Xbox Livecam Mod (Cliff)

[Gina]

That's good for a webcam Better than I managed when I tried.

[sausages]

Thanks Gina, I'm am pretty happy with the results from both cams. I might reprocess both again this evening, I'm sure there is a little more detail to be leeched out of the original video files before I'm finished with them.

[WaveSoarer]

Sausages,

Those are both great images. It'll be interesting to see if you can get the moons with the xbox webcam as Jupiter looks pretty similar in both of the images.

Dave

[sausages]

Sausages,

Those are both great images. It'll be interesting to see if you can get the moons with the xbox webcam as Jupiter looks pretty similar in both of the images.

Dave

I actually gave up trying to capture the moons with the xbox cam, its not as sensitive as the toucam and when I did see them, there was far too much noise on the screen. I will have another go though, see what more can be done.

[Aenima]

NICE !

I think as the xbox - lets be truthfull here, - is a fraction of the cost and with a slightly inferior chip has done incredibly well, and seeing the two side-by-side helped its cause a great deal because not everyone is getting results that good - so the consistency of images is all over the place, giving the impression that its only good coz its v cheap. So now you've done a direct comparison, processed in the same way by the same person on the same scope etc. there is clearly more to the xbox cams than their price.

As I probably already said I think they work well for beginners who want a quick easy intro to planetary imaging, who will - as I have - decide if they like it and move on to better webcams or even a dedicated CCD purchase. (I went hunting epecially for an spc880/900nc - there may be better out there but witrh those at least you know what they can do).

Nice 1 Sausages, those are a great couple of pics. As for the moons, I found that even if they are invisible on screen, stacking and processing - sometimes just the area where the moons should be can occasionally bring them out of the avi. although it doesnt happen as often as with the philips.

Regards

Aenima

[Stargazing_Cliff]

OK, as promised, two images of Jupiter, one from the Xbox cam, the other from the Toucam Pro II. You can see the Toucam is more sensitive as it picked up two moons and there is more detail on Jupiter itself. It's obviously the better cam, but it comes at a cost - like the spc900nc and 880nc, they aren't cheap to get hold of, as I found out for myself . But I have to say, the xbox cam, given it can be picked up for peanuts, has produced a pretty good image and not that far off the Toucam. These were both processed pretty quickly and I'm sure with a bit more effort there and some clearer nights, the xbox cam can do even better. Based on this, I well recommend it for planetary work on the (very) cheap!

Xbox:

Toucam:

The toucam must be a smaller sized imaging sesnor to get that size of jupiter than the xbox sensor

both are great images of jupiter.

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Be Lunar X box images soon when the moon starts showing again

i shall try image that lunar x if moon shows on night sky i checked stellarium seems a day moon.

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Had view of m13 for about 30 mins with 25mm ep i could see fuzzy ball with me lil newt then i viewed m92

i will have to try get some cam to take avi what me 25mm shows.

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Now this is totally awesome showing you my xbox cliffcam in action took this morning around 4:30am september 19th 2012

Before process live image from me mini laptop

Noisey image yes below

Now for cliff's magic simple of avi to raw makes fits

then i callibrate fits using imageviewca

then i use imageviewca to create avi from callibrated fits using fixbw slider black slider white then i click preview with stretch gets rid of all noise and hot pixels.

then i registax the avi to get nice image or sometimes use virtual dub to extract images from created avi.

and below is outcome i took this orion star system no telescope /binoculars used only my cliffcam and f3 lens it's even showing orion nebula stars

the line across is telephone cable in way.

Just imaging if i had all them cool filters could put over lens

[Aenima]

Had view of m13 for about 30 mins with 25mm ep i could see fuzzy ball with me lil newt then i viewed m92

i will have to try get some cam to take avi what me 25mm shows.

Those are great DSO's arent they? I do like the clusters, and somehow they seem bright enough that the cam will pick up something from them, but not heard of anyone who's done it. That'll be a mission for you Cliff, either afocal or stacking softwares or something else entirely - I keep thinking about it but have never got round to any serious DIY so I reckon you'll get there long before I do.

Watch this space......(hehe.......space.)

Jay

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Those are great DSO's arent they? I do like the clusters, and somehow they seem bright enough that the cam will pick up something from them, but not heard of anyone who's done it. That'll be a mission for you Cliff, either afocal or stacking softwares or something else entirely - I keep thinking about it but have never got round to any serious DIY so I reckon you'll get there long before I do.

Watch this space......(hehe.......space.)

Jay

Will have one day that take pic of what ever i view in telescope ep once have nice digital camera probably

for now i'm liking what me little cliffcam gadget is doing recording avi images of space without need of telescope like just have to look at that orion even nebula of stars it picked up mite not be all fancey gas dust clouds like but who knows if had some mini little filters to go over lens if anyones got any nebula filters spare

it seems me cliffcams gettings like 30 FOV space where ever i point it picks up star points of light live from upto around 2000-2500 light years away that is lot what more do need really.

i even watched mini laptop screen seen shooting star or meteor went passed that was before i pointed cam at orion

I will one day have cam that will see lot stars even through telescope could do with some them nebula filters go on end of ep and could do with some them special filter over me gadget cliffcam

[Aenima]

Yeah, the Orion shot is nice and clear, lots of stars captured. I'm not sure what the nebula filters actually do - I always thought they were for use with DSLR's and a light pollution filter would work better on EP's for visual use. I hear the Skywatcher light pollution filters are not too expensive and work well, its a good idea. That fancy dust you mentioned is light at different wavelengths than normal visible light, I think thats why it only shows up in photo's using filters.

