Webcam help

[Wardd2]

Hi all,just wondering where you can get a ccd webcam from. All I can see for sale are CMOS chipped webcams. Are these any good for imaging the moon and planets or should I hunt for a ccd chipped webcam

[Nova]

Buy Cheap Astronomy at Morgan Computers

This one is very widely used and is supposed to be great for lunar and planetary work. Id stick with CCD. The camera itself is pretty cheap but you will need the SPC900 flash, the nose piece and a filter for the best results

[keithatrochdale]

What and why do you need a filter?

[Nova]

Ok this is from memory and may not be spot on.......

CCD chips are quite susceptible to the near visible end of the infra red light spectrum. It is possible for IR to saturate the chip and give poorer results (its something along those lines anyway) The ir filter stops this. I dont think a filter is needed for lunar or monochrome shots.

[Wardd2]

Thanks for that will source one out

[philhas]

Buy the bundle, got mine from Morgan. Works a treat.

[Wardd2]

i take it morgan are a reliable company to buy from?

[RogerTheDodger]

They are subject to their own popularity for the webcams, be patient

[Nova]

mine arrived on friday. had to wait a couple of weeks as they were out of stock. all is fine with the camera and it now registers as an spc900 so the flash worked fine. i contacted them a couple of times during my wait for the cam and they were only to happy to update me on my order status. id reccomend them for sure

[Wardd2]

thanks for that. think i will get one ordered as looking on the net for one was doing my head in. thanks for the info

[Donkeiller]

Buy the bundle, got mine from Morgan. Works a treat.

So did I. Unfortunately I cannot get anything to work except the webcam. Even then it will only produce an image on the screen.

Can't save the image files let alone manipulate them.

I am really P****d off:mad: Just how hard can it be:icon_scratch:

I've read the tutorials, watched the "Astronomyshed" videos and and I'm still in the dark:icon_scratch:

[Wardd2]

is it best to get a pre flashed one or get the one that hasnt been flashed. what i am saying is basically is it difficult to do the flash yourself

[Cornelius Varley]

If you don't have access to a computer running XP to flash the firmware buy the preflashed version. If you do have access the flashing takes a few seconds and is not difficult.

Peter

[Nova]

Its not difficult to flash yourself with XP but if you do it wrong you can Kill the camera. For the sake of £2.50 id let someone else do it but thats just my opinion. But here is the link to a tutorial so you can decide yourself

Astronomy Shed UK Astronomy Forum • View topic - Flash a Toucam/880 to SPC900NC