Anonymous
Unregistered
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As a complement to prime focus with a 20D - I'm looking into adding some sort of planetary imaging. I have an LXD75 6N at the moment.
I was pointed at the Neximage - how does this compare with the Meade LPI?
Any comparison tests anywhere? Any other alternatives withing the same sort of budget?
Thanks
Mark.
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie (sort of)
Reged: 04/30/03
Posts: 24355
Loc: NE Ohio
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There's a comparo between the LPI and the Toucam Pro here.
The Neximage is more similar to the Toucam Pro than to the LPI.
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John C
Urban Observatory
A&M/Astreya 76mm F/6 APO
TMB/LOMO 80mm F/7.5 APO
Tak FSQ-106N F/5 APO
Tak FS-128 F/8 APO
Meade 178ED F/9 "APO"
Meade ETX-125AT
C14
Teeter 20" F/3.8 truss Newt w/ServoCat
CI-700, NJP, GPDX/SS2KPC, SP/SS2kPC
ST-10XME, ST-2000XM
Edited by jrcrilly (12/13/05 08:48 AM)
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Ben Ritchie
Lost in Space
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 4353
Loc: Bosham, UK
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Quote:
I was pointed at the Neximage - how does this compare with the Meade LPI?
IMHO (i've owned both) the NexImage is quite a bit better for planetary work. The LPI isn't bad, however, and can (easily) do longer exposures which is quite nice for some targets, e.g. double stars.
Ben.
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Imaging - Astro-Physics 130EDT StarFire, SkyWatcher 80ED, Atik 16HR + Astronomik filters, EQ6/pro, VLT
Visual - SkyWatcher 305mm f/5 dob with Moonlight focuser, 5XW, 10XW, 13 Ethos, 28UWAN, MPCC
Solar - TeleVue Pronto, Coronado SM60/BF10, DMK 21AU04.AS
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Greg K.
Reged: 12/11/03
Posts: 10948
Loc: Clifton Park, NY
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Quote:
Any other alternatives withing the same sort of budget?
The Orion StarShoot Solar System imager is in the same price class as the NexImage ($99). It's still pretty new, though, without much of an installed base.
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Astro-Tech AT111EDT f/7 - Celestron CGEM (new rig!)
NexStar 11 GPS
Orion SkyView Pro 8EQ (w/ Autostar mod)
15x70 Celestron SkyMasters
Orion 90mm Mak
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Ben Ritchie
Lost in Space
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 4353
Loc: Bosham, UK
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Quote:
The Orion StarShoot Solar System imager is in the same price class as the NexImage ($99). It's still pretty new, though, without much of an installed base.
I've just ordered one - in a month or so I hope to get a side-by-side comparison done.
Ben.
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Imaging - Astro-Physics 130EDT StarFire, SkyWatcher 80ED, Atik 16HR + Astronomik filters, EQ6/pro, VLT
Visual - SkyWatcher 305mm f/5 dob with Moonlight focuser, 5XW, 10XW, 13 Ethos, 28UWAN, MPCC
Solar - TeleVue Pronto, Coronado SM60/BF10, DMK 21AU04.AS
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jgraham
Postmaster
Reged: 12/02/04
Posts: 6388
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
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Is it true the Neximage is just a repackaged ToUcam? In other words; is it better to get a ToUcam and do all the mods and scrounge up the software yourself or is it better to get a Neximage?
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-John
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Homebuilt scopes from 4.25-16.5"
Meade LXD75-N6/SN6/SC8, DSX-90, ETX-60BB, ETX-125PE, DS-2130
Orion StarBlast, BinoViewers, Coronado PST
Rebel XT/XTi, DSI Pro (I & II), DSI, LPI, Electronic Eyepiece, Phillips SPC900NC
Tasco 60mm Refractors
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Ben Ritchie
Lost in Space
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 4353
Loc: Bosham, UK
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Quote:
Is it true the Neximage is just a repackaged ToUcam?
As I understand it, yes. With the NexImage you get it all in one package that works out of the box - but on the other hand, if you get the ToUCam + adapter if the webcam breaks then all you have to do is head down to the local computer store to get another one. It's cheaper, too.
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Imaging - Astro-Physics 130EDT StarFire, SkyWatcher 80ED, Atik 16HR + Astronomik filters, EQ6/pro, VLT
Visual - SkyWatcher 305mm f/5 dob with Moonlight focuser, 5XW, 10XW, 13 Ethos, 28UWAN, MPCC
Solar - TeleVue Pronto, Coronado SM60/BF10, DMK 21AU04.AS
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Greg K.
Reged: 12/11/03
Posts: 10948
Loc: Clifton Park, NY
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Maybe in the UK it's cheaper.
In the US, the ToUCam isn't really sold as a webcam. Thus it's typically only available from Astronomy equipment stores that import them, and has a price premium over the NexImage. Especially when you figure that you have to buy the 1.25" adapter for it.
Figure about $150 for the ToUCam + adapter, and $100 for the NexImage.
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Astro-Tech AT111EDT f/7 - Celestron CGEM (new rig!)
