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Old 01-06-2014, 09:35 AM
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So cheap!

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Datys...527799535.html

But astonishingly the reviews are very good... I wonder if I should give it a go? Even if I don't like it I won't be financially ruined...

From the same manufacturer (higher resolution):
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/prod...663227239.html

Last edited by OzStarGazer; 01-06-2014 at 09:50 AM.
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Old 01-06-2014, 10:13 AM
glend (Glen)
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How do you find these things?

Give it a go and write a review. I'd be interested if it can be made into a guidescope camera.
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Old 01-06-2014, 10:33 AM
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mithrandir (Andrew)
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How do you find these things?

Give it a go and write a review. I'd be interested if it can be made into a guidescope camera.
Can't see why not. They both have 1.25" adapters and the more expensive one says it is WDM compatible. (The cheap one has all the text in the images so google can't translate it but it does appear to say say 640x480 pixels at 3.4um.)
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Old 01-06-2014, 10:33 AM
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I think I was looking for more reviews of the G227 webcam.

Yes, I would like to give it a go. I just have to decide between the really cheap one and the more expensive one (still a very good price for a 3MP webcam!).
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Old 15-06-2014, 09:00 AM
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I got my cheap webcam and it seems to work fine. Unfortunately I was unable to test it on the night sky because of (yes, you've guessed it!) clouds, but I tested it with my small refractor (the one I was given for the solar eclipse) on a brick wall... I could see the details of the bricks very well. They also appeared to be much more magnified than with the low-power eyepiece, so it should be nice to look at the moon and record a video when I have the chance.
(This morning I had to uninstall the USB drivers and restart the computer to make it work, but the problem is related to Windows rather than the camera, as it occasionally also occurs with other devices.)
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Old 15-06-2014, 09:14 AM
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Oh, the only con is that the cable is very short, so I have ordered a 5m USB extension on eBay...
PS: The seller had 10% of his total sales on the day I started my thread. If anybody here bought it and tested it on the moon I would love to know what you think. Thanks.

Last edited by OzStarGazer; 15-06-2014 at 09:26 AM.
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Old 15-06-2014, 08:08 PM
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Watching this with interest. I have got some really good stuff from china in the past and cheap. Very tempted on the high res eyepiece, software is 90% of a camera anyway and if the ccd chip is good it could be a winner.
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Old 15-06-2014, 09:16 PM
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The reason why it appears so highly magnified is that it's a tiny piece of silicon, so the field of view will be comparatively small.

Is it colour or b/w?
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Old 15-06-2014, 10:17 PM
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Regulus (Trevor)
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The TMB (?) are cheap here too.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/grou...255063627.html
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Old 16-06-2014, 11:59 AM
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Originally Posted by OzStarGazer View Post
I got my cheap webcam and it seems to work fine.
Hi OzStarGazer....

when you say "it works fine"....

Are you Able to capture at the full resolution of 1280*1024 at 30 fps?
Can you adjust the exposure in something like sharpcap?

Since this is advertised as an astronomical camera,
i'd imagine that it should behave like this (but y' nver know ;-) )

do you reckon it actually is a CCD?
(don't know how you could tell - just seems a little strange in this day and age)

If all of the above is as advertised - i'm getting one too!


cheers,


cheers,
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Old 16-06-2014, 12:05 PM
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pluto (Hugh)
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Same model even cheaper:
http://www.dhgate.com/store/product/...187068367.html
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  #12  
Old 18-06-2014, 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by sharkbite View Post
Hi OzStarGazer....

when you say "it works fine"....

Are you Able to capture at the full resolution of 1280*1024 at 30 fps?
Can you adjust the exposure in something like sharpcap?

