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 3769365 times)

0 Members and 11 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline SpottedDick

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8650 on: February 27, 2021, 03:35:48 pm »
Sorry to bring up an old post, but Daves application here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/flir-e4-thermal-imaging-camera-teardown/msg350556/#msg350556

Does anyone know if this was continued on by anyone, or if the source code is available?

I have a Flir one, and I was ready to return it due to software limitations making it useless, but Daves application is so close to making the thing useful without shelling out £400 for the Flir Tool pro, that I'm really on the fence.

If I could get my hands on that source code, I might be able to make this thing useful for photographing electronics.

As a side question, does anyone know if the thermal data stored is the raw values from the thermal sensor (like can be seen with the Android app Thermal Camera +) or if it's massaged and averaged, like you see when you try to view it in Flir Tools.

Thanks

EDIT: As soon as I posted this, I noticed the thermalVision_JoeC software that is able to process the images, so this can be ignored!
« Last Edit: February 27, 2021, 04:56:29 pm by SpottedDick »
 

Offline Sir_Thomas_TMC

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8651 on: March 04, 2021, 02:25:27 pm »
Hello,

I am thinking about upgrading my
E4 2.0L (I do not know whether it is wifi or not, but as I do not find any note about wifi, I think it is not)
Firmeware 3.16.0

But, I am really confused which thread is the one to follow on doing this. As there are a lot of threads refering to versions lower. I read a couple of pages (found e.g. s.th about christmas package) but I did not find (even with searching for "3.16") a thread on how exactly to do this upgrade. Maybe one of you could help me on linking to a suitable thread or give me a clue on the correct search strings.

And the first I would want to do, is a backup of the original files. I hope this is also explained somewhere for a beginner.

Thanks in advance

Thomas
 

Offline Psi

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8652 on: March 05, 2021, 01:36:43 am »
But, I am really confused which thread is the one to follow on doing this...
...I did not find (even with searching for "3.16") a thread on how exactly to do this upgrade.

You should really be posted in the other thread, this is the teardown thread.

I had this exact issue, I spend ages looking for the full instructions on the forum. I expected that would tell me how to do it and what files I needed to download. Then I discovered all the instructions are inside the zip files.

When I did the mod to my 3.16 E4 I started with the basic package 3.9.0 and followed the instructions in it. When you get to the part about the DLL you use the v3.16 DLL.   Once that was done and working I applied the V3.9.0 Advanced package which also includes instructions in the zip file. I didn't bother with Christmas package because it didn't add anything I cared about.

This is the key post.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/flir-e4-wifi-resolution-and-menu-hack-thread/msg1336326/#msg1336326


« Last Edit: March 05, 2021, 02:00:46 am by Psi »
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Offline Ben321

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8653 on: March 20, 2021, 05:21:45 am »

Anybody managed to get a hack for V2.8 yet?

The V2.8 cannot be hacked, but once you downgrade it to 2.3, it can be done: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/flir-e4-thermal-imaging-camera-teardown/msg839561/#msg839561

Doesn't the downgrade to 2.3 require a hack to perform the downgrade? Aren't these usually locked into only accepting updated firmware, and reject any attempt to downgrade the firmware?
 

Offline adam3914

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8654 on: May 14, 2021, 04:06:46 pm »
Try the following

on the computer create a file called camera.cmd
type just one word into the file:  restart
save and close the file
ZIP the file
rename .zip to .fif
run the fif file in FlirInstallNet

Thank you, I recently purchased a e4 wifi on ebay with a broken power button, and this worked wonderfully, allowed me to do the resolution upgrade and everything.  Was even easier than using the power button to restart the camera.
 

Online Bud

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8655 on: May 15, 2021, 04:07:39 am »
Great, enjoy your camera  :-+
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Offline twam

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8656 on: June 11, 2021, 12:58:02 pm »
BTW, the new E4 without Wifi's (63901-0101) S/N is 9 digits, non the older modle is 8 digits.

I got one of those old E4 and will now try to liberate with 3.16.

The README from Bud says

Quote
1. Open the supplied conf.cfg , scroll down to the very bottom to the line that starts with "# ID " and replace the 9-digit number with your camera serial number.
Is a problem if the serial is 8 digits?
 

