so any decent CCD camera with 480 or greater TV lines will be fine. 420 or more TV lines will also be fine for the purpose if you cannot find a 480 or higher unit.

I will see if I can find the e*ay advert for the cameras I bought. I used NTSC though so bear this in mind before ordering.

[Fraser]

My 480 TVL CCD pcb cameras were bought from Sure Electronics and can be found here:

http://www.sureelectronics.net/goods.php?id=1386

It claims to be a Sony HAD II CCD, and I have no reason to doubt this, so low light performance will be good. It was on sale at the time for $24 so was good value.

If you order, remember to tell them what video system you need, PAL or NTSC.

NOTE: The camera arrives in a neat little plastic box but, to protect the CCD window, it has a tinted plastic protector fitted. Remove the protector before use.


Sure Electronics are a reliable and honest seller so I have no hesitation in recommending them. They also sell via e*ay and take PayPal.

[mhosier]

That's brilliant, thank you very much!  I feel a purchase coming on... 

[Fraser]

EVF Chipset : Sony CXA1854AR

Datasheet:

http://datasheet.eeworld.com.cn/pdf/SONY/102825_CXA1854AR.pdf

[Fraser]

Visual camera uses a Conexant BT835 ADC video capture IC. Datasheet attached.

[Fraser]

Some low-res images of my camera that may assist you in understanding the dismantling process.

Note that the Colour Camera is an older generation 2 PCB type and newer ones are far more integrated, but they still fit. This is important when upgrading form monochrome to colour camera, as the monochrome camera housing is smaller.

When you remove the camera PCB retaining screws you will likely find that the camera lens mount is held quite tightly in the metal housing. It is not glued but is in a neoprene 'O' ring sealed hole to stop water ingress. Gently press on the lens to push the camera out of the case. When refitting a camera, lubricate the neoprene seal with a vary small amount of soapy water. It makes assembly far easier.

Edit: I forgot to mention the location of the connector for the visible camera on the CPU board. If you look at picture 4021 you will see a small PCB backed connetor on the far left of the picture, adjacent to an approx 1" wide ribbon. This small pcb backed connector is the only connection to the visible camera module. If it pops off it socket you will not have any supply voltage on the camera so it would be an easy check for you without opening the case. 

[mhosier]

Thank you again for so much information Aurora!  Planning on stripping my PM675 down for some tinkering at the weekend, based on your info... 

[Fraser]

You are most welcome.

They are very nice cameras, if a little heavy.

Aurora

[Fraser]

@mhosier,

A question for you,

Do you get a slightly warmer area on the right hand side of your images. On my three PM695 cameras I can see a small warmer spot half way down the right edge of the picture that increases slowly until a non uniformaty correction when it is corrected. I presently suspect the hot CPU pcb, positioned opposite, contaminating the microbolometer module with radiated heat.

Aurora

[mhosier]

I will fire the camera up and try to quantify it, but yes, and I think you are 100% right with the cause.  When the camera first starts up, images are grainy until the NUC takes place, then they rapidly become grainy again until after several NUC's.  I believe this is due to the micro bolometer warming up to achieve temperature stability.  It is certainly a lot worse if the camera is cold (I transport it in the cabin of the car now, rather than the boot!). 

Along with this grainy effect is the slight thermal distortion that you described, although I would have said it was more widespread around the edge of the image than you suggested.  It seems to improve when the camera has reached thermal stability, BUT I still feel it is noticeable when the temperature span is tight (2-4 C), where the settings clearly amplify the effect somewhat.  What is your main application?

I love this camera - the image and build quality are SO good, even in comparison with a lot of the modern models.

[pomonabill221]

Thanks Aurora for the detailed pictures of your camera!
WOW, that thing is BUILT and PACKED with electronics!  No wonder they are pricey!  Of course, firmware and the name adds to the price also...
In picture 4160 (I assume that is the bolometer?), is that a vacuum seal nib I see at the bottom?

[Fraser]

@pomonabill221,

Sorry for the poor resolution that I have had to use. I am a little nervous of releasing ITAR covered technology internal images on the NET !

The item with the vacuum nipple is the fluorescent backlight for the EVF LCD.

If you would like to see pictures of the microbolometer board, I posted some decent resolution images here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/flir-e4-thermal-imaging-camera-review/msg307483/#msg307483

The pictures of the microbolometer are from one of my PM570's but this is similar to the PM695.

The Generation 3 microbolometer in the 695 is traditional in that it is mounted on a thermoelectric (Peltier) element inside a vacuum chamber that is gold plated  The microbolometer and optics are large to provide decent sensitivity. The vacuum nipple is visible in the pictures. I believe teh microbolometer and large diamond turned Germanium optics were a significant cost on the BoM.

