Alternative to CCDInspector?

[steppenwolf]

Does anyone know of an alternative (cheaper!) to CCDInspector? Although this is an excellent utility and I would have preferred to use this software:-

(a) I feel that they are charging just a little too much for a 'utility' that essentially just checks to see if your sensor is tilted or not (yes I know it does more but much of the other stuff is just 'techie' for the sake of it) and

( even though it is a download and key code system (no carriage etc.) they are charging UK buyers more than USA buyers for the same product which immediately makes them a non-starter for me!

All I want to be able to do is ascertain that my sensor is correctly aligned. Any software suggestions would be appreciated.

[Eddie]

I asked this a while ago on UKAI and did not find an answer I ended up buying CCDInspector in the end. If you want send me a sub and I will run it through CCDInspector.

Eddie

[steppenwolf]

Hi Eddie, thank you, that is very generous of you but I need to have my own software system in place as I use the CCD on various different optical systems, each requiring different adapters and so on so I really need to do this in realtime! I appreciate the offer though.

As you have already asked the same question and not go anywhere and my own search on the 'net has come up blank I guess that CCDWare must have the monopoly on this technology!

[Ben Ritchie]

I'm not aware of anything else either, but you can do a very quick approximation using your existing capture software by checking out FWHMs for similar-ADU stars in the four corners and centre. Not as precise as CCDInspector, but it's a quick and simple check before spending several hours with a tilted CCD.

[steppenwolf]

Thanks for that, Ben that is certainly a way of doing it.

[centroid]

Unfortunatley, I too am not aware of an alternative to CCD Inspector.

I tried it, and liked what it did, but like you Steve, thought it far too expensive for what it did do.

IMO, this is in keeping with most all US/Canadian astro software.

I tried Maxim DL, and liked what it did, but it really didn't do anything better than AA4, which is from a European source, and as such, half the price.

I did sucumb and buy Pempro, which at 75 quid (no pound sign on this Aussie keyboard :? ), was a lot of money for a 'one trick horse'.

CCD Inpsector, Maxim DL and Pempro etc, are all damn good at what they do, but IMO, certainly don't represent good value for money.

Now, if Chinese were to produce equivalents to North American astro software, it might well have an impact on this, IMO, over priced software.

If we were getting $4 US to the pound, then the price would be about where it should be.

Dave

Dave

[Ben Ritchie]

To be fair Dave, I doubt anyone is getting rich off the CCDWare software - it's a tiny market.

[centroid]

A small market it is indeed Ben, but its the same market that MSB (AA4) sell to.

Dave