SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

Discussions, Bug Reports and Issues related to Beta versions of SharpCap
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#11

Post by admin »

Thank you for the bug reports - I have fixed a number of issues and uploaded a new build. There were also a number of problems with running out of memory which may not be fixable for those using 32 bit windows and will need to wait for a 64 bit version of SharpCap for those using 64 bit windows.

cheers,

Robin
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#12

Post by Hibou »

V.3.2.5647.0 minor bug. The output format always starts with "Auto" and "SER" even when it is set to "FITS" in the default profile. If the default profile is reloaded, it does change to "FITS" but "Auto" remains selected.

While I am here, I would eventually like to see a hot pixel filter option, similar to the "de-speckle" filter of https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/, where isolated bright (or dark) pixels are replaced by the mean of surrounding pixels. For non-astronomers, I have put basic instructions for using FlyCap and SharpCap with FLIR (Point Grey) cameras on http://neutronoptics.com/flir.html
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#13

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Hi,

this is actually an option you can turn off - https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/2.9/#Start% ... 20cameras).

When the option is turned on, SharpCap will auto select a video format for shorter exposures (less than 5s from memory) and a still format for longer exposures. If this option is turned on it overrides any saved output format.

cheers,

Robin
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#14

Post by Hibou »

Thanks Robin. I missed that. Two other minor quibbles :-)

1) Is there some way I can avoid "Align Frames" being turned on automatically if I open "Stacking" after re-launching SharpCap? "Align Frames" does remain off if I close and re-open "Stacking", but not after I exit SharpCap. I understand that star alignment is necessary in astronomy, but I have a fixed FOV and no stars :-) And maybe the "Stacking" window when detatched should by default be wider so that I can see the red warning that frames are not being stacked because no stars were found.

2) The temperature appears to be read only when the camera is first connected. It should be read at regular intervals since the FLIR camera gets pretty hot with time. Stick-on cooling fins reduced the temperature of the mounted camera to "only" 45C; it was 58C unmounted.

Cheers, Alan.
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#15

Post by turfpit »

Hibou
Hibou wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 6:25 am
While I am here, I would eventually like to see a hot pixel filter option, similar to the "de-speckle" filter of https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/, where isolated bright (or dark) pixels are replaced by the mean of surrounding pixels. For non-astronomers, I have put basic instructions for using FlyCap and SharpCap with FLIR (Point Grey) cameras on http://neutronoptics.com/flir.html
A useful piece of comprehensive documentation at your link. Thanks for the kind comment about exhaustive SharpCap documentation - it was exhausting writing it.

As to the introduction of yet another post processing feature, in my opinion:
  • ImageJ is a capable image processing program
  • SharpCap is a capable image capture program
However, in my opinion, every post processing feature that gets requested/implemented moves closer to a bloated/unstable piece of software. I worked in the computing industry for over 30 years and have seen the effects of creeping featurism implemented via 'bolt-ons' - it used to be known as 'wobbleware' in places I worked. This type of development invariably did not end well. If feels to me that people are requesting features which are available in big $ software (you know what the products are).

Cynically, SharpCap, given the trending features, will have to be renamed to SharpShop.

This statement will probably outrage the EAA crowd (I am fine with that and understand where they are coming from).

Perhaps I am the only one on the forum with this opinion?

Dave
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#16

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Dave, I agree in general with your distaste for bloatware. I also agree that imageJ does a great job with its noise filters. My only point was that stacking to a summed 32-bit TIFF file is a nice feature of SharpCap, and that it might be an advantage to filter noise before summing short exposures with high dark current detectors. I prefer to avoid summing the noise.

The alternative is to de-speckle the summed image, or to save the individual frames as a stack, and de-speckle the stack with imageJ and then sum it. Replacing isolated hot pixels by the mean of surrounding pixels is quite easy; I even did it myself with my version of PHD. BTW, I have been programming (but only as part of my day job) for almost twice as long as you; I feel seriously old, so I hope you'll forgive my little joke about exhaustive documentation :-)

Alan.
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#17

Post by turfpit »

Alan

I took exhaustive (comprehensive, thorough in my dictionary) as a complement - thanks. Even more so, as I had no astronomy or imaging background when I wrote that document. Robin must have been sick and tired of the endless questions.

I wasn't a programmer (although I did program but it was more scripting), I was a sysadmin (as in operating system support specialist) - hence my more cynical/brutal view on life. I prize speed and reliability over features.

Agree we are both old - but not yet diminished ... :)

My imaging is improving though
M31-60x60s.png
M31-60x60s.png (173.72 KiB) Viewed 3712 times
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#18

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Hi Alan,

thanks for the two suggestions above - sounds like a simple bug for the PGR/Flir temperature update and the other is a nice idea.

cheers,

Robin
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#19

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New build just uploaded - 3.2.5663 - https://www.sharpcap.co.uk/sharpcap/sha ... s/3.2+Beta

Please update as it fixes a number of bugs.

thanks,

Robin
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Re: SharpCap 3.2 Beta now available

#20

Post by Hibou »

Yes Dave, I did mean it as a complement, but as a "foreigner" couldn't resist playing with the English language :-) It is certainly a comprehensive reference, and helps Robin answer our naive questions. The only thing missing perhaps is a search box to go with "Topics" and "Contents". You might adapt the code from the Forums site or if you're interested in scripting use https://www.w3schools.com/howto/howto_css_searchbar.asp And nice image of M31. I should get into astronomy, since I am surrounded by mountains and some of my best friends are astronomers http://astrosurf.com/heidemann/

Robin, thanks for the update to 3.2.5663, implementing real-time temperature display for FLIR cameras, and maintaining "Align Frames" Off after a restart when set to Off on close. Impressive ! I will try the existing noise reduction features; although I am biased against Gaussian Blur, Bilateral Filter could be interesting, even for mono cameras (?).

Cheers, Alan.
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