Camera Settings dialog box (Camera | Setup)

CCDSoft supports the SBIG model cameras with the serial, USB, Ethernet or parallel port communications interface:

• ST-4

• ST-5

• ST-6

• ST-7

• ST-8

• ST-9

• ST-10

• ST-402

• ST-1001

• ST-2000

• ST-3200

• ST-4000

• STL-1001

• STL-1301

• STL-4020

• STL-6303

• ST-8300

• STL (all models)

Using the optional CCDSoft Camera plug in, the following cameras are supported:

• All Apogee Instruments cameras

• Finger Lakes MaxCam CCD cameras.

SBIG Dual Detector Camera Setup

CCDSoft can acquire images from any two CCD detectors on any supported camera. The primary detector (the one that you'll acquire images with) is referred to as the imaging detector or imager. The secondary detector (the detector used to perform autoguiding) is referred to as the autoguiding detector or autoguider.

The two detectors controlled by CCDSoft are typically the primary (imaging) and secondary (autoguiding) detectors in SBIG's dual-imager cameras. However, CCDSoft can be configured to use any two detectors from any two supported cameras. For example, you could use the imaging detector on the SBIG ST-1001 as your autoguider, with the STL-11000's autoguiding detector as the imager, if you want.

Use CCDSoft's Camera Control window (click Camera | Setup) to configure the imager and autoguider. The step-by-step procedures are outlined below.

Settings for the ST-7/8/9/10/402/1001/1602/2000/3200/4000/8300/STL (All Models) Cameras

To Configure the Imaging Detector

1. Click Camera | Setup.

2. Select your SBIG model camera from the camera list.

3. Click the Settings button next to the Camera list.

4. On the ST-7/8/9/10/1001/2K/STL (All Models) Settings dialog box, click to display the Interface Settings dialog box

5. On the Interface Settings dialog box, select the appropriate communications interface for your camera and then click OK.

List of Interfaces

• LPT1 (parallel port 1)

• LPT2 (parallel port 2)

• LPT3 (parallel port 3)

• USB (USB port for single camera operation, port number is automatically assigned.)

• Ethernet (IP address of camera.)

• USB1 (USB1 port. Use this option to assign a specific USB port to a specific camera for multiple USB camera control.)

• USB2 (USB2 port. Use this option to assign a specific USB port to a specific camera for multiple USB camera control.)

• USB3 (USB3 port. Use this option to assign a specific USB port to a specific camera for multiple USB camera control.)

• USB4 (USB4 port. Use this option to assign a specific USB port to a specific camera for multiple USB camera control.)

Parallel port (LPT)

Advanced

Click the Advanced button on the Interface Settings dialog box to display the Parallel Port Map dialog box to verify that your computer's parallel port address match CCDSoft. This is normally only required if the "SBIG Driver: Camera not found" message appears when trying to establish communications.

USB

USB vs. USB1-4

The USB1, USB2, USB3 and USB4 options allow you to assign a specific USB port (1-4) to specific camera. With two or more USB cameras, assign each a unique USB port address (USB1-4). Select the USB option if you're controlling a single USB camera. This option will automatically locate and assign the correct USB port for your USB camera.

Ethernet

IP Address

Enter the IP address for your camera and then click OK.

Use Off-Chip Binning

Mark this option to allow CCDSoft to perform binning, rather than the camera's electronics.

Vertical N Binning

Enter the bin value (1-255) used when performing spectroscopy.

To Configure the Autoguiding Detector

1. Click Camera | Setup.

2. To use the SBIG camera's built-in autoguider, select Imager's Built-in Autoguider from the Camera list.

3. Click Connect.*

4. Click the Settings button next to the Camera list.

5. Specify the Anti-blooming setting on the Guider Settings dialog box. If CCDSoft detects an external autoguider, then more options appear.

These options appear when no external autoguider is detected.

These additional options appear when an external autoguider is detected.

