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Wanted: a definitive guide to SPC880

blusky

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Russe

Russe

Posted
Posted

how to flash your camera to SPC900

do not plug in camera yet

follow the video:

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

Transcript:

download WcRmac

WcRmac - Description

unzip file

install program

download WcCtrl

www.burri-web.org/bm98/soft/wcctrl

unzip file

install program

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

you will find 3 downloads

http://www.lazerlight.co.uk/ConversionPack.zip

here the video is old - you need to download the second one - connect camera and use that driver (2nd download), but you need the 2nd file in first download, which is a .bin file

http://www.lazerlight.co.uk/spc880nc.zip

this is the 880 driver, you'll need when first connecting your camera

Astronomy Shed UK Astronomy Forum • Login

this is the 900 driver

install 900 driver (?need to restart)

copy spc900nc.bin file to Program Files/TWIRG/Wcrmac/binary/8116

plug in camera

look for driver - install automatically (?twice as there is mic in camera)

launch WcRMAC

click on OK

click on WebCam - connect

click on binaries

click on spc900nc.bin

click on load into camera

click yes and again yes when finished

unplug camera

replug camera

goto WcRMAC again

click on Webcam

choose spc900 - connect

click macro

click 0103:Set optimized color (nonraw) mode and special factory settings

click run checked

click yes (should show - macro success)

stop WcRMAC

start WcCtrl

click connect a cam

choose spc900

click on Secondary tab

click on factory settings

finished!!

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blusky

blusky

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My focuser is too tall for the SPC to get a sharp image (the focal point is half inch inside the focuser).

Can only get a sharp image with a 2x Barlow. In this case the magnification is huge, in terms of detail that can be seen on a 640x480 image (is that the highest resolution for SPC?) it is equivalent to at least 200x with an eyepiece. So obviously not much luck trying to squeeze M42 into the image :)

Would a focal reducer help?

Anyone else having a focal point inside the focuser at 1x?

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steelfixer

steelfixer

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Blusky if you put a focal reducer on it will move the focal point even further inside the focuser. Trust me I know I tried it. lol

You could make up an adapter to fit the 2" ep holder and set the camera inside it or you are going to have to get a low profile focuser.

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blusky

blusky

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Ok, now my question about the motorised focuser came back to me as a boomerang. Adjusting the focus while having the high-mag picture on the screen is such a pain.

Any tips here? I remember seeing the software that tells you the point of the sharpest focus.

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blusky

blusky

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Blusky if you put a focal reducer on it will move the focal point even further inside the focuser. Trust me I know I tried it. lol

You could make up an adapter to fit the 2" ep holder and set the camera inside it or you are going to have to get a low profile focuser.

So then how does one increase their fov when using spc900?

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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My focuser is too tall for the SPC to get a sharp image (the focal point is half inch inside the focuser).

Can only get a sharp image with a 2x Barlow. In this case the magnification is huge, in terms of detail that can be seen on a 640x480 image (is that the highest resolution for SPC?) it is equivalent to at least 200x with an eyepiece. So obviously not much luck trying to squeeze M42 into the image :)

Would a focal reducer help?

Anyone else having a focal point inside the focuser at 1x?

An unmodified webcam is no good for DSO's. There are several modifications required each improving it's ability to capture low light by increasing exposure times. See Philips SPC900NC uncovered for a how to.

For your webcam to achieve focus you have two options. 1) move the primary up or down the OTA to adjust the focus point at the focuser. The disadvantage being this may effect how some of your EP's come to focus. 2) buy a low profile focuser for £124 First Light Optics - Skywatcher Dual-Speed Low Profile 1.25/2 inch Crayford Focuser and extension tubes for sufficient outward focus £18 Telescope House Revelation 50mm Extension Tube 2" Once you can achieve focus a bahtinov mask can be made or purchased to gain an optimum sharp focus http://www.firstlightoptics.com/bahtinov-focus-masks/starsharp-bahtinov-focus-masks.html

Focal reducers often lessen the quality of the image by introducing vignetting Vignetting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia so webcams are restricted to FOV by the focal length of the scope they are used in. Shorter FL offering the wider FOV but also introducing it's own list of hurdles to over come such as coma. On objects like the moon you will have to take several captures to compile a complete image which can be stitched together once stacked.

Remember the SPC880/990 is only a webcam intended for people chatting/conferencing over the web so 640x480 is more than enough to do this. I believe different chips can be installed by Astronomiser - Automated Astronomy and AstroImaging Solutions at a cost. But they are best suited for cheap planetary imaging where AVI's can be captured, stacked and processed.

Any kind of Deep sky imaging will be difficult with a manual dob :(

HTH

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ChrisJefferies

ChrisJefferies

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I just have to reply to this post. I was in exactly the same position yesterday afternoon, a SPC880 (PCVC750K according to the XP driver :)) Initially I thought the camera was broken as nothing could see it. I then followed the YoutTube video and everything went perfectly. Luckily I had a netbook with XP on it.

I went out last night and got some video of the moon and Jupiter. Most of it wasn't much good but it was amazing seeing something on the screen. My focal point is also inside the focuser but luckily I could unscrew the bezel and just get it too focus. I only have a 4.5 reflector which cost £150 about 10 years ago and my new £15 SPC900 so I'm really pleased with these photos. It's opened up a whole new part of astronomy for me now!! My telescope doesn't have any motors so it was just a case of point and record while it shot across the mirror. I used Castrator, Registax 6 and a paint program. The paint program was to overlay the moons which I couldn't get if I focused on Jupiter. Oh and WXAstrocapture to record the video.

Good luck to all the people just taking their first shots...Send them in so we can all see them.

post-28321-13387770397_thumb.jpg

post-28321-133877703973_thumb.jpg

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ChrisJefferies

ChrisJefferies

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I put the webcam with it's adapter in the focuser and tightened it up but no matter where I turned it (in and out) all I could see were the 3 arms of the mirror on the screen (it should have been a full moon :)).

The image appeared to get better the further in I turned the focuser. After abit of head scratching I saw that I could unscrew the bezel that is used to clamp the eye piece in. I then put in the camera and turned it in a little more and bingo, there it was. Very exciting :) Only problem is the camera is loose inside the focuser so I'll have to fix it better.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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A loose webcam will mean a loss of collimation and that means a loss of image quality. Unless you fix the webcam squarely in the focuser you will struggle getting the best from your setup.

Plus I'd be careful the wife doesn't scream when she finds your missing spider :):D:D

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ChrisJefferies

ChrisJefferies

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Out with the blutac again then :) and you're right, that was one big spider!

I've got a Meade 114/900 EQ1-B . Probably the most basic scope you can get I guess, which is why I'm so pleased with my first pics. I feel a case of Aperture fever coming on though... and what I would give to be motorised :)

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