Flir ThermovisionMSeries Operators Manual

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 M-Series Joystick Control Unit
Special Button Functions
You can use combinations of buttons to perform a few additional less common 
functions. 
JCU Reset
Occasionally it may be necessary to reset the JCU. Simultaneously pressing and 
holding the MENU and USER buttons causes the JCU to reset. Unplugging and 
plugging the Ethernet cable will also cause the JCU to lose power temporarily and 
reset. When it resets, it will reacquire a network IP address and display 
connection progress messages on the display.
Camera Reset
Severe vibrations or shock may cause the camera gimbal assembly to rotate or tilt 
and cause the pan position indicator to be inaccurate. To reset the camera and 
cause the gimbal assembly to go through its initial pan/tilt cycle, repeatedly press 
the HOME button 4 times. 
Note:The High Power Standby and High Motor Torque settings can be enabled 
to provide the camera with a better ability to withstand shock and vibration at high 
rates of speed or in high seas (see page 39 for details).
Global Standby
When the system is put into global standby, all cameras and JCUs found on the 
network are placed in standby mode at the same time. This function is used to 
properly shut down all cameras (return to stow position) and JCUs prior to 
removing power with the system breaker. 
While this option can be selected from the JCU Power Menu, you can also 
achieve global standby by pressing and holding the SCENE, COLOR, and HOME 
buttons in unison. 
Note:The JCU does not go into a countdown mode or display the Power Menu. 
The system immediately goes into global standby mode.
Display JCU IP Address
If you press the COLOR button while pushing the puck, the IP address of the JCU 
displays on the JCU screen.
Button Summary
Table 2.1 summarizes the action of each button on the JCU.
TABLE 2.1  Summary of Button Actions
Button Action
COLOR Short Cycle through thermal color options
COLOR LongCalibrate thermal camera 
						

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JCU Puck
The JCU puck functions like a joystick and can be moved left or right, forward 
and back, and rotated in either direction. It can also be pushed in (like a mouse 
click) or pulled out. The puck movement is translated to control the pan/tilt 
position of the camera, zoom in and out, and freeze the video. 
In addition to controlling the camera, you use the puck to navigate through the 
on-screen menus and select the options you want. Push the puck forward and 
back to move up and down in the menus and push the puck in (click) to select a 
menu item.
You can configure how you interact with the puck using two settings that affect 
how the system interprets puck movement. Many operators will prefer the way 
the system initially works, but you should be aware that the behavior of the puck 
can be modified through the system settings, letting you choose the mode that 
feels most natural to you. See “Enable (Disable) Aircraft Joystick Mode” on 
page 38 and “Enable (Disable) Twist-to-Pan Mode” on page 38 for details about 
these settings.
Note:The puck implements proportional control; therefore, the farther you 
rotate it or direct it from center, the faster the camera will move.
DIM Short Change JCU illumination level
DIM LongDisplay JCU Power Menu
HOME Short Return to Home position
HOME LongSet Home value
MENU Short  Display or exit menus
MENU LongNo Effect
SCENE Short Cycle through four preset scenes
SCENE LongAlternate visible and thermal camera output 
(dual payload only)
USER Short Invert Video Polarity (can be reprogrammed)
USER LongDisplay User Programmable Button menu entry
MENU + USER Reset the JCU
HOME 4XReset the camera
SCENE + COLOR + HOME Initiate global standby
COLOR + PuckDisplay JCU IP address
TABLE 2.1  Summary of Button Actions
Button Action 
						

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 M-Series Joystick Control Unit
Tilting the Camera
You can use the puck to tilt the camera up and down by moving the puck forward 
and backward. By default, moving the puck forward causes the camera to tilt up. 
Moving the puck back causes the camera to tilt down. This is similar to the way 
the joystick for video games works.
You can change this so that the puck functions like the joystick used in an aircraft. 
In this case, the opposite happens: moving the joystick forward causes the 
camera to tilt down. Moving the puck back causes the camera to tilt up. 
Panning the Camera
You also use the puck to pan the camera to the left and right. By default, turn the 
puck clockwise and the gimbal will pivot to the right. Rotate (twist) the puck 
counterclockwise and the M-Series will pivot left. 
You can change this so that panning is done by moving the puck sideways left 
(pan left) or right (pan right).
Zooming the Camera
By default, push the puck in and hold it 1 second to turn on 2X electronic zoom on 
the IR camera. Push and hold for 2 seconds for 4X zoom (M-6x models only). Pull 
up on the puck to return to 2X zoom and pull again to return to no zoom. The 
screen icon changes to indicate the settings.
You can change this so that you zoom in by twisting the puck clockwise (zoom in) 
or counterclockwise (zoom out). 
Zoom applies only to the thermal camera in all M-Series models except the 
M-618CS model, which has a continuous zoom visible color camera. The visible 
camera will zoom to the same magnification as the IR camera.However, when 
you are viewing visible output, you can continue to zoom to a preset limit.
Normal View
2X Zoom4X Zoom 
						

