Neo Thermo TVS700

[Wulalalala]

Hi, I am a bachelor student and got a project named thermal camera. Our team got a thermal camera which is Neo Thermo TVS700, seems old but still working well. Now the problem is our client want our team to set up a connection between the camera with laptop or PC in order to control the camera or take the thermal image out of the camera and optimize the image. So we have objective A and objective B.

So our team tried to connect the camera to the laptop at the beginning. From the instruction book, we realized that we should use a IEEE1394 4pin FireWire cable and a IEEE1394 cardbus to set up a connection between the camera and laptop. Fortunately, all of these facilities are provided by the carmera`s packing box as well as the controlling software which can be installed on Windows XP/2000.

After that, we tried to set up a connection. We had confirmed the FireWire cable was well connected with the cardbus and plugged into a very old laptop(A). Besides that we also installed the IEEE1394 cardbus driver so the cardbus can be identified by the laptop. After all of these we had done follow the instrustion book, unfortunately the laptop can not conntect to the camera.  When we plugged in the cardbus, the device manager shows up "fund new hardware" at the bottom. And we found that it just means the laptop can realize the cardbus was plug in. We had checked the device manager of the laptop, it only shows the cardbus name and details but nothing for the thermal camera (no yellow triangle and no imaging device shows up).

So we began to find for the problem. Following are the checklist:

1. IEEE 1394 CardBus. 
2. IEEE 1394 4pin FireWire cable.
3. Thermal Camera interface.
4. The laptop

First of all, we had tried another 1 new cardbus instead of the old one which was provided by the thermal camera packing case. But we had got the same result as before. Secondly, we had tried another two absolutely new IEEE 1394 4pin FireWire cable for setting up a connection. And at this time, we also find another laptop(B) which has a FireWire port. So we tried to connect the camera with the laptop(B) directly just through one FireWire cable. Still nothing happened. But when we use a high speed camera through the same cable to connect the laptop(B), the laptop(B) can detect the high speed camera. Finally, we thougt the problem is the interface of thermal camera.


So our project turns to objective B.

The camera has a flash memory card by itself and the card can be taken out. So we open the  flash memory card file and there are three types of image files showed up: IRI, JPG and BMP. BMP, and JPG can be opened directly. The BMP image display the thermal data details and the JPG image shows the real-time picture that captured by the camera. So if you know some software that can be used to combine the thermal image with the real-time one, we are very pleasure to know that. Because we have found some thermal image dealling softeware which is used for FLIR ONLY. So we are really need help from you..

If you have some idea about the object A, please give us some suggestions, we are glad to hear from your voice.
 
My English is not good, I would  appreciate your comments. If you have some questions about my statement please ask me for more details.


Thank you very much.

Peng

[Fraser]

Hi,

That is a NEC AVIO camera. Very good quality 

I have three others from NEC AVIO and two are capable of IEEE communication with a PC.

The software that originally shipped with the cameras is anything but great ! A third party program became available that was far superior in every respect. NEC AVIO adopted that software as an upgrade option that could be bought from them via an exclusive licence agreement. It was very expensive.

To get the Firewire link working you need to install the NEC AVIO camera driver first, then the appropriate software that you wish to use. Without the driver, the PC does not see the camera. I have the required driver if you do not already have it. The software comes in several versions. Some were free and others were chargeable. The software for viewing the images captured on the flash card was free. IIRC the video streaming software was chargeable. I have all of the software that was available for these cameras. The software titling is infamaous in the industry for being very confusing. NEC AVIO never got to grips with their software titles and it was not wonderful software anyway.

You can still download the latest driver and software for this camera from NEC AVIO. You my have to register though.

http://www.infrared.avio.co.jp/en/support/index.html?_ga=1.267240520.774447379.1488897404&__utma=1.774447379.1488897404.1488897404.1488897404.1&__utmb=1.1.10.1488897404&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1488897404.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=(not%20provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=21036987

Software download page.......

http://www.infrared.avio.co.jp/en/support/thermo/download/software.html

Firmware plus IEEE Driver to suit all cameras including yours (at the bottom of the list).......

http://www.infrared.avio.co.jp/en/support/thermo/download/firmware.html

I also have the service manual for these cameras but sadly I cannot share such. There is no specific option to enable the IEEE interface in the camera. It should be working if fitted and the camera should be seen in the Device Driver list.

