Celestron NextImage Webcam issues

[CrazyMike]

Hi All,

Anyone here with a celestron nextimage solar system imager?

Ive ripped appart a few webcams and finally decided to invest in this piece of kit as i wanted a nice CCD for snapping planets.

Issue:

If i drop the frame rate or change the exposure or the gain beyone a certain point the cam literally goes to about 1 frame per minute, becomes totally unusable.

Seems that when there is less light on the ccd slows right down. Works find whent heg ain is right up and so the image is full of static, but the moment you drop the gain\exp\fps (even though the planet is still a pretty bright spot) it basically stops.

Oddly ive not has this issue with the logitec quick cam 9000 i ripped appart, or any of the cheap cams i destroyed while testing.

Seems odd to me that the one cam designed for this purpose cant handle low light! lols.

Any ideas?

p.s im a tech support guy so have tried the usual like putting in usb 2.0 port, checking drivers and have tried 3 different laptops and 3 different desktops. all the same.

[TopHouse]

Have you gone through your software to check no auto settings are enabled? I know some webcam software slows rates down etc trying to compensate when light is low.

[BlueAstra]

I've found operating in XP and using wxAstrocapture to be the most reliable method for controlling the camera. Had quite a few problems with Vista (only AnCap worked). I've only used it for planetary video, not single shot exposures. I believe you can do a hardware mod for long single shot exposures. Its a small chip, so can be a challenge to get the target on the chip.

[CrazyMike]

I've found operating in XP and using wxAstrocapture to be the most reliable method for controlling the camera. Had quite a few problems with Vista (only AnCap worked). I've only used it for planetary video, not single shot exposures. I believe you can do a hardware mod for long single shot exposures. Its a small chip, so can be a challenge to get the target on the chip.

Hi

Im using Amcap to control it, with no auto settings enabled.

Working in XP as vista doesnt support the philips tucam whcih is basically what it is

Im using it to make videos for processing in registax... well id like to anyways. But if i change the settings in amcap even slightly to make it look like less of a bright star and more of a planet the frame rate drops to near zero. Using the same settings with the telescope pointed at a streetlight for example is fine, it appears the frame rate bottoms out totally when it thinks there is little light.

Rather confused!

Using my logitech quickcam at the mo isntead, it works fine, really cant understand whats up with this one.

What is this wxAstrocapture? Any good? Where do i get it etc?

[Texy]

Google is your friend :

wxAstroCapture - Windows and linuX Astronomy Capture

Texy

[CrazyMike]

Google is your friend :

wxAstroCapture - Windows and linuX Astronomy Capture

Texy

Indeed, already there and looking.

Hope it helps

[Texy]

Incidently both the toucam and the nextimage can be made to work in vista if you have the correct drivers. Again, google will help you find the instructions.

Texy

[CrazyMike]

Incidently both the toucam and the nextimage can be made to work in vista if you have the correct drivers. Again, google will help you find the instructions.

Texy

Yeah, ive had another toyou cam work in vista, but found it a bit buggy and ocassionally it would be all green, lols. so prefer to use them in xp, a tad more reliable