ToUcam on its way

[matt]

Hooray ... hoorah!!!!:D

My TouCam is already on its way from Honkers. Thanks Ving for the tip re: Peter Lee on Astromart.

Very quick to reply and prompt to get the new goodies in the mail via 2-day EMS. Onya Pete:thumbsup:

Now, a couple of things.

1: When it arrives, what do I have to pull apart, tear off it, modify or otherwise physically change to get the thing to work? I've also got the 1.25" adaptor coming, so I'll be fitting that pronto!

Are there any threads (with nice clear colour piccies) I can have a look at to give me some pointers?

2: Also, anything I need to enable/disable to get it to work at its best, pre-RAW modding, OPTIMIZING etc etc???

Do I turn the mic off???

Threads/links would be a huge help.

I'm a ToUcammer. Who would have thunk it....:rolleyes:

[ving]

just unscrew the lens fromthe front and screw the adapter in its place. :)

as for turning mike off... well i am leaving that one alone :P

and NP :) :thumbsup:

ps: oh yeah, and apparently of all the sw you get on the disc the driver is the only one you need install :)

[matt]

turn the mic off ving.... the mic:rofl:

Thanks again. Sounds dead simple.

I've already got K3CCDTools ready to go. If there's any other capture software which works nicely with the ToUcam, let me know.

have also got the WCctrl thingy for making adjustments to settings.

Seems I'm set. Looking forward to seeing how it goes in comparison to the NexImage;)

[davidpretorius]

qfocus i like more than k3ccd demo, except it does not have a light meter

have yet to play with wcctrl, but i am planning to

[matt]

Dave. Is qfocus freeware?

Got a link?

[Dennis]

Matt

Here are a couple of screen captures from K3CCDTools Version 3:


Select the "Program Settings" Icon.
Make sure that "Capture Audio" is NOT checked.

For my very first avi of Jupiter I also (accidentally) captured audio and Registax spat the dummy and I had to use another application to strip off the audio stream from the video stream, so not all is lost if you forget in the heat of the moment when you get 10/10 seeing...

Cheers

Dennis

[davidpretorius]

yup, hows your french

http://www.astrosurf.org/astropc/qcam/instqcf.exe

from this page

http://www.astrosurf.org/astropc/qcam/programme.html


it explains how to translate into english

[davidpretorius]

asimov send me a video to process of mars and he left his mic on!!!

very funny, i must say i am impressed on how he lasted 2 minutes!

[matt]

Thanks Dennis.

Dave. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with those 2 links.

Why can this never be simple and straight-forward, n'est pas:lol:

[asimov]

Hey, was that the video where I was swearing & cursing & calling some IIS dudes w:D ckers & so forth Dave??

[davidpretorius]

yup, plus doing the wild thing!

[asimov]

Yeah, thought so....And here I was thinking I was mounting my new 20 dollar EQ drive that evening :confuse3:

[[1ponders]]

Pretty swish Photoshop Masking there Dennis :lol:

DP you haven't use WcCtrl yet? Hrmph! And you call yourself an amateur planetary imager. Hrmph!!

:rofl::poke::lol:

Matt, just a heads up on K3 V3. I don't know if Mike and I are the only ones experiencing this but I sometimes get hangups. It looks like the program has stropped responding and stopped recording, but it hasn't. It will still be recording but the counter stops counting :shrug: And sometimes I've been getting an "access violation" warning, which may or may not hang the program. K3 V1 though (or 2 if you can get it) is np :thumbsup:

[matt]

Thanks Paul. That's handy to know. Will definitely be calling on the experience of you guys as my learning curve continues ... to plateau!!:lol:

[Dennis]

Poor man’s Photoshop = Corel Photopaint (V7 originally purchased from Woolworths for $19.95)




Hey Paul, I have heard of WcCtrl but like Dave, haven’t used it. Would it be possible to put into a few short words what it does and how it works – thanks!




