Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion corrector

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Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion corrector

Post by Montana »

How I love getting new things but oh how I hate trying to get them to work!!!

I'm at the point of screaming so I thought I would come for some advice from the experts.

My new Blackfly works fine with Flycapture and Genika astro 2.1. However I would also like it to work with Firecapture and it won't. I love version 2.3 as it is great however the Blackfly freezes it and it won't open. So I downloaded 2.4 which I hate and it works with it. However I need to overcome the things I hate, how do you get the windows to be as one page and not two stupid windows? it says to go to general settings however no settings on any of the menus work?? so there is no way of changing anything in this stupid version and this is why I gave up before. It doesn't matter what you click on any of the settings menus nothing comes up? how do you open a settings window? it is impossible.

The next thing is a question for the experts, I was thinking (and this is very dangerous cos I know nothing at all) if an atmospheric dispersion corrector shifts the colours to focus when planetary imaging would it work the same way if I used the TEC and the Lunt Calcium wedge and used my 5x barlow with the ADC on it to get focus at 140mm? at the moment I can't get focus at 140mm and struggle with 100mm as the TEC is so bad in the violet or is this something completely different?

I am also a bit cheesed as I can't get my TeleVue 3x Barlow to fit in the ADC, if the 5x works why won't the 3x work? I wish astro stuff would come as standard fits :evil:

I've spent all day on this so far and got nowhere, I'm going to calm down and get over it shortly I am sure, I need wine and chocolate :D but PLEASE work oh Christmas gifts PLEASE :?

Kind regards
Alexandra
Last edited by Montana on Sat Dec 26, 2015 2:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by Montana »

Nope the Blackfly doesn't work in Genika either, it is black and white and and it won't record. So I am now down to Flycapture only and ain't using that!

Right where is the wine and chocolate :evil:

Alexandra


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by Montana »

OK, I have found a work round, I have managed to gain enty into the FireCapture settings by going onto profile and edit profiles and this gets me into the menu by another method. So I have now turned colour on although I have been given about 10 different choices of Bayer matrix, no idea what it should be. So now I have been able to set the record folder etc and I am much happier but I still don't understand why the settings menu won't work and I have to use a round about method to get in there.

Genika still won't work, can't find debayer anywhere so I am stuck in B&W and the record button is greyed out so I can't record anyway.

At least I have managed to get Firecapture working of sorts but still rubbish compared to 2.3.

Right, wine and chocolate now to recover myself a bit before trying to make a bit more progress.

On the plus, the Grasshopper works in every program and is very happy indeed :)

Alexandra


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by Valery »

Alexandra,

You don't need ADC if you work in a narrow band imaging. Only if you doing color imaging on a color camera or if your color channels are really wide, then you need ADC.

You also need it if you like to observe planets visually.


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Last edited by Valery on Sat Dec 26, 2015 8:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by marktownley »

Hey there!

I use my blackfly (its exactly the same as yours just mono instead of colour) with firecapture 2.3 no probs, no idea about the multiple windows thing, I just use the multiple windows... I could never and cannot get it to run in Genika, I spent some considerable time with Frederic Jabet and support from PGR trying to solve this but we got nowhere so until I have more free time and clear skies than I know what to do with i'm running with firecapture, i'm not even entertaining flycapture it is primitive and cr@p...

Regards dispersion corrector, like Valery says, I don't think it will make any difference with CaK. I don't it is the TEC that is the issue, rather your expectation to be able to run down at 393nm @ 140mm aperture and the seeing not supporting this. My experience of CaK is that I can image pretty much most of the time at 60mm, some of the time at 80mm and rarely (over the year) at 100mm. You will get cracking results with the TEC stopped down to 60mm and running with the 1.6x magnimate, and, if it works at this aperture try running it at 80mm with the 2x TV barlow, if you are having one of those good seeing days try it at 100mm with the 3x TV. If all before is working then try it at 140mm with the 5x barlow, but, I reckon you will get the last permutation to work once or twice a year at best, maybe even only once every couple of years... I always start with the small apertures and work up in CaK, that way there is always a good image to be had.

Why won't the 3x fit in the dispersion corrector? Is it just too wide to go in?

Enjoy the chocolate and wine, i've been decorating (glossing woodwork actually) all day and are now finally resorting to scotch and food.

:)


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by Montana »

Thanks Mark and Valery, you always have good advice :)

The 3x televue seems to have a small end compared to the 5x televue so it won't fit :( why? do they do this for pleasure?
The Blackfly does now work in Firecapture 2.4 only but the program just doesn't work properly with either the grasshopper or the Blackfly, I just can't get the buttons to work. FC 2.3 works great with the grasshopper but won't even open with the Blackfly attached. I am currently going through Firecapture Youtube videos saying do this and do that but my buttons don't work like their buttons :evil: so it is no help. I'm also confused about the colour, there are about 25 different permutations of colour debayer, in my innocence I thought there would be only one - colour! but no. Then all the videos say to switch debayer off and record black and white, well why did I buy colour then? I've been at this for 10 hrs now and starting to wish I hadn't. It is decorating for me on Monday onwards too, the rain looks like it will never stop so decorating is the only thing to do.

