Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b83b14cd4142fe10848741bb2a14c66b.jpg

Hardware and software advice needed for upgrading to guided imaging

ianpwilliams

Recommended Posts

nameunknown

nameunknown

Posted
Posted

saw this bit of hardware recently (online):

http://www.dx.com/p/2-0mp-camera-70x-smart-digital-telescope-microscope-black-397691#.VkDywyv1J9M

basis for a cheap guider?

The review reads:

"After a litlle moment of doubt because the package was slow to arrive, I was really quite surprised when I tried it for the first time! The magnification of the image approaches the advertised x70. The focus is easy "with the knob on top". The sharpness is not effective for very distant objects. Good buy for the price."

Dunno

P

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 468
  • Created
  • Last Reply
A40farinagolf

A40farinagolf

Posted
Posted

I'm new to guiding and this thread is proving useful, thanks for the contributions.

FYI - Tring very kindly donated a GPCAM for an Astrocamp quiz prize back in Sept.

I was fortunate to win it and it looked like a great bit of kit. My neighbours at the camp had helped with the answers so it was only fair to let their two young boys have the camera so I never got to use it.

Also I've had similar issues with AA and "must be the courier" response.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Thalestris24

Thalestris24

Posted
Posted

saw this bit of hardware recently (online):

http://www.dx.com/p/2-0mp-camera-70x-smart-digital-telescope-microscope-black-397691#.VkDywyv1J9M

basis for a cheap guider?

The review reads:

"After a litlle moment of doubt because the package was slow to arrive, I was really quite surprised when I tried it for the first time! The magnification of the image approaches the advertised x70. The focus is easy "with the knob on top". The sharpness is not effective for very distant objects. Good buy for the price."

Dunno

P

Hi

Waste of money, I'd say!

Louise

Link to comment
Share on other sites
John Gill

John Gill

Posted
Posted

Perhaps decide if you want to do Auto Guiding on a PC or directly on the scope and then decide on Off-Axis guider or use a seperate guidescope or a combination. 

So it comes back to how much do you want to spend.  Personally I would go for a 80mm guidescope with something like a Orion Starshoot or similar.  Then you could use the main scope for imaging and the guidescope for guiding.  If you then want a large FOV you could use the main scope as the guidescope and attach the camera to the guidescope.  The best of both worlds.  The only issue with doing guiding via a PC is power. 

Hope this helps....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Thalestris24

Thalestris24

Posted
Posted

Got my replacement gpcam today and this one is fine :). Downloaded the drivers and capture software from Altair Astro and gave the camera a quick daytime test. All ok :). I think the latest PHD2 release supports it now but dunno when I might get the chance to give it a proper test. I've ordered an infra red filter to try with it. I'm hoping the filter might improve my guiding - I live in hope!

Louise

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ianpwilliams

ianpwilliams

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Good to hear. I considered cancelling my order with Altair Astro, but as he pointed out all the other sellers (i.e. Tring) seem to be out of stock, so if I do cancel then I'll have to buy a different camera instead. So now I'm stuck waiting and hoping. I've got all this week off work and I was planning to use the second half to do dry runs. How silly of me to think that ordering the gear 2 weeks enough would have been enough to make sure it was all here in time. It's just not good enough. Never going with Altair Astro again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Davesellars

Davesellars

Posted
Posted

Surely if it's been sent by courier rather than by Royal Mail (even then, I'd expect it to by a Signed For tracked item) they can find out what has happened to it? Do you know which courier it was and a tracking number?  I agree, you seem to have been given a bit of a raw deal by AA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ianpwilliams

ianpwilliams

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I've downloaded Altair Device Driver and AltairCapture as advised to by the instructions. Did you bother to download Sharpcap (which does mention ASCOM)? Or Altair-Ready PHD2 (for autoguiding)? And just to check, this camera definitely does not do autoguiding does it (as in autoguiding without a laptop)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ianpwilliams

ianpwilliams

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I'm getting nothing decent through my camera. I installed the drivers and the program then connected the camera and then ran the program as per the instructions, and the camera's red light does blink, but when I move the camera around I just get black or grey in my live preview. I'm guessing this is not what I should be seeing?

post-35725-0-47531000-1447342694_thumb.j

post-35725-0-07769100-1447342704_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Thalestris24

Thalestris24

Posted
Posted

Oh OK. I don't want to run PHD2 until I have the mount connected, otherwise it keeps opening and closing itself and I can never kill the process using the kill program. I'll give it a try tomorrow with everything connected up.

You can run it in PHD2 if you only select the camera and don't select a mount. Otherwise the Altair capture software is better for daytime testing anyway as you can choose shorter exposures than PHD2 will allow. I actually have a 642nm filter on mine :)

Louise

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ianpwilliams

ianpwilliams

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi

You're probably not focussed. I just ran mine with PHD2 2.5.0 rev 5 and it works fine (just listed as 'Altair camera'). As it's still daytime you'll need a very short exposure and minimum gain.

Louise

ps what scope have you attached it to? The Orion Miniguider?

I haven't connected it to anything yet, although I did buy that Orion mini guide scope. At the moment I just connected it to the laptop to see if it produced a picture. Which it should shouldn't it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Thalestris24

Thalestris24

Posted
Posted

I haven't connected it to anything yet, although I did buy that Orion mini guide scope. At the moment I just connected it to the laptop to see if it produced a picture. Which it should shouldn't it?

Hi

No, you won't get an image if there's no lens to focus the light though you might be able to distinguish between light and dark.

Louise

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.