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Geolux HydroCam Camera User Manual

Camera for remote visual site inspection
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HydroCam Camera
Camera for Remote Visual
Site Inspection
User Manual
v1.2.3
Copyright ©2023 Geolux d.o.o. All rights reserved.

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Summary of Contents for Geolux HydroCam Camera

  • Page 1 HydroCam Camera Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection User Manual v1.2.3 Copyright ©2023 Geolux d.o.o. All rights reserved.
  • Page 2 Geolux HydroCam camera can be used in various applications and environments. We have created this User Manual to assist you in setting up and using the Geolux instrument. Should there be any questions left unanswered, please feel free to contact us directly: Geolux d.o.o.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents 1. Introduction 2. Electrical Characteristics 3. Connector Pin-Out 3.1. Serial RS-232 Interface 3.2. Serial RS-485 Interface 4. Camera Settings 5. Data Interface 5.1. Serial RS-232 Interface 5.2. Serial RS-485 Interface 6. Data Protocols 6.1. Servicing Protocol (RS-232) 6.2. Modbus Protocol (RS-485) 7.

  • Page 4: Introduction

    HydroCam Camera User Manual Introduction The Geolux HydroCam camera is a 5-megapixel camera specifically designed for environmental monitoring and for working with a variety of data loggers via a simple RS-232 communication protocol or Modbus RTU protocol. The camera has a controllable zoom and focus lens, and automatic day/night mode operation, with IR illuminators used in night mode.

  • Page 5: Electrical Characteristics

    HydroCam Camera User Manual Electrical Characteristics The electrical characteristics of the Geolux HydroCam camera are given in Table 1. Table 1. Electrical Characteristics Parameter Unit Communication interface RS-232 interface speed 115200 RS-485 interface speed 1200 57600 Power supply voltage 12.0 27.0...

  • Page 6: Connector Pin-Out

    Brown +Vin The power supply for the HydroCam camera is provided on this pin. The HydroCam camera power supply voltage must be in the range of 9 VDC to 27 VDC, and the power supply must be able to provide at last 0.65W...

  • Page 7: Serial Rs-232 Interface

    RS-232 port. https://www.waveshare.com/catalog/product/view/id/3629/s/usb-to-rs232-485-ttl/category/37/ Optionally Geolux can supply a cable with DB-9 connector connected to the cable but this must be specified as option when ordering the sensors. Several communication protocols are available, and custom on request. Details of communication protocols are described later in this user manual.

  • Page 8: Camera Settings

    HydroCam Camera User Manual Camera Settings To change the camera settings, connect the HydroCam camera to the PC computer, and start the Geolux Instrument Configurator PC application. Through the user interface of the application, the following parameters can be configured.
  • Page 9 160x120, 320x240, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x960, 1600x1200, 1920x1080, 2048x1536, 2592x1944. Please note that when the HydroCam camera is connected via RS-485 interface, the resolution values are stored in two different registers. When one value is changed, the value in the other register is automatically changed to its corresponding value.
  • Page 10 (0,0) being at the bottom left. The values are in the 0 to 100 range. Change of autofocus coordinates is not applied until a new autofocus request is made (the Geolux Instrument Configurator application handles this step internally). Please note that autofocus is also performed in the background of the zoom operation, but this autofocus does not use these autofocus point coordinates, as focus in that case is always in the middle of the image, i.e.
  • Page 11 Using the Geolux Instrument Configurator which is described in chapter 8 of this user manual, the autoexposure region can be set either by manually inputing the values or by selecting a rectangle on the image which is shown on the right side of the window when the Autoexposure region setting is selected.
  • Page 12 FTP server defined by the user. The file name for upload is created from the HydroCam camera’s serial number and image counter. If the ethernet or FTP server is not operational while the snapshot is being taken, the image counter will still be incremented if FTP is enabled, so there would be gaps in image counters when ethernet operation is restored and new images are uploaded.
  • Page 13 Defines the FTP username. A valid username is any combination of up to 30 characters. The HydroCam camera does not check the validity of the username in any way, so it is the user’s responsibility to configure the name acceptable to the FTP server. Please note that the FTP protocol does not provide any security, and the data, including the username and password, is transferred in plain text over unsecured connection.

  • Page 14: Data Interface

    HydroCam Camera User Manual Data Interface Geolux HydroCam camera offers multiple data interfaces, in order to make the integration of the device with existing SCADA/telemetry systems easy. 5.1. Serial RS-232 Interface Serial RS-232 interface is used for direct connection of a single camera unit with the computer. The serial interface is used both for retrieving images and for configuration of the camera.

