10 replies to this topic

[Churmey]

I was wanting to experiment doing some live video (streamed over facebook/other sites) for our local astronomy club, using ASI cameras (ASI290/wide angle adapter and or  ASI071MC/Hyperstar).

 

Does anyone know how to set up a ASI camera, or if it's even possible, such that Windows 10 will associate it as a webcam?  Any instructions would be greatly appreciated.

[freestar8n]

Just install the full system drivers for the camera, and then install the optional DirectShow driver - also from ZWO.  You should then be able to connect to the camera in standard Windows video apps.

 

You should then be able to open a camera settings page that will let you set exposure and I think temperature also.

 

And if you don't need to cool the camera you can probably do all this without supplying it 12V power.

 

Frank

[kathyastro]

I used my ASI120MC as a webcam.  I just installed the standard ZWO drivers.  I went into my webcam software and selected it.  Easy peasy.

[Churmey]

Thank you both,

 

Interesting. I have tried all the advice given, have downloaded/updated all the ZWO drivers. I see the camera during the facebook live as selected, but it doesn't show any video, just a black screen.....no frame rates are showing coming through either. Any further advice? Anyone know where the raw settings panel might be for zwo cameras such that the gain/exposure might be adjusted?

Edited by Churmey, 11 February 2021 - 06:01 PM.

[freestar8n]

In sharpcap you should be able to load it as a directshow camera and then access Image Controls and Filter Options.  There may be something similar in facebook live.  The screen to control the camera probably isn't built into the GUI interface - but you press a button somewhere and it should pop up.

 

It may also show as something like "video capture pin" - and when you select it you should get a dialog that lets you set exposure - etc.

 

Frank

[tomb18]

It would appear that the latest ZWO direct show drivers don't work the way they should.  I bought a ASI120mm-s camera to use as an all sky camera, and I tried several direct show supported programs.  None of them worked, nor did Windows camera.

I'm a software developer and I use a library that supports DirectShow for some other projects and I tried as small program just displaying the image.  The minute one connects to the camera, Visual Studio itself just closes. Each of the programs I tried, except for one, did the same thing.

So it seems they have some issues with that driver at the moment.

I will follow up with them once the holidays are over in China.

Tom

[Churmey]

In sharpcap you should be able to load it as a directshow camera and then access Image Controls and Filter Options.  There may be something similar in facebook live.  The screen to control the camera probably isn't built into the GUI interface - but you press a button somewhere and it should pop up.

 

It may also show as something like "video capture pin" - and when you select it you should get a dialog that lets you set exposure - etc.

 

Frank

Thank you Frank for the advise but no matter how much I try, It just will not work.

[Churmey]

It would appear that the latest ZWO direct show drivers don't work the way they should.  I bought a ASI120mm-s camera to use as an all sky camera, and I tried several direct show supported programs.  None of them worked, nor did Windows camera.

I'm a software developer and I use a library that supports DirectShow for some other projects and I tried as small program just displaying the image.  The minute one connects to the camera, Visual Studio itself just closes. Each of the programs I tried, except for one, did the same thing.

So it seems they have some issues with that driver at the moment.

I will follow up with them once the holidays are over in China.

Tom

That's my experience also Tom; thank you for confirming. If you do find a solution, please kindly come back here and share it.

[TareqPhoto]

I used my ZWO cameras and even my QHY163M as webcam, but the problem was always to use a correct optics, because using the included wide field degree lens will almost show my half room and i am deformed, almost like fisheye lens, and when i use something like my 50mm lens i still feel like it made me into macro and focus was difficult, that was my only problem.

[QiuHY]

I used my ZWO cameras and even my QHY163M as webcam, but the problem was always to use a correct optics, because using the included wide field degree lens will almost show my half room and i am deformed, almost like fisheye lens, and when i use something like my 50mm lens i still feel like it made me into macro and focus was difficult, that was my only problem.

In the recently new drivers , we re-includes the Broadcast WDM driver of QHYCCD. Which is very idea to acts the QHYCCD camera as a webcam and it support multipe video streaming. You can enable it in Sharcap and the video streaming will send from Sharpcap to this driver. And any other host application, like the online chating software, the UFOCapture , HandyAvi. Obs software can get the video. And all the control is in the SharpCAP. 

 

Best regards,

Qiu Hongyun

[TareqPhoto]

In the recently new drivers , we re-includes the Broadcast WDM driver of QHYCCD. Which is very idea to acts the QHYCCD camera as a webcam and it support multipe video streaming. You can enable it in Sharcap and the video streaming will send from Sharpcap to this driver. And any other host application, like the online chating software, the UFOCapture , HandyAvi. Obs software can get the video. And all the control is in the SharpCAP. 

 

Best regards,

Qiu Hongyun

Excellent, i am proudly having three QHYCCD cameras, good service, please keep up your quality and service going and better and strong, we support your efforts really, thank you very much