From: Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@me.com>

Date: January 21, 2010 9:50:24 PM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Re: New AstroIIDC user

Milton, Granted!There`s perhaps prejudices on both sides of the fence! I think he means that the camera is either interpreting a live video stream or timed exposures. With Astro IIDC it`s doing both!

Mark.

On 22/01/2010, at 3:40 PM, milton_aupperle wrote:

I really could care less what Greg Crinklaw thinks or how he labels cameras. A camera sends frames of video to a Computer, whether it's a "web cam" or an SBIg camera. If his mind can't wrap around the fact that FireWire cameras can send them a hell of a lot faster than most "Astro" USB cameras, then that's his problem.

The Grasshopper has the same CCD used by Starlight Express and Orion cameras, so the only difference is your lucky if the "Astro" cameras can run at < 1 frame per second.

I like the freedom to run at hundreds of frames per second or a frame per hour with the same camera, my choice not because they have a slow interface or use slow microprocessors to move the data out of the CCD.

As far as STPro 3 goes for exposure calculation, I prefer empirical measurements than "guesses" especially given the unknowns one has when doing DSO imaging.

Later..

Milton Aupperle

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@...> wrote:
>
> I know I`ve broached this question before, but.. Greg Crinklaw is
> saying the Scorpion is really a Video/Webcam upon hearing the process
> for acquiring images. If the camera is set as such the exposure
> calculator in ST3 Pro isn`t applicable..Unless the CCD setting has
> useful information..?(I have the details & nanometre readings etc.
> input for the Scorpion as a CCD from info he interpreted from the
> sensitivity graph...)
>
> Mark.
> On 22/01/2010, at 3:05 PM, milton_aupperle wrote:
>
> > Mark;
> >
> > No. They put different CCD's in different Grasshopper models, just
> > like the Scorpions, Fleas etc.. The one I have (GRAS-14S5M-C) is
> > 6.45 microns and it's an EXHAD CCD not a HAD (use Google to find the
> > difference). Basically it means the CCD is about 3 times as
> > sensitive as your 4.4 micron Scorpion is.
> >
> > As far as filters go, I don't have a preference, except that they
> > should be parfocal. I got a good deal on the Astro Don E series as
> > they were being cleared out and were basically the same price as a
> > Baader.
> >
> > HTH..
> >
> > Milton Aupperle
> >
> > --- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Milton,
> > > I thought I read that your Grasshopper is 4.4 microns too, is this
> > the
> > > case? I guess there maybe other versions? I told the guy from
> > Adelaide
> > > I`d get back to him with respect to the Astrodon`s but not at his
> > > exhorbitant price! Kurt`s just written with qualified praise for the
> > > Baader`s for their price. Do you think they`d be better than your
> > run-
> > > of the -mill types like perhaps the Astonomicks, or any good at all?
> > >
> > > Mark.
> >
> >
> >
>