Argos web cams (UK)

[autonm]

I know earlier in the year everyone was going on about the webcam from ASDA for just a few £.

I have found that ARGOS are now doing webcams for £3, £4 and £10

Just wondering if anyone has tried them, or from the description know if they will be 'usable'.

I have never owned a webcam or even modded one. I was going to buy the £3 one just to try - although can someone point me in the direction of how I would mount it to the scope (take it I need to buy a new eye piece).

£3

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/searchTerms/9372375.htm

£4

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/searchTerms/9246047.htm

£9.99

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/searchTerms/9372382.htm

Thanks

[geoff_k]

The first one looks suspiciously like the Philips SPC900NC but whether that one or any of them can be used for astronomy is moot.

They are certainly cheap enough but you would have to get adapters, etc if they will fit.

Others on here will know more than me but my gut feeling is that they wouldn't be that good and that there are better options elsewhere.

Geoff

[Cornelius Varley]

The last one will probably give the best results but you may be the first one to try and modify it. It will probably need rehousing in a suitable box.

The first one is definitely not an SPC900.

Peter

[autonm]

there's an argos 1/2 mile away from me - so i'll try pick up the £3 one tonight.

just need to find a 35mm film canister to see if i can use that for mounting.

[Breakintheclouds]

The sensor in the last one looks, at first glance, promising - the link page suggests it's really good in low-light conditions

[The Sailor]

When I first started using webcams for astronomy I headed to Argos and got a couple of cheapies to start off with as I knew I would be demolishing them, they all worked with the 1.25 adapter and got fair results of the moon an soforth but as time went of I knew that I would be looking for better but as said I started with the cheapie Argos and they helped me on the road to AP.

Jim

[autonm]

just been out and bought the £3 one.

Few questions (as this is my first)...

1. What software is recommended for recording the video? There is a CD in the box, but its probably just the drivers.

2. Do I have to uncase it? or should I just try mounting a 35mm canister onto it first and see how it goes from there?

[Cornelius Varley]

just been out and bought the £3 one.

Few questions (as this is my first)...

1. What software is recommended for recording the video? There is a CD in the box, but its probably just the drivers.

2. Do I have to uncase it? or should I just try mounting a 35mm canister onto it first and see how it goes from there?

Try Sharpcap or Firecapture. Craterlets is the other two look too daunting. Just install the drivers from the cd.

Work out how to remove the lens and then check to see how it was mounted onto the PCB. The most common way for the lens to attached to the PCB is a M12 x 0.5mm mount. If it has then I suggest you purchase a 1.25" nosepiece adapter together with an IR filter. You will need the filter to improve the sharpness of the captured image and the nosepiece ensures that the sensor remains square to the optical path.

Peter

[The Sailor]

You will probably find Amcap on the CD, or a similar bit of software for capturing video, free and a good starter but you can download Sharpcap which is free and it has quite a few extras. Regarding the 35mm canister, never used one but someone on here will have and will tell tou what is required, myself I just unscrewed the lens and replaced it with a 1.25 adapter which will cost you a lot more than you paid for the webcam .

Jim

[autonm]

update.... I bought the £3 argos webcam - connected it fine to SharpCap.

Unfortunatly on the scope I have had nothing but 'black'. Currently I have missed the early full moon - so I cant try it out on a large target.

I removed the lens on the webcam easily - unscrewed no problem to show the CCD. I also easily managed to 'kill' the green 'on' light which was leaking green light.

I have bought a 32mm tube about 1 inch in lenght which the webcam sits nicely in. This has then again nicely sat in the 2" focuser on the scope (200p Dobsonian).

All that being said - nothing is being picked up outside... inside the house yes.

I have set the brightness to full on SharpCap to see if that helped

Any thoughts / advice - or should I wait until the moon reappears and try again?

[The Sailor]

Hi, one of the problems with webcam is that you have to have your target dead centre in the frame before it will show, by that I mean you have to first use your eyepiece get the target centered, remove the eyepiece and then insert the cam without any movement of the OTA. Leave the focus as per the eyepiece as this will make the target slight bigger and then in Sharpcap see if moving the brightness helps in location. If that fails, keep the brightness up and slowly rotate the focuser until you see the target, be careful you can miss it quite easily. If you achieve target onscreen then focus in and adjust the brightness, good luck

Jim

[autonm]

Appreciate the advice. I'll try that out.

[autonm]

found that the £3 webcam is a VP-35R