Flir E4 Thermal imaging camera teardown

[charlyd]

@Bud thanks again

ah ok and i don t have those file.

my level is FW v1.21 and HW 1.1L.

Maybe somebody is willing to post the original files for me so i can roll-back the hack. 

and there is an other thing, what i discovered.....
the reponsiveness from  the "back" button is not really good your have to press hard/often more then one time. is that maybe firmware related or??

[Bud]

I never experienced difficulties with the Back button, on either original or modified devices.

[m4rkiz]

I have hacked E4 that i use from time to time, if i remember correctly i was able to record video on my W7 PC with MPC-HC at some point and would like to try that again on new W10 machine,
but before i start is there any point in updating firmware (hardware E4 1.0, firmware 1.18.0, e4hack3b) before i start looking for a solution? Are there any new functions or other fixes in newer firmware?

[Fraser]

m4rkiz,

If you have firmware 1.18 running on hardware platform 1.0, you will have the Service menu present and fully operational in case you ever need it to create a new dead pixel map or other service activities. If you choose to update your firmware you will lose the Service Menu as FLIR removed it to prevent its use for modifying the camera.

The only issue is that you are on the earliest release of firmware (1.18) and IIRC there is the odd bug in that build. Firmware 1.19 corrected the bug(s) and is, IMHO, the best firmware to have as it was the last to contain the full Service Menu and no upgrade countermeasures from FLIR. Sadly Firmware 1.19 was not released as an update so you are effectively stuck on 1.18. I was advised by a friend at FLIR that all firmware versions that followed 1.19 were intended to either countermeasure the update to higher specification or for “housekeeping” purposes to support changes in the Hardware platform. FLIR have tended to release well sorted firmware with few, if any bugs in it. Firmware updates were rare up until the Ex series upgrade became known. There has never been a series of cameras previous to the Ex that had so many Firmware updates and we all know why this came about. FLIR eventually gave up trying new ways to prevent the upgrade and moved on with their new product ranges. They learnt from the experience as it also affected other FLIR series of cameras. They will not make the same ‘mistake’ again There may have been additional functionality included in later Ex series firmware, but most/all? Was already available as part of the unofficial upgrade process 

Firmware 1.18 and 1.19 are great because they are so easy to access for the purposes of configuration and file changes. No nasty countermeasures to make life more challenging 

My advice would be to stick with Firmware 1.18 unless there is some bug that you find in it that you cannot live with. These were decent hardware platforms with mature firmware from day 1. The firmware was basically the same baseline design as used on several different series of FLIR camera, including the Exx series.

Fraser

[SeanRocks]

Hi

I have managed to do the hack (everything up to and including the Christmas pack) on an E4 Wifi 2.0L, 3.16 firmware. Big thanks to everyone and respect to Bud and the community for sharing this knowledge.

One thing I found when doing the initial hack - delete files on the E4 before uploading as opposed to overwriting the files.

I have two aspects that I would like to request help with (not been able to find the answers with the search):

1) secret menu (press the "Right" key for 10 second when in the device info menu ), changing USB mode: I am unable to change from the default although there are a good number of option in the list. When I try to select a different mode, it just goes back to the previous menu. Going back into the USB mode menu, it still shows the default as being selected. Any tips please. I have attached the logs from the unpacking.

2) (un)packing the facet.rcc file: I am trying to modify this to remove the flir logo on on the images as per previous messages and also change the boot up text. I have the transparent image file required (per Reply #892 - thanks Frenky). I have once managed to do this and I cannot recall the exact steps so I know it is possible. My dev environment it Windows 10 and it is the same machine that I used successfully a few days ago to do same.
   i) for unpacking I have used https://github.com/zedxxx/rccextended/releases as per Reply #1033 (thanks Narkoa) and issued the command rcc --reverse
   ii) for packing, I use repack.cmd (from RCC-remerge) as per Reply #2993 (thanks Taucher)
When I do this with an unmodified facet.rcc file (pulling the working file from my E4) the output file is significantly bigger than the original and the E4 hangs on a blank screen. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

