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

Date: August 2, 2005 4:33:52 PM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Astro IIDC 2.02.05 Beta 5 available


Milton:


Please disregard my last message!  It posted at the same time your next one did.


Thanks,

-Tim.


--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "Tim" <tjp314@p...> wrote:

Milton:


Been busy last few weeks, but saw this...


I've got a Nexstar 9.25 GPS, and would love to try out the "mount control", but I get a 

404 

error message when clicking on the link below.


planetarily,

-Tim.


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

Hi folks;


I've put up Beta 5 of Astro IIDC 2.02 on the web site at


http://www.outcastsoft.com/Astro IIDC20205B5.dmg


it's a 480 kilobyte download and it doesn't have the updated PDF

manual in it, which is being worked on. I'd like to do the release of

it in about 2 or 3 weeks, so please beat up  on it. If you have

problems with it please respond to me PRIVATELY using the normal

e-mail address for bug reports and I'll take it form their. I don't

want people thinking it's a bad release until it actually is

officially released.


Here is what has changed in this release (from the Read Me First file

- sans illustration images).


- Adds support for IIDC Hardware Trigger Mode 0, which allows you to

externally control frame delivery. Under the "Video Menu" is the

"Camera Trigger Method" submenu with the three options "Off", "On" and

"On and Grab Frame". If the camera your using does not support Trigger

OR it's a PGR camera in extended exposure time mode, then only the

"Off" item will be enabled. When Trigger is on, frames of Video will

only be transmitted from the camera to the Mac after an IIDC trigger

event is received. If you choose the "On" item, you can use the "Grab

Frame" button or the "Record Movie" buttons to capture the next frame

or start recording a movie. When the next frame arrives after a IIDC

Trigger event, it will be grabbed or added to the movie. Selecting the

"On and Grab Frame" item is a special case and will automatically

display in the preview window and  grab a frame of video to disk every

time a Trigger event is received.


We do not recommend using the "Auto Expos", "Color Balance" or "Spot

Color Balance" options while "Trigger" is enabled, as they iterate

through and must analyze multiple frames. So unless you triggering

often (&#8805; 5 fps), they simply will not operate properly.


Neither Trigger options will not be enabled with Point Grey Research

cameras if they are in extended PGR exposure time mode, as it uses the

trigger pins for the long exposure modes. So you need to uncheck the

"Allow extended PGR cameras exposure times" in the "Preferences..."

sheet and then close the camera control window before it will allow

you to select the Trigger items.


Lastly we do not offer any advice on how to do the physical wiring of

the trigger for your IIDC camera. They are all different and you

should read whatever documentation came with the camera or talk to the

company that sold you it.


- The naming of grabbed frames has been changed slightly with file

name capture time now being reported to the nearest 1/100th of a

second. A Tiff file saved with the new method  looks like this

"20050716_192947.17_U.tiff", with the .17 is 17/100 th of a second.

This is to accomodate "Trigger On and Grab Frame" mode which can

generate multiple frames per second as it is triggered.


- The "Grab Frame" button will now change to "Cancel Grab" after it is

clicked. So if your doing a longer exposure you can now cancel it

before the frame arrives instead of having to wait for completion.


- Adds support for synchronizing with 50 Hz light sources to remove

image flicker with CCD exposure times that are not multiples of 10.00

ms. This only applies for IIDC cameras that support the absolute frame

rate register, such as Point Grey Research cameras. To switch from

60HZ to 50HZ, you need to check mark the "Adjust frame rates for 50 Hz

light sources to eliminate flicker." item in the "Preferences..."

window. After that, the Camera Frame Rate will change to 50hz frame

rates (i.e. 30 fps is now 25 fps. 15 fps is now 12.5 fps,  etc.). This

was especially important for bright field microscopy in Europe, Japan

or other countries that utilize 50 Hz power and is also recommended if

your using DC light sources that are powered by 50 Hz power.


- Enabled Support for Celestron NexStarScope for Guiding and Control 

with a Key Span USB Serial converter box. Just select which interfaces

(i.e Meade LX or Celstron NexStar) to use, as shown below. This only

works with the ASCII Celestron scopes not the earlier Binary ASCII

Celestron scopes. This has currently never been tested, even for Left

/ Right / Up / Down control so don't expect much at this point.


- Added support for ActiveWire USB IsoOptical Board, which is what we

use for guiding or controlling the Orion MAK Scope. Theoretically it

can control 4 servos or DC motors directly (i.e. like RA motor, Dec

motor, Focus motor and a Blender to make tropical drinks on hot summer

nights) , however It is currently configured to control 2 motors using

collector pins C0, C3, C4 and C5. You don't need a driver with this

board, as Astro IIDC will automatically load the USB firmware for it

and then enumerate the device for use. So Astro IIDC now directly

controls FireWire, USB and POSIX serial devices in the same package.

You currently cannot use both a Key Span or other USB Serial devices

and the ActiveWire Board at the same time (internal limitation that we

have imposed for now). People interested in using it as an isoptical

relay box should contact us for details on how pins on the board are

are currently to be connected up - as ActiveWire's documentation on

pin outs is wrong.


- Fixed problem where in Tiger, Blue Tooth or Usb modem devices would

sporadically be presented as if they were serial port device when they

clearly are not.


- Fixed a flicker problem with the Point Grey Research cameras with 60

Hz light sources with CCD exposure times that are not multiples of

8.33 ms. This was especially important for bright field microscopy

support in USA, Canda or other countries that utilize 60 Hz power.


- Changed name of "LX Scope Control" menu item to "Mount Control",

which better reflects what it does.


- Added Auto overwrite for movies and files, which is automatic and it

does not prompt you at all.


- Removed a useless delay when closing the Scope Guiding window.


- Fixed a bug where recording a movie would sometimes fail if the

movie already existed.


- Rewrote Auto Exposure to be more reliable and less prone to oscillating.


Thanks in advance..


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...

www.outcastsoft.com