Version 1.0-1012 Author: Robbie Dowling Lloyd Laney 2012 by VirTra Inc. All Rights Reserved. VirTra, the VirTra logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of VirTra in the United States and/or other countries.
COPYRIGHT Copyright 2012 by VirTra Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, translated into any language, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, photocopying, manual, or otherwise, without prior written permission from VirTra Inc. DISCLAIMER VirTra Inc. shall not be liable for any incidental or consequential damage resulting from the performance or use of this product. This company makes no representations or warranties regarding the contents of this manual. Information in this manual has been carefully checked for reliability; however, no guarantee is given as to the correctness of the contents. In the interest of continued product improvement, this company reserves the right to revise the manual or include changes in the specifications of the product described within it at any time without notice and without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes. The information contained in this manual is provided for general use by the customers of the product. TRADEMARKS VRANGE is a trademark of VirTra Systems, Inc. General notice: Other product names used in this manual are ascribed to their respective owners and acknowledged.
I. PROJECTORS 4 1.1 STEP 1 - PLACEMENT 4 1.2 STEP 2 FOCUS/ALIGNMENT IMAGE 5 II. BASLER CAMERAS 8 III. LOWLIGHT CAMERAS 18 IV. TMAR CAMERA 29 V. CONTACT VIRTRA 37
I. PROJECTORS TABLE OF CONTENTS The VirTra simulator is equipped with projectors used to project the scenario on the screen. Each screen has a projector that should be pointed at the screen and aligned to fill the entire screen. Carefully follow the instructions below to properly align each projector. Proper alignment of each projector will create a seamless training environment. Proper alignment also increases the emersion for the trainee into the simulated environment. Ensure all computers of the simulator are powered on before aligning projectors. As a helpful hint start the process with Screen 2 or the screen directly facing the entrance of the simulator. 1.1 STEP 1 - PLACEMENT Rear Projection Place projector on the floor behind the intended screen and power on the projector. Figure 1 - Rear Projection placement Overhead Projection Mount projector upside-down to mounting plate and power on the projector. Ensure all video and network cables are correctly connected to the rear of the projector. PAGE 4
1.2 STEP 2 FOCUS/ALIGNMENT IMAGE 1. From the Master computer start the VOS11 program and enter your username and password. 2. Click on the More Shortcuts button and select Administration. Figure 2 - Open Administration PAGE 5
3. Once on the Administration screen select the Show Projector Focus Test Image. Figure 3 - Show Image This will populate a calibration image on each screen of the simulator. Use this image to properly center the image on the screen. Move the projector around to ensure the image is not smaller or larger than the screen area. PAGE 6
Figure 4 - Projector Position In Example 1 the projector is too far to the left thus making the right side of the image larger than the left. Moving the projector to the right will correct the image. The image is also to low. An adjustment to the front feet of the projector will raise the image up. In Example 2 the projected image is too large at the top. This can be corrected using the projectors keystone settings. The image is also too high. Adjusting the projectors front feet down or raising the rear feet up will cause the image to move lower. The Focus Image contains specific indicators to ensure the image is both level and plum with the screen. Also take time to align the image with the other screens to ensure a uniform pattern across all screens. 4. Once all projectors are aligned on the screen and are also aligned with the neighboring screens hide the Focus Image by clicking Hide Projection Focus Test Image in VOS11 and click Return to Session Setup. Figure 5 - Hide Image PAGE 7
II. BASLER CAMERAS WARNING: The calibration process is sensitive to changes to any light. Therefore, it is very important to have the room as dark as possible before starting system calibration. Any changes to the light in the room during calibration may result in poor system calibration. The VirTra simulator is equipped with tracking cameras used to detect laser light on the screen and report it to the computer. Each screen has a camera that should be pointed at the screen. The cameras should have both power and an ethernet connection. The green light on the back of the camera should be ON. NETWORK PORT CAMERA POWER CABLE POWER INDICATOR LIGHT COMMUNICATION INDICATOR LIGHT Figure 6 Tracking Camera Make sure the computers are turned on and have had time to boot-up. Make sure all the projectors are turned on. Also, make sure all the cameras are turned on. Once you have confirmed equipment is turned ON, exit the software. Step 1 - Connect From the desktop, open the folder named Management and click on the icon named Calibration Tool. Figure 7 Calibration Open PAGE 8
