So cheap!

[OzStarGazer]

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Datyson-USB-Telescope-Digital-Eyepiece-TDI30-electronic-eyepiece-30W/1527799535.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/product/Datyson-Tyrant-gold-TTX-650-electron-microscope-telescope-eyepiece-Full-Metal-USB-interface-definition-CCD-electronic/217524_1663227239.html

[glend]

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.

[mithrandir]

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.)

[OzStarGazer]

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!).

[OzStarGazer]

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.)

[OzStarGazer]

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. :)

[doppler]

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.

[LightningNZ]

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?

[Regulus]

The TMB (?) are cheap here too.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Eyepiece/217524_255063627.html

[sharkbite]

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,

[pluto]

Same model even cheaper:
http://www.dhgate.com/store/product/datyson-tyrant-gold-ttx-650-electron-microscope/187068367.html

[OzStarGazer]

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... :sadeyes:

[OzStarGazer]

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?

:thanx:

[LightningNZ]

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.

[OzStarGazer]

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/microscopes/microscope-accessories/imagers/digital-microscope-imager
And 2MP is not bad at all.
PS: I recently also purchased a microscope for the cold winter days...

[sharkbite]

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

[OzStarGazer]

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.

[axle01]

Got one, now to get time to use it.

[OzStarGazer]

Have you tested it yet?

[axle01]

No mate no time due to my business interfearing with my private life, but hopefully Sat week.

[AG Hybrid]

I just bought this one too. Also an adapter + 10mm eyepiece attachment for mobile phones which I thought was clever.

[DraganTine]

Hello,

Anyone try this out I got one but it didn't come with any drivers / software ?

Can anyone upload or send me the file or a URL to a download ?

I have the Datyson Black Eyepiece

Thanks

[OzStarGazer]

I think it is Plug and Play, so when you plug it in Windows detects it and automatically installs the driver.
Then you need a program for webcams, for example WebcamMax. There are also free ones on the net.

[DraganTine]

Hello,

Yes you are right it is plug and play, I am just use to cameras coming with their own software to capture photo or video and not a 3rd party software.

I'll look for a free one - If anyone can suggest a free simple capture program I be thankful :D

Thanks
DT

Update : Found a quick simple one - Free Webcam Picture Taker

http://freepicturesolutions.com/downloads.html

[ZeroID]

Try SharpCap, Firecapture, Metaguide.
They are all free and should work but will be limited by the camera's capabilities so some feaures may not be available.

Metaguide, as it's name says is guiding software rather than capture software. Communicates through PHD and GPUSB software\hardware.

Firecapture is awesome and has guiding capabilty as well.

Have fun !

[DraganTine]

Well,

I tried it today not really happy...

I looked back at the auction and realized its ...

Webcam 0.3MP USB Telescope Digital Camera

WOW i didn't look before and realize it was less than a MP my cell phone is 8 MP

I took a photo one day hard to center it but it was a super photo

The video / photos were poor and now I know why - 0.3 MP ...

I don't think a different software wold make any difference ?

Here's a clip of the moon....

http://www.reelalitycheck.com/Photos/Tuesday_28_October_2014%2019_09_41. avi

[OzStarGazer]

No - unfortunately the resolution depends on the camera. But you should still be able to achieve nice results. Some software programs are better than others though.
PS: You can still also edit both videos and photos.
PPS: The trembling in the video are just turbulences though. If the seeing conditions are bad the turbulences will be there also with the best camera.

[Poita]

The resolution isn't necessarily an issue, all of these photos are taken with a 0.3MP camera.

http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20111122/images-captured-with-dmk-21-and-dbk-21-camera/

[OzStarGazer]

I agree. If you don't want to use the images as computer wallpaper or posters it shouldn't be an issue if you keep the images small as in the link you provided.

[sharkbite]

Folks - have you had a chance to try out the "DATYSON TYRANT GOLD" ?

if so - what's it like?

cheers,

[raymo]

You can get perfectly acceptable results with a 0.3MP webcam.
You don't need multi MP cameras. Some very fine images are
obtained from 1000-1500 frames of 0.3 MP video.
raymo

[copperg]

Hi Guys - I realise this thread is a bit old but bought one of these in 2015. It works OK - sort of.... The images are sort of "Posterised" false, look daggy.....!! I'm running it on WIndows 8 then upgraded to WIn 10 and is the same on both (Tried the 32bit driver & the 64 bit driver) same result.

It came with a miniCD with the Drivers (Also had 3 copies of the same Virus on the disc!!)

I think its just not the correct Driver for Win 8/10 (But I tried it on a WIn XP machine & no better).

Does anyone have a driver that works ok with it (link would be best).

It doesn't produce useable pics' (Cost me ~$50 so no great loss - would just like to get it going)

ANy SUggestions???

[bojan]

I just bought this one:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/272030457649
I thought it could be useful.. looks pretty solidly built (aluminium alloy). Will post review.

[ChrisV]

Look like Paddy's Market ZWOs. Will be very interested to see your review.

Chris

[pat30]

Hello,
I go back the subject,
Bojan you tested this camera?

[bojan]

Yes... nothing much, seems just like ordinary webcam. No software...
The only good thing is metal enclosure.

[pat30]

thank.
No more information about the sensor used?


For those interested, I bought some time ago the DATYSON T7 (https://fr.aliexpress.com/store/product/T7-Astro-Camera-Astronomical-Astronomy-Planetary-High-Speed-Electronic-Eyepice-Telescope-Digital-Lens-for-Guiding-Astrophotograp/217524_32786715355.html), it is actually an ASI120 with another package, the drivers are well those of ASI120 so a good camera for really cheap

[luka]

Very interesting Pat, thanks for the info.
If anyone else is interested, here is google translation (https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webastro.net%2Ff orum%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D149406&edit-text=) of the French forum discussing the Datyson T7 camera.

[pat30]

Hi Luka,
I see you watching well Webastro :thumbsup:,thank you for posting the link