Manual Control. Shutting Down the Mallincam Xtreme

Transcription

1 Table f Cntents Manual Cntrl... 2 Shutting Dwn the Mallincam Xtreme... 2 First Time Starting Mallincam While Cnnected t Cmputer... 4 Stephan s MC Cntrl Sftware... 6 Planets t fuzzy... 6 Setting up MC Cntrl Sftware... 7 General... 9 Imaging in the Daylight... 9 Flashing Image n screen... 9 Xtreme Chip size Cllimating with the Xtreme Night Skies Netwrk (NSN) Bradcast Reslutin... 10

2 Manual Cntrl Shutting Dwn the Mallincam Xtreme When shutting dwn the Xtreme, yu actually want the camera t warm up a little bit (this is especially imprtant if yu were imaging deep sky bjects and had the cler running at maximum). This prcedure mimics what happens when yu shut dwn the camera using the Mallincam sftware, and yu chse the PARK cmmand 1. Stp any expsures that the Xtreme is wrking n. 2. Set SENSE UP t OFF 3. G t the MOTION DETECT menu.

3 4. Have MOTION DETECT PRESET set t ON (When the "MOTION DETECT" is set t "OFF", the cler in the XTREME is cnstantly running. When MOTION DETECT is set t "ON" it nly turns n the cler when cling is needed fr the camera.) 5. Set the LEVEL slider all the way t the right (this is the lwest setting) 6. Set the TIMER t 60SEC

4 7. Set AGC t OFF. 8. Return and SAVE t settings. 9. Nw relax and wait 3 minutes befre pwering dwn the camera. Since yu saved the settings, when yu pwer up the Xtreme, it will use these last saved settings First Time Starting Mallincam While Cnnected t Cmputer 1. Cnnect Xtreme t Cmputer and Mnitr Remve plastic lens cap and 5mm black extensin ring. Install deluxe 1.25 aluminum adapter. Add fcal reducers and extensins and cnnect t yur telescpe If a MFR-3 fcal reducer is t be used, either place the 5mm black r the 10mm aluminum extensin ring between it and the camera. If a MFR-5 fcal reducer is t be used, either place the 5mm black r the 10mm aluminum extensin ring between it and the camera. At this pint yu may cnnect the Xtreme t yur telescpe. But, during yur first few uses f the camera, yu might find it mre cmfrtable t cmplete the next step (Cnnect Vide Cables t Xtreme) prir t cnnecting the camera t the telescpe. This way yu can examine mre clsely hw t insert the cable ends nt the back f Xtreme. Remember d nt cnnect pwer t the Xtreme unless it is cnnected t a telescpe.

5 Cnnect Vide Cables t Xtreme Examine the 25 pwer/vide cable and select the end with a silver BNC twist cnnectr and a male pwer cable. Make sure pwer adapter is nt plugged in Cnnect the silver BNC twist cnnectr t the VIDEO-OUT prt n back f Xtreme. Cnnect the Male Pwer cnnectr t the 12V prt n back f Xtreme. {Optinal} Cnnect the SVide cnnectr the S-VHS prt n back f Xtreme. {Optinal} Cnnect the Serial cable t the Cmputer/Wired adapter plug n back f Xtreme 1 Vide Out (BNC) 2 12V Pwer in (12V) 3 Red Pwer n LED 4 SVide in (S-VHS) 5 Aut iris select switch 6 Cmputer/Wired adapter plug 7 Enter Key 8 Up Arrw 9 Dwn Arrw 10 Left Arrw 11 Right Arrw The ther end f the 25 pwer/vide cable will have silver BNC twist cnnectr and a female pwer cnnectr. Cnnect the silver BNC twist cnnectr t the mnitr. If the mnitr has an RCA jack, use the supplied silver BNC t RCA cnnectr (see 3 n picture belw). {Optinal} Cnnect the Svide cable t vide capture device n yur cmputer {Optinal} Cnnect the RS232 t Xtreme cable int yur RS232 prt (r USB t RS232 adapter) n yur cmputer. After Camera is attached t Telescpe, cnnect the female pwer cnnectr t the pwer supply (see 4 n picture belw). 2. Turn n Cmputer RS232 t USB adapter Give time fr the Cmputer Operating System t lad all its drivers and stabilize itself (drive light stps r flashes infrequently). 3. Pwer n the Camera Ensure the camera is set-up and attached t telescpe. Make sure that the plastic lens cap is remved frm the Xtreme. Plug in the pwer adapter t an utlet (120AV, r 12DC) Xtreme will take abut 3 minutes fr circuits t becme stabilized