In the pictures I have shown only the CPU Board. Its pretty high density for the year it was built but easily worked on with the correct tools. It is a combination of MC68340 CPU and several Altera FPA's.

There is a pretty complex power supply PCB that sits on top of the CPU board and a video processing PCB that is as large as the CPU board and has its own CPU , Video RAM and and three huge 340 pin Altera FPA's !

The E4 is an example of the VLSI that has reduced the component count in modern TIC's. It is interesting that the modern FLIR industrial TIC's are still built in a metal shell with several PCB's and lots of chips ! Industrial and consumer TICs are two separate divisions inside FLIR.

[Chanc3]

Right, looks like the motor in the shutter has gone so you have to hold it upside down and "tap" it to then release it. Essentially it is autocalibrating it, but one you hear the initial click as the shutter goes down, it then won't go back up unless you hold it upside down and tap it.

Any idea how to fix it? have you come across this sort of problem before Aurora?

[Fraser]

The NUC shutter is solenoid driven and not a motor and so very simple in terms of operation and reliability. There should be a return spring on the bell crank to pull the NUC out of the way when the solenoid is de-energised. Take a look at the pictures I referenced earlier of a PM570 microbolometer. You should see all the springs etc. The bell-crank spindle may be stiff for some reason, worth checking the pivot points and also the solenoid armature for ease of movement. Fortunately this is likely to be a simple mechanical issue rather than electronic.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/flir-e4-thermal-imaging-camera-review/msg307483/#msg307483

[Fraser]

Just had a horrible thought ! ........

Is your camera providing a focussed image ? I ask becuase when these cameras are dropped it is possible for the focus lens to be dislodged from its mounting ring and it will then end up either floating around inside teh camera or can cause jamming of the NUC shutter. Also check that the focus lens retaining ring is not moving too far forward causing contact with the NUC shutter.

[Chanc3]

Everything seems to work - including focusing etc, other than when it NUCs. Oh, we cannot seem to change the span/level as it just keeps resetting back to around 20,39.

[Fraser]

Chanc 3,

Forgive the potentially insulting question but are you sure your camera is not set to auto span & center in the menu options ?

[Chanc3]

Haha, no offence taken! I asked the same question when my colleague brought it back into the office. I have checked, and even set it manually using our RS232 connection, but alas it keeps reseting back to those values - so I'm thinking it's something to do with the NUCing

[Chanc3]

Thanks to Aurora for his guide he wrote I have successfully fixed our PM695!

See if you can spot what is missing:





Damn spring had pinged off! Also turned out auto adjust was on, so flicked that to manual and it's all good again!

[Fraser]

The joys of mechanical faults 

If you had sent the camera back to FLIR, they operate a fixed price repair service so that little spring would still have been a very expensive repair. Well done for doing it yourself....you just saved a lot of money  If its not your personal camera, let your Boss know that he owes you a favour 

You were also quite lucky that the spring did not find its way accross anything important on the video processing PCB (at the botton of camera case) or anywhere else where it could have caused mischief.

Fraser

[Ratatosk]

Hello to all of you.
I'm new here and bought a PM 675 for a small price.  The unit is in a bad cosmetical shape and I'm willing to fix the optical aspects as good as I can. The battery charger is cracked and I'm thinking of buying a new one.
Does anyone know if there are second sources for the batteries and the charger. I can't imagine that FLIR sells enough of them to make an OEM product.
Last night I placed aluminum foil unter the push buttons to make them conduct again. I cleaned the inside of the camera during this procedure and hope I can close it again today.
Anyway it would be interesting to make a firmware update to unlock the features of the firmware. Has anyone a clue to do that.

[Fraser]

When you charge over $50,000 for a product you can afford to employ propriatary batteries and chargers. Such is the case with the PM675. There is no other source of the batteries or the charger and both are very expensive spare parts. You can run the camera from an external 12V supply/battery using the 10 pin Lemo socket.  The batteries are a speciality product so no 3rd party became interested in producing copies. Such is the situation with FLIR's latest cameras. \Not enough are sold to justify copying the format. Thankfully the batteries are a simple 'non intelligent' design.

The battery is not a complex shape and I had planned to make some alternatives by sandwiching the required 11 'A' size cells (AA could be used) in a frame made from PCB material and some long spacers (forming a box shape). In the end I managed to buy some PM695 cameras with a full compliment of 8 batteries. The OEM battery packs may be easily re-celled and placed back into service. Some companies also offer such a service but it is definitely DIY possible as I have done it. New batteries from FLIR are around $200 each.

