Pictures taken during some LX/mono mods

[TheThing]

Is this a USB or SerialPort Mod, could anyone enlighten me please?

If Serial Port, am I right in thinking it just plugs into the port on your computer/laptop that has the little outline of a printer next to it?

(You can see that an IT whizz I'm not either!)

Thanks in advance!

[geppetto]

It's a parallel port mod mate...

The 25 pin socket that printers used....

Just plug it in that port and the various capture

programs will recognise it

[yesyes]

The one with the printer outline is the parallel port.

The serial port would have something like |0|1|0| or so printed next to it

[astromerlin]

FYI, Although most are doing the parallel port mod, There is a serial port version and I built my SPC900 into a box with a serial2USB converter pcb in the box also. The benefit of this means my webcam can be plugged straight into a usb hub at the mount.

[acme]

Thanks to YesYes for giving me the idea..

I took the parallel to USB PCB out of the cable I got from ebay, it's connected inside the project box. Now I have a USB cable direct to my laptop.

I will post some pictures as soon as it's complete..Looks very neat and tidy!!

Acme

[yesyes]

my pleasure..

[pritc]

Silly question about the long exposure mod as I have never used it before.

How do you know when you have done it?

I decided not to use the manual switch/deadbug chip method.

But went with this mod instead:

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/59966-spc900nc-sc1-mod.html

Switching between long exposure/normal, is done with the 4066b chip and the computer capture programme via the parallel port.

As for my question. I am trying to check everything is correct before I final fix the SPC900 in the casing.

I still have the lens connected to check everything.

So, I open up my capture programme (wxAstro),connect the SPC900 and I get the normal webcam image on the screen.

I then click on the long exposure tab (with seconds set to 1) and the camera image freezes??

If I wave my hand infront,the image changes to a frozen shot of my hand ...

Is this correct??

Wayne

[geppetto]

Sounds right...

The picture should change after every second but freeze in between frames

[Beulah]

I'm a bit stuck...

I have been soldering away and have some elements of the LX mod done, but I can't identify these resistors. I know the colour codes represent the value, but I really need confirmation, because I don't want to bodge it up.

Checked the order sheet often enough, and I did order the right ones.

I'm sticking my neck out here a bit, because other forums would castigate me for being such an idiot, but I swallow my pride....

From the left: brown, brown, brown red (I think!)

then: brown black yellow brown

then: brown orange red brown

finally: brown black black red brown

[yesyes]

left to right: 1.1k ,100k, 13ohm, 10k

see here:

Electronics Reference: Resistor Color Code Guide

[Beulah]

left to right: 1.1k ,100k, 13ohm, 10k

see here:

Electronics Reference: Resistor Color Code Guide

Thank you very much - but it looks like I have been sent the wrong resistors, then?

I need two 10k, one 100k, and one 220R? (all 0.25W)

[geppetto]

Left to right, you've got....220ohm....100K....10K.....10K

[Beulah]

Left to right, you've got....220ohm....100K....10K.....?

I could scan my order sheets in and post 'em here to prove I ordered the right items...sigh.

Just made another order.....

I was really getting into the swing of it too!

Thanks Phillip.

[geppetto]

Sam

The fourth resistor is a 10K in the new banding system so

you probably have the full set...

I hesitated because I was a service engineer for 40 years using the old colour codes but now I have to double check with the new stuff

You have three resistors in the old code and one in the new....crazy world

[Beulah]

So I do have a 200R, a 100K and two 10Ks then?

Seriously I am so sorry if I appear to be a complete numpty to all you engineer folk....

Oh well, it might be worth a shot...

Thanks.

[geppetto]

Yep, you're fine to go mate...

Don't apologise, it was a totally stupid thing for the powers that be to start altering all these codes...

I said it would end in tears:D

Good luck with your mod:icon_salut:

[geppetto]

Just to clarify...

The only one with a yellow band on it is the 100K which goes on the switch....

The only one with two red bands is the 220ohm which goes in the parallel socket...

The other two are 10Ks but look different....

They sit on the 4066 chip:)

[yesyes]

Left to right, you've got....220ohm....100K....10K.....10K

ooooops, sorry. I was looking at #1 and #3 the wrong way. I assumed they were all the same orientation as #2.

[themos]

Sam, get yourself a digital multimeter, then you can check them as you use them.

[Beulah]

Themos, I will.

Thanks everyone for all your help.

[merlinxlm]

Hello everyone, I've finally finished the LX mod, plus amp off. All seems working fine, the camera is picked up by wxAstroCapture, under normal and Long exposure, after configuring the correct port. My question is, how do I test that the Amp off switch is working? I've tried switching it on and off, and I cant see that its making any difference to the picture. Any help appreciated.

Thank you.

[pritc]

Hello everyone, I've finally finished the LX mod, plus amp off. All seems working fine, the camera is picked up by wxAstroCapture, under normal and Long exposure, after configuring the correct port. My question is, how do I test that the Amp off switch is working? I've tried switching it on and off, and I cant see that its making any difference to the picture. Any help appreciated.

Thank you.

You need to take a long dark exposure to see if you get any amp glow appearing.

Where to you get the information from to do the amp off mod??

[merlinxlm]

I've done the modification described at the beginning of this forum. What would be the recommended maximum exposure with one of these cameras after doing this modification.

Thank you.

[pritc]

I have done the long exposure mod but the link for the amp off mod is dead.

I am looking for a simple step by step guide for the amp off mod.

I think (reading a post somewhere) amp glow starts to show at around 120 seconds.

[astromerlin]

I dont have a step by step guide but this is the circuit I used.