ATN binox-thd User Manual

THERMAL SMART HD BINOCULARS

MANUAL

ATN BinoX-THD USER’S GUIDE (REV. 2, JUNE, 2016)

AMERICAN

TECHNOLOGIES

NETWORK

CORP.

BinoX-THD

2

THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS NATURAL RUBBER LATEX WHICH MAY CAUSE ALLERGIC REACTIONS.

CAUTION!

The information in this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice,

is not to be construed as a commitment by ATN Corp.

ATN Corp. assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this book.

©2016 ATN Corp. All rights reserved.

BATTERY

HOUSING COVER

TRIPOD THREAD

MICROSD, MICRO HDMI

& MICRO USB

START/STOP

VIDEO RECORDING

ENTER

BUTTON

TAKE A PICTURE

ZOOM IN

DIOPTER

ADJUSTMENT

POWER BUTTON

FOCUS

ADJUSTMENT

RING

ZOOM OUT

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features .........................................4

Application .......................................4

Specifications .....................................4

Preparing the device ...............................5

Unpacking .....................................5

Installation of batteries ............................5

MicroSD, USB and HDMI ports .....................5

Firmware update ................................6

ON/OFF .......................................7

Using your keypad ...............................7

Focusing ......................................7

Compass calibration .............................8

Interface .........................................9

Homescreen ...................................9

Main operations ................................10

Shortcut carousel ..............................11

Using System menu .............................12

Functions .......................................14

Photo and video modes ..........................14

Rangefinder ...................................16

How to perform a NUC ...........................17

System Menu ....................................18

Thermal ......................................18

Photo/Video ...................................18

Display .......................................18

Settings ......................................19

Servicing ........................................20

Warnings and cautions ..........................20

Mobile Applications ...............................20

4

FEATURES

RECORD HD VIDEO GEOTAGGING
Wi-Fi OBSIDIAN USER INTERFACE
SMOOTH ZOOM 3D GYROSCOPE
ECOMPASS

SPECIFICATIONS

Item

BinoX THD 384

4.5x—18x

BinoX THD 640

2.5x—25x

Sensor 384x288 640x480

Magnification 4.5x–18x 2.5x–25x

Angle of view 6

x

4.7 12.5x9.7

Objective lens focal length 50 mm

Micro Display 960

x

540x2

Core ATN Obsidian “TII”

Interpupillary adjustment range 60–70 mm

Waterproof rating / IP rating Weather resistant

Video Record Resolution 1280

x

960 @ 30 fps

Microphone Ye s

WiFi (Streaming, Gallery, & Controls) iOS & Android

GPS (Geotagging, Elevation, etc.) Ye s

Battery life (Li-ion) 6–8 hr

Battery type (3) CR 123

* ATN reserves the right to change the above specifications at any time without notice

APPLICATION

No longer do thermal binoculars need to be expensive and clunky. The Ther­mal BinoX is here to provide you with unprecedented capabilities at a fraction of
the cost. Well designed, ergonomic and sporting a professional 50 mm germanium
lens, the Thermal BinoX is a pleasure to behold.

Powered by the powerful Obsidian “TII” Core the Thermal BinoX comes in both
384x288 and 640x480 configurations to provide sharp and clear images. Like the
rest of the Smart HD series of optics, the Obsidian “TII” core utilizes a slew of sen­sors to seamlessly gather information about your environment. Record video and
capture photos directly to your microSD card or stream them to your mobile device
through the built-in Wi-Fi. The Thermal BinoX comes with more features than you will
know what to do with at first, but soon you won’t know how you lived without them.

SMART RANGE FINDER

5

PREPARING THE DEVICE

UNPACKING

The following steps must be accomplished prior to each mission where the device
is used:

1. Open packaging box, remove Thermal BinoX-THD and check the contents

2. Make sure that nothing is missing

3. Inspect the device for damage to optical surfaces, body, eyecups, operation

buttons, etc.

4. Ensure that all optical surfaces are clean and ready for use.

NOTE

If any accessories are missing or broken contact ATN’s Customer Service.

INSTALLATION OF BATTERIES

The Thermal BinoX-THD will operate on three CR123 type batteries.

NOTE

We highly recommend using lithium
CR123 batteries. They will provide much
longer battery life.

