Webcam imaging, live view? laptop telescope control?

[alexl]

I've just ordered a cheap philips SPC880 webcam and an adaptor. I've read all the blurb about flashing it into a '900 cam so my Win7 laptop can use it.

What software do I need to make a start at imaging? The moon and Jupiter are the two main targets, my scope is a Celestron nexstar 127SLT Mak, (essentialy the same as the skywatcher 127 mak).

I've read about registax to process the image, but does that also capture the image or do I need some other software to take care of the capturing and recording of the images?

Also my kids (5 and 3) like looking at the moon, but find it very hard to look through the eyepiece so I was wondering if I could use the webcam to create a 'liveview' on the laptop screen? Is there any good software to do this with?

Also Is there any way my laptop can connect to the scope and allow control / tracking from the laptop?

[red dwalf]

wx astrocapture is what i use to capture the avi images and then process with registax.

stellarium should allow you to control the mount, go into the configuration settings and look up telescope control and make sure the load on startup box is ticked

[Merlin66]

Caterlet will also allow you to view and record AVI from the webcam.

I use Carte du Ciel to control my HEQ5pro mount.....