Flir ThermovisionNexus IP Camera Configuration Guide

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2.4 Web Browser Interface
Use a web browser to connect to the camera as described below, and confirm it is streaming video. 
Once the bench test is complete, use the web browser to make configuration changes as needed (for 
example, set the IP address to an address that is compatible with the existing network). It is also a 
good idea to run the FSM software and confirm it is working with the camera as expected.
It is possible to log into the camera using one of three User Names: user, expert, and admin (the 
corresponding passwords by default are user, expert, and fliradmin respectively)4. The user login 
can be used to do the initial bench test of the camera. The admin login must be used to make 
configuration changes such as setting the IP address. The login passwords can (and should) be 
changed by the system administrator to prevent unauthorized logins. For information on how to 
change the passwords, refer to 
section 2.6 “Basic Camera Configuration” on page 2-10.
Log into the Camera Web Page
Step 1 Open a web browser and enter: http:\\
.168.250.116. The login screen with a picture of 
the camera will appear. The example below shows the FC-Series camera.
Step 2 Enter user for the User Name and user for the Password, and click Login.
4. Prior to the WW 1.4.1 and BU 1.0.5 firmware releases, the password for all three login 
accounts was fliradmin. 
Figure 2-1: Camera Web Page Login Screen 
						

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The Live Video page will be displayed, with a live image from the camera on the left part of the 
screen. Next to the FLIR logo along the top of the screen are some menu choices, including Live 
Video (the red text indicates it is selected), Help and Log Off. 
On the right side are some control buttons, and possibly an image of a joystick (if the camera has pan/
tilt capability).  
If the live video is not displayed, refer to section 2.8 “Troubleshooting Tips” on page 2-17. In the lower 
right of the web page there is a frame rate selector. This selector allows the user to change the rate at 
which the frames are displayed in the browser. This rate controls the user’s own web browser only, 
and does not affect the video streams to other users or to an NVR.
2.4.1 Camera Control and Status
In the lower left of the screen are two indicator “lights”: Control and Status. 
Initially the Control light is off, as in the image above, indicating the user is not 
able to control the camera immediately. When multiple users are connected to 
a camera, only one user at a time can issue commands to the camera. If 
another user has control of the camera, the Control light is yellow.  
 
A user is able to request control of the camera by clicking on the yellow or 
black “light”, or simply by sending a command to the camera. For example, 
move the cursor over the video and select the “Zoom In” control (magnifying 
glass with “+”) that appears in the lower left of the screen. The Status light may 
turn off temporarily while waiting for the response from the camera. After a 
short pause, the Control light should turn green. Observe what happens to the 
image when the “Zoom In” control is clicked several times. Be patient, there 
may be a slight delay between each command while the browser waits for a response from the 
camera. 
Figure 2-2: Camera Web Page Login Screen 
						

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If a command is sent to the camera when the user does not have control, the command will not be 
executed, and it is necessary to send the command again once the light is green.
2.4.2 Web Control Panel
The control buttons on the right side of the page provide a way to control 
the camera. When the mouse cursor is positioned over a button, a screen 
tip is displayed which explains the function of the button. 
This same web interface is used with various FLIR thermal cameras; some 
are fixed mount cameras, such as the F-Series and FC-Series S cameras, 
and some have pan/tilt capabilities, such as the PT-Series and D-Series. 
As a result, some buttons appearing in the control panel may be disabled if 
they do not apply to the camera in use. 
When the web interface is used with a pan/tilt camera, an image of a 
joystick appears below the control panel buttons. When the mouse is 
positioned over the joystick, the camera can be moved (up-down and/or 
left-right) by clicking and dragging the joystick in the appropriate direction.
For a fixed camera, the following buttons are enabled:
Save Snapshot 
This button allows the user to save an image as a .jpg file. The destination folder for the 
image is determined by the web browser that is used.
Perform IR NUC Calibration 
This button causes the camera to perform a Non-Uniformity Correction operation (refer to 
the 
section 2.8.1 “Image freezes momentarily” on page 2-17).
Toggle Scene Preset
This button causes the camera to cycle through 5 different image settings. The Scene 
Presets cause the image brightness and contrast to adjust. Depending on the time of day, 
weather, and other conditions, one Scene Preset may be preferable to the others.
Toggle Polarity
This button changes the way various objects are displayed in the image, with hot objects 
displayed as white and cold objects as black, or vice versa.
The other buttons on the control panel will be disabled for a fixed camera. In 
the control panel, a disabled button is indicated with a grey color and when the 
cursor is positioned over a disabled button, the screen tip indicates the 
function is not available. The disabled buttons correspond to commands that are not used with a fixed 
camera, but might be used to control a pan/tilt camera with multiple sensors.  
						

