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Mastering Pixinsight by Rogelio Andreo

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#1 cargostick

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 03:35 PM

I hope this is the right forum to post in.  I just wanted to drop a line about a set of books I just received.  I have been waiting months for it to get published.  Highly recommend.  It is two books, a deep dive and a quick reference guide.  Written by one of the contributors to Pixinsight.  I ordered it via the Pixinsight forums months ago, the website listed inside the book is:

 

www.deepskycolors.com

ISBN is 978-0-9906763-4-8

 

Clear Skies

 

Roger

 

 

Mastering Pixinsight

 



#2 Peregrinatum

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 03:37 PM

i have the pdf version, it is excellent



#3 mewmartigan

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 03:44 PM

Glad to see it in the wild. I am also waiting on my hard copy.
You get any shipping notice or did it just arrive one day?

#4 AstroBrett

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 03:52 PM

I ordered it last week and I am eagerly awaiting it.

 

Brett



#5 cargostick

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 03:56 PM

Marcus I did get an email from Rogelio about a week before it shipped.  Took about a week from the west coast to the east coast to get to me in the mail.

 

 



#6 Umasscrew39

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 04:01 PM

Mine are in the mail.  Fantastic books which I have reviewed several times from the PDF versions he sent.  I also have Adam Blocks video series.  They both have pros and cons in my opinion.  Depending on your learning style, you might favor one over the other but I think they nicely compliment each other. 



#7 jdupton

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 04:38 PM

Bruce & Roger,

 

   They appear to be shipping out in bulk now.

 

   I am also awaiting my paper copies. I have been working through the main text (in PDF) and using the reference guide. I just got my shipping notice yesterday with the tracking number so I should have the paper versions in about a week or less. (They are being shipped to me USPS Media Mail.)

 

 

John



#8 diggy

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 07:11 PM

Just  got my copy.  Well worth the wait. 



#9 chakel

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 07:39 PM

Awaiting the delivery of my book!



#10 Stelios

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 08:00 PM

I'm also awaiting the delivery. I ordered mine way, way, WAY back. 4.gif



#11 WadeH237

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 08:07 PM

I've not heard anything yet on my copy.  We are in the middle of a move across the state, so we're in mail limbo (we've not received anything in the last week, and the local post office is swamped with Amazon Prime stuff, so they are way behind...)  We're paying bills directly, without waiting to get them in the mail.  I'm hoping that my copy of Rogelio's book doesn't get lost in the shuffle.



#12 rbish237

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 06:16 AM

I've been using the .pdf versions as well - hope my paper version is coming soon.  Great to see these shipping, thx for posting!  



#13 Madratter

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 08:08 AM

What level are these at? How much of the book would actually be useful for an already advanced user of PixInsight? And I consider the reference guide pretty much zero value. I'm not looking for that at all.



#14 AarondeVries

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 09:42 AM

@Madratter. My personal opinion is that levels range from beginner to medium advanced. If you are a really advanced user and are not interested in the reference guide, then you probably will find a nugget of wisdom here and there, but not more.

 

The book restricts itself mostly to the standard tools of PI (plus describing a few scripts) with a thorough walk-through and explanation as to why and has on top of that keyboard shortcut lists and pixelmath expressions. Rogelio does not advocate to do everything to an image just because there is a tool for it; he gives his personal opinion on what to do when and what not. In contrast to this, the Warren Keller book (2nd edition) has much more script information. These books differ in style and didactic approach and I have read and enjoyed both and learned a lot by reading different perspectives.

 

Having said all that: Books are cheap. The digital copy of Mastering Pixinsight is $25,- It is more the time invested that counts. Books for me are efficient in that respect. I know of no (e)book that contains really advanced stuff, say writing scripts for PI or advanced pixelmath trickery.


Edited by AarondeVries, 23 October 2020 - 09:48 AM.


#15 WadeH237

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 10:15 AM

...he gives his personal opinion on what to do when and what not.

In my opinion, this is pure gold, and the reason that I ordered the book.



#16 Umasscrew39

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 10:19 AM

What level are these at? How much of the book would actually be useful for an already advanced user of PixInsight? And I consider the reference guide pretty much zero value. I'm not looking for that at all.