Install batteries as follows:

1. Remove the Battery Cover following the

arrow direction

2. Insert batteries as shown.

3. Close the Battery Cover.

NOTE

Make sure that the device is turned off
before changing sources of energy (batte­ries or USB in power supply mode).

MicroSD, USB AND HDMI PORTS

The device is equipped with microSD, Micro USB and Micro HDMI ports. You can
find them under the rubber cover near the battery block (we marked the cap with
appropriate icons).

To open the cover you should gently lift the
rubber cover and move it out of the way.

NOTE

Make sure that the device is turned off before
inserting the microSD card into the slot.

1. A new card should be formatted before

usage.

2. Insert microSD card as shown.

3. To lock the card in the slot push it in with a thin

object (a small coin, paper clip, toothpick, etc.).

6

4. Return the cover to its original position.

NOTE

There is only one correct direction to insert

the microSD Card.

Do not force the card into the slot as it may

damage both the device and the card itself.

To remove the microSD Card from the slot,
push it in using the same thin object. When it
pops up a few millimeters, it can be pulled with
your fingers or tweezers.

NOTE

If you are going to record video we recom­mend using a Class 10 microSD card (10 MB/s)

or faster and have capacity from 4 to 64 GB.

FIRMWARE UPDATE

Before operating your device please update
the firmware to the latest version.

To receive a notification of new firmware

updates, please register your device on our website (you’ll receive an email letting
you know when new firmware becomes available).

To update the new firmware you will need a microSD Card and batteries that are

fully charged.

NOTE

In the event of a power failure during an update the device may crash corrupt­ing its system files and will need to be sent back to the ATN factory for service.
It is important not to use additional sources of power during firmware update!

Update the new firmware as follows:

1. Download the ***.bin file and copy to

your microSD Card – root directory.

2. Insert the card into the device.

3. Turn ON the device.

4. In the “Firmware Update” dialog box

select “Yes” to start the update.

5. When the update counter reaches

“100%” the device will automatically restart.

6. Once the device is powered up it will enter self configuration mode.

7. After completion, it will automatically restart and will be ready for use.

8. Motion Sensing platform will be configured when first turned on.

NOTE

If the device does not restart within 30 seconds, remove and re-insert the
batteries and power-up the device.

Once the device has been updated you will need to either format the card or
delete the update file manually. In the event you do not, the system will ask you
if you wish to update the device every time you turn it on.

7

ON/OFF

To TURN ON the device press
and hold the POWER button until
you see the ATN splash screen.

To TURN OFF the device press
and hold the POWER button, until
the dialog box “Shut down the
device?” appears. Choose “Yes” to
turn off.

NOTE

Upon startup you must perform a NUC.

USING YOUR KEYPAD

The KEYPAD is programmed to be used in
two different ways:

• Short and Quick Taps — used for most

functions and to get around the menu;

• Press and Hold — designed to be used
in the following situations — ON/OFF, ZOOM,
SHORTCUT MENU.

NOTE

Using LEFT or RIGHT buttons in the menu,
lets you quickly Exit Shortcuts from any
position.

FOCUSING

DIOPTER ADJUSTMENT

By rotating the Diopter Adjustment Ring you will achieve optimal sharpness for
your vision. Look through the eyepiece while focusing on the interface on the screen.

Do not take the rubber cap off the objective lens.

NOTE

You should not need to re-adjust the Diopter Adjustment unless another
user with different vision than yourself will be using the device.

INTERPUPILLARY ADJUSTMENT

Depending on the distance between your eyes, you may adjust the individual eye­pieces by moving each one horizontally.

8

MOUNTING ON A TRIPOD

The BinoX THD is tripod mountable and can be

mounted on tripods with a 1/4” thread mount.

COMPASS CALIBRATION

When the compass needs to be calibrated the word “CAL” appears instead of the
Compass Scale. To calibrate you should rotate the device on three axis as illus­trated.

NOTE

After calibrating the device please
remember that the compass will work
best when holding the BinoX-THD
parallel to the ground.

Other possible Errors:

• ERR — an error was detected
(you may need to restart the device or
recalibrate the compass);

• SMF — your device is under
Strong Magnetic Field (please, move
away from the Magnetic Field);

• UPD — your firmware needs to
be updated.

9

INTERFACE

HOMESCREEN

First screen you’ll see after switching on the device is Homescreen. It consists of

Scales, Status Bar icons and different Informational Widgets.

