A column of infrared detectors are repetitively optically scanned across annfrared scene. The outputs of the detectors are fed to a viewing matrix of light emitters consisting of a plurality of columns of detectors, each column having light emitters corresponding to respective detectors. As the detectors are scanned across the scene, successive columns of detectors are energized or enabled such that the light emitted by the individual emitters is directly related to the infrared radiation falling on a corresponding detector. The image may thus be directly viewed by an observer. An alternate system employs a storage matrix having light detectors corresponding to the emitters of the viewing matrix such that the output of the viewing matrix, instead of being directly viewed, is stored and is then read out in a normal television raster to provide a video signal for distant television viewing.