Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown

[Taucher]

EzCRC01
I took the liberty and made a simplified version of CRC01 - called EzCRC01
Just extract the attached zip archive, doubleclick EzCRC01.exe and follow the on screen instructions
edit3: To complete the process your e8.conf (lowercase "e" important) needs to be placed on the camera (via .FIF or RNDIS+FTP) - then cold boot your cam (battery removal)

It's intended as supplement to Mikes files and as a codebase for an in-place-crc01-updater.

EDIT2: Replaced with static version (64 bit)

[London Lad]

I've successfully applied Mikes hack and now have hi-rez and the e8 menus but I only see a choice of 'auto' or 'locked' temp range.
I would like to be able to manually set the temp range on the fly? Do I need to edit the config file from Mikes hack or something more complicated?

thanks guys.

[lewis]

EzCRC01
I took the liberty and made a simplified version of CRC01 - called EzCRC01
Just extract the attached zip archive, doubleclick EzCRC01.exe and follow the on screen instructions

It's intended as supplement to Mikes files.

PS: the source is somehow a mess - first I wanted to write a simple perlscript but realized that the CRC funtion is quite a f****up and uses the nonstandard init-vectors #1 (found nowhere else as far as google can be trusted)

Doesn't work for me: "The program can't start because MSVCP110.dll is missing from your computer...". Win7 Home Premium x64.

[Taucher]

I've successfully applied Mikes hack and now have hi-rez and the e8 menus but I only see a choice of 'auto' or 'locked' temp range.
I would like to be able to manually set the temp range on the fly? Do I need to edit the config file from Mikes hack or something more complicated?

probably your menu hack went somewhere wrong - directory miscopied or no battery in/out?

[Taucher]

"The program can't start because MSVCP110.dll is missing from your computer...".

F**** dependencies...  ... will try another setup ....

[London Lad]

I've successfully applied Mikes hack and now have hi-rez and the e8 menus but I only see a choice of 'auto' or 'locked' temp range.
I would like to be able to manually set the temp range on the fly? Do I need to edit the config file from Mikes hack or something more complicated?

probably your menu hack went somewhere wrong - directory miscopied or no battery in/out?

I'm confused! I've only done one hack, Mike's 'add the serial number and CRC' hack and I'm seeing additional menu options such as PIP and additional colour pallets. Do I need to do another menu hack to get the manual temp option?

[Taucher]

Do I need to do another menu hack to get the manual temp option?

yes - the menu hack... see my footer for pointers where to fetch it.

[London Lad]

Do I need to do another menu hack to get the manual temp option?

yes - the menu hack... see my footer for pointers where to fetch it.

Thanks. I've downloaded it and extracted it but I'm unsure how to install it so I best stay away as I don't want to kill my camera!
I guess there is no simple way I can add the manual temp range function? I mean simple for a 55 year old simpleton like me.

[Taucher]

I guess there is no simple way I can add the manual temp range function? I mean simple for a 55 year old simpleton like me.

Then read up on the thread - no reports of killed/bricked cameras yet - and take a look into the README file.

[London Lad]

I guess there is no simple way I can add the manual temp range function? I mean simple for a 55 year old simpleton like me.

Then read up on the thread - no reports of killed/bricked cameras yet - and take a look into the README file.

I have done and thank you for your efforts but I don't understand how to get into 'FTP-accessible mode' or 'overwrite the corresponding file structure'

let alone 'Some features can require .caps modifications (not documented here)'

A man has to know his limitations!

[georges80]

I've played a bit with a 20mm ZnSe lens that arrived yesterday via Ebay. Seems to work very nicely. I've just 3d printed out a lens holder for it, picture below.

I've made a tweak to the sketchup file and am re-printing it.

When refined I'll zip up the sketchup/stl/makerbot files and post them up to this thread.

cheers,
george.

[mikeselectricstuff]

EzCRC01
I took the liberty and made a simplified version of CRC01 - called EzCRC01
Just extract the attached zip archive, doubleclick EzCRC01.exe and follow the on screen instructions

It's intended as supplement to Mikes files.

