Webcam Help.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Hello All, How are you!

I am looking to start Astrophotography mainly planetary not DSO. Quite a few people have given me ideas of modding webcams, but I have no idea how to do so. I also have a MacBook Air running OSX Mavericks (the latest OS). So i am unsure if any webcams will work. Also i have no idea of what adapters i need to get to attach to the webcam, i understand it needs to be a 1.25" thing to fit into the eye piece but thats it. 

Does anyone have any instructions to modding a Webcam?

I could really use the help.

Many Regards,

Ben Rolfe

[knobby]

Hi Ben,

Osx will be your biggest problem, most if not all astro capture software is windows (sharpcap, firecapture, wx astro) also drivers will be a problem.

Your best bet would be to look at boot camp to add windows to your Mac.

Google astronomy webcam mod and there are plenty if tutorials.

best of luck

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Hi Ben,

Osx will be your biggest problem, most if not all astro capture software is windows (sharpcap, firecapture, wx astro) also drivers will be a problem.

Your best bet would be to look at boot camp to add windows to your Mac.

Google astronomy webcam mod and there are plenty if tutorials.

best of luck

The only problem with bootcamp is that i have the baseline 2012 macbook air with 64GB SSD, so it will be hard to install Windows and have Mac OSX on at the same time

[knobby]

The only problem with bootcamp is that i have the baseline 2012 macbook air with 64GB SSD, so it will be hard to install Windows and have Mac OSX on at the same time

Bumma :-( hopefully someone will have another idea then...

Having said that, I had mavericks on 40 gig and win 7 on 20 ish on mine.

doesn't leave a lot of space for captures though

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Bumma :-( hopefully someone will have another idea then...

Having said that, I had mavericks on 40 gig and win 7 on 20 ish on mine.

doesn't leave a lot of space for captures though

did you have to but windows?

[knobby]

[knobby]

If you meant buy windows :-) yes, got a cheap OEM disk on amazon £20 a few years ago

[Skipper Billy]

You can get a decent laptop off eBay for £120 that would be perfect for everything astronomical - all the free software and drivers work, USB ports and leave your lovely MacBook inside in the warm and dry!!

[Skipper Billy]

Here you go http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-FAST-DELL-LATITUDE-D630-LAPTOP-WINDOWS-7-CORE-2-DUO-3-6GHZ-80GB-2GB-WIFI-/171275561338?pt=UK_Computing_Laptops_EH&hash=item27e0d1a97a

[knobby]

Its probably the best bet as Billy said... Put windows in the Mac or buy a cheapie PC. I have to admit whenever I took the shiny macbook out I was more worried about scratching it than focussing the scope :-)

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Its probably the best bet as Billy said... Put windows in the Mac or buy a cheapie PC. I have to admit whenever I took the shiny macbook out I was more worried about scratching it than focussing the scope :-)

If i was to buy a webcam that did support mac and mod that to be able to fit in the scope would i be able to use the software included to record a video then put the video in registax?

[Lonestar70]

Hi,

There are some webcam drivers and capture/processing programs for MAC listed here: -

http://www.noao.edu/outreach/kpvc/imaging-workshop/essential-software.html

Scroll down the page a little.

Standard capture programmes provided with the webcam are not necessarily any good for astro work.

Hope this helps.

Best regards.

Sandy.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Hi,

There are some webcam drivers and capture/processing programs for MAC listed here: -

http://www.noao.edu/outreach/kpvc/imaging-workshop/essential-software.html

Scroll down the page a little.

Standard capture programmes provided with the webcam are not necessarily any good for astro work.

Hope this helps.

Best regards.

Sandy.

Thanks Sandy, i have got onto the website but i am unable to open the links on the mac part

[Lonestar70]

Hi,

Sorry about that it looks like they need to update their links.

Try these direct links: -

Capture: -

http://keithwiley.com/software/keithsAstroImager.shtml

Stacker: -

http://keithwiley.com/software/keithsImageStacker.shtml

Be sure to select your OS at bottom of this page.

Drivers (Not all free) and mostly for Phillips web cams: -

http://www.ioxperts.com/order.html

If you web cam is not a Phillips then Google for astro drivers for it.

If you have not got your web cam yet it would pay you to download the capture programme and see which camera's it directly supports and buy accordingly.

Hope these help.

Best Regards.

Sandy.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Hi,

Sorry about that it looks like they need to update their links.

Try these direct links: -

Capture: -

http://keithwiley.com/software/keithsAstroImager.shtml

Stacker: -

http://keithwiley.com/software/keithsImageStacker.shtml

Be sure to select your OS at bottom of this page.

Drivers (Not all free) and mostly for Phillips web cams: -

http://www.ioxperts.com/order.html

If you web cam is not a Phillips then Google for astro drivers for it.

If you have not got your web cam yet it would pay you to download the capture programme and see which camera's it directly supports and buy accordingly.

Hope these help.

Best Regards.

Sandy.

Thanks sandy

[GuillermoBarrancos]

did you have to but windows?

You can split Your 64GB SSD in two 30 GB partitions. One for OSX and one for Windows 8.

Won't leave much room for programs tho, as both eat up roughly 20GB barebone installation wise.

But you can get good quality external USB 3.0 HDD's cheap these days. Like the Lacie Porshe Design P'9220 500GB.

