Disappointed with DSO views? I have the answer!

[Psychobilly]

That's OK your not exactly local

Suprised you don't have access you joined in 2008.. and didnt think the 50 post "qualification" applied back then.. Anyway only another 16 psots to go otherwise...

[Sponcom]

This is a very interesting thread but I may have missed something so I'd appreciate it if anyone could offer a view.

I understand that the (approx) £100 Samsung Vidcam has some clever processing inbuilt and I can connect direct to a anything that displays a video signal such as a small monitor which is useful in itself. What would the Samsung give give me in terms of image quality compared to say a 5 or 10 second exposure on, for example, a Meade DSI which can be had second hand for around the same price?

Is it the sensitivity difference which is the main driver for buying one over a long exposure webcam and being able to pick out the DSO's better.

Thanks

Paul

[AztecastroMcJ]

the main benefit of the astrovideo cameras mentioned

is the live view as they integrate frames or stack on fly

either 128, 256 or 512 frames are accumalated

so u are viewing not live feed but accumalated image updated every 2.5, 5, 10 sec depending on frame integration setting used

if u want to create a picture it can be done as shown earlier in post

so if u captured 10m video at 512x integrated frame rate

u would be getting one unique frame every 10sec

so for 1m u would have 6 unique frames and for 10m u would have 60 unique frames using 512x

these can then be checked for artifacts and best restacked and processed accordingly

they suffer from amp glow and hot pixels, so for nice pics

u will have to take some dark frames

they can also be used with integration off like normal webcam to capture planets and moon @ say 10fps

the meade dsi advantage is auto dark frame compensation

so makes processing pic a bit easier and u never forget to take darks, similar but different type of camera

James

[West End Wendy]

Anyone want to volunteer to buy both the Samsung and Watec and conduct an objective comparison?

I've just bought a Samsung SBC 2000 from eBay to go with my Watec so I shall be interested to make that comparison myself. I think it may take me a couple of months though - I'm still working on finding a satisfactory way of powering the Samsung from a power tank using those bare wire connections.

What really appeals to me about the Samsung is that it fulfils the criteria that video astronomy should be cheap and accessible. The Watec certainly isn't that - it cost more than my ED100 scope, but I suspect I shall find it has certain advantages.

Tim

[AztecastroMcJ]

yeh i agree Tim

if i get samsung it will be cheapo 2nd hand prob

hopefully between £50 -£100 like op

im sure the £250+ models are better with larger chip and apples etc

but makes them much less of bargain, which they should be compared to watec's and mintrons

[Bazzaar]

Well my time here is at an end, I hope at least the raised awareness of how useful these cameras can be will continue and there will be less disappointment with users not being able to see DSO on modest equipment. I was glad to be part of that.

Cheers

Barry

Barry

[xboxdevil]

Hi Barry

Don't let one bad experience chase you off, there's a lot of interest in this subject!

I'm tempted to buy of these myself :-) which one and where though?

[JAO]

An excellent thread. I too am very tempted to give it a go. Some great information in this thread I just now need to decide on which camera.

It seems that the Samsung models have a short life span. The SCC-A2333 seems to have been discontinued. Has anyone tried its replacement the SCB-4000?

Adrian

[garethmob]

unfortunatly it seems bazzaars been banned but the videos not gonna die i dont thinks expessially with the amount of interest in this more simple and easily found DSO viewing

samsung seem to like changing the names, from what i can see the models are exactly the same lol but maybe some one will find a difference, if thas the case tho, the cheepest:P

I'm tempted to buy of these myself :-) which one and where though?

theres been a few links in this thread to find them, CCTV electronics stores, google the model numbers and click the shopping tab in the search thas how i found them, or even on ebay

[xboxdevil]

Banned? Seems harsh based on what I've seen, did something else go on?

I've Found this on eBay SAMSUNG SECURITY CCTV 600TVL CAMERA SCB-2000 + Adapter | eBay UK which I believe is identical to the Sdc-435, from I've read the PAL version is desirable to the NTSC version, but I'm not sure is this is PAL or NTSC.

Does anyone know?

[garethmob]

the 2000 is identical to the 435 from what i can see, just a rebadge/newmodel name

be careful with the pal/ntsc names, theres a major difference, pal which is the eurpian version has a bigger size (lines ect)than the US ntsc, but if u get the NTSC you do have to make sure the screen you use + capture card is NTSC compatable

[DoctorD]

Hi

In the absence of a dedicated forum I have created a "video astronomy" social group - we can use this as a place to exchange tips and info on this interesting aspect of astronomy.

Clear Skies

Paul

P.s. I think Bazzars ban had nothing to do with this thread.

[garethmob]

good idea paul joined!!

[Chris Stacey]

I'm in....having the 435 i'm keen to learn all I can/ what I can do with it....