PS: the source is somehow a mess - first I wanted to write a simple perlscript but realized that the CRC funtion is quite a f****up and uses the nonstandard init-vectors #1 (found nowhere else as far as google can be trusted)

EDIT: MSVCP110.dll required - stand by if you don't have the runtime libs
Downloadable here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679

I compiled the original CRC01 using Visual C++ Express 2008 - there was a compile option to make it statically link everything it needed - don't recall the detail but found it by googling the slightly obscure error message it gave when it couldn't find teh DLL it wanted. May have been Config properties > C/C++ > code-generation > Multi-threaded
 

[Taucher]

I compiled the original CRC01 using Visual C++ Express 2008 - there was a compile option to make it statically link everything it needed - don't recall the detail but found it by googling the slightly obscure error message it gave when it couldn't find teh DLL it wanted. May have been Config properties > C/C++ > code-generation > Multi-threaded

thanks - have been looking at linker level instead of compiler level ...
vs->project properties->c/c++->code generation->runtime library->multi-threaded (/MT) ... (without "DLL") solved it.

[georges80]

Got the ZnSe 20mm lens holder to fit perfectly. Nice snug fit into the inside edge of the E4 rubber housing and the lens sits above the shutter (no risk of damage etc). Cone is a large enough angle to not obscure the image.

The ZnSe lens is also a snug fit, but it's easy enough to melt back the plastic a little to hold the lens down in the 'pocket' that it sits in.

I've attached some pics and also a zip with the sketchup file, STL file and a makerbot PLA build file.

Also a picture of the setup in place and the E4 imaging a 1" x 0.5" board and showing two current limit 0603 sized resistors dissipating heat.

Next job is a holder setup to keep the camera positioned over a PCB that needs to be imaged versus hand holding it.

cheers,
george.

[mrflibble]

I've attached some pics and also a zip with the sketchup file, STL file and a makerbot PLA build file.

Nice job!  Thanks for sharing.

Incidentally, what's the focal length?

[georges80]

3" focal length ZnSe lens from Ebay.

For grins I just rotated the E4 lens a full turn anticlockwise AND put the ZnSe lens in front. Talk about closeup.

Here's a pic I just took of the same board and fired up the Red/Green (bicolour LEDs) (so 4 total current limit resistors in play).

All I can say is wow - this is REAL useful for my applications, though I probably don't need this much zoom in

EDIT: Add 'visible' picture of board for reference to thermal image.

cheers,
george.

[Doug]

Hi all -
Just found this forum & thread after buying, trying, and being thoroughly disappointed by a Fluke VT02 Visual IR Thermometer.  My goal was to evaluate the thermal uniformity of a small (5/8" diameter) polyimide heater circuit that I designed for use on a chemical sensor.  Mistakenly thought that the IR image resolution of the VT02 was 104x104 pixels (that is the optical resolution) and later found out that the actual IR image resolution is 15x15 pixels.  Fluke isn't exactly up front in providing information about the thermal image resolution and I now know why.  They are rightfully embarrassed by it.  Only unsuspecting rubes like me will buy it.  I'll be shipping the VT02 back on Monday for credit and hopefully exchanging for an E4 + $300.  Really hope an E4 is in stock at the same shop.

Thanks to Dave and other contributors for all of the excellent information on the Flir E4.  Really - very impressive to watch the review, tear-down and other related videos and technical posts.  Bravo!

Assuming my E4 arrives with the older, hackable firmware version, I'll be applying Dave's patch and unscrewing the lens to about 50 mm focal length and having a look at my little heater circuit.   Will post results when I have them.

Doug

[Mavro]

3" focal length ZnSe lens from Ebay.

For grins I just rotated the E4 lens a full turn anticlockwise AND put the ZnSe lens in front. Talk about closeup.

Here's a pic I just took of the same board and fired up the Red/Green (bicolour LEDs) (so 4 total current limit resistors in play).

All I can say is wow - this is REAL useful for my applications, though I probably don't need this much zoom in

cheers,
george.

Do you prefer the FL of 3" (76.2) vs the 2" (50.8mm)?  Looking to purchase a lens from ebay and not sure which one I should get.

[tnt]

PS: the source is somehow a mess - first I wanted to write a simple perlscript but realized that the CRC funtion is quite a f****up and uses the nonstandard init-vectors #1 (found nowhere else as far as google can be trusted)

I'm the one that reverse engineered the CRC01 function and wrote CRC01.

