WAT-2300 Control Software
Operation Manual[version 1.00]
Watec Co., Ltd.
2015/10/23

Contents
1

Overview....................................................................................................................... 3
2 Disclaimer ..................................................................................................................... 3
3 Operating environment ................................................................................................. 44 Specification of communication .................................................................................... 4
5 Communication cable ................................................................................................... 5
6 How to Install ................................................................................................................ 6
7 How to Start .................................................................................................................. 8
8 How to uninstall ............................................................................................................ 8
9 Operation Description ................................................................................................... 9
9-1 Setting the port number ........................................................................................... 9
9-2 Function in the menu bar ....................................................................................... 10
9-2-1 “File” menu ...................................................................................................... 10
9-2-2 “Camera” menu ............................................................................................... 11
9-2-3 About............................................................................................................... 12
9-3 Change the camera settings ................................................................................. 13
9-3-1 Exposure ......................................................................................................... 13
9-3-2 WhiteBalance .................................................................................................. 18
9-3-3 PictureAdjust ................................................................................................... 19
9-3-4 Function .......................................................................................................... 21
9-3-5 Save/Load ....................................................................................................... 23
9-3-6 Privacy Mask ................................................................................................... 24
9-3-7 Special ............................................................................................................ 27
9-3-8 Save/Restore[PrivacyMask/Special] tab.......................................................... 28
10 Change history ........................................................................................................... 29

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1 Overview‘WAT-2300 Control Software’ is software for setting and firmware update for WAT-2300
by RS-232 communication.

2 Disclaimer
For any damages caused by using the "WAT-2300 Control Software", Watec Co., Ltd.
does not guarantee.

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3 Operating environment
It has been confirmed the operation in the following environment.
Table 1 System requirements
OS

Windows XP*, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1(*)When using in Windows XP, install the .Net Framework 2.0 at first.

4 Specification of communication
The specification of communication is below.
Table 2 Communication protocol
COM port-Data rate : 38400bps-Data bit : 8bits-Parity : none
-Stop bit : 1bit
-Flow control : none

limitation- Cannot communicate with the camera on starting after about 10
seconds.
- At some USB-COMM converter cable, "firmware update" might be fail.
Please use the officially supported converter cable at your OS.

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5 Communication cable
The pin assign and the connections of the serial communication cable are below.
Table 3 pin-assignment of the communication cableMini-Din 8pin

D-Sub 9pin

No.

Name

Description

No.

Name

Description

3

TXD
(out)

Transmit Data
(from Camera)

2

RXD
(in)

Receive Data
(from Camera)

5

RXD
(in)

Receive Data
(from Host)

3

TXD
(out)

Transmit Data
(from Host)

4

GND

Ground5

GND

Groundfor RC-02

1, 4, 6,7, 8, 9NC

No connection

1, 2, 6,7, 8

Mini-Din 8p
TxD
RxD
GND

3 ------------ 2
5 ------------ 3
4 ------------ 5

D-Sub 9p
RxD
TxD
GND

5 / 296 How to Install
1. Start the WAT-2300 Control Software installer by double-clicking the *.msi file in thedownloaded file.
*On Windows XP, please install .Net Framework 2.0 before installing this software.

Fig. 1 installer icon
2. Click Next.

Fig. 2 installer(1)3. Click Next. (In this window, the install folder can be chosen manually.)

Fig. 3 installer(2)6 / 29

4. Click Install button and then installation will be started.

Fig. 4 installer (3)5. At install process, the User Access Control (UAC) window may pop-up.
Then please click the Yes button.

Fig. 5 installer (4)6. After a few moments, the installer will complete the installation.
Click the Finish button to exit the setup wizard.

Fig. 6 installer (5)7 / 297 How to Start-Double click the application’s icon in the desktop.

Fig. 7 application’s icon
Or, Click the application’s icon in the “start menu -> all programs -> Watec ->WAT-2300_ControlSoftware_(R)”.

8 How to uninstall
1. Open Control Panel.
(Start -> Control Panel -> Programs -> Uninstall a program)
2. Select “WAT-2300_ControlSoftware_(R)” from the list, right-click and click Uninstall.
3. Click “YES” in the confirmation window.
(The UAC window will be pop-up. Then click the “Yes” button.)