Suggest you repair the charger. It is quite a sophisticated design and worth saving. The use of modelling plasticard and plastic-weld fluid works well in my experience on other products. You really do not want to know the price of a replacement charger form FLIR (>$1000) ! It would be cheaper to build or modify a custom charger solution. I used to lay the batteries on top of a couple of spring contacts that matched the spacing of the charging terminals and used a radio control type charger designed to cope with various cell formats and capacities, I used the Ansmann X-Base Deluxe universal chargers. An easy to produce charging solution that worked well until I got the correct chargers with other camera purchases. I used teh same adpater plate to test the batteries cappacity using a CBA III battery discharge analyzer.

The PM series had the option to be powered from a battery belt. I have two such belts and they are not just a battery pack. They also contain a low voltage detection and cut-off circuit. Nothing too sophisticated though. The battery belt uses the same batteries as found in the camera but a 12V pb battery would work Ok as well. Do not exceed 15V into the external power input !.

With regard to conductive button pad repair, take a look here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/key-pad-repair-KIT-for-Infrared-remote-controllers-Genuine-/221679086778?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item339d1a6cba

I am impressed with this solutions performance and have bough several packs myself.

Good luck with your restoration.

Aurora

[philpem]

With regard to assistance from FLIR. I regret that there is little chance of that. I contacted virtually every service agent in the world trying to get any technical information on the PM series cameras. I met a brick wall in all but one case. And even then the tech was severely constrained by an NDA and ITAR regulations. He was able to confirm that the cameras are very reliable, built like a battleship and well worth maintaining in service  He also pointed me towards a likely cause of a fault on one of my PM570's. The service centres board change only, and then calibrate. I reverse engineered the CPU board on the PM570...... not an easy task and basically it turns out to be little more than a standard MC68340 embedded computer. I used an old Atari ST 520 computer to learn about the MC68000 and read lots of books on repairing embedded computers. I later proved that the fault did not lye on that PCB    I now know quite a lot about the guts of these cameras though 

I'm impressed you managed to get through to anyone at FLIR -- I managed to get a response from their HQ regarding an issue with my ThermaCam E2 (it won't work with the ThermaCam QuickReport software). I was informed it needed a firmware update and asked to contact FLIR UK, contacted FLIR UK... and got absolute radio silence.

In the end I found out the E2 (or at least my E2) uses an older software app which sets up a Dial Up Networking connection (PPP!) and the camera appears as a network drive. Thankfully it also speaks FTP, so pppd and ftp on a Linux box works just as well as the old (Win9x/2k-only IIRC) software!

[Fraser]

I now have friends in the international FLIR hardware support network 

Aurora

[Ratatosk]

Ok, the buttons are in place again an working fine with the aluminium foil. I repair all off them - no interest in further surprises.
Does anybody have the thermacam software for watching the radiometric files on the PC ?
The firmware inside the camera is 4.08 Edit 5. Is this the latest one ?

Greetings

[Fraser]

You need Explorer99 to read the files. It was a free download.

I have Explorer99 plus the comprehensive Researcher and reporter software.The last two are commercial and very expensive !

I believe I downloaded Explorer99 from either Agema or FLIR via the Wayback machine. A copy of the site from around 2004 had the file for download. Have a search and you should find it.

You will not find any legitimate downloads of researcher or reporter though. They have two factor authentication and require on line activation in order to use them.

While I applaud your confidence in the aluminium foil solution, I regret I do not share it. Aluminium oxidises and fails relatively quickly.  Good luck though.

Aurora

[Fraser]

In case anyone wonders.... the PM series were designed to take a PCMCIA hard disk or flash card. They will work fine with a PCMCIA to CF card converter provided you use a 512Mb or smaller CF card. The CF cards can be read more easily using a USB/CF bridge than a PCMCIA reader which is relatively rare these days.

Aurora

[Fraser]

Thermacam Explorer99 should still be available for free download here:

http://flir.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/366/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDIzMzUzMDc5L3NpZC9rSlQtQnJlbQ%3D%3D/~/thermacam-explorer-and-windows-vista

You will need to register with FLIR to gain access though.

http://flir.custhelp.com/app/utils/login_form/redirect/account%252Ffl_download_software

It is too big a file to post the file on EEVBlog (approx 4MB)

Aurora

[Fraser]

@Ratatosk,

You mentioned issues with the optics on your camera.

Please do not be tempted to use harsh cleaning agents or polish on the lenses. Such will make a bad situation much worse. Ask if you need any advice on cleaning AR coated Germanium lenses.....its easy to ruin them ! Removing the hardened AR coating reduces the lens elements transmission capability from >86% to <40% 

Please also advise me of your location in the world.

Regards

Fraser

[Ratatosk]

@Aurora
I'm located in germany.
Yesterday I installed the free tool "FLIRQuickReport". It is able to read the files and make also some measurements inside them.
I tried Explorer99 today but it is for 32bit OS only and I'm using Win7 (64 Bit).

