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HD Webcam Modification

George

By George
in DIY Astronomer

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  • 2 weeks later...
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ldd55uk

ldd55uk

Posted
Posted

Ok i have read this tread from start to finish and i have to say i`m no expert in computer sotfware or hard ware for that matter. However i have completed the mod and i`ve tried it out on two nights. The first night wasn`t great as i had issues with the dual Tracking system on my tripod however on Saturday night i got that sorted and produces four videos of Jupiter. I took three with the cam attached to the skywatcher focuser and one with the barlow fitted. It was a misty night and i was struggling to get a good image of the planet but i did get a nice moon formation in the footage taken. Since then i have finally found the camera adjustment section that Gary discribed in his acticle and have now set all the settings to the ones discribed. however i have reset the Auto setting on the Exsposure as discribed in this tread and the brightness to 160.

The mean question is where do i find the Frame speed that everyone keeps quoting. I am still using the Lifecam software provided to take the images as this is where i`ve made the adjustments. The videos are opening as window media files.

I have VLC media player on my laptop and PMB sony player and windows media player as well Deput Video capture software. Is it in these programs where you change the Codec settings. Do i have to download a particullar software like Huffyue and us that when opened to see what the cam is seeing. I realise this my seem trivial to must but i`m sorry to say it is hard work for me.

I hope you can help as i`m having real fun with this new addition to my scope.:) If theres anyone out there who can help and would reather chat one to one then i`m on Facebook as Michael walton. You`ll know it`s me as i`ve got a image of the moon on my profile page. i also have the two videos on there but i could post them here if i knew how :)

best regards

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sbooder

sbooder

Posted
Posted

I have just filled the form in too. I did point out that my views were purely as a modified item. But I did point out that if they spent time to get the software and drivers right for Astro use, it would be to their benefit, as it could easily become the webcam of choice for Astro photographers.

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  • 2 weeks later...
MikeWilson

MikeWilson

Posted
Posted
1 1/4" Telescope webcam adapter for MS Lifecam with cap on eBay item number 250686912925 may be of interest.

I recently sold my Skywatcher stock eyepieces so in looking for another cheap eyepiece I thought buying this instead would be better.

I do hope it has a screw thread for attaching filters though.

Thanks for the tipoff ;)

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MikeWilson

MikeWilson

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Oh yeah, this thing is amazing. Very high quality - a real worthwhile investment to make a bulletproof (probably is!) life cam mod :o

One small thing though, I can't get a decent image of Jupiter no matter how hard I try. Even the moon just looks like a bright dot through the lifecam on my skymax 127, and that's with a Barlow too. Do I need to put a lens between it and the scope?

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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Have you removed the lens assembly from the lifecam...?

You have to take it off if you want to use it with a scope... just leavign the CCD exposed...

The lens you removed used to take care of the UV/IT filtering which is why you idealy need to add a filter that gives you UV/IR cut into the end of the "adaptor"....

Peter...

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MikeWilson

MikeWilson

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Oh man, Wayne - are you getting those moon shots now? I'm almost wetting my pants as I wait for Jupiter to get into my field of view from my garden! Really want to try out the Lifecam-sans-lens :blob10:

Which scope should I use for Jupiter tonight? Mak 127 or Newt 150P? (Both Skywatcher)

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wayne weedon

wayne weedon

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Yes that was a few days ago.

I've done jupiter too, but I dont really have a good enough barlow to get the results I want.

@ Earl, just a Baader IR/UV blocking filter. .....and yes focus is off, but as you know until I've finished designing my focuser it'll probably stay broken!

Wayne.....

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  • 4 weeks later...
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  • 4 weeks later...
MisterBill

MisterBill

Posted
Posted

Using a schedule 40 pvc reducer coupling and some electrical tape I attached my camera to a Celestron 9X50 finder scope. Opened PHD and was pleasantly surprised to find Polaris on the screen ~30 minutes before sunset.

I then spent severeal hours observing the evening skies here in, mostly cloudy, South Florida. I would slew to an object, find a nearby star lock on it with PHD and never touch the scope until I decided to move on with my tour.

My first scope, so it is all new to me.

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  • 1 year later...

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