Flir ThermovisionMSeries Operators Manual

							432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 9
 M-Series Overview
video cables can be connected to the same display. In this type of installation, 
switching between the thermal and visible video channels is performed with the 
display controls, rather than the JCU.
Ball-Up and Ball-Down Installation
In most installations, the M-Series is mounted upright on top of a mounting 
surface, with the pan/tilt base below the camera; this is known as the ball-up 
orientation. Optionally, the unit can be hung upside down or ball down. When 
installed ball down, you must configure the camera in the ball-down mode, so the 
video is properly displayed and the pan/tilt controls operate as expected (see 
page 38 for details on configuring this setting). 
Unless otherwise noted, this manual assumes an upright installation.
Warning: The M-618CS model, which is a mechanically stabilized system, must 
be installed in the ball-up orientation. 
Joystick Control Unit (JCU)
The JCU is your primary method of controlling the camera. The JCU is used to 
power up the camera or put it in a standby state, to operate the pan (rotation) and 
tilt movement of the camera, to zoom the IR camera (and on the M-618CS model, 
the color visible camera), and to configure the camera settings by means of 
on-screen menus. The JCU connects to the camera using an Ethernet network 
connection, and that same connection provides power to the JCU. 
The JCU has various buttons, an LCD display, and a joystick puck that is used to 
control the pan/tilt movement and to navigate through the on-screen menus. The 
puck can be rotated in either direction, moved left and right or forward and back, 
and pushed in (like a button) and pulled up. Chapter 2, M-Series Joystick Control 
Unit, on page 15 describes the features of the JCU in detail.
The M-Series uses on-screen symbols to indicate the camera position (azimuth) 
and various system settings that have been enabled. These symbols are 
introduced in “Video Display” on page 10 and are further explained throughout 
this manual in the discussion of related functions.
Multiple Cameras, JCUs, and Other Devices
In some installations, the system may include additional components, such as 
additional cameras or JCUs, video equipment, or network equipment. More than 
one JCU can be used to control the camera, and more than one display can be 
used to view the video. If you have a PC on the same network as the camera and 
JCU, you can use the PC to control and configure the system, the same as you 
would with the JCU. Using PCs is described in Chapter 5, M-Series IP Interface 
and PC Operations, on page 51.
Also a single JCU can be used to control more than one camera. In this case, you 
select which camera to control through a menu on the JCU. In the LCD display of 
the JCU, the name of the currently selected camera is displayed. When more than 
Upright 
(ball up) Upside down 
(ball down)
Joystick Control Unit 
						

							 M-Series Overview
10432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 
one JCU is installed in the system, a camera can respond to commands from any 
JCU that is in the system. 
Typically, the JCU and the video monitor are mounted in close physical proximity, 
as a pair, so you can immediately see the changes on the video screen when you 
use the JCU to change the camera position (pan or tilt). 
In a simple installation, the JCU can be directly connected to the camera with the 
supplied double-shielded Ethernet cable. In this case, the JCU draws its power 
from the camera. In more complex installations, the camera and JCU can be 
interconnected using a network switch. If the network switch does not have 
Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability, a PoE injector can be used to provide 
power to the JCU. FLIR PoE injectors are available from your FLIR authorized 
dealer or integrator.
Contact FLIR for more information regarding available accessories including 
JCUs, PoE equipment, video distribution amplifiers, cables, connectors, 
mounting hardware, and so on. Contact information is listed on the back of this 
manual.
Video Display
The M-Series thermal imager does not produce images from visible light like an 
ordinary camera does or like the human eye does. Rather, it uses energy 
contained in the infrared band to produce images by sensing subtle differences in 
temperature and generating images based on those differences. 
Thermal Imaging
The thermal imaging camera relies on the fact that all objects, even very cold 
objects like ice, emit thermal energy in the portion of the infrared spectrum that 
this camera can see, the long wave infrared (LWIR). Therefore, unlike an 
illuminated infrared camera, the thermal imaging camera does not need an 
additional active illumination source and images are based on directly radiated 
rather than reflected energy.
When the thermal camera is in white-hot mode, the warm objects in the scene 
display as white, or lighter shades of gray, and cold objects display as black or 
darker shades of gray. When you switch the video polarity, this is reversed.
This is why you will see hot objects such as parts on an outboard motor that 
appear white (or black, or red depending on the video image mode selected), 
while the puddles of water and other cold objects appear dark (or cool). Scenes 
with familiar objects will be easy to interpret with some experience. The camera 
automatically optimizes the image to provide you with the best contrast in most 
conditions. 
						

