FAQ - frequently asked questions

The TILO™ is small and easy to use. Nevertheless, it has many possibilities that even much larger devices often do not offer.

Here you will find the answers to frequently asked questions about the TILO™. If you have any further questions, we will be happy to advise you by phone or email before you decide to buy an TILO™.

 

 

How do the weight and dimensions of the TILO compare to other thermal imagers on the market?

We are pleased that the TILO has the lowest weight and by far the shortest overall length compared to other competitor products on the market. This is true regardless of whether you compare it to other thermal imaging goggles, handhelds or clip-ons - devices from all categories to which the TILO can be included thanks to its versatility.

To see how the TILO fares in terms of other factors such as detection range (standing man), see the following comparison chart:

TILO-TigIR-Vergleich-andere-Produkte-DE

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I am interested in the TILO™ but do not live in Berlin. Can I look at them somewhere?

Unfortunately, we have only a few dealers who have a TILO™ in stock and can show it to interested customers. Therefore, the following options are available:

  • We ourselves go to trade fairs throughout Europe and present our devices there. These are often public authority fairs where private users are not allowed to attend.
  • The simplest solution is to order a TILO™ for trial. You are welcome to return it within 14 days if you do not like it.
  • If you represent a group of interested parties, e.g. a hunting community or similar, we or one of our dealers can also visit you and hold a night vision workshop.
  • Some dealers have the TILO™ in stock, maybe there is one near you.
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Can I also rent a TILO™?

You can also rent the TILO from us - either the 3Z+ model or the 6Z+ model. Our corresponding subpage has all the information you need. However, since the thermal imaging goggles represent a high value, we have to charge a security deposit on them, which we will of course refund to you afterwards.

For those who do not want to part with their rented TILO, we also have a particularly interesting offer: rental customers who decide to buy the TILO after all, will receive the full rental price as a credit towards their purchase.

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When will the TILO™ be available again?

We are continuously increasing our production speed. Nevertheless, it rarely happens that we produce enough devices to sell them out of the warehouse. Therefore the most popular TILO models are usually not available in the shop. We therefore recommend that you simply write us a message and pre-order a TILO. You will then receive a device directly from the current production. You will then also find out the exact delivery time. At the moment it is 1–2 weeks.

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Compared to other devices, the thermal image of the TILO™ looks as if a fine structure lies above it, like a curtain. Where does this come from?

When editing images, we deliberately do not use soft focus but rather focus on tactical requirements. Therefore we use the function of edge reinforcement to make structures even more visible. Unfortunately, the noise is also slightly increased as a side effect. Compared to conventional devices with which the picture looks more beautiful, we achieve a higher contrast and a sharper image.

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Is it possible to upgrade to another TILO™ model with the upgrade service? So if the TILO-6™ comes out, can I upgrade my TILO-3Z+™ to the TILO-6Z+™?

I'm afraid this is not possible. To upgrade, at least the thermal imaging sensor must remain the same. However, since the 3Z+ has a 320×240 sensor and the 6Z+ a 640×512 pixel sensor, a new purchase is necessary for such a large step. An upgrade therefore only includes the software and hardware adaptation to keep up to date within the model. Unfortunately, the same applies to the Z. This cannot be updated to the Z+, since it is a 9Hz core with a lower thermal resolution.

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I would like to buy this product as a private person. I can buy it without a problem, can't I? It's for civilian use.

Right. The TILO-Z+™ series can be freely purchased within the following countries, provided they are used for civilian purposes. This must be marked accordingly in the EUC. TILO may also be resold within the countries listed below. However, the buyer in question should meet the same requirements in his own interest.

List of states: EU, USA, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Liechtenstein

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Why does the Tilo have an infrared in it? The thermal imaging device does not need an IR illuminator, does it?

