From: Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@mac.com>
Date: May 15, 2008 6:08:37 PM MDT
To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Re: New Image Uploaded
Hi Milton, I had the camera daisy chained with my Lacie DL disc burner and it wasn`t `til I unplugged it (the camera) and tried re-installing the discburner that I had troubles. A faulty logic board would certainly explain some of the troubles I`ve been having! (including the system crash which prompted the re-installation of the discburner). My computer you may remember is a 2005 Mac Mini G4 so I`m probably up for some "old age" problems. Before that I had 2 or 3 months of untroubled imaging. I`m using the 4.5 metre M-F cable for the extra length it gives me (coming directly out of the Lacie`s second Firewire port) and joined to the 20 metre cable, but perhaps doing without it if possible might be safer. I thought I read in the specs that certain Firewire cables are safe over great distances? I`ll have to look into repeaters. Mark.
On 16/05/2008, at 9:49 AM, Milton Aupperle wrote:
Hi Mark;
I use a Celestron F6.3 focal reducer, but that doesn't give you that
big an field of view and I didn't have the image in one FOV. I shot
nine 640x480 movies covering different parts of the moon, generated
nine stacks from them and then assembled them into the final mosaic. I
usually have about 20% overlap on all sides of each movie.
On a side note, you should not be using a single 20 meter FireWire
Cable for connecting a camera to your PC. That is grossly out of spec
for FireWire 400 distances, which is only rated for 1.5 meters maximum
without a FireWire repeater between the device and host PC. The camera
may not operate correctly at those distances and may have erratic
behavior. About the maximum you ever want to go (and this still
violates the specification) is 3 meters and after that you need to add
a repeating Hub or a true FireWire signal repeater. What happens is
the signal becomes attenuated and weakens over a long distance and the
repeaters boost the signal level back up. Weak signals mean all sorts
of weird unrepeatable crap can happen and makes my life a living hell
trying to track it down. Just say no to anyone who offers you a
FireWire cable longer than 3 meters, kids :)
One of the most common issues with FireWire 400 ports is that the male
plugs or female slots eventually get worn or loose which makes it
possible for someone to quite easily and accidentally plug in a cable
upside down and this fries the device or the port. I'm not saying you
did this, but it is something that I know has happened, even to me.
You can't do that with the new FireWire 800 connectors or the full
size USB connectors either, though mini USB are pretty easy to force
the wrong way once the connectors are worn.
And this is another reason I really recommend NOT buying the non
expandable low end MacBook and instead spending the extra dollars to
buy the expandable MacBook Pro. You could have bought a $20 PC34
FireWire 400/800 expansion card for it instead of needing a $500+
mother board replacement if a single I/O component dies.
Hope That helps..
Milton Aupperle.
--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@...> wrote:
Very nice indeed Milton, What type of focal reducer do you recommend
for such a camera as mine (a DBK 21A F04.AS). This is how you`re
getting the full disc in the picture I take it? My own photography has
been suspended due to a faulty Firewire port (I don`t know if the long
lengths of cable I use are to blame- the 20 metre length at least is
shielded though I do have a 4.5 metre length to start with!) Fixing it
requires replacement of the whole logic board (at $500 AUD).
On 16/05/2008, at 7:29 AM, Phil Houston wrote:
Milton, That's a great image. Quite a bit of work I see but very
nice results.
Phil
On May 15, 2008, at 2:14 PM, Milton Aupperle wrote:
Hi Folks;
I just uploaded a nice color enhanced image of the moon I took this
week:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Astro_IIDC/files/Lunar/moon20080512_MJA.jpg
It was taken at sunset, so the darker terminator areas have that
bluish sky colouration.
.
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links