As an example, I have attached the working facet.rcc file (zipped) that I downloaded from the working E4 located in /FlashBFS/system/ui.d. Then the unpacked file and the packed file also attached (not modifications to the unpacked files). The packed file generated is facet_z3.rcc but I rename it to facet.rcc

Thanks

EDIT: it seems that there is a issue with packing using repack.cmd. The correct result is obtained using the ttol for unpacking (RccExtended-v1.0.5-win32)  as follow rcc -o facet.rcc -binary -format-version 1 \qresource\qrc\facet.qrc

[Bud]

The hidden menu changes were disabled by the manufacturer long time ago, do not waste your time on it.
If you applied the modification packages from E4 WiFi thread, the logo should already  be disabled. You do not need to do the acrobatics with the transparent image file.

[FUBAR]

I have a problem. I am not a tech-savvy person and recently I was given E4 thermal camera at my job to "work it out/learn how it works"
The camera was already being used a lot in work before it was given to me - what I didn't knew was that 90% of the features were there only because someone has applied hack to it - I though all of it was by default. I saw that firmware wasn't the newest one (it was either 2.3.0 or 2.4.0) and that 3.16.0 was available and I though "well, that version must have even more features!". Oh boy
I downloaded files and started updating through FLIR Tools- the update got stuck forever on "verifying files" but the camera started installing it after I disconnected it. You can guess how well it worked out, applying update to already hacked version.

Now after the "update" I have almost no features with a little side of bugs. Here are pictures of camera files and camera itself:
https://imgur.com/a/KoZBtJz
Please let me know if you need more or more specific info.

Is there is any way to unscrew the situation? Revert to older update, or apply hack to 3.16.0 or replace firmware completely?
Please help, my boss is 4x times even less tech-savvy than I am so there is no way in hell I'll manage to explain to him what has happened to the camera without sounding like I went mentally insane or downloaded chinese virus

[battmyrne216]

Can someone help me find the rdnis drivers. All the links seem broken.

[Bud]

https://support.flir.com/SwDownload/app/RssSWDownload.aspx?ID=70

[battmyrne216]

Hey guys, can anyone share their flashfs files. I lost my calibration maps and figured I would try a few more files so that I might find one that works well enough. I have tried two sets of flash fs files so far and the calibration maps are not great. If anyone has calibrated the dead pixel maps on these or anything I would love some advice. I have a very old unit, it came with 1.22 firmware. It is fully modded now and running 2.11 firmware. However like i said I messed up and lost my original flashfs files. The only issue I have left is some dead pixels on thermal and inaccurate temps. I was tthinking if someone could share a flashfs file that had similar calibration data it might just fix it. thanks for the help.

Side Note: I also figured out how to update the firmware to any version without using flir tools, as long as you have the fif file for it. If anyone is interested.

[KD0CAC John]

Hay battmyrne216 ,

I have newer wifi , guessing at least a couple yrs. old , I would be interested in the update " without the Flir Tools file .

I haven't modded my camera yet --- I am on the older end of the spectrum and not as computer literate - so I am fearful of bricking my unit , but still gathering info for upgrade .

Thanks 

[battmyrne216]

I have one piece of advice for you then. Backup all your files and zip up a copy as a first step. It seems the only thing that cannot be fixed is the thing I lost, that is your original calibration maps. I will make a quick video and post it up on how I got the update without using flir tools.

[smetankin]

Hi, everyone. I bought E5 (FW 2.3.0) and trying to hack resolution.
FAQ`s says: "Please check if your /FlashFS/system/appcore.d/config.d/conf.cfc is 6608 bytes (or 6336 for the E5)."

But in my case conf.cfg 6024 bytes... after command to apply apple.py get error "ftplib.error_perm: 550 File unavaible blah blah"
another try on 2.jpg 

any chance for me?

