Flir ThermovisionMSeries Operators Manual

							432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 69
 M-Series Reference Information
Model Part NumbersCamera 
Payload
Video 
Format
Thermal 
Video
Low-Light 
Video (DLTV)
Color Video
(DLTV)
Thermal Video
Resolution
Thermal Frame
Refresh Rate
Mech Image
Stabilization
HFoV 
IR Digital 
Zoom
M-324XP432-0003-05-00S Single NTSC Yes No No 320 x 240 
						

							 M-Series Reference Information
70432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 
Troubleshooting Tips
This section includes information that may help you with common issues that 
may arise during operation of the M-Series system.
Video not displayed on monitor 
The camera will not display video if it is in standby mode. Power cycle the 
camera and allow the system to complete the boot cycle prior to JCU connection. 
Ensure the JCU is assigned to the camera, the camera ID appears in the JCU 
display, and the camera responds to JCU input (for example, pan/tilt 
movements).
If the camera will not produce an image, check the video connection at the 
camera and at your display. If the connectors appear to be properly connected 
but the camera still does not produce an image, 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 and at the termination to the JCU. 
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 image, 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, wipe it with a clean lens cloth folded in fourths and 
dampened with fresh water.
Video not switching between thermal and visible (dual payload models)
On dual payload models, the display can be switched between the thermal 
camera and the visible camera either by pressing and holding the SCENE button, 
or, if the User Programmable Button is set to Switch IR/VIS Video, pressing the 
USER button. If neither of these operations causes the display to switch from the 
thermal camera to the visible-light camera, be sure the proper input channel is 
selected on the display, and be sure the cable labeled VIS/IR is connected to the 
display. 
						

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 M-Series Reference Information
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, the 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 application. 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. 
Image too dark or too light
By default, the M-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 AGC 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 17 for 
information about how to make adjustments to the image.
Performance varies with 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 sun. 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 temperature, 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 scene 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  
						

							 M-Series Reference Information
72432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 
portions of the day. We do not recommend intentionally viewing the sun, but 
looking at the sun will not permanently damage 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 introduce 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 the 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 the user momentarily freeze the image. 
Double-click (press the puck in quickly two times) the JCU puck to freeze the 
image. The snowflake image icon appears on the screen. Any any other action 
with the JCU (moving the puck or pushing a button) will unfreeze the image.
By design, the camera image will freeze momentarily 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 
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: Pressing and holding the COLOR button causes the thermal camera to 
do an FFC operation.
Multiple Cameras and/or JCUs on a single network
You can configure your system with multiple cameras 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 conflicting commands from separate JCUs (for example, one user pans 
left and the other user pans right). 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 “best effort” delivery protocol.
On Screen Messages
In some circumstances, a status or alert message may appear on the video 
screen. This section describes the messages 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 
3, M-Series System Startup, on page 23 for more information. 
						

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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 termination adapter. The camera will then continue the 
startup process under the Factory Default network configuration (with DHCP 
dynamic IP addressing).
Warming, please wait…
Indicates the camera has detected a low temperature condition and does not 
allow pan/tilt motion until it is sufficiently warm. Wait for the camera to self-heat to 
an operational temperature (the amount of time varies depending on the outside 
temperature). The message is removed when camera is ready to operate.
High Temperature - Motor Halted
Indicates the camera has detected an over-temperature condition and has 
disabled the internal pan/tilt motor power. Confirm the temperature of the camera 
is within the allowed operational temperature range. Allow the camera to cool 
down to a temperature within the operating range.
High Temp. - Shutdown System #
Indicates the camera has detected an over-temperature condition and must be 
shutdown. The # character displays a 5 second countdown. The user should 
confirm the temperature of the camera is within the allowed operational 
temperature range. Turn off the power to the camera and allow it to cool down to a 
temperature within the operating range. If the problem continues, contact FLIR. 
Restoring the Factory Network Settings
In some cases, it may be necessary to restore the network settings of the camera 
to the original factory settings. At each power up, the system transmits a packet 
and then checks to determine if that same packet has been received. Detection of 
the received packet indicates the camera has a custom loopback connector 
installed on its Ethernet interface. The detection of the loopback packet cues the 
camera to restore factory defaults and to revert to the same configuration and 
behavior as when the camera left the factory.
The following table describes the loopback connector.
Pin # Signal Tied to pin #
1 Transmit + 3
2 Transmit -  6
3 Receive + 1
4 Unused N/A 
						

							 M-Series Reference Information
74432-0003-00-10 Rev 150 — M-Series Operator’s Manual 
The RJ45 loopback termination ties pin 1 to pin 3, and pin 2 to pin 6. The other 
pins are not connected.
5 Unused N/A
6 Receive - 2
7 Unused N/A
8 Unused N/A Pin # Signal Tied to pin # 
						

							NOTES 
						

							FLIR Systems, Inc.
CS World Headquarters
FLIR Systems, Inc.
70 Castilian Dr.
Goleta, CA 93117
USA
PH:+ 1 805 964 9797
PH:+ 1 877 773 3547 (Sales)
PH:+ 1 888 747 3547 (Apps)
FX: + 1 805 685 2711
[email protected] 
EUROPE
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FLIR Systems CVS BV
Charles Petitweg 21
4847 NW Teteringen - Breda
Netherlands
PH: + 31 (0) 765 79 41 94
FX: + 31 (0) 765 79 41 99
[email protected]
FLIR Systems, Inc.
Corporate Headquarters
FLIR Systems, Inc.
27700A SW Parkway Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
USA 
PH: + 1 503 498 3547
PH: + 1 877 773 3547
FX: + 1 503 498 3153
[email protected]