6 Stephan s MC Cntrl Sftware Planets t fuzzy If yu used the Mn r Planetary Buttn n the Basic Tab, there is a prblem with the sftware nt turning OFF the SENSE UP cmmand n the Xtreme. Even thugh the sftware indicates that it is SENSE UP : OFF it may in fact still be at 128X (this is why the image is ver expsed). This shuld say OFF nt 128X. Remember d nt change it with the buttns Yu can check if this is the case tw ways: 1) by using the buttns n the back f the camera t insect the SENSE UP cntrl. But remember, DO NOT CHANGE IT WITH THE CAMERA ITSELF. 2) By having the sftware read the camera settings (READ FROM, in the Basic Tab) Fix: Yu can g and use the sftware and turn the SENSE UP cntrl t OFF frm the Advanced Tab. (The first time I experienced the SENSE UP nt being OFF, I changed it and saved the settings n the Preset n the Basic Tab. I Save it twice nce as mn and again as planetary. These verwrte the previus settings in the sftware. I have nt had the issue since.

7 Setting up MC Cntrl Sftware 1. Start Mallincam Xtreme Cntrl Sftware This assumes yu have cnnected the Xtreme t yur Serial r USB t Serial prt n yur cmputer and are ready t cntrl the Xtreme frm the cmputer rather than the buttns n the back f the Xtreme. It als assumes yu have a mnitr r vide display sftware, such as AMCAP, running n yur cmputer yu can see images prduced by the xtreme. First Time Using Duble Click n the Mallincam Sftware Icn If this is the first time using the Mallincam Xtreme Cntrl Sftware, yu may receive the fllwing message. D nt wrry. This is telling yu that the Xtreme sftware expects the camera t be cnnected t Cm1 n the cmputer. This may nt be the case. Yu will have the pprtunity in the sftware t indicate what prt the Xtreme is actually cnnected t. Click n the <OK> buttn t cntinue. The MallinCam Xtreme Cntrl Basic screen will pen. If yu received the COM1 Errr when yu initially started the Mallincam Cntrl Sftware, then click n the Cnfig Tab that is lcated near the tp f the Mallincam screen. (We are abut t tell the sftware which prt the Xtreme is cnnected t).

8 On the right hand side, yu will see a pull dwn menu beside the COM Prt title. Select the COM number that the USB prt that is cnnected t the Xtreme. Yu can find the Cm number by checking the Universal Bus Cntrller inside the Device Manager in the Cntrl Panel Nw is the time t select the Camera Type and Tl Tips preferences. Click n the <Save> buttn t save yur chices. Exit Mallincam Cntrl Sftware. Restart Mallincam Cntrl Sftware. Allw the Xtreme t finish its warm-up prcedure (Takes abut 3 minutes) Yu can see the cuntdwn timer tick dwn in the advanced Tab screen beside a yellw circle. If yu have the Xtreme als cnnected t a mnitr yu may be seeing an image flicker n the mnitr. The image may be ut f fcus, r even dark (depends upn what the telescpe is pinting t). Checking ut the mnitr image is a simple way t see if the Xtreme is delivering a signal. Click n the <Read Frm> buttn lcated n the bttm left crner f the screen under Camera. This will synchrnize the Xtreme Camera with the Cntrl sftware (this takes abut 30 secnds). First Time Using If this is yur first time using Xtreme Cntrl Sftware, yu will want t cnfigure the vide capture device and file saving lcatins. Select the Vide tab at the tp f the screen. Under Vide Capture title, click n <Path> buttn t set the lcatin t save captured vide files. Click n either AVI r MPG buttn t chse saved vide frmat. Under Frame Capture title, click n <Path> buttn t set the lcatin t save snapsht files. Click n BMP, JPG, r Tiff bx t select what frmat t save yur snapsht. Select the Cnfig tab at the tp f the screen. Under the Save Sftware Cnfiguratin title, click n the <Save> buttn t save these selectins