I'd like to see someone capture a cluster without having to spend 400 bucks on a DSLR, its worth a shot.

Aenima

[DBushell]

Here is my best attempt at Jupiter so far using an Astromaster 130eq with a 2x barlow and Xbox cam with filter removed and my IR cut filter also removed. I took 3000 frames with Sharp Cap and stacked about 1700 in Registax, then fiddled with the wavelets.

By far not the best scope to use, but this proves that even a cheap scope can produce some detail on Jupiter.

Can anyone tell me how to get more colour?!

[The Sailor]

Nice one, glad to see someone is showing something good from it.

Jim

[Stargazing_Cliff]

You would not think this little gadget i created took all that star system orion but it did all from that small pin hole lens i like tube i made around lens help stop light pollution refections. all water proof ready for winter if snows i'll bring thing in the xbox cliffcam 2012

[Aenima]

Here is my best attempt at Jupiter so far using an Astromaster 130eq with a 2x barlow and Xbox cam with filter removed and my IR cut filter also removed. I took 3000 frames with Sharp Cap and stacked about 1700 in Registax, then fiddled with the wavelets.

By far not the best scope to use, but this proves that even a cheap scope can produce some detail on Jupiter.

Can anyone tell me how to get more colour?!

Not sure the cams up to giving much more colour than that, although experimenting with saturation and gamma can maybe help a little - used sparingly of course, I managed to get a little more browny colour but mostly the cams colour is pretty washed out. One of its weak points i'm afraid.

Nice pic though.

Hi Jim, hope all is well. BTW.

Regards

Aenima

[The Sailor]

You would not think this little gadget i created took all that star system orion but it did all from that small pin hole lens.

the xbox cliffcam

Cliff, make sure you apply for a patent for that bodge job, you may just make a bit of dosh to get a real camera

Jim

[Stargazing_Cliff]

This is my next project the T U B E cam

Easy to slip over what ever ep i am using and it may possibly take pic of what i was viewing well middle of ep i will put this beauty on test.

Got tube that nicely fits over ep from some double sided tape from David fox shop

I've even left the tape on tube lol

[The Sailor]

Cliff, why dont you use the pieces I sent you to attach the cam to the telescope direct, sorry I fail to understand what you are trying to achieve unless it's to try for the record of the longest thread on SGL, very puzzled.

Jim

[Aenima]

Sorry, have to admit to slight amusement.

[Aenima]

I think the thing is to try and capture something other than planets and the moon, as things like the clusters actually look ok in the EP and afocally is the only approach besides using DSLR's - true, it may not work but I have to say I'd like to see what can be achieved through experiment and perseverence.

Still, I also like the subtlety of your humour sometimes, Jim - like your signature for instance: luvvit!

Regards

Aenima

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Damn clouds rolled in now was testing that tubecam it kind of worked but stars seemed too much leaving trails behind them on exposure software wxastrocapture linux i use on mini laptop it's earth spinning too fast will check through avi's recorded and see how they look.

skies not clear at all now

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Cliff, why dont you use the pieces I sent you to attach the cam to the telescope direct, sorry I fail to understand what you are trying to achieve unless it's to try for the record of the longest thread on SGL, very puzzled.

Jim

I sometimes do that but it's like zoomed into space and be like looking for needle in haystack to find object when attach cam direct to telescope it's like your using 4-5mm ep

allright for like bright objects like moon, planets

what going to try do is get view of say whats in 25mm ep view and project that onto laptop screen a-focally. it's finding right lens for cam and right software.

i have managed to test that tubecam it kind works but at moment stars like trailing little for each frame image it takes but thats from full controll exposure they maybe way to change settings on software use as it kind of exposes for about 20 seconds before it records frame into avi.

maybe allright if had tracking mount that keeps on target.

in which i dont have yet.

[The Sailor]

Okay mate, as you need. Why don't you sell some of those space rocks the aliens gave you on their last visit, maybe get a NEQ6 secondhand

Jim

[Stargazing_Cliff]

This just test from tubecam a-focally

just pointed scope to anything in skies where was some bright stars showing

picked them up but bit noisy i think it's best just from xbox cams sensor to telescope and not bother with a-focally. as was bit hard to clean up image.or you could use xbox cam on it's own like me Cliffcam style.

See what mean about star trailing.

Did work little like a-focally think i'll just mod that tubecam back to telescope direct from it's sensor put telescope adapter back on cam dont think a-focally it work properly the cams best just from sensor direct to telescope like sailor mentioned