This happens to me too, but only when I am simultaneously processing avi’s in Registax or have TheSky running and controlling the ‘scope. I figured it was a computer resource issue?

Cheers

Dennis

[davidpretorius]

Martin Burri has just asked on the twirg yahoo site re wcctrl.

It looks like the raw macro for the 900nc are on the way

________________________
Hi,

Anyone interested in BETA looking at the new WcCtrl ?

There is quite an update ongoing due to the recent cams
i.e. SPC900 and Logi Fusion - both are not exactly straight to support
so I had to renew most of the low level stuff.
The first program is now WcCtrl - later WcRmac will be added which will then

fully support the SPC900 - by now it is merely by chance as posted before.

A note if you are a previous user:
The language file WcCtrl.lng is not replaced with the new one
so you have to replace your existing language file manually
i.e. copy WcCtrl.lng.EN WcCtrl.lng in case you want the English version
--> This is because I don't want to overwrite your existing file
and there is only one new text for the Sharpness slider
(will report as Hue if the language file is not updated)

OK - what's new is listed below

V 1.4.0.41 May, 2006

+ Added: Support for SPC900NC, Logi QC Fusion and similar
+ Added: Basic Support for Crea Live Ultra
+ Added: For Logi Fusion the FPS Slider is mapped with the exposure program
which allows some kind of long exposure at the bottom end.
+ Added: Slider for Sharpness (if the cam supports it)
+ Improved: Extended poll interval range and ability to turn it off
+ Improved: Detection of known WebCam Models based on VID & PID see
readme.txt
The rest goes through heuristic compatibility search and defaults to basic
support
if a better model cannot be found

+ Known Issues: --> due to cam design
For some cam models the responsivenes is slow under certain conditions.
The Philips and other SAA8116 base cams tend to be very slow at 5fps i.e
5-10 sec is possible
The LogiFusion is unresponsive when doing longer exposures
The LogiFusion does adjust the exposure parameters on its own sometimes
i.e. when attempting to do LE under bright conditions

Download of the BETA Version is here

<http://www.burri-web.org/bm98/soft/wcctrl/wcctrl-1.4.41.zip (http://www.burri-web.org/bm98/soft/wcctrl/wcctrl-1.4.41.zip)>

Feedback is certainly appreciated
you may send it directly to the mail address given at the end of the
readme.txt file

Martin Burri

[matt]

OK. What about that "handy" fold down silver base? Has anyone removed that or do you just leave it folded up?

Is it possible to remove it?

[ving]

now thats sserious modding you want to do there matt :P

[matt]

I know Ving. I know:P

Grappling with the Big Issues ... on a wet Tuesday afternoon.

Now, be a nice librarian and step aside and let someone helpful step forward:lol:

I'm just looking at my newly arrived silver astrogizmo... and can't see any way of detaching the base without doing it damage.

So, I'll ask again :rolleyes: ... can it be removed or do folk just leave it on?

[davidpretorius]

http://www.cooperhandtools.com/brands/CF_Files/model_detail.cfm?upc=037103580122


cut the *******, i did and filed it away. It is a fiddly bit of excess plastic.

the other option is to use a rubber band to keep it in the "up" position.

I support "Hug a librarian today!" day!

[ving]

Shh!
;)

[matt]

You might support "Hug A Librarian Today" day, Davo...

but you'll always be king of "Wear Your Sandals with Socks Day" for me, DP matey:rofl:

And dave, I thought about taking to the brand-spanking Pro II in the davepretorius-DIY-hatchet job-rough as guts-style, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Not on day one of our new life together.

She's just so new, clean, silver and shiny. So perfect looking.

Can't we just have a few days together, gentle like, before I get all bare-chested and tough and start hackin' bits off?:lol:

[davidpretorius]

asi, i need some more sessions booked for canberra

[asimov]

Yup, I took my angle grinder to mine (a files too slow..get with the plan Davo!) not having any excess baggage on my camera!

