imaging with xbox live camera - first pic

[pjac]

How to modify xbox live vision cam to infrared

Gently unscrew the lens pull out, then small screw driver go along sides of plastic casing mite damage plastic little then lift and it click up the plastic casing remove that then where led's are use screw drive slightly gently clip along led's till it breaks the led lights, they just heat the cam up too much, then unscrew the screws on circuit board and then unscrew the scews where the black circled plastic is, then remove the red glass filter and then screw black plastic back together again and click case all back together and cam's ready to attach to telescope or put normal lens back on it and it's infrared cam you can also add the black stuff from inside of floppy disc or inside of them disposable 35mm camera film for extra effect.

once done this mod the cam will be very very sensitive to light.

Yes indeed, removing the red glass makes the Xbox Live Vision strikingly more sensitive - thanks again for this post!

[pjac]

Cheers pjac, id probably want to still seperate the case so as to avoid getting bits of plastic all over the ccd while you cut off the cone.

Very prophetic - I tried this on my second Xbox camera, and yes, you can cut the nose cone off without first opening the case. But it was a bad idea with all the bits of plastic getting on the PCB and general work area (although not on the CCD itself as long as you keep the lens screwed in).

For opening the case I recommend a small jeweler's screwdriver just to open it just enough to use a larger flat screw driver. The danger with the jeweler's screwdriver is it is so sharp that it will tear nicks in the case.

[ykket]

I just found this thread and it has got be very interested. I am looking to get a scope in the coming months to do some basic planetary imaging and seeing that the xbox cam can do the trick...well that will save me a bunch (i would have to have the philips shipped to the US, only see UK selling them on ebay)

[Nova]

Hi ykket, yeh the philips is a great webcam but judgeing by the results from the live cam its well worth a shot. When you get one be sure to share your results

[Aenima]

These images are great! im modding an xbox cam atm and wondered if these were taken with cams that have the leds destroyed to lessen noise? I want to do it but afraid of killing the cam.

[Aenima]

Just as a reference to the xbox mod, as a first couple of examples I took with the xbox webcam, these at least show what to expect and for those who Can use the processing software you'll be doing a lot better .

Regards

Jay.

ven-wavelet 1.bmp

Capture 27_05_2012 22_58_14..bmp

[ajohnson]

I noticed that someone was selling modified Xbox live cams on e-bay, all of the fiddly stuff with the IR filter and leds done for you, at just under a tenner I bought one and have also gone for a moulded nose piece as I couldn't get a satisfactory bond t with anything else. I have been using Sharpcap and Regixtax, so far for a tenner I'm very happy with the results, both taken with my Skywatcher 300 PDS through a 3x Barlow.

[gardencottage]

I am just about to set up for the night and going to give the xbox (modded) webcam a go. I have tried to find out if I need to use the lens on the webcam or remove it so the CCD chip is on show while attached to the scope? Also, where is the IR filter and how do I remove it please.

Thank you so much for the board, really looking forward to trying it out this evening

[JamesF]

You do need to remove the lens.  The IR filter is a thin sliver of glass fixed inside the mount for the lens, immediately in front of the camera sensor.  You could leave it in for the moment if you don't want to take the camera apart yet -- you have to open up the case and undo the lens mount to remove it if I recall correctly -- it's some time since I did one.  Then you just need to screw a nosepiece back into the mount that the lens came out of.  That may require sawing a bit off the end of the lens housing depending on the exact design.

There is a thread covering the mod in detail with pictures in the DIY section.  I just can't tease it out of the search at the moment.

James

[JamesF]

Here it is:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/131246-xbox-livecam-mod-cliff/

James