From: "Brian" <bgshelton62@yahoo.com>

Date: January 21, 2010 4:40:51 PM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: New AstroIIDC user








Hi Folks,


I have the same Scorpion camera (20SOM) with the 1.0.2.1 firmware, August 2007 build.  Is there any advantage you are seeing in upgrading the firmware?  Thanks for your posts - they are very interesting to me.


Rgds,


Brian




--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "mihalco" <mihalco@...> wrote:


Hi Alan,

Thanks for trying this out!  I finally received my FW 800 to 400 adapter, and got the same results.  I'm glad this works, as it makes the camera more interesting for planetary use.  I also saw the 2x increase in senstivity, which is odd, as it should really be 4x if both rows and columns are binned 2x2.  I'll see if I can get a response from Pt. Grey tech support about what is really going on here.  FWIW, I updated the 20SO camera firmware to 1.1.0.22 (latest on their website), and everything still seems to work ok.   If the storms would finish, I'd sure like to try this out on Mars...

Regards,

Kurt


--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Alan Friedman <alan@> wrote:


Hi all,


Prompted by Kurt's and Milton's posts, I ran a few tests with my Scorpion 20SO (October 2007 build) using the 800x600 8 bit and 16 bit modes (not format 7). Using a stopwatch to time my captures for 10 seconds and setting the fps at 30, the actual capture rate measured approximately 25 fps in both 8bit and 16bit modes. The field of view at 800x600 is identical to 1600x1200, brightness at 800x600 appears 2x that at 1600x1200, suggesting that pixel binning is enabled at this setting. 


Thanks for the heads up on this, Kurt. Hoping the clouds pass in time to try this setting on Mars near opposition.


best,

Alan



On Jan 19, 2010, at 12:19 PM, mihalco wrote:


Thanks Milton! I'm still waiting on a FW 800 to 400 cable. FWIW, the camera I got was packaged in Aug 2007 and has Firmware 1.0.2.1. The latest firmware on Pt. Grey's website for the Scorpion 20SO is 1.1.0.22, which I'll probably load at some point. I'll report back as soon as I have it up and running on the Mac.

Regards,

Kurt


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


Kurt;


Two things about frame rate.


It depends on how old your Scorpion is and possibly what firmware load 

it has.


I have the 2004 and 2008 Scorpion Tech Ref manuals here in front of me.


For Fixed modes the 2004 models only run at 15 fps maximum speed for 8 

bit and 7.5 fps for 16 bit at 800x600.


The 2008 models are listed as 30 fps, but there is a foot note that 

says 25 fps. The 25 fps is technically illegal because it violates the 

fixed size frame rate rules which are always set to as 1/2 rate 

multiples (i.e. 240, 120, 60, 30, 15, 7.5 etc.). Also, because it's 

not a binned mode, the camera should be limited to what the CCD clock 

rates indicates it's maximum frame rate is is 14.98 fps.


For Variable modes (Format 7), the 2004 models do not support any of 

the binned modes (Format 7, Mode 1 or Format 7,2) which are only 

listed in the 2008 manual.


So your frame rate mileage may vary depending on what date of creation 

and what firmware load the camera has.


On a side note, Astro IIDC will likely not allow you to select 25 fps 

as that violates the Fixed Format Spec 1/2 frame rate rules (it should 

be either 30 or 15 fps). However if you check mark the "Adjust frame 

rate for 50Hz light sources to eliminate flicker" item in the 

Preferences section (see page 72 of the Astro IIDC help / manual for 

details on what it does) then it may allow 25 fps as a valid frame rate.


HTH..


Milton Aupperle




On 19-Jan-10, at 8:57 AM, mihalco wrote:



Hi Alan,

Take a look at the "Standard Image Formats" in this document. You 

will see in the table that the 20SO supports 800 x 600 Y16 and Y8 at 

30fps (really 25fps per the Scorpion Technical Ref Manual). This is 

not one of the Partial Image formats (mode 7) in the following 

table, which I agree max out at 21 fps. I'm using Pt. Grey's 

FlyCap2 program from their SDK on a PC which does run the 20SO at 

these resolution, bit depth and frame rate. Since I think you have 

this same camera, how about trying it out with AstroIIDC in Format 

1, Mode 6 (800 x 600 Y16), and Format 1, Mode 2 (800 x 600 Y8) and 

see what you get?

Best Regards,

Kurt


--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Alan Friedman <alan@> wrote:


Hi Kurt,


Per PGR's specification sheet for the scorpion, the frame rate for 

the 20SO with ROI selection max's out at 21 fps:


http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/documents/Scorpion%20Getting%20Started%20Manual.pdf


Your capture software might allow a faster setting to be selected, 

but if you try timing a capture and counting the frames, I think 

you will find the actual frame rate to be in line with these 

specifications.


best,

Alan


<snip>




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