All of The Imaging Source astronomy cameras ship with the camera control software IC Capture.AS.

Using IC Capture.AS, you can:

• Set all camera parameters.
• See the live image data stream from the camera.
• Retrieve singular images from the camera and save them as BMP or JPG files.
• Capture image sequences and save the single images as enumerated BMP or JPG files.
• Capture image sequences and save them as lossless, uncompressed AVI files.

However, IC Capture.AS is not the only software, which can be used with The Imaging Source astronomy cameras. The following 3rd party software packages are also compatible:

• Astro_IIDC
• AVIRAW
• Guidemaster
• K3CCD Tools
• MaximDL
• Metaguide
• PHD Guiding
• RegiStax

And the following packages are being updated so that they will soon be compatible:

• AstroSnap
• Lucam Recorder (available towards the end of 2007)

Please note that only IC Capture.AS is officially supported by The Imaging Source. Please contact the authors of the 3rd party software for support.

IC Capture.AS is the camera control software that ships with all The Imaging Source astronomy cameras. Using IC Capture.AS, it is possible to:

• Set all camera parameters
• See the live image data stream from the camera
• Retrieve singular images from the camera and save them as BMP or JPG files
• Capture image sequences and save the single images as enumerated BMP or JPG files
• Capture image sequences and save them as lossless, uncompressed AVI files. These files can be post-processed in other astronomy applications, such as RegiStax

Learn more about IC Capture.AS on its product page.

Many of our Chinese customers have requested that we produce a Chinese version of IC Capture.AS.

It is therefore with great delight that I announce the release of IC Capture.AS Chinese version. If you are in possession of a valid serial number, you can download the newly released software in the downloads section of astronomycameras.com.

Below are a couple of splash screens from the Chinese version of IC Capture.AS and driver setup application.

For years, DMK users have imaged and posted brilliant pictures across the Internet from inside and outside our solar system.

Astrophotographers using The Imaging Source cameras range from beginners in the hobby to seasoned professionals within the photography business.

A commonality within both of these groups is that RegiStax is most often implemented when processing raw images into the final pictures.

A recent post on The Imaging Source Astronomy Forum has posed a good question for the entire DMK community on the correct methods to use RegiStax for color calculation.

Mick Hollimon writes:

I have obtained some 20 AVI files containing between approx. 300 frames and about 650 frames. These were taken using the Y800 AVI format and the “uncompressed” Y800 codec; the “Enable debayering” button on IC Capture was left un-activated (icons to the right of the button on the control bar were grayed out). These files are between about 90 Mb and 240 Mb in length.

Several have been opened in RegiStax 4, and processed with the debayering function activated and all four choices, including GB, tried. In all cases there does not seem to be any color in the resulting images.
Two questions:

1. Any idea what I am doing wrong? Is there another setting in either IC Capture or RegiStax 4 that I should be dealing with?
2. If I choose to use the BY8 format, what is the effect of the resulting “compression” on the final images in RegiStax? Is there any way to use BY8 without “compression”?

Sensei Stefan responds:

I have created a small PDF for you that illustrates, with pictures, how to capture RAW AVI images, import them into RegiStax 4, and calculate the colors. Download the file.

Thank you Stefan!

Many DMK users have inquired about the possibility of using The Imaging Source astronomy cameras in conjunction with MaxIm DL for guiding. Shown with graphical displays, here are step by step instructions to guide your scope via the Cyanogen software:

1. Open the MaxIm DL software and click on View CCD Control Window.

2. In the Setup tab, click the Setup button in the Main CCD Camera window.

3. Select Video DS as the Camera Model.

4. Select your DMK camera model in the Source dropdown.

5. Now in the CCD Control Window, click Connect.

6. To adjust the properties, click on the Settings tab in the CCD Control Window.

7. Next click on Options>Camera Settings>Video Capture Filter.

8. When the Device Property window opens, adjust as needed.

9. To Adjust Device Settings, select the Settings tab again in the CCD Control window.

10. Click on Options>Camera Settings>Video Capture Pin.

11. The Device Settings window open and you can then adjust the number of frames per second, the video format, and the video resolution to name a few.

12. Have fun!

Heiko Wilkens, the author of Lucam Recorder, has announced on the Yahoo! Groups DMKCCD-Cameras Mailing List that he will release a new version of Lucam Recorder that will support The Imaging Source DMK cameras later this year.

He writes:

I have already purchased 2 DMK cameras December last year for integration. Unfortunately, I was busy with other astronomical projects until this month.

Although Lucam Recorder was created to meet the special needs of advanced amateur astronomers, it is utilized by staff at NASA and ESA. Other users include world-wide universities, scientific institutes, and non-astronomical manufacturing companies as well.

Below, is a screenshot of the main application window: