FLIR TAU 2 Advanced Settings - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: manic515
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2025, 04:44:57 pm
content: About to turn my re-built Armasight Apollo PRO MR into an all-weather thermal HD recorder. I have an outdoor profile in the onboard menu of the scope/clip-on but are there any advanced settings I can modify via the Tau GUI software (I have a VPC module) that might enhance wildlife viewing further? No worries about messing up the core -- I have a factory reset feature. I'll post some pics of any suggestions whether they work or fail. We may learn something about the limits of core adjustment.Doubt it makes a difference with a thermal (except perhaps where ambient temperature is concerned) but I plan to use it primarily at night.Thanks!

author: 1os
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2025, 10:50:46 pm
content: Hi I used the Flir tau-2 thermal imaging core as an infrared video recorder, I connected it via a USB video converter and connected it to my phone. Here is an example on YouTube.

author: manic515
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2025, 12:08:49 pm
content: I checked out the video. FLIR offers smartphone-compatible thermals, but they don't run at an insane resolution like that -- very cool!I'm putting the finishing touches on a similar set-up except it's a FLIR clip-on (went in front of day-optic rifle scopes originally) with a 55 MM lens. No built-in optical magnification since the paired scope provided that so it works as a camcorder would. Has different palettes, reticles (nice for highlighting what I'm filming), and so forth. The clip-on is ruggedized to be shock and weather resistant. Perfect for the outdoors and pretty compact, too, without the day optic in front. The FLIR/Armasight line have video-out ports (some kind of seven pin proprietary connector but I have the cables) that adapt to composite inputs. That's going into a RageCam (sort of like the recording side of a GoPro but no optics and takes practically any AV input) clamped to the built-in rail of the clip-on.As I said, not quite finished, but it works. Just waiting on some shorter composite cables so I can streamline it. Full digital recording capability for the thermal (including sound if you need commentary) and a built-in field monitor. Not bad!

author: hap2001
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2025, 02:14:50 pm
content: OP, this is what I spent countless nights tweaking, but after comparing with Boson, I realized TAU v2.4 and earlier is just not good enough at software processing.The biggest problem is it cannot show good detail for high and low delta-T at the same time, no matter how you tweak the settings.I can rambling about the parameters one by one and write a post stupidly long, but in the end it doesn't even matter.Boson is definitely cost-cutting in hardware, but the superior software makes them produce better results. It's still buggy as Flir always been, of course.I think the best you can do is to try lots of combinations and find your favorite one, don't rely on Flir documents, many settings don't behave as documented.

author: manic515
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2025, 03:44:57 pm
content: Thanks for the advice. I've already discovered that FLIR settings are more about the journey than the destinationWhat I have works pretty darn well considering it's all cobbled together from random eBay purchases. A core here and a body kit there. Plenty of Frankenstein-ing to get it all cooperating. I got my start with night vision (PVS-7 and PVS-14) where there's a mil-spec to most components. Different manufacturers bid on contracts, but everything is pretty much interchangeable, adjusts the same, and the intensifier tubes always fit. The thermal world is different, but variety isn't a bad thing. Hoping to match a different lowball core to a different body kit one day (if the prices line up) and do some comparing/contrasting with the TAU 2 setup I have.