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SPC900NC SC1 Mod?

ENWOD

By ENWOD
in DIY Astronomer

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Parallax

Parallax

Posted
Posted

Thanks KK, for answering Josh's question and the compliment.

Yes, I meant to say, check for 'bridges' between tracks. If you don't have the proper tool for breaking the tracks then you can use a 5mm drill bit.

Also, although I have been careful in the construction I have not tried it out yet (waiting for the camera). So I take no responsibilty if it all goes pear shaped!

Please double check your work before connecting it all up.

As I haven't got the new camera yet I can't say how (if) it will fit inside the case. It should fit but will need securing somehow to stop it flapping about.

AND (I keep forgetting to add these points) this is for the PARALLEL port version, so check that your laptop has got a parallel port before you start. There is a serial port version but I have not investigated this.

Sam, I only kept it neat because others would be looking at it :wink:

Steve

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Starflyer

Starflyer

Posted
Posted

Hi Josh,

I got most of my bits from RSH electronics, they're cheap but not as fast as RS;

Stripboard - http://www.rshelectronics.co.uk/stripboard.htm 4540-010 - 25x64mm 9 tracks 25 holes

Stripboard cutter http://www.rshelectronics.co.uk/stripboard.htm 4545-010 - Spot face cutter for cutting the tracks on stripboard

DIL socket - http://www.rshelectronics.co.uk/multipole.htm 5540-120 - 14 pin DIL IC Socket 0.3"

4066B - http://www.rshelectronics.co.uk/cmos40002.htm 9320-240 - 4066B

Resistors - http://www.rshelectronics.co.uk/metalresistors.htm 4 x 15K and 2 x 220R

The cable (6 core shielded), parallel port plug / hood and the case I'm using I bought from Maplin.

Hope this helps,

Ian

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ENWOD

ENWOD

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Thankyou very much Ian, that has helped me a great deal, are you relocating your camera to another case then? (or have I misunderstood yet again, also can I ask what the 220R resistors are for? Sorry if it's a stupid question)

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Parallax

Parallax

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Although I haven't got my new camera yet I have found the case from the first SPC900NC that I modded. I tried to fit the board I showed you inside the case and found that you will have to lie ALL the resistors flat (which you should do anyway - I was being lazy). Even then it's a tight squeeze (there's not as much room in there as I originally thought).

Best of luck.

Steve

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Parallax

Parallax

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Josh

It looks like Ian is being cautious and putting the 220R resistors in SERIES with the parallel port connections as shown in Mr Meijer's website.

I didn't bother and there haven't been any ill effects.

Steve

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Starflyer

Starflyer

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Hi Josh,

Steve's right, I'm adding the 220R resistors in series with the wires that connect to pins 2 and 5 of the parallel port. They're to protect the computers' parallel port rather than for functionality of the camera.

I've got some pics of my progress so far, I'll dig 'em out and post them here. I always planned to re-house the camera so I could use it with an old SLR lens for wide field shots, as well as with the 1.25" nosepiece that fits in the 'scope's focuser. In the pictures you'll see the nosepiece in place, this unscrews from the case and a camera lens then fits in it's place.

Cheers,

Ian

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Starflyer

Starflyer

Posted
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Right here's a few pics;

The case from Maplin - far too big but it looked nice;

001_case.jpg

The case after cutting it down to size very carefully with a hacksaw;

002_case_cut.jpg

The T thread adaptor and nosepiece fitted to the end of the case;

003_nosepiece.jpg

The cut down case

004_case_1.jpg

I decided to drill some ventilation holes as I plan to fit a fan at some point in the future, I printed the hole layout onto sticky labels then centred and drilled the holes. If anyone wants the layout file then just ask.

006_case_2.jpg

The 4066 soldered in, I didn't have a socket and risked soldering it straight to the board. If you do this then leave a couple of minutes between pins or solder alternate (diagonal) pins to prevent too much heat build up.

