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SPC900 LXmod yesyes style ;-)

yesyes

By yesyes
in DIY Astronomer

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NickRose2006

NickRose2006

Posted
Posted
No, it will not. I did it on mine. Remember, this will just let your camera show on a Win7 machine. While you are still on thier Windows 7 machine remember to do the last line of above, " you can then download and run both WcRmac and WcCtrl to flash your cam to an SPC900NC PC Camera."

There are several very good tutorials available on how to do this. Watch one of the video versions and print out one of the written versions before you start using WcRmac and WcCtrl. When you are finished you can then remove the programs from the W7 machine.

Your cam will then be an SPC900NC. You just have to make sure the SPC900nc drivers are installed on your XP machine.

Bill

Ok, so I tried it on both my brothers and parents PC's but it did not work. When I connected the cam it only showed up in the USB section and not in the Sound section. But I went ahead and did the update drive but the computer said that the best drive has already been installed. Could have the camera been damaged some how by the fake serial adapter software or whatever? Also the usb connections on the computer are fine because I have tried other usb devices like a External Hard Drive and it works fine.

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MisterBill

MisterBill

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If it only was showing in the USB section and the best driver was already installed did you try and flash whatever camera was showing? That is, did you try and run WcRmac and flash it to SPC900?

I am on vacation for the next week.

Bill

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NickRose2006

NickRose2006

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If it only was showing in the USB section and the best driver was already installed did you try and flash whatever camera was showing? That is, did you try and run WcRmac and flash it to SPC900?

I am on vacation for the next week.

Bill

It doesn't show a webcam, it just shows a unknown device.

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yesyes

yesyes

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Since you reinstalled the OS and tried on several different computers, it's safe to assume that the webcam has developed a fault. I highly doubt that it had something to do with installing the serial adapter.

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G6RAR

G6RAR

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Hi all,

I don’t know about anyone else but the posts from Nick seem to be getting more confusing.

Since he has clearly stated that he has not done the LX mod on his Philips 740 then it is safe to assume that he has not started the YesYes suggested project.

Therefore, as YesYes said, the USB serial device would have no affect on the webcam and its driver, and also any possibility of the USB serial device affecting the installation of the basic webcam.

Bill has given information ref the location of the website for the updating of the 740 to SPC900, as I also did in an earlier post, but it would appear that Nick is still confused ref the updating, Flashing, of the 740 to spc900.

He would appear to be confusing the driver upgrade with flashing the camera to 900nc.

It’s very difficult to do long range fault finding and in all honesty, I believe that he needs help from someone local, probably a smart 15 year old, who can guide him through this.

The first thing to be done is download and instal the driver for the ToUcam740.

This is at the website indicated by Bill.

PCVC740K ToUcam Pro - USB PC VIDEO CAMERA - Philips Support

Any messages from Windows stating that “it won’t connect to the Internet are problems with his own Internet setup and not the website”

Following installation make sure that the webcam is working.

Then, as Bill also stated,

Download WcRmac and WcCtrl

These will allow you to flash the cam to an SPC900NC PC Camera."

Then unplug the camera and instal the spc900nc driver.

Download the XP driver for SPC900nc here:

http://download.p4c.philips.com/files/s/spc900nc_00/spc900nc_00_dxp_eng.zip

Or if you are really so inclined the Win 7 driver is here:

http://download.p4c.philips.com/files/s/spc900nc_00/spc900nc_00_dw7_eng.exe

Following this the newly flashed spc900nc should work.

Then the YesYes modifications can be implemented.

Comments ref Windows.

Since its inception there has only been 1 good version, Win 3.11 and this was only a file handling program.

Win 95 was an attempt to compete with the Apple WIMP system.

Win 95 was reasonable and was improved with 98 (NT for commercial users) but after this it went steadily downhill.

Now we are left with XP or 7.

Both garbage, but not as bad as Vista.

Regards

Dave

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NickRose2006

NickRose2006

Posted
Posted
it would appear that Nick is still confused ref the updating, Flashing, of the 740 to spc900.

He would appear to be confusing the driver upgrade with flashing the camera to 900nc.

