From: "Tim" <tjp314@pacbell.net>

Date: May 12, 2005 10:04:41 PM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Which Astroiidc option best?

Okay, so that webcam I bought on ebay arrived today. It didn't come with any software.

It not only looks like the Unibrain Fire-i on the outside, it says it's a Fire-i on the case. So,

I went to Unibrain's website and downloaded the mac drivers for it (but supplied by

IOXperts). The only option that came up for installation when I opened the driver installer

was "Aplux 1394 Camera", with "FireWire Unique ID: 0030956000000262" listed below

that.

So, does this mean I'm SOL (sheer out of luck) for using this camera with Astro IIDC?

-Tim.

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Milton Aupperle <milton@o...> wrote:

Hi Tim;

On 10-May-05, at 6:03 PM, Tim wrote:

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Milton Aupperle <milton@o...> wrote:

Not now with Apple's iSight out their. Actually shortly after Apple

did

the iSight, most companies stopped any future production them and

EOL'd

all of them. The only exception was Unibrain who are still producing

cameras.

A while back, I did a search to see if anyone was using the iSight

for astroimaging (since I

have one). I only found one or two citations of people who tried it

at all - not quite

enough encouragement for me to make an adapter to try mine on my

scope. Well, that

and the fact that my scope is more than 6 feet from the computer.

But I'll probably fiddle

with it at some point just for hoots. Have to shoot afocally,

though, and probably pick the

eyepiece projection magnification value high enough to overcome the

autoexposure's

tendency to saturate the image... ...probably more hassle than it's

worth, in the end.

Also the iSight optics have auto focus - at least the current ones do.

But I do wonder what might happen when the number of iSights out

there reaches a point

where used units are low enough in price to see amateurs taking them

apart and tossing

the lens assembly... ...but again, probably not woth the effort.

It might cease functioning altogether, as the Autofocus will continue

to try and use the optical assembly and if you short out the

leads/motor in it.... BZZZZZZssstttt..

Also Astro IIDC doesn't support the iSight and your stuck with YUV

video coming out of those cameras - and that really blows for Astro

Imaging (bad image aliasing since it delivers YUV411 or YUV422).

Milton J. Aupperle

President

ASC - Aupperle Services and Contracting

Mac Software (Drivers, Components and Application) Specialist

#1005 - 815 14th Avenue. S.W.

Calgary Alberta Canada T2R0N5

1-(403)-229-9456

milton@o...