Flir ThermovisionMDSeries Operators Manual

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 Optional Joystick Control Unit (JCU)
4.Enter the new value you want to use in  the IP field. The Network Mask should 
fill in automatically (for  example, 255.255.255.0).
5.Click Save to save the changes and exit the control page.
When software updates become available,  it is possible to use the Firmware 
Update field to load the update to the camera. Contact the FLIR dealer where you 
purchased the camera for additional in formation, or contact FLIR directly. 
						

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CHAPTER 6MD-Series Reference 
Information
Introduction
This chapter includes a glossary of acronyms, a list of symbols used in on-screen 
display, and a number of lists and tables that summarize system information and 
show how features vary by camera model.
It also includes a set of ti ps for troubleshooting issues. 
Acronyms 
Table 6.1 lists each acronym that is used in this manual and its meaning. 
TABLE 6.1  Acronyms
Acronym/Term Definition
AGC Automatic Gain Control
ANSI American National Standards Institute 
API Application Programming Interface
EAR Export Administration Regulations
EMI Electromagnetic Interference
FFC Flat Field Correction
FLIR Forward Looking Infrared
FoV Field of View
FPS Frames per Second (refresh rate)
HFoV Horizontal Field of View 
						

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ICDInterface Control Document
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IP Internet Protocol
IR Infrared or thermal
JCU Joystick Control Unit
LCD Liquid Crystal Display
MFD Multifunction display
NMEA National Marine Electronics Association
NTSC National Television System Committee
PAL Phase Alternating Line
PoE Power over Ethernet
SCTE Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers 
SDK Software Developer’s Kit
UPnP Universal Plug and Play
VDC Volts, Direct Current
TABLE 6.1  Acronyms
Acronym/Term Definition 
						

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List of Icons
Table 6.2 lists every icon that may di splay on the screen during various 
operations, with a brief description of its meaning. Some icons display 
permanently and some only display briefly.  The display of some icons is affected 
by settings on the Symbology Menu (see page 19). 
TABLE 6.2  Video Display Icons
Icon Name Description
Freeze The IR video has been momentarily paused. Move 
the puck to resume the display. On the M-618CS 
model, the DLTV video will also freeze.
JCU
Indicates a single JCU is connected to the 
camera
.
Multiple JCUs Indicates more than one JCU is connected to the 
camera.
PC Indicates a PC or other wireless device such as a 
smartphone or an iPad on the network has a 
connection with the camera. It is possible to use 
the PC or device to control the camera.
Rearview Mode Indicates camera is in rearview mode so that  images are flipped horizontally.
Scene: Night Running One of four p automatic gain control settings  optimized for use on the open water at night.
Scene: Night Docking One of four p automatic gain control settings  optimized for use when the boat is docking at night.
Scene: Day Running One of four p automatic gain control settings  optimized for use on the open water during the day.
Scene: Man Overboard One of four p  automatic gain control settings 
optimized for providing visibility to small moving 
objects. 
						

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System Specifications
Table 6.3 lists details about physical  characteristics, power usage, and 
environmental features of the MD-Series camera.
TABLE 6.3  Specifications
Physical Characteristics
Camera Size 5.2 cm (6 in) di ameter, 17.8 cm (7 in) tall
Camera Weight Under 1.4 kg (3 lb), depending on the camera model
Joystick Size 9.1 X 14.2 X 8.13 cm (3.6 X 5.6 X 3.2 in)
3.17 cm (1.25 in) above platform including joystick
Joystick Weight .45 kg (1 lb)
Power
Camera Input Power Power over  Ethernet (PoE) per IEEE 802.3af
JCU Input Power Power over Ethernet (PoE) per IEEE 802.3af
Consumption (camera and 
FLIR PoE injector) 
						

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 MD-Series Reference Information
Feature Comparison of MD-Series Models 
The following table lists each MD-Series model and its supported features. Each 
model is available in four variations, identified by a unique part number:
• 
						

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Troubleshooting Tips
This section includes information that may help you with common issues that 
may arise during operation of the MD-Series system.
Video not displayed on monitor 
If the camera will not produce an image, check the video connection at the 
camera and at the display. If the connectors appear to be properly connected but 
the camera still does not produce an imag e, ensure that power has been properly 
applied to the camera and circuit breaker is set properly. If a fuse was used, be 
sure the fuse is not blown. 
Check the wiring at both the electrical panel. Ensure that the contacts are clean, 
dry and free from corrosion. If maintenance on the wiring connection is required, 
have an authorized service representative make the appropriate repairs.
If the camera still does not produce an im age, contact the FLIR dealer or reseller 
who provided the camera, or contact FLIR directly (contact information is 
provided on the rear  cover of this manual).
Cleaning
If the camera lens has become smudged or  dirty, clean it with low-pressure fresh 
water and a soft cloth. Improper care of the camera window can cause damage 
to its anti-reflective coating, degrade  the camera’s performance, and void the 
camera warranty.
The camera housing has a durable marine coating. Rinse the camera housing 
with very low-pressure fresh water to  keep it clean. If the front window of the 
camera gets water spots, wip e it with a clean lens cloth folded in fourths and 
dampened with fresh water.
Noisy image
A noisy image is usually attributed to a cable problem—too long or inferior 
quality—or the cable is picking up electromagnetic interference (EMI) from 
another device. Although coax cable has built -in losses, the longer the cable is or 
the smaller the wire gauge/thickness, t he more severe the losses become; and 
the higher the signal frequency, the more pronounced the losses. Unfortunately 
this is one of the most common and unnecessary problems that plagues video 
systems in general.
Cable characteristics are determined by a number of factors such as core 
material, dielectric material and shield construction, among others and must be 
carefully matched to the specific a pplication. Moreover, the transmission 
characteristics of the cable will be influenced by the physical environment 
through which the cable is run and the method of installation. Use only high 
quality cable and ensure the cable is suitable to the marine environment.
Check cable connector terminations. Inferior quality connections may use 
multiple adapters that can cause unacceptable noise.  
						

