Lodestar Live V0.11 (Beta)

[Paul81]

Hi all,

It seems a long time coming.... but here finally is V0.11. 

OSX: LodestarLive.app.0.11.osx.150115.zip

Win32: LodestarLive.0.11.win32.150115.zip

From the change log:

- Added stacking information to image export information text.

- Modified display processing slider controls to permit 5x finer control.

- Modified display processing algorithms. Contrast now stretches histogram around peak point, peak is aligned to brightness set point and non linear scaling functions can be applied.

- Modified zoom such that a minimum area of 4x4 pixels must be defined. This prevents spurious zoom when  accidentally clicking the image display area.

- Added colour modification by providing hue and saturation sliders which are applied in HSV colour space after the 16-bit image is converted to 8-bit.

- Modified histogram display to be alpha blended for processing RGB images. This aids in seeing miss-alignment of RGB channels in the histogram.

- Added auto align checkbox to display processing tab. When checked aligns red and blue channels to green. Moving green brightness set point moves all three channels.

I'll try to get some time soon to post some tutorial videos on youtube, in the mean time all feedback is always appreciated!

Have fun and happy observing!

Paul

[arkosg]

Thank you Paul!  Looking forward to some clear skies to be able to try it out!

Thanks again for all of your efforts...

Cheers,

- Greg A

[RobertI]

[f15p5]

Hi Paul,

Looks more different than I expected! Looks like a lot of hard work went into this. Is there any way to import an image into this to practice with? I really like the slider sensitivity, a huge improvement over V1.10. Also the auto color balance looks to make things much easier. Looking forward to some instructional video's on youtube.

Thanks for all your hard work,

Richard

[laser_jock99]

Can't wait to try. Thanks

[DoctorD]

Thanks Paul - Can't wait for a clear night to try it out.

CS

Paul

[Paul81]

Hi Paul,

Looks more different than I expected! Looks like a lot of hard work went into this. Is there any way to import an image into this to practice with? I really like the slider sensitivity, a huge improvement over V1.10. Also the auto color balance looks to make things much easier. Looking forward to some instructional video's on youtube.

Thanks for all your hard work,

Richard

Hi Richard,

Yep you can load a previously exported FITS image using the '-load-image <FILENAME>' for mono Lodestar cameras or '-load-image-cygm <FILENAME>' for colour Lodestar cameras command line argument. If you do not have any previously exported FITS images give me a shout.

Cheers

Paul

[HiloDon]

Hi All,

Here are some captures using Paul's new LL v0.11. What a pleasure to use. The new controls are easier to use and produce, I think better results, certainly in regards to color balance and saturation. I've posted a few here, but there are more in my gallery if you are interested. Thanks, Paul for providing a wonderful addition to EAA.

http://stargazerslounge.com/gallery/album/3574-lodestar-live-v011/

Don

[DoctorD]

Hi Don

Some astounding views ~ more like Astro photography than EAA!!

CS

Paul

[HiloDon]

Thanks, Doc. Paul's LL makes viewing and capturing images so easy. It's only getting better.

Don

[Paul81]

Thank you all for the kind comments!

Don - simply stunning captures!

[HiloDon]

Thanks, Paul. Couldn't do it without your brilliant work.

Here is a capture I got last night of Comet Lovejoy using the x^0.25 scaling function. The non-linear scaling really helps to bring out the tail which is very difficult to see now. There's a bit of a learning curve on using the scaling functions, but it's worth the effort to try them.

Don

[shirva]

nice one don

[Martin Meredith]

Great capture of the comet + tail, Don I assume this is your 50mm finder scope? Amazing if so. Just hope it clears here before Lovejoy disappears ...

Martin

[HiloDon]

Thanks, Martin. It's the Orion 50mm mini guide scope I just purchased. It has a FL of 162mm. I've been very pleased with the lack of aberrations present so far. There are some, but not as bad as the finders.

Hope you get some clear skies soon.

