Phillips web cam for guiding

[PeterCh]

Hi

Ive come across a phillips web cam modified by Astronomiser its a ASTSC1BW and want to use it as a guide camera It has a serial lead with a adapter to usb when i connect i get nothing do i need a specific driver?  I am using windows 10

thanks

Peter

[Mick J]

I may be wrong but these cameras hail from 2006 and were hot stuff back then, I expect Win10 has no support for them and you may need to run under WinXP or may be lucky with Win7.

[Waldemar]

What program do you use to open the cam?

Did you install a driver for the USB-RS323 converter? What chipset has the converter, Prolific or FTDI?

[WanderingEye]

17 minutes ago, PeterCh said:

Hi

Ive come across a phillips web cam modified by Astronomiser its a ASTSC1BW and want to use it as a guide camera It has a serial lead with a adapter to usb when i connect i get nothing do i need a specific driver?  I am using windows 10

thanks

Peter

First of all what model Philips webcam is it ?, as if it’s the toucam pro or pro II then unless it’s been flashed with the latest SPC900 firmwear then no it won’t work, (only on XP) if is is the black SPC880 then again no unless it’s been flashed, but if it is the native SPC900nc then yes  it will work with the later drivers from the Philips website...

 

Edited December 13, 2019 by WanderingEye

[Mick J]

A link form Cloudy Nights   looks like it may be a SPC900 modified with a Black&White chip, nice thing to have back then, you could try and contact Andy at http://www.astronomiser.co.uk/

Good luck with it, may not be worth the hassle with modern cameras available, or perhaps modify a cheap cmos webcam.

[WanderingEye]

1 minute ago, Mick J said:

A link form Cloudy Nights   looks like it may be a SPC900 modified with a Black&White chip, nice thing to have back then, you could try and contact Andy at http://www.astronomiser.co.uk/

Good luck with it, may not be worth the hassle with modern cameras available, or perhaps modify a cheap cmos webcam.

All four of the Philips webcams Toucam pro, Pro II, SPC880 and SCP900nc, used over the years, were able to be modded with mono sensor, we need to see a pic of his actual camera, and whether if one of the first three, it has had an updated flashed firmwear, which it needs to run on win 10, if not then only will run on XP

[PeterCh]

Thanks for response

Please see pic

how would i update the firmware?

 

Peter

[WanderingEye]

53 minutes ago, PeterCh said:

Thanks for response

Please see pic

how would i update the firmware?

 

Peter

APM there lies your problem, it’s in a different housing...

the firmware flash requires you to have the software tool and the firmwear file, and it CAN ONLY be done on a windows XP machine, or a win 7 machine with an XP virtual machine running...so not easy, the file and tool is on the internet if you search and is very easy to do, I have done it loads of times for people at my club..

So maybe your best bet is to contact Andy at Astronomiser for help...

Edited December 13, 2019 by WanderingEye

[Mick J]

I would say it's all to much hassle,  a guide here to update the firmware   this may or may not work or even be needed......or may even break something.

We used to use a WinXP netbook with a range of Philips webcams, toucam/SPC880/900 also have an Astronomisers LongExposure version we have never got to work properly..........  secondhand netbooks are cheap............

Astronomiser rehoused the internals from Philips or possibly other cameras (logitec ?),  mod used a serial lead,  the usb adapter (as above) came in different types, some worked.  What software have you tried the camera with, or perhaps you just plugged into a usb port and expected plug and play.

Sorry not to be more helpful, things have moved on a lot since 2006 and I think these webcams have been left behind, may be an idea to start a thread asking for guide camera suggestions, I am not really up to date but am sure some suggestions would be helpful.

[WanderingEye]

1 hour ago, Mick J said:

I would say it's all to much hassle,  a guide here to update the firmware   this may or may not work or even be needed......or may even break something.

We used to use a WinXP netbook with a range of Philips webcams, toucam/SPC880/900 also have an Astronomisers LongExposure version we have never got to work properly..........  secondhand netbooks are cheap............

Astronomiser rehoused the internals from Philips or possibly other cameras (logitec ?),  mod used a serial lead,  the usb adapter (as above) came in different types, some worked.  What software have you tried the camera with, or perhaps you just plugged into a usb port and expected plug and play.

Sorry not to be more helpful, things have moved on a lot since 2006 and I think these webcams have been left behind, may be an idea to start a thread asking for guide camera suggestions, I am not really up to date but am sure some suggestions would be helpful.

The flashing is a doddle and takes two mins to do, I have done loads, and never had any issues...

I can flash it if required... 👍

[DKNicholson]

I know that it's never nice to spend money if there's a cheaper alternative, but under the circumstances I should be inclined to bite the bullet and buy something like a QHY5-II that has been specifically designed for the purpose of guiding. It will also probably be quite a bit more sensitive enabling greater probability of finding a suitable guide star. Just a thought.