There certainly is a way Duncan, Doug , but unfortunately the
mortals like us don't posess the skills needed to do the job.
The secret is the 8300 chip can be hooked up with the right frame transfer
and timing chips, AD converters , USB UARTs etc and
make a respectable Astro camera.
People like the guy at QHY have those skills.
The guys behind the ATIK/Artemis cameras have those skills and did offer
a kit form of the first ICX285 CCD camera...It didn't sell for long(the kit)
and they withdrew the kit unfortunately. You can buy a ready made one.
This is ideal for a hobbyist like me.
It's just as much fun making the kit as using it.
It's also a great way to learn how things work this way.
But basically thats it in a nutshell...the main expensive component is
the CCD. And the intellectual property.
Once an idea like the Artemis or QHY cameras are developed to the
point of being a viable , bug free camera these guys deserve to make
a buck out of them to recoup the development costs.
Any coin after that is a good earner, good on them, they deserve it.
There still might be a slight chance these guys offered a kit form
of these cameras but I can understand the risk involved and them not
wanting to.
Only people with fairly good skills and experience could make a kit
to that level. Anyone else would be pestering them with 'my kit don't
work, fix it'.
They don't have the resources to take that part of the business on, and
that's why the kit form Artemis 285 was shelved.
I agree with Doug's following comments too BTW...well maybe not
the Scottish bit ...
regards,
Steve
Quote:
Originally Posted by dugnsuz
There's no cheap way into the quality you aspire to Duncan - been there, done that!!
I could say "be happy with what you've got..." etc etc - I know it doesn't satiate the hunger!!But, it's a very true axiom.
You are producing very nice stuff for a guy who's just a few months into the hobby!! And, I'm sure you could push the envelope on the gear you have - that to me is the challenge...getting results out of the gear you own which others tell you can't be achieved. That way, you can be assured that when you do own the CCD you'll suck the marrow from its bones!!! YUK!!!!!!!
Lang May Yer Lum Reek
Aye... I'm on the Talisker again!!!
Doug
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