SCALES
E-Compass Scale shows yaw angle based on e-Magnetometer data.
Roll Scale shows binocular cant based on internal 3D Gyroscope.
Pitch Scale shows binocular inclination based on internal 3D Gyroscope.

STATUS BAR
Its job is to display information about the current state of the system.
Currently inactive icons become invisible, so you will only see the important infor-

mation on the Homescreen Interface:

• Battery — appears when energy level is low

• SD Card — shows the presence or absence (red icon) of memory card

• Bluetooth, GPS and WiFi — show when the function is enabled.

WIDGETS
They are interface elements which provide quick access to useful information.

There are several types of widgets:

• Icons without value — are used for mode displaying (Photo and Video Modes)

• Only numerical value (Detailed Roll and Pitch Values)

• Icons with a numerical value which provide detailed numerical readings

• Photo Preview (appears in the bottom of the homescreen, after the photo is

taken).

10

Display widgets can be dis-

abled from the System Menu.

To get to the System Menu

you should click on the CENTER
button

from Homescreen
and access the Shortcut Carou­sel.

Then select the wrench icon

with RIGHT or LEFT buttons
and push CENTER button

to

enter the menu.

Select Display tab with RIGHT

button

and choose sub-

category Display Widgets with
DOWN button

.

MAIN OPERATIONS

ZOOM LEVEL

By pressing and holding the UP or DOWN button

on the keypad you will be

able to Zoom IN and OUT.

Current Zoom Level is displayed in the Zoom widget on the Homescreen.

TAKING PHOTOS

Press the LEFT button

to TAKE A PHOTO.

Depending on the selected mode, you will make one or several photos. You can

choose from various photo modes in the System Menu.

VIDEO RECORDING

By pressing the RIGHT button

you will be able to RECORD VIDEO.

NOTE

Your recording will automatically stop when the memory card is full or the

battery is out of power.

SHORTCUT CAROUSEL

The CENTER button

opens the menu and closes it down when pressed again.

11

SHORTCUT CAROUSEL

The Carousel is your access to a number of Shortcuts that allows you quick

access to additional features. Just click on the CENTER button

from Home-

screen to access the Carousel.

Buttons highlighted in Red are
the only ones that activate a par­ticular shortcut.

Movement between the items
is carried out using the LEFT

& RIGHT buttons

, except
the group of ON/OFF switches
(WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth).

You should use the UP & DOWN

buttons

to switch modes.

To turn ON or OFF a particular

switch you should click the CENTER button

while having the switch selected.

Example — WiFi.

EXIT
Exit Carousel.

NUC
The shortcut allows to make non-uniformity compensation (NUC). NUC’ing is
required to improve image quality when the image is degraded by various envi­ronmental events. Example: Change of temperature, continues viewing of a par­ticular warm object, movement from one environment to another all may cause
image degradation. To clean up the image you will need to press the NUC short­cut while closing the objective lens with a solid object (lens cap, hand, book, etc.).

RANGEFINDER
Activates Smart Rangefinder feature.

GALLERY
Gives you access to the library of Images and Videos that are stored on
your unit’s SD Card.

WiFi module – Turn ON/OFF WiFi.

GPS module - Turn ON/OFF GPS.

12

SYSTEM MENU
Allows for access to various system options and adjustments.

USING SYSTEM MENU

To enter the System Menu

you should open Shortcut Car­ousel with CENTER button

and select the wrench icon with
RIGHT or LEFT buttons

.

Then push CENTER button

to enter the menu.

The System Menu consists of a Tab Bar at the top of the screen, list of subcatego-

ries in the center and Help Information at the bottom.

On the left side of the Tab Bar you will find the Exit (with arrow icon). Pressing it

with CENTER button

will bring you back to the Homescreen.

Movement between the tabs is carried out using the LEFT and RIGHT buttons

.

Each tab includes subcategories. To select a particular subcategory you should

use the UP and DOWN buttons

and press CENTER button .

13

To change a particular value
you should follow the next few
steps. Select the subcategory
you need with the UP or DOWN

buttons

.

Press the Center button

to
select a particular value (once
selected it will turn red).

Change the value with the UP

and DOWN buttons

.

To select a new value press

CENTER button

to confirm

the change.

14

FUNCTIONS

PHOTO AND VIDEO MODES

Press the LEFT button
while staying in Homescreen to
TAKE A PHOTO.

