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ICX424 and ICX414 CCDs

angusb1

By angusb1
in DIY Astronomer

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angusb1

angusb1

Posted
Posted

Has anyone had any experience of modding a toucam with the icx424 or icx414 ccds? I'm considering the options to get myself a guide cam as cheap as possible. I have a spc900 which I will be using for lunar/planetary imaging and on which I am going to do the long exposure mod anyway but from what I have been able to find out this will not make a good guide cam. So I am now trying to work out whether it will be better to get one of the cheaper guide cams like a QHY5 second hand, or whether modding my spc900 with an icx414 would be much cheaper.

So my question is does anyone know where I could get a price for an icx414 and icx424 ccd?

Once I have a price for each I can work out if its worth the hassle of doing the soldering or not. I only want to use it for guiding as I have a DSLR for taking long exposures of DSOs with.

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yesyes

yesyes

Posted
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Oh, this could get interesting... I was going to try out my unmodded SPC900 as a guide cam soon. If that doesn't work out and that ICX424 sensor works a lot better, then that might be a good solution for a few quid and a bit of solder...

Have you tried guiding with an unmodded SPC900 already? Did that not work out?

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Glider

Glider

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My SPC900 works perfectly OK on my 9x50 finderguider. I've made the LX mod but have never needed to turn it on.

However, considering the prices webcams are going for, and then you have to do more or less of a modification to them, I can see a second hand Meade DSI I would give a more compact package.

I've seen the DSI I going for the same money as SPC900's.

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yesyes

yesyes

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Nice. That's what I wanted to hear. ;-) I think it was even you who suggested to guide with a SPC900 and PHD, no?

I already have the SPC900, used it for Moon and planetary imaging. So I would be happy if I could put it to use a a guide cam as well as keep imaging with it.

I'll just need to try this out I guess. I don't need to buy anything further for that, so it's just a matter of trying it out and see...

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Glider

Glider

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It probably was me.

I just Googled "Celestron C8-NGT 8" Newtonian" and the pic it found looked like it had the same sort of finder as my Skywatcher. Just try unscrewing the whole eyepiece end and stick your webcam up the end when pointing at some stars. If it works a 2" to 1.25" adaptor off Astroboot should do you as a proper holder.

If you need more infocus you can take the objective off and remove the locking ring off the tube, then the objective gets another 5mm of thread to screw down onto. Works for me!

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yesyes

yesyes

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Right, so you guide through the finder? I bought a 60x700mm refractor off AstroBoot for £20 that I was planning to use for guiding. I also bought a 50mm finder with 1.25" fitting and diagonal. The one that came with a collimation cage. That should also work as a guide scope with the webcam 1.25" nosepiece.

Oh, and sorry for being a bit off-topic... ;-)

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