Apple computers and planetary imaging capture and editing

[Barv]

Hi

I am thinking of changing my PC for an Apple one but am unsure if I can use this system for planetary imaging capture and processing etc. I use Firecapture and Sharpcap 2 as capturing software with ZWO cameras. Has anyone done this or have any further knowledge of it please? I would like to go towards the Apple if possible for the increased definition and graphics etc.

Thanks for your help

Harvey

[Blazar]

Harvey,

I use a MacBook Air with OAcapture (written by JamesF of this forum).  it works really well. I use the 120mm-s, though not really used it in anger on the planets as yet. I have mainly focused on Lunar images at present as I have not had the camera that long  (like this set here).

I did have a go the other day at jupiter (but seeing was poor)....I posted it up in the imaging - planetary section the other day in case you want to have a look. 

Seems you might be down the road a bit from me in case you wanted to see the system working at some point.

Regards

[Barv]

Hi Blazar and thanks for your input. A nice 1st jupiter and very clear lunar images. I noticed on the lunar ones you used Pipp aswell which I frequently use. Are there any issues with running that on the Apple?

Cheers Harvey

[cgarry]

I have processed planetary images using PIPP and AS!2 on my Mac under Wine.  They both worked perfectly for me though getting Wine and and the .Net 4 framework installed was a slight hassle as I recall.

I am hoping that not too far into the new year I will have PIPP running natively on OS X and Linux as well as Windows.

Cheers,

Chris

[Blazar]

Ah.....I don't run that on the Mac. I just use the mac to capture. I then throw the AVI's into PIPP on the PC at home to align and then stack in AS2. then transfer the final TIFFs back to the mac for finishing in PS. You can run windows based apps on the Mac by using parallels software (or VMware)...or by creating a windows partition using the bootcamp function on the Macs....i just don't want to sully my Mac with installing windows on it ;-) 

It might seem a bit of bother to transfer lots of files etc, but it also means you are keeping copies of your data in multiple places. I have also just purchased a USB3 external disk (really small) and its 1TB in size to keep a lot of my work in progress on. Sorry if I have confused the issue!

[Blazar]

I have processed planetary images using PIPP and AS!2 on my Mac under Wine.  They both worked perfectly for me though getting Wine and and the .Net 4 framework installed was a slight hassle as I recall.

I am hoping that not too far into the new year I will have PIPP running natively on OS X and Linux as well as Windows.

Cheers,

Chris

Chris,

Anything you can do to speed up my workflow would be greatly received. PIPP is an outstanding piece of work. Thank you very much!

[D4N]

+1 for OACapture, that's what I normally use for solar imaging.

You will need to upgrade the cameras firmware for the Mac to be able to use it. This needs to be done on a windows PC but it sounds like you have one of those.

I use Autostakkert in wine for stacking, registax also works under wine but not flawlessly.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[cgarry]

Chris,

Anything you can do to speed up my workflow would be greatly received. PIPP is an outstanding piece of work. Thank you very much!

Thanks Blazar.  Just for fun, here is a sneaky preview of PIPP running under OS X:

Cheers,

Chris

[Barv]

Chris,

Anything you can do to speed up my workflow would be greatly received. PIPP is an outstanding piece of work. Thank you very much!

I agree. I put all my planetary software through this, (with the exception of some of my uranus images because of size) and it is a fantastic program> Well done! 

[Blazar]

Thanks Blazar.  Just for fun, here is a sneaky preview of PIPP running under OS X:

osx_pipp.jpg

Cheers,

Chris

ooh.... you tease.....

Cant wait!

[Blazar]

+1 for OACapture, that's what I normally use for solar imaging.

You will need to upgrade the cameras firmware for the Mac to be able to use it. This needs to be done on a windows PC but it sounds like you have one of those.

I use Autostakkert in wine for stacking, registax also works under wine but not flawlessly.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

OA capture worked straight out of the box with the 120MM-s without updating anything as far as I recall. its another great piece of free software.