You must have a microSD
card inserted in the device for
these features to work. All files
will be stored on the microSD
card.

Depending on the selected
mode you will make one or sev­eral photos. You can choose
from various photo modes in the

System Menu.

To enter the System Menu you should open Shortcut Carousel with CENTER

button

and select the wrench icon with RIGHT or LEFT buttons .

Then push CENTER button

to enter the menu.

There are three photo modes to choose from. Switching between modes is done

in the System Menu from Photo/Video tab, subcategory Photo Mode.

Use UP or DOWN buttons

to switch between modes. Press the Center button

to select a particular value (once selected it will turn red).

NORMAL
This default mode allows you to take one photo at a time.

TIME LAPSE
Time Lapse is where

the device takes a
sequence of images of a subject
with an interval of time between
each image.

The interval and the number of
photos taken can be changed in
the System Menu.

15

To make changes choose
the Photo/Video Tab in System
Menu, then use UP or DOWN

buttons

to select Time Lapse

Settings.

Press the Center button

to
enter the mode settings. While
you are in this mode, the Time
Lapse widget appears.

BURST
Burst mode captures a

series of photos.

You can select the best image
of the group or arrange them in
a sequence to study the transi­tions in detail.

The number of the photos taken
can be changed in the System
Menu. While you are in this
mode, the Burst widget appears.

Regardless of which mode you
are using the preview appears
after a photograph is taken on
the bottom of the screen for sev­eral seconds.

If you press the RIGHT button

to Start Video recording.

Press RIGHT button

again to

stop Video recording.

NOTE

In extreme wind conditions
we recommend turning the
Microphone OFF.

You can turn on the micro­phone and switch the quality of
the video in the System Settings
(Photo/Video tab).

To enter the System Menu
you should open Shortcut Car-

ousel with CENTER button
and select the wrench icon with

RIGHT or LEFT buttons

.

16

Then push CENTER button

to enter the menu.

You must have a microSD
card inserted in the device for
these features to work.

All files will be stored on the
microSD card. Recorded videos
can be found in the Gallery of
the device.

While recording the Counter
widget and Time Stamp appear.

RANGEFINDER

Using the Smart Range Finder you will quickly be able to estimate the distance

to your target as long as you have reasonable knowledge of the size of your target.

RANGEFINDER
To use select the Flag Icon from the Shortcut Carousel.

Pressing the CENTER button

will take you to the Main Screen of the Range-

finder feature.

To measure the distance, follow the next steps:

• Put the arrow-mark on the

top of the target and press the
CENTER button

, wait for the
binocular to take the readings (it
will take a number of readings
so try to keep your binocular
steady);

• Put the arrow-mark under

the target and press the CEN­TER button

;

• If satisfied with the value

press the LEFT button

to
go back to the Homescreen or
repeat steps 1 and 2 if neces­sary.

17

NOTE

During the measurement process, you can zoom in and out using standard

buttons (UP and DOWN).

If the Target Height is incorrect

you can change it:

• Press the RIGHT button

to enter the Menu;

• Choose one of the presets

or input the height manually;

• Accept the height with

CENTER button

and go

back to the Main Screen.

HOW TO PERFORM A NUC

NUC’ing is required to improve image quality when the image is degraded by var-

ious enviromental events.

There are multiple NUC tables that span the full operating temperature range, and

the sensor automatically selects the optimum table based on its temperature.

Example: Change of temperature, continues viewing of a particular warm object,

movement from one environement to another all may cause image degradation.

To clean up the image you will need to press the
NUC from the Shortcut Carousel while closing
the objective lens with a solid object (lens cap,
hand, book, etc.).

18

PIXEL CORRECTION PROCEDURE

Pixel Correction Procedure is intended to correct “neutral” pixels that are visible in
the FOV, but are not responding to the changing environment or scenery. They may
be white or black and remain static and or nonresponsive.

1. Enter the Carousel by pressing the “Enter” key

2. Select System Settings

3. Select Thermal Category

4. Select Pixel Correction Subcategory

5. Select Manual Correction

6. You should see a targeting reticle, use the key pad to move the reticle over
the neutral pixel. If it is hard to target the neutral pixel, press the enter button and
select zoom. Use the up and down keys to zoom in and out on to the neutral pixel in
order to isolate it. Once you have isolated the neutral pixel, press the enter button to
escape from the zoom function.