Click on Start Clusters to connect to the cluster. The projected image on the screens should turn to black. All connected Cluster PC s will appear in the program window. Each computer icon represents each screen on your simulator. Figure 8 Connected Clusters Click on one of the computer icons (icon will turn gray when selected) and select the Connect button. You may also double click on a computer icon as well. Notice the heading Opening Camera! in the image below. The software is searching for a connection to the tracking camera. Figure 9 Opening Camera PAGE 9
If the software is able to properly communicate with the camera the screen below will appear. Figure 10 Camera Check Step 2 - Dead Pixel Scan Now the camera needs to make some comparisons to maximize tracking accuracy. The first item is a dead pixel scan. For this next step ensure no sunlight is entering the room and all lights are turned off. The room should be as dark as possible You are now instructed to remove the infrared filter on the front of the lens and close the iris on the tracking camera. The image below shows the lens with the iris in the open position. Close the iris by rotating the iris open/close ring on the lens to the C position ensuring it aligns with the indicator. Figure 11 Camera Components Once you are sure light is blocked to the camera, go ahead and click the next button. Now you will begin the focus and alignment section. PAGE 10
Step 3 - Focus and Alignment You are now instructed to open the iris on the camera lens. The image on the screen will now display what the camera is seeing. Adjust the camera focus until the camera image is in focus. The image below contains an example of a very good focus and alignment combination. Notice the hall of mirrors effect, whereby the squares get smaller and smaller in an even pattern. Also, notice how there is good contrast (neither white nor black is overpowering). Only in rare situations would you need to physically adjust the camera after the initial installation provided by VirTra. If you do need to adjust the camera, make the necessary adjustment to the camera mount or tripod. The goal of positioning the camera is to fill-up as much of the camera s view with the screen as possible, while maintaining the box pattern. The percentage numbers along the outside can assist you in aligning the camera, but are mainly there for service reference. Realize that tracking can work fine, even with values between 20% and 100%. Adjust the Exposure Time by moving the slider bar (indicated by the red arrow) in the image below. This will change the amount of light allowed into the camera thus making the image brighter or darker. You want to adjust this until the picture on the simulator screen has a good black/white contrast. In other words, you neither want the picture completely black nor completely white. Of course, make sure you re looking at the projected image on the simulator. Figure 12 Alignment and Focus PAGE 11
Step 4 - AOI (Area of Interest) Click on the button labeled next and you should see the following window. Figure 13 Area of Interest In a few seconds, you will next be presented with the window below. Figure 14 Select Area of Interest Now move the edges of the green box inside the screen frame as shown above. To do this, click on the green boxes and drag the mouse to resize the box. This is to avoid the possibility of reflections off the metal structure which surrounds the screen. The example above illustrates an acceptable AOI (area of interest) adjustment. Once completed with this task, press the button labeled next. PAGE 12
Step 5 - Automatic Calibration The system must now perform a light level adjustment and calibration; these are done automatically by the software. Please make sure lights are off and no direct sunlight is hitting the screen. You should now see the following window. Figure 15 Light Adjustment During these next steps it is important that you make sure not to walk in front of the screen, do not turn lights on or otherwise change the lighting around the screen. Press the next button to activate this automatic adjustment. Once activated, it will take a few seconds to complete. It will next automatically begin the line scan calibration. It will take a few minutes to complete and must scan both vertically and horizontally. You should see a window similar to the one below during the line scan process. If something happens during this automatic calibration, you need to cancel the calibration and restart it. Figure 16 Line Scan PAGE 13
