Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown

[mborotnguy]

Thank you all for putting this info together.  I got my E4 today and applied the resolution hack and the menu hack within an hour.  It is FREAKING awesome.  The instructions were easy to follow and concise. 

Flir E4
Calibration Date: Dec 13, 2013

 

[emptech]

Mike:

Fyi, on the e40, using the windoze ftp client, via the wi-fi connection, not hardwire, the uid of flir and pw of 3vlig works ok.
The www interface for the service menu uses the same uid and passwd as ftp.  Some of the service menues want a password,
3vlig doesn't work on them.  Also, nothing in my service menu about resolution, but lots of other adjustments.

Jim

Correction : FTP login flir / 3vlig does work, but not on all FTP clients - Windows command line FTP works, FTPsurfer doesn't

BTW flir/IRCAM doesn't work on web interface

[hgg]

caudex thanks for the info.

Does anybody have handy the dimensions of that "industrial" lcd display...  ?   
I am ordering a screen protector as well.

[twjtwj]

I ordered mine last week from TEquipment.Net and it was scheduled to ship today. However, they just updated the ship date to Feb. 19 now.

Ugh..

[hgg]

Same here !   
Before I placed the order with tequipment I specifically asked for a shipping time and they told me
"Lead time 1 week"...

valuetesters.com already knew that and they told me from the beginning that they are on a 4-5 week
backorder.

[twjtwj]

This isn't the only time I've had this false ship date from TEquipment.net. Perhaps they use this just to hold onto your order? I'm starting to lose my faith with them.  I'm cancelling and going elsewhere, even if it's back-ordered other places too. At least they are honest about it.

[hgg]

Exactly!

They have also made it extremely difficult for me to make the credit card payment
and they have already reserved the amount from my account before shipping...
(final charge upon shipping).  Finally while they advertise free shipping on orders
over $99, they charged me $15 ground shipping and they are not telling me why...

I am very close to cancelling my order!

[QuadESL63]

Maybe it helps if you know that in the Netherlands we pay 1200 Euros for the E4.... (about US$ 1630).
And no soft-case or any other extras are included!

Jac

[daves]

Maybe it helps if you know that in the Netherlands we pay 1200 Euros for the E4.... (about US$ 1630).
And no soft-case or any other extras are included!

In all Europe - I think price is not going under 1300$ without any extras.

[ixfd64]

Maybe it helps if you know that in the Netherlands we pay 1200 Euros for the E4.... (about US$ 1630).
And no soft-case or any other extras are included!

In all Europe - I think price is not going under 1300$ without any extras.

Not if you have someone in the U.S. order it for you.

[hgg]

Can anybody report the actual dimensions of the E4 screen?
Thanks.

It has a 3" diagonal and from the internet photos I measure a 4:3 screen ratio,
which means that its dimensions are most probably 2.4" x 1.8" inches.

If someone can confirm it, that would be great.

[daves]

Can anybody report the actual dimensions of the E4 screen?

6x7cm would be fine to cut exact shape.

[Yohann]

Hello everyone, Ive been reading since the first post happened and have been following as a guest on and off for a few months to catch up on what is the best
thread I have ever followed in my life.

I bought an E5 back when they came out and shortly after stumbled upon Mikes review. Well like most of you, got fiddling with my new instrument and since then cannot put it down.

I have a few questions about the hacks

I have used other FLIRs to inspect asphalt paving at work and created reports with them no problem.
I guess this is where my main question is: Since I first did the E8.cfg hack, the images I import have a misalignment with the 2 bit layers of the image. As in when I try to see what a temperature is on the image of say a hot pipe, the report software says that the hot spot is lower (about 40 pixels lower).
Now this happens in FlirReport, FlirTools, you name it.

Heres a Picture of a water heaters hot pipes so you can try to see if its my computer or if its the camera. See if everything matches up.
The camera works fine = hotspots match up with hot stuff and cold with cold etc... just that it doesnt work when I want to make a report on my computer. I can fiddle around and eventually find it but its not there where it should be.

I still would like to thank Mikeselectricstuff and Taucher for making me really really enjoying my purchase. 120x90 wasnt too bad for 1595$CAN but I always wanted to buy another camera later... not needed anymore. (oops sory FLIR)

Sorry for the long post but also had another question about the Flirlogo. If there was a way to have it like a faint faint watermark on there of another logo of my choice?



Sincerely, Yohann

[Scutarius]

I have used other FLIRs to inspect asphalt paving at work and created reports with them no problem.

Could you share one (or part) of those reports? I am curious how you make these reports in different countries, a friend of mine would find this data very usefu.
thank you

[Yohann]

I have used other FLIRs to inspect asphalt paving at work and created reports with them no problem.

Could you share one (or part) of those reports? I am curious how you make these reports in different countries, a friend of mine would find this data very usefu.
thank you

Id have to make a fake report from scratch because we have client privacy issues in Québec Construction (see: commission Charbonneau) and Id probably get shot for it lol
If I can find a Digital copy of the form ill send one to you.