Online Bud

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8657 on: June 11, 2021, 08:18:44 pm »
Just use your camera serial number.
Facebook-free life and Rigol-free shack.
 
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Offline djQUAN

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8658 on: July 01, 2021, 12:16:48 pm »
Didn't think I needed to make a new thread for this so I just decided to add it here.

I always had an issue with my E4 always shutting off when you move or accidentally bump the battery.
Opened the unit and bent the spring terminals for better contact and it worked for a few months without issue.

Finally got tired of it and opened my unit again and added a 3300uF 10V cap parallel to the battery terminals going into the main board. Red wire is positive, black is negative. I doubted my meter and sanity a bit as the contact board had the ground plane connected to batt positive. I could have used a smaller value but I had a few of those caps sitting in the bin and never tested the "minimum useable value". Fortunately, there is plenty of room behind the LCD so the cap is double adhesive taped and zip tied to the alloy frame.

Worked pretty well so far, Problem solved.
 
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Offline Fraser

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8659 on: July 01, 2021, 01:22:53 pm »
It is worth cleaning the contacts on the battery and camera with IPA. I found that some batteries (not all) seemed to suffer from a mild surface contamination/oxidation(?) of the ‘gold’ contacts. I never investigated the cause but it could have been outgassing from the Lithium cell (doubtful), an issue with the plating used on the battery terminals or plasticiser leakage out of the plastic battery casing parts. The batteries were always kept either in the camera or it’s hard transit case. The contamination could become so bad that a battery would not charge until the contacts were cleaned. Abrasives should not be used on the contacts as that will damage the plating.

Fraser
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Offline djQUAN

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8660 on: July 01, 2021, 02:52:10 pm »
I used to clean it often and got tired of it. I also tried dielectric grease to keep it from oxidizing which worked for a while. It is quite humid where I'm from so that could also be a reason. But I never had it get to the point that it did not charge due to oxidation, only the intermittent issue when bumping the battery bottom.
 

Offline salvagedcircuitry

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8661 on: July 09, 2021, 06:52:40 am »
Hi!

Can someone help with pictures of that plastic part which press button when trigger is pressed? Some dimensions would also help. I need to recreate it  :(



Looking for this too!
I just picked up a broken flir e4 and this part was missing. It is the trigger button lever arm. It looks like a flexure ABS or PET plastic lever arm. I plan on whittling a mock-up button lever out of a hot glue stick then transferring the design to a piece of UHMW plastic.

If anyone could post a photo of the lever next to a ruler that would be most excellent. Thanks a ton!
 
« Last Edit: July 09, 2021, 06:57:46 am by salvagedcircuitry »
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Offline alset

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8662 on: July 11, 2021, 10:42:19 am »
Hello dear colleagues, I need your  expert help on how to hack modify Flir B200 . 
Best regars and many thanks
 

Offline pipe2null

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8663 on: July 29, 2021, 04:37:46 am »
I finally added a Flir E4 to my toolbox, got it hacked up all nice and fancy-like.  Well, just the config file hack only, not the ultra-upgraded UI yet.  Couple of Q's at the bottom.

Could one of the local "Flir Historians" explain to me how rare a find this little eBay gem was?  I'm thinking it's pretty rare, perfect mint condition.  If I didn't know any better, I would think it's bran new, just without that new plastic smell I've grown to love...

Note the FW version and DPad style, 8 digit serial number
1240153-0

Note the "Usage Statistics"... Do these stats get reset on factory restore?
Ignore the "uptime" counter, I just updated date/time.
1240155-1


Questions:
1) Is there any reason I should even consider updating the firmware?  I kinda like the service menu, but if there's a newer FW that still has it, might as well upgrade.  Or if another FW has must-have features?
2) Are there any "Thou Shalt Nots" that exist somewhere back in the near-decade of posts in this thread, OTHER than do not update FW before restoring to non-hacked state?
3) Any idea what the Service Menu password is for modifying serial number kinda stuff?  I doubt I would ever touch it, but good to keep in my records.
4) Does the Fancy UI hack work with FW this old, or will I have to do something special to get manual temperature range settings and the like?
5) Is the max temp range truely ~250 degC or is there a way to increase that?

Thanks!
 

Offline Psi

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8664 on: August 07, 2021, 04:07:57 am »
Is the max temp range truely ~250 degC or is there a way to increase that?