[Fraser]

@ratatosk,

Your camera appears to be working well  these cameras were designed to take a beating and still work. Any chance of a picture of your camera to see its condition ?

I was advised by a FLIR service agent that these late PM series cameras were the best that FLIR ever produced in terms of stability and build quality. At calibration they rarely need any adjustment and are rock solid within specs. Much like fine German car engineering  I have used later P series Industrial models and have to admit that I did not like them...... They felt like a cheaper build quality and seemed to suffer from dead microbolometer pixel issues. Later models apparently also need more attention at calibration time to meet spec. The PM series is still much respected in Industry. Newer is not always better, or even as good. You have done well to find a PM595. Be aware that it is liable to ITAR if you ever sell it. It has a military grade microbolometer fitted.

I was not sure that Quick report would manage to extract the metadata from the img files. Great to hear that it does 

Aurora

[Ratatosk]

Hi Aurora,
thank you for your help.
The US ITAR regulations are not relevant for us in germany. Furthermore this is a european camera made in Sweden. But anyway I won’t sell this to suspect people in suspect countries.
By the way: The competitors here are reaching HD quality (1.024 x 768) in the commercial cameras now.
http://de.infratec.eu/thermografie/waermebildkameras/variocamr-high-definition.html

The cosmetic condition is quite poor as you can see in the pictures. I think about rebuilding the inscription on the buttons with white stickers (R, C, A, RETURN). White paint wouldn’t be possible with my nervous hands…
Next step will be the hand strap. Seems as if King Kong used this thing...

[Ratatosk]

...more pics...

[Fraser]

I've seen worse 

Just to clarify on ITAR.....Germany signed up to the Wassennar Arrangement. As such ITAR applies and is a serious matter if you find yourself on the wrong side of it. The microbolometer is what ITAR covers in your camera. It is a USA made Raytheon part, ITAR applies    The PM series cameras operate at 320x240 60fps so are still a heavily controlled product, unlike the 9fps cameras like the FLIR E4.

I only make this clarification because it is possible to get into trouble if selling one of these cameras across boarders without an ITAR compliant Export licence. I wouldn't wish that upon you if you decide to sell the camera at some point in time. I suggest that you do NOT contact FLIR regarding your camera....they WILL ask awkward questions about how it came into your possession and will want to capture your personal details for ITAR registration. To the letter of the law the previous owner of your camera should not have sold it or passed it to anyone else without informing FLIR so that the new owner could be vetted. All a bit cloak and dagger I know but I am not here to comment on the rights and wrongs of ITAR and the Wassennar arrangement 

Enjoy your camera, its not an issue to own and use it in Germany

I have seen the newer high resolution cameras. The BBC use a SELEX Merlin high resolution thermal camera for their Springwatch and Autumnwatch wildlife series. Sadly it will be a long time before they appear on the secondary market at a price I could afford. Once again ITAR raises its ugly head on these units as well. I have done business with SELEX .... they would not sell such a camera to a member of the public unless all manner of checks were completed first.

http://wildlifegadgetman.com/filming-wildlife-hands-on-with-the-merlin-thermal-imaging-system/

Aurora

[Fraser]

If you need any more information on the PM series, I will try to assist.

Some things that come to mind are:

1. The user manual is available for free on line from FLIR
2. The Viewfinder can go intermittent but is repairable. It also suffers from dust ingress but can be dismantled to clean it.
3. The camera benefits greatly from an external LCD monitor of 5" or greater and decent resolution.
4. RS232 control of the camera is possible. The command set is the same as the SC3000.
5. The camera has a second (internal) engineering RS232 port 
6. A wired remote control is available for the PM series. I have some but they are quite rare.
7. The RTC clock battery is available from Farnell and is a 'powercap' type.
8. Auxiliary lenses sometimes come up on e*ay USA. I recommend the 0.45x and 2x. Expect to spend around Euro250 on each though.

Aurora

[Ratatosk]

Hm.
Dual-Use products are always questionable. I think it is even tricky to sell them within NATO countries. You never know...
Even the FLIR Identifinder (AKA "ICx", FLIR R400) is now a dual-use item, as I learned.
It wasn't when ICX RADIATION started with this product in Solingen (Germany).
Anyway the SELEX Merlin high resolution camera is a nice thing. It has the same 2048x1536 resolution with Microscan as the german product (and no ITAR controlled parts !!!). I wonder how far the development will go with the microbolometer.

Concerning the possible extensions of the Thermacam 675 I think about pimping the firmware and using LEMO plugs for some extension. Do you have the correct article numbers, pinning and so on ?
Especially the external LCD monitor is a nice gadget.

Have a nice evening!