I consider this a good bookshelf reference for anyone but especially for beginners up through intermediate users of PI.  If only looking for advanced info, I think you might be better off with Adam Block's PI Horizons. 



#17 Madratter

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 10:19 AM

@Madratter. My personal opinion is that levels range from beginner to medium advanced. If you are a really advanced user and are not interested in the reference guide, then you probably will find a nugget of wisdom here and there, but not more.

 

The book restricts itself mostly to the standard tools of PI (plus describing a few scripts) with a thorough walk-through and explanation as to why and has on top of that keyboard shortcut lists and pixelmath expressions. Rogelio does not advocate to do everything to an image just because there is a tool for it; he gives his personal opinion on what to do when and what not. In contrast to this, the Warren Keller book (2nd edition) has much more script information. These books differ in style and didactic approach and I have read and enjoyed both and learned a lot by reading different perspectives.

 

Having said all that: Books are cheap. The digital copy of Mastering Pixinsight is $25,- It is more the time invested that counts. Books for me are efficient in that respect. I know of no (e)book that contains really advanced stuff, say writing scripts for PI or advanced pixelmath trickery.

Thank you. :)



#18 Madratter

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 10:21 AM

I consider this a good bookshelf reference for anyone but especially for beginners up through intermediate users of PI.  If only looking for advanced info, I think you might be better off with Adam Block's PI Horizons. 

Thanks!



#19 acommonsoul

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 11:52 AM

Ordered mine in April. Hopefully will get a shipping notice soon.

#20 johnoelliott

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 12:38 PM

Finally bit the bullet a couple of months after my trial expired and paid for the book two days ago and just purchased my license and installed it today.

 

Now I have to learn its ins and outs! graduate.sml.gif



#21 limeyx

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 03:55 PM

Its on my christmas list :)



#22 Stelios

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 04:55 PM

What level are these at? How much of the book would actually be useful for an already advanced user of PixInsight? And I consider the reference guide pretty much zero value. I'm not looking for that at all.

Do you say this *having seen* the reference guide? It's not that useless IMO. It helps with some of the parameters that one usually doesn't bother changing because the documentation is lacking and/or tooltip wisdom is limited.

 

OTOH, you may well be beyond it. I was mildly disappointed in the book itself, but part of it is the way he's chosen to present it--addressing it first to those who are absolute beginners, and then adding some extra stuff. I found that I had to read too much well-known stuff to find a gem or two. It would be *highly* recommended for the beginner or intermediate Pixinsight user (intermediate meaning he knows his way around PI and knows some simple workflows, but uses a small subset of functions/scripts and leaves most stuff at default).

 

Adam Block doesn't need to read it :)



#23 Madratter

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 05:27 PM

Do you say this *having seen* the reference guide? It's not that useless IMO. It helps with some of the parameters that one usually doesn't bother changing because the documentation is lacking and/or tooltip wisdom is limited.

 

OTOH, you may well be beyond it. I was mildly disappointed in the book itself, but part of it is the way he's chosen to present it--addressing it first to those who are absolute beginners, and then adding some extra stuff. I found that I had to read too much well-known stuff to find a gem or two. It would be *highly* recommended for the beginner or intermediate Pixinsight user (intermediate meaning he knows his way around PI and knows some simple workflows, but uses a small subset of functions/scripts and leaves most stuff at default).

 

Adam Block doesn't need to read it smile.gif

I'm no Adam Block and never will be. But what you are saying is exactly what I was afraid of. Unfortunately the beginner/intermediate market is often where the money is. Those beyond that level have already done a lot of their own experimentation, and aiming at that more advanced level is going to lose much of your potential audience. Still, given the author, I had some hope.



#24 cargostick

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Posted 23 October 2020 - 08:34 PM

It gives a detailed look at many of the parameters within the many different tools.  I would say as well that it is beginner to intermediate user.  As an advanced user you will probably be well into a deep dive on most of the tools, but I always prefer to have a reference book handy on anything with so many variables.  It will be updated via the .pdf versions for changes that come along as well.  



#25 Chucke

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Posted 26 October 2020 - 12:53 AM

Received mine a few days ago,




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