Polar Scope Webcam

[Herakles]

Looking to do the Polar Scope Mod, unfortunately it seems there are no SPC cam's around these days.

Anyone any info' for a suitable webcam to fit the EQ6P polar scope ?

Clear Skies

Pete

[astrovirus]

I'm trying with a Logitec C250, but haven't completed and tested it yet. I will post my results here when I get them.

[Herakles]

Thanks for the reply. I am looking at the XBox Live Cam atm, cheap as chips if it does not work out, seems it can take webcam nose piece so maybe can be adapted.

Clear Skies

Pete

[idbvideo]

Microsoft Lifecam cinama works OK

[Gina]

Put one of my Philips webcams on my polar scope tonight with a view to doing a polar align. Worked alright - up to a point. Nice view of the reticule but too bright and no stars visible. So I switched off mount, disconnected EQDir box and connected hand control instead. Having waited an age for the warning message to slowly scroll by (groan) went through the setup then adjusted the brightness of the polar scope illumination right down to it's minimum (other than off) of 2%. Still well viewable with the webcam but still no stars visible!!

Yes, I set the scope horizontal to align the hole in the mount with the polar scope and I did remove the bung at the top. Polaris and surrounding stars were visible by eye but not in the image Anyone any ideas what's wrong, please?

[idbvideo]

I had a similar problem with the lifecam. Oh was I getting angry lol. I bought the lifecam specifically as I cant find a SPC for love nore money. In frustration I tried auto exposure and it worked.... I could only see polaris but thats the one I wanted lol.

[Photosbykev]

I made a polar scope adaptor for a spare SPC900NC webcam I had lying around today. It certainly gives an excellent view of the reticule but with the clouds around I can't test it any further.

[Herakles]

Ordered the XBox Live cam , awaiting delivery. Once I get it and see if it works I will post up the outcome.

Thanks for all the input folks.

Pete

[idbvideo]

Hope you have bettler luck than I did when I tried the xbox lifecam, I couldnt get enough gain to see stars with it, which is surprising in some respects, Although I didnt try auto exposure if I recall. Whereas I used auto exposure on the Microsoft one.

[Viv]

I've just done this mod & it works a treat !

Keep a watch for the web cam - I only got mine 2 weeks ago.

On ebay, with a notice of 2 hot pixels, so got it cheaper than the original ones from Morgan.

Just keep a watch out, but well worth doing.

[Herakles]

WebCam arrived this morning. 4 days so not too bad time wise. Fired it up and tried it ( dry ) against the Polar Scope. Focus is great , nice and clear. All I need to do now is adapt a casing for it. It being square backed and no where to ''screw'' on a threaded adapter means I will probs have to be careful with the centering of the cam in a tube/adapter. Long as I can get it square to the reticule I should be ok

On a similar vane, does anyone know the size of the screws that Dion uses in the reticule adjustment Mod, you know , the three screws replacing the small grubs ?

Thinking I should do that at the same time !

Pete

[Flying Eye]

Herakles, this thread has a few examples of modding the xbox web cam, also some posts of which adapters work well with it (including some links)

Hope it helps.

[Viv]

Have a look at this video : http://www.astronomyshed.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1174

[Herakles]

Cheers for that Ian. I have came across a spare 50mm extension adapter with a compression ring in it, seems ideal as it fits snuggly over the actual Polar Scope. I just need to figure a way to attach it to the casing of the XBox camers. I may have to end up getting a webcam nose piece, the extender is threaded so it should in theory ! ) attach via the threads.

Clear Skies

Pete

[Herakles]

Thanks Scarlet, I already have Dions channel subscribed. It was his video that started all this, lol.

Clear Skies

Pete

[idbvideo]

The 32mm plastic bung end with hole drilled in works. I epoxied mine into the hole.