It will display temps higher than 250C, that is just its calibrated range where the reading is accurate.  From memory the software hard stop is 280C, not sure if you can hack that or not.

Since the E8 also has a spec of 250C I suspect the hardware may not be able to do much more than 280C. but it's just a guess.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2021, 04:12:20 am by Psi »
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Offline De

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8665 on: August 22, 2021, 03:18:38 pm »
Is there any way to improve the E8 is one already has the original e8? Like adding wifi or bluetooth..
 

Offline 0-8-15 User

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8666 on: December 09, 2021, 10:49:57 am »
I'm thinking of modifying my Flir E4 for some close-up shots, but I don't have a 3D printer or any idea which lens to use. What's the best way to go about it?
 

Online Bud

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8667 on: December 09, 2021, 06:17:36 pm »
You'd need a lens holder anyways and those are usually custom 3D printed. A few lens holder models were shared in this thread but you should be able locate them on the usual 3D printing sites like Thingiverse and such.
For a lense itself people typically use ZnSe lenses for laser engravers/cutters available from eBay or Ali. You pick one with a focal distance you need and the diameter matching the lens holder lens cavity.
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Offline RO

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8668 on: December 09, 2021, 10:15:08 pm »
Hey Bud, I was wondering if you could share your insight on a whole other E4 lens modification:

I am trying to adapt my E4 to function as a nocturnal wildlife camera, and obviously macro wouldn't work, so I want to create a telephoto solution.

As you know, the ZnSe ali/ebay options are easy and relatively cheap. (And after some rigorous searching it seems in general the converging (plano-convex) lenses are most affordable. Making a simple telephoto converter with these lenses is relatively easy.
(In theory I have not tested anything yet and can't comment on light transmission, sharpness and distortion.)


With a front lens of f100 and a back f25 this will produce 4x enlargement.
As an unfortunate unwanted side effect it will also invert the image on the sensor, and on the screen, mirroring left/right, which is a pita.

Could this be solved in the hacked E4 software? Or is this way to far fetched?

I have decompiled facet.rcc and combed through the *.qml files.
With rcc extended explained in post https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/flir-e4-wifi-resolution-and-menu-hack-thread/msg3364376/#msg3364376

I was actually looking for two things:
1, A way to turn down the screen brightness of the E4 even further, so it is better at night.

There is a ui model "deviceSettingsModel" with "ID_SETUP_DISPLAY_INTENSITY" and "displayIntensitySettingsModel" with ui_model_item "ID_SETUP_LOW" in design_ui.xml, but I am not smart enough to figure where it takes values from.

2, Any hint or way to mirror the image.


source for thermal tele:
https://www.instructables.com/Diy-Thermal-Camera-Telephoto-Converter/
« Last Edit: December 09, 2021, 10:24:32 pm by RO »
 

Offline Bill W

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8669 on: December 09, 2021, 10:32:27 pm »
I'd be inclined to try to get the original lens out of the E4 and just use a new main objective.  You would be using the centre of the image so it should not be too bad.

See some of the results in the 'F1G2 lens' thread

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/flir1-g2-lens-experiments/

(there is more to come - but work is needed on a broken connector and holding a REALLY BIG   :scared: lens)

Bill

Offline Fraser

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8670 on: December 09, 2021, 10:43:52 pm »
RO,

For a supplementary Telephoto lens adapter you may be interested in this article from a fellow forum member….

https://www.instructables.com/Diy-Thermal-Camera-Telephoto-Converter/

Fraser
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Online Bud

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8671 on: December 09, 2021, 10:48:42 pm »
I have no knowledge of optics and can't help there. Regarding the mirrored image - do you mean left/right or upside down? I recall there was a flag for screen rotation (not mirroring) that seemed to work in v2.3.0 firmware  but can't remember if i tried it in v3.x.x . Even if the image was rotated, there were some issues with the temperature gauge and device controls, can't remember details but decided not to implement it at the time. The flag should be settable via Telnet to try but may not be settable permanently, again can't remember details.

