1st time w/ Toucam

jermng · Post by **jermng** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 1:45 am

OK, tonight was the first time I used the Toucam borrowed from a fellow Singastroian just yesterday ...

few things I realised -

1. The toucam magnifies ANY shakes in my mount ..

so balance on the astroslew becomes very important .. I need to balance my setup!

2. I NEED a finder when imaging through the Toucam. Stuff(i.e. planets/moon) get lost REALLY easily especially on a non-tracking mount. And finding them again is not fun - especially after the tenth time.

3. Phillips software overwrites the previous video captured!! I found this out the hard and painful way .. After capturing 6 videos, I realised I only had the last one in my saved folder. All the rest were overwritten!!

Does anyone know how/if it's possible to recover these files??

Other than that, it's pretty exciting - next time I'll bring my tracking mount down.

river · Post by **river** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:24 am

gheee, I never try using Toucam on non-tracking mount...just too painful.

If you loaded a refractor and C8 on the astroslew1, you can try use the
refractor as imaging scope and C8 as your guide scope. You are really hardcore imager if you can use Toucam on non-tracking,no slow motion astroslew1

Download IRIS for free and use it as capturing software, to me it is easier to use than philips software. There should be some setting to save each video as seperate file.

river · Post by **river** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:30 am

IRIS download and tutorial link:

http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/us/iris/iris.htm

jermng · Post by **jermng** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:35 am

You are really hardcore imager if you can use Toucam on non-tracking,no slow motion astroslew1

HAHA .. I'm no hardcore imager - just learnt things the hard way ..

f you loaded a refractor and C8 on the astroslew1, you can try use the

refractor as imaging scope and C8 as your guide scope.

Doesn't work for me - the 2 scopes on my AS(I) don;t point at the same place and it can be hard finding another guide star in the middle of nowhere.

I was about to sms/PM you about an adapter of some kind to align 2 scopes on the AS(I). I think the potential is there, otherwise the other Astroslews are more attractive especially since encoders can be mounted.

ownload IRIS for free and use it as capturing software, to me it is easier to use than philips software. There should be some setting to save each video as seperate file.

Can't find the setting in the Phillips s/w but I think I'm gonna download IRIS tmr to try out.

Thanks for the tip!

I'm still crying over my lost shots of Saturn. Now all I have is a "wide angle" video of the moon ... Argh!!!

river · Post by **river** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:59 am

You are really hardcore imager if you can use Toucam on non-tracking,no slow motion astroslew1

just kidding

I never wanted my two scope on astrolew to center on a star, just to use it for visual with a fl=2000mm MCT and a fl=600mm refractor loaded together.

see if you can get a set of tube rings with adjusting screw on it, hope you can adjust the lighter refractor to align with the other scope.

Even you get the two scope aligned, you need to have good slow motion control with your bare hands if you want to use Toucam on it.

jermng · Post by **jermng** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 3:06 am

Yeah I don;'t think it's wise using it as a guidescope either. The AS(I) does have it's limitations ..

I'm more interested in using the Widefield scope as a finder and also as a good platform for testing/shooting out scopes and accesories. Thought about the tube rings with adjusting screws - now all I need to do is actually order them .. HAHA ..

river · Post by **river** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 3:08 am

you will have better imaging time with a tracking mount for toucam.

mrngbss · Post by **mrngbss** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:53 am

Dear Jeremy,

Philips software uses the WindowsXP's video capture utility. You will need to set the video filename and file allocation size (set as 1Mb everytime) everytime you want to capture a new file.

There is a taask bar icon that is white and red which allows you to adjust video settings before and during capture. You only need to click once.

And read the manual...

mrngbss · Post by **mrngbss** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:59 am

river wrote:You are really hardcore imager if you can use Toucam on non-tracking,no slow motion astroslew1
.

Use Porta mount.

A thought: If you were imaging Saturn and the magnification is very large, then a tracking mount may help. But if the object size is small/smaller, then a few seconds capture, 10-15fps should be able to let you process Saturn quite easily. No need for too long a capture.

Tip: Try imaging in the day, play around with capture software.

Happy imaging!

jermng · Post by **jermng** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:54 am

If you were imaging Saturn and the magnification is very large, then a tracking mount may help. But if the object size is small/smaller, then a few seconds capture, 10-15fps should be able to let you process Saturn quite easily. No need for too long a capture.

That's what I did ..

Thought I'd capture a few frames just for fun, but my files got deleted!!

So from the response, I guess my files are gone forever, unless I do some CSI work .. HAHA ..

Portamount -yeah, been thinking bout that - miss the slow mo controls since my 044+055 days ..