AP Software

[taxman0720]

Hello everyone. I am slowly, very slowly, getting into AP. I have an adapter for my DSLR so I can put in eyepieces. The software that came with my Celestron Nextar 6 SE is amazing. Just do my alignment and then click on an object on the screen and my telescope immediately slews to that object. What I need is some advice for which software I should use for camera control. For now, I am just looking for something that will let me do a live view on my laptop and press a button to take a picture. I tried Digicamera Control last night. The live view was really bad, screen was very grainy, and the program crashed on me. In doing some research, it looks like Backyard Nikon may be a good choice, but I want to see if there is anything you recommend within a $50 price range or free.

I know I need to do a ton of stuff still in order to get great pictures, but I just want to take it one step at a time.

Thanks!

[UlteriorModem]

do a live view on my laptop and press a button to take a picture

These are two very different tasks! I wish I could just 'press a button' to take an image, but it's just not that simple.

To do live view you need a very fast camera that can do in the order of 10-30 frames per second and stack them automatically. Typically these are specialized CCD cameras for just this task.

To take a picture requires a longer duration, in the order 60 to 600 seconds, take several frames, then process them.

I highly recommend this 3 part series on you tube to get a feel for just what your getting into L)

This is part 1 of 3 parts. Again I recommend watching all 3 parts.

[taxman0720]

I will definitely check out the series you sent me. I understand I will eventually have to learn about stacking. The Digicamra Control software did what I was talking about...gave me a live view on my laptop (but very grainy) and had a button to capture the screen on my camera. I am looking for software that will do that (I am sure there will be other features) and give me a clean live view look on my laptop.

[UlteriorModem]

Nothing that cant be solved by just throwing some money at it

[Gordon]

Take a look at APT. https://ideiki.com/astro/Default.aspx

There's a free trial then purchase if you like it (very inexpensive!).

It works with both Nikon and Canon DSLR's

[JayTee]

Please read this forum post first before you do anything.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=523

Cheers,
JT

[Kanadalainen]

Take a look at APT. https://ideiki.com/astro/Default.aspx

There's a free trial then purchase if you like it (very inexpensive!).

It works with both Nikon and Canon DSLR's

I'm lurking, but really appreciated this advice. Thanks!

[JayTee]

C'mon Ian,

It's only 27CAD, you've spent more on beer and SkySafari Pro. The next closest in cost is Backyard EOS / Nikon and it's 65CAD. That's over twice as much for only about two-thirds of the same features. APT is by far the best image acquisition, telescope control, focuser and filter wheel control, plate solver, weather predictor, focusing mask, histogram viewer, plus many other features I've not listed you're going to find at that price.

Honestly what do you gotta lose,
JT

And for you Taxman that's only $20.75 US.

[UlteriorModem]

APT is by far the best image acquisition

Maybe I am a bit biased but Sequence Generator Pro is the best for me. Especially when it comes to sequence automation.

However I think that is way beyond what the OP was looking for.

[Kanadalainen]

C'mon Ian,

It's only 27CAD, you've spent more on beer and SkySafari Pro. The next closest in cost is Backyard EOS / Nikon and it's 65CAD. That's over twice as much for only about two-thirds of the same features. APT is by far the best image acquisition, telescope control, focuser and filter wheel control, plate solver, weather predictor, focusing mask, histogram viewer, plus many other features I've not listed you're going to find at that price.

Honestly what do you gotta lose,
JT

And for you Taxman that's only $20.75 US.

Hi JT,

hm....Nothing? No quibbles here, I'm all over it since reading your post.

Perhaps I wasn't clear.

When I mentioned "lurking" I simply meant that I am quietly gathering up info on this TSS beginner's forum, and definitely not hedging on purchasing this software.

Thanks.

[Juno16]

+1 for APT

Jim

[Kanadalainen]

FWIW, I just bought APT, looks terrific.

:cool:

[JayTee]

Hi Tom,

I completely agree, SGP is by far the Cadillac piece of software, and like a Cadillac it is expensive when compared to APT. The caveat in my post was "at this price." At one-quarter the cost of SGP, APT delivers an amazing amount of features.

Cheers,
JT