							432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 11
 M-Series Overview
FLIR Systems, Inc. offers a comprehensive selection of training courses to help 
you to get the best performance and value from your thermal imaging camera. 
You can find out more at the FLIR training Web page:
http://www.flir.com/training
Video Screen Icons
Depending on the camera settings and the JCU buttons that have been pressed, 
various symbols display on the screen. Some of these icons always display on the 
screen, and some appear momentarily or only when certain functions are enabled 
or executed. 
Note:The icons and on-screen menus only display on the thermal image. Also 
some icons only display on the model that has the stabilization feature.
The display of icons can be modified using several configuration settings. See 
“Set Symbology” on page 35 for a description of menu options relation to symbol 
display. 
The following image of a screen illustrates some of the possible icons displayed 
by the system, as well as an example of the on-screen menu that displays when 
you press the MENU button. Using the menus is described in Chapter 4, 
M-Series System Configuration, on page 31. 
If you are using the camera model that supports mechanical stabilization, your 
screen will look a little different. See “Video Screen Icons with Mechanical 
Stabilization” on page 45 for details.
A complete list of all of the icons used in the system and a brief description of how 
they are used can be found in “List of Icons” on page 65. 
On-Screen Menu
Position
Scene
JCUZoom Level
PC
Video Setup
Set Symbology
User Programmable Button
System Setup
About/Help
Exit

Rearview
Freeze
Home 
						

							 M-Series Overview
12432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 
On-Screen Menu
The on-screen menu appears when the MENU button is pressed. Menu entries 
are selected using the joystick puck. Pressing the MENU button again removes 
the menu from the screen.
Position Icon
The position indication shows the azimuth (direction) of the camera relative to the 
vessel. The shaded triangle shows the approximate camera field of view (FOV).
JCU Icon
A single JCU icon indicates only one JCU is connected to the camera unit. If 
more than one JCU is discovered, the multiple JCU icon appears.
PC Icon
The PC icon indicates that a PC on the network has a connection with the 
camera. When you have integrated a PC into your network, you can manage the 
camera settings from a page that displays in a Web browser, rather than using 
the JCU. In some situations, this may be a more convenient way of controlling 
the camera. Using this page is described in Chapter 5, M-Series IP Interface 
and PC Operations, on page 51.
SCENE Icons 
Pressing the SCENE button cycles through four preset automatic gain control 
(AGC) settings, which change the image gain and level settings. Regardless of 
the scene setting, the thermal camera automatically adjusts to the scene to 
provide a balanced, high-quality image. However, you may prefer an image that 
has more or less contrast than the default one provided, and the SCENE button 
provides that type of fine adjustment. 
Which setting you use depends on personal preference and environmental 
conditions; you may like the way the Man Overboard setting looks, even though 
you are running on open water during the daytime. 
Rearview Icon
The rearview icon indicates the rearview mode option has been selected in the 
System Settings menu. The rearview setting flips the video image horizontally left 
to right. The image on the display provides the same perspective as a rear view 
mirror in a vehicle; objects off the stern on the starboard side of the vessel are 
displayed on the right hand side of the video. See page 40 for details on 
configuring this setting.
Home Icon
The home icon appears momentarily to indicate the camera is in the home 
position. The icon flashes when a new home position is set.
Night Running
Day Running
Night Docking
Man Overboard 
						

							432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 13
 M-Series Overview
Zoom (2X or 4X)
Pressing and holding the puck causes the thermal camera to digitally zoom in to 
2X magnification. On the M-6x models, pressing and holding again causes the 
thermal camera to digitally zoom in to 4x magnification (the M-3x models do not 
support this). Pull and hold the puck to zoom out the thermal camera. 
On the M-618CS model only, the color daylight camera zooms correspondingly 
with the changes to the thermal camera.
Image Frozen
The image frozen icon appears when the puck has been double clicked (pressed 
two times in quick succession), which momentarily stops the video. Pressing any 
button or moving the puck switches back to live video. 
This feature is available on the thermal camera in all models, and is available on 
the DLTV camera in the M-618CS model. It is not available on the DLTV camera 
in other models.  
						

							 M-Series Overview
14432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 
This page is intentionally blank. 
						

							432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 M-Series Operator’s Manual 15
CHAPTER 2M-Series Joystick Control 
Unit
JCU Introduction
The JCU is the primary method of controlling the M-Series camera. You use it to 
move the camera (pan or tilt), electronically zoom the camera, switch between 
infrared and visible-light cameras, adjust the image settings, and access the 
on-screen menus. 
This chapter describes how to use the JCU buttons to operate the camera 
features. Some of these features vary depending on the specific way your system 
has been configured. The various configuration settings and how they affect 
operation are all discussed in Chapter 4, M-Series System Configuration, on 
page 31. When specific settings affect a particular button, you can refer to that 
chapter for additional details.
JCU Buttons
All of the buttons on the JCU perform multiple functions. In most cases, each 
performs one function when it is pressed briefly (short press) and a different 
function when it is pressed and held (long press). This flexibility enables a simple 
device to support a set of complex, rich features.  
						

