SPC900 LX mod, How to use?

[althecoal]

Iv been into imaging planets and moon for the last few months with my webcam with pleasing results, now iv taken the next step and got a lx moded SPC900 on its way to me..

What im hoping for is a link to a website or a thread on here that explains how to connect and how to use the cam to expose a shot..

The SPC is serial port although iv ordered a usb converter so it will be usb by the time i get to use it, it also has the amp off mod done..

I dont intend to spend hours outside i just want to do some simple exposures like 5-6x 20secs or 2x 1min for instance.

Iv been using sharpcap software so far will i be able to carrie on with that?...

Edited February 20, 2011 by althecoal

[astromerlin]

Things I have learnt using an SPC900 lx modded.

Once you've installed the usb converter drivers the lx side of the webcam will be available as a com port. You can see which comport in Windows by right-clicking on 'My Computer' and selecting 'Properies' click 'Hardware' and then 'Device Manager' scroll down to 'Ports' and double-click to dropdown a list of comports available. As you plug in the lx lead a new comport will be displayed. Capture software will have a dialog so you can select a comport (mine is always com2). The capture software will remember the comport selected the next time you use it. In order to keep this working without headache you will need to plug the LX usb plug into the same socket ALWAYS!! otherwise your LX comport number will change and you'll have to find what comport number and change it in the capture software.

I use WXastrocapture, I've not used Sharpcap yet because it keeps crashing on my machine (it's probably something simple i've not sussed yet) but most capture software have a textbox, just enter number of secs and start long exposure.

That's pretty much all there is to it , If you dont see a brighter image then the 'DTR' OR 'RTS' settings in the capture software may need to be changed, it all depends on how the lx mod was wired by the person who did the mod. Sharpcap has the right SC1 settings as default but I have had lx webcams that were wired differently.

Hope this helps..

[brantuk]

To connect it you need one of these: Adaptors - 1.25" nosepiece to webcam lens thread (ToUcam Pro SPC900NC)

[althecoal]

Things I have learnt using an SPC900 lx modded.

Hope this helps..

Cheers m8 the com port was the sort of thing i was dreading, so that may help alot...

What about the amp off thing hows that work in the progam?

Also has anyone used sharpcap with the lx modded SPC does it work ok?

i take it the screen is blank while the progam is taking the exposure?

[MorningMajor]

Apologies for the newbie question here .....but.......

What is the LX mod and what does it do?

[themos]

It allows webcams to collect light for longer (Long eXposure MODification) and thus behave like astronomical CCD cameras.

[airprox]

I have used an SPC900 that has an LX mod with Sharpcap... well, when I say I've used it, I've fiddled with it indoors, not had the skies for any proper stuff. It works fine, when you've plugged it in, you go to the menu to select camera as you would with the normal camera, and it will show in the list (something like SPC900NC LX... not on my astro PC at the mo). In the options drop down, you'll get a new menu for serial config, here you can select the com port and the DTR/RTS setting (still not sure which I need, I just select a check box, see what the image looks like, then change it if needed) I understand this is where you need to turn on the Amp off mod, but I don't think you need to mess around with that for the shorter exposures, if it looks like you're getting amp glow, turn it on.

Once you've selected the LX camera and set it up, you'll have a new slider over on the right hand side for you to set the exposure length, the rest should be similar to you.

I've mentioned elsewhere, there is a good video tutorial over at astronomyshed.co.uk but you'll need to sign up to the forums to get full access... it should point you in the right direction.

Cheers

Alun

Edited February 20, 2011 by airprox

[althecoal]

Ahh being able to use sharpcap will be great seeing as thats the program im used to using... cheers Alun

[MorningMajor]

It allows webcams to collect light for longer (Long eXposure MODification) and thus behave like astronomical CCD cameras.

I thought it would be something like that - so, can you mod an existing SPC900 to use it in both modes?

[airprox]

Sim, you can, it's not for the faint hearted, but there are a lot of very informative pages out there that show how to do it. If you have a basic knowledge of electronics and a solderig iron it's possible.

Philips SPC900NC uncovered

There's a rather excellent discussion here too, with splendid photos...

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

Cheers

Alun

[TheThing]

This month's Astronomy Now also has a feature on modding the SPC900 to LX as well.

[Laurent Adams]

10yrs! wow where have i been and is this not a thing anymore ? have it all in draw still lol 

 

[michael8554]

Still see used SPC900 / Toucams advertised for sale.

Like here on SGL:

Michael

[malc-c]

Great to see a decade old post revived

Still have my SPC900 - but seldom do planetary work now - In the day these were the sought after planetary imaging cameras given the CCD they used.  I did have a LX exposure modded one too, but have since lost that over the years !