[Fraser]

@Ratatosk,

The pinout of all the Lemo connectors is thankfully provided in the user manual but I do not think they provide the Lemo plug model numbers. I have them all so will take a look at the ID on them later. As you likely know, LEMO plugs are nice quality but also pretty expensive.

From memory the connectors used on the 675 are as follows (I will confirm later)

1. 10 Pin Lemo Plug FGG 2B 310 providing : 12V input, RS232 I/O, S-Video and optional 14bit Digital I/O.
2. 5 Pin Lemo FGG 0B 305 providing : Microphone input, earphone output.
3. 7 Pin Lemo FGG 0B 307 providing : Composite video out, 12V output to power LCD monitor

I would be very interested to know more about the firmware. AFAIK it is not Windows based but I do not know exactly what it is running either. As stated, there are two RS232 ports on the camera. One goes to the Lemo 10 pin connector and the other terminates on a ribbon connector mounted on the main LiCo PCB. One feature that I would like to 'unlock' is the high temperature filter that is fitted as standard to all PM series cameras. It is just not enabled in software. From memory the configuration could be changed using the PCMCIA card with appropriate file present, but I know nothing of that procedure.

IIRC The firmware resides on a large Intel E28F016 FLASH chip that I have not tried to read.
The RS232 is presented at the cameras ports after having passed through a LT1381 level converter.

Best Wishes

Fraser

[Ratatosk]

Ok, I will check some of them.

Thank you !

[Fraser]

I have just added a FLIR PM575 to my camera collection so can now offer comment on the following specific models of FLIR branded camera.

1. FLIR E4
2. FLIR PM570
3. FLIR PM575
4. FLIR PM695
5. FLIR SC500 (aka IR747)
6. FLIR SC3000 (Stirling cooled)

Note: The PM695 is a PM675 with a visible light camera bolted on. Internal PCB's are the same.

PM570 : Generation 1 microbolometer
PM575/595 : Generation 2 microbolometer
PM675/695 : Generation 3 microbolometer

Newer generations of microbolometer, combined with newer image processing algorithms, provide lower noise content in the images. The PM570 still offers excellent performance however and should not be considered 'inferior'. 

Aurora

[vcdenis]

Hi,

I am Vincent. I recently get a PM695 that was pretend to be dead. As a matter of fact, the battery was dead and the camera is perfectly fine! 

But after use, I noticed that the NiMh battery came only last an hour which is short time. I look up for batteries on Internet but 150$ for a battery is very expensive  . I paid 20$ to repairing mine.

I tried something else. I did buy the connector for the output plug and I hooked up a LiPo battery on it. I worked fine but I used a 3s battery with a voltage of 12,6V max with a nominal voltage of 11,1V. As you may noticed the camera switch itself off when it is powered under 12V to 13V. I was able to get 45min of power out of a 3300mAh that I cannot fully discharged.

So my plan is to rebuild a new baterry cas with a 3D printer and then put inside a 4S 14,8V LiPo 4500mAh battery in order to extend my time of use. With 2 or 3 battery of that type, I think that I should be able to last one full day of experimentation.

After some use, I think that this camera is pretty good and It is worth to put some time in it to get the maximum of it.

I hope that the info that I put in my message will help other guys and feel free to comment. I am intresting in any suggestions.

Best regards,

Vincent

[Chanc3]

Great to hear that the camera wasn't dead!

That sounds very promising - although you should be looking to get about 2 hours of use out of it.

If it helps, I have about 20 original unused, but low charge batteries. I have also been looking into the possibility of swapping out the cells inside, to use a LiPo or something similar to increase the charge.

I've actually managed to get my PM695 working wirelessly using a lemo connector, which I wired up to RS232. I've got a list of commands I can then send to the camera to operate the focus, palette, remove the silly FLIR logo, take an image etc. Lots can be done with them!

[vcdenis]

Yes, it would be great if one battery could old around 2 hours. I went on my favorite modelsim web site : hobbyking

I toul this : http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__65275__Multistar_High_Capacity_4S_4000mAh_Multi_Rotor_Lipo_Pack_EU_Warehouse_.html

It's a 4000mAh, 2x the capacity of the regular battery  . It's a 4S so it provide a power between 12,4 to 16,8V, so I should be able to get the maximum of it and keep the voltage sufficient for the camera.

I start modelling the battery case for 3D printing and I think that I will be able to fit a LiPo charger inside the case. Obviously, I will no longer need the big size 4 socket Flir charger. Using this little guy : http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__33407__Hobbyking_174_DC_4S_Balance_Charger_Cell_Checker_30w_2s_4s_EU_Warehouse_.html, I would only need a 9 to 16V supply.

I think that I can get my double capacity battery for 50$ : 1/3 of a Flir battery on Ebay.  O0

If your are intresting, I could post some pictures of my work.

