|
Post by Dragon Man on Jan 16, 2015 10:01:36 GMT
Finally, a second clear night in the last 6 months!!! So I set up and did a broadcast on NSN with the trusty Mallincam Xtreme and ED80 scope. A couple of weeks ago when I had the other clear night I tried something different by reducing the camera's AGC level down to 3. I struggled all night to get objects to look right. I see others use 2 or 3 in their AGC so I though I should try it. But it gave horrible results for me. So, last night I set the AGC back to where I use it and prefer it - at Maximum setting of level 8. Last night was so dark and sooooo clear that I pushed the camera to work hard for me by reducing my integration times as well, and using the Live Histogram setting to bring out the most in the shortest time. Here are some Screen Grabs from last night showing the extremely short integration times I used (displayed in the text info at top left of each video frame). As usual, no post-processing done. Just screen grabs directly from the live broadcast screen. (Mallincam Xtreme standard 'Class 0' Sensor, 0.58x Focal Reducer, Astronomiks 'L' UV/IR cut filter, Saxon [Skywatcher] ED80 Refractor) 10 seconds! Tarantula Nebula and smaller Nebulas and star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud Galaxy (with 2 satellite trails) 20 seconds! Horsehead Nebula and Flame Nebula 10 seconds! NGC 4945 Great Edgewise Spiral in Centaurus 10 seconds! M83 Spiral Galaxy (Southern Pinwheel) 5 seconds!! M104 Sombrero Galaxy (Zoomed in to 260%) 5 seconds!! M42 and the Running Man Nebula 3 seconds!!! Carina Nebula and Keyhole Nebula
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 16:11:37 GMT
Hi Ken,
Sorry I missed you show, thanks for the pic's.
Richard
|
|
|
Post by Rick in NWArk on Jan 16, 2015 19:50:46 GMT
Ken,
To my eye, you've bumped up the quality - well done! That 3 second image is super-impressive!!
I am knocking on wood that tonight and tomorrow night will be my first clear nights in quite a while!
--Rick
|
|
|
Post by Dragon Man on Jan 17, 2015 14:08:26 GMT
Thanks Richard and Rick. Rick, the compromise with me going to level 8 in AGC is the loss of colour. To compensate I have to raise the saturation level to Max which in turn creates horrible red and green blotches in the dark areas, which has to be compensated for by stacking It's a juggling act of compromise or compensate. I may drop the AGC down to level 6 and see if I can improve the colour a bit more.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2015 3:59:28 GMT
Ken Does "Frame 5 of 5 " refer to averaged or sum stacking on Miloslik . While on stacking, what is High Speed Stacking ?
We had the same brilliant clear night out at our dark sky site at Raywood on Friday. It is about the same distance from Bendigo as Snake Valley is from Ballarat with a similar panoramic sky. It is soo much better than at home . What I need is a quick video astronomy setup for the dark sky site. That means I need a wired control box for the Micro ex. Paul
|
|
|
Post by Dragon Man on Jan 18, 2015 7:46:57 GMT
Paul, the 5 of 5 is referring to a Rolling Average of 5 stacked frames. As one gets added to the satck one drops of, rolling continuously. I haven't had need to try High Speed Stacking as yet, but my 'guess' is that it is for the shorter 'sens-up' frames. I will have to do some reading up on the new user manual and find out. The computer control might be useful to control your Micro-ex. See 'Page 34' HERE: www.mallincam.net/uploads/2/6/9/1/26913006/micro_ex_user_manual.pdf
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2015 7:00:55 GMT
Thanks Ken You are very lucky..a dark sky site just outside your door I have got the usb controller from Zengineering. It works well, but what I am looking for is a quick setup for our club's dark sky nights . To me that means no computer ,a small monitor, a flip mirror and a wired controller for the micro ex all on a Lx90 8". Does anyone have suggestions on how to keep cables and setup time to a minimum . Paul
|
|
|
Post by Rick in NWArk on Jan 19, 2015 15:59:47 GMT
Paul,
For me, its worthwhile to at least use my computer and camera control cable to get my initial settings done. Over time, I am customizing some of the settings for DSOs or Planetary from what the control software initially has. Getting my laptop booted up and connecting the control cable and sending the settings is so much faster than navigating thru the menus -- either with a controller or thru the back buttons. If I am going to switch between DSOs and Planets, then that justifies it even more.
