macona
super member
Reged: 05/18/11
Loc: Beaverton, OR
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: sullij1]
#4672758 - 07/04/11 03:26 AM
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No, I have been keeping an eye out for a camera. There are a couple more on ebay, 1.4mp models. One no power supply and one no acquisition card. The cards seems to be $100 to $150 or so.
Maxim does have a 30 day full functioning demo available so I am going to give that a try when things are ready to go. I just got my wedge in the mail yeaterday and want to do a little modification before I use it. Its decent but I can make it better. Laika is on a production break for this week so I have some time to play.
I think I am going to have to get a light pollution filter for where I am. Looking at the LP map I am in a red zone. Ugh...
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gnabgib
sage
Reged: 06/05/05
Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: macona]
#4674636 - 07/05/11 02:08 AM Attachment (44 downloads)
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Just got back from the Golden State Star Party near Adin Ca.
I had a chance to use the "Quantix" on a 10 inch F/7 cass and thought I'd post a few preliminary picts. I used Maxlm V5 for camera control. Hope you all are encouraged to get out and use your new cams!
Kevin
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gnabgib
sage
Reged: 06/05/05
Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: gnabgib]
#4674637 - 07/05/11 02:09 AM Attachment (37 downloads)
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And one more!!
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shurik
super member
Reged: 10/07/07
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: gnabgib]
#4675118 - 07/05/11 11:54 AM
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Kevin, can you please post your shutter solution with all parts references needed to make it work and how you housed/connected it? I saw multiple attempts in earlier posts, I was not sure which one of them finally worked, thank you, Alex
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gnabgib
sage
Reged: 06/05/05
Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: shurik]
#4675279 - 07/05/11 01:48 PM
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Alex;
I ended up using a very nice shutter available on Ebay ( item number 280660888016 ) that works directly off the camera shutter circuit. (see earlier picts page 1 showing camera circuit boards ). On page 9 of this forum are a few picts of a housing I made to use this shutter.
Kevin
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shurik
super member
Reged: 10/07/07
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: gnabgib]
#4675590 - 07/05/11 05:00 PM
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Thanks Kevin, I found it ! But I am planing using this cam on Newtonian and it has very low profile focuser, so the distance to CCD is critical and my feeling is that if this shutter requires additional housing, the cam will not reach focus.....based on your experience can this shutter be attached without the need of additional space/housing infront of the CCD?
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macona
super member
Reged: 05/18/11
Loc: Beaverton, OR
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: shurik]
#4676287 - 07/06/11 01:20 AM
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With my mod it puts the sensor plane at the same distance as a Nikon camera. So if you can use a standard SLR or dSLR you should be able to do it. Its more work to do electrically as you need to build a circuit to drive the shutter.
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sullij1
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/08/08
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: shurik]
#4676318 - 07/06/11 01:51 AM
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The distance to focus may become an issue for some of us. I was talking with the imaging guy at OPT the other day and showing him the setup Kevin and I have. He thinks the housing may have to be reduced in height. He noted that by the time we add a filter wheel, filters (you have to count their thickness) and the adapter bezels for the prime focus adapter and the camera to wheel adapter we could be as much as 53mm of additional spacing. I know that I am already at 4.5 inch of draw to reach focus on my AT65. I don’t have another 2 inches of reliable draw tube to work with, So compromises may have to be made when the filters are added to the train. Keith's rig using this shutter seems to work, I don't know if Keith is using the filter wheel on his EDQ but he seems to be reaching focus on his Edge with the wheel. Hopefully he will chime in and give us the skinny on the focus issues for both rigs. I think he is the first user to incorporate a wheel in the train. I don't know how his CCD distance compares to the housing Kevin set up.
Keith can you give us a dimension using the original faceplate? I think it will only be the diff in thickness of the shutter base. As you can see on page 8 from Keith’s photo the solenoid will be an issue for a low profile focuser. Jerry's Ilex rig may be a better option for you to look at. I don’t know if Kevin has had an opportunity to add a wheel to his housing. I can’t afford the wheel right now so I am hoping Kevin can expand. I am interested in seeing the dimension difference in CCD to chip between Keith’s set up and the one Kevin is using. Any help fellow modders? 
BTW the imagers at OPT upon seeing the Quantix and hearing the price said  . and immediately went to ebay! 
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kw6562
Authoritative Ignoramus
Reged: 06/25/08
Loc: MA
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: sullij1]
#4676524 - 07/06/11 08:07 AM
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I'm getting ready for work right now but I'll post some dimensions tonight. I am using a filter wheel with the Quantix on both scopes and am able to focus without problems. I have a Moonlight focuser on the EdgeHD which increases the focal train enough to put the CCD outside of the desired distance for the scope but it doesn't seem to be a significant issue.
Worked with uM last night, this time okay for the most part but still buggy, had to reboot a couple of times. Will post some results later. --Keith
NICE PIX KEVIN! 
