Coolair CCD

[TomBoChaz]

Hi, new to the forum and new to astro imaging, so be kind if I state the obvious or don't understand easily.

I have a Celestron CPC800 and I got a PL 131c coolair camera with it.

I have tried to set it up to get some planetary video to run through registax, but it just seems to over-expose after about 3seconds, not sure what I am doing wrong. or if this camera is suitable or not.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TomBoChaz

Hoping for dark skies

[riklaunim]

Planetary/lunary imaging uses very short exposures - below a second, like 10-30 ms. You just need to look on the preview images and set good exposure value (or gain and exposure).

[TomBoChaz]

Thanks riklaunim,

I thought that I would be able to get avi's from this camera and then use them with stacking software. Am I not able to stream and capture video with this camera?

TomBoChaz

[riklaunim]

On the Opticstar page they say:

etAMCAP for AVI capture.

Check if you have that and try capturing an AVI.

[TomBoChaz]

Thanks v much, will try it and see how I go. Thought I had already done that, but it has been a while since any decent weather.

[BRENDAN]

Can I ask what operating system/computer you are using with the coolair camera? It's just that mine fails to work properly when installed on my new HP laptop Windows7 64bit operating system. However these cameras can stream live planetary & moon with ease on my 6 year old laptop.

Regards

Brendan

[TomBoChaz]

Hi Brendan

I have previously got it to run on my old laptop with vista, but couldn't get it to work at all on the new win 7 pc.

My original problems were with it not capturing properly on the old laptop, but I am going to give it another gas soon as we get a clear/dry night.

[BRENDAN]

You dont see many reviews of these camera's and when you do folk never seem to be happy with them. I'm not happy with my PL131 C camera. I can get it to work on my old laptop which is not what I want to do. It plays up sometimes and you get a frozen capture screen. When it does work it can be alrite-ish. I always seem to be messing around with settings and I've never really being happy with the image at the end ot it all.

I think you just need to play around with the exposure / gain settings while viewing the object. Try the moon first as its big and bright.

My advice is if you are not happy with it, take it back and buy a different camera.

[Alan_B]

Got one of those as an extra when I bought my C8 from them. Couldn't get it to work at all with my HP Win 7 64bit i3 laptop. The chaps at Opticstar changed it for a PX35c for me which does work

Took this with it last night using Sharpcap , ran through registax

[Robertt]

I have the coolair ccd and after a few times fiddling about it works really well. This is not a device for the web cam brigade (Im One) it seems to be the intermediate between the Pro and the Ametuer so you have a little work to do.

Best tip experiment but keep the gain average but the gamma low and to start off with put everything on default and work backwards.

As for the slowness of the cam check with Opticstar they wil help My laptop handles the Camera without a hitch and its New with 8gig memory with W7 64bit .

As with all Atronomy Patience and check