From: Milton Aupperle <milton@outcastsoft.com>

Date: November 8, 2005 9:46:10 AM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Camera for guiding

Hi Dale;

On 8-Nov-05, at 8:19 AM, Dale J Martin wrote:

Hi folks,

I purchased a Meade DSI and and a PC laptop but I hate the AutoStar

Suite software and would really like to stay on a Macintosh. I see

that the Meade DSI is not a supported camera for Astro IIDC (will it

ever be?).

Very unlikely.

First off Meade has to provide information on their low level interface for talking to the camera over USB. They have not done so and are not likely to do it.

The next hurdle is the number of sales that are needed to balance the cost of doing all the research, development and testing. It's exceedingly doubtful I would ever bring it to the Mac as there simply are too few Mac Astro people out there to make it even remotely profitable.

The only reason Astro IIDC exists is because the cost of developing the base FireWire and camera interfaces was paid for from sales of the Framework to industrial clients. And the only reason it's proceeding is because of Microscopy sales, which now make up about 70% of all purchasers and that market is growing, not astronomy related.

I already purchased the Astro IIDC software and have an

iBot but the image quality is very poor.

The iBot's never were a great camera for anything except very bright objects, like the moon, solar or maybe bright planets.. They used the older AK series of CCD's which are at least 30% less sensitive than the current CCD models. They also are long discontinued and Orange Micro has shut it's doors.

I have a LDX75 mount with a

SN-6, I am planing on purchasing a Orion 80ED and want to get a

camera for guiding either scope and am looking for recomendations.

For Guiding go with a Monochrome camera. They have more sensitivity (no Bayer Filter).

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@outcastsoft.com