[todd8137]

Hi,

A bold statement I know but I'm convinced this is the solution.

Get a Samsung SCB 2001 camera and watch them on telly!

The problem is not with the scopes we are using, but our eyes, they just ain't sensitive enough!

Not a purists solution maybe, but all those modest aperture goto scopes would be transformed, revealing shape and detail, even colour on what would be just grey smudges visually.

Not expensive either, about £100, I got mine for £50 on ebay.

Regards

Barry

thought ya was off to cloudy nights hahahah glad ya stayed

[garethmob]

Banned? Seems harsh based on what I've seen, did something else go on?

I've Found this on eBay SAMSUNG SECURITY CCTV 600TVL CAMERA SCB-2000 + Adapter | eBay UK which I believe is identical to the Sdc-435, from I've read the PAL version is desirable to the NTSC version, but I'm not sure is this is PAL or NTSC.

Does anyone know?

i just checked its NTSC

[xboxdevil]

Apologies for questioning the ban, I've had a friendly pm advising me that it's in the T&C's that we are not meant to speak of such matters.

This forum is probably the most amicable and civil forum that I go on but it would make more sense though for the reason for any bans to be posted somewhere so we can see the reasoning behind it and whether the decision is fair and transparent.

Just a thought mind, keep up the good work mods.

[Bulkins]

i just checked its NTSC

The SCB-2000P is PAL.

The following document explains the naming conventions.

http://support.dynamic-cctv.com/shop/PDF/Manuals/SCB-2000P%20(manual).pdf

I am interested in whether anyone can explain the Day and Night setup on these cameras. There appear to be two systems:

Day and Night (ICR) - infrared cut filter removable. The SCB-2001 and SCB-4000 fall into this category.

Day and Night (Electrical)

The SCB-2000 falls into this category.

From what I can gather the ICR methods works by sensing when light is poor and mechanically moves the IR filter out of the way and switches to b&w - when the Day and Night setting is auto (as opposed to Day or Night). The electrical system appears to work by having a fixed IR filter but changes AE settings in low light.

If the ICR method involves shifting the filter out the way in low light why bother with physically removing the filter? Would setting the Day and Night setting to 'Day' and physically removing the filter give you colour in low light, i.e. stop the camera automatically shifting to b&w mode? With the electrical system does physically removing the filter stop the AE adjustments in low light?

On a more fundamental note - can anyone explain why it is recommended that the built-in filter is removed but replaced with a high-quality UV/IR filter on the nosepiece?

PS when do I get access to the For Sale section?

[xboxdevil]

Thanks for the info. apparently the built in filter is too aggressive.

[ampleamp]

Bulkins, on your ps, you should have access already. As of above post, this is your 50th and you have been a member for 1 month so the for sale section should just appear in equipment on next login.

Following this thread with some interest as I have had to do some short presentations to school kids (winter when dark immediately after school time) and video astronomy has been invaluable when projected on to a screen. I am no great shakes but if you can point a scope at something and sidreal rate is good enough to keep it on screen for a few minutes, that is all that is required and everyone gets to see. (I use a mintron that happily my work purchased ;-)) )

[xboxdevil]

Anyone know if it's worth paying the extra for the PAL version? £106.80 from here Samsung SCB-2000P 1/3" High Resolution Day/Night Camera 600TVL 12/24V compared to £80 on eBay for the NTSC version.

Also at these prices no lens is included does this just mean you can't use it for terrestrial use?

[garethmob]

As ur in the uk the pal would almost certainly need to be bought as NTSC is incompatable with alot of tvs here. My laptop for instance is pal.

[Psychobilly]

I spent a while the weekend lookin at the PDF data sheets or a few of the different cams.. They do seem to like their model number changes...

Soemtimes there have been changes to the processing software...

Still cant make my mind up If I should get a 1/3" sensor cam just to try it out or wait a bit longer and go for a 1/2" one.. for dual use Lenses to work with the larger sensor are usually more expensive as well...

Peter...

[great_bear]

I'm not convinced that there isn't a very large, possibly unjustified, premium attached to the 'astro' label.

Yes of course.

Check out this page <click> and it's hard to believe that Mallincam doesn't believe that amateur astronomers are all fools.

Gems on offer on that page include:

• A USB Video Grabber (typically $30) going for $140
  
• A 0.6x reducer (typically $40) going for $140
  
• A 90 degree BNC adaptor (typically $5) going for $20
  
• An S-Video cable (typically $5) going for $50
  

If the electrical connectors (for example) were metal-bodied, professional standard items with gold-plated contacts and industrial grade wire, then maybe such prices could be justified - but they're just standard-issue, plastic, consumer-grade items.

[Macavity]

Opticstar accessories.

Have some interesting accessories. A C-thread reducer, notably...

I think I swapped the lens with an Atik, for greater reduction?