SPC900NC SC1 Mod?

[Parallax]

Well, I would say that the problem lies in your wiring inside the camera OR you have somehow fried the camera (they are quite hardy, but...).

I know that it's a pain but you may have to go back and undo your soldering and put the camera back to as it was to eliminate that.

Sorry

Steve

[Robd]

Steve,

I was afraid of that 1 other question though - in your circuit diagram you show pins 6 & 12 of 4066 to ground but no indication of this on the fimnal board. Is this grounding required?

Rob

[Robd]

Camera is not fried .

I have separated the wires new wires from sub board and twisted them together. Camera now works with good image as expected.

I will now reconnect to board and try without the 4066 by direct link 4066 pins 1 & 2 and 3 & 4

Rob

[Sam]

That's a relief Rob! I had trouble getting mine to signal through the parallel port - turns out I had the wrong sized resistor.

Good luck!

Sam

[Parallax]

Just to clear are few things up.

Grounding of unused pins - Yes, unused logic pins like 6 & 12 should ideally be grounded to prevent unwanted spurious effects. I was lazy and didn't follow my own advice but it works without. BTW those two pins are the 2 unused 'switches' in the 4066, and grounding them puts them into a known state (off).

Confusion regarding 'Pins' & 'Pads' - The terms 'Pins' & 'Pads' in Mr Meijer's instructions is a throw back from when you had to lift the legs of the IC's to make the connections. In the case of the SPC900NC, pins 2 & 3 of the 4066 are connected to the FEMALE connector (on the board which carries the CCD) and pins 1 & 4 of the 4066 are connected to the MALE connector.

HTH

Steve

[Robd]

OK latest update

Camera works ok with // cable dissconnected, but back to grey noise when connected.

So now off to check circuit to // plug.

Just tried setting lx settings in wxAstroCapture - got a message re problem with lpt1

Steve

Thanks for note re grounding I will do it for safety's sake.

Any ideas on // connection?

Rob

[Robd]

OK all seems to be sorted now.

Some idiot ( oh! that was me :oops: :oops: ) had wired the // plug the wrong way round ( 2 to the short side and 1 to the long - dummy ).

Sorted that and all seems to be OK.

Will now go and tidy up - add two grounds for pins 6 and 12. add glue to protect cables and bend led pin out of the way.

Thanks for the help.

Rob

[Psquirm]

[quote name=Starflyer;

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

Ian

Was it alarm/signal or data cable.

Thanks, Psquirm