USB3 cameras connectivity

[Philip Benson]

I have been using a Flea3 camera with a USB3 interface for just over a year now.  I chose the USB3 interface since I thought it would be preferable for a camera with a high (>100fps).

The main problem I have had since has been with software compatibility.  I used to run a DMK camera with a USB 2 interface through wxAstrocapture.  This worked well but the framerates were quite low at typically 12 -15fps. 

When I got the Flea3 I simply assumed that wxAstrocapture would still work perfectly well but it never has.  The only software that has ever worked with this camera has been the FlyCapture software which is Point Greys own offering (and that has an unavoidable file size limit) and FireCapture.

Does anyone know why USB3 seems to be different from USB2 in terms of software compatibility and also whether it is possible to use a USB3 camera with Phd Guide or AstroCapture for example.  I would if possible like to use the camera for guiding as well as planetary imaging.

Many thanks in advance.

Phil.

[stoffe]

Hello

The only thing with a USB3 device that is connected to a USB2 port is that the device could not work at full speed or full frame rate. I highly recommend you to buy a USB3 PCI-E card to your computer or a USB3 PCI-Express if you only got a laptop (with a free PCI-Express slot). You must also have a hard drive that is quck enough to write everything from the camera to prevent frame skipping.

Kind regards

Stoffe

[riklaunim]

PGR cameras are supported probably only by FireCapture and Genika. To get the full speed you have to use USB3 port and HDD quick enough to handle such data load. Average 5400 RPM laptop HDDs should handle small sensors at such speeds (unless they are crappy), but if you have a 7200 RPM or other top class HDD (SSD is not needed) + RAM for AVI buffering then it will work nicely. If DMK21 did not work at 60 FPS with apps like IC.Capture AS or FireCapture then you have a problem either with the USB controller or HDD.

Note that >100 FPS on planets is rarely achievable. Only bright planets at very high gain will allow it (although it may turn out that much better is to record at 50-60FPS with much lower gain).