Bowmoreman
Clear enough skies
Reged: 09/11/06
Posts: 9062
Loc: Bolton, MA
|
|
All excellent points (and votes), Dwight, Brian, Neil, Doug, all...
We've (actually Jay had this great idea!) started a thread over on the Feedback Forum
New Forum Suggestion
Where all these points and comments would better "serve the cause"... The consensus thus far is to have some sort of "Astro Video" forum dedicated to ALL devices that can do semi-realtime video (Mallincam, Stellacam, etc...). Please do weigh in over there.
THIS thread I was hoping would just be a simple listing of "known good configs" so we could build a library of what is working for each/every one of us... since there are so many variables.
So those of you using MCHP, please weigh in on your configuration(s), etc. here...
clear skies (I can only hope!)
--------------------
Dave
MI250 SBS mounted: C11Hyperstar,FSQ106ED,TOA130NFB;Lunt60THaB1200FT/DS50
Visual:DM6, XT10i w/ZambutoMirror,RTP
EP: 31T5, Ethos (21,17,13&8),10XW,5XW,3.5XW; Paracorr T1
MallincamColorHyper+,QSI583WS,QHY8
SBIG STV eFinder
Denk II: (2x24Pan,2x10XW)
Gerbings Heated clothes, Wilder Skies Observatory (BYO#90), Speco9"Monitor
|
smokin oakum
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/24/07
Posts: 1529
Loc: Wilmington, NC
|
|
What kind of power suplies do you guys recomend?
--------------------
Broadcasting live views of the night sky @
Sparkcast
C11 CGE / Hyperstar
MallinCam Hyper Plus Color
Orion 12" XTi f/4.9
MoonLite Focuser
Round Table Platform
12" Parralax rings
Cape Fear Astronomy Club
|
semiosteve
sage
Reged: 07/03/04
Posts: 222
Loc: NEOhio
|
|
I will defer to the moderators on when it might be right for us to have a separate forum. It is still a young field, but I suspect the next 6 months will see a great increase in users.
If a new forum is formed, I would hope for a name that does justice to the reality...maybe 'video observing' ...it isn't imaging and it really isn't video as in videotaping. Generally it is skewed towards the visceral experience with the eye, but allows for storage and imaging as a secondary aspect.
In any event, count me in. I know there would be more posts but this is the cloudy season for a good part of the country.
--------------------
Steve Verba
7in. Astro-Physics StarFire
20in. Obsession
15 x 15 Rolloff (Backyard Observatories)
|
semiosteve
sage
Reged: 07/03/04
Posts: 222
Loc: NEOhio
|
|
BTW the Yahoo mallincam group is pretty lively with some good content. The drawback is that these yahoo groups are pretty insular - you have to already be a devotee to find them in the first place. At CT, folks can easily wander over to groups they are not familair with and learn something new. I think the growth of video observing is best served here at CT...
--------------------
Steve Verba
7in. Astro-Physics StarFire
20in. Obsession
15 x 15 Rolloff (Backyard Observatories)
|
Bowmoreman
Clear enough skies
Reged: 09/11/06
Posts: 9062
Loc: Bolton, MA
|
|
Quote:
BTW the Yahoo mallincam group is pretty lively with some good content. The drawback is that these yahoo groups are pretty insular - you have to already be a devotee to find them in the first place. At CT, folks can easily wander over to groups they are not familair with and learn something new. I think the growth of video observing is best served here at CT...
Exactly, Steve! Heck, I didn't even find out about Mallincam or Yahoo group except through CN! CN is the "first, best" stop shopping for our hobby, especially for the Noob's that our hobby so desparately needs to capture and grow...
And believe me (those of you who haven't experience the phenomenon yet), using Video Observing (I like that phrase) really catches a whole new class of potential hobbyist!