Best Wishes

Fraser

[Fraser]

I can also test your driver and application software if you send it to me. I have cameras that should operate fine with it.

I will PM you my email address.

Fraser

[Wulalalala]

Hi Fraser,

Thank you so much about your explaination and links.

We will try to connect the camera again in this week and inform you the test result as soon as possible.

Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

Peng

[Wulalalala]

Hi Fraser,

I will send the copy of driver and softeware to you in these days. There are about two camera software and one driver. It makes me sort of confusing and I don`t know whether I installed these software correctly.

Thanks again.

Peng

[Wulalalala]

Hi Fraser,

Our team has test the camera this afternoon, we downloaded the FireWire IEEE driver from the link that you gave to us. We followed the install instruction of the driver but the instruction need to be installed through image device within the device manager. But the core problem is as we connecting the camera with our laptop there was no image device showed up in device manager. Therefore, we were failed to install the FireWire driver at the end.  We tried two ways for setting up connection.

1. FireWire cable ? IEEE1394 CardBus  ? Laptop
2. FireWire cable? Adapter? Laptop

Following are some pictures show the cables that we were used to set up a connection. The laptop has a FireWire 1394 female 4 pin port so we use an adapter for connecting.

If you could tell us where the problem probably is which will be very helpful for our project. Because the laptop still cannot recognize a new device has plugged in.

I am looking forward to your reply.

Kind regards,

Peng

[Fraser]

Hiya,

That is bad news.

From what you have said it appears that the IEEE-1394 FireWire interface in your camera is not working. the FireWire port on the camera should be checked carefully with a magnifier to check for any damage to the contacts. I would then disssemble the camera and check that the FireWire port connector has not become disconnected from the cameras PCB through accidental pulling on the cable whilst in past use. Beyond that I regret to advise you are unlikely to be able to resolve the matter without a new camera interface PCB. Such is unlikely to be available now even if it is, it will definitely be a very expensive part.

Sorry I so not have better news for you.

Fraser

[Wulalalala]

Hi Fraser,

Well that`s not too bad yet, we also have objective B.

If you have some information about the thermal imaging software which can combine the thermal image with real-time picture and showing the tempreture of the every pixel points which will be very helpful. Because we need to learn some image procesing algorithms from the software. If the sotware is open source which will be better. Eventhough we have not make the camera connect to the laptop successfully, we are very grateful that you can provide us solutions and tools.

Thank you!

Peng

[Fraser]

Dear Peng,

The only free software I have access to is that which appears on the official NEC Avio site. The third party software I purchased can do I amage fusion but I am not sure that this is what you need. That software was very expensive and sadly has been withdrawn from sale since I bought it.

I regret I cannot assist you further with Objective B.

There may be other 3rd party softwares available that can do what you need?

Fraser

[Wulalalala]

Hi Fraser,

There is no need for feeling regret. Because you have provided us so many usefull information and tools which inspiring us lots of ideas.

I have successfully downloaded the software from the link and it can be used to analyze the thermal image. We will learn from this software.

YOU DID A LOT FOR US.

Thank you so much.

Best regards,
Peng

[Wulalalala]

Hi Fraser,

We are doing our plan b. We want to take a physical picture of object by the thermal camera,which is a JPG image, but we do not know how to operate it now. Could you please help us? Further more, we want to use Matlab to analyse the IRI file, could you please give us some suggestions?
 

Thanks a lot!
PENG

[Fraser]

Hi Peng,

We had a death in our family yesterday. Sorry I cannot assist you at the moment.

Fraser

[Wulalalala]

Hi Fraser,

We are so sad to hear about that. All of us are sorry for your loss.

Please spend more time with your family.

Take care.

Sincerely,
Peng