Don

[nytecam]

Very impressive comet shot Don via 'finder' + LLv0.11 from last night - here's mine from the night before via 85mm f/2 e-finder.

Not sure if it's the 'tail or disconnection' extreme left or 'alignment of stars' effect.  Must try LLv0.11 soon

Edited January 18, 2015 by nytecam

[f15p5]

Hi Richard,

Yep you can load a previously exported FITS image using the '-load-image <FILENAME>' for mono Lodestar cameras or '-load-image-cygm <FILENAME>' for colour Lodestar cameras command line argument. If you do not have any previously exported FITS images give me a shout.

Cheers

Paul

Hi Paul, excuse my ignorance, but where do you do this? In export? In the program or somewhere else?

Thanks,

Richard

[Dom543]

Thank you very much Paul for the new version 0.11!

It came just in time, when I am able to resume stargazing after 4 months of work under cloudy skies. My favorite feature of the new version is the color saturation slider. Just what I was wishing for ! I believe that you succeeded in overcoming a major issue that is plaguing all cameras that use this same sensor.

To show that the fruits of your work have been instantly put to good use, I attach an image of the Rosette nebula taken yesterday night. As optics, I use an old manual Asahi Takumar 200mm f/3.5 camera lens fully open. I was also eager to try out my new 6nm Ha filter that I got for Christmas. I use the settings Contrast=0.6 and Saturation=2.0 to fairly aggressively boost colors. I like spicy food and colorful images...

I also posted a couple of other, 60sec and 4x15sec images on a ClodyNights thread here http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/488782-h-alpha-color-lodestar-experiments/#entry6404916. I am pleasantly surprised that 1 minute is sufficient for H-alpha images.

Thanks again and Clear Skies!

--Dom

[AstroEd]

Thanks Paul for the software link, I am awaiting delivery of a new iOptron CEM-60 will give this a shot soon as I can.

[Helen]

Hi Paul,

I've now downloaded the new version onto the Surface Pro 3 and unfortunately still having the same problems with the UI.  The main issue is not being able to see all the tabs down the lefthand side.  I've tried the workarounds from the web, but nothing is working.  From reading it looks like an awful lots of programs/ apps are having problems with the windows 8.1 hires set up (Photoshop is just about unusable too!), so I don't think there's an easy fix, but thought you would like to know.  I'm hoping windows handles hires better in Windows 10!!

Works well on my standard laptop though, so MANY thanks

Helen

[Paul81]

Hi Paul, excuse my ignorance, but where do you do this? In export? In the program or somewhere else?

Thanks,

Richard

Richard - sorry only just spotted this.... You need to specify the command line arguments using the command prompt (or Terminal on OSX). If you let me know what platform you are using I can try to be a bit more specific.

Helen - I suspected it would not be fixed in V0.11. Over the next few days I am going to see what happens if I compile LL using the very latest QT 5.4.0 framework (which is what I used for all the user interface stuff), a friend of mine has a Windows machine with a high res display so I'll pass him some files over to try - might not fix it though. Will keep the forum posted with any developments!

[f15p5]

Hi Paul

Using Windows 7 home edition.

Thanks,

Richard

[Helen]

Thanks Paul  

Helen

[Paul81]

Hi Richard,

To load a mono image, open up the Windows Command Prompt, navigate to where you copied LL executable and type:

lodestarlive -load-image <FILENAME>

where <FILENAME> is the filename of a FITS file exported from LL.

So for example, if I had LL in a folder called LL on the C drive, and a FITS file called Image_M65_2014.12.30_04.00.17_00000.fit in a folder called Images on the C drive:

cd C

cd C:\LL

lodestarlive -load-image c:\Images\Image_M65_2014.12.30_04.00.17_00000.fit

If you do not see an image its probably because you got the file name wrong (there is no error message in this case)

Hope that helps!

[f15p5]

Hi Paul,

Will the WIN32 version work with a 64 bit system? I'm having problems getting images with my new mono.

Richard