Anyone ever had any success with a DSI

Glenhuon (Bill) · #1 11-11-2007, 12:37 AM

Just spent another 2 or 3 fruitless hours with my DSI, anyone ever got these things to work ?

Lee · #2 11-11-2007, 12:41 AM

I'm getting there...... what problems are you having? Are you using Meade's software??? Which scope/mount??

[1ponders] (Paul) · #3 11-11-2007, 12:50 AM

Ditto to Lee. What problems are you having? Connection, settings, getting an image to appear on the screen?

What was the Meade catch cry for the DSI.......

...oh that's right....something like "Take pictures like these the first night out!" and shows some fabulously deep image. Hrmph. Yeah right. Persevere you will get there, but it will take a few nights. Ezy Styles is living proof of the fantastic images you can take with a DSI, but he's a legend of the Photoshop workroom

Or you can have a bit of a read of Suk Lee from Cloudy Nights DSI "First night out" pdf

http://www.cloudynights.com/documents/ds1.pdf

Lee · #4 11-11-2007, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

"Take pictures like these the first night out!" and shows some fabulously deep image. Hrmph. Yeah right.

If they showed the average first nights haul, no-one would buy one! They'd be publishing ads with black boxes, with a smudge if you were lucky!

[1ponders] (Paul) · #5 11-11-2007, 01:02 AM

It took me two days in the daylight to start to get images that didn't look like they'd been through a cheese grater. I ended up getting some shots of NGC253 and a couple of other objects that were OK, but then I discovered the 300D

Lee · #6 11-11-2007, 01:03 AM

Tuc47 would be a good target to try for first up - at least you know when you are on it.... one of my first was the horsehead! Pretty ordinary, but could see him.... will try again soon, armed with guiding and Ha filter.....

[1ponders] (Paul) · #7 11-11-2007, 01:11 AM

One of the things I found that really annoyed me with the DSI was how it automatically adjusted the tonal range to suit itself. I invariably ended up with these really grainy, horrible looking screen images that frustrated the hell out of me. The envisage software would squash the range down so much that there was only a very small range between black and white. Once I learnt to adjust the sliders myself and the screen image looked more respectable and I could focus (smart focus ...Ha! ) and compose my shots better I started to make headway.

Zuts · #8 11-11-2007, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenhuon

Just spent another 2 or 3 fruitless hours with my DSI, anyone ever got these things to work ?

Yes, I got mine for 100 bucks from Bintel and it makes a great guide camera

Paul

Lee · #9 11-11-2007, 01:37 AM

Honestly - 99% of the dramas I had were all software issues.... I switched from Meades rubbish to Nebulosity, haven't looked back - now I can get on with working out the general trials of imaging, without battling the software every night. Like tonight I learned to keep a check on objective lens dew (the hard way of course!

).... I need a dew heater!

Glenhuon (Bill) · #10 11-11-2007, 02:30 AM

Yep, I bought nebulosity and its a vast improvement on the Meade software, much more user friendly but.....
All I seem to get is multicoloured noise even with the cover on the objective, don't look too dark to me. I was initially using the F5 80mm refractor, but swapped to my 150 newt and got a noisy image of distorted stars with the Meade software but still the same problem with Nebulosity, black frame and reddish streaks on the top 25% of it with no stars. Starting to wonder if the camera is faulty.
Target was the Orion Nebula, Tuc 47 is behind a tree at the moment and if I move the scope, the darn light in the next street over shines like a spotlight.
Just about ready to bin the darn thing.

Lee · #11 11-11-2007, 08:46 AM

How long were the dark frames you were taking - the noise you see in the darks is the reason you take them - to subtract this from your final images.
Not sure what the reddish streaks are - is there light leaking into the camera when shooting??
What was distorted about the stars??
Can you post a few of these pics??

[1ponders] (Paul) · #12 11-11-2007, 09:17 AM

I don't know Nebulosity but in the Envisage software try adjusting the histogram sliders so the top one (black point) is closer to the left and the bottom slider (white point) is closer to the right. Try it in small increments until it starts to look ok. What may be happening is as I mentioned above the software may be trying to automatically adjust the image to make the object visible (in its own mind) but you may not have enough signal for it to work properly and all you end up with is fuzz. Not being their I can only guess that this is the problem. Give it a go and see how you go.

Also have you tried using it during the daylight on a distant tree or something?

xelasnave · #13 11-11-2007, 09:53 AM

I am fitting peltie devices to mine as I feel being real cool may help..if I ever get to use them I will post my views on this approach.

I feel very lucky they seem to at least work straight from the box with the Meade software... whereas the lpi was a sourse of many problems.
alex

Glenhuon (Bill) · #14 11-11-2007, 09:56 AM

After a good nights sleep the frustration has abated somewhat

Thanks for the advice gentlemen, I'll give it another go in daylight with both software progs and post a few images of the results. If I can get it to work reasonable well in daylight, will give it another go in the dark tonight. Another thing that needs work is the polar alignment, tracking was way out, wouldn't help with the star shape problem.

Cheers
Bill

Karls48 (Karl) · #15 11-11-2007, 10:03 AM

This tip is actually from EazyStyles and it worked for me. In Envisage use “Preview” button and adjust sliders until you get acceptable picture. Then do your exposures.

Glenhuon (Bill) · #16 11-11-2007, 10:04 AM

I have made a speed controlled cooling fan from a CPU one, haven't tried it yet in case it induces noise or vibration. Need to sort out the other probs first.

Hagar (Doug) · #17 11-11-2007, 12:05 PM

I have had a DSI colour for some time and have finally decided it will make a half descent guide camera. As for an imaging device I doubt it would even be good for septic tank inspection camera.
To be honest Meade have a sin to answer for selling such a piece of junk.

Cheers
Doug

Glenhuon (Bill) · #18 11-11-2007, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hagar

I have had a DSI colour for some time and have finally decided it will make a half descent guide camera. As for an imaging device I doubt it would even be good for septic tank inspection camera.
To be honest Meade have a sin to answer for selling such a piece of junk.

Cheers
Doug

When I was working in wastewater treatment I built a little camera into a pond light case exactly for that job, and it did perform better

Cheers
Bill

Lee · #19 11-11-2007, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hagar

I have had a DSI colour for some time and have finally decided it will make a half descent guide camera. As for an imaging device I doubt it would even be good for septic tank inspection camera.
To be honest Meade have a sin to answer for selling such a piece of junk.

Tell us what you really think!...

Meade sold them up as mini-Hubbles, and they aren't - but there are a lot of people who do some pretty good stuff with them - but it takes a lot of work. I don't think most people with an SBIG get fantastic results on night one either....

[1ponders] (Paul) · #20 11-11-2007, 04:33 PM

Quote:

I don't think most people with an SBIG get fantastic results on night one either....

Wash your mouth