I had also another question with My setup.
Why are the image numbers keep going up and up and up? I had this problem with an old Kodak DC50

Thanks, Yohann

[Fraser]

@yohann,

I just used your image to make a report using FLIR Tools and all appeared to behave normally. I could place the temperature measurement cross hairs on a target area and the correct temperature was displayed. I was able to make it into a report and the measurements remained correct. It would be worth trying another computer to make some reports and see whether you still get the same problem. I am using an E4 enhanced to the E8 configuration and a Sony Vaio netbook running the Tools software.

A Tools report using your image is attached. EDIT:  I have removed this file as Yohann no longer needs it and it contains his cameras full serial number which he may wish to protect.

[stefbeer]

Hey Yohann!

I can confirm what Aurora just reported, nothing seems wrong here also.
The measuring area places the hot spot on the "bright white spot" of that area and if I place a measuring spot to match up with the tip of the hot spot arrow, they both show the exact same temperature. Attached is a screenshot to make it more clear.

Is this what you meant?

EDIT: Removed the last three digits of the camera serial number.

[Yohann]

Great but not so great news! Yes thats what im talking about, the actual analyzing part. being off.
Thanks @Aurora @stefbeer

I just remembered I cant even check with FlirQuickreport, all the Analyze Tools are greyed out. hmmm what is going on here.
At least its not the camera... hmmm I Wonder If I loaded pics taken with the work FLIR.... and yeppers same thing.
I did reinstall the Flir programs before I installed Beta3, I dont know of any other software thats free to try and analyse my pics.

Should I reinstall again as I recall the alignment being off in a different location (consistantly) before I hacked the menu.

Also I would like to know when I add zoom by changing the e8.cfg file, do I have to do the command prompt thingy with the file and send it in with Filezilla?

Many, many thanks

[Yohann]

Thanks again for the help, ive read somewhere you have to add to the xml file for the menu 2x 4x 6x 8x. Do I have to do that as well?

Reinstalled everything, no dice... hmm Wonder why flirquickreport is still greying out the analyse part (I get rotate pic though)


Yohann

[Fraser]

@Yohann,

Did you uninstall the camera drivers from the computer ? This is more likely to be driver related as different software's produce the same issue. Attempt complete removal of the FLIR driver and download a fresh copy from FLIR's website to install.

The worst case scenario is an incompatibility in your computers software build that causes issues with the FLIR driver.

Good luck

[Fraser]

@Yohann,

I have removed the report that I produced using your image as it contained your full serial number. I was not sure whether you would be concerned about its presence here. Please note that your E5( 8 ) image metadata contains your cameras full serial number. I am not too fussed about serial number release, but I know some people are worried about warranty complications.

[tequipment]

 Guys.. anyone who has this on back order with us.. its going to ship next week...

Flir missed a few order dates then I got a shipment moved up.  Thanks for the business!
Evan
TEquipment.NET

BTW  free shipping is on web pricing.. we charge a small fee when we quote... the net cost is better

[jlr134]

Guys.. anyone who has this on back order with us.. its going to ship next week...

Flir missed a few order dates then I got a shipment moved up.  Thanks for the business!
Evan
TEquipment.NET

BTW  free shipping is on web pricing.. we charge a small fee when we quote... the net cost is better

So let me ask whats on everyones mind...what the story with the firmware ?

[Bovvy]

@Emptech

I haven't got my camera yet, I still following this thread and I am waiting to see the outcome of the E 40 update. I have just found this link from Flir about updating Firmware:

http://support.flir.com/DocDownload/Assets/85/English/T559689$000.pdf

No passwords on it but shows updating via SD card or USB for all thermal cameras. Not sure if this helps - maybe Aurora, Mike or Tauchers could let up know if it is useful?


I had an E60 on loan recently. It is a superb camera and the manual focus really allows clear image.

I checked that the service mode can be entered by holding down the right hand key.

The only differences between the Exx series and the Exxbx series is the sensitivity and the temperature range. These are definitely set in firmware as the guy I loaned it from indicated that this (he knew his Flir stuff). So I think must be possible to do an upgrade to the E40, have you tried via USB or SD card?

[Taucher]

@Emptech
...
No passwords on it but shows updating via SD card or USB for all thermal cameras. Not sure if this helps - maybe Aurora, Mike or Tauchers could let up know if it is useful?
...
The only differences between the Exx series and the Exxbx series is the sensitivity and the temperature range. These are definitely set in firmware as the guy I loaned it from indicated that this (he knew his Flir stuff). So I think must be possible to do an upgrade to the E40, have you tried via USB or SD card?

I do recall reading some posts on E40 already... did you check this thread?

IMHO the temp-range is something hackable in the E4 as well - at least the software does already work with Kelvin internally

@Mike - this could be an interesting thing to check - if you still have sensor output grabable then I'd love to know if the signal maxes out or if there's headroom.