Your work with the RS232 sounf very cool  I was thinking to do something like that but I was not able to find the list of commands. Could you send it to me by MP?

At the end, I hope to get a fully wireless system that I can command from a computer with some cool functions like video recording, motorized mouting head, etc... I do not lack of ideas for this little camera!

[Fraser]

@VCdennis,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on battery replacements. I do have a word of caution however. The internal battery connections are designed for a battery of p.d of 13.2V nominal from a 2Ah Ni-MH pack. I regret that I cannot provide a maximum battery voltage for you but please be aware that the power supply for the camera has two separate paths, one for battery and a separate one for external power. Whilst the external voltage range is quite generous and tolerant, I cannot guarantee the same for the internal battery regulator section. It is a well known test by FLIR engineers that if the camera will not work on battery, then try external power as the regulator path is different. Also, as I feel sure you are aware, the internal battery 'remaining charge' monitoring is calibrated for Ni-NH which has a very different discharge curve to Lithium Ion technologies.

I believe some care is needed when feeding alternative power in to the battery terminals. If you kill the main regulator PCB it is a challenging repair.

The safest way to power the camera for long durations is the battery belt feeding a suitable voltage into the external power port. I have two of the original AGEMA/FLIR battery belts. They are quite complex in that they have their own battery 'remaining charge' monitoring and cut-out. The external input carries decent protection and is designed to take a range of voltage without 'complaint'.

Take care

Fraser

[Fraser]

Still on the topic of batteries......

I have just bought a Genuine SKYRC B6AC+ universal charger to cycle my many FLIR batteries. I am hopeful that some of the lazy batteries can be brought up to a useful capacity.

I bought my B6AC+ directly from an Austrian official distributor as there are a great many clone units being sold as 'Genuine'. The quality of the clones is variable to say the least !

The B6AC+ can connect to a PC and both the charge and discharge curves may be plotted. I already own a CBA III battery analyzer but having the graphing facility in the B6AC+ is a bonus. The charge and discharge curves can tell you a lot about the condition of the battery cells.

The cost of the B6AC+ is more than justified as it will get a lot of use in my lab. I want a reliable charger and discharger that can automatically run a charge/discharge cycle several times. The B6AC+ can run a charge/discharge program of up to 5 cycles. Perfect for my needs    It even has a wireless connectivity option and a smartphone app !

I will be making a custom battery holder that the FLIR batteries will just rest in, using their weight to press on spring loaded 'pogo-stick' battery contacts.

If anyone else is interested in a genuine SKYRC B6AC+ you can buy it from Robitronic in Austria.

http://shop.robitronic.com/en/Brands/Sky-RC-robitronic/SkyRC-Charger-B6AC-V2-1-6s-6A-50W.html

The SKYRC web page is here:

http://www.skyrc.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=20&product_id=201

Aurora

[vcdenis]

Thank Aurora for pointing out the issue about the power voltage of the battery that might be different of the external feed. I think that I will open it again - I had to change the power botton - in order to check the power circuit on the battery side. I could also add a regulator circuit inside the battery in order to get something like a nice 13V.

I will measure the voltage of a fully charge Flir battery then I will think again about my design.

For the discharge monitoring, I will add a dedicated circuit inside the battery that monitor the lipo elements preventing a voltage under 3.1V per element.

I will do the checkings recommanded by Aurora and up date my design. I have a week before receiving the electronic for the battery so I will put it in good use by checking my design.

I also have one of this nice battery charger. They are probably better than the old Flir battery charger.

[Chanc3]

I would definitely be interested in seeing how you progress with your 3D casings!

As for the camera codes, I only have a hardcopy (and cannot find anything else online), so I'll scan it in when I'm next in the office. I doubt it'll be any trouble if I share it with a few others
 

[Fraser]

All camera commands are listed in the FLIR SC3000 user manual that may be downloaded from FLIR after registration. IIRC, they are also in the Agema Toolkit IC2 DIG16 developers guide, found in the AGEMA legacy technical documents area.

 http://flir.custhelp.com/app/account/fl_downloads/session/L3RpbWUvMTQzMTE2MjI2Ny9zaWQvUHlURGVVbG0%3D

FLIR has an excellent legacy document and software repository. Well worth a good look.

Aurora

[Fraser]

Hint:

To open FLIR PM series battery shells, just take a small tack hammer and use it to tap the seam where the two haves meet. Do this all along the seam and it will split. It takes practice to know hard to hot the seam but it works well 

Aurora

[andyf]

Aurora-I am impressed by your knowledge of the PM series of cameras. I have a 695 that was not used for a while and I think the internal battery has now failed. Although the camera is now working I had to reset date, time etc but crucially have now lost all of the colour palettes.
Do you agree that this is an internal battery fault and that it can be repaired?
Thanks

[Fraser]

The colour palettes are not held in the Dallas RTC memory. That is an unusual issue that I have not come across before.

