SPC900nc Imaging Issues

[Yidoboy]

I have recently purchased the above camera but am having real trouble it. I have downloaded Sharpcam to use alongside it but when I tried to use it tonight I got the following message -

Error 80070005: Cannot start graph.

Any ideas would be greatfully received!

[Bizibilder]

Have you downloaded the correct camera drivers?

[nightfisher]

i had problems with sharpcap so i deleted it and went to craterlet capture , have you got the drivers for spc900

[Yidoboy]

As far as I am aware I have installed the correct drivers...

I managed to see the moon image on my laptop but it just wouldn't let me record or take any photos???

[Bizibilder]

Have you set up the "capture file"? If it doesn't know where to put the pics it won't take 'em.

[Yidoboy]

How do I set that up?

[Bizibilder]

Click File and then set capture file. You choose where you want the images to go. Default is the desktop, I think.

I always set up a file first eg "Tuesday 8 Feb Moon" or similar - choose the name carefully as it is easy to get confused in the heat of the moment!!

[Yidoboy]

Thanks very much for your help. I've set the capture folder so now all I need is a clear night.....any help on that?????

[Bizibilder]

Stand outside and howl at the Moon? Works for me!!

[spaceboy]

Did you buy the webcam new ?

[Yidoboy]

Yeah. I got it from Morgans Computers. Flashed, adapted and with IR/UV filter.

[spaceboy]

Yeah. I got it from Morgans Computers. Flashed, adapted and with IR/UV filter.

Just making sure . The SPC880 Looks so similar to the SPC900 not everyone realizes it has to be flashed. The way I have seen some of the 880's advertised on eBay I can understand some peoples confusion.

[pbyrne]

Hey yidoboy

I am having the same trouble, did you manage to get the problem sorted? If so, what did you do?

Thanks

Paul

[Yidoboy]

Hi Paul,

Yeah it works really well now but I can't upload the videos to Registax now!!!

You need to set the capture folder before it works. I did this and it's all good. Open Sharpcap and then just click on 'FILE' and 'SET CAPTURE FOLDER' to get it working.

Good luck

Mark

[pbyrne]

Thanks Mark, I'll give that a go.

[Fija]

Yeah it works really well now but I can't upload the videos to Registax now!!!

I have a similar issue I have to use virtualdub to export the frames as seperate images as it just errors when I try to open the captured AVI I think it's because my PC is 64 bit. I think that because they open on my netbook which is 32 bit but far to slow to process the video.

Fija

[Yidoboy]

How do you do that? I have Virtualdub but am a bit unsure what I need to do with it. I have tried the Shift F7 example mentioned earlier but still no joy????

Aaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!

[Paxo]

In Sharpcap, try using a different setting in the colour space selection box, this alters the codec being used.

Steve

[airprox]

The download page for sharpcap suggestes signing up to the forum at astronomyshed as there are a couple of video tutorials there giving a run down on how to set up the program. They certainly helped point me in the right direction. Other than thet, I thinkl there is deffinately room for a manual or texted based tutorial!

Cheers

Alun

[keef_uk]

Just making sure . The SPC880 Looks so similar to the SPC900 not everyone realizes it has to be flashed. The way I have seen some of the 880's advertised on eBay I can understand some peoples confusion.

What benifits are there to flashing it?

[todd8137]

did you convert the videos to avi? before putting in registax download virtual dub to convert to AVI first then put in regisatx

[Yidoboy]

I've tried that but still nothing....

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

AVI is a container file format that can hold many different colour spaces, compression types, etc. In wxAstrocapture I just used the default, and it worked. DO NOT use RGB colour space! Registax will not read that. I do not think having a 64 bit computer is the issue.

[leenewtoastro]

What benifits are there to flashing it?

you can obtain raw images and some other settings ideal for astro capturing

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Raw images are essential, as compression used in many formats is lossy, i.e. deforms the image. This also removes the (photon) noise thereby removing much of the information needed by the stacking process.