NexStar 11 GPS
Orion SkyView Pro 8EQ (w/ Autostar mod)
15x70 Celestron SkyMasters
Orion 90mm Mak
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Ben Ritchie
Lost in Space
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 4353
Loc: Bosham, UK
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Ah, ok, here it's £70 for the ToUCam + adapter, £100 for the NexImage. You can buy the ToUCam at any computer store (the proper 'pro' one that we all love, as well as the lower quality versions). I've seen the ToUCam pro for as little as £25 ... and didn't buy it 
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Imaging - Astro-Physics 130EDT StarFire, SkyWatcher 80ED, Atik 16HR + Astronomik filters, EQ6/pro, VLT
Visual - SkyWatcher 305mm f/5 dob with Moonlight focuser, 5XW, 10XW, 13 Ethos, 28UWAN, MPCC
Solar - TeleVue Pronto, Coronado SM60/BF10, DMK 21AU04.AS
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haleymon
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/10/05
Posts: 1234
Loc: Spring, Texas N.W. of Houston
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If you do the Long exposure mod to the neximage (cost about 10 bucks and an hour of your time) you can get some suprisingly good DSO shots with it. Planetary photos are awsome right out of the box.
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Clear Skies to all
Dave
Celestron CPC 800 XLT
2" Astro Tech Dielectric Diag.
Orion Shorty Plus Barlow
Telrad
Canon 40D DSLR (On Its Way)
NexImage w/LE Mod
Starry Night Pro 5.0
5mw GLP
-------Haley's Haven Observatory-------
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Takashi
super member
Reged: 11/22/05
Posts: 169
Loc: Linköping, Sweden
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Oh is the toucam so expensive in the UK and US? In Sweden the Toucam II Pro 840K costs £38 or 65USD. With adapter it costs £51 or 90USD. This compared what a LPI costs in Sweden (around 200US), it's a bargain.
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My homepage
10" LX-50 with SuperWedge
LXD-75 N6 with Autostar #497
DSI-C, DSI-PRO, Canon 350D
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Kenny2004
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/17/04
Posts: 1412
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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The NexImage is a CCD based imager and the LPI is CMOS based no? Besides, now that a 'fix' is on the Celestron site, you can capture RAW images with the NexImage, so that's a bonus (keep in mind that this is done at your own risk).
The Neximage is great in my opinion. It's very easy to use and comes out of the box and ready to use. No need to make any modifications like the TouCam.
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Skywatcher Black Diamond 80ED /w HEQ5 Pro
Celestron 8" SCT /w XLT
Celestron CPC800XLT
Meade DSI-C on a homebrew guidescope
Meade DSI II Pro
Philips SPC900NC Webcam
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Destrehan Dave
journeyman
Reged: 12/01/05
Posts: 6
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So, how about as a autoguider? Can you give me some info on the NexImage mod?
Thanks
Destrehan Dave
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donnie3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/15/04
Posts: 1166
Loc: bartlesville oklahoma
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will the neximage work with a 1.1 usb port or do thay recommend a 2.0 usb port like orions starshot camera.
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Greg K.
Reged: 12/11/03
Posts: 10948
Loc: Clifton Park, NY
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NexImage works fine with either USB 1.1 or 2.0 ports, but doesn't benefit from 2.0 port speeds.
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Astro-Tech AT111EDT f/7 - Celestron CGEM (new rig!)
NexStar 11 GPS
Orion SkyView Pro 8EQ (w/ Autostar mod)
15x70 Celestron SkyMasters
Orion 90mm Mak
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donnie3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/15/04
Posts: 1166
Loc: bartlesville oklahoma
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greg. thanks for the info, i have the starshoot solar system imager. ive been a week trying to get it to work on my ibm 600x laptop. i bought a 2.0 usb card for it and still cant get it to work properly. im using the ac power with it as recommended. my logitech 4000 webcam works just fine on the 1.1 usb port. the only problem with the celestron imager is that thay dont have a dsi imager. orion and meade cameras have both and use the same software. just wondering if meade cameras would comply with a 1.1 usab.
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Greg K.
Reged: 12/11/03
Posts: 10948
Loc: Clifton Park, NY
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The DSI is well known for having problems on computers with USB 1.1 ports, but a USB 2.0 ports on PCMCIA cards seem to be ok.
Here's a thread we had about it a while back.
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Astro-Tech AT111EDT f/7 - Celestron CGEM (new rig!)
NexStar 11 GPS
Orion SkyView Pro 8EQ (w/ Autostar mod)
15x70 Celestron SkyMasters
Orion 90mm Mak
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jgraham
Postmaster
Reged: 12/02/04
Posts: 6388
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
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Weird, I ran my original DSI for about a year with a USB 1.1 port without any problems, I upgraded to a USB 2.0 port and a powered USB hub when I bought my DSI Pro and added another length of USB cable out to the telescope.
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-John
================================================
Homebuilt scopes from 4.25-16.5"
Meade LXD75-N6/SN6/SC8, DSX-90, ETX-60BB, ETX-125PE, DS-2130
Orion StarBlast, BinoViewers, Coronado PST
Rebel XT/XTi, DSI Pro (I & II), DSI, LPI, Electronic Eyepiece, Phillips SPC900NC
Tasco 60mm Refractors
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