(meteorobs) Perseid videos / with forward scatter

[Thomas Ashcraft]

Chris Peterson wrote:
> I always know its a good shower when I catch two meteors in the same event, 
> since the system can only trigger on one at a time <g>.
>
> Chris
>
> *****************************************
> Chris L Peterson
> Cloudbait Observatory
> http://www.cloudbait.com
>   

Hi Chris,

Yes, this is limitation of the meteor capture systems that trigger on 
flashes of light.  While the trigger system is processing a meteor 
capture then it will miss any meteors that occur until the system 
completes its file processing and resets. In my system the capture and 
file process might take 20 seconds or so before it is ready for the next 
meteor.

I have expanded my own system further by splitting the analog video 
camera signal stream output using a video distribution amp ( Radio Shack 
- $50.) and sending one feed into the trigger/capture system and then 
another feed into and through a Canopus ADVC110 analog to DV converter 
which converts the camera signal into a DV (digital video) stream and 
then feeds into an iMac via firewire and is there recorded into iMovie 
version 6 software full time at 30 frames per second. Also in my case, 
since I am radio astronomy oriented,  two separate channels of forward 
scatter radio reception also feed simultaneously through the Canopus 
ADVC110 making one movie with two channels of sound.   One hour of DV is 
about 12 GB of file space.  I invested in a 750 GB hard drive to 
facilitate my all night observations. This means that I can hold 
recordings for two days before dumping to make room for fresh 
recordings.  Each day I extract the meteor specimens and make short 
movies and dump the bulk of the hard drive file.

It is a moderate amount of work but kind of interesting in its way.

Clear skies,
Thomas