Not able to stack frames into PixInsight BPP Script from Sharpcap

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sandconp
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 7:48 pm

Not able to stack frames into PixInsight BPP Script from Sharpcap

#1

Post by sandconp »

I am trying to take my indvidual frames (Raw Option is checked) from Sharpcap into PixInsight BPP (Batch Pre-Processor script) to stack the frames. I generally just use Sharpcap (Folder Monitor Camera) to stack my lights, master dark and light in Pre-Processing after I take my lights. I also use Sharpcap's Live Stacking so I don't have to stack at all.

But I wanted to try using PixInsight's BPP to get familiar with it and I have having trouble getting all of the calibrated folders without getting any errors. The only way I can get BPP to work is to remove my master flat and un-check the CFA Image option in the PI Script

This is what I got from Rob on the PIxInsight Forum after I opened a question on the forum and sent him my files:


all of these files appear to already have been deybayered. all are 3-plane RGB files which although bayered files can be stored that way they should have a bunch of black pixels in each channel and i don't see that here.

did they really come out of sharpcap that way? if so, sharpcap debayered the image. unless it was superpixel debayering, these images can't be calibrated properly. and even if they are superpixel debayered the green channel can't be calibrated properly. you can still do it by treating them as non CFA images but the result is not going to be optimal.
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Re: Not able to stack frames into PixInsight BPP Script from Sharpcap

#2

Post by admin »

Hi,

the only reason that the raw frames would be in RGB format is if you had the camera set to RGB rather than RAW in the colour space setting - at least that's the only one that wouldn't involve there being a significant bug!

Can you share one of the problem files with me (and the capturesettings.txt file next to it too if possible).

thanks,

Robin
sandconp
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Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 7:48 pm

Re: Not able to stack frames into PixInsight BPP Script from Sharpcap

#3

Post by sandconp »

Robin,

I have having the same problem when trying to stack and calibrate using APP (Astro PIxel Processor) is does not like my flat. I don't have this issue when I stack using Sharpcap so I was surprised that other products don't seem to like my flat that I generate from Sharpcap.