Clear skies
--------------------
Dave
MI250 SBS mounted: C11Hyperstar,FSQ106ED,TOA130NFB;Lunt60THaB1200FT/DS50
Visual:DM6, XT10i w/ZambutoMirror,RTP
EP: 31T5, Ethos (21,17,13&8),10XW,5XW,3.5XW; Paracorr T1
MallincamColorHyper+,QSI583WS,QHY8
SBIG STV eFinder
Denk II: (2x24Pan,2x10XW)
Gerbings Heated clothes, Wilder Skies Observatory (BYO#90), Speco9"Monitor
|
smokin oakum
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/24/07
Posts: 1529
Loc: Wilmington, NC
|
|
Quote:
What kind of power suplies do you guys recomend?
While I share in Steve's opinion, I could still use a little guidence. How do you guys power your mallincam?
--------------------
Broadcasting live views of the night sky @
Sparkcast
C11 CGE / Hyperstar
MallinCam Hyper Plus Color
Orion 12" XTi f/4.9
MoonLite Focuser
Round Table Platform
12" Parralax rings
Cape Fear Astronomy Club
|
Bowmoreman
Clear enough skies
Reged: 09/11/06
Posts: 9062
Loc: Bolton, MA
|
|
I am using the AC/DC power (wall wart) provided with the camera... When I get my WATEC, I'm going to rig up a cable that can go from my power tank to both via a Y adapter. That will be my "use in the field away from WSO" configuration - usually on the Dob (with the WATEC on the dob).
in WSO, AC isn't an issue, since it's a pier-mounted OTA setup, etc... and I go to a 19" monitor - don't wanna power THAT from DC! 
clear skies
--------------------
Dave
MI250 SBS mounted: C11Hyperstar,FSQ106ED,TOA130NFB;Lunt60THaB1200FT/DS50
Visual:DM6, XT10i w/ZambutoMirror,RTP
EP: 31T5, Ethos (21,17,13&8),10XW,5XW,3.5XW; Paracorr T1
MallincamColorHyper+,QSI583WS,QHY8
SBIG STV eFinder
Denk II: (2x24Pan,2x10XW)
Gerbings Heated clothes, Wilder Skies Observatory (BYO#90), Speco9"Monitor
|
smokin oakum
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/24/07
Posts: 1529
Loc: Wilmington, NC
|
|
Thanks Dave! Yea DC on the comuter line would be    It sound like this things ready to go, right out of the box.
By the way, did you got out last night?
Neil
--------------------
Broadcasting live views of the night sky @
Sparkcast
C11 CGE / Hyperstar
MallinCam Hyper Plus Color
Orion 12" XTi f/4.9
MoonLite Focuser
Round Table Platform
12" Parralax rings
Cape Fear Astronomy Club
|
rolandlinda3
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 3140
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
|
|
I have not met a user of these cameras yet that does not say essentially the same thing as you folks have said. I have told at least two moderators that the growing field and the technical issues/settings/setups are unique. So far, however, that has not been enough to establish a separate forum. I do think that having a forum is somewhat (perhaps unwritten) based on vendor/retailer interest, although the sketching forum (where I usually participate) is based (as far as I know) on pure love of observing and recording. So there is precedent to have a forum based on interest but not necessarily having a large retailer/manufacturer presence. In the end, however, it is time and computer work--in addition to convincing moderators--that a separate forum is warranted. A moderator may also be asked to post a poll about it (one option). My arguments that I used in the past were based on approximate numbers of units being used (Stella CAM EX/II/III and MallinCAM series and various others). This grouping alone is probably over 1000 members. Total replies and comments on my posts suggest that maybe 1/2 are CN members. Jack Huerkamp (US distributor for MallinCAM) and I have been involved in posts on either setups or results for the last year--mostly on the Equipment Forum, which has the only definition that actually embraces astro video at the present time. Hope this information helps.
In the end...moderators and the IT support for CN have to be reasonably convinced that a new forum is worthwhile. So far, they are not. While I respectfully disagree with that conclusion, they remain the folks to convince if this latest series of posts yields another request for a new forum. Good luck. Let me know if I can do anything. If you need a vendor, Jack Huerkamp is listed as one on CN.
I will forward the text or a link of this note to him and Tom Trusock.
