From: Milton Aupperle <milton@outcastsoft.com>

Date: May 1, 2012 9:57:31 AM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Grasshopper Express


Hi John;


On 1-May-12, at 6:05 AM, jjkastro@mac.com wrote:


Hi Milton,


Does AstroIIDC handle all the capture modes of the PGR Grasshopper Express?


Yes. But for full usage you need to us Astro IIDC 4.08.00 which is in beta 1.


Also, what frame rates are supported at 14-bit A/D conversion?


The camera will up converts or down convert the original 14 bit to 8, 12 or 16 bit before sending it to us. So you never get 14 bit video out directly.


At full size 2736x2192 pixels the camera delivers a maximum of 11 fps in 8 bit, 8 fps in 12 bit (you need Astro IIDC 4.08.00 to support 12 bit) and 6 fps in 16 bit. It delivers around 80 to 83 megabyte per second over FireWire - which is pretty well maxed out.


And those of you who are buying Thunderbolt device to use FireWire, be aware that the Sonnet Express card adapter (the only one out there)  is completely under voltage for FireWire. You may be able to power a FireWire camera externally, but your never going to get enough juice from the Express card to even get a PGR camera to light up. And there are no shipping Thunderbolt to FireWire or Thunderbolt to USB 3 adapters either.  That pretty well makes Thunderbolt a very expensive albatross - but Apple could care less as they make royalty on each peripheral sold and their $50 "tax" for each 1 meter Thunderbolt cable.


HTH..


Milton Aupperle