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Freezing an Image
To momentarily pause the IR video and freeze the current image on the screen, 
double-click the puck (press it in twice quickly). The freeze icon displays. Any 
other action with the JCU (moving the puck or pushing a button) will unfreeze the 
image.
This feature is also available on the DLTV camera in the M-618CS model. It is not 
available on the DLTV camera in other models. 
JCU Display
The JCU display area generally shows the ID of the camera that the JCU is 
connected to. It also shows various JCU status messages, and it shows the 
countdown (3, 2, 1, 0) to access the Power Menu when the power button is 
pressed and held. The Power Menu displays on the LCD so you can choose 
various standby modes. 
See “JCU Power Menu” on page 26 for details about using this menu.
JCU powered on with backlit 
display and buttons 
						

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CHAPTER 3M-Series System Startup
System Startup and Shutdown
The M-Series camera does not have an on/off switch. Instead, its power state is 
controlled by the JCU (or a PC, if you choose to set up that interface). Generally, 
the camera is never completely off but in a standby state waiting for a “wake” 
command from the JCU. 
Typically, the M-Series system is connected to its power source through a circuit 
breaker, which functions as the primary on/off switch for the system. Should it be 
necessary for some reason to completely shut down the system, the circuit 
breaker is used. In normal operation, however, the camera will have power and 
will be in one of three states or modes: 
• Bootup, or powering on
• Powered on, or fully functional
• Standby, a low-power state waiting for a wake command
The Bootup Process
The bootup process is slightly different depending on whether the system had 
been completely turned off or is being wakened from a standby state. Most of 
what happens, however, is the same. 
If you are starting from a full shutdown, make sure your monitor is turned on. Then 
power on the system. When power from the circuit breaker is initially applied to 
the system, the camera will perform a short pan/tilt initialization by rotating back 
and forth and tilting up and down and then begin a bootup sequence.  
						

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When the JCU receives power, an amber light on the Power/DIM button will 
come on. When the Power/DIM button is pressed, the JCU will search for 
M-Series cameras on the network. 
Troubleshooting Tip: If the JCU does not have power, it may be connected to a 
Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch that has not been powered on, or it may be 
connected to a network switch that does not provide PoE power.
During bootup, a series of screens displays as various components are activated. 
How the screen looks will vary depending on the particular configuration settings 
of your installation. In general, the following sequence occurs:
1.Two FLIR splash screens display.
Initially the screen at the left appears. Then another splash screen with two
important notices appears.
2.The screen then clears and a message displays: 
Loading, please wait
3.The screen clears and displays live video using default colors and icons. A 
dual payload model initially displays the IR video on both channels. Then the 
IR/VIS video channel switches to the visible camera if the visible camera was 
active when the camera was last powered down or placed in standby mode.
4.If a JCU or PC is not connected to the camera, it will immediately go into 
standby mode and the camera assembly will move to the stowed position. 
Pressing and holding the JCU Power/DIM button or clicking and holding the 
Active link on the PC Web control page will activate the camera.
Starting, then Searching.. displays on the JCU LCD screen. When the 
last-used camera is found, the message changes to Connecting..., which 
continues to flash until the connection process completes.  
						

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 M-Series System Startup
Important: Fully establishing a connection may take up to a minute. Please be 
patient while the system verifies each component. 
If this is the very first time the JCU has been used to connect to the camera, you 
must first associate the JCU with the camera. See “Assign JCU” on page 27 for 
how to do this. You can also use the Assign function to choose a different camera 
when using a single JCU to control multiple cameras. By default the JCU always 
connects to the last-used camera.
Troubleshooting Tip: if the JCU does not discover a camera, check to make 
sure the JCU and the camera are connected to each other over the network or 
directly with a single cable.
When the camera is fully connected, the Connecting... message on the JCU 
display is replaced by the camera name such as M-618L A01234. This 
information blinks briefly to indicate the connection is final, and then remains on 
the screen to indicate an active camera/JCU connection. The camera will now 
respond to the JCU buttons and puck movements.
The camera initially boots up in red-hot mode by default, unless you have 
changed the color default using the system settings (see page 33). This is 
because many users activate the system when little or no light is available, and 
the red-hot mode helps to preserve night vision. If the white-hot display mode is 
preferred, simply press the COLOR button on the JCU. 
Standby Mode
After the bootup sequence, the camera is ready to use. When you are done with 
the camera or want to conserve energy, you can put the camera in standby mode. 
You can optionally put only the camera in standby, put only the JCU in standby, or 
put the entire system in standby. 
When the camera is in standby mode, the pan/tilt motors can be configured to 
remain engaged to hold the camera in place in rough seas. An alternative low-
power configuration can disable the pan/tilt motors, further lowering the low-
Red-Hot ModeWhite-Hot Mode 
						

