SharpCap - free Astro Webcam Capture Software

[WormTurner]

Hey Robin, great app you have, I thank you for it. I'm not sure if this has been answered, but I'll ask it in my context:

I have a StellaCam II that uses a control box to pre-process images. This can take up to 8.5 seconds for the most processed/best image (i.e., 1 image per 8.5 seconds). I was wondering if there is a way to take interval captures, so as to not to have so many duplicate frames.

Thank for your time and effort and I apologize if this has been answered previously.

--Phil

[rwg]

Phil,

this feature (grabbing frames at some interval isn't there yet, but has been requested quite a lot of times now). The good news is that it's certainly on my to do list for the next version. The bad news is that I'm not sure when I'll have time to really get stuck into the next version of SharpCap, since I've been quite busy with other things for a while

cheers,

Robin

[Falco]

Hi everybody,

I am new in this forum, I am living in Dusseldorf, Germany. I am using SharpCap since 2 years, I have now the new V 1.4.231. In this new version the capturedfiles are overwritten. The file name gets only the day and month without year and time as in the earlier versions. Is it normal for this version?

I am using Vista and the camera is Meade LPI as Trust 14823.

Clear sky

Falco

[rwg]

Hi Falco,

no, it really shouldn't do that and it doesn't for me. In fact, I can't see that the code that creates the filename has changed significantly since v1.3 or even earlier, so I am a bit surprised at how/why this is happening to you.

The only thing I can suggest is that SharpCap tries to use the default system date/time format for the filename (then it replaces all the characters that are illegal in filenames, like _,:,/ etc with '_'). If you have altered the date/time display settings on your machine, this could have an impact.

Also, try the 1.5 pre-release build (Astronomy Shed UK Astronomy Forum Link).

Let me know how you get on.

Robin

[Falco]

Hi Robin,

thanks for your reply.

I changed nothing to the system. I see that happens only for avi capture, not in LX mode.

I will try V1.5 and let you know how it work for me.

Clear sky

Falco

[TheThing]

Further to my PM this morning, I think the problem may be with the video capture filter from the options menu.

With the netbook's in-built webcam I get a pop up box that allows varios settings to be changed. When I try and access this with the Atik plugged in I get an error saying that SharpCap will close. It then gives a whole load of codes, about 44384 characters long (roughly!). These are too long to add to a PM or even a post here, but would probably go in an e-mail?

Can you help at all please?

[stev74]

Hi Robin,

I've been using Sharpcap for a while now with my SPC880 (flashed) and it works great thank you.

I have now added a FCUSB to my Skywatcher Auto Focuser for focus control but under Focusers in Sharpcap it reads - No focusers available.

Should the software automatically recognise the FCUSB like it does with the webcam or is there something else I need to do?

Cheers

[rwg]

Hi Steve,

You shouldn't have to do anything...

Can you first make sure you have the latest version of SharpCap running (at least v 1.4.213) and the latest version of the FCUSB drivers.

I _thought_ I'd fixed this problem with FCUSB back in april and the fix should be in 1.4.213 - if you are on the latest version and still have problems, please upload the sharpcap log (from help-> Show Log) as an attachment to a message here and I will have a look, alternatively PM it to me if it is short enough.

cheers,

Robin

[stev74]

Hi Robin,

Thanks for the quick response!!

I haven't yet updated to the new version, I will go and do that now, hopefully that will fix the issue.

Cheers

[tonyowen]

Robin, please can you clarify the previewing function of SharpCap.

I'm running v 1.4.0.213 under vista.

When loaded and connected to my webcam (an unmodified spc880) a running 'previewing display' is shown on the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

The display is of the form:-

previewing (increasing amount) frames; (increasing number) dropped; in x seconds; (changing number) fps.

This previewing process does not seem to stop (I let it run for 15 minutes before I closed sharpcap down)

What does the display mean and what does it do?

An examination of the log shows a repetative cycle with the webcam being correctly identified.

In the drop down menu "options"

create camera setting file box is ticked as is the preview box

However, unticking this options does not stop the remoseless previewing count.

please advise

regards

Tony Owen

[rwg]

Yep, it's meant to show that all the time while previewing or capturing.

Basically, some webcams drop frames, either because the computer can't keep up with the data rate or (more likely these days) you have set an exposure that is longer than the time between frames (ie 1/10s exposure, 30fps).

The display of these figures in preview mode is there to allow you to spot that you are having problems with dropped frames (or that everything is OK on this front) before you start capturing.

The 'Create Camera Settings File' option controls whether SharpCap creates a little .txt file next to each capture - the txt file contains the values of the various camera properties like exposure, brightness, gain etc that were used for the capture so that you can refer to them later.

Hope this helps,

Robin

[stev74]

Hi Robin,

Thanks for the quick response!!

I haven't yet updated to the new version, I will go and do that now, hopefully that will fix the issue.

