Pelco ESTI 635-2N / PICO640

[Abbott242]

Hi all,
I've stumbled across a Pelco Sarix ESTI635-2N thermal security camera . Upon teardown, I've discovered the ulis pico640 core inside. The microbolometer is soldered to a custom board which communicates to another board...and another...and another... eventually ending up as an Ethernet output. I will eventually get around to trying this camera with the Ethernet, but for the time being - is there any way to use the pico 640 with a breakout board or similar? Is there a dev kit or other way to salvage the microbolometer alone into a more functional setup? Thanks.

[Abbott242]

More Photos

[Fraser]

I know of no dev kits for the ULIS microbolometers. I have seen reference hardware designs on data sheets but nothing more.

Thermal Surveillance cameras are an area that I looked into some time ago with a view to harvesting camera cores from the bulky outer casings. Some used the well known FLIR TAU or DRS Tamerisk cores that could be adapted to other uses whilst others, such as those from Axis and PELCO, used bespoke thermal camera electronics packages that were dedicated to providing just what was required for the CCTV role for which they were intended. In my experience, you could get lucky with some dedicated thermal CCTV cameras and find a composite video output as well as the Ethernet port. This, I presume, was used for camera aiming during installation. Other cameras, such as the AXIS units, would only work with a host over Ethernet and their capabilities were restricted to only those needed for CCTV or other specialist uses, such as SARS Fever Detection. I have not seen any information on installing more useful firmware on these units to release their full potential. Many will not have a measurement capability as such is not normally needed for standard CCTV deployments. Fever Detection versions have a very restricted measurement capability that cannot be expanded without new firmware.

With your PELCO camera, I would advise that you study the user manual and determine whether the functionality it offers and the Ethernet connectivity is acceptable for your use. If not, I suggest you sell it and use the money to buy something more useful to you Building a new camera around that ULIS core and writing new firmware is a major task and unlikely worth the effort unless you are wishing to learn how to design and build thermal cameras. This is why I sold my brand new Ganz 640 x 512 pixel pan tilt dome camera. I just did not have a good use for it.

Fraser

[Bill W]

May become more apparent with views of the various PCB in the stack

A lot of this type of camera have 2 or 3 common PCB's and then a back end choice of PCB(s) depending on use.

That common set are the detector PCB, sensor and system timing, sensor setup and the digital maths / correction.
The common set would present a custom (but understandable) interface of corrected digital video.

The question as Fraser says is whether the common PCb also include analogue video.  Look for the 'usual suspects' Analog Devices video matrix IC's.

If you are out of luck the common interface will go straight to ethernet output configuring circuitry and power input handling.

Bill