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power mode power consumption. In either case, the camera does not generate a 
live video signal. The camera will only respond to a wake command when you 
press and hold the Power/DIM button on the JCU or, if you are using a PC to 
control the camera, when you click the Active link.
While in standby mode, the camera is in the stowed position—by default, pointing 
straight down—to protect the camera optics. The stow position can be configured 
with the on-screen configuration menus (see page 40).
To initiate standby, press and hold the Power/DIM button. A brief countdown (3, 
2, 1, 0) displays on the JCU screen and then Power Menu displays. The 
various options on the menu are described in more detail in the following section. 
When Camera, System, or Global Stndby is selected, the LCD displays 
Goodbye, the camera moves to the stowed position, and goes into standby state. 
You can also press and hold SCENE, COLOR, and HOME buttons at the same 
time to go directly to global standby. In this case, you are not prompted to choose 
from the Power Menu before the camera enters standby.
If the camera will not be used for an extended period of time and you want to 
conserve power, first power down the camera from the JCU as described here so 
that the camera is in the stowed position. Then switch the system circuit breaker 
to the off position. When the circuit breaker is switched on, the camera will go 
through the bootup sequence again, as described previously.
JCU Power Menu
The JCU is more sophisticated than many joystick devices; in fact it has its own 
microprocessor and is capable of communicating with other IP devices on a 
network. To aid in the control of the system, the JCU has an LCD display that 
shows JCU messages, menu options, and general status information. The 
various JCU functions are accessed from a set of menus, with each menu entry 
selectable in the JCU display.
When the camera is powered on, pressing and holding the Power/DIM button 
causes the JCU to display the Power Menu. Use the JCU puck to scroll up and 
down within the menus (push forward and back or twist), and select an entry by 
pushing in (clicking) the puck or pushing it to the right or left. When the JCU is in 
the Power Menu mode, the other JCU buttons such as HOME, COLOR, SCENE, 
and USER are disabled.
In the JCU display, a down arrow (v) indicates you can access additional menu 
choices by moving the puck down or by rotating the puck clockwise. An up arrow 
(^) indicates the last menu entry is displayed, and the other choices must be 
accessed by moving the puck up or by rotating the puck counterclockwise. A 
double arrow indicates you can move up or down in the menu. 
						

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The Power Menu displays the following menu options:
Power Menu
Assign JCU
JCU Stndby?
Camera Stndby?
System Stndby?
Global Stndby?
Calibrate JCU
Cancel
Power Menu
Power Menu displays when you enter the menu. Use the puck to scroll down 
through the other menu options. To exit the Power Menu, scroll down to the 
Cancel entry and push the puck.
Assign JCU
Use the Assign JCU function to assign a JCU to a camera. When the Assign 
JCU entry is selected, the display prompts the user with v Select Camera. This 
indicates you can scroll down with the puck to select a camera to control. When 
the ID of the camera you want to use displays, press the puck to select it. The 
camera ID will blink momentarily to indicate it has been selected.
JCU Stndby?
When the JCU Stndby? option is selected, the display momentarily shows 
Goodbye and then the backlit controls and the display are turned off. The JCU 
buttons and puck will no longer control the camera. The Power/DIM button 
remains backlit as long as power is supplied to the JCU. To power up the JCU 
again, press and hold the Power/DIM button.
Camera Stndby?
When the Camera Stndby? option is selected, the camera will move to the stow 
position and go into the standby state. By default, the stow position is head 
rotated down but this can be configured with the menus (see page 40).
The JCU display will prompt the user to select a camera to control, in case you 
want to switch to a different camera. If you select the same camera, it will return to 
the powered on mode.
System Stndby?
When the System Stndby? option is selected, both the JCU and camera 
associated with it placed in standby mode. 
						

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Global Stndby?
When Global Stndby? is selected, all discovered cameras and JCUs found on 
the network are placed in standby mode. This function is used to properly shut 
down all cameras (return to stow position) and JCUs prior to removing power 
with the system breaker. 
Note:Global Stndby? displays as an option only when multiple JCUs or 
cameras are found on the system.
Global standby can also be achieved by pressing and holding the SCENE, 
COLOR, and HOME buttons in unison.
Calibrate JCU
Calibrate JCU is used to standardize the movements of the JCU puck. This 
function might be used, for example, if the camera responds at a different rate 
when the puck is pushed left rather than right, or when the puck is twisted in one 
direction compared to the other. The JCU display directs the user to move and 
twist the puck in certain ways so the device can be calibrated.
After entering calibration mode, you will be instructed to move the puck to the 
maximum extent possible in each direction separately. After that has been done, 
pressing the puck moves to the next step. For example, Rotate CW/CCW 
requires rotating the puck clockwise to the full extent possible, and then rotating 
counter clockwise to the full extent possible. When both directions are 
completed, press the puck to continue.
Cancel
The Cancel option causes the JCU to exit the Power Menu and return to its 
normal state. 
Factory Default Settings
Table 3.1 shows the factory default settings for the M-Series configuration 
options and the JCU buttons. Chapter 4, M-Series System Configuration, on 
page 31 describes how to modify and update settings. 
TABLE 3.1  Factory Default Settings
Option Factory Default Setting
Aircraft Joystick Disabled 
Ball-Down Installation Disabled (not available on M-618CS model cameras)
Camera Name Model number followed by serial number (for example, 
M-618CS JD-0123)
Color Thermal Video Enabled