Alexandra


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by marktownley »

Montana wrote:It is decorating for me on Monday onwards too, the rain looks like it will never stop so decorating is the only thing to do.
Monday is the last day of decorating for me - we have new carpets being fitted for the whole upstairs on tuesday so all needs to be done by then. Apart from buying (and assembling) new bedroom furniture in the sales that's my quota of major household improvement work completed for another 12 months. Much better to do it this time of year when the weather is pants and spend the fine weather later on beer gardening and solar observing, that is the deal that was agreed and signed off with the boss ;)


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by marktownley »

Montana wrote:The 3x televue seems to have a small end compared to the 5x televue so it won't fit :( why? do they do this for pleasure?
Post a pic so we can see the problem, there is always a work around that can be done...


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by Montana »

Here is a pic Mark, but don't worry too much about it, perhaps I wouldn't use the 3x on the planets anyway as they would be too small?
DSC05287an.jpg
I was hoping for some Sun today and it was sunny right up until my viewing window :(

Alexandra


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by marktownley »

I had a look on Ruperts website at this, the dispersion corrector has T2 connections either end, you will need additional adapters to connect it all up maybe? Do you have a fitting to join the blackfly to the top of the dispersion corrector?

You saw the sun :o wow! Drizzle here. I am in the good books though, we went in and ordered a new kitchen this morning, something we've only been putting off for 14 years :roll: Oh well, all this leg work in the domestic department will put me in good stead for new solar toys later in the year not causing too much frowning ;)


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by Montana »

Thanks Mark, yes more expense, I think not ;)
Wow! a new kitchen :hamster: that will be painful for a couple of weeks, have you got your camping stove and washing up bowl ready? I've just been cleaning my kitchen today, it is 20 years old and so I hope to get at least another 20 out of it :)

I have been playing with the colour Blackfly today, I was recommended to practice on a tree rather than on a planet. I have found that FireCapture does not work with the Blackfly either :( This is the result of 100 frames captured in Firecapture, then the best 5% stacked in ASK2 then wavelet sharpened in Registax.
Sun_271215_141954_g4_ap1364 a.jpg
This is exactly the same, 100 frames captured in FlyCapture, best 5% stacked in ASK2 and wavelet sharpened in Registax.
fc2_save_2015-12-27-155429-0000 Flycapture.jpg
Boy am I glad I practised this today and not at 5am on Jupiter!

I have absolutely no idea why Genika and FireCapture won't work, looks like I am stuck with Flycapture YUK!

Alexandra


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by marktownley »

I've no idea why Firecapture is not playing ball for you - maybe email the author of the software (Torsten Edelmann), he will be the person to solve this conundrum for you.

Not sure when the kitchen will be fitted - got the designer coming round first in a couple of weeks. I can see a few weeks of takeaway and eating out when it finally is put in...


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by grimble_cornet »

Agreed Mark, Torsten and the guys on the Firecapture Yahoo group are very helpful and can solve most problems quickly. Torsten is constantly improving the software and attempting to provide solutions for users of new hardware - he sorted a couple of limitations I discovered with the Grasshopper and provided a 'patch' which was then written in to the next version.
Alexandra; if you haven't already, I would strongly suggest that you join the Yahoo group and post questions there as Torsten monitors and responds to queries posted on there.


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by marktownley »

Montana wrote:at the moment I can't get focus at 140mm and struggle with 100mm as the TEC is so bad in the violet or is this something completely different?
This is well worth a read with a glass or 2 of wine and some chocolates...

http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/51415 ... ke-filter/


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by pstew »

Hi Alexandra
I can't help with your camera issues but the dual window in FC can be fixed by going into setting, layout, tick use single window. It is much better with just one :)


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by Montana »

Thanks guys, I'll try all of these once I have finished the decorating chore :(

Mark, that sounds worrying if I need two glasses of wine :o

Alexandra


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by fjabet »

Hello Alexandra,

Genika has no support for PGR color cameras. It does color only with ZWO and Basler.
It could record (you need to give me the serial to activate the license, and then you could record), but there will be no SER Bayer scheme encoding in the file (but you can select it manually) nor on the fly debayering for display. You'll see raw images only.

@Mark : could understand why it didn't work on your PC. I have other users with the same camera and it works, I just can't understand why it doesn't on your PC :(


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by marktownley »

fjabet wrote:@Mark : could understand why it didn't work on your PC. I have other users with the same camera and it works, I just can't understand why it doesn't on your PC :(
I'm going to try and reinstall the PGR SDK and see if this makes a difference, i'll persevere with this, just no sun at all at the moment so not had the scopes or cameras out etc.


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by Valery »

marktownley wrote:
fjabet wrote:@Mark : could understand why it didn't work on your PC. I have other users with the same camera and it works, I just can't understand why it doesn't on your PC :(
I'm going to try and reinstall the PGR SDK and see if this makes a difference, i'll persevere with this, just no sun at all at the moment so not had the scopes or cameras out etc.
Mark,

Does the SDK require the sunshine and fresh air for the re-installation? :)))


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by Montana »

Thanks Frederic,
My Blackfly came from Rupert at Astrograph with the Genika CD so I presumed it would work with it ;) however the record button is greyed out.

I am making progress with Firecapture, I've got it working with debayer but it still doesn't work if I capture in RAW but that is work in progress. I have only got the blue screen of death once, but the main menu still doesn't work. It is a bit rubbish. Flycapture works fine but that is even more rubbish :(

It would help if I could actually see a planet, or actually see the sky for that matter :evil:

Alexandra


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Re: Firecapture - Blackfly - Atmospheric dispersion correcto

Post by marktownley »

Montana wrote:or actually see the sky for that matter :evil:
What is this 'sky' you speak of? I hear historically it has been seen in the UK during winter... :D


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