Meade DSI Pro or DSI II for Coronado PST?

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Thanks Craig.

I don't know enough about streaming video to comment, but if you can, then at 30 fps there should be no stuttering. Being mono though it wouldn't look as good as the colour ones anyway.

The mono images are easy to make into colour ones. You just need the right program. I use either Images Plus or Astra Image (both of which are useful for normal planetary and luna processing). Once the AVI has been run through Registax then it is a still image that can be saved as either jpeg, bmp, tiff, or fits for ongoing processing.

When you look throught the scope you don't have anything to judge relative size by. When you have it on the screen you are able to gauge it against other objects. Similar to looking at a full moon at the horizon and then at the zenith. They look different sizes but they are the same. The DMK operates at roughly the same FL as a 6mm eyepiece. If you want to do a comparison then the field of view of the DMK is 57.3*(width of chip in mm/FL of scope in mm) for the width and 57.3*(height of chip in mm/FL of scope in mm) in degrees . ie the FOV of a pst using a DMK is 23.1 x 30.8 arcmin.

To find the field of view of your eyepiece

True field of view (in degrees) = eyepiece field stop diameter ÷ telescope focal length x 57.3 (to find it in arcmin multiply again by 60)

You won't see the same detail with an eyepiece as you will with a webcam. With an eyepiece you are relying on your brain to instantly interpret what you are seeing and then that interpretation is gone (to memory for some of us ) and the next is there. With the web cam you are (in a very inaccurate analogy) taking hundreds of interpretations and piling them all on top of each other and reinforcing the obvious ones but also allowing the less obvious ones to be reinforced to make them more visible. Sorta kinda.

As top how long does it take to edit an image of high quality. A bit like how long is a piece of string. There is a learning curve in all of this and it is different for everyone. If you look at the Jupiter images of Iceman, bird, Rumples Riot, Dennis and a list of others tooooo long to mention, you will be seeing many hours of dedicated slavery over the scope and computer, not to mention the good fortune of getting some truely stunning seeing from time to time. It takes practice, knowledge of your programs (which takes practice), sharing your images to get feed back, and a good balance of art and science. I consider myself still very much a novice. This grasshopper still has much to learn.


Here is a link to the current page
C:\Documents and Settings\Paul Russell\My Documents\Astronomy\Sac 4.2 info\SAC Imaging Europe.mht

and the second one is the old sac page
http://www.sac-imaging.com/saciv.html

I haven't tested the mono one yet, I'm still waiting for it to arrive, but I hope to have it sometime towards the end of next week. I'll be doing some DMK imaging today hopefully so if the conditions are ok I'll post the results. Unfortunately the jetstream is howling at about 200 mph at the moment. As the SAC is a CMOS I don't know how it will compare with a CCD like the DMK. There are CMOS chips and then there are CMOS chips, if you know what I mean.

[rumples riot]

Are you referring to these images. Scroll down the page to see my PST DS images.

I agree with Paul. Imaging has transferrable skills but you need to work hard at it to improve all the time. Practice makes perfect they say.

[csb (Craig)]

I seem to be getting you two Paul's mixed up. Did your teachers have the same problem?

You both do great imaging.

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

(......some of us )
Here is a link to the current page
C:\Documents and Settings\Paul Russell\My Documents\Astronomy\Sac 4.2 info\SAC Imaging Europe.mht

Your first link seems to be to your computer. So could you please make it visible and enable it to share over the internet. However I did find the current site, thanks.

Thanks for the info. You have certainly read up. I think I'll do more so I can make a more informed decision.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Well after a month of not seeing the SAC turn up I contacted them. Waited a week, still no reply. Emailed again. Still no reply. Posted a question on the yahoo SAC group if this response is typical of SAC Imaging and received an email from SAC Imaging about 5 min later

No Sac 4.2s available for a couple of months. Ah well. Cancelled the order and now I need to find something else to spend the money on, seeing as I had already committed it to astronomy purchases.

[csb (Craig)]

Too bad about the SAC.

A good story - a common story

I just purchased the DMK 21AF04.

Now I just need a firewire card. But the laptop has the new ExpressCard format (replaces PCMCIA) and no one in Adelaide has them, many don't even know about them. No probs - plenty interstate on the Net.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

You won't regret getting the DMK. It is a fine little camera and very versatile. Wait til you get to try it on DSOs

http://www.expansys.com.au/p.aspx?i=146865 Make sure you get an AC adapter as well.
http://www.epowermac.com.au/product....istory=related
http://www.eyo.com.au/prod_I-C-200_p...ssCard_34.html

Make sure you get an AC adapter as well.
Or else get a Belkin powered hub to go with the Express Card

[csb (Craig)]

Thanks for the links, Paul.

I just ordered the St Lab card from eyo - best price. Couldn't find any reviews about the card but I saw reviews for other ST Lab products and they come up good.

I phoned them and it has a connection for a power adapter so I'll be getting that.

Does it matter if the adapter is regulated power or unregulated? This just some info I found on the Net while researching for a good & suitable adapter.

I know the adapter needs to be DC and I'll be looking at 24V.

Cheers

[csb (Craig)]

I found a variable power adapter, at Dick Smiths, that can go upto 23V DC.

At 18v it's output is 0.4amps (=400mAmps), is this safe to go over the DMK's specified 300mAmps? Or should I go under?