  • Page 15: Data Protocols

    To make instrument configuration easy, Geolux provides the Geolux Instrument Configurator utility application. Regular users do not need to be concerned about the servicing protocol used between the Geolux Instrument Configurator and the HydroCam camera. Geolux Instrument Configurator is described in chapter 8 of this user manual.
  • Page 16 When a remote master transmits the request message, it will use the device ID as a device address. All instruments will receive the request, but only the instrument with a matching device ID will answer to the received request. #set_modbus_address=<1-247> HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 17 If no requirement was met, the resulting file size will be whatever was accomplished in the last step. #set_jpeg_maximum_size=<0-3000> HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 18 #set_autoexposure_region=<x>,<y>,<width>,<height> HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 19 Values 1 to 3 result in the white balance algorithm running with different set of parameters defined for each mode. Please contact the Geolux support for more information about different color correction modes.
  • Page 20 Username - Defines the FTP username. A valid user_name is any combination of up to 30 characters. The HydroCam camera does not check the validity of the user’s name in any way, so it is the user’s responsibility to configure the name acceptable to the FTP server. Please note that the FTP protocol does not provide any security, and the data, including the username and password, is transferred in plain text over unsecured connection.
  • Page 21 #serial_id:123456 #resolution:2592x1944 #quality:50 #night_mode:off #ir_led_mode:off #ir_filter:day #autofocus_point:20,20 #autoexposure_region:25,25,25,25 #exposure:4000 #device_type:980 #modbus_address:1 #modbus_baudrate:19200 #modbus_parity:N #modbus_databits:8 #modbus_stopbits:1 #jpeg_maximum_size:1500 #wb_offset:10,11,12 #zoom_position:50 #focus_position:650 #image_status:0 #image_brightness:215 #color_correction_mode:off #auto_snapshot_interval:off #ethernet_mac_address:2-12-13-10-15-11 #net_ip_address:192.168.0.100 #net_subnet_mask:255.255.255.0 #net_default_gateway:192.168.0.1 #net_dhcp_enabled:on #net_dhcp_state:off #ftp_enabled:off #ftp_server_name: #ftp_user_name: #ftp_password: HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...

  • Page 22: Modbus Protocol (Rs-485)

    Modbus. Modbus is a request-response protocol where a master (such as data logger) sends out requests, and slave devices (such as the HydroCam camera) respond. The request and response format, with examples is given in Tables 3-6.
  • Page 23 → no parity 0x0004 2 bytes Read Modbus data bits 0x0005 2 bytes 1 → 1 stop bit Read Modbus stop bits 2 → 2 stop bits default → 1 stop bit HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 24 Errors are cleared (bits set to zero) after restart, and not stored in any permanent mem- ory. Contact Geolux support for specific errors description as they might depend on firmware and device version. HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 25 1 → IR LEDs alway off during the night 2 → IR LEDs in auto mode default → 2 0x001C 2 bytes 0 → IR LEDs turned off Read IR LED state 1 → IR LEDs turned on HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 26 0x0023 2 bytes 0 – 100 Read autoexposure - height default → 100 (whole image) of autoexposure area, as a percentage of the height of the image HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 27 8 – 48 Read white balance offset - blue default → 10 0x002E 2 bytes 0 – 3 Read color correction mode 0x002F 2 bytes 0 – 65535 Read auto snapshot interval in minutes HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 28 Read default gateway - fourth octet 0x0049 2 bytes 0 → disabled Read DHCP state 1 → enabled 0x004A 2 bytes 0 – 12 Read DHCP last state Contact Geolux support for specific DHCP state descriptions. HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 29 0 – 255 Read MAC address - fourth octet 0x0052 2 bytes 0 – 255 Read MAC address - fifth octet 0x0053 2 bytes 0 – 255 Read MAC address - sixth octet HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 30 0x0016 to the corresponding value. 0x0016 2 bytes Change image resolution - y (height) 1200 1080 1536 1944 default → 600 Changing this value automatical- ly changes the value in register 0x0015 to the corresponding value. HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 31 If the value is 0, the camera is ready for autofocus - write the value 1 and wait for the value to be 0 again indicating the autofocus procedure is finished. HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 32 0x0027 and wait unit it returns value 0 indicating no activ- ity that would prevent zoom from being moved is in progress. Then repeat the write absolute zoom operation and check it again. HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 33 2 bytes 0 – 65535 Change auto snapshot interval 0x0049 2 bytes 0 → disabled Change DHCP state 1 → enabled 0x004B 2 bytes 0 → disabled Change FTP state 1 → enabled HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...

  • Page 34: Communication Flow Diagram

    HydroCam Camera User Manual Communication Flow Diagram Picture 3. shows a flow diagram of the communication between the client and the HydroCam camera to get the image from the camera. Picture 3. Communication Flow Diagram HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...

  • Page 35: Camera Configurator Utility

    Geolux provides a user-friendly PC application, Geolux Instrument Configurator, for setting up the HydroCam camera’s operating parameters as well as displaying the images taken by the camera. When started, the Geolux Instrument Configurator displays its main window. Picture 4. shows the Geolux Instrument Configurator main window on start-up.
  • Page 36 The Update firmware button allows the user to update the firmware of the device while the Export parameters button exports the current settings to .txt file. Picture 5. Geolux Instrument Configurator - Settings View HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 37 Picture 6. The captured image can be saved as a .jpg file by clicking the Save image button. Picture 6. Geolux Instrument Configurator - Image View HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...

  • Page 38: Troubleshooting

    COM port number is assigned to the COM port that is being used to establish a connection with the instrument, try setting up the connection with each COM port available in the system, until the connection is established. HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 39 ID, a bus conflict will happen and prohibit the master to correctly communicate with the slave devices. To resolve this problem, change the instrument’s slave device ID to a unique number through the Geolux Instrument Configurator PC application.
  • Page 40 These parameters can be changed by connecting the instrument to the PC application (over RS-232 connection). Connect the instrument to the PC using RS-232 connection. Open the Geolux Instrument Configurator application and establish a connection between the instrument and the PC. Then check and verify that all Modbus connection parameters are correct.

  • Page 41: Appendix A - Mechanical Assembly

    HydroCam Camera User Manual Appendix A - Mechanical Assembly HydroCam Camera for Remote Visual Site Inspection...
  • Page 42 2023.

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