008_strip_1.jpg

Underside of completed board

009_strip_2.jpg

Top of completed board

010_strip_3.jpg

Alternative view of the wiring

011_strip_4.jpg

Parallel plug - pin identification

012_plug.jpg

Steve, I'd appreciate you casting your eyes over my circuit, please let me know if you spot anything that looks wrong.

Cheers,

Ian

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ENWOD

ENWOD

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:wink: Loving what you're doing Ian, nice and tidy circuitboard/soldering as well... I'm really debating rehousing the camera as I like the original camera casing and want to keep it, just not sure if it's too tight a fit, as Steve said earlier... Think I shall order enough components to make a circuit board and the dead bug method as a backup.

Thanks very much for everyones input, 'tis appreciated. Josh :)

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Starflyer

Starflyer

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Thank you very much for your help Steve, I can confirm that it all works as it should :)

I also removed the microphone and the horrible white LED with no ill effects. I've got a bit of work to do on the case; I'm waiting for postie to bring me an 8 pin DIN socket / plug and then it's just a case of waiting for the :wink: to clear for a while.

Thanks Josh, you may as well get a couple of sets the parts are pretty cheap.

I meant to mention that I also got a clever little gizmo from RSH; a set of helping hands with magnifying glass - it's basically a pair of crocodile clips on moveable arms mounted on a heavy base with a magnifying glass. I found this extremely useful when soldering the wires onto the camera boards - http://www.rshelectronics.co.uk/serviceaids.htm - 6510-050. If you use one just watch where you attach the clips they're quite powerful and I imagine they could easily damage small, fragile components.

It looks very similar to the one shown here; http://reprap.org/pub/Main/SolderingToolKit/helping-hands-tool.jpg

Cheers,

Ian

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Parallax

Parallax

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***URGENT UPDATE***URGENT UPDATE***URGENT UPDATE***URGENT UPDATE***

Unfortunately, to get the control board to fit inside the original case, you will have to solder the IC directly to the stripboard noting Ian's warning about heat.

AND, you will have to remove the boss that holds the tripod mounting thread. I did this by gripping the boss with a pair of pliers and twisting it, in a circular motion, back and forth a few times. It will make a few cracking noises but should wiggle out and leave a clean hole. You needed another hole anyway for the cable to the parallel port.

Sorry about that.

Steve

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Parallax

Parallax

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Thanks for the heads up. Another question though, how have you attatched the home-made board to the original one? Thanks, Josh.

I haven't yet. I'm still waiting for my camera! However, It is such a tight fit in there that it hasn't got room to move about. If you mount the control board so that the solder side is facing the original boards, then you will have to place a thin piece of card between the two to prevent any likelyhood of them shorting out.

Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...
Robd

Robd

Posted
Posted

Just jumped on the band wagon and completed the SC1 mod to the SPC900NC. :D but it doesn't work :afro: - well I don't think it is working.

I did have 1 wiring error - the long link from the bottom bar to pin 13 went to 14 - this stopped everything working - camera was not recognised by windows. Fixed that so as far as I can see all is now correctly wired as per Steve's solution ( IE using the 4066 rather than a separate switch ).

The camera is now recognised by windows and various software including VLounge and wxAstroCapture.

At present I have the original lens in so expected to see a normal image ( of me sat here scratching the old gray matter ) - nothing , well not nothing but a dark gray image. If I shine a light into the lens then I get a vertical band of light roughly down the center of the image. So the chip is responding to light in some way.

Do any of you experts have any bright ideas as to what may be wrong?

Am I right in thinking that with LX off the camera should be behaving as un-modded?

Thanks in advance

Rob.

PS. in the meantime I will go back and check that the wiring is all correct.

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Parallax

Parallax

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Rob

Have you tried it with the parallel connector disconnected?

I can't see that connecting the link to the wrong pin will have damaged the camera BUT it will not have done the parallel port any favours.

All is not lost...yet.

Steve

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