Roland Beard
--------------------
Roland
Blog: www.rolandlinda3.wordpress.com
Older sketches in Members Galleries (rolandlinda3)
For other sketches/inspirational stories: contact me via PM for information
|
kent
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/16/06
Posts: 854
Loc: P.E.I. Canada
|
|
I'm sure their mulling this request over very diligently. After all the excitement over at the Skyscope section didn't last too long. So I don't think they want to jump the gun too quickly this time. I'm pretty sure they have a good idea what going on here.
I too find the the Yahoo Mallin group is hard to navigate, oh don't get me wrong, I do it but not as user friendly as it is here.
My 
--------------------
Kent
SkyWatcher 70mm
Orion 100mm ED
Skywatcher 8" Newt
Skywatcher 10" Newt
Orion 20X80 Giant Veiw bino's
and a few other goodies
LX200R GPS 14" behemoth
|
DwightX
member
Reged: 08/13/07
Posts: 60
Loc: Kentucky
|
|
Quote:
I'm sure their mulling this request over very diligently. I'm pretty sure they have a good idea what going on here.
No doubt about that. IMO the moderators here on CN do a better job than any message board on the net. If it gets to the point where a large percentage of posts on the Equipment forum are "video observing" related, then another room will logically be spawned.
I haven't purchased anything yet, but I'm leaning toward the MC. But I'd really like to see more information about any other similar devices, or any in R&D by the major vendors.
Hopefully in the next few years this type of equipment will become much more widely developed by a variety of vendors. The current (limited) choices are on the pricey side, and are certainly viewed as specialty item. But if these see continued performance refinement and get to the price point of a premium eyepiece (perhaps $500), I think the general ownership levels of video-astro cams would be as high as that of Dob type scopes.
At least what I've seen with my own 2 eyes is THAT impressive. Seeing is indeed believing.
|
rolandlinda3
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 3140
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
|
|
Dwight, you raise some very good points. I am a skeptic at heart. On all my video cam purchases (I started with the SC EX) I had to kick the tires, so to speak, in one way or another. However, you won't get much info on the R&D because the providers are a limited set, they watch each other but don't share in the competitive environment, and the tools are only 10 years old--counting the time when the less expensive (we could afford it) chips started getting placed in the cameras. So, the field is just beginning--you might say "teething". In my previous life of professional trends analysis, I saw similar young technologies...it means the tools will change pretty rapidly (say every 5 years) and continue to show marked improvements. As yet, there is not a real "digital" output video cam, but there will be. The good news is that the soft Peltier cooling problems have been solved by MallinCAM and a couple others to varying extents. This opens the way for more refinement. If you want to wait for the ideal instrument, it won't work, because it will keep changing for (my guess) 20+ years, but man can you see a lot with what is there now!!!
Roland
...sketching with a MallinCAM Hyper Color in sky glow or dark night...
--------------------
Roland
Blog: www.rolandlinda3.wordpress.com
Older sketches in Members Galleries (rolandlinda3)
For other sketches/inspirational stories: contact me via PM for information
|
semiosteve
sage
Reged: 07/03/04
Posts: 222
Loc: NEOhio
|
|
Let me suggest "Video Observing" as a forum name....to ensure the distinction from CCD imaging and older forms of "video astronomy" (e.g.occultation timings captured on videotape)
--------------------
Steve Verba
7in. Astro-Physics StarFire
20in. Obsession
15 x 15 Rolloff (Backyard Observatories)
|
jayscheuerle
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 4675
Loc: S. Philadelphia, PA
|
|
Quote:
If you want to wait for the ideal instrument, it won't work, because it will keep changing for (my guess) 20+ years, but man can you see a lot with what is there now!!!
Roland, it's good news to others that I put my name on the waiting list because is assures a 30% price drop by the early Spring and a 50% more sensitive HD version by the Summer.
Everyone can thank me now. 
--------------------
Fight indignorance!
120ED, 12" f/5 Green Goblin, 6" f/5 Eero2, 4.5" f/8 PortaBowl, 8" f/5 Big Red Ed.
The PortaBowl-a $100 4.5" f/8 ball-scope YOU can build!
|
George Methvin
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 1083
Loc: Central Texas
|
|
YEA that way we are waiting to order this summer let you guys work out all the bugs...LOL ...I hope.
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
[Re: 
Edit
Reply
Quote