I am grateful for everyone's help and yes it is difficult trying to get help only via internet. But I would like to say that I am not confused with the difference from updating and Flashing the cam to SP900NC. I've done the driver update before when I bought it a few months ago and didn't have any trouble. I know it would be probably difficult with time difference a so forth, but would anyone be willing to connect to my computer remotely?

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Anweniel

Anweniel

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Nearly finished my mod trying the yesyes style. Couldnt get hold of the 11V Zener but managed to find a 12V. I understand from reading through the forums that nobody seems sure what the exact requirements on this diode are so hoping this will be ok.

All I am short of at the moment is the serial to usb port looking at the cheap end of the cable market can pick one up for £1.75, any advise on this as I am unsure if by buying cheap I am shooting myself in the foot?

Of course at less than a couple of pounds not too bad to write off the expense.

Thanks in advance :)

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yesyes

yesyes

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yesyes,

I have just returned from holiday. I am sorry that I was a part of this hijacking. After all of your time and effort you put into this thread it deserves much better than this.

Again, my apology.

Bill

No need to apologise, Bill. I know we all just tried to help... ;-)

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yesyes

yesyes

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Nearly finished my mod trying the yesyes style. Couldnt get hold of the 11V Zener but managed to find a 12V. I understand from reading through the forums that nobody seems sure what the exact requirements on this diode are so hoping this will be ok.

I *think* we came to the conclusion that the zener diode is there to reduce the voltage if it is above 11Volt. The levels on RS232 port can go up to +-15Volt. I think you should be fine with a 12V zener. The output levels on the USB to serial adapter will most likely not be above 12V anyway (the Prolific ones I use have +-9V levels).

All I am short of at the moment is the serial to usb port looking at the cheap end of the cable market can pick one up for £1.75, any advise on this as I am unsure if by buying cheap I am shooting myself in the foot?

Of course at less than a couple of pounds not too bad to write off the expense.

Thanks in advance :)

Hmmmmmm. As mentioned by myself earlier in this thread I had some issues with "cheap" USB to serial adaptors. They would probably still have worked on Win XP and maybe even Vista, but they did not work on Windows 7 (at least not on the 64 bit variety).

Do you have a link to the adapter you intent to buy?

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yesyes

yesyes

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I am currently runing XP anyway so hoping I wont have the same issues as long as cam flashes ok on my O/S

Here is the link

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

(Cant apologise enough for being such a newbie :D)

That ebay listing does not mention which chipset is being used in the adapter. It will probably be OK under Win XP. But if you upgrade in future (say, to Win 7) it might no longer work.

It's up to you of course. But for a few quid more you could get an adapter that is a little more future-proof.

This is the adaptor I used:

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

(the "keen astronomer" he mentions in his listing is me :) )

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NickRose2006

NickRose2006

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After several weeks of waiting for parts and webcam to arrive I'm finally done with my first LX mod. Now I have to start on my second LX mod and I have to wait for the webcam adapters to arrive before I can test it on the scope.

A big thanks to YesYes for making the mod and starting this thread.

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yesyes

yesyes

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Hey, well done Nick.

I do like the way you hold the boards with acrylic. I love acrylic.

Looks like you used some sort of glue though. Are you aware of the "solvent welding" method of gluing acrylic?

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Gina

Gina

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I've used solvent welding on acrylic (Perspex) in the past - a quick and simple method. But it does need perfectly flat surfaces for the joint.

Yes, acrylic is very useful stuff :rolleyes:

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JamesF

JamesF

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Well, everyone should own a router at some point in their lives. They're excellent toys, and wonderful when you're fitting worktops. And if they happen to come in useful for trimming acrylic, well, that's just a bonus, isn't it? (Actually, I wasn't aware they might be used for that purpose. It's certainly one I shall use more frequently in the future).

My next router project was going to be some feeders for the beehives, but as I've just acquired another dozen colonies I think time may well not be on my side, so I might have to resort to the cheapskate "washing-up bowl rubbed with sandpaper" feeder.

James

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JamesF

JamesF

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Oooh, it's a slippery slope, believe me. Before long you'll be wondering if you can't find room for a planer/thicknesser and all of a sudden you're looking to get a three-phase supply installed :rolleyes:

James

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