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9 Operation Description
9-1

Setting the port number

After software start-up, select the serial port which connected the camera.
The port number can be showed with device manager.

Fig. 8 port option

9 / 299-2

Function in the menu bar

9-2-1 “File” menu
9-2-1-1 “File -> load file...” function
The camera settings saved to csv file can be retrieved on “load file...” function.
(This csv file is created by the “save file...” function.)
Click “File (F) – load file...”, then file open dialog will be displayed.

Fig. 9 open dialog
Select the exported file and click the “open” button, then the camera settings will load.

9-2-1-2 “File -> save file...” function
The current state of user-interfaces (such as selections of buttons) can be saved to csv
file.
Click “File (F) – save file...”, then file save dialog will be displayed.

Fig. 10 save dialog
Choose the storage place of the file in save dialog. Click the “save” button to save thecurrent user-interface state to csv file.

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9-2-2 “Camera” menu
9-2-2-1 “Camera -> get settings (from camera)” function
It is possible to get the current camera parameters from the camera on “get settings (fromcamera)” function.
The current camera parameters obtained from the camera will be displayed in theuser-interfaces (such as selections of buttons) of the software.

9-2-2-2 “Camera -> send all settings (to camera)” function
It is possible to send the current state of the user-interfaces (such as selections of buttons)
to the camera on “send all settings (to camera)” function.
The camera parameters will be changed to the same state as the current state of theuser-interfaces.

9-2-2-3 Firmware update
Update the firmware for additional functions or bug fixes.
Update procedure is following.
1. Plug the RC-02 to the camera.
2. Keep pushing the button of the UP and the DOWN.
3. Reboot the camera.
4. Unplug the RC-02 and plug the communication cable.
5. Click the ‘Camera->Firmware Update’.
6. Click ‘OK’, when the new window is pop-up.

Fig. 11 Firmware Update (confirm)
7. Select the firmware file (.hex), and click OPEN.
8. The firmware update will start.
9. When finished, click OK and reboot the camera.

Fig. 12 Firmware Update (finish)
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9-2-3 About..
This menu will display version information for this program.

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9-3

Change the camera settings

9-3-1 Exposure

Fig. 13 exposure tab

9-3-1-1 Lens
Select the lens type.
Table 4 Selection of lens type
MODE

FUNCTION

ManualFor manual iris lens.

DC

For DC-drive iris lens.
Need to make the automatic adjustment.

When the DC iris lens is attached, iris will be open if you select the “Manual”.
When the Manual iris lens is attached, “DC” cannot be selected.

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[Automatic adjustment]
The aperture amount and speed of iris automatically adjusts and optimizes theperformance of the lens.
1. Attach the DC iris lens.
2. Shoot a bright subject (E.g. Light boxes and light bulbs, etc.) in full screen.
3. Click the [DC Iris Adj..] button and click the [start] on adjustment window.
4. Adjustment is success, if the message window with "dc iris adj completed." ispop-up.
(*) If the "error" message is pop-up, please make sure the DC iris lens cable isconnected correctly, or a subject is brightly enough.

Fig. 14 Dc Iris Adjustment Window

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9-3-1-2 Exposure Mode
Select the EXPOSURE MODE.
Each modes function by the combination of the shutter and gain as the following.
If the manual iris lens attached to the camera (DC iris lens cable is not connected),
FL cannot be selected.
Table 5 Selection of exposure modes
MODE

Shutter

Gain

E.I+GAIN

Auto

Auto

GAIN

Arbitrary

Auto

FL

Auto※

MANUAL

ArbitraryAuto
Arbitrary*1/100(1/120)s or OFF[E.I+GAIN]
The exposure is adjusted automatically by the electronic Iris and the automatic gain
control.
[GAIN]The exposure is adjusted by the automatic gain control. Electronic shutter control is fixed,
and speed is arbitrary. According to photographic subject's brightness, image of camera
may be overexposed by choosing a slow-side shutter speed. Then use the dc iris lenstogether.
[FL]
The exposure is adjusted automatically by the electronic iris and the automatic gain
control.
Basically, the electronic iris will be fixed in the shutter speed of flickerless(1/100 or
1/120).
At that time, image of camera will be overexposed. Therefore, the dc iris lens is required.
[MANUAL]
The electronic iris control and the gain control are fixed. Shutter speed and gain can bechosen arbitrarily.