6. (This option is only applicable if your camera is equipped with an external guider). If your dual-detector SBIG camera also has an external guider head (so that you have three detectors to choose from), then click Internal or External to specify which autoguiding detector to use.

*CCDSoft detects whether or not an external autoguider is present after it connects to the SBIG camera.

SBIG Color CCD Cameras

Images acquired with single shot SBIG color cameras are displayed in color by default.  If you save the resulting image as a FITS or SBIG format file, the data is saved in a “Bayer Pattern” or “Color Filter Array” format (where each group of four pixels contains two green, a red, and a blue pixel in a predetermined matrix). This format maintains the 16-bit nature of each color channel.  Note that there are no image processing routines available for images using the Bayer Pattern format.  

If you’d like to do image processing on color images acquired using a single shot color CCD, there are two options:

1. Use CCDSoft Color Combine Algorithm:

1. Take a color image.

2. Click Image | Color | Extract Color Channels (the LRBG components are shown). See the Extract Color Channels command for details.

3. Click Image | Color | Color Combine.

1. Do a normal color combine where you are editing each 16-bit channel then recombining them.

2. Save the image as a Tagged Image Format Files 48-Bit (16-bit red, 16-bit green, 16-bit blue, 16-bit luminance) format and use a third-party application (such as Photoshop®) to perform image processing.

1. Take a color image.

2. Choose File | Save As.

1. Under Save As type, choose “Tagged Image File Format 48 Bit TIF”

2. Warning: You will get an 8-bit image if you select the Tagged Image File Format in the Save Type As list box.

SBIG ST-6 Settings

Interface Options

To configure your SBIG ST-6 camera

1. Click Camera | Setup.

2. Select the SBIG ST-6 (Driver 1.2.3) from the Camera list.

3. Click the Settings button next to the Camera list.

Port

Select the serial (COM) port to which the ST-6 is connected.

Baud

Select the desired communication rate (or baud rate), in bits/second.

ABG

Select the anti-blooming option, either Low when acquiring images of faint objects, Medium or High for imaging brighter objects.

SBIG ST-4 Settings

Interface Options

To configure your SBIG ST-4 camera

1. Click Camera | Setup.

2. Select the SBIG ST-4 (Driver 1.00.0030) from the Camera list.

3. Click the Settings button next to the Camera list.

Port

Select the serial (COM) port to which the ST-4 is connected.

Baud

Select the desired communication rate (or baud rate), in bits/second.

ABG

Select the anti-blooming option, either Off (Faint) when acquiring images of faint objects, or On (Bright) for imaging brighter objects.

Gain

Sets the camera's internal gain. The greater the gain setting, the more sensitive the detector.

Settings for Apogee Instrument Cameras

1. After installing the CCDSoft Camera Plug In, launch CCDSoft and then click Camera | Setup.

2. Select Apogee (Version X.X), from the Camera list.

3. Click the Settings button to display the Settings dialog box.

CCDSoft's Configuration Files folder contains initialization files (INI) for each Apogee Instruments camera. Select the appropriate INI file for your camera by clicking the Browse button to display the Open dialog box.

and then click OK. The INI file contains camera-specific initialization settings for each model camera.

Settings for Finger Lakes Instruments MaxCam Cameras

1. After installing the CCDSoft Camera Plug In, launch CCDSoft and then click Camera | Setup.

2. Select Finger Lakes 1.0, from the Camera list.

3. Click the Settings button to display the Settings dialog box.

4. On the Settings dialog box, select the desired interface and then click OK.

Settings for DirectX Video Cameras

CCDSoft can acquire and display images from any DirectX-compatible video camera.

1. Click Camera | Setup.

2. Click Imager.

3. Select Video 1.4 from the Camera list.

4. Click Settings.

5. On the Settings dialog box, enter the Board Number for the video camera. See the video camera's documentation for details about determine the board number for your camera.

6. Click OK.

CCDSoft will now acquire and display images from the video camera, rather than from a traditional CCD camera.