Wii cam mod (Cliff)

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Mod a wii cam simple job for astronomy attach to telescope

you can also remove ir filter from this cam

here how i have my wii cam

I broke the led on top of cam just above lens

remove whole lens and created some tubing to fit me telescope

I used bit of tinfoil cardboard tubing also small plastic tubing to fit 2 types of telescopes.

as you can see the sensor thats when cams ready to attach to telescope

I used bit tape attach tubing to cam

then just put cam to telescope then used some software on pc or laptop diy imaging just set settings to how you want them you can long exposure with cam.

Here is couple of moon images taken with wii cam and me 700 x 76mm telescope

probably take even better images with more powerfull telescopes mines just basic 3 inch newt.

took pic of jupiter but need to sort settings for bands on jupiter picks up 4 moons like

Let us know how your wii cam mods go and any images taken with wii cam mod

[Charlie_132]

Thanks for making this thread! Very helpfull

What would you suggest to use for the plastic tubing ? Could I not just put the cam directly into where the eyepiece would usually go ?

[Stargazing_Cliff]

you cud just use some strong tape and tape it to telescope but be more stable with tubing if make some kind tube i made mine around 1 inch long enuff to go inside telescope and fasten stable with screw

made tube from some card board tubing from some kitchen foil roll

took all kitchen foil off roll and used the strong tubing cut to size.

or you cud look for bit of plastic tubing test tubing fits on telescope.

[Charlie_132]

Ah okay, sounds easy enough!

Just tried to fit the kitchen foil roll tube inside the eyepiece holder and it wouldn't go, bit strange

If I don't mod the camera would I be able to still pick up images ?

And also just so I don't get confused .. I just put the webcam in where the eeyepiece goes - and I don't use a eyepiece atall ?

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Ah okay, sounds easy enough!

Just tried to fit the kitchen foil roll tube inside the eyepiece holder and it wouldn't go, bit strange

If I don't mod the camera would I be able to still pick up images ?

And also just so I don't get confused .. I just put the webcam in where the eeyepiece goes - and I don't use a eyepiece atall ?

I remember when i tryed wii cam on it's own with orginal wide lens

it did actually pick up some stars in orbit so on but work best if u some how remove the ir filter from wii cam

i remember i removed it once

think it's red glass thing on think it just little bit of screw driver on end of lens and it come out.

i have spare wii cam that i aint modded it's colleens she uses it on her wii i wait till i some how get another wii cam and i'll take pics modding it from step by step.

they not bad cams with nice wide field view.

you can test on night sky sometime see if it picks up any stars with longest exposure setting.

[Charlie_132]

what bit do i break inside the wii cam ?

[Charlie_132]

I've got as far as taking the lens off so ignore the above post.

I'm confused now though. I've got a plastic tube wrapped in foil, just need to get the other tube now(the foil roll cardboard one)

But then what do I do ? The image I can see now on screen is of nothing, its just very blurry ... Can you give me a few step by steps ? (Should the blue light still be shining in the webcam?)

Thanks in advance

[Stargazing_Cliff]

just use pair pliers or screw driver and break the blue led stop it shining

clean sensor possibly gently with finger or bit of cloth

attach cam with tubing if made or tape cam to telescope

what telescope you got ?

what software you using ?

[Charlie_132]

just about to snap the blue led.

and just to get this right... i dont need a eyepiece atall ? just put the cam in where the eyepiece would usually go ?

and im using a skywatcher 130p

according to the bbc weather its going to be vlear skys from 10pm which is good because saturn rises soon after.

[Charlie_132]

completley broken it now

usb doesnt pick up that theres a webcam there

binned it now

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Did you nip the blue led ? i just nip the end of mine

i installed drivers for mine as use old windows xp but in linux detects cam itself on me mini laptop.

shame your cams stopped working.

completley broken it now

usb doesnt pick up that theres a webcam there

binned it now

[Charlie_132]

I nipped it to start with, but the blue light kept coming on .. Then I had a closer look and the light was pretty deep inside, couldn't get any grip atall on it so I just scraped around trying to break the light, then when I did, the usb wouldn't pick up that there is a webcam there.

I'm going to buy one off ebay that's already been modified, think that's my best bet.

Skys aren't going to be clear where I live for quite a while now though

[Stargazing_Cliff]

I nipped it to start with, but the blue light kept coming on .. Then I had a closer look and the light was pretty deep inside, couldn't get any grip atall on it so I just scraped around trying to break the light, then when I did, the usb wouldn't pick up that there is a webcam there.

I'm going to buy one off ebay that's already been modified, think that's my best bet.

Skys aren't going to be clear where I live for quite a while now though

Try scraping around the led maybe they short with it.

try unplugging cam and remove cam from windows settings if using windows

then plug cam back in or try different usb socket never know mite work.

wounder if anyone else possibly mods wii cam i also heard

you can mod the wii remote's apparently they have some kind camera ir sensor in them.

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Wii remote ir camera

Wii IR Sensor - YouTube

[Charlie_132]

that looks really complicated haha. i ll get a name for myself for buying wii equipment and destroying it in a matter of minutes lol!

is there any threads on here of pictues taken through a skywatcher 130p through a webcam ?

im planning on making my own thread soon when i get a webcam and start taking pictures ... but as i said, weather is awful for the next 5 days, tonights going to be clear, but after that all im getting is 2 degrees+ cloudy skies .. even forecasted a bit of snow wednesday night!

[dean w]

you could try an xbox cam i use one and it works fine for the piece of tube i used a plastic lid of a washing machine deturgent bottle i followed a thread on here to mod it and it was really easy to do but i didnt brake the leds i just covered them with a bit of black nail varnish using a tooth pick i also used sharpcap and registax http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/170747-xbox-livecam-mod-cliff.html?highlight=xbox

[Charlie_132]

Is it very easy to do ?

I'm just worried about what I ll use to open up the webcam in the first place

[Charlie_132]

Just brought a Logitech Quickcam 4000 CCD web camera with telescope adaptor - off ebay, should be with me some time during the week ... Its cloudt every night from tomorrow though

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Just brought a Logitech Quickcam 4000 CCD web camera with telescope adaptor - off ebay, should be with me some time during the week ... Its cloudt every night from tomorrow though

Cool nice one logitech look pretty easy to mod

[Stargazing_Cliff]

The wii cam is pretty decent cam easy to attach to telescope and takes some nice images here latest i took with me simple set up

Saturn imaged with ubisoft wii cam attached to newt.