Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Astrophotography and Sketching >> Beginning Imaging Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 joejoe member Reged: 08/04/08 Posts: 62 Loc: Switzerland What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam?       #2675826 - 10/02/08 09:49 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   From what I understand, the Philips ToUCam is no longer available. It seems my local store just sold the last one, so I need to look for an alternative. Any ideas what might be the next favorite webcam for astro imaging? -------------------- Celestron Nexstar 8SE Maxvision MN152 F4.8 Mak-Newt Megrez 72 APO EQ6 Mount Post Extras:       DaemonGPF Pooh-Bah Reged: 03/22/08 Posts: 1480 Loc: New Mexico Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: joejoe]       #2675846 - 10/02/08 10:00 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   They just had a huge article in this month's edition of Astronomy magazine. I don't recall which model # it is, but they say it is the equivalent and can be purchased with the nosepiece adapter. If someone else doesn't chime in, I'll look it up when I get home and post it. -------------------- -Josh *Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA *Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA *Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA *Meade DSI Pro IIc *Orion Starshoot DSCI *CG5 mount http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html My Messier Project Gallery Post Extras:       o1d_dude o1der than dirt Reged: 10/03/07 Posts: 1440 Loc: The Big Tomato, California Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: DaemonGPF]       #2677534 - 10/03/08 03:04 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The webcam that followed the ToUCam was the SPC900nc/27 which has also been discontinued at least here in the US. I recently spotted an SPC890nc/27 that appears to be the same unit being sold locally. I do not know the significance of the different model number (890nc/27) as the technical specs appeared to be indentical to the 900nc/27. I didn't buy it though, because I was able to buy the last SPC900nc/27 the store had in stock. -------------------- Kit "There's only two things that excite a man, expensive toys and real expensive toys." - Red Green * A bunch of old ATM stuff that cost me next to nothing * A bunch of new commercial stuff that cost me an arm and a leg Post Extras:       joejoe member Reged: 08/04/08 Posts: 62 Loc: Switzerland Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: o1d_dude]       #2677565 - 10/03/08 04:11 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I called the store - it seems they might have one left in the 'Littau' shop. He is going to try to get it over to my local shop - so cross your fingers... But surely we can't go on using this model forever. http://www.stegcomputer.ch/details.asp?prodid=phi-vc900nc -------------------- Celestron Nexstar 8SE Maxvision MN152 F4.8 Mak-Newt Megrez 72 APO EQ6 Mount Post Extras:       NyxAither scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 09/11/07 Posts: 835 Loc: Arlington VA Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: joejoe]       #2678208 - 10/03/08 01:57 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   the model numbers for the SPC900NC that come after the slash (I have the SPC900NC/27) don't mean anything important. The company simply added them so they could collect market data more easily. All the differnt /#'s on of the SPC900 are the same. -------------------- Thomas ✸Orion XT8i✸Orion 80-T✸CG5 GT Mount ✸Meade DSI II Color✸Meade DSI (THANKS TODD N!!!)✸Orion 4.5" Reflector OTA✸Trusty Mac Powerbook G4✸1960's Gilbert 3" telescope✸10x50 binoculars✸SPC900NC✸ ..::*~*Clear Skies*~*::.. Post Extras:       o1d_dude o1der than dirt Reged: 10/03/07 Posts: 1440 Loc: The Big Tomato, California Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: NyxAither]       #2678431 - 10/03/08 03:31 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Nyx, I was referring to the difference in numbering before the '/'. The webcam I bought was an SPC900nc and the one I passed on was an SPC890nc. -------------------- Kit "There's only two things that excite a man, expensive toys and real expensive toys." - Red Green * A bunch of old ATM stuff that cost me next to nothing * A bunch of new commercial stuff that cost me an arm and a leg Post Extras:       NyxAither scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 09/11/07 Posts: 835 Loc: Arlington VA Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: o1d_dude]       #2678587 - 10/03/08 05:08 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   ohhhh, I think there might be a difference there. I think the 890 might have a CMOS sensor instead of a CCD. I'll check and post back. -------------------- Thomas ✸Orion XT8i✸Orion 80-T✸CG5 GT Mount ✸Meade DSI II Color✸Meade DSI (THANKS TODD N!!!)