(meteorobs) Perseid videos / with forward scatter

[Chris Peterson]

Ouch, 20 seconds? Fortunately, my system has almost no dead time after a 
capture- just a few video frames. The only time I miss recording an event is 
when it happens while another is still in process. I still may catch a 
composite video frame, but no other data.

Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thomas Ashcraft" <ashcraft at heliotown.com>
To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2008 9:04 AM
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Perseid videos / with forward scatter


> 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