Motorised Focuser

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

ving you'll find the settings on the menu under "video capture --> vidio source or video format", I think. (Don't have the program with me at the moment). Or download the program WcCtrl which allows you to adjust all your settings outside of K3 and then save them if they work well for a late imaging session. For example you can save your fav settings for the moon at different stages, Jupiter, Saturn etc (up to six different configurations)

[ving (David)]

I thought i looked there... I'll look agian.
thnx paul

[ving (David)]

the motor has a speed controller on it slice. seems infinitely variable between stop and full speed.

[iceman (Mike)]

umm... mike, I dont seem to have settings such as "gain" on my k3ccd....

Probably because you're using an old webcam with little in the way of adjustable capture settings.
In k3ccd when you click the "video settings", it uses the camera's driver dialog. So your camera probably doesn't have a way to adjust gain, framerate etc.. what settings are available to you to adjust?

and why is it that when i viewed jupiter it was just a big blob surrounded by 4 small blobs... (ei no detail at all on the surface of the planet)?

That's because it's overexposed - because you probably can't change the shutter speed with your webcam settings.

I had exactly the same problems, when I first started and I was using an old (5 yrs old) intel create & share webcam. I could not adjust many settings and jupiter appeared as blob with small blobs, and Saturn was just a oval blob.





Without the ability to change settings or shutter speed, the ONLY way I found to get some sort of an image was to use an aperture mask and cut down the scope to like 2 or 3 inches, so less light was coming in and the webcam wasn't overexposing the image.

That changed instantly when I got the ToUcam, because it has the settings to control shutter speed and gain.

[ving (David)]

you are absolutely right mike
its a really old cam.
I'll try an aperture mask next time i am out...
thnx

[iceman (Mike)]

My hartmann mask has 3 holes, about 2 inches wide each, and I had to even cover 1 or 2 of those to stop the webcam overexposing the image..

So you may as well try with your 60mm wobbletronic, you'll get just as good results

I think you need to buy a ToUcam

[ving (David)]

hmm... i'll need to run that by mission control. I dont like my chances tho...