Cheers

Hi Robin,

Just thought I'd let you know that updating the software solved the issue. I'm now focusing through the laptop while running sharpcap..... Nice!! :-)

Now all I need is clear skies.....

Cheers

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[Falco]

Hi Robin,

i have tried the V 1.5 with a QC4000Pro and LPI as Trust 14283.

For "new code" and "options" i get a long error message (10 pages) that says Sharp Cap will close. With "old code" this error is seldom. The name of the captured files has only the day and the month, in LX mode the directory of the captured pictures has the whole name (name,year,day month and time).

If you wish i can send you the error message.

Regards

Falco

[rwg]

Yep, please send me the error message - I will PM you my email address.

cheers,

Robin

[rjsc2001]

I have the same error on the options screen. I'm using win 7 32 bits.

The initial part of the error is below. I can send you the rest if you need it.

Ricardo

SharpCap, Version=1.5.0.300, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null

System.NotImplementedException: O método ou a operação não está implementado.

em SharpCap.Cameras.NewDirectShow.CaptureProvider.MakeMenuOptions()

em SharpCap.MultiCaptureProvider.MakeMenuOptions() em C:\Users\robin\Documents\Source Code\trunk\SharpCap\src\SharpCap\MultiCaptureProvider.cs:line 216

em SharpCap.SharpCapForm.PopulateOptionsMenu() em C:\Users\robin\Documents\Source Code\trunk\SharpCap\src\SharpCap\UI\SharpCapForm.cs:line 952

em SharpCap.SharpCapForm.optionsToolStripMenuItem_DropDownOpening(Object sender, EventArgs e) em C:\Users\robin\Documents\Source Code\trunk\SharpCap\src\SharpCap\UI\SharpCapForm.cs:line 1454

em System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDownItem.OnDropDownShow(EventArgs e)

em System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem.OnDropDownShow(EventArgs e)

em System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDownItem.ShowDropDownInternal()

em System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDownItem.ShowDropDown(Boolean mousePush)

em System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem.OnMenuAutoExpand()

em System.Windows.Forms.MenuTimer.OnTick(Object sender, EventArgs e)

em System.Windows.Forms.Timer.OnTick(EventArgs e)

em System.Windows.Forms.Timer.TimerNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)

em System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

===============================================================

[rwg]

Try version 1.5.301

https://sites.google.com/site/rwgastro/SharpCapInstall-1.5.301-alpha.zip?attredirects=0

It should fix that problem.

Robin

[rjsc2001]

this one works .

thanks

ricardo

[Metal_geek]

I really like this software!!!!

I have a pretty simple question that I haven't seen asked anywhere else.

In the Parallel Port LX Control settings for the SPC900 I'm not sure what the Exposure Control Bit and Shutter Control Bit should be set to.

I'm having an issue with the camera not doing long exposure but simply displaying the last frame after the exposure time specified. I'm wondering if its something in the settings or if something has come lose in the camera...

I'm using windows 7 32 bit. with the lpt port set to ECP.

Thanks!

[yesyes]

Metal_geek, did you modify the webcam yourself or did you buy an already modified one? The settings depend on how the modification was done.

[Metal_geek]

Hi yesyes....

I did the LX mod myself. I have the pin 2 of the lpt port connected to the 4066 chip. Would that correspond to data2?...

[yesyes]

do you have a circuit diagram of the mod you did?

It all depends on which 2 pins of he parallel port you used and where on the chip they connect to...

[Metal_geek]

Mine Looks Exactly like this one.

http://stargazerslounge.com/astro-lounge/114129-pictures-taken-during-some-lx-mono-mods.html

[yesyes]

I haven't done the parallel mod, only serial. But from the pictures it looks like the LX signal is connected to parallel port pin 2, which is the D0 line (Data 0). Do you have an option like that in the exposure control config?

[Metal_geek]

Yes, I have 3 options in the Parallel Port LX control Settings.

Exposure Control Bit set to Data0 : Invert unchecked -> Just updated it

Amp Off Control Bit set to NONE : Invert unchecked

Shutter Control Bit set to None : Invert unchecked

Seems strange that when I try to take a DARK Frame with the lens covered I get a few hot pixels but no amp glow at all after 120 seconds... Something doesn't seem to be adding up

[Metal_geek]

Ok, Got it figured out.

Thanks yesyes for the Data0 info, that reduced the combinations by a factor of 8!!

Turns out the brightness setting was at 0, so while it would seem to work at very short exposures, it completely blacked out doing anything at all long.. 15+ seconds no amp glow or anything. Any glow was "blacked" out.

With the brightness at mid, long exposures over expose as opposed to going black which makes long exposures look like... well.... long exposures.

Thanks alot for your help again yesyes. When I attempt the usb mod I'll be sure to follow your excellent example.