✸Orion 4.5" Reflector OTA✸Trusty Mac Powerbook G4✸1960's Gilbert 3" telescope✸10x50 binoculars✸SPC900NC✸ ..::*~*Clear Skies*~*::.. Post Extras:       NyxAither scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 09/11/07 Posts: 835 Loc: Arlington VA Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: NyxAither]       #2678590 - 10/03/08 05:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   scratch that, they're both CCD sensors. Hmm..maybe it just has to do with software or how they look? -------------------- Thomas ✸Orion XT8i✸Orion 80-T✸CG5 GT Mount ✸Meade DSI II Color✸Meade DSI (THANKS TODD N!!!)✸Orion 4.5" Reflector OTA✸Trusty Mac Powerbook G4✸1960's Gilbert 3" telescope✸10x50 binoculars✸SPC900NC✸ ..::*~*Clear Skies*~*::.. Post Extras:       DaemonGPF Pooh-Bah Reged: 03/22/08 Posts: 1480 Loc: New Mexico Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: NyxAither]       #2678988 - 10/03/08 10:07 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Ok so looking through the Astronomy magazine, November issue, there's a huge article on webcam imaging. After stopping to actually read the article, I'd say they probably should have published this like a year or two ago as it's a bit behind the times.. They are showing the Philips ToUcam Pro II 840K model of which they show several images taken and discuss it in detail. Then they mention how it has been replaced by the newer Philips SPC900NC which is now being supplied by many vendors... Um... Last I checked these things are no longer readily on shelves anywhere. Sorry, thought it was showing a new model when I glanced over it the other night. -------------------- -Josh *Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA *Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA *Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA *Meade DSI Pro IIc *Orion Starshoot DSCI *CG5 mount http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html My Messier Project Gallery Post Extras:       joejoe member Reged: 08/04/08 Posts: 62 Loc: Switzerland Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: DaemonGPF]       #2679269 - 10/04/08 02:33 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Josh. It looks like the question might remain unanswered until the world runs out of ToUcams. My local store is now showing -1 in stock and 2 ordered. Does that mean my Camera is there waiting for me? I hope so... -------------------- Celestron Nexstar 8SE Maxvision MN152 F4.8 Mak-Newt Megrez 72 APO EQ6 Mount Post Extras:       o1d_dude o1der than dirt Reged: 10/03/07 Posts: 1440 Loc: The Big Tomato, California Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: joejoe]       #2679355 - 10/04/08 04:59 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Josh, I thought the same thing when I read the article. That one must have been sitting in the files for a while before it made it into the magazine. Interesting article, tho. I'd never considered gathering images of different stars for compare and contrast viewing. -------------------- Kit "There's only two things that excite a man, expensive toys and real expensive toys." - Red Green * A bunch of old ATM stuff that cost me next to nothing * A bunch of new commercial stuff that cost me an arm and a leg Post Extras:       NyxAither scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 09/11/07 Posts: 835 Loc: Arlington VA Re: What is going to replace the Philips ToUCam? [Re: o1d_dude]       #2679418 - 10/04/08 07:44 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2230066/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/6/vc/1 we deviated from the topic some in this thread but there's some stuff in here. -------------------- Thomas ✸Orion XT8i✸Orion 80-T✸CG5 GT Mount ✸Meade DSI II Color✸Meade DSI (THANKS TODD N!!!)✸Orion 4.5" Reflector OTA✸Trusty Mac Powerbook G4✸1960's Gilbert 3" telescope✸10x50 binoculars✸SPC900NC✸ ..::*~*Clear Skies*~*::.. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 3 registered and 6 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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