179 replies to this topic

[ngchunter]

Finally got the camera and the power connector it needed. I used the duct tape solution to put it on the telescope tonight. I need to get a bigger power strip though as my splitter didn't leave room to power up the dew heaters, so my view got progressively worse. Not a bad little performer though, the ghost of jupiter came out very brightly, orion was good of course, and I saw some globulars as the corrector plate finished dewing over. I posted a screenshot of NGC3242 in the images thread. Overall I'm very pleased with the camera; it does really well for the price.

[greg]

Hey- try to grab one of the SDC-435's off the assembly line before they glue down the IR filter!

:-)

Not possible. These are the result of a method of ordering pre-assembled IR-cut+AA filter+CCD all-on-one part directly from SONY.

Consider that H-alpha will not be so great. End of story.
$153 price tag is not bad.

Clear Skies!

ccs_hello

Could the CCD be replaced with one that doesn't have the IR-Cut Filter?

GregW

[greg]

Very Nice Capture of NGC3242 ..... I'd like to see more images from this camera and a Fast Scope.

GregW

[ccs_hello]

Could the CCD be replaced with one that doesn't have the IR-Cut Filter?

GregW

GregW,

Need to know the part number and get it first, then do a major soldering work. Not for faint hearted.

Clear Skies!

ccs_hello

[scout72]

Need to know the part number and get it first, then do a major soldering work. Not for faint hearted.

Clear Skies!

ccs_hello

Indeed not for the faint of heart- and you can look back at the thread telling of my experience trying to remove the filter on the 425 model- it was not actually glued to the sensor, it is in a very tight fitting plastic housing that is glued to the sensor housing- I think it is possible to remove it without damaging anything, but it is also very easy TO damage something as i showed- not worth the risk, but also hopefully a moot point as I hope to find out with another SamCam model I found and ordered- the scc-b2337. It does have the mechanical filter which is easy to remove, and it does have another version of the newer proprietary chipset- this one called the A1 as opposed to the SDC-435's W5- this is supposedly a step up. Other than that shares many of the same features as the 435.

one of the cool things about this model is the a1 chipset supports a coaxial hand controller- which, although it is more expensive than the camera itself looks like a nice accessory (scx-rd100)

Anyway- found the camera online for $123 and will post results (in the right place this time!) when I get it:

scc-2337 $123

[ngchunter]

Wow, that's fantastic, looks like I should have waited to buy.

[ccs_hello]

Factory glue-on CCD looks like this CN picture.

Clear Skies!

ccs_hello

[ngchunter]

Yeah, the idea of trying to remove that without damaging the CCD scares the living daylights out of me. You said it was on borrowed time now? So exposing it to air is damaging even without physical stress?

[scout72]

The one CCS_Hello has pictured is from his Polaris camera and it is totally different from the Samsung one I destroyed. The SDC-425 only had a single layer filter (the blusih colored one) and it is not physically glued to the sensor. From looking at the SDC_435 filter it appears identical to the 425- now I am not saying you should try to remove it, but I don't think it would be as troublesome as the Polaris.

[ngchunter]

I took a look and I think I see what you're saying; the IR blocker seems to be attached to that black housing. What went wrong with your attempt with a Samsung? Was it a 425 that you destroyed?

[scout72]

yes- IR filter glued to housing, housing glued to board. I first tried an exacto blade to try to cut the plastic- it is too hard and thick for that- so I used a very thin, coarse blade on dremel at low speed, which worked well, but you don't want to get too close to the sensor or the filter, so I cut as much as I thought I should then tried to pry up the housing with a micro flat-head screwdriver whilst cutting away final bits with the exacto- and I slipped the screwdriver onto the board and caused a short which was unrepairable.

[Chris Schroeder]

Dang, I hate that when that happens, I sure can relate.

[StarmanDan]

For those looking at the SCC-A2333... I've got my channels looking into pricing but Samsung is saying this model will be special order only with production starting in about 8 weeks.

[nytecam]

For those looking at the SCC-A2333... I've got my channels looking into pricing but Samsung is saying this model will be special order only with production starting in about 8 weeks.