Since this is advertised as an astronomical camera,
i'd imagine that it should behave like this (but y' nver know ;-) )

do you reckon it actually is a CCD?
(don't know how you could tell - just seems a little strange in this day and age)

If all of the above is as advertised - i'm getting one too!


cheers,


cheers,
I had actually bought the first one (the really cheap one). But it stopped working the second time I used it, and I tested it on 3 computers with 3 different systems. It beeped as usual when you connect a USB device, but it was not in the software program anymore, and it never connected to any computer again (no beeping either anymore)... I am sooo disappointed. Really. It is not much, but I still want my money back... Apparently it takes a looong time with AliExpress before you get your money back (6 to 8 months according to the Internet).... And I don't even know if I will get it back. Luckily I can live without those 12.5 dollars, but I am still disappointed and if they don't handle the matter to my satisfaction I will delete my AliExpress account altogether (it was my first purchase, I usually buy on eBay)... Maybe it is my usual bad luck, I don't know.... Although I have read somewhere that once you click on "confirm receipt of your order" you can leave feedback, but for example if you want to open a dispute you can't leave feedback because you have not confirmed receipt of your order, so it is possible that some people chose to open a dispute and were thus unable to leave neg feedback? It would be really sad if I were the only one who got a product who doesn't work after the first day? I am just waiting for some response now...
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Old 18-06-2014, 02:48 PM
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Can a digital eyepiece for microscope be used with a telescope with a suitable adapter?
I know that the other way around is possible (that a digital eyepiece for telescope can be used with a microscope), but maybe a digital eyepiece for telescope has some special requirements because it has to see in the darkness?


Last edited by OzStarGazer; 18-06-2014 at 03:00 PM.
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Old 18-06-2014, 07:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OzStarGazer View Post
Can a digital eyepiece for microscope be used with a telescope with a suitable adapter?
I know that the other way around is possible (that a digital eyepiece for telescope can be used with a microscope), but maybe a digital eyepiece for telescope has some special requirements because it has to see in the darkness?

Should work just fine. Most microscopes have 25mm or 30mm eyepiece barrels or smaller though while telescopes have 1 1/4" (31.25mm or something silly) barrels. Obviously you'll likely need to increase the exposure length for anything other than the Moon or planets though.
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Old 19-06-2014, 05:56 AM
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Should work just fine. Most microscopes have 25mm or 30mm eyepiece barrels or smaller though while telescopes have 1 1/4" (31.25mm or something silly) barrels. Obviously you'll likely need to increase the exposure length for anything other than the Moon or planets though.
Thanks. Yes, but I think I would use it mainly for the Moon and planets anyway because I don't have tracking.

I was looking at this digital eyepiece and in the US it is pretty cheap:
http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop...roscope-imager
And 2MP is not bad at all.
PS: I recently also purchased a microscope for the cold winter days...

Last edited by OzStarGazer; 19-06-2014 at 10:07 AM.
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Old 19-06-2014, 07:50 AM
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I had actually bought the first one (the really cheap one). But it stopped working the second time I used it
thanks -looks like aliexpress and dhgate both have RMA and supply issues -
all online review give them both a body-slam.

based on this i am going to go down the "modify an MS lifecam" route.

Shame really - the "datyson tyrant" looked from the outside like it could
be pretty good.

cheers
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Old 19-06-2014, 08:24 AM
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thanks -looks like aliexpress and dhgate both have RMA and supply issues -
all online review give them both a body-slam.

based on this i am going to go down the "modify an MS lifecam" route.

Shame really - the "datyson tyrant" looked from the outside like it could
be pretty good.

cheers
It actually arrived in record time. And maybe I was just unlucky. Other people gave positive reviews.

Reviews on other sites might not be totally reliable though because people tend to go there and write a review when they are dissatisfied....

Anyway, there is also the G227 (also from China). It is sold on eBay, and I read (I think on the Stargazers Lounge site) that it is good. A member said it is better than the Toucam (which he apparently also has).

But as I also have a microscope for me the Celestron I linked to in another post is also an option. It is very easy to make the nosepiece bigger, even without an adapter, for example with some bubble wrap.

Last edited by OzStarGazer; 25-06-2014 at 10:42 AM.
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Old 10-07-2014, 12:05 PM
axle01 (Alan)
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Got one, now to get time to use it.
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Old 17-07-2014, 01:35 PM
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Got one, now to get time to use it.
Have you tested it yet?
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Old 18-07-2014, 06:19 AM
axle01 (Alan)
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Have you tested it yet?
No mate no time due to my business interfearing with my private life, but hopefully Sat week.
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