							 M-Series Joystick Control Unit
16432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 
In the following discussion, the short press action is described first, followed by 
the long press. In addition, enabling some system features can affect how the 
buttons work. Table 2.1 on page 19 summarizes the two actions for each button.
Power/DIM Button
Short Press
A short press of the Power/DIM button cycles through the four levels of 
brightness for the JCU display. The JCU controls are backlit to make them easier 
to see at night. Use this button to adjust the brightness of the JCU backlighting 
for your comfort. 
Long Press
Pressing and holding the Power/DIM button is used to “wake up” the camera, 
causing it to go from standby mode to powered on. It is also used to put the 
camera back in standby mode as well as complete other system functions such 
as calibrating the JCU and associating the JCU with a camera. These functions 
are described in more detail on page 23.
MENU Button
In many cases, you will not need to modify the factory default configuration 
settings of your system. However, the system gives you many options that you 
may want to tailor to your own needs. These settings are available through 
on-screen menus. Use the MENU button to turn these menus on or off. 
Note:The MENU button does not have a press and hold action. 
When the on-screen menu is displayed, use the joystick puck to navigate through 
the menus and select various menu entries. Each menu item is discussed in 
detail in Chapter 4, M-Series System Configuration, on page 31, which explains 
how to navigate using the menus in more detail. 
Puck Power/DIM Display
Home
SceneUser
Menu
Color 
						

							432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 17
 M-Series Joystick Control Unit
USER Button
The USER button is a programmable one-touch button that lets you quickly 
access the most common or favorite settings or functions. You configure the 
short-press action of this button from the User Programmable Button menu entry 
(see page 36).
Short Press
A short press of the USER button is initially configured to invert the video polarity 
setting from white-hot to black-hot. You can choose from a number of other 
options.
Long Press
Pressing and holding the USER button displays the on-screen menu for 
programming the button. The menu can also be accessed by pressing the MENU 
button and then scrolling down to the User Programmable Button entry.
SCENE Button
Short Press
A short press of the SCENE button cycles through four preset automatic gain 
control (AGC) settings, which change the image gain and level settings:
• Night Running
• Night Docking
• Day Running
• Man Overboard
The M-Series automatically adjusts to changing scene conditions to provide a 
high-contrast image that is optimized for most conditions. The preset AGC 
settings for each scene have been optimized to offer the most balance and high 
quality image for specific conditions. Which setting to use depends on personal 
preference and environmental conditions. 
You may like the way the Night Docking setting looks, even though you are 
running on open water during the daytime. Experiment with the different settings, 
and find out for yourself which settings works best in different conditions.
Long Press
On dual payload models, pressing and holding the SCENE button switches 
between the thermal and visible-light cameras for the video signal on the VIS/IR 
cable.
Night Running
Day Running
Night Docking
Man Overboard 
						

							 M-Series Joystick Control Unit
18432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 
COLOR Button
Short Press
Pressing the COLOR button switches the thermal camera video display. The way 
the button works depends on the setting of Enable (Disable) Color Thermal Video 
(see page 34).
• When Color Thermal Video is disabled, pressing the COLOR button lets you 
choose between white/black or red/black display options. 
• When Color Thermal Video is enabled, pressing the COLOR button cycles 
through five preset color palettes.
The default color scheme is red/black since the equipment is often used at night 
in the darkness and the red-hot image can help preserve the user’s night vision. 
Based on personal preferences, one of the other color settings (or color palettes) 
may be chosen as a default.
Note:The USER button is configured to invert the video polarity setting by 
default, so it changes the infrared imagery from white-hot (red-hot) to black-hot.
Long Press
Press and hold the COLOR button to calibrate the thermal cameras, also called 
flat field correction. This process can improve the quality of the thermal image by 
recalibrating a more uniform output.
HOME Button
Short Press
A short press of the HOME button moves the camera to its home position. The 
home position is a programmable preset position—by default, straight ahead and 
level with the horizon—that operators can use as a reference. Home is the 
position the camera will most likely be in when it is in use. 
Long Press
Pressing and holding the HOME button sets the home position. First use the 
puck to point the camera’s line of sight to the position you want to set as home. 
Press and hold the HOME button for 3 seconds; the home symbol will flash on 
the screen when the new home position is set. When you want to move the 
camera to this position, press and release the HOME button. When you press the 
HOME button, the home icon appears on the screen briefly.
The home position is not the same as the stow position. The home position is the 
position the camera will most likely be in when it is in use. The stow position is 
the preferred position when the camera is not in use, for protecting the camera 
optics. Both positions are programmable by the use—the home position through 
the HOME button and the stow position using the on-screen menus.