Gotcha - getting closer on pass of Samsung HQ

[StarmanDan]

Just got word from my Samsung rep that the SCC-A2333 is discontinued??? No replacement has been announced.

[scout72]

Just got word from my Samsung rep that the SCC-A2333 is discontinued??? No replacement has been announced.

That would be weird, but I guess not impossible. I spoke with the GVI rep and he said that it is still too new and not showing in Samsung inventory yet- the camera was just announced 6 months ago, but anyone's guess is good at this point, I haven't been able to find one anywhere or an ETA.

[greg]

Well,
I called "Surveillance Systems Integration 105 Vernon Street Roseville, CA 95678 to check stock and price on the SDC-435 and got a price of $182.00 Plus Shipping....

So I called 123SecurityProducts and they're price was $153.00 and FREE Shipping!!!

I just bought one from 123SecurityProducts.
I Should have it next week. Now I need to order a 1.25 barrel for it, and I'll be doing some Mods. to it as well....

If all goes right, I'll do a live broadcast with it next new Moon.

GregW

[donnie3]

scout72, just thought i would make sure i have the right camera before i order. the camera is described on line as a (sdc-435 techwin 1/3 +/- high resolution day & night camera) the reason im asking is because i didn't see the 8.5 integration as you described it. maybe this is something i should know about the cameras tech, excuse my lack of knowledge about the subject. thanks, don

[scout72]

That's the one- 512x integration = 512x 1/60th second = 8.5 seconds.

[donnie3]

just ordered the sdc- 435 camera yesterday. i have a camera mate capturing device i got from radio shack for a video camera i had a while back. my computer at the time was running xp. i now have a dell running vista, the camera mate software is for windows 98,me, 2000 and xp only. i would appreciate some suggestions on how to get it to run on vista if possible. thanks, don

[donnie3]

scout72, i went to radio shack and ask about the power supply, da! da! "you got questions we got answers" ha,ha, ha. i have a 12volt adapter but it has a male connector at the end of the line. would you cut the line into and maybe sauder u shape hooks at the end of each wire in order to screw them to the camera or female connector with wires out the end then connect the wires to the camera. any suggestions please. thanks, don

[greg]

Does anyone who owns this camera know if sense up mode puts the camera in noise reduction mode and there by turning the gain off to control noise???

If so this is a big problem.... at only 8.5 seconds and Gain off this camera will be limited to Bright objects.

Could this be why the trap stars in the Image of m42 at the start of this tread were not blown out...
At 8.5 seconds with a C11 and Meade f3.3 reducer working at about f4.3, I would think the center of M42 would be Way over exposed.

To see faint objects (at only 8.5 seconds) this camera will need high gain settings and cool the chip to keep the noise down.

If Sence up kicks the camera into Gain off, this may be a fatal flaw for this camera and faint objects...

I hope I'm Wrong....

GregW

[ngchunter]

No, automatic gain control is separate from the sense-up control as well as the SSNR (noise reduction) control. Gain control can be set to low, high, or off (the lowest setting) with or without sense-up. The low setting seems to work pretty well with sense-up, even before I put a fan on top of it. When I tested it at ~f/3 with my 8" LX200 and gain at low, the trapezium was basically blown. The fainter red regions were barely visible, but that was due to the terrible light pollution here in Sarasota. Putting a broadband nebula filter on it cut down on a lot of that, but a lot of HA was still getting left out due to the IR filter. Hopefully now that I've removed it from mine I'll be able to see all the pretty colors lol.

[scout72]

Confirming what NGChunter is saying- I should have given more specs on the settings I used for those images- those were with gain and dynamic range off.

I was doing more testing last night since I removed my filter , with my c8 with the f3.3 reducer and broadband neb filter on, and with gain on low ,DR on 1, I was using 1 second integration to capture a lot of color and nebulosity without totally blowing out the trapezium.

I was trying to broadcast last night with this setup but I was having a heck of a time with NightSky- and I haven't made any changes to my system since the last time I broadcast.

[Sky Captain]

Thanks for the updates guys. Mine will arrive on Monday. Should be fun to see what images I can get out of this camera.