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

Date: May 22, 2005 11:28:17 AM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: First real videos


Hi Neale:


I got some more decent videos last night.  Mostly, I'm fiddling with the best setting for 

exposure, number of frames/movie, and I'm still just beginning to explor the stacking and 

averaging options in Astro IIDC to figure out which works best for me.


I've used Registax extensively with my ToUcam and various scopes (8" f/6 Springfiled 

Newt., 12.5" f/23 Cass, 6" f/10 Jaegers refractor, Orange C8, and now the C9.25), and 

have become pretty comfortable with it.  


Alan:  Your step by step of how to best use KIS is going to be great.  Problem I had was 

figuring out the first thing to do.  All my results were just a blur, so it must have been 

stacking without aligning.  So, I'll try your suggestions out.


This morning, I downloaded Quicktime Pro so that I could export avi's and process with 

Registax in Virtual PC 6.  I've just started processing one of the videos, and it seems to be 

working (though I'm having to use an old version of Registax because version 3 is giving 

me an "access violation" message with the video I chose).  Converting from the .mov to the 

.avi file takes pretty long (several minutes), so it would be better if I didn't have to do that.


On my PC, I was able to acquire a 2 minute - 1200 frame avi of Jupiter and process it in 

registax fast enough (5 or 10 minutes at most) to be able to throw away the .5gb file and 

acquire another video - thus keeping hardisk space usage to a reasonable level.


-Tim.


--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "neale_monks" <nmonks@b...> wrote:

Tim,


My article at Cloudy Nights (which I am fairly certain you've

seen...) does at least outline 

the options. Keith's Image Stacker is powerful, but very difficult to

use (in my opinion) in 

part thanks to a bizarre interface. Astro Stack is impressive, but

again doesn't work like a 

"normal" Mac app, and the sequence of steps required is a bit

strange. I have a great 

fondness for Lynkeos, which works quickly and easily, and while less

powerful that the 

others is at least simple to use. Sadly, I think Registax probably is

the best processing app 

out there, but on my PowerBook at least running it on Virtual PC 6

poses no problems at 

all. You don't mention Lynkeos, and I suggest that of them all, it's

the nicest choice for 

just getting your feet wet.


http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1044


Although aimed at absolute beginners, the webcam imaging chapter in

my book is pretty 

detailed, and you may want to take a look at a copy. As far as I can

tell, I'm the first person 

to write a book explaining step by step what to do, and perhaps

equally importantly, why. 

At least, that was my aim; I'll let others decide if I managed to do

that well!


http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/books/books.html#astro


It isn't clear in your question whether or not you mean you have no

idea what to do now, 

or rather know what to do, just can't do it with Keith's Image

Stacker. If the latter, I 

apologise for going over "Astronomy 101" stuff here! I do have a

basic knowledge of KIS, 

and am happy to post that here if needs be.


Cheers,


Neale