TPoint query - binning

[pvelez]

I've been tossing up purchasing a mapping program.

I downloaded Maxpoint (trial only) and found that it won't allow binning on the imaging camera. This might be a real pain as I use the QSI 583 - a wonderful camera but reeeaaalllyyy slow when downloading unbinned shots.

So I'm toying with TPoint instead. This is a major shift for me as I have Starry Night Pro and so would need to buy The Sky - at US$329.

My question - does TPoint allow binned photos when doing its business?

If anyone has a strong view on The Sky vs SN, I'd be happy to hear that too

Pete

[Tandum]

You can bin in maxpoint (http://www.cyanogen.com/help/maxpoint/Auto_Calibration.htm). Unless they've changed it. TPoint is different again. It embeds into the sky as an automation object and requires you to run a script to capture images and imagelink them to the sky to get a poistion. I'm pretty sure you need ccdsoft to capture the images.

[rogerg]

When I perform my mapping with TheSky6 + CCDSoft + TPoint + AutoMapper, all my shots are binned 2x2. There's certainly no problem with that.

If your query is around "mixed binning" ie, taking some mapping shots at 1x1 and others at 2x2 ... I am not 100% certain as I have not tried it but I don't see why this would have any impact providing the plate solve is correct in both cases (which relies on CCDSoft correctly plate solving the 2x2 or 1x1 image).

If you manually map (take a photograph, centre the star, then click map) then binning definitely has no impact - it's simply a case of you centering the star correctly before you map the additional point.

If you have more questions about TPoint I suggest you ask on the Software Bisque forums. You normally get a quick (24 hours) response fom Bisque to such queries.

[pvelez]

Thanks Robin

When I had it all set up yesterday, I could have sworn the setting said Max 1 not Max 2.

I'll have another play

Pete

[Tandum]

Pete, I would have thought it would get max bin from maxim, but I haven't played with it for a while. I do remember having trouble under win7 if I didn't run it as admin. I found it easier to change user account settings under control panel users to 'never notify' to stop those 'are you sure' dialogs from popping up and that runs everything as admin :)

[Paul Haese]

Pete,

Tpoint + sky + pinpoint + tpointmapper allows binning and is very good. Mapping is a breeze with these programs. You can bin upto the allowed amount for the camera. I am binning 3x3 on the QSI with nil errors.
I found that using CCdsoft + automapperII + the sky gave very inconsistent results. I was getting less than 50% accuracy.

[Paul Haese]

BTW Tpoint is only collecting the data. The program that does the pointing is either automapperII or Tpoint mapper. These are the programs that you set the binning.

[troypiggo]

I have a 583 and MaxIm also, pretty sure I was using binned shots at Astrofest when I used it for the first time.