9 2. Initializing the Xtreme with the Xtreme Cntrl Sftware Select the Advanced Tab at the tp f the screen. Click n the Clr Bars Bx (tp rw, near middle). If the cmputer and sftware are cmmunicating crrectly with the Xtreme, yu shuld see the clr test bar pattern n yur mnitr and screen (if yu are running a vide display sftware (AmCap, DeepSky Imaging, WebCamMax) If the clr bars appear n mnitr but nt n vide windw Recheck MCV1 vide input device and cable cnnectin Yu may need t exit the Xtreme Cntrl Sftware and run the ther vide capture sftware t see if the settings are set crrectly. Still nt wrking, then check with anther cable. Click n the Clr Bars Bx t turn ff the clr bars Click n the Basic tab at the tp f the screen Select the type f bject yu will be lking at by clicking n the apprpriate buttn. This will lad the Xtreme Sftware with the recmmended pre-sets fr this type f bject. Click n the Write T n the bttm left t send these values t the Xtreme Camera. Centre the bject in the screen and fcus as best as yu can. Use Planets Tab with Zm Observe Yu can change varius Xtreme settings t imprve yur image. General Imaging in the Daylight Leave the end-cap n the telescpe (this way yu wn t ver expse the camera if by chance it was left in a Deep Sky mde. Have the fllwing settings set n the Xtreme: SENSE UP : OFF AGC: OFF ALC: 1/12000 Remve the end-cap Adjust ALC upwards until yu get the image brightness requires. Flashing Image n screen This camera is incredibly sensitive t light and any stray light may trigger the safety inside the camera that will prevent verlad inside the camera electrnics. If yu d trigger the safety, and see a flashing screen, simply unplug the camera fr 5 secnds, and recnnect the pwer and wait abut 3 minutes fr electrnics t settle. If yu use the MCV-1e then a flashing verlad can be cause by having the POT t high. Reduce the POP by turning it the ther way.

10 Xtreme Chip size The Extreme chip is 768 pixels x 494 pixels (un-binned) with each pixel being 8.4 x 9.8 micrns Cllimating with the Xtreme Use a bright star like Sirius r Spica in this way n integratin is required and yu will btain immediate feedback (fr Sirius expsure is abut 1/2500sec), Set SENSE UP t OFF, als make sure AGC is OFF initially, and play with ALC t where the star is nt saturated and evenly illuminated. If t dim, set sense up t x24. Obtain a tight fcus with the star then defcus until defined diffractin rings are visible. Yu may have t change the ALC settings as the star light is spread ut a bit and dims. Yu may even need t turn AGC t 0 (a 3 minute wait time is required) Reduce expsure until image is as stable as pssible. Adjust the secndary until the rings are cncentric and evenly spaced. Insert a Barlw then repeat. There are a cuple f sftware slutins that greatly assist and simplify the prcess: MetaGuide Gldfcus (this is a cmbinatin f mask and sftware) Night Skies Netwrk (NSN) Bradcast Reslutin Left click n the NSN image screen after yu have lgged in t activate the settings. Change the reslutin t 640x480 with as fast a frame rate yu need. Click the Green check bx t accept the changes Yu can click n the camera r mike image t change yur selectin. Dn t frget a title fr the bradcast