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Image too dark or too light
By default, the MD-Series thermal camera uses an automatic gain control (AGC) 
setting that has proven to be superior for  most applications. However, a specific 
environment may benefit from a different AG C setting. For example, a very cold 
background (such as the sky) could cause the camera to use a wider temperature 
range than appropriate. You should keep the ocean, and not the sky or the boat, 
as the predominant object in the image.  Refer to “SCENE Button” on page 41 for 
information about how to make adjustments to the image.
Performance varies wi th time of day
You may observe differences in the way the camera performs at different times of 
the day, due to the diurnal cycle of the su n. Recall that the camera produces an 
image based on temperature differences. 
At certain times of the day, such as just before dawn, the objects in the image 
scene may all be roughly the same temper ature, compared to other times of the 
day. Compare this to imagery right after sunset, when objects in the image may 
be radiating heat energy that has been  absorbed during the day due to solar 
loading. Greater temperature differences in the sc ene generally will allow the 
camera to produce high-contrast imagery. 
Performance may also be affected when objects in the scene are wet rather than 
dry, such as on a foggy day or in the early morning when everything may be 
coated with dew. Under these conditions, it  may be difficult for the camera to show 
the temperature the object itself, rather than of the water coating.
Eastern or Western exposure
While a boat is under way, the camera may inevitably end up pointing directly east 
or west, and this may cause the sun to  be in the field of view during certain 
portions of the day. We do not recommend  intentionally viewing the sun, but 
looking at the sun will not permanently da mage the sensor. In fact the thermal 
imaging camera often provides a considerable advantage over a conventional 
camera in this type of back-lit situation. 
However, the sun may introd uce image artifacts that will eventually correct out 
and it may take some time for the camera to recover. The amount of time needed 
for recovery will depend on how long t he camera was exposed to the sun. The 
longer the exposure, the longer  the recovery time needed. 
Image freezes momentarily
The camera has a feature that lets you momentarily freeze the image. How you 
do this depends on the device you are using to control the camera. When an 
image is frozen, a snowflake image icon  appears on the screen. Any other action 
with the control device will unfreeze the image.
By design, the camera image will freeze mo mentarily on a periodic basis during 
the flat field correction (FFC) cycle. A shutter activates inside the camera and 
provides a target of uniform temperature, allowing the camera to correct for  
						

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ambient temperature changes and provide the best possible image. Just prior to 
the FFC, a small green square will appear  in the upper left corner of the screen.
Note:  If you have a JCU, pressing and holding the COLOR button causes the 
thermal camera to do an FFC operation.
Multiple Cameras and/or JCUs on a single network
It is possible to configur e the system with multiple ca meras and multiple JCUs on 
the same network. More than one JCU can be used to control a given camera. 
The camera will respond to commands  from both JCUs in the order the 
commands are received across the network. Unpredictable behavior may result 
from users sending conflicti ng commands from separate JCUs (for example, one 
user selects white hot and th e other selects black hot). In general, the camera will 
respond to the last command received and there is no way to set priority, given 
that IP networks use a “bes t effort” delivery protocol.
Note:  This behavior is true only of JCUs. If you are using the Web interface to 
control the camera with a browser on a PC or smartphone, a message displays 
prompting you to release control before the other Web device assumes it. 
On Screen Messages
In some circumstances, a status or alert message may appear on the video 
screen. This section describes the mess ages and the appropriate actions that 
may be necessary.
Loading, please wait…
Indicates the camera has power and is booting up. No action is needed; the 
message will be removed when camera is  ready for operation. Refer to Chapter 
2, "MD-Series System Startup," on page 13 for more information.
Reconnect network, now...
Indicates the camera has detected a loopback termination on the Ethernet RJ45 
connector and has reverted to the Factory Default network settings. Remove the 
Ethernet RJ45 loopback termi nation adapter. The camera will then continue the 
startup process under the Factory Default network configuration (with DHCP 
dynamic IP addressing).
No Network…
Indicates the camera has lost connection with a previously available network. 
Normally, when the camera is on a network, the IP address of the camera 
displays. If the network connection is inte rrupted, this message displays instead.