Help with Phillips SPC900NC

[AztecastroMcJ]

need sum advice on best use of this webcam

its come with front cover off and nose piece fitted were do i connect nosepiece to on my scope ? do i use star diagonal ?

how do i use with Barlow ?

will i need focal reducer and UV/IR cut filter (x3 barlow)

Jupiter n Moon r my Targets

hav 2 options for using have decent PC with windows XP

would need USB ext tho prob 2x5m would this be ok ?

dont have laptop seen small netbook cost new £120(linux)

512mbRam 60gb HDD would this b compatible

once i have captured AVI file on either above can i use Registax to align stack n process my avi into vid or still pic

will i need any other software?

any tips hints advice RESULTS with this Cam links appreciated

James

[gataki]

Hi,

I'm sure someone will be along who knows much more than me, but ...

its come with front cover off and nose piece fitted were do i connect nosepiece to on my scope ? do i use star diagonal ?

how do i use with Barlow ?

will i need focal reducer and UV/IR cut filter (x3 barlow)

Jupiter n Moon r my Targets

You put the nose bit in exactly where you would have put the eyepiece. I have used mine with and without the barlow but if using the barlow I slowly up the magnification because otherwise I lose whatever I am looking at on the laptop's screen - particularly planets - the Moon is easier to keep in focus.

Sorry no idea about reducers!

Not sure about the PC / laptop issues - I started trying to use mine with my PC which runs Vista but quickly abandoned that idea and got an old laptop out - it's xp but is nothing like as good a spec as you have put there. Registax is brilliant and you don't need anything else, though I think there are other things available that people use.

There is a really useful primer written by MartinB which I used to help me - I can't remember what it's called but when I find it I'll edit this with the title. It's An Introduction to Planetary Imaging with a Toucam. (Although it's a slightly older webcam much of what you need to do is the same.)

Good luck!

Liz

[brianb]

Great reply .... You may need the star diagonal to get to focus but an extension tube is better. Focal reducer is not needed unless you want to fit the whole moon onto the small chip ... you can live without. Suggest Moon without barlow first, then gain experience with barlow (focusing is a skill which needs to be learned) then go on to the challenge of planets (you'll need a very accurately aligned finder to actually get Jupiter into the field at f/20+)!

Beg / buy / borrow / steal (only joking) "Lunar & Planetary Webcam User's Guide" by Martin Mobberley (Springer, ISBN 1-84628-197-0)

[RobH]

You will need an IR cut filter, which will screw into the nosepiece as there will be a thread there for it.

Cheers

Rob

[AztecastroMcJ]

thanks 4 all replys

alot 2 get my head around,starting to understand,

been reading various threads links etc

thx again James