You can't really minimize more than a video cable from the camera to the monitor, the power to the camera, and the power to your mount.
I use S-Video with my Jr Pro. And my video goes to a powered splitter when I want two monitors (or a monitor and a video capture device). I also use the ZEngineering control cable to my computer. Not much different than a wired hand controller to me. I guess I do run a powered USB hub.
I have different cases to organize everything. I also use a label gun so I know which wall warts go to what.
I hope this helps.
--Rick
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2015 23:02:32 GMT
Thanks Rick I have my Xtreme permanently setup in the skyshed on the Lx90 10" and attached to a laptop but I have a tree problem at home. That's why I like to get out to the club's dark sky site when I can. I find a mobile video astronomy setup out in the field particularly with a laptop frustrating mainly because of cables. I am the only club member with video. Everyone else uses an eyepiece. I set myself up with all my friends (alone) away from the others so I don't interfere. "Come and have a look at this ,have a look at that...but watch the cables. Oops ..sorry"! You can probably picture why video astronomy hasn't caught on in Bendigo . For the Xtreme ,a laptop is essential but for the Micro Ex it is not . That's why I am keen on getting a wired controller.Start at lens on 128 then ramp it up to 1024 out in the field with a small 8" monitor. I assume that's how you guys would do it. (That's another reason why I need to get over to Snake Valley and get some pointers from Ken). So I'm looking for a quick and easy video setup for out in the field
Davy,I can also confirm that the UTC controller( $10 delivered from Hong Kong) does not work on the Micro Ex Paul
|
|
|
Post by Dragon Man on Jan 21, 2015 7:50:10 GMT
Paul, yes you can use a Mallincam Xtreme directly to a TV or Monitor. No need for a PC, unless you have the 'PC only' model
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2015 11:26:04 GMT
Ken I wasn't aware of that. On my Xtreme, there is sense up to 128 only and then I have to go to hyper with Miloslik on the laptop. The Micro ex can be increased to 1024 with the buttons at the back. This is the setup for the field .It is pretty quick to do. The one cable between tripods is covered with a mat. Meade 6.3 focal reducer,flip mirror with eyepiece and Micro ex again with .5 focal reducer. I added the UTC controller which unfortunately doesn't work. This is disappointing because I have to make all the changes from the Micro Ex buttons
|
|
|
Post by Dragon Man on Jan 21, 2015 14:15:33 GMT
Ahhhh, yeah, that's a good point Paul. I didn't think about the restriction to Sensup and no Hyper when only using a Monitor.
But when using an old CRT monitor 128x looks like 256x or more. LCD screens are a real let down when compared to a CRT.
|
|
|
Post by Rick in NWArk on Jan 22, 2015 3:07:24 GMT
There is a recent thread on the Mallincam Yahoo List that details a hand controller that someone created themselves. I think you can also get one from Rock before long, if its not already available. www.mallincam.net/micro-ex.htmlComing Soon!, New Wired Remote Control & RS 485 is in production, 2 Meters long: $69.99 USD This will be superior to mashing the tiny buttons in the dark! You dont have to run it to your monitor either, just hang it on your kit. --Rick
|
|
|
Post by Dragon Man on Jan 22, 2015 6:16:20 GMT
Sound good Rick.
Someone with electronic know-how needs to invent a small hand controller that will control Hyper Mode so it can be used for 'Monitor Only' observing. It would be a big seller!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2015 11:34:57 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Dragon Man on Jan 22, 2015 13:43:04 GMT
Paul, what have you challenged her to make?
A hand controller for the Micro-ex and LN-300, or a hand controller to get an Xtreme to do Hyper mode without the need of a computer?
|
|
|
Post by Rick in NWArk on Jan 22, 2015 16:56:14 GMT
I am her dad and I'm always wrong. Welcome to the club! LOL!!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2015 18:53:39 GMT
Ken Just a hand controller for the LN300 and Micro Ex. I would have thought if it was possible for the Xtreme ,it would have been done by now. Alicia is a mechatronics engineering student and is pretty handy but obviously no expert yet. We will see what she can do when I'm no longer in trouble. paul
|
|
|
Post by davy on Jan 22, 2015 21:53:23 GMT
just a hand controller talented lady..think she can be all our best friend
|
|