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9-3-1-3 Shutter
In EXPOSURE MODE, when choosing the GAIN or MANUAL, you can choose the shutter
speed by your preference.

Table 6 electronic shutter speed
1/10000s 1/5000s 1/2000s 1/1000s 1/500s 1/200s 1/120s 1/100s OFF

9-3-1-4 Gain
In EXPOSURE MODE, when choosing the MANUAL, you can choose the gain by yourpreference. At other modes, need to select the operating range of AGC.
Table 7 fixed gain
0 dB

2 dB

4 dB

6 dB

8 dB

10 dB 12 dB 14 dB

16 dB 18 dB 20 dB 22 dB 24 dB 26 dB 28 dB 30 dB
Table 8 AGC range
MODE

GAIN RANGE

AGC LOW

0～32 dB

AGC MED

0～42 dB

AGC HIGH 0～66 dB

9-3-1-5 Flickerless Mode
When FL is chosen in EXPOSURE MODE, need to choose the frequency commercial
power supply considering the FLICKERLES. By setting the AUTO, 50/60Hz is automaticallydetected. Other than the FL mode, OFF setting is fixed.

Table 9 Flickerless mode
MODE

FUNCTION

OFF

This mode is chosen when EXPOSURE MODE is other than FL.

AUTO

The frequency of a flicker is detected from a camera image and 50 Hz or 60 Hz
are set up automatically.

50Hz

This mode is chosen when it is an area whose commercial frequency is 50 Hz.

60HzThis mode is chosen when it is an area whose commercial frequency is 60 Hz.
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9-3-1-6 Backlight Compensation
BACKLIGHT COMPENSATION is performed by center-weighted exposure. When choosing
the
MANUAL in EXPOSURE MODE, BACKLIGHT COMPENSATION fixed OFF.

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9-3-2 White Balance

Fig. 15 White Balance tab

9-3-2-1 White Balance Mode
Switch the white balance mode.
Table 10 White Balance mode
MODE

FUNCTION

ATW

Automatically follows and adjusts to the changing color temperature of theillumination of the object.

PWB

Set the corrected value following the actual color temperature of theillumination of the object. Imaging the object that color is achromatic at the fullscreen, and press the [Set PWB]. The corrected value is set.

3200K

(Bulb mode)
Corrects the white balance based on the white under the incandescent bulb.

4300K(Fluorescent light mode1)
Corrects the white balance based on the white under the reddish fluorescentlight.

5100K(Fluorescent light mode2)
Corrects the white balance based on the white under the bluish fluorescentlight.

6300K(Sun light mode)
Corrects the white balance based on the white under the sun light.

Manual

Set the R-Gain and the B-Gain by manually.
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9-3-3 PictureAdjust

Fig. 16 Picture Adjust tab

9-3-3-1 Brightness
Adjust the brightness of image.
Table 11 brightness
0

32

64

96

128

160

192

224

255

112

128

9-3-3-2 Contrast
Adjust the contrast of the image.
Table 12 contrast
0

16

32

48

64

80

96

144 160 176 192 208 224 240 255

9-3-3-3 Hue
Adjust the hue.
Table 13 hue-2.00 -1.75 -1.50 -1.25 -1.00 -0.75 -0.50 -0.25 0.00
0.25

0.50

0.75

1.00

1.25

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1.50

1.75

2.00

9-3-3-4 Saturation
Adjust the color strength.
Table 14 saturation
0

16

32

48

64

80

96

112

128

144 160 176 192 208 224 240 255

9-3-3-5 Sharpness
By emphasizing the contoured part, resolution is improved.
Table 15 sharpness
0

32

64

96

128

160

9-3-3-6 Gamma
Switch the GAMMA correction.
The correction coefficient is ON ≒ 0.45.

