which software to use

[Wirral man]

Hi all im about to embark on a new adventure by getting a mono camera this will be used with my skywatcher evostar 80ed pro plus asi120 guide on a heq5 

so you been watching some you tube videos and came across sequence generator Pro which seams a all in one app would this be good for someone whi is new or am i better off with something else plus i think its not free, could do with a free programme lol anyway thanks in advance yet again.

[happy-kat]

What software do you already own?

Have you also got the book Dark Art or Mayic Bullet? 

[vlaiv]

30 minutes ago, Wirral man said:

Hi all im about to embark on a new adventure by getting a mono camera this will be used with my skywatcher evostar 80ed pro plus asi120 guide on a heq5 

so you been watching some you tube videos and came across sequence generator Pro which seams a all in one app would this be good for someone whi is new or am i better off with something else plus i think its not free, could do with a free programme lol anyway thanks in advance yet again.

I use SGP, and there is "lite" version with many features turned off (I use it like that). Give it a try and decide if lite version is enough for you or you want to invest in pro/full working version.

Other than that, I've been using SIPS which is free, but stopped using it because I've been having problems with it and ASI1600 (not drivers related) - for some reason it would assume that camera was color and halved horizontal resolution of frames and tried to debayer things. This was one of earlier versions - I believe they have later versions now and issues might have been corrected.

[Tim]

Depends how complicated you like your software to be.

Personally, after working for 12 or more hours a day, I like my astronomy to be as simple as possible, especially at 4am the following morning. To that end I use Nebulosity by Craig Stark.

[geordie85]

What camera have you decided on? Have you ever tried astrophotography tool? You can use the trial version for free and it doesn't have an expiry date. 

Maybe try SGPRO, you can use the trial version for 45 days for free

[Redscouse]

I use APT (Astro Photography Tool) as stated above, the trial version doesn't expire so you're free to test as long as you like. At just under £19 euro, the price of the full version is very reasonable. You/we don't actually need to buy the full version however I believe it's good to support the devs when you find good software. 

[Wirral man]

1 hour ago, geordie85 said:

What camera have you decided on? Have you ever tried astrophotography tool? You can use the trial version for free and it doesn't have an expiry date. 

Maybe try SGPRO, you can use the trial version for 45 days for free

im taking the plunge and getting the asi1600mm cooled with a filter wheel plus a lrgb set and a narrowband 7nm ha filter 

[spillage]

I run my asi1600 with apt. For the price it's such a great bit of kit with really good support from the developer.

Mark.

[Joel Shepherd]

Nebulosity isn't free, but between Nebulosity, APT and SGP, Nebulosity is the easiest to get started with in my opinion. It also includes some basic stacking and processing functionality, for turning your hard-earned data into a finished image. That said, if you're getting an electronic filter wheel or you want more sophisticated integration with your mount, then APT is not only less expensive but more full-featured (though without any support for processing). The learning curve will be steeper (though the documentation is pretty good) but it'll take you further. SGP is still more powerful: if you find yourself wanting to full automate a whole night's run, it's probably the tool of choice. But, again, there is a learning curve. I used Nebulosity for about 2 1/2 years and only recently stepped up to SGP, when I decided I wanted to get more sleep (and automate a whole night at a time). With that experience, SGP has been manageable but I'm not sure if I would have wanted to start with it. But, if you're a quick learner, you might do alright with it.

[Wirral man]

8 hours ago, happy-kat said:

What software do you already own?

Have you also got the book Dark Art or Mayic Bullet? 

i have just recently got the book but only read a little so far but i will be soon as for software i have been using dss and cs2 Photoshop  i have just downloaded phd2 and sharpcap last night but not used them yet 

[ollypenrice]

CMOS cameras thrive on lots of short subs but this means you need an efficient calibrating and stacking programme. AstroArt is extremey efficient in this regard.

Olly

 

[david_taurus83]

APT is free to use and it only asks on the free version if you think it's worth the  €18. It is! And some! I paid happily.

[iwols]

Must admit now I've got my head round it I finally purchased  sgp pro and more than happy with it 

[Redscouse]

14 hours ago, Joel Shepherd said:

SGP is still more powerful: if you find yourself wanting to full automate a whole night's run, it's probably the tool of choice.

I use APT, fully automated.

I do a test focus, then test frame. Then run a fully automated plan whilst keeping an eye on it during the night. I keep myself otherwise entertained with Netflix/Xbox or sometimes set up another scope for some visual observing. Have seen both Jupiter and Saturn over the last few sessions. 

[happy-kat]

Given it is heading into summer why not read that book properly as you have time before it's dark again and could play with what you already have. Data once captured is there to try re processing again at any time now or in the future as you learn more or you change software..

[Wirral man]

i think apt fits the bill for me to start i presume that it will surport the asi1600mm pro and zwo efw plus be able to control the camera temperature?