Sharpcap Update For Video

[Carl Reade]

Hi all, Robin at Sharpcap has updated the software to incorperate live stacking with support to ZWO cams, GPCAMS, Inova and webcams version 2.6. It now has this feature and control of white levels and dark levels.

Our hobby is getting better by the day!

[rwg]

Hi Carl,

glad you like the new Live Stacking feature. The very latest release of SharpCap also includes this funcionality for webcams too, and in future I hope to do something to make it more usable with frame grabber devices (deal with the repeated frame issue with some sort of pre-stacking).

I've been very busy over the last few weeks improving the live stacking with features like auto-alignment and derotation, filtering based on frame FWHM and dark subtraction. I'm not ready to release those changes just yet (still some bugs and definitely needs some more tweaking), but I will be at IAS this Friday and Saturday and I'll be happy to demo the new features for anyone who wants to drop by to chat. I'm going to be on the Altair Astro stand (except when I'm off around the place burning out my credit card...)

cheers,

Robin

[Carl Reade]

Liking the sound of the new features! Appreciate the work too. Can't make IAS myself but I'm sure it will be wallet lightening:) Hopefully this will encourage more folks into this fast moving side of the hobby.

Carl

[johnpd]

Robin,

  Would your software work with cameras such as the Lodestars and possibly the newer near-video cameras such as the Starlight Xpress Ultrastar?

Thanks,

   JohnD

[Dom543]

John,

Are you aware that there is a free program called LodestarLive aka Starlight Live that works with all Starlight Xpress cameras?

You can download it from the StalightLive ver. 1.1 thread on this forum.

--Dom

[johnpd]

I am aware of it. I am not sure that Starlight Live's stacking function adjusts for field rotation, if using an Alt-Az mount, or other tracking issues as does the latest SharpCap. If it does, then I would be more than happy to use it.

JohnD

[Martin Meredith]

I am aware of it. I am not sure that Starlight Live's stacking function adjusts for field rotation, if using an Alt-Az mount, or other tracking issues as does the latest SharpCap. If it does, then I would be more than happy to use it.

JohnD

Yes, it does (I use my mount in alt-az mode always). Lodestar/Starlight Live's stacking algorithm seems very robust indeed and I haven't yet seen a case where it has failed. It is quite important to take darks if you have a lot of hot pixels to avoid registering them as stars. LL supports the acquisition and online subtraction of darks.

Martin

[johnpd]

I stand corrected. I should have read the Stacking Notes. Thanks, that is great.

JohnD

[rwg]

Hi,

Robin,

  Would your software work with cameras such as the Lodestars and possibly the newer near-video cameras such as the Starlight Xpress Ultrastar?

Thanks,

   JohnD

Hi John,

just to answer your original question - SharpCap will support these cameras if they have an ASCOM or DirectShow (webcam) driver. SharpCap doesn't have code to talk directly to SX cameras, largely because I don't have any SX cameras to develop or test with.

cheers,

Robin

[johnpd]

Thanks for your response Robin and your effort. There is an ASCOM driver available for "most?" StarLight Xpress cameras, so I would have to see if it would work.

JohnD