[Bud]

Are you sure your camera was never "updated"? You can compare the length of your .cfc with a .cfc of another camera that you know was updated.
The script I recall will not apply changes to a .cfc of a different length that the script is expecting.

[Marekx89]

Is possible buy battery adapter to Ex 18650 ? Thanks

[all_repair]

Is possible buy battery adapter to Ex 18650 ? Thanks

There is 3d file on thingiverse.. I have tested it, and it is good.

[Marekx89]

i dont have good with this 3d print adapter, insert adapter to camera, very hardly and not good electrical contact.

[FUBAR]

I have a problem. I am not a tech-savvy person and recently I was given E4 thermal camera at my job to "work it out/learn how it works"
The camera was already being used a lot in work before it was given to me - what I didn't knew was that 90% of the features were there only because someone has applied hack to it - I though all of it was by default. I saw that firmware wasn't the newest one (it was either 2.3.0 or 2.4.0) and that 3.16.0 was available and I though "well, that version must have even more features!". Oh boy
I downloaded files and started updating through FLIR Tools- the update got stuck forever on "verifying files" but the camera started installing it after I disconnected it. You can guess how well it worked out, applying update to already hacked version.

Now after the "update" I have almost no features with a little side of bugs. Here are pictures of camera files and camera itself:
https://imgur.com/a/KoZBtJz
Please let me know if you need more or more specific info.

Is there is any way to unscrew the situation? Revert to older update, or apply hack to 3.16.0 or replace firmware completely?
Please help, my boss is 4x times even less tech-savvy than I am so there is no way in hell I'll manage to explain to him what has happened to the camera without sounding like I went mentally insane or downloaded chinese virus

Ok, now after some time and fruitless attempts at fixing it I understand a bit better what happened - nothing is broken, the update just rolled back that hack.
Here is the problem - I'd like to apply that hack again but I don't know how to do that with 6.4.1 firmware version that I have.

Has anyone managed to apply hack to that version? Or is there is any way to downgrade it to older version (preferably 2.3.0)?
Could someone with older firmware version (again, preferably 2.3.0) just dump their firmware files here?
Thanks in advance.

 

[helpmeupgradeplease]

I second this request. Can someone please drop their 2.3 firmware here. All the past links I've found are dead. I am not going to be able to roll back mine from 2.8 without them. I think several others are having this problem.

The dead link I found: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/flir-e4-thermal-imaging-camera-teardown/msg839561/#msg839561

[PA0PBZ]

This is what I found in my archive, it looks like I downloaded that from the Flir site some time ago 

Too big to attach here so here is the link to google drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10LpcyTQzoJJBQRM2Ng-FXPA6ndQOM6fR/view?usp=sharing

[KD0CAC John]

Thanks , I was looking for that also .

[salvagedcircuitry]

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 

If anyone could post a photo of the lever next to a ruler that would be most excellent. Thanks a ton!

I ended up making CAD of the trigger rod used in the flir e4 e5 e6 e8 thermal imagers. I attached .stl and .step files. They are in a zip. Here's what they look like.

[nos_com71]

hi guys after long time ,
I have E4 no wifi  sw 2.11.0, HW1.2L. already followed ur instructions ,did a resolution a menu hacks nicely,
but that was n 2019 , I tried to find any update for this model, but I found a veryyy long thread . I tried to go to the latest pages , but things mixed up with me .
my need is : is there any update for my set?
thanks

[Fraser]

The upgrades for resolution and menu are the only ones for your current firmware. Some users have updated their firmware to enable them to make use of Bud’s upgrades but I cannot assist you with that as I have not followed the E4 upgrade for a long time.

Fraser

[ErwinsCat]

I'm trying to upgrade a flir E4 with software version 1.22.0 and believe me I'm reading this for a couple of days and tried several methods and all of them failed now realizing they are old, and probably obsolete and scattered all over the forum, it just too bad! I'm wondering if a better place exists with links to files and it instructions? can we put them in a better repository like github or something? or maybe I'm missing something and it is obvious and in plain sight!
thanks