Regarding screen brightness, the parameters you listed have are the ones used in the camera menu, there is a menu item in Settings to set screen brightness Low or High. You do not have to fiddle with them programmatically.
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Offline Fraser

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8672 on: December 09, 2021, 10:51:21 pm »
Another option from Ultrapurple. Using  a reversed standard lens to set up a useful image field for a standard thermal camera lens of different imaging power.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ultrapurple/17647946114/in/pool-therm-app-users/

Fraser
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Offline RO

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8673 on: December 09, 2021, 11:18:25 pm »
Thanks for all the quick reply's!

I actually had made a longer post in the seek supplemental lens topic a little while ago:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/seek-reveal-and-reveal-pro-supplemental-lens-adapters/msg3855689/#msg3855689

Sorry for making it a mess, i'll quote it but it uses some insight from the topic:
Quote
The E4 has very wide FOV, around 45, and I wish to narrow this 3x, to FOV 12.5, this would require a focal length of approximately 28mm. Such a lens design could obviously fit different camera's and doesn't have to be E4 specific (preferably not)

A zoom lens like LogoXXL makes would obviously be very awesome, any info and explanation would be greatly appreciated!

Now I have been thinking about what would be the way to achieve said 3x magnification (or more)? I see some options:

1, Keplerian Telescope with plano convex lenses
biggest pro,
- I think this could be possible with the cheap (+/- 50,- for a 22-25mm (up to 1") widely available lenses from the co2 laser cutters (ebay / alie znse or gaas plano convex)

cons,
- Not sure about the image quality and loss of light in tele configuration.
- Image will be mirrored, might be fixable by two solutions which I can't solve (yet)

Possible solutions to the mirror image
1. Use an Flir E4 lens (or identical f6,5 converging) reversed as per Bill W suggestion.
2. Get the Flir E4 to mirror the display, which would be a cool feature but might not be possible at all or have serious caveats.
@Bud might know?

2, Galilean Telescope
pros,
This is the preferred telescope type as image will not get mirrored
cons,
Finding a suitable converging lens for LWIR spectrum.
And the price of those lenses in relation to the price of the E4 (or a dedicated thermal spotting camera, flir scout/hikmicro lynx etc.)
@LogoXXL might be a source of information and optics.

3, Swapping out the lens completely, for which I searched this forum for profusely but couldn't find a topic or example.
It does seems @JoeC walked this path, not necessary changing the lens but rebuilding the E4 and motorising the focus. There is some documentation on his site http://joe-c.de/pages/posts/waermebildkamera_flir_ex_umbauten_177.php.

Well, I have been thinking and searching ebay/thorlabs/etc, but would really love input, I lack knowledge and experience.

kind regards,
Robert

Fraser, thanks for the link, bill w had a similar insight in the seek topic about an inverted original, biggest issue I still see is getting an f6,5 flir E4 original, the laser lenses are all of much higher focal length, and thorlabs doesn't seem to have any either, but it would defenitely be a great way without inverting.

Bud, sorry if I was unclear.
I understand and can operate the brightness menu. But I wish to have a lower low.
The lowest brightness on the E4 is still very bright in a dark environment, I was hoping to find some LCD Brightness value, prerably something simple like (0 - 255), so I could tweak a bit.

I am pretty sure it will mirror left right, as that's the telescope way, but I will research it a bit better.

Bill, it seems you have quite some experience with lenses, thanks for the insight.
I am not sure if I am ready to tear down my E4 yet. I do like the results in the F1G2 lens' thread.
I hopefully soon have my hand on a stack of cloudray lenses (ordered on 11.11) and a autoliv NV2 lens, and as the other path's to tele seem just as expensive as a new E4 I'll probably end up prying it open soon enough :)

thanks!
Robert
« Last Edit: December 09, 2021, 11:25:13 pm by RO »
 

Offline Bill W

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Re: Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown
« Reply #8674 on: December 10, 2021, 12:48:21 am »

Fraser, thanks for the link, bill w had a similar insight in the seek topic about an inverted original, biggest issue I still see is getting an f6,5 flir E4 original, the laser lenses are all of much higher focal length, and thorlabs doesn't seem to have any either, but it would defenitely be a great way without inverting.



Something very similar would also be OK, as long as it mounted OK and was a better aperture.  Identical is more an ideal, and often easiest as it is 'just another one the same' so might pick up the threads etc - or maybe that is just me with my germanium mountain  ;D .

All my lens background is the lenses used in the various Argus cameras, but I was specifying and testing not designing at the optical level

Bill




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