When completed you should see the following window. Figure 17 Calibration Complete The below example is of an acceptable calibration. However, it appears some light hit the screen in the center during the vertical scan. This would likely have little effect during operation, and might be acceptable. The black line is a common aberration in the optics and shouldn t affect operation. The black curved outside area is normal and caused by the camera lens. Figure 18 Acceptable Calibration If the image looks similar to the one above; click next to continue. If there is a problem, click cancel and restart the calibration. PAGE 14
Below are some examples of poor calibrations. Figure 19 Bad Calibration Next, place the filter back onto the camera s lens. The picture below shows a camera with the filter in place You should now see the following window Figure 20 Filter on Camera Figure 21 Run Gain PAGE 15
Make sure the filter is in place over the camera lens and press next Figure 21 Final Run Gain At this point the program will automatically adjust the Camera Run Gain. Once the Run Gain has been completed press next. Figure 22 Calibration Complete If the calibration process was good and complete press Accept to save the calibration settings for that screen. PAGE 16
Step 6 - Additional Screen Calibration If you need to calibrate additional screens, select another cluster by clicking on a different computer icon. Then repeat steps one through five as described above for each IVR-Cluster you wish to calibrate. Figure 23 Stop Clusters Once desired calibration has been completed, click on Stop Clusters to terminate the connection of the calibration program to the clusters. Wait until all computer icons are no longer visible in the program window before closing the program. PAGE 17
III. LOWLIGHT CAMERAS Figure 24 VOS11 Setup Window 1. Start with a properly installed and running VirTra VOS11 program. 2. Start the VOS11 application. 3. Enter in the correct credentials to get to the run screen shown above. 4. Select the More Shortcuts button in the bottom of the window. 5. Select the Administration button. PAGE 18
Figure 25 More Shortcuts Window PAGE 19
6. Select Configure TMaR Device Figure 26 Administration Window PAGE 20
7. Select the DMx ###### for the Video Encoder under the Capture tab. Figure 27 Capture Tab Window PAGE 21
8. Select the ffdshow video encoder for the Video Encoder and RGB24 640*480 BPP 24 for the Video Stream Format under the Video tab. Figure 28 Video Tab Window PAGE 22
9. Select the PCM for the Audio Encoder under the Audio tab. Figure 29 Audio Tab Window 10. Now click back to the Capture tab. 11. Click on the Preview button. 12. At this point you should be able to configure your low light lens. Make sure the filter is OFF Make sure the irus of the lens is set to O and not C (open and closed) Set the lens zoom to all the way out (W or away) Set the focus to the whole screen PAGE 23
Figure 30 Capture Tab Preview Window 13. Once that is done put the filter on the camera and use the flashlight with the correct filter on the flashlight to shine at the screen. 14. Adjust the focus and zoom of the lens to get the correct size and location of the flash light. 15. Once all the above steps are done correctly, only then can you continue on to the next steps. 16. Once you have set the lowlight lens and filter up correctly, press Stop button. 17. Press the Select button. 18. Click the Return to Session Setup button on the right side of the screen. 19. From the main screen, click on the Session Options button at the bottom of the screen 20. Click the Low Light toggle switch to turn it green. PAGE 24
Figure 31 Capture Tab Preview Window 21. Run the plates of steel 1 100 scenario under skill drills and verify that the screen starts our all black. PAGE 25
Figure 32 Plates of Steel Window 22. Adjusting the lowlight setting can be done by clicking on the Low Light Setup button at the bottom of the screen PAGE 26
23. Flashlight Brightness, Threshold, Night Vision Simulation, Flashlight Threshold, Flashlight Radius, and Overlay Darkness can be controlled from this screen. Figure 33 Low Light Configuration Window Please see below for a description of what all the sliders do. It should be noted here that the software settings for Low Light are location dependent as the lighting situation of the environment will greatly affect the settings. What is provided here is a good baseline but most likely will not work in the install location and thus the settings will have to be adjusted in the field. Flashlight Brightness This is how bright the initial scenario is 1 is dark (black) 0 is full light Typical settings: 1 Threshold Originally before the DMO was used this was the pixel shader threshold ANY PIXEL BELOW THE THRESHOLD IS SET TO A BLACK PIXEL. Typical Settings: 1 Night Vision Simulation This turns the darkness GREEN (No one I really knows uses this) Typical Setting: 0 Flash Light Threshold This is the DMO s version of threshold the most important setting for modern Low Light getting this just right is important as it determines how well the light is tracked. Typical Setting: 450 (this is most dependent on light) PAGE 27
