HELP

Hi everyone

I recently bought a Philips webcam and decided that I would attempt some lunar photography. I am using sharpcap capture software to capture the image. I got the image on the computer screen, pressed the capture image icon on the sharpcap and an error message, with a large number beneath, popped on the screen. I closed down the program and opened it up for a second time, tried to capture an image and the same thing happened, the third time it occured again.

Is there anyone out there who can tell me what the problem is or what I'm doing wrong?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Paul
Not exactly sure what is happening in this instance? However as a suggestion you could try an alternative capture program such as the excellent freeware program – “Craterlet” from Stark labs (versions for Mac and Windows). Compatible with DirectX (DirectShow) and WDM (e.g., the ToUcam, Vesta, etc). It provides streaming to AVI and still capture.
It doesn’t solve the problem with your current set-up I know but it might get you imaging and obtaining some good lunar images tonight!

Clear skies
Mike

I reccomend using the free version of
K3CCD tools.

well, have you tried using the software the webcam came with, if it doesnt work with that, it certainly wont work with anyhting else.
Id try getting it working with the software its designed to work with and then branch out form there.,

I've had real problems with Craig Stark's Craterlet - exposure control with my LPI has been highly erratic.

Christian Buil (another renowned amateur) has a free software package - IRIS - that allows for the capture of AVI's from webcams (as well as great deal more generally).

A lot of people doing amateur spectrography use this software package.

I've only toyed with it in the office but this is the package that I'd be trying for lunar (and planetary) work - next time I attempt that.

astrosurf.com/buil/

And in case that doesn't render correctly it's
astrosurf.com/buil/
in plaintext.

Mark C.

[This lack of preview is annoying me...]