(meteorobs) OT -Question to Cloudbait Observatory.

[Chris Peterson]

Larry-

Do not mistake shutter time for frame rate. All conventional video cameras 
operate at a fixed frame rate of 30 fps (or 25 fps). But the frame exposure 
time can be much less- that's a main method of exposure control (the other 
being adjustment of the video amplifier gain). The PC164C has an exposure 
time of around 1/100,000 second when the electronic shutter is enabled and 
the average video level is high. While the PC164C does not have an external 
control to set the shutter time, it is an easy modification that is 
documented on a number of web sites. Some cameras provide a dipswitch or 
other mechanism to directly control shutter time. Any frame grabber will 
work for you. While the 30 fps limit will determine your time resolution, 
the shutter time will determine how much or little motion blur you get in an 
individual frame.

Since you are interested in bright events, you don't really need a PC164C. 
Something like a PC32C might be a better choice, because it's one of the 
easiest cameras to modify for manual shutter speed control.

Chris

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


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "stange" <stange34 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) OT -Question to Cloudbait Observatory.


> Thanks Chris I will check on the coatings.
>
> Would love to speed it up....  My cheap capture card won't allow anything
> faster than 30 FPS. Eventually I must get the right hardware and do it
> right...... (sigh)
>
> Larry
> YCS