Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown

[daves]

Hi guys...After i tested it, i keep on the box and now when i turned on again i got this error....
should i be worried?
I had to hold power for few seconds to turn of and then turn on again to work..
Thanks

This seems common error for Menu mod beta 3. It appeared to me several times, even once while charging
Few people here have same experience. This happens only during warm boot. To avoid this, turn camera to hard off (press off for longer time).

[Taucher]

Hi guys...After i tested it, i keep on the box and now when i turned on again i got this error....
should i be worried?
I had to hold power for few seconds to turn of and then turn on again to work..
Thanks

This seems common error for Menu mod beta 3. It appeared to me several times, even once while charging
Few people here have same experience. This happens only during warm boot. To avoid this, turn camera to hard off (press off for longer time).

Yes, it's still unclear to what it's actually related (I suppose it's happening after a certain mode was in use on shutdown - I had experienced it only once so far) - cold booting (battery removal) helps. If anybody finds out how to consistently reproduce the error, then please post about it

[MozamPete]

The  Mk2 i7 (the black one) uses a 320x240 microbolometer limited to 140x140 buthe t I have not seen comment on the Mk1 i7 (Blue/grey two tone). The following study refers:

http://www.i-micronews.com/upload/Rapports/Yole_FLIR_ISC0601B_Micro-bolometer_Sample.pdf

My i3 is black & calibrated this year (2013), so it should be a Mk2, but I can "only" get 120x120 instead of 140x140... 

Here is a timeline from http://www.optimumenergy.com/the-new-flir-i-series/

Has anyone managed to upgrade the resolution on a 1st Generation i5 (Blue/Grey version)? 

I have upgraded my 2nd Generation i3 (Black version, manufactured Nov 2012) from 60 x 60  to 120 x 120 resolution and added the additional menus following the instructions given in this thread. But with my 1st Generation i5 (Blue/Grey version, manufactured Nov 2010) I can get the additional menus working but have not managed to get the resolution above the original 80 x 80.

The original \FlashFS\system\appcore.d\config.d\conf.cfg file on my i5 does not include the ".caps.config.image.settings.resIR int32 X" or ".caps.config.image.settings.fpgaResolution.resIR int32 X" lines. I have added then and recalculated the CRC but it doesn't make any difference to the resolution.

Is the 1st Generation i5 resolution upgradeable?

Thanks to all that have contributed to this great thread.

[bookaboo]

Hi guys...After i tested it, i keep on the box and now when i turned on again i got this error....
should i be worried?
I had to hold power for few seconds to turn of and then turn on again to work..
Thanks

A friend of mine who I helped modify got this error the day after we modified.
To the best of my knowledge it never happened again, that was about 2 months ago.

[daves]

If anybody finds out how to consistently reproduce the error, then please post about it

When I left my camera in soft off few days, so it turns itself to hard off, then in next boot I will receive this error for sure.
I saw this message like seven times or so. But I do not know any direct action to reproduce this immediately yet.

[MozamPete]

The  Mk2 i7 (the black one) uses a 320x240 microbolometer limited to 140x140 but I have not seen comment on the Mk1 i7 (Blue/grey two tone).

From MicroNews Issue No.90, March 2010 (so before the FLIR Mk2 ix cameras came out)
"This image was taken with the Extech i5 by FLIR, a compact infrared camera that allows for visualization of heat differences. The camera is advertized to have an 80 x 80 pixel image, and a sensitivity of 0.1oC (Chipworks found a 240 x 240 pixel sensor in the camera that we tore down).

So the Blue/Grey 1st Generation i3/5/7 cameras should be upgradable.

[Fraser]

Regarding the error reports. Not very helpful to you, but I can report that Menu Beta2A installed on my camera has not caused this issue for me at any time. It is likely that one of the extra functions in Beta3 is responsible.

[Taucher]

Regarding the error reports. Not very helpful to you, but I can report that Menu Beta2A installed on my camera has not caused this issue for me at any time. It is likely that one of the extra functions in Beta3 is responsible.