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For a pan/tilt camera, when the mouse is positioned over the video window, some 
controls appear in the lower left of the video image which allow the camera to be 
panned left or right, or to be tilted up or down. 
To move the camera, click on one of the 
arrows. 
As with a fixed camera, the zoom in and out controls also appear. To zoom in, click on 
the Zoom In control (+); to zoom out, click the Zoom Out control (-).
The following control panel buttons are enabled for pan/tilt cameras:
Start Scan List
This button will cause the camera to start the current scan list, which is a set of preset 
locations (each preset has a specific azimuth, elevation and zoom setting). The presets 
are programmed on the camera using the web interface or the FSM software.
St o p  S c a n  L i s t
This button causes the camera to stop (discontinue) the scan list.
Toggle Video Source
For a multi-sensor system with more than one video source (for example, a PT-Series 
camera with a thermal IR camera and a daylight camera), this button causes the “active” 
video source to be switched from one camera to the next. If the thermal IR camera is 
active and the button is selected, it causes the daylight camera to become active, and vice 
versa. This also causes the new active video source to be displayed in the Live Video 
window.
Initialize Pan/Tilt
For a long-range multi-sensor system with a pan/tilt platform, this button causes the pan/tilt 
to go through its startup initialization. For most pan/tilt security cameras, this button is not 
needed since the pan/tilt will initialize automatically. For safety reasons, long-rage systems 
with large camera lenses do not initialize automatically, so this button is used.
Pan/Tilt Home
This button causes the camera to go to the Home position. The Home position can be set 
using the FSM software. 
Autofocus
This button causes the active video source to perform an autofocus operation. If the active 
source is a thermal camera with a fixed-focus lens, selecting this button causes an error 
message to be displayed below the video window (“Function not available for this driver.”). 
						

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Function 
Some cameras have additional features or functions which can be accessed using an 
extra numeric function keypad. It is possible to create customized camera functions 
through a “macro” interface which can be programmed through XML commands. For additional 
information contact FLIR Technical Support for information about the Nexus XML-Based Control 
Interfaces. 
When the Function button is selected, the keypad changes to a numeric 
keypad. As digits are selected, they are displayed below the keypad. To 
execute the function, select the FN Function button again. 
If an invalid function is entered, an error message appears below the video 
window (“Function is not available in current mode.”). To return to the 
Control Panel, select the Back button (left arrow). 
Goto Preset
A camera can have a set of predetermined pan/tilt locations, each of which is known as a 
“preset”. For example, a preset may be configured for each of the locations where security 
surveillance is most needed, such as a gate, doorway, and other point of access.
When the Goto Preset button is selected, the keypad changes to a numeric 
keypad. As digits are selected, they are displayed below the keypad. To 
cause the camera to go to the entered preset, select the Goto Preset button 
again.
 To return to the Control Panel, select the Back button (left arrow).  
						

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2.4.3 Help
At the top of the page, the Help menu displays software version information. This page has 
information about the camera including hardware and software revision numbers, part numbers, and 
serial numbers. If it is necessary to contact FLIR Technical Support for assistance, it will be helpful to 
have the information from this page (such as Software Version) on hand. 
2.4.4 Log Off
Use the Log Off menu entry to disconnect from the camera and stop the display of the video stream. 
						

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2.5 Thermal Imaging Overview
When power is applied to the FC-Series S camera, a FLIR splash 
screen is displayed for less than two seconds, and then the camera 
outputs the live video image. No operator action or intervention is 
required and no configuration of the camera is necessary. 
The thermal camera makes an image based on temperature 
differences. In the thermal image, by default the hottest item in the 
scene appears as white and the coldest item is black, and all other 
items are represented as a grey scale value between white and 
black.
It may take some time to get used to the thermal imagery from the camera, especially for someone 
who only has experience with normal daylight cameras. Having a basic understanding of the 
differences between thermal and daylight cameras can help with getting the best performance from 
the thermal camera. 
Both thermal and daylight cameras have detectors (pixels) that detect energy. One difference 
between thermal and daylight cameras has to do with where the energy comes from to create an 
image. When viewing an image with an ordinary camera, there has to be some source of visible light 
(something hot, such as the sun or lights) that reflects off the objects in the scene to the camera. The 
same is true with human eyesight; the vast majority of what people see is based on reflected light 
energy. 
On the other hand, the thermal 
camera detects energy that is 
directly radiated from objects in the 
scene. Most objects in typical 
surroundings are not hot enough to 
radiate visible light, but they easily 
radiate the type of infrared energy 
that the thermal camera can detect. 
Even very cold objects, like ice and 
snow, radiate this type of energy.
The camera is capable of sensing 
very small temperature differences, 
and produces a video image that 
typically has dramatic contrast in 
comparison to daylight cameras. This 
high contrast level from the thermal 
video enables intelligent video 
analytic software to perform more 
reliably.
The performance of the camera will likely vary throughout the day. Right after sunset, objects warmed 
by the sun will appear warmest. Early in the morning, many of these objects will appear cooler than 
their surroundings, so be sure to look for subtle differences in the scene, as opposed to just hot 
targets. 
Originally developed for the military, thermal imaging cameras are now deployed in numerous 
commercial applications where it is impractical or too expensive to use active illumination (lights). 
Figure 2-3: Splash Screen 
						