Flashlight Radius The size of the DMO circle. Typical Setting: Dependent on customer preference. Overlay Darkness This is an offset that lets the raw image bleed through (Generally does not need to be played with). Typical Setting: 255 Video Brightness Allows you to change the intensity of the displayed background image used in concert with Flashlight brightness to create the preferred ambiance. As pointed out in the instructions above Flash Light Threshold is the most important setting for our newest version of lowlight. The best way to adjust lowlight settings is in complete darkness. These cameras are very sensitive to any ambient light and total darkness is paramount to normal operation. Once the desired lighting is achieved you can set the settings to their typical settings. Stand at center stage and use the flashlight on all screens. If the flashlight is not showing up on screen bring down the flashlight threshold by 50. If this again does not cause the flashlight to be shown on the screen, bring down the flashlight threshold by 50 again. Repeat until the flashlight shows on all screens or you begin to see flashlight flashes on screen. At this point you may need to select individual screens to adjust the flashlight threshold on and the same process should be repeated for individual screens. As you come closer to the sweet spot for the flashlight threshold you may need to reduce adjustments from 50 to 25 or less. For most situations this simple setup should be sufficient. But if you are faced with a situation where the lighting conditions are proving to be problematic additional troubleshooting may need to occur. TROUBLESHOOTING: If you cannot adjust the camera threshold low enough to register the flashlight without causing the screen to flicker with flashlight shots then the running camera gain may need to be adjusted. If you are experiencing gun shots at center stage or just off center then adjusting the running camera gain may alleviate these problems as well. Be forewarned that dropping the running gain down can lead to laser tracking issues so a fine balance must be struck. To adjust camera running gain and threshold, login to the particular cluster, open tracker diagnostic, and select connect. Locate the Tracker.Threshold first. Adjust this before adjusting moving on to the Running Gain. The Tracker. threshold can be adjusted all the way up to.85 to help reduce the tracking camera tracking the flashlight as gun fire. Adjust to.6, commit, close and test in VOS11. Repeat if needed. If the Tracker.threshold does not reduce the Tracking camera tracking the flashlight as gun fire then, login to the particular cluster, open tracker diagnostic, and select connect. Locate Camera.Gain and begin reducing the camera gain by small amounts, no more then 25-50 at a time. Again this reducing this could have an adverse effect on the recoil kit lasers tracking capabilities. Some adjustment may need to occur through all three settings on each screen to really dial in the system. PAGE 28
IV. TMAR CAMERA Figure 34 VOS11 Setup Window 24. Start with a properly installed and running VirTra VOS11 program. 25. Start the VOS11 application. 26. Enter in the correct credentials to get to the run screen shown above. 27. Select the More Shortcuts button in the bottom of the window. 28. Select the Administration button. PAGE 29
Figure 35 More Shortcuts Window PAGE 30
29. Select Configure TMaR Device. Figure 36 Administration Window PAGE 31
30. Select the DMK ###### for the Video Encoder under the Capture tab Figure 37 Capture Tab Window PAGE 32
31. Select the ffdshow video encoder for the Video Encoder and UVYV BPP 16 for the Video Stream Format under the Video tab. Figure 38 Video Tab Window PAGE 33
32. Select the PCM for the Audio Encoder under the Audio tab. Figure 39 Audio Tab Window 33. Now click back to the Capture tab. 34. Click on the Preview button. 35. At this point you should be able to configure your low light lens. Make sure the irus of the lens is set to O and not C (open and closed) Set the lens zoom to all the way out (W or away) Set the focus to see the whole area that wants to be observed. PAGE 34
Figure 39 Capture Tab Preview Window 36. Once all the above steps are done correctly, only then can you continue on to the next steps. 37. Press Stop button. 38. Press the Select button. 39. Click the Return to Session Setup button on the right side of the screen. 40. From the main screen, click on the Session Options button at the bottom of the screen 41. Click the TMaR toggle switch to turn it green. PAGE 35
42. Run a scenario. 43. In debrief, verify that the PIP shows up on the Monitor and defaults to Screen 2. PAGE 36
V. CONTACT VIRTRA TABLE OF CONTENTS If you have any problems/questions with the calibration process, please see contact below: Brett Ernenputsch Service Manager 7970 S. Kyrene Road Tempe, AZ 85284 USA Office: 480.968.1488 x 5029 Mobile: 602.456.9173 Email: service@virtra.com To download an electronic copy of this manual, please scan the QR code below with your smartphone device or visit: www.virtra.com/pdf/manuals/software/calibration.pdf PAGE 37