Quite possible - but It could also be related to the HW version (1.0 vs. 1.1) or the kind of using it (last settings) or even the e8.conf (advanced measurements enabled when better not).

[Fraser]

@ Taucher,

Agreed. No criticism of your hard work on the Beta3 intended by the way ! I suppose when creating new functionality that is not normally active on a platform, there will always be the risk of some weird behaviour, or process conflict that creates an error. It kinda goes with the teritory.

Thanks again for the effort that you put into the Menu's etc.

[daves]

It could also be related to the HW version (1.0 vs. 1.1)

Has been reported on both, 1.0 either 1.1.

[Lu]

Hi guys...After i tested it, i keep on the box and now when i turned on again i got this error....
should i be worried?
I had to hold power for few seconds to turn of and then turn on again to work..
Thanks

This seems common error for Menu mod beta 3. It appeared to me several times, even once while charging
Few people here have same experience. This happens only during warm boot. To avoid this, turn camera to hard off (press off for longer time).

This should not relate with Menu mod. I was seeing this error couple of times before I did any mod

[Fraser]

O/S revision differences rather than Firmware or hardware ?
The other possibility is pretty ugly...an unstable hardware platform.

Maybe I have just been lucky and not had the combination of actions that produce the error  ?

[dc101]

Just placed an order on Amazon.com, they had 19 left in stock, hoping those are 19 of the 1.19.8 firmware... fingers crossed.  It should be here by next Tuesday, I would have sprung the extra few bucks for overnight, but we're snowed in this week, so doubt it would have made any difference.

Cheers,
-Tim

[mikeselectricstuff]

I just spoke to a UK dealer (not PASS) who said that Flir asked for their E4 stock to be sent back to be  "Upgraded". This would explain the backlog that was mentioned.
Get 'em while they're hot!

[Fraser]

Oooooo cheeky !   FLIR mean business !

[grego]

I just spoke to a UK dealer (not PASS) who said that Flir asked for their E4 stock to be sent back to be  "Upgraded". This would explain the backlog that was mentioned.
Get 'em while they're hot!

I ordered mine from tequipment.net on 2/8 and it arrives tomorrow (shipped yesterday 2/12).  They have 40+ still in stock so I will report what firmware it's running when it gets here.

[Arlo1]

Do you guys think the new firmware will be hack able in the future as well?

[mrflibble]

Do you guys think the new firmware will be hack able in the future as well?

<speculation type="wild">
Sure, why not! 
</speculation>

[mikeselectricstuff]

Do you guys think the new firmware will be hack able in the future as well?

They seem to be putting a lot of effort in - anything is crackable given sufficient time and resources, but whether anyone will bother is another matter.
I wouldn't be surprised if new units have warranty seals as well.
 

[pomonabill221]

Do you guys think the new firmware will be hack able in the future as well?

They seem to be putting a lot of effort in - anything is crackable given sufficient time and resources, but whether anyone will bother is another matter.
I wouldn't be surprised if new units have warranty seals as well.

Or maybe you have to pry off the trigger?    (cheap shot...)

[ixfd64]

Nothing is impossible. Even systems that were designed to be hard to hack (such as Apple's iOS 7 and Texas Instruments' TI-Nspire calculators) have been broken.

[OrBy]

I am going to laugh if the next series of FLIR's needs an always on internet connection and has same nasty e-fuses built in.

[CecilTheTurtle]

Just got mine, ordered Feb 10th.

Model: E4 1.1
Serial: 639136xx
Software: 1.19.8
Calibrated: Estonia
Cal. Date: Jan 29, 2014

Beginning hack now....

[CecilTheTurtle]

Success!

Before:

After:


Still working on the menu hacks, but it'll come I'm sure. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this hack! Wouldn't have bought an E4 or any TIC without it.

[tiagobaracho]

Which would be the best for the money solution to use the camera for PCB work ? If only i change the focus it would be enough? I would prefer a solution that would not need to touch on the focus, to keep it original.. Is there a single lens that you can use that will bring focus close to PCB inspection ?
Thanks