Is it possible to hack Flir Ex to Exx(higher frame rate)? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: xaxaisme
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 24, 2019, 11:10:48 am
content: Hi, I'm wondering if anyone ever tried to port some part of the Exx firmware to Ex, so Ex users can also enjoy the 60hz frame rate?I remember they use the same sensor, not sure about the motherboard. Welcome to discuss.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2019, 06:20:48 pm
content: Short answer ..... no it is not a viable hack on an E4.

author: FlirAl
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 10:54:07 am
content: Quote from: Fraser on September 24, 2019, 06:20:48 pmHi Fraser, is there some info about this? i looked the forum but besides short NO answers i can't see nothing

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 12:16:24 pm
content: There is a reason for that.There is an informal agreement between those of us who might have knowledge of how a thermal cameras frame rate is controlled, or how it could be changed. Releasing such information could have legal implications for this forum, Dave, the source of the information and manufacturer of the camera.The Dual Use technology regulations et al permit the easier distribution of thermal cameras if they have a frame rate restricted to below 9 frames per second. Under the regulations, this restriction must be robust in its employment so that users cannot change it. Some manufacturers do a better job than others where the robustness of the restriction is concerned. To publicise how the restriction is applied and how it might be circumvented would be seen by the authorities as a breach of the Dual Use technology regulations covering technical information release and others that apply locally in some countries.For anyone thinking that this is a daft situation and it is easy to circumvent the frame rate restriction, on most thermal cameras or cores, it is anything but trivial to most users. I am very aware that there are some very clever people on this forum who do amazing work in the software domain. There may also be representatives from certain countries who would wish to make military use of such information. For these reasons it has been agreed by many with inside knowledge that the topic of frame rate increase above 9fps should be avoided on this public forum.I am only replying in order to make the situation clear.On a non frame rate related question raised by the OP. The Ex and Exx cameras do not share the same chipset but do run basically the same firmware. The hardware restricts what can be enabled in the firmware configuration. There are options for the Exx touch screen for instance. Such is of no use on an Ex platform.Some Exx and T series functions have been transplanted by people between platforms but care is needed to not brick the camera. In the case of the Ex series, an E4 may be reconfigured to a specification more capable than the E8 and the artificial Noise Generator disabled. It is then effectively an E8 Enhanced model. The Exx series has also benefitted in a similar manner and all models may be reconfigured to a capability greater than an E60 (the BX suffix cameras do have some restrictions though) They become E60 Enhanced specification. This is all thanks to FLIR using the same core firmware for the Ex, Exx and T series cameras, as well as others. That does NOT mean you can load Exx firmware into an Ex though ! You are just enabling functions in the configuration files and, in some cases, adding new configuration lines in the configuration file to enable ‘hidden’ firmware features that are present in the T series.To help some sleep better and not spend time agonising over how easy it might be to increase the frame rate of an Ex camera ..... FLIR do know what they are doing on the frame rate restriction as it is a legal and not corporate restriction. The crippling of the E4 was purely a corporate decision for marketing reasons and so les than robust in its employment. It would be little different to writing the firmware for a thermal camera development platform from scratch.Fraser

author: FlirAl
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 03:17:07 pm
content: Fraser, Thanks a lot for the detailed answer. Basically, anything that i do via dumpbin on my e6 and a borrowed E60 CANNOT be shared here.p

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 05:53:34 pm
content: FlirAI,This is Dave’s forum so only he can set the rules for what cannot be posted. When it comes to what should, or should not, be posted on a public forum, we all take responsibility for our own actionsGood luck with the bin filesFraser