They are fast enough to run programs from. No problem.

[RichM63]

Ben, this guy in the US is a dedicated Mac user in Astronomy.

WARNING Have a cloth ready to clean the 'drool' before you visit his website.

Then scroll through to find a whole list of Mac Astronomy software including webcam/proccessing etc.

Primordial Light

Cheers,

Rich

[GuillermoBarrancos]

His first priority will be finding a webcam with OSX drivers that can be modified for Astro use.

Going to be very very tough.  And Philips SPC900NC cameras are hard to find these days and often sold for ridiculous prices.

I can boot up in OSX and see if my Microsoft HD webcam Works. As that one can be very easily modified. Lot of tutorials on the net about this one.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

His first priority will be finding a webcam with OSX drivers that can be modified for Astro use.

Going to be very very tough.  And Philips SPC900NC cameras are hard to find these days and often sold for ridiculous prices.

I can boot up in OSX and see if my Microsoft HD webcam Works. As that one can be very easily modified. Lot of tutorials on the net about this one.

Correct, all i need to find really is a webcam that is mac supported and that is also able to be modded to fit the scope. I was wondering if its possible for me to use he software inc with the webcam to record video then put it into registax on my Windows 7 Desktop?

[GuillermoBarrancos]

Correct, all i need to find really is a webcam that is mac supported and that is also able to be modded to fit the scope. I was wondering if its possible for me to use he software inc with the webcam to record video then put it into registax on my Windows 7 Desktop?

I just checked by booting in OSX and my Microsoft HD Cinema webcam was detected and worked in both Skype and Facetime. So that's a start at least.

This webcam is fairly cheap and can be easily modified. You just need a cheap / old 1.25" Eye piece you don't use (or just buy bogstandard cheap plosl EP) screw the black lens holder from the aluminium barrel.

Then the 1.25" aluminium barrel can be used to fit the Microsoft HD Cinema webcam after modification.

There should be some good guides out there. It's basically removing the lens Assembly and carefully black out the bright blue led with a black permanent marker pen.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

I just checked by booting in OSX and my Microsoft HD Cinema webcam was detected and worked in both Skype and Facetime. So that's a start at least.

This webcam is fairly cheap and can be easily modified. You just need a cheap / old 1.25" Eye piece you don't use (or just buy bogstandard cheap plosl EP) screw the black lens holder from the aluminium barrel.

Then the 1.25" aluminium barrel can be used to fit the Microsoft HD Cinema webcam after modification.

There should be some good guides out there. It's basically removing the lens Assembly and carefully black out the bright blue led with a black permanent marker pen.

Ok thanks,

is this the webcam your on about?

[GuillermoBarrancos]

Ok thanks,

is this the webcam your on about?

Yes that's the one I have now. I modded a previous (same) one 4 years ago to test the waters with planetary imaging, before I bought a DMK21 as dedicated imager back then.

Now I have the QHY5L-IIc, but that one doesn't have OSX drivers sadly.

You would still be better off by splitting Your HD in two partitions and run Windows via Bootcamp tho.

It will open up a Whole legion of cameras support and tons of free planetary capture, stacking and Processing software.

Just my 2 cents.

But in either way. That webcam is a nice one to start out with and test the waters.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Yes that's the one I have now. I modded a previous (same) one 4 years ago to test the waters with planetary imaging, before I bought a DMK21 as dedicated imager back then.

Now I have the QHY5L-IIc, but that one doesn't have OSX drivers sadly.

You would still be better off by splitting Your HD in two partitions and run Windows via Bootcamp tho.

It will open up a Whole legion of cameras support and tons of free planetary capture, stacking and Processing software.

Just my 2 cents.

But in either way. That webcam is a nice one to start out with and test the waters.

I understand where your coming from about bootcamp and partitioning the SSD, but i also use my mac for college work and other stuff that uses large files, so the bootcamp isnt really an option for me. I can find a webcam that works and has drivers for mac but its just the modding part that gets me. Without physically seeing the webcam i cant see what extras i need to purchase to allow it to be mounted to my scope.

[GuillermoBarrancos]

I understand where your coming from about bootcamp and partitioning the SSD, but i also use my mac for college work and other stuff that uses large files, so the bootcamp isnt really an option for me. I can find a webcam that works and has drivers for mac but its just the modding part that gets me. Without physically seeing the webcam i cant see what extras i need to purchase to allow it to be mounted to my scope.

Here is a site where you can see how it looks after the mod and what can be achieved With this cam:

http://www.deep-sky.co.uk/imaging/webcam/lifecam.htm

It's really frustrating. As Gary Honis website is gone. He had an excellent guide in how to modify the HD Cinema cam.

Jus try to search on this forum and see if you can find instructions. I know there used to be a huge topic in the Astronomer DIY section for this webcam, With lots of People doing the mod.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Here is a site where you can see how it looks after the mod and what can be achieved With this cam:

http://www.deep-sky.co.uk/imaging/webcam/lifecam.htm

It's really frustrating. As Gary Honis website is gone. He had an excellent guide in how to modify the HD Cinema cam.

Jus try to search on this forum and see if you can find instructions. I know there used to be a huge topic in the Astronomer DIY section for this webcam, With lots of People doing the mod.

What amazing results, and such great quality of photos. I just need to find one that is mac compatible as i dont really want to use bootcamp