watec 202d

[shirva]

Hi folks..just bought a watec 202d from ebay in a spur of madness. . Got it for forty odd pounds with power adapter no lens..is or has anybody used one..I have a st102 refractor and a 8" reflector with a eq3/2 pro mount..what can this be best used with and whats best i could see...or have i bought a pile of scrap .......all help appreciated. .Davy

[Stu]

I think it may be ok on brighter objects such as the moon or brighter planets and stars, but I would expect it to struggle on DSOs. The minimum illumination spec is 1.0 lux. My Watec 120n+ is 0.00002 I believe, and can integrate frames up to 10 seconds for dimmer objects. Mind you, it cost around 10 times as much!

Sure you will have some fun with it.

Stu

[philhas]

Hi folks..just bought a watec 202d from ebay in a spur of madness. . Got it for forty odd pounds with power adapter no lens..is or has anybody used one..I have a st102 refractor and a 8" reflector with a eq3/2 pro mount..what can this be best used with and whats best i could see...or have i bought a pile of scrap .......all help appreciated. .Davy

As Stu says you would probably be okay on Planets, if you want a cheap way to get DSO's look for a Samsung SC2000 or 4000 or some of the old samsung CCTV camera's. I have a SCB-2000 which will integrate up to 10 seconds and on a EQ mount should show some nice views. You will need a USB capture device for the video to show on a pc or laptop or a screen which can receive composite video as an input.

[shirva]

Many thanks for replies. .have the camera , nose cone and usb capture card..waiting on cables ..was an impulse buy more research into the video side has been good and reading posts and seeing images Is a good indication on what can be done.. the better spec watec has great results and a good option other than the usual overpriced ones for astronomy. .will check out the samsung suggested. ..many thanks...Davy. .

[shirva]

P.s ...when cables/ adapters come..have a few options. ..splitting av feed one to a small

Monitor salvaged from old DVD kit for car at telescope and other to usb capture on laptop..also bought an rca to usb aadapter to try and link to a hitecastro guider..will see how it all works out..lol

[shirva]

Well as the good folk have said.

The watec 202d is not sensitive enough ..could not pick up constellation stars when I tried it..could not pick anything up on liveview monitor or at laptop with usb grabber ...

In daylight it is pretty good .....as a security camera..hope this is useful to any others looking at ccd security cameras..

Mistake learned lol.

[shirva]

Have now bought the Samsung scb2000 as advised. .happy days...43.80 hopefully that's me sorted now.

[DoctorD]

Hi Shirva

Let us know how you get on - its been very quiet in the video section for a while!

Mind you this continuos cloud we seem to have isn't helping.

Clear skies

Paul

[shirva]

Can't believe how quiet it is on this section. .I've tried drumming up topics ect to no avail. .going to plug away anyhow. .doctor d I see you use this camera as well any tips ..I will be using a st102 and a 203mm newton on a eq3/2 pro with synscan ..are you using reducers to give yourself widefield with your c8 and have you used Barlow lens's ...have 2 x2 Barlows .....do you have any videos on web..specs I could follow..many thanks.

[Stu]

I do wonder whether it is because it is in a slightly strange place. Mods, is it worth thinking about putting it in with Imaging somehow to get a little more attention?

Shirva, I have a good video setup with a 120n+ and monitor but hardly use it. I keep meaning to but there have been so few opportunities lately that I only really observe visually when it us clear.

Maybe I shall take your inspiration and have a better go next time. It means setting the Sphinx mount up for the Astrotech and seeing how I get on. Will let you know.

Cheers

Stu

[shirva]

Had a look for one of them..hard to come by now I've heard..cracking camera ...clouds have been a nightmare up here in kilsyth between that and light pollution ..frustrating to say least...I've put up another post to try and create an intrest in the Samsung cameras.

[DoctorD]

Long story - we asked for our own section in the imaging forum but the mods did not think this was appropriate.

So I started a Video social group under the old forum software. The new software did not support social groups so we got our own forum. Not an ideal location but at least it's a forum!!

May be we should ask again if we can be moved user the imaging group - however the idea was that we aren't imaging, we are video assisted observing mostly.

HTH

Paul

[shirva]

Hi Paul...imagining ..film. digital. .video. .thought it was the same ..a hard copy of something visualy seen...think its not where it is in relation to other forums..think a lot of people might think its old hat compared to all the newer fancier trends like widefield.. (not knocking anyone doing it just a reference), but with the new breeds of fast scopes out there video could be a cheaper option for " imagining" .astronomers on a tighter budget. .been a learning curve for me ..I bought a Canon 400d with a 50mm lens and 300 zoom to go on a st102..did it work ..no..reason being jumped in.buying every photon counts was an inspiration ..went out and got my extension to replace the diagonal. .out shot. Cany see

nothing through slr view finder. .what now..throwing telescope into next doors back garden was high on list..so thought is it my eyesight or to much light polluting skies about me...do I invest in a Canon with liveview at another 300 pounds or get a ccd with a astronomy sticker on it saying *** best thing since

sliced bread**** at a 500 pound plus or low n behold as a lot of our video imagining comrades have done and went for converted security cams...now reading posts on here they can be very very good in low light if you get a camera with a very low lux level.that is more sensitive than the human eye..

So why I ask myself are so many folk paying funny money for Philips webcams when you can buy brand new kit like the samsung or watec..end of day the image will prob be converted and stacked any how..