Grrrrrr, frustration central!

[Robthevegetable]

Morning all,

After being out for the last hour or so checking out the sunspots on show at the moment (looking good by the way) I thought I'd have another bash with my webcam... I tried a few weeks back to capture Saturn (with no success) and I was advised to try on something a little easier (Lunar or Solar) until I had my eye in! So I proceeded to get said Sun in the eyepiece, dead centre, and then swapped my eyepiece for the webcam, and what was shown on the screen of my laptop was nothing short of the first sighting of a black hole... Nothing, zip, nadda! I fiddled around for five or so minutes (with no success), and then proceeded to lose my patience and pack up and come back inside!

Now, I'm not the most impatient person in the world, far from it, but surely something that big and shiny should be easy to find on the screen of my computer. It got me thinking that issue might the webcam, but then I remembered twiddling about with it prior to attaching the eyepiece adapter, so don't think it is!

Has anyone got any tips, tricks, workarounds or methods that may prove useful to a complete novice who has a slight tendency to throw his toys out of the pram when things don't work straightway?!

[Merlin66]

Which image capture program are you using with the webcam?

I assume your using a Baader solar film.

[Robthevegetable]

Well, I've just bought a MacBook so programs are extremely limited, I attempted with a program called Macam. The first few times I tried though I was on my old laptop, with SharpCap, but couldn't get anything to register then either (I didn't mind that so much because, like I said, I was trying to capture Saturn, which isn't exactly huge through my scope)!

If anyone can recommend a program that may be more suitable then I'm all ears... I may get BootCamp up and running at some point, so I'll be back on Windows then and the program won't be such an issue!

Oh, and yeh, I was using a baader film.

[Stephen]

Could well be a macam issue, does the webcam capture images if you put the original lens back in rather than the nosepiece?

You are refocusing I presume after switching from eyepiece to webcam?

[Robthevegetable]

I tried refocusing, but with something as big and bright as the Sun I would've expected to see at least some white, even if it was out of focus and off centre!

[Stephen]

I tried refocusing, but with something as big and bright as the Sun I would've expected to see at least some white, even if it was out of focus and off centre!

It never hurts to ask questions when you are trying to help someone

Put the original lens back in the webcam, and try to capture some video of your living room. Do you see any images on the screen?

[Merlin66]

Rob,

I'd go back to basics and check that the programs you have actually control the webcam...if you have the original lens put it back on for some trials around the desk...Or fit it to a finder (gaffa tape etc) just to confirm it works.

All the software I have is XP stuff - can't really help with Mac...sorry

[Stephen]

Have you had the RAW mod done?

If so, don't use macam for capture, use Keiths AstroImager (google)

[Robthevegetable]

I might be able find the original lens (hopefully), although I remember there being a hideous noise when I prised it off the first time!

Back to basics seems to be a good idea, will see what I can do tonight/tomorrow (unfortunately I have to go to work soon )!

Kh3ldar - I just re-read what I'd replied and didn't mean to come across so short!

[Stephen]

I might be able find the original lens (hopefully), although I remember there being a hideous noise when I prised it off the first time!

Back to basics seems to be a good idea, will see what I can do tonight/tomorrow (unfortunately I have to go to work soon )!

Kh3ldar - I just re-read what I'd replied and didn't mean to come across so short!

No worries dude - but yes, we need to verify the camera actually works.

THE LENS UNSCREWS!!! Please tell me you didn't pull it out, it's only the grey cap on the top you have to pull.

Also, did you follow the macam installation guide properly? There's a section where you need to copy a file to ~/Libraries/QuickTime or something like that ... if you don't do that step it could also be naffed.

(I have a Mac, but find it easier to use an XP VM.)

[Robthevegetable]

Oh yeh, I unscrewed the lens now you remind me, but the focuser was a tricky little bleeder!

I remember seeing that ~/Libraries... Thing, but never registered that I needed to do anything with it. I have Keiths AstraImager now, so I'll give that a bash once I've established my cam is working!

Like I say, I aim to get windows up and running at some point on my MacBook but after the initial outlay for it I'm not exactly swamped with cash