[davidpretorius]

i see the error in my ways, my master.

in my rush to convert all to the manly grunty "she'll be right" dark side i have erred. from wearing sock and sandals to using "soft" tools!!

i hang my head in shame and will return the mighty "plasma cutter", i am unworthy to be soldering my toucam ccd chip with it!

[asimov]

Have you learnt nothing grass-Pretorius-hopper??....Only an oxy/acetylene set with a massive heating tip will do for soldering CCD chips! :mad2:

[matt]

Is it possible to deactivate that stupid bright red light that comes on when the cam's operating?

[ving]

put some masking tape over it? pliers or snips taken to it? i dont know....

yeah i know, move aside ving and let someone in who knows what they are talking about :P

[davidpretorius]

to be honest i have never noticed it,

[matt]

you're kidding, right? You've never noticed it?:screwy:

It's a veritable beacon shining out in the night. Do we have the same camera?

my one concern is the red light bleeding into the images? Otherwise it's not a problem.

I'll try masking it, but that won't prevent internal stray light, will it?

[allan gould]

Matt
Have you got your camera yet? I ordered mine last monday week from SA and as yet I still have seen hide nor hair of it yet my bankcard has been debited. It will be interesting to see if Hong Kong is faster than SA. Good luck with yours.
Regards, Allan

[davidpretorius]

my 840k has been long exposure modified, so the switch may be in the light slot???

anyone with an umodified 840k noticed the light and gave it a tweek, ie a hammer!

[matt]

:lol: Dave "The Tool" ... Man. You certainly have a delicate touch.

Hi Al. Placed my order Sunday. The cam arrived yesterday as promised. 2-day EMS from Hong Kong. Mind you, you do pay a little extra to get it sent quick-as-a-flash. Peter Lee seems a very professional bloke.

Sorry to hear you've had a bit of a wait. I'm sure it'll be worth it.

[davidpretorius]

hey matt, what was your final cost to land the toucam in aussie from overseas?

[matt]

DP - the whole shebang. TouCam ProII 840K, black anodised 1.25" metal adapter and 2-day EMS postage from HK.... $147 to my door.

That's not bad when you consider you normally get charged about $35 for the adapter.:)

[davidpretorius]

saved $60, top stuff!

you can go and buy some good seeing with the spare dough! :D

[allan gould]

Pity I didn't know about that as I could have saved some money and got it considerably faster. I try to support Oz dealers but when faced with the right price and really fast service from overseas you wonder why you bother.

[iceman]

The red light doesn't bother me, I can't see how it would possibly leak into the image, it's shining outside the focuser.

A shame you haven't seen/heard anything of yours yet, Allan. I get the impression they are very busy and sometimes you might just get lucky to get quick service.

[matt]

When I had the cam plugged in the lappie last night for a quick peek at joops I thought I noticed a slight red tinge showing up at one side of the screen?

My (small) concern was/is whether the red light sent any light scattering around inside the unit? If you say no... I'll believe you. Just understandably a bit paranoid about any bright light shining around an imaging cam.

Thanks Mike

[iceman]

I haven't noticed anything, but if you're worried about it, it can't hurt to put some black electrical tape over it.

[asimov]

I read a few articles where guys THOUGHT it was affecting their imaging by the light leaking in through the internal translucent plastic onto the chip. I've never noticed it myself.

Inconclusive evidence so far..

[asimov]

Better off disabling the light altogether somehow. Not sure how though, short of using Davo's screwdriver trick...Their not that easy to pull apart.

[matt]

Ohhhh ... so it's all just in our heads then?:lol:

No worries Asi. Just thought I'd ask the question. Wasn't sure whether everyone's TouCam was the same. Seem to be a number of models out there in the marketplace and I didn't know if they all had that bright red light that mine has when the cam's operating???

If it's not a problem for guys like you and Mike etc then that's good enuff for me:thumbsup: