Another Thermal/TAU Mystery... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: manic515
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2025, 12:43:55 pm
content: Had a great time with the mystery TAU 2 firmware posted here and I think we pretty much got that sorted out. Now I'm wondering if we can settle another odd post/debate.A few years back, there was a post about upgrading a FLIR HS-324 Patrol to a Commander version -- basically, a software upgrade that unlocked video capture functionality. That was the only difference between otherwise identical units. Didn't want to resurrect the old thread, but it got me thinking.First off, here's the link to the old thread:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/help-with-software-update-flir-hs-324-series/msg4328611/#msg4328611Here's the gist:Quote from: Eastward on July 29, 2022, 08:06:21 pmAs Fraser posted subsequently, the info from FLIR seemed dubious. So I took it upon myself to contact FLIR with the same question yesterday. I'll update the post with their answer when I receive it. I will point out that my mileage with FLIR questions varies. I've gotten information from FLIR representatives that's been completely wrong (like denying you can perform field upgrades on newer TAU 2 cores) and also received some very knowledgeable responses. In the meantime, I'll post what I know about the HS-324 image capture upgrade.Back in the day, the upgrade was offered for $1000 and required a valid HS-324 Patrol serial. I think we can all agree the upgrade, itself, resided on an SD card and followed an upgrade procedure similar to the software/firmware updates. Oddly enough, third-party web sites outside of FLIR offered the upgrade for sale. Does that mean the SD card somehow checked for a valid serial and then locked the upgrade to it? Had to have been a one shot deal like that. One specific upgrade per unit. We can all agree on that as well, I think.My guess is that FLIR will confirm the upgrade existed at one time, but inform me the H-series has long since been discontinued and the upgrade is no longer possible money or not. So, this is where it gets really interesting. I have a working HS-324 Commander with all accessories AND recently picked up a working HS-324 Patrol. Yes, they're hopelessly obsolete and discontinued, but I love these things. Anyway, I basically have a non-upgraded and upgraded version of the same software/firmware residing on these units. Somewhere in between them is the answer to the upgrade mystery.If I don't get help from FLIR, I'm going to pivot to Linux and do some digging. Will it yield any useful results? Probably not. Will I magically be able to read binary? Unlikely. If anyone else is interested, let me know what you need and I'll try to provide it. There are probably a few Patrol models still floating around out there and being used. They're definitely built to last. Stay tuned!*EDIT*Forgot to mention that some spoilsport had applied threadlocker to the bayonet assembly threads on the Patrol unit. Carefully applied some citrus solvent around it and successfully broke it free with a strap wrench. Parts are completely unobtainable for the H-series through conventional means. You break something, you'll probably just have to live with it being broken

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2025, 02:58:05 pm
content: Part of the problem with spares for the FLIR scopes was the fact that they were an outsourced product made in China with only the TAU cores provided by FLIR. As such the FLIR spares holding was limited to say the least.The upgrade file is likely nothing more than a new configuration file that contains a CRC created using the destination cameras serial number. That is a simple and effective approach. I have never seen the functionality upgrade file so cannot comment on its structure or content. FLIR has completely abandoned support for older cameras and you have to be very lucky to speak to someone willing to dig in their archives or contact the relevant engineering department for you. The situation appears to have become far worse since the Teledyne take-over of FLIR. In the past I have had the engineering department extracting long obsolete software from old development systems in order to assist me. I cannot see that happening these days. The old FLIR engineering servers that provided such gems may have been cleared out in departmental ‘tidy-ups’. How I hate it when that happens ! Staff ‘churn’ also leads to a loss of knowledge in relation to the older camera models. In some cases I have discovered that I know more about a particular FLIR products design and workings than the current FLIR technical support department staff !

author: CRC
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2025, 11:55:49 pm
content: Is the difference in an external board or in the camera? I wonder if an eeprom could be cloned from the upgraded one. I have not idea about these and am just theorizing.

author: manic515
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2025, 03:34:03 pm
content: Thanks as always for the insight. This is a very knowledgeable board and I've gotten a lot of help and guidance here. Makes sense that FLIR would source the non-ITAR stuff outside the country to save on production costs. Completely explains why parts on discontinued units are so scarce. FLIR is still somewhat willing to provide software/firmware if you can justify the need, but it takes patience. Which brings me to the latest update on that front.I'm at the gatekeeper tier presently with my upgrade question. This particular FLIR tech informed me that he was checking FLIR's records with regard to what's available for my particular unit. Yes, the response was that generic. Nothing wrong with the reply, in and of itself. However, I found it interesting that the status of my question was then changed from "Open" to "Waiting on You." A stalling tactic -- he didn't ask me for any additional information or anything requiring a response. Maybe he was hoping I'd just wait and then forget to check back? Well, be that as it may, I politely reiterated my interest in the upgrade and flipped the question status back to "Open."The speculation on the nature of the image capture upgrade is compelling. We know it resided on an SD card and can reasonably assume it followed the same upgrade process as software/firmware (viz. copying a tarball to the SD and booting it in the unit). As Fraser observes, it's likely the most simple and direct method. The H-series was designed for utility and simplicity. To answer CRC, my guess is that the version difference is in an external board rather than the TAU. I've considered the cloning approach, but figured FLIR locked the serial number down to each unit in different places to prevent upgrade cloning. Might be overthinking itI imagine sooner or later, my HS-324 Commander tantalum capacitor issues will return and I'll have to open it up for repairs. Luckily, Fraser has already done a fantastic teardown. That would be a great opportunity to have a look around the TAU and the boards and see what can be dumped. The answer will be somewhere in there if FLIR isn't forthcoming. I kind of think my tech just wasn't knowledgeable enough to be familiar with the somewhat obscure H-series and tell me all software/firmware for it is gone.Anyway, thanks again for the interest and stay tuned! I hope we can add some new info to our knowledge of FLIR models when all is said and done.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2025, 04:04:59 pm
content: I can confirm that the H series uses a standard TAU core that has the addition of a small processor board mounted on its rear. It is the additional processor board that handles image capture and storage. This is the processor firmware that receives the upgrade, and not anything to do with the TAU core itself. TAU cores can be harvested from these scopes by users wishing to deploy them in different formats, such as on a drone. The additional processor board may be removed and the TAU is then as shown and detailed in standard TAU documentation.Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2025, 04:22:36 pm
content: My teardown of the HS324 Scope/camera and core assembly during a repair may be found here…..https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/flir-hs324-commander-thermal-camera-teardown-by-fraser/I attach pertinent pictures of the two additional PCB’s that are attached to the rear of the standard TAU core (minus it usual rear metal cover). In the first 2 pictures, three PCB’s are seen. The PCB on the far right is that of a standard TAU core. It is the middle and left PCB’s that form the additional processor system that provides the image capture functionality.Fraser

author: manic515
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2025, 10:35:51 am
content: There's no official upgrade path via FLIR (not a surprise) so we'll see what info can be gleaned from the upgraded vs. non-upgraded HS-324s. I have one of each in working condition with software/driver functionality. Thanks to Fraser for an outstanding and informative teardown on this intriguing FLIR unit!