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They are perfect for a wide variety of applications including transportation, maritime, security, fire 
fighting, and medical applications. The cameras often provide improved daytime viewing in 
environments where traditional video camera performance suffers, such as in shadows or backlit 
scenes.
A FLIR thermal camera is a state-of-the-art thermal imaging system that will provide excellent night 
visibility and situational awareness, without any form of natural or artificial illumination. The system is 
easy to use, but it is useful to understand how to interpret what is displayed on the monitor. 
While the imagery on the monitor may at first look similar to ordinary black and white daylight video, 
experience with the camera in varying conditions and seasons will lead to an appreciation of the 
characteristics that make thermal imaging distinct. A few tips on how to interpret some of the imagery 
may help you to make the most of your system. 
The thermal camera does not sense light like conventional cameras; it senses heat or temperature 
differences. The camera senses small “differences” in apparent radiation from the objects in view, and 
displays them as either white (or lighter shades of grey) for warmer objects, and black (or darker 
shades of grey) for colder objects. 
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, a thermal camera does not need an 
additional active illumination source, and creates video based on directly radiated rather than 
reflected energy.
This is why hot objects such as parts on an engines and exhaust pipes appear white, while the sky, 
puddles of water and other cold objects appear dark (or cool)5. 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.
2.6 Basic Camera Configuration
The following procedures describe how to do the most common basic camera configuration steps, 
such as setting the camera IP address and hostname and changing the user passwords. To make 
these changes, it is necessary to login using the admin user account. Additional configuration 
options are described after the basic steps are given (refer to 
section  “Advanced Configuration” on 
page 3-1). 
2.7 Expert and Admin Logins
When a user logs in as expert, an additional menu called Setup is available. The 
Setup menu can be used to make advanced adjustments to the thermal camera. 
For a pan/tilt camera, it can also be used to make configuration changes to the 
daylight camera and the pan/tilt platform. These adjustments should only be 
made by someone who has expertise with thermal cameras and a thorough understanding of how the 
various settings affect the image. Haphazard changes can lead to image problems including a 
complete loss of video. Additional information is provided in 
section 3.1 “Thermal Image Setup” on 
page 3-1.
5. By default, the camera represents hot objects as white and cold objects as black. The 
camera can be set to use the Black Hot polarity setting, which displays hot objects as 
black and cold objects as white and is effectively the negative of White Hot polarity. 
See 
“Toggle Polarity” on page 2-5.. 
						

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Note
 When a user logs in as admin, a third menu called Maintenance 
is available. It is possible to use settings on the Maintenance 
menu to modify the network settings, including the IP address of 
the camera. It is also possible to use the Maintenance menu to 
change the login passwords. The Maintenance menu also provides access to many other 
configuration options.
2.7.1 Maintenance Menu
Initially, when the Maintenance page is selected, the Server Status page is displayed. The page 
provides an indication of the current server status (either running or stopped) and buttons for starting 
or stopping the server or for rebooting the system. 
Note, In order to make some configuration changes through the Maintenance menu, it is necessary 
to save the changes, then stop and restart the server to make the changes take effect. 
The basic camera configuration steps are accessed through the Maintenance menu, using the 
Server submenu on the left side of the page.The LAN Settings, Services, and Security Options 
selections are described below. Generally with these settings it is necessary to save the changes to 
make them effective, but it is not necessary to stop and restart the server. 
When the Maintenance menu is selected, the following Server Status page appears.
In most installations, the only camera settings needed are available from the Live Video page (using 
Scene Presets or Polarity). Use caution when modifying the camera settings described in this 
section. Some settings may adversely affect the thermal image over time or may completely disable 
the camera or the network interface. 
						

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LAN Settings 
The LAN Settings page can be used to set the hostname, default gateway, and IP address for the 
camera. The default IP Address mode is static; the mode can also be set to DHCP. When the IP 
address of the camera is changed, the PC may no longer be on the same network and therefore may 
not be able to access the camera until the IP address on the PC is changed also. For that reason, it 
may a good idea to change the IP address after making other configuration changes.
The LAN Settings page for the D-Series camera looks somewhat different, as there are two IP 
Interfaces. The network address for the camera is interface eth0, and internally the camera 
communicates using interface eth1.
Note
It is not possible to change the settings for Interface: eth1 with the web tool. Do not use an IP 
address for the eth0 interface that is in the same network range as the eth1 IP address 
(192.168.2.x). Contact FLIR Technical Support if it is necessary to use an address in that range for 
the eth0 network interface.