Here's some of my images taken with this webcam, with stacked barlows used for Jupiter and Mars !

 

 

 

[Romulo]

Hello friends, Brazilian greetings!

I'm having trouble finding serial control options for SPC900's LX mod. Is there any software that needs to be installed to enable this option? I tried it through Sharpcap and Astro DMx Capture, however, without success. I'm using Chris YesYes mod with PL2302HXA with driver 3.3.2.150 on Win10 64bits.

Sorry for any grammar errors, I'm using Google Translate.

[malc-c]

I think the problem may be that this mod is no longer supported in recent versions of shapcap.  You need version 3.0 or earlier

Quote

• LX modified SPC900 cameras (SharpCap 3.0 and earlier versions)

Archived downloads here

[Romulo]

8 hours ago, malc-c said:

I think the problem may be that this mod is no longer supported in recent versions of shapcap.  You need version 3.0 or earlier

Archived downloads here

Thanks, it really was the version, with 3.0 the LX option appeared. But now when I try to take a photo, the notebook crashes and restarts, any ideas?

[malc-c]

Considering the years that have passed since we were all messing about hacking web cams and given there are now cheap affordable CMOS cameras available, I was amazed to see YesYes's website still running with a detailed guide on how to modify these old webcams is still up and available here  If this is the one you followed and are 100% sure the wiring and mods to the PCBs are correct and checked the settings Alun has linked to, then the reason the thing crashes could be driver related as there are no windows 10 drivers, or that you are running old software on a modern Windows 10 platform. 

You have to remember that what you are doing was all the rage some 10-15 years ago, and technically you are using obsolete modified hardware on modern computer running a totally different operating system (windows 10 doesn't have the same kernel that was at the heart of XP / windows 7).  

 

[malc-c]

You could try dropping the originator of the mod a PM, however his last activity on the forum was August 2020, so you may not get a reply.

It could be that this project just won't work on a modern 64bit operating system, having to run old 32bit software and unsupported hardware ?

[Romulo]

48 minutes ago, malc-c said:

Considering the years that have passed since we were all messing about hacking web cams and given there are now cheap affordable CMOS cameras available, I was amazed to see YesYes's website still running with a detailed guide on how to modify these old webcams is still up and available here  If this is the one you followed and are 100% sure the wiring and mods to the PCBs are correct and checked the settings Alun has linked to, then the reason the thing crashes could be driver related as there are no windows 10 drivers, or that you are running old software on a modern Windows 10 platform. 

You have to remember that what you are doing was all the rage some 10-15 years ago, and technically you are using obsolete modified hardware on modern computer running a totally different operating system (windows 10 doesn't have the same kernel that was at the heart of XP / windows 7).  

 

Ok friends, I'll check the drivers part of pl2303, but thanks for all the help!

Rômulo.

[astrorg]

On 30/12/2021 at 14:14, malc-c said:

Great to see a decade old post revived

Still have my SPC900 - but seldom do planetary work now - In the day these were the sought after planetary imaging cameras given the CCD they used.  I did have a LX exposure modded one too, but have since lost that over the years !

Here's some of my images taken with this webcam, with stacked barlows used for Jupiter and Mars !

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi
I used to 'use it' a bit and I have just found it and probably going to use it!

One thing I do not know and if you remember.

What is its pixel size? I am guessing ~ 4µ !

Thanks

M

[michael8554]

5.6um x 5.6um

Michael

[malc-c]

5 hours ago, astrorg said:

Hi
I used to 'use it' a bit and I have just found it and probably going to use it!

One thing I do not know and if you remember.

What is its pixel size? I am guessing ~ 4µ !

Thanks

M

A quick google came up with the following... too long ago for me to remember

Type: CCD; Color · Sensor size: 1/4" · Pixel size: 5.6 x 5.6 (micrometers) · Image format: 640 x 480 

[astrorg]

Thank you all...

Yes 5.6µm

I also finally found some of the old files.
Installed and working fine, apart from an initial BSOD because I did forget to read the txt file and do the 3 code modifications.

Well at least I hope it did the trick.

Got and ADC too for the first time in years I wanted to get one.

Since I did some planetary test on mono using my old RGB 4000 series - probably not IR protected and the IR filter... I thought we are in North UK and weather is bad, therefore probably no more Mono - just OSC for anything.
There are good filters now and I believe thanks to LED light put about 3 years ago, my Bortle may be 4- 4.5 and not 5 as mentioned by Clear outside website.

A few weeks ago, I could barely see the milky way - so I guess I am a 4.5 now and I was not adapted to darkness.
 

Edited September 3, 2022 by astrorg