NickK

I looked at 16GB originally when I first bought this MBP after the demise of my long serving previous MBP.. but decided that the update from 4GB to 8GB was better at that time than the ridiculous prices they charged for 16GB.. now with time 16GB is reasonable and so I took the plunge. Firstly everything is naturally quicker.. now HD limited on initial loading but after that everything is in memory making the machine pretty much instantaneous in normal use.. however this also means that compiling is exceptionally quick and processing large sets of images (stacking and the like) is lightning fast with the i7 running maxed out without waiting for the HD. So for ~£100 for 16GB (Crucial memory) for my early 2011 MBP this is a great move :D Most people would be fine with 4GB.. APers need a bit more ram and 8GB is a good size to help stacking etc.. 16GB still offers good additional gains in performance.

So the app has nice scrolly shifts to the windows but it has occurred to me that those that don't use a trackpad/laptop will be limited in the gestures which means buttons to navigate.. A restructure later.. and the app code is looking nicer. When i have the chance to get the camera and laptop in the same room we may see a video of it's first image capture..

So, with the wedding done and dusted.. I've started to get the itch to crack on with the ATIK stuff again. With it being mid-summer.. it's a good time to get the camera work out the way ready for the coming 2013 galaxy season :D Sandrine has booked me a trip to Olly's so there's also another, further driver to have some things working! To recap I have a basic driver working for the Titan and 3-series, with the 4000/11000 waiting until a later release. I have an application with the basic connect/disconnect working. So next up is to continue with the app to systematically nail each camera feature on the application. I have made the luxury purchase of a mini-display port monitor adaptor.. so I can now sit at a desk rather than huddled over the laptop. I may also expand the laptop to 16GB from the 8GB as the ideas I've been playing (which will follow on from this driver/AOSX) require a little more oomph but enough of that and back to the application! Nick

So if you're wondering why it's gone quiet :)

Connects and recognises the basic cameras - although I need to finish this with a full connect to read the full information. d7cTU0jqdOo After this it's sorting out taking images..

Connect camera.. camera appears in a window.. remove camera.. camera is marked inactive (this is on purpose :)) Having spent the last year doing C++ with the ATIK stuff at a low level really reminds you that you forget how todo things! Next up the funky sliding.. and getting imagining..

So what's next :D I'm going to create a little test application to support a sub-set of the cameras for people to test and give feedback on (not an image capture app!). Just need to sweet talk Sandrine into giving me a an evening or two..

Quick test with the Titan - all ok :D Will try the 383 later.

Restructuring complete :D Next up is retesting everything..

Wheee.... I've almost completed the restructuring :D I hope tomorrow to have it up and running if I have a little time after doing the front garden!

So I've spent a few days on the ATIK support over the wet & cloudy weekend after a little break (including SGL7).. The productive points: * EFW2 support should be simple - I'm happy with the research on that part. * The final refactoring/restructuring of the ATIK driver library is in full swing - after which a large portion of testing!

Here's the crop from the processed image (pc):

I took an image directly using the Mac last night with the 383 (the PC was still performing guiding using the 16IC and controlling the mount as it was the end of a late session). This is a raw image with all the dead pixels, the refractor aberrations and no processing.. Here's a link to the raw 17.1MB 16 bit TIFF of the Bear Paw Galaxy You may want to do some curves to pull out the target(s).

Hot on the tail of the 383 video.. the titan makes it's first light on the mac! It helps when you remember that shift right is actually >> and not << (for the technically minded!). I still have more work but I thought I'd spam the blog some more :D

The video upload has finished :D

GacWol1KbpU

Ok, just uploading a youtube video... should make it quicker!

Rather than write.. The 383L taking an exposure on the mac. GacWol1KbpU Here, the 383 is initialising then taking a 10 second exposure before downloading the exposure. Please excuse the wedding preparations in the background!

Varooom... Well I've spent my time split between domestic tasks (apart from the 14th when I ended up cooking a 3 course meal for two... that took 4 hours!) and progressing the work. The 383L support is coming along nicely, the slow transfer rate has been resolved and there has been a considerable amount of restructuring within the source to make it more multiple-OS friendly. It should be straight forward now to create the Windows, OSX and Linux drivers with a large portion of the same code. The only casualty has been the C support in favour of C++ for the internal core. David and I have agreed we should also be releasing the initial alpha version of AOSX sooner rather than later.. I'll run up a video of my development progress shortly..

Well it's friday and the last day before a week of carry-over holiday that I need to take. With Sandrine at work this gives me the opportunity to push ahead with the ATIK support :hello2: (stop here if you're feeling over-geeked) So on my checklist this week I have, in priority order: * Finish the 383L support, this includes resolving the slow transfer rate (I know how to resolve this but I've not had time to resolve it). * AOSX module using the above code - this is a relatively straightforward step. * Finish the Titan support. * AOSX module using the above - again this ging to be relatively straightforward. So I'll be blogging away on the coffee breaks!

As Sandrine is away doing female wedding things (dresses).. it's left me a free weekend to sit down and push forward the project. There's still a way to go, mainly down to differences between windows, OSX and Linux that will need additional work but the core goal of today has been achieved - namely getting a first downloaded image from the 383 onto the mac. So the event may be impressive, the image isn't (lol) as it's a saturated white from the pentax on a sunny day pointing at the garden ground! I may upload one later if the cloud clears :D (the previous tentative image had the shutter closed) Now on with the project!

I did some grab'n'go with the titan last night as I was looking through the cloud and using the Vixen A80mf on the porta mount with the Titan attached looking at the moon. The vixen is 900mm fl and using a flimsy porta mount with the exposure time of almost instant resulted in no blurring! Also the auto black levelling seemed to drop the noise level to zero!

Big difference in speed between the 16IC and the Titan! (the 16IC is USB 1.1, the Titan is USB 2.0 High Speed) I've had a 5 minute play.. I've got a tweak or two and I should be able to get the images off it. :evil6: Can't wait to point this at M42!

Well the 383 was shipped off on saturday, I check the royal mail - it arrived today at 11:38.. only to have a message today at 16:30 to say that it's in the post! Awesome service!

Just posted the 383L off for repair.. so hopefully I should have it back quickly :D