Got a Scott Eagle 160, having some questions...

[Logan]

Hi guys.

I just got another thermal camera(Scott Eagle 160) because these things are addictive.
Currently I have 2 questions:

1. What's the socket in the photo? I think it's might be for video out? How can I connect that?
2. There are two buttons:
Left: Long press to turn on.
Right: When off, long press to turn on. When on, short press to trigger shutter, medium press to stand by, long press to turn off.
As you see, the left button is almost useless, why?

I think a operation-manual will answer both questions, but I cannot find it.(There are PDF format introductions for this model, but it's useless)

Can anyone help?
Thanks.

[Fraser]

The attached documentation may be of assistance to you. The Eagle 320 is a 320 x 240 pixel version of the Eagle 160. Its manual is very similar to that of the 160.

The buttons on fire fighting cameras are often 'multi-function' and some functions may be optional, such as a built in DVR, Image enhancement modes and RF transmitter. In the absence of those options, some buttons may appear excess to requirements. In some cameras a combination of button presses accesses the hidden menu, but not in this camera.

Fraser

[Fraser]

The SCC500 160 x 120 pixel imaging core from BAE.....

[Logan]

Thank you very much Fraser.
So the port is for USB connect to internal DVR, which mine don't have.
And the left button is for transmitter and zoom, which mine also don't have. 

[Logan]

I just took apart the camera, and found the "DVR" connector is properly wired to a PCB, and there are too many wires which don't look like USB. Maybe it have other functions? I'm thinking if I can get video out from it...
By the way, I never thought 160x120 can archive this video quality. I saw some Lepton video which have the same resolution, but feels completely different. It's a shame Flir make a product worse than something more than 10 years older than that.

[Bill W]

By the way, I never thought 160x120 can archive this video quality. I saw some Lepton video which have the same resolution, but feels completely different. It's a shame Flir make a product worse than something more than 10 years older than that.

Sadly called 'value engineering' vs say an E6.  Leptons though can do better as per the 'lens experiment' thread I have been doing.

However if you try hard (as BAe did and similar with Argus 160's) the results as you see are pretty good.
Reasons:
Decent pixel size for low detector noise (especially on the BAe-Lockheed VOx)
Electronics to match, so not the smallest that partly works
Good lens that can out-resolve the pixel pitch
Solid build alignment
Correct upsampling method and scaling
No bandwidth bottlenecks

As you can guess, a Flir-One fails on all those but that is why it is not $4k build cost !

[Fraser]

Just to add to Bills post, as he says, a quality core that is designed to perform well, rather than just come in under a certain price point will normally provide excellent imagery in most operating conditions and will sometimes out-perform a higher resolution, but cheaper build, core. Many professional cameras employ resolution enhancement using interpolation so that a 160 x 120 pixel FPA presents 320 x 240 pixels to the display or a 320 x 240 pixel fpa presents a 640 x 480 pixels to the display. Interpolation is not just pixel multiplication through duplication if done well. It is computation of a pixels value and those around it to create new pixel values that offer new levels rather than just duplicated levels. Interpolation can get very smart but never actually produced new raw data, only an interpretation of raw data to produce a nicer, higher pixel count, image    Now in the bad old days of digital photography, interpolation was considered an ugly word as true optical resolution was what counted. Whilst, to a degree, this remains true with thermal imaging systems, interpolation can provide very useful and impressive image enhancement and when pixels are very expensive, it can offer excellent, low cost, added value for the user. I personally consider 160 x 120 pixel fpa‘s the minimum useful resolution for my tasks. I do not have an issue with that relatively low resolution because I use industrial and professional cameras that make the most of it, unlike, for example, the budget Lepton based cameras that really cannot do much to improve the Lepton output without changing the lens. As for Seek Cores, well they may have higher resolution but they have their own challenges with noise in low Delta T images that, in my opinion, offsets the resolution advantage in some usage cases. I certainly like my Seek Reveal Pro QVGA cameras though 

[RO]

I picked up a Scott Eagle Imager 320, I'll disassemble in a post later, but can someone give me the pinout for the 3 pins at the bottom /  for the battery.
(It came without batt. and I would like to do a quick power on test.)

Already found the info from bill that it's 7-9 volts.

EDIT
It's black wire; Ground at inner (close to center) pin
Disconnected middle pin
Red wire; Power at outer (close to edge) pin




The core is a Raytheon 4500AS