The TILO was designed as a thermal helmet lamp. Many helmet lamps have an IR light, although they also can not see IR light. With the various flashing modes, the TILO also serves, for example, to recognize their own forces. Of course, only if low-light amplifiers are used. Regarding the IR LED, it should be noted that it operates in a frequency range that can only be seen well by Gen 2 tubes. These are manufactured by Photonis. For US-American Gen 3 tubes, the IR light of the TILO is almost unshieldable. If the IR light is not needed on the TILO, it can be disabled.

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Is it possible to switch off the TILO™ if the flap is broken off?

You can switch off the TILO™ manually by pressing and holding the 1+4 keys. By the way, it can also be switched on again.

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Why is Tilo 6M only given to government agencies when everything is exactly the same as the TILO 6z+ for example?

In fact, except for the color, there is currently no technical difference. The TILO-M series was originally planned with a reticle and was therefore classified accordingly. However, this has not been implemented to date. Furthermore, there are various export restrictions that exclude a sale to military users of a civilian TILO. Thus, military users are regularly supplied only with the M variants of our devices. This causes significantly more administrative work, which we can save by selling the Z variants to civilian users.

see also: How does the government version differ from the civil version?

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Is it possible to transfer a live image to a monitor and save it?

Yes, with the video recorder you can record photos or videos directly on a micro SD card and transfer them to a mobile device (cell phone or tablet) via WLAN with the help of an app.

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How does the government version differ from the civil version?

The differences are as follows:

Bajonettadapter:
The TILO-6M and also the TILO-6MA already have a bayonet mount on the eyepiece side for secure attachment of a shutter eyecup. The civilian devices only have a plastic mount for the rubber eyecup at this point. The bayonet ring would have to be ordered separately. It is usually included with the corresponding accessories.

E.g. the Shuttereyecup:

The M devices can thus also be used in front of cameras and other optics as an attachment.

Color:
The civilian version is usually produced in black.

Material:
The housing of the TILO-6MA is made of corrosion-resistant aluminum. Here, the bayonet adapter is already part of the housing. The housing of the 6M and 6Z+, on the other hand, is made of polyamide reinforced with nanotubes.

Export restriction
The M versions are more export restricted, so they are only supplied to government agencies.

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What is AI pixel upscaling?

The sensor of the TILO-6Z™ "only" has a resolution of 640 pixels horizontally. This is common on the market, but rather weak compared to light-optical cameras. If the 2x electronic zoom is operated, the resolution drops to 320 pixels as it is drawn onto the screen. At 4x magnification, there are then only 160 pixels, but these also have to be displayed on a screen with 640 pixels. The result of this process would be ever larger square blocks. The word "pixeling" has come into common usage for this. At a 4x magnification, the human brain is then hardly able to interpret the actual image information, since the pixels are only perceived as squares. To remedy this, we use a function in our thermal imaging devices that everyone knows, for example, when playing a DVD on a modern 4K screen. The screen itself upconverts the image to the better screen resolution. In the best case, a fractal, AI-controlled upscaling algorithm is used for this. This not only smooths the edges, but also recalculates the entire image based on the overall image information. This results in a much sharper but, above all, high-resolution image. Individual pixels are almost no longer visible. With this technique, even 8x digital magnifications are still helpful. The image becomes a bit blurrier, but still remains interpretable for the user. For this reason, we also recommend the use of the zoom levels when used as a clip-on, as they can significantly increase the range. (Attention: When using the zoom levels, these must also have been previously collimated individually in each case.)
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In conjunction with the subpixel collimation, an exceptionally high precision can be achieved (see also the question "What does SPC" mean?).

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What does SPC mean?

SPC stands for Subpixel Collimation, which is the collimation of the displayed image in steps below the range of a single pixel as recorded by the sensor. The TILO, unlike all other comparable products, has this particularly helpful feature, which, in conjunction with AI upscaling, allows for exceptionally high precision.

The goal of collimation is to achieve an exact overlay of the original image in the scope and the thermal image at all zoom levels by very fine shifting of the screen. Only then can optimum precision be achieved. In the collimation menu, the screen can be optimized slightly or more in the zoom levels. In conjunction with AI upscaling, exceptionally high precision can be achieved.

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