Polar Cam Mod

[Herakles]

Completed the Xbox Live Cam Mod for the Polar Scope.

Using a 50mm extension tube, with compression ring, I attached with black tape, to allow it to slide over the Polar Scope on my EQ6.

Finished job after a few minutes. Easiest mod ever !

It's very Heath Robinson but it works, I always prefer function over form anyways!

Clear Skies

Pete

[Catweazel]

Hi, looks good! Did you leave the xBox cam intact and just tape a tube over it? Or did you need to mod it, as per using it as an astro webcam? Thanks

[Black Knight]

Very interesting .... I could really do with a polar scope cam!

[idbvideo]

I tried converting one of these but couldn't see anything so ended up buying a Microsoft life cam.

Have you tried it yet? If it actually sees Polaris, what software and settings are you using? I want to use the Microsoft one for guiding hehe.

[Herakles]

No modding, just good old pvc electrical tape. I checked before I attached the extension tube that the camera got focus, it did . Since then its been cloudy every night since doing it ! Have seen on other threads, picked up stars so not expecting any problems with seeing Pole star, fingers crossed. Once I get a clear night I shall post an image up.

Pete

[Gina]

When I had my NEQ6 on it's tripod on the wet grass I could see Polaris through the polar scope. Now I've cured the wet knees syndrome with an obsy I can't see Polaris any more. Yes, I did have the roof open and there IS a clear view towards the pole. And I did have the mount set up to use the polar scope - a red torch shone into the top showed up fine. Maybe every time I've tried there's be a bit of cloud to the north. Very few clear nights this year as yet!

[The Sailor]

Searching for one thing led me to another, this , with all the astro webcams I have lying around I think I should do this, nice one.

Jim

[Gina]

I found out why I couldn't see Polaris through my polar scope - the centre bolt on the pier adapter had worked loose and I had knocked the mount plus extender round about 10-15 degrees. Fortunately I had labelled the N direction on the pier head plate so I was able to put it back roughly to the right direction.

[The Sailor]

Same here Gina, after almost nine months of non use and knocking things as I stumbled around the place I found that I had all sorts of problems finding Polaris even though I could actually see it in the scopes, all sorted for the moment but have ordered an extension for the mount so probably more hunting to be done later in the week.

Regarding this cam on the polar scope, I have already found that white waste pipe fits snugly over the top of the eyepiece and a cut down plastic barlow will fit snugly into the pipe, the cam then fits onto the barlow as normal, still a bit of tinkering as I cannot get focus, so a bit of tinkering round still, will come back on what I have achieved.

Jim

[The Sailor]

I found a cam which was nice and small, more like a hand torch so sent away for it, so far still awaiting and am sure it will work. Problem I have now is that I purchased an 8" extension for the mount and now the polar scope is at eyeball height . So if this cam arrives and I do get it attached to the scope I will come back.

Jim