Restatement of the Consolidated Financial Statements (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2012
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities				$ (11,074,000)	$ (29,986,000)	$ (31,615,000)
Impairment charge				3,826,000	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge				11,497,000	0	0
Increase (decrease) in accrued liabilities, Current	$ (12,042,000)			(12,042,000)	(19,187,000)	(16,248,000)
Increase (decrease) in Other Liabilities	(15,640,000)			(15,640,000)	(25,793,000)	(20,538,000)
Increase decrease in amortization expense for Intangible Assets				(3,280,000)	(2,608,000)	(1,746,000)
Increase (decrease) in depreciation expense				(13,856,000)	(14,761,000)	(12,449,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)				767,000	(11,705,000)	(20,721,000)
Cost of sales				(191,255,000)	(274,907,000)	(275,323,000)
Increase (decrease) in Other current assets	(4,429,000)			(4,429,000)	(3,094,000)	(3,288,000)
Increase in Other Liabilities, Deferred Taxes	3,247,000			3,247,000	7,091,000	3,526,000
Increase (decrease) in liability for uncertain taxes	(2,999,000)			(2,999,000)	(3,259,000)	(6,557,000)
Increase (decrease) in Paid in Capital	(53,907,000)			(53,907,000)	(53,237,000)	(10,556,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities				$ (50,684,000)	(30,665,000)	(17,354,000)
Debt Instrument, Covenant Compliance				In addition, the Company has requested and received covenant waivers from its lender related to its credit agreement due to its late filing of financial statement information during fiscal 2017.
Adjustment for Tax Balances [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Income tax expense (benefit)				$ (2,988,000)
Increase (decrease) in Other current assets	(455,000)			(455,000)
Increase in Other Liabilities, Deferred Taxes	(2,179,000)			(2,179,000)
Increase (decrease) in liability for uncertain taxes	340,000			340,000
Increase (decrease) in Paid in Capital	(923,000)			(923,000)
Adjustments to cash flows [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities				0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities				0
Vista Reporting Unit [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Impairment charge	13,000	$ 3,813,000	$ 3,813,000	3,826,000	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge	0	11,497,000	11,497,000	11,497,000	$ 0	$ 0
Vista Reporting Unit [Member] | Adjustment for Goodwill Impairment [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment charge	0	4,084,000	4,084,000	4,084,000
Vista Reporting Unit [Member] | Property, Plant and Equipment [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Impairment charge	0	554,000	554,000	554,000
Increase (decrease) in depreciation expense	(95,000)			(95,000)
Vista Reporting Unit [Member] | Radar Technology, Radar Customers, and Patents [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Impairment charge	13,000	3,259,000	3,259,000	3,272,000
Increase decrease in amortization expense for Intangible Assets	(378,000)			(378,000)
Vista Research [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Business acquisition contingent consideration payments period							7 years
Vista Research [Member] | Adjustment for Fair Value of Contingent Consideration Liability [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) in accrued liabilities, Current		(44,000)	(44,000)
Increase (decrease) in Other Liabilities		$ (746,000)	(746,000)
Cost of sales	$ 23,000		$ 790,000	(767,000)
Vista Research [Member] | Adjustments for Inventories [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Inventory Write-down				49,000
Cost of sales				$ (49,000)