guiding with a scb-4000

mindburner · (#1)

I have started to try and image with a DSLR and wondered if my SCB-4000 video camera would be sensitive enough to guide with an St80

I did try last week but if was a very quick attemt. I could see stars ok but didnt get a chance to try PHD

Psychobilly · (#2)

Should work ... as long as phd can see your capture device ...

PunkJay · (#3)

I've just purchased a DSLR myself, so would be interested to know how well this works. Would love to be able to re-use the kit I've purchased for a guide scope setup as well!

Have you had any success?

- j

Psychobilly · (#4)

As long as you keep the integration time reasonable I don't see any real problems... I typically use 1-2s guidecam exposures with my guidecams - so a senseup of x32 or x64 ...my kits not setup at the moment otherwise I would have have given it a go...

I can see if the camera and capture dongle work OK on an artificial star image...

Peter...

mindburner · (#5)

thats great Psychobilly. I managed to get focus ok and used a .6 focal reducer. Stars were easily seen and PHD could pick one easily. I got the dreaded message 'star didn't move enough' but I had not tried changing the settings in PHD yet, so hopefully be able to try again. I also was unsure if PHD was talking to the NEQ6 mount as I was using EQmod with no ST4 lead. It was my 1st guiding effort so I didn't ecpect much

I wanted to avoid paying £180 for a QHY5 if the SCB-4000 would sufice.

philj · (#6)

I guided with myMintron for years using initially a Mak 127 then an ST80 with no probs. It was just a little too power hungry so I went the QHY5 route

Philj

SgtBilko · (#7)

I am just about to purchase a setup for DSLR imaging (http://stargazerslounge.com/beginner...s-welcome.html) but would love to be able to use the set up for video astronomy.

My issue is that I am determined to use my Mac rather than PC. Does the SCB-4000 connect to PHD using "webcam" as camera choice ? I hope not as there is no Mac support !

Thank you
Ian

Psychobilly · (#8)

How are video capture devices handled with PHD on the MAC?

Peter...

SgtBilko · (#9)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psychobilly

How are video capture devices handled with PHD on the MAC?

Peter...

Seems only those with specific Mac drivers can be connected. SCB is not there (not suprised) but niether are any generic webcam drivers. I have downloaded and run the windows version, it has 4 options for webcams (with either LXUSB or WDM drivers).

I don't think that the SCB can be used in PHD on Mac. Shame.

I have just loaded VMWare on my iMac as I think that this issue is finally going to beat me as far as running my set up on a Mac.

Ian

Psychobilly · (#10)

The SCB just outputs composite video and PHD access it via the video capture card or usb video capture dongle?

Torazz · (#11)

far as i can see PHD cant be used with video cameras, therefore i'm using MetaGuide....seems to have a good things said about it.

Psychobilly · (#12)

it all depends on the capture card drivers.. Metaguide is good I just use it for collimatign the SCT with it guiding while you do it.. ahven tused it for out and out guiding...

mindburner · (#13)

had a go this evening trying to guide with a SCB-4000 and ST80 piggybacked on NEQ6 and Meade 127 APO. The camera was set to sens up auto 2 then up to 32 . I got PHD to recgonise the camera ok and cold see several stars ok. Alt-S got me a star, but PHD failed calibration with 'star did not move'. I checked and upped the brain setting to 2000 but still nothing. I was pulse guiding using EQmod.

I think I may go down the route of the QHY5 as it seesm to be a proven combination with the EQ6

SgtBilko · (#14)

Mindburner

Do you use a reducer ? If so could it be producing an image that is too wildeangled ?

Feel free to rubbish this idea I'm new to all of this.

Ian

mindburner · (#15)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SgtBilko

Mindburner

Do you use a reducer ? If so could it be producing an image that is too wildeangled ?

Feel free to rubbish this idea I'm new to all of this.

Ian

actually yes, never though of that. It's a 0.6 from modern astronomy. I bit the bullet and ordered a QHY5, but will still try the SCB next good night to see if removing the reducer helps

thanks

SgtBilko · (#16)

Again, tell me to shut up if I am stating the obvious, but you will need an extender........In the words of Psychobilly

"ST80 would be a fine choice.. take the lens out of the barlow that comes with it to use as an extension tube to get focus without a diagonal..."

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-...g-choices.html

mindburner · (#17)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SgtBilko

Again, tell me to shut up if I am stating the obvious, but you will need an extender........In the words of Psychobilly

"ST80 would be a fine choice.. take the lens out of the barlow that comes with it to use as an extension tube to get focus without a diagonal..."

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-...g-choices.html

thanks for the info. I have a T threaded tube from a vicen flip mirror and was hoping to use that but not sure what thread is on the ST80

SgtBilko · (#18)

Mindburner
How did you get PHD to load the SCB-4000 ? PHD will find my USB capture device. It asks for a resolution. I can't find the right one 768x494 and any other one I chose fails to load the camera.
How did you get on with obtaining focus without a reducer ?
Thanks
Ian

mindburner · (#19)

hi

havn't had a good night to try it without the reducer inplace.The one night I took the scope out - I dropped it

DUH
hopefully it's ok.

I got PHD to pick up the camera by using the windows drivers then one of the lower resolutions, cant recall which one,but I got picture.

PunkJay · (#20)

Mindburner,
What capture device are you using to import the feed from the SCB to your PC? I cannot get PHD to recognise my SCB-2000 camera using any of the available options, so suspect it's my video capture dongle that is causing the problem.

I use Ion's VIDEO2GO dongle.

Thanks,
- Jason

mindburner · (#21)

it's a cheapo easycap from ebay, there are various versions. I did not have much luck guiding with the video camera. I got a QHY5 with my ST80 & PHD and it works first time, every time. That's not to say the videdo camera would not work, just a bit more fiddling around required. cheers

slkret123 · (#22)

Hi:
I'm new to this forum. I found this post while searching for the answer to the question "can a Samsung SCB-2000 be used bas a guide camera". I'll make a big assumption that if your SCB-4000 will work, an SBC-2000 ought to work also. With the camera plugged into a Mallencam dongle, I get an image in the AMCap window. When I launch PHD and select the Windows WFV camera connection I get an error message for any camera resolution from 640X460 and up. If I select a resolution below that I don't get an error but PHD switches from a black screen to white but no camera image. While this happens I still see the camera image in AMCap.

I'd appreciate any advice you can give me.

Steve

I'd

SgtBilko · (#23)

I had the same problem Steve and I'm afraid I gave up in the end. Whether the SCB2000 or 4000 appears in PHD seems to depend on which video->USB dongle you have. It wouldn't work with either of the ones that I have.

Ian

Psychobilly · (#24)

Just wondering - Can PHD (as written) access the camera at the same time as another app (amcap)?

mindburner · (#25)

hi

I went down the route of using the camera as a guider but there was a lot of issues and I must say since trying a QHY5 instead, guiding has been much easier