TG - FHV7 Smart Camera – Saving Images to External Network Storage

Modified on Tue, 30 Sep at 11:42 AM

Purpose

This guide provides instructions on how to configure the FHV7 Smart Camera (or FH series) to save captured images directly to a shared folder located on an external storage device (e.g., a PC or network drive) over a local area network (LAN).

Problem Explanation/Objective

By default, the FHV7 Smart Camera stores images internally or on local media (SD card). However, storing a high volume of image data locally may lead to performance limited storage capacity, or the need for frequent data extraction.

Redirecting image storage to a network-shared folder provides a centralized and easily accessible solution, allowing for better data management, backup, and review.

Supported devices

Smart Cameras:

Omron FHV7 Series (e.g., FHV7H-xxxxx models)
FH Series Smart Cameras (where applicable)

PCs or Servers:

Running Microsoft Windows 7 or later (for network folder sharing)

Requirements

Before proceeding, ensure the following:

Network & Hardware:

FHV7/FH Smart Camera and the target PC must be connected to the same subnet.
1. Example: If the subnet is 10.5.6.xxx, both devices should have IPs like 10.5.6.10, 10.5.6.50, etc.
Network stability and visibility between devices confirmed (e.g., ping from PC to camera).

PC Configuration:

A dedicated folder for image storage.
Windows user credentials (username and password) with read/write access to the shared folder.

Camera Configuration:

Access to the System Settings menu.
Correct FZ-PanDA installed.
Admin access to change logging and storage settings.

Procedure

Follow these steps to configure the FHV7 Smart Camera to save images to an external network-shared folder:

1. Configure the Shared Folder on PC

Create a new folder on your PC (e.g., FHV7_Images).
Right-click on the folder and select Properties.

Go to the Sharing tab and click Advanced Sharing.
Check the box labeled Share this folder.

Click on Permissions, select Full Control, and apply the changes.

Copy the Network Path (e.g., \\PC-NAME\FHV7_Images) to your clipboard.

2. Get the Windows Username

On the PC, open the Start menu or search bar.
Type "Your Info" and open the corresponding system page.
Note the full username shown under your account profile.

Example: DOMAIN\username or PCNAME\username.

3. Configure the FHV7/FH Smart Camera

Power on the FHV7 or FH camera.
Open the System Settings menu on FZ-PanDA.

Navigate to Network Drive Settings.
Select an available drive letter (e.g., Z:) and click Edit.

Enter the Network Path copied from Step 1.
Input the Windows username and password of the PC.

⚠️ Ensure the credentials match those with access rights to the shared folder.

Click Apply, then select Data Save.
Reboot the FHV7/FH unit to apply changes.

4. Enable Logging to the Network Drive

After reboot, open System Settings again.
Go to the Logging Settings section.
Select the shared network drive as the logging destination.

Similarly, configure the drive in the Image File Measurement window if image logging is required from measurement operations.

Notes:

Data Access: The shared folder is accessible from other devices on the network (if permissions are granted), allowing image review or backups.

Security: For enhanced protection, restrict folder access to authorized users only.

Troubleshooting: If the drive is not recognized:

✓ Recheck network connectivity.

✓ Verify credentials.

✓ Confirm shared folder permissions.

✓ Ensure both devices are on the same subnet.

Date/Revision History

First review 9/22/2025 V1.0

Author:

Aimee Rivera, Technical Support Engineer

References

FHV7 Smart Camera User Manual