They took at classic RIPE MD160 hash and they modified a few things :
 - Non standard init vector. There is 3 possible modes with mode 0 being the classic RIPE MD160. Then there is mode 1 and 2. CRC00 is mode 0, CRC01 is mode 1 and CRC02 is mode 2 ...
 - Non standard padding for the last block

[Taucher]

PS: the source is somehow a mess - first I wanted to write a simple perlscript but realized that the CRC funtion is quite a f****up and uses the nonstandard init-vectors #1 (found nowhere else as far as google can be trusted)

I'm the one that reverse engineered the CRC01 function and wrote CRC01.

They took at classic RIPE MD160 hash and they modified a few things :
 - Non standard init vector. There is 3 possible modes with mode 0 being the classic RIPE MD160. Then there is mode 1 and 2. CRC00 is mode 0, CRC01 is mode 1 and CRC02 is mode 2 ...
 - Non standard padding for the last block

Just for clarification: I ment my changes to the main.cpp are a mess. @MD160 - yes, got that detail and decided not to port the special algo to perl ... the init vectors for mode 00 are found online in many sha1 and md5 examples - those for modes 01 and 02 nowhere - I guessed they are pretty unique to Flir. I wonder if one could use crc00 instead of crc01 - would that fail (mode01 mandatory) or would it just take the other crc algo ....

btw - did I ever mention that handling char arrays and strings in C(++) feels like having to use flintstones to make a fire... contrasted by a piezo-started-gas-BBQ-grill (Perl char/string handling *G*)

EDIT: posting #1500 ... yay

[georges80]

Do you prefer the FL of 3" (76.2) vs the 2" (50.8mm)?  Looking to purchase a lens from ebay and not sure which one I should get.

To be honest I wasn't sure what I wasn't going to like, so went with the 3" (nominal). In retrospect 2" would have been a better choice for what I need it to do. Most of my LED driver boards are less than 2" in size.

Of course since I can easily unscrew the builtin lens with my handy dandy 3d printed tool I have many options at this point The last picture I took with the combined 1 CCW rotated lens + 3" ZnSe gives real close up detail (I'm maybe 1" or so away from the PCB I was measuring... The PCB is 1" wide and it can't fit in the field of view of the 320 x 240 sensor

I'll need to use the the E4 a lot more to decide what is the best option in terms of focal distance for my use. Likely I'll use a combo of the 3" focal length ZnSe and adjustment of the built in lens.

cheers,
george.

[olsenn]

I love that lens holder you made there George. Once you get the fit perfect, please update the 3d source files for us. Also, how hard would it be to make a zoom lens for it by moving the lens forward or backwards? Without unscrewing the lens that the E4 comes with

[georges80]

I love that lens holder you made there George. Once you get the fit perfect, please update the 3d source files for us. Also, how hard would it be to make a zoom lens for it by moving the lens forward or backwards? Without unscrewing the lens that the E4 comes with

Thanks. Post 1494 in this thread has the zip file with all the needed files to make your own. I'm happy with the fit, been playing with it this afternoon and there's nothing I'd change at this time.

Yeah, zoom would be a bit more challenging and my lecturers would say long ago "an exercise left for the reader"

cheers,
george.

[Mavro]

Do you prefer the FL of 3" (76.2) vs the 2" (50.8mm)?  Looking to purchase a lens from ebay and not sure which one I should get.

To be honest I wasn't sure what I wasn't going to like, so went with the 3" (nominal). In retrospect 2" would have been a better choice for what I need it to do. Most of my LED driver boards are less than 2" in size.

Of course since I can easily unscrew the builtin lens with my handy dandy 3d printed tool I have many options at this point The last picture I took with the combined 1 CCW rotated lens + 3" ZnSe gives real close up detail (I'm maybe 1" or so away from the PCB I was measuring... The PCB is 1" wide and it can't fit in the field of view of the 320 x 240 sensor

I'll need to use the the E4 a lot more to decide what is the best option in terms of focal distance for my use. Likely I'll use a combo of the 3" focal length ZnSe and adjustment of the built in lens.

cheers,
george.

I split the difference and ordered a FL: 2.5" -- I'll print a holder and let you know how it works.

[mrflibble]

Do you prefer the FL of 3" (76.2) vs the 2" (50.8mm)?  Looking to purchase a lens from ebay and not sure which one I should get.

Obvious three step plan:
1 - buy both focal lengths
2 - do a few comparison tests
3 - post your findings