The Dallas RTC used in the PM695 holds time and date information, hence the need to re set those if it's battery fails. The good news on that front is that the RTC Module used is the POWERCAP version. You can buy new POWERCAP battery modules quite cheaply. I bought mine from Farnell. You kust I clip the cap and snap on the new one. It is also possible to take the small PCB out of the POWERCAP and solder a new tag type lithium button cell onto it. Very user friendly compared to the older potted RTC modules.

Can't help on the loss of palettes at the moment though. Weird fault though as loss of palettes due to firmware data corruption would normally mean loss of camera functionality. The firmware in the PM695 is held on an Intel flash chip that I have yet to directly access so I cannot comment on how to interrogate the firmware.

I love these cametas so consider them always worth repairing, but sadly they are extremely expensive to get repaired by FLIR. They are professional quality unit's after all. As I was told by the FLIR tech...... Mercedes quality means Mercedes spare parts and servicing prices.

Best Wishes

Fraser

[andyf]

Thanks for your input Fraser.
Would you consider having a look at it for me (for a fee of course), replace the battery and see if anything can be done re firmware?
Thanks

[Fraser]

My iPad doesn't show me your country. Please advise where you are located.

The PM695 is liable to strict ITAR controls as it is 60fps military grade thermal imaging hardware. Sadly shipping it between countries is a nightmare.

If you are in the UK I would be willing to fit a new POWERCAP to your camera and investigate the loss of palettes. I am non commercial but do the odd repair for a small fee to cover my time. I am retired but have a comprehensively equipped modern electronics repair lab. I also reverse engineered the PM series camera PCBs so have schematics to use in their repair. PM me to discuss further.

Fraser

[Chanc3]

That's very generous of you Fraser (FYI Andy is in the UK).

I still haven't revisited the faulty solenoid issue, although I will be taking a look at it when things have quietened down at the new office.

I managed to get hold of a load of old PM6xx/5xx series batteries - about 20 of them, so if anyone wants to experiment with them, let me know and I'll happily send you some for the cost of postage.

[Fraser]

Hi Chanc3

Yes my life is starting to return to normal so I hope to be able to carry out the odd repair now and then. 2015 was a very bad year for me health wise, but hopefully 2016 will be better.

If you get stuck on the PM cameras solenoid, I will be happy to provide any help that I can. I always have at least one pM series camera dismantled if you need any pictures.

I have been considering doing more thermal camera repair work as it is a niche market. The trouble is the lack of schematics and OEM co-operation. I may still do some small scale repair service though.

With regard to PM series batteries. I have been surprised at their failure rate. They seem to have a very hard life, as second hand ones seem to have virtually no capacity left in them. I have to wonder if FLIR's fast charger is to blame. I have considered building batteries by sandwiching the cell pack between PCB panels as I do not have enough complete batteries.

If you are willing to share some of your batteries, that would be much appreciated.

Best Wishes for 2016

Fraser

[Chanc3]

Can certainly spare a few! Just need to check it's all good to send and what the PO requirements are for sending batteries in the post (something like 2 or 3 to a box). How many would you like?

[Chanc3]

So I cracked out my PM 675 today to discover that the display is utterly dead. 10 minutes later and I had identified the likely cause, however I have no idea what it is, what I should be searching for and if it can even be replaced.





Can anyone help me identify what it is? I'm hoping Fraser can help!

Once I've checked this, I can go on replacing the RTC etc to fully convert this US camera to UK

[Fraser]

Hi Chanc3,

That is a common point of failure but sadly yours is in a worse state than many. The damaged item is the high tension transformer that provides the high voltage step-up to drive the flat panel fluorescent tube that sits behind the LCD. From memory it is an NEC blacklight board but I doubt you can still buy it as a spare part. It's ID is BLO1301. I may be able to repair such units however.

The transformer may be recoverable if you can find the ecw ends to attach to. Its challenging work but can be done.

Fraser

[Fraser]

Correction....

The back light module is a Sanyo part. I confused its OEM with that of the PM570 EVF unit (NEC)

Sanyo details from the 2001 catalogue attached

Fraser

[Fraser]

Chanc3,

With regard to changing TV standards from NTSC to PAL.

In this modern age of multi standard monitors I have not bothered to change mine.

Please be aware that the FLIR PM series camera EVF is mono standard and is either NTSC or PAL. An NTSC EVF will not work correctly with a PAL signal feed. The best that you can expect is a monochrome image. The EVF chipset is standard SONY one and can be changed to another TV standard. You will need to read the data sheets to see what needs to be changed.

