Philips SPC880 webcam help needed.

[Penguin]

My Tal-1 rubbish images thread has prompted me to order a webcam.

Ok, so my webcam, eyepiece adapter and UV filter have arrived:

Product name: Philips SPC880 webcam - 49269 x 1

Product name: Philips SPC880 1.25 inch webcam adapter - 48772 x 1

Product name: Revelation IR/UV Blocking Filter 1.25 inch - 48765 x 1

The packing list above suggests the adapter is designed specifically for the webcam but I can't see how to attach it. There is a silver focussing ring on the front of the webcam with the black lens mounting and lens inside it. There is nowhere for the threaded small end of the adapter to thread onto.

Help!

--- Penguin

[Steve C]

I'm pretty sure all you have to do is unscrew the existing lens & replace this with the adapter.

Thats the score with my Toucam anyhow.

[milkyjoe]

This should help... Philips SPC900NC uncovered ;-)

Sorry, wrong link! :s

Here we go... http://www.orion-xt10.com/philips-spc900nc-webcam.html

[Penguin]

Ok, so if I spin the focussing ring anti-clockwise, the lense comes right forward and the focussing ring becomes stiffer, then starts to pull away from the body and I can see a retaining clip through the gap. Then the focussing ring snaps back.

I suppose I could get a screwdriver in the gap and try to prise the focussing ring off but I am very nervous of doing so!

--- Penguin.

[astromerlin]

You have to gently prise off the silver focusing ring with a screwdriver. Then unscrew the lens unit, you will then be able to screw the adapter in. Best done in a dust free environment or outside.

[Penguin]

Ok, thanks for that info. I have now got the adapter on there.

Thought I should plug it into the laptop, and discovered Linux doesn't seem to recognise it out of the box. I am leaning to check that hardware is supported under Linux before I buy it but it slipped my mind in this case.

Has anyone got one of these working under Linux? What do you use to control them?

--- Penguin.

[milkyjoe]

What version of Linux are you running?

[Penguin]

Ubuntu 10.04.

lsusb just gives

Bus 004 Device 006: ID 0471:032c Philips

which isn't much help!

[Skuber]

Penguin, I would suggest the first thing you do is find a friend with a PC running Windows XP.

You will be able to use that machine to update the firmware of your SPC880 to an SPC900.

The SPC900 is the much more common model and you may find it easier to find drivers for it.

[Penguin]

I did find this page

Philips USB Webcam Driver for Linux

Which looks a bit scary as it talks about patching the kernel. Would I first need to flash the firmware to spc900?

[Penguin]

Just posted my last post before I saw yours, Skuber.

I do have access to XP machines, I just don't use them for personal projects. So it looks like I have to:

1. Download XP drivers for the SPC880 & install on an XP box
   
2. Download the SPC900 firmware
   
3. Flash the camera to SPC900
   
4. Install the divers I found in the previous post to Linux
   
5. Plug it in and see if it is recognised
   

As I said, a little scary but the Linux driver page did imply that I could get by without patching the kernel.

--- Penguin

[Skuber]

Penguin, that list looks about right. That's pretty much what I did to update my SPC880 to the 900.

Don't worry, if you follow the instructions exactly, it's not too scary

As long as you upload the recommended firmware patch, you will be fine. The things to watch out for (in the instructions I followed) were:

- make sure the webcam is actually running (video being viewed in any application) when you do the firmware update.

- make sure you don't have loss of power or connection to the camera when you do the update (this is the thing most likely to break the camera)

Good luck!

[Penguin]

Turns out, having flashed it to an SPC900, that the driver is already included in my Linux distribution! So step 4 was not needed.

Now I just need clear skies.

--- Penguin

[Pauly]

Hi Penguin, where did you get the camera and other parts? I've been mulling over exactly the same issue as you. Was going to opt for the Neximage 'cos it's plug and play, but having read through this thread I might try the Webcam route.

[Penguin]

I read this thread first:

http://stargazerslounge.com/astro-lounge/113567-philips-spc-880-webcams-6-delivered-2.html

I got the camera, scope adapter and an ir/uv filter from Morgan Computers:

Buy Cheap online from Morgan Computers

though its about twice the price mentioned in the thread.

I haven't had clear skies since so I don't know how well it works yet.

--- Penguin.

[Pauly]

OK, thanks for that. Is the filter essential? How does it help? I already have a selection of filters, but not that one.