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sullij1
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/08/08
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: sullij1]
#4676824 - 07/06/11 11:30 AM
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Quote:
The distance to focus may become an issue for some of us. I was talking with the imaging guy at OPT the other day and showing him the setup Kevin and I have. He thinks the housing may have to be reduced in height. He noted that by the time we add a filter wheel, filters (you have to count their thickness) and the adapter bezels for the prime focus adapter and the camera to wheel adapter we could be as much as 53mm of additional spacing. I know that I am already at 4.5 inch of draw to reach focus on my AT65. I don’t have another 2 inches of reliable draw tube to work with, So compromises may have to be made when the filters are added to the train. Keith's rig using this shutter seems to work, I don't know if Keith is using the filter wheel on his EDQ but he seems to be reaching focus on his Edge with the wheel. Hopefully he will chime in and give us the skinny on the focus issues for both rigs. I think he is the first user to incorporate a wheel in the train. I don't know how his CCD distance compares to the housing Kevin set up.
Keith can you give us a dimension using the original faceplate? I think it will only be the diff in thickness of the shutter base. As you can see on page 8 from Keith’s photo the solenoid will be an issue for a low profile focuser. Jerry's Ilex rig may be a better option for you to look at. I don’t know if Kevin has had an opportunity to add a wheel to his housing. I can’t afford the wheel right now so I am hoping Kevin can expand. I am interested in seeing the dimension difference in CCD to chip between Keith’s set up and the one Kevin is using. Any help fellow modders?
BTW the imagers at OPT upon seeing the Quantix and hearing the price said . and immediately went to ebay!
Sorry, in my earlier post I said "the dimension difference in CCD to chip" - I meant "CCD to adapter flange" to reach focus as explained here. "Another problem is to adapt the camera flange to a T-thread adapter which fits the CCD imager and still keep the total thickness of the adapter short enough so that infinity focus of the lens will allow it to focus on the CCD chip. This requires a very short adapter in most cases." Taken from http://www.mapug-astronomy.net/ragreiner/adapters.html
I hope my statement makes better sence now. Sorry. 
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sullij1
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/08/08
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: sullij1]
#4676854 - 07/06/11 11:49 AM
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Sorry about grammer, spelling and terminology, I cant always pull all that together. I hope I got the point across.
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sullij1
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/08/08
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: sullij1]
#4676874 - 07/06/11 11:57 AM
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In Kevin and my case it may be the height of the housing (the adapter flange) not the T ring. I am hope it is a no never mind. Perhaps the math will work in our favor.
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AITech
Vendor
Reged: 07/01/11
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: sullij1]
#4677136 - 07/06/11 02:19 PM
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Just wanted to drop in and hope everyone had a great 4th. Great pics Kevin! Glad to see there is some traction on the shutter and adapter issues. We honestly didn't know this was an issue until after we sold the cameras.
I will be more than happy to give status updates of any new cameras we get in.
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sullij1
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/08/08
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: AITech]
#4677232 - 07/06/11 03:14 PM
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AIT,
Thank you,(from us working stiffs) any chance on recovering the original shutter housings for us? 
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AITech
Vendor
Reged: 07/01/11
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: sullij1]
#4677348 - 07/06/11 04:16 PM
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Unfortunately, I don't think they ever existed.
The company that we are working with to "recycle" these cameras originally purchased about 200 of them so Roper, I am sure, was more than happy to do any customizations that they asked. In our field, it is common to shutter the light source, not the CCD so it wasn't apparent to us at first when we were selling these that the shutter was so important.
We had a housing that we purchased off of eBay that worked, so I would imagine that is your best bet for a standard cost effective solution. I am wondering if the cameras that are on eBay now with the cheaper CCD's might have a shutter on them that would work.
Cheers,
David
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gnabgib
sage
Reged: 06/05/05
Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: AITech]
#4677648 - 07/06/11 07:03 PM Attachment (25 downloads)
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Here is a drawing of the shutter housing I made. The cover plate (not drawn) is .250 inch thick and has a standard t thread opening. The depth is mainly from the need to house the shutter solenoid. My future idea is to incorporate a filter wheel between the cover plate and the shutter. My housing measures 1.7 inch from the outside surface of the cover plate to the "window" of the ccd chamber.
Hope this answers some questions.
Kevin
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gnabgib
sage
Reged: 06/05/05
Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: gnabgib]
#4677652 - 07/06/11 07:09 PM
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If someone comes up with a thinner shutter then the 1.3 inch dimension can be adjusted accordingly. Since the shutter solenoid sits against the inside wall (see page 9 )there is room for some sort of filter slide or wheel,drawer etc. I have not had time to work on this yet. Open to input and suggestions.
Kevin
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shurik
super member
Reged: 10/07/07
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: gnabgib]
#4677654 - 07/06/11 07:11 PM
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Great thank you Kevin, so would it be correct to assume that total distance would be 1.7 inches + depth of the CCD chamber (has anyone measured this by chance already?)
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macona
super member
Reged: 05/18/11
Loc: Beaverton, OR
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: shurik]
#4677666 - 07/06/11 07:21 PM
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The dimensions and locations of the sensor in relation to the housing are in the manual.
David, all the other variants of this camera that have a smaller sensor use a smaller 25mm shutter, for this sensor a 35mm shutter is needed.
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gnabgib
sage
Reged: 06/05/05
Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.
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Re: QUANTIX HELP.........
[Re: macona]
#4677693 - 07/06/11 07:39 PM
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Quote:
The dimensions and locations of the sensor in relation to the housing are in the manual.
Page 35 of manual, window to ccd sensor .45 inch
Interesting to note that the original Photometrics shutter housing is 1.88 inch from ccd sensor to outside surface! My housing is only about 1/4 inch longer!
Kevin
Edited by gnabgib (07/06/11 07:43 PM)
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