Fraser

[Chanc3]

Thanks for your replies Fraser - is it possible to just replace the component? I don't really know what I should be searching for!

[Fraser]

The step up transformer is not available as a spare part as it is custom to the Sharp back light inverter board.

The only way I found to source this back light assembly is by buying JVC camcorders dating back to the late 1990's that had a colour viewfinder. JVC used the same or similar back light modules in those cameras. Later camcorders used LED backlights and they do not fit.

The PM570 uses an NEC Camcorder EVF that is just transplanted into the metal EVF case of the AGEMA camera. Later PM series cameras use a custom EVF module designed by FLIR. The PM 575, 675 and 695 all use the same FLIR designed module that contains a COTS Sony chipset/LCD combination and the Sanyo back light module.

Fraser

[Chanc3]

The step up transformer is not available as a spare part as it is custom to the Sharp back light inverter board.

The only way I found to source this back light assembly is by buying JVC camcorders dating back to the late 1990's that had a colour viewfinder. JVC used the same or similar back light modules in those cameras. Later camcorders used LED backlights and they do not fit.

The PM570 uses an NEC Camcorder EVF that is just transplanted into the metal EVF case of the AGEMA camera. Later PM series cameras use a custom EVF module designed by FLIR. The PM 575, 675 and 695 all use the same FLIR designed module that contains a COTS Sony chipset/LCD combination and the Sanyo back light module.

Fraser

That's a pain. Is there any particular model camcorder that has the compatible backlight assembly? Quite a few on eBay!

[frenky]

You could reverse engineer the circuit on that pcb to find out where 5V comes in and where much higher voltage goes out.
Then attach voltage source to that contacts and increase the voltage until you see backlight... But required voltage might be to high...

Or disassemble lcd and try to replace current back-light with leds. LCD might not be evenly lighted but it should work.

[Chanc3]

You could reverse engineer the circuit on that pcb to find out where 5V comes in and where much higher voltage goes out.
Then attach voltage source to that contacts and increase the voltage until you see backlight...
Or disassemble lcd and try to replace current back-light with leds. LCD might not be evenly lighted but it should work.

That's a lovely idea, but I have only very, very basic knowledge of electronics, so I would have great difficulty doing that!

[Fraser]

With regard to finding the model and revision of camcorder that contains the correct back light module, it is not at all easy.

JVC used several different versions of colour EVF but they all look the same from the outside ! I had to buy many old camcorders before getting the EVF version that I needed. The pictures attached show a few 'Fails' that do not contain the correct back light module. I can use them as a complete unit in the PM570 though.

Reverse engineering the back light PCB is easy as it has very few components on it. Rebuilding the transformer is more effort than it is worth. Transplanting another transformer or whole back light module is a better option. Finding the exact Sanyo back light module could take some time, effort and money as you will have to buy several JVC camcorders with no guarantee which EVF revision is used. Been there, done that !

Fraser

[Fraser]

Chanc3,

I have just gone through my stock of JVC EVF units. Sadly I have none with the correct back light board for you unit. I remember using the one I did find to repair another PM695 some time ago. I am resigned to modifying any back light boards that I need to repair in PM 575 and later cameras. It would be quite a time consuming task. The commercial cost of such work would likely lead to the camera being written off. I think even I would have to charge around £250 for such a repair.

Sorry I do not have better news.

Fraser

[Chanc3]

Hi Fraser

No problem - don't worry about it! I'll keep my eye out for any used/broken cameras that may pop up in the future. I'll drop my contact at FLIR a quick message and see if he has any luck.

Thanks for your help thus far!

[tokotak]

.........commanding the high temp filter etc, ..........

Have you finally managed to command HighTemp option? If the new range became available? Permanently?

IIRC the calibration file must be present when upgrading to HightTemp option. Wasn't it the roadblock?

By the way while putting on some lenses the manual say the calibration file necessary only for PM6xx series and not for PM5xx. Why are such limitations for a newer model?
 

[Fraser]

@tokotak,

No sadly I have yet to find a way to activate the high temp range so that it is selectable via the menu. The high temp range adds a aperture limiter in the optical path of the lens block. This acts like the closing of an IRIS. The microbolometer does not need any new calibration (unlike when its bias voltages are used to set a range) but a system offset calibration table is needed to take account of the aperture limiter.

To be honest I never pursued the high temperature mode as I have not needed it to date and I have other thermal cameras capable of such temperature measurements.

No idea on the lens calibration question. The PM series cameras auto detect which auxiliary lens is fitted by reading small magnets in the lens rear using three HAL effect sensors in the cameras mount. The correction tables are already present in the cameras firmware and no further calibration is normally required.

Fraser