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192

224

255

9-3-4 Function

Fig. 17 Function tab

9-3-4-1 Output Format
Select the format supported by the connected monitor (Receiver equipment).
If the output format is changed, after a camera reboot, it is enabled.
Table 16 Details of the Output Format
Mode
1080p301080p25

Resolution
H

FRAME RATE Interlace /[fps]
ProgressiveV

1920 1080

30
25

720p6060

720p5060

720p30720p251280 720

30
25

21 / 29P

9-3-4-2 Flip
Flip the image at left/right (H), up/down (V) and Rotate(left/right/up/down).

9-3-4-3 ATR
Correct the contrast, and reduce the whitening-out/ black defects.

9-3-4-4 Defog
Correct the image that the contrast is not clear by fog. In parallel, the ATR is ON.

9-3-4-5 Noise Reduction
By image processing, noise under the dark site is reduced.

9-3-4-6 Blemish Pixel Correction
By automatically detection, blemish pixel is corrected.
Press the [start] at the light-shielding state (by closing the lens iris). When using DC IRIS
LENS, the iris is full closed automatically.

Fig. 18 Blemish Pixel Adjustment window

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9-3-5 Save/Load

Fig. 19 Save/Load tab

9-3-5-1 Save User Settings
Save the current settings of the setting window to the camera. When the power is ON atnext time, the camera will be started on saved settings.

9-3-5-2 Load User Settings
The above saved setting is read out.

9-3-5-3 Restore Factory Settings
Back to the factory default settings.

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9-3-6 Privacy Mask
Show the privacy mask. The basic setting procedure is as follows.
1.Click on the top of the button to select the number of the privacy mask to be set.
(Mask 0-15 to be set individually)
2.Put a check to show.
3.Set the opaque. (Above 0.5)
4.Set the ‘start X’, ‘end X’, ‘start Y’ and ‘end Y’.
5.Set the ‘color Y’, ‘color Cb’, ‘color Cr’ and ‘outline width’.
The mask color also can be select from the preset.

Fig. 20 Privacy Mask tab

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[Application of privacy mask]
The privacy mask function, not only hide the specific part of the subject, you can be thefollowing of such applications.
ex1) Inverted mask
Mask the entire screen. Then open the window to the viewing area.
* When set the multiple privacy masks, mask 0 is visible on top. In this example, set mask
0 and mask 1 as a window, set mask 2 as the entire mask.
mask2
mask0

mask1

Fig. 21 Inverted mask
Setting example of the inverted masks is below.
Table 17 Setting example of the inverted mask
Numberof mask

show

start
X

end
X

start
Y

end
Y

color
Y

color
Cb

color opaque outline
Cr
width

0

checked 0080

0862

0120

0560

0

0

0

0.00

0

1

checked 0226

0791

0606

0913

0

0

0

0.00

0

2

checked 0000

1920

0000

1080

0

0

0

1.00

0

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ex.2) Cross line
Display some lines for measuring or positioning.
*The start X and the end X are valid only even.
*Mask width is 2 pixels minimum.

mask0

mask1

mask2

mask3

Fig. 22 Cross line
Setting example of the cross lines is below
Table 18

Setting example of the cross lines

Numberof mask

show

start
X

end
X

start
Y

end
Y

color
Y

color
Cb

color opaque outline
Cr
width

0

checked 0640

0642

0000

1080

8

8

8

1.00

0

1

checked 1280

1282

0000

1080

8

8

8

1.00

0

2

checked 0000

1920

360

362

8

8

8

1.00

0

3

checked 0000

1920

720

722

8

8

8

1.00

0

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9-3-7 Special
Adjust the correction level of the contrast and defog.
・ATR-Level
Select the correction strength of the ATR. (Low, Medium, High)* If the 'high' is selected, an artificial noise might visible.
・Defog-Level
Select the correction strength of the compensation level of the defog. (Low, Medium,High)

Fig. 23 Special tab

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9-3-8 Save/Restore[PrivacyMask/Special] tab
Save the settings of the privacy mask and the special. Can also delete and restore.
The saved settings are automatically loaded at the camera boot process.
・Save Settings[PrivacyMask/Special]・Delete Settings[PrivacyMask]
・Restore Factory Settings：ATR-Level/Defog-Level (not save in the camera)

Fig. 24 Save/Restore tab[without OSD-Items]

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10

Change history

・2015/10/23 [version 1.00]

1st release.

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