webcam problem

[raymo]

I have modded a Logitech webcam for planetary work by removing the
lens and fitting a 1.25" eyepiece tube, and it works fine on the scope
in daylight. When I tried Jupiter I could go through either side of focus and get a sharp edged image, but all I got was a perfect, featureless
white disc. Altering the brightness just gave me a brighter or dimmer
view, and the contrast control didn't help either. The seeing was quite good with clear cloud belts visually. Also, Registax
won't accept it's output; will a file convertor fix this, or is the Logitech simply not suitable for this purpose? I don't
know what model it is, I've had it a long while and have no paperwork for it.
raymo

[BlackWidow]

The driver software that came with the camera should allow you to change the frame rate (around 15) and to be able to adjust the gain. It has little to do with brightness and contrast. Also the fitting of an IR filter helps but not essential. Thier are other webcam capture programs for free on the net, but it's all about frame rate and gain.


Hope this helps
Mardy

[raymo]

Thanks Mardy, I'll look into your info.
raymo

[raymo]

It Looks as though Mardy has found answers to some of my problems,
but I still have the problem with compatability. The videos from the camera are shown as Windows Media/ Audio, not AVI, which I think is
the required format. Anyway, Registax doesn't recognise them.
All the adjustments that Mardy mentioned are there except that
there seems to be no provision for changing frame rate. There is a
slider called exposure, maybe that is frame rate under another name.
I can't find any reference to output file types and whether they can
be changed.
raymo

[Harb]

Have you tried "Virtual Dub" to break the video up into bitmaps.

[raymo]

I just downloaded Virtual Dub [on my other comp],and several ooh nasties that came with it; My security system told me I'm in the pooh,
so now I've got to fix that too.
raymo

[raymo]

I tried Mardy's suggestions, and now have an image of sorts; this
can no doubt be improved, but I am still left with the mystery of
why the Logitech outputs files that Registax can't read, and what
I can do about it.
raymo

[noeyedeer]

hi raymo,
you should be able to convert wmv to avi. there's plenty of converters available. I havnt used one for years and can't remember which ones I could recommend.

the free one here should be ok to use. www.any-video-converter.com/avi-converter/wmv-to-avi-converter.php

matt

[raymo]

Thank you so much Matt.
raymo

[raymo]

Back again Matt. The converter works fine, and converts my video to
AVI, but Registax wont accept any of the half a dozen choices of codec
that the converter offers, so it still can't open it. It's so frustrating being
so comp illiterate. It's probably not that difficult to fix.
raymo

[noeyedeer]

hmm .. which codecs will registax accept? possibly because it's the trial product .. you could try this one and see if it will convert to a supported codec.

it's an older converter .. www.aviwmv.com/
matt

[raymo]

Thanks again, I'll try that one. When Reg says it can't accept the codec
it shows another codec which I presume is the correct one, but I didn't see any way of inserting that codec in the converter that I was using.
raymo

[noeyedeer]

fingers crossed that one will have the right codec. does your wmv file have audio in it, or was the mic on the camera disabled if it has one?

that could be a possible problem? having not used registax I don't know if audio would be supported or not?

matt

[raymo]

That one has page can't be opened, so I'll have to try all the converters
offered on the net until I find one that works. Incidentally, how is one supposed to know what codec Reg needs?
raymo

[noeyedeer]

have you had a read through this?
www.astronomie.be/registax/aviformats.html

it suggests using the oldest avi codec you can find ... and recommends that virtual dub as well as previously suggested here. hmm if I had a computer I'd try myself, but I'm on a phone :(

[raymo]

I have to go out now, will try again later, but in answer to your question,
the audio was disabled.
raymo.

[noeyedeer]

no worries. hopefully you can get it sorted, or someone might be able to recommend something that'll work no fuss.
matt

[raymo]

Now I have a new problem with my webcams. When trying to image Jupiter all I get is a perfect white disc with no sign whatsoever of
cloud bands or anything else. I can go through focus from one side to the other and get the moons nice and small, but no amount of twiddling
with gain, frame rate, contrast, brightness, exposure etc brings any sign of features; it just becomes a brighter or dimmer perfect white disc. I have the same problem with my Logitech webcam and my Acuter imager.
I'm guessing that the problem is something I'm doing wrong.!!!!!!!!!
raymo

[mswhin63]

This is simply overexposure, very common for simple webcam. Try a double polarising filter and an IR filter. Use the IR Filter first to see if the removal of the original lens and the IR Filter from the webcam may have the effect.

With nearly all webcam they do not target auto exposure methods so it most of the image is dark the camera will sense this and turn the exposure up the full.

Colour cameras are extremely sensetive the IR and have a filter place on the lens (inside) and if you remove the lens then the camera is exposed to full IR from the planets and moon. Moon shot take up most of the image so Auto exposure is possible but still not recommended.

[raymo]

Thanks for the reply Malcolm, and I imagine you are right with the Logitech, but it would surprise me with the Acuter, as it is made for
planetary and lunar work, and worked o.k. on Saturn when I last used
it a couple of years ago. [I realise that Saturn is not as bright as Jupiter]
What surprised me was if I lowered the controls to the point that the
disc was so dim that it was only just visible, it was still a perfect
monochrome disc with no sign of features.
raymo

[mswhin63]

No worries Raymo, I did not know if was a specific CMOS imager, I tried to search for it online but it seems they have discontinued it for what-ever reason, and cant locate the specs on it.

I noticed on the original thread it mentioned Logitech so I assumed that is what the problem is. I dont really have enough time to troll through a thread to see if there is any major changes.

[raymo]

No probs Malcolm; you can still buy the Acuter from Camera Centre in
the U.K. It looks like I will have to use a filter if I want to use the
Logitech though. I'd still like to know what the problem is cos the Acuter is easier to use, and it has it's own barlow.
raymo