7. Once the reticle is positioned over the neutral pixel, press the enter button and
select save. This should correct the pixel.

NOTE

If after you have done the procedure outlined above and the neutral pixel has
not been corrected. Try the process on a pixel directly adjacent to the neutral
pixel in order to make a uniformed correction in the FOV.

19

SYSTEM MENU

THERMAL

INVERSE HOT — swap the
appearance of coldest and hot­test color.

PALETTES — the range of
colors used in displaying.

CONTRAST — the difference
in luminance and color that
makes an object more distin­guishable.

PHOTO/VIDEO

PHOTO MODE — includes
Single (capture a single photo),
Time Lapse (series of photos
at timed intervals) and Burst
(up to 10 photos in one second)
modes.

BURST COUNT — amount of
photos in one second (2 – 10).

TIME LAPSE SETTINGS

• Total Photos — amount of photos in a series (2 – 10).

• Frame Interval — length of the interval (2 – 15 sec).

MICROPHONE — sound recording (ON/OFF).

VIDEO QUALITY — can be 1280x960 @30 fps

FORMAT SD CARD — after you choose this subcategory you’ll see a pop-up
window asking you about formatting.

NOTE

Remember when formating your microSD card you will loose all information
on it, including photos and videos.

DISPLAY

SCREEN BRIGHTNESS —
1-5 with 1 being the dimmest
and 5 the brightest. It is recom­mended that you use the bright­est setting during the day for
optimal performance.

DISPLAY WIDGETS — allows
you to disable several widgets
(Minimal/Extended)

20

SLEEP MODE

Sleep mode is activated when your device is not in use for a set period of time
(example: 1 – 60min). During sleep mode the display and some of the sensors will
be inactive. To get out of Sleep mode and get back to normal operations just physi­cally move the device or press any of the buttons.

• Mode — allows you to switch the mode (ON/OFF)

• Hibernation Time — can be 1 – 60 min

SETTINGS

UNITS — can be Metric or

Standard system.

DATE AND TIME

• Clock Source — allows
you to choose different types of
sources to improve the accuracy
(Manual, WiFi or GPS).

• Date Format — can be
YYYY-MM-DD, MM-DD-YYYY,
DD-MM-YYYY.

• Time Format — form of stat-

ing the time (24-hour or 12-hour).

• Date — enter the date.

• Time — enter the time.

• Time Zone — allows you to choose a geographical region with standard time.

WiFi — values are not changeable.

• SSID

• Password

• MAC Address

RECORD GEO-TAGGING — adding geographical identification to your videos

(ON/OFF).

ZOOM — allows you to choose different types of zoom (Standard, Extended).

Extended Zoom will give an electronic zoom of 10x to your optical Zoom.

However, we would like to caution you that you will begin to see considerable

pixelation at such a zoom.

RESTORE FACTORY SETTINGS — allows to reset all the settings to default.

FIRMWARE VERSION — allows you to see the firmware version currently run­ning on your device. We recommend that you register your product on our Update
Center (www.atncorp.com/firmware) in order to make sure that you are getting
emails when new firmware versions become available. We are constantly working
on new features, functions, and improvements that we provide to you free of charge
via firmware upgrades.

21

SERVICING

WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS

• Always remember to turn off the device when it is not in use. If you do not plan

on using it for a period of more than 10 days, you should remove the batteries.

• Do not disassemble, drop, open, crush, bend, deform, puncture, shred, micro-

wave, incinerate, paint or insert foreign objects: it will void your warranty.

• Keep Lens Cap on when not in use.

• Avoid contact with dust, steam, and gas.

• This product contains natural rubber latex which may cause allergic reactions.

• The device is a precision electro-optical instrument and must be handled carefully.

• Do not scratch the external lens surfaces or touch them with your fingers.

CAUTION

Failure to follow these safety instructions could result in damage to the device!

MOBILE APPLICATIONS

By utilizing the ATN Obsidian app., you can control your device and view live
streaming. Connect a phone or tablet and view everything simul taneously.

Want to see what you’ve re cor­ded so far? No problem, once
connected to the app. via WiFi,
open up the Gallery and playback
your latest adventures. All your
photos and videos are right at your
fingertips.

iOS Application

Android Application

©2016 ATN Corporation

For customer service and technical support, please contact

American Technologies Network Corp.

1341 San Mateo Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080

phone: [phone]

e-mail: [e-mail]

www.atncorp.com