EQUIPMENT

CAMERA CONTROL

The Imaging and Guiding Cameras are controlled using two laptops. (a 400MHz Pentium and a 25MHz 386) A control box allows the cameras to be switched between the two computers

The Quickcam Guider is set up (guide star acquisition, focus and calibration) using the main 400MHz laptop before transfering the settings and control to the 386 laptop (fast enough for guiding but the setting up is more easily done on the 400MHz machine)

The 1004x JG imaging camera runs on the 400MHz machine

The B+W QuickCam guider is controlled using Guider.exe software

The 1004x -JG USB Imaging Camera is controlled using iCatch-USB software

The control box is adapted from a 2 way parallel changeover box.

The USB logic board which converts the standard PCI logic in the camera to that used by the USB capture device is wired into one of the parallel inputs.

The Hauppage USB Live capture device is also housed in the box.

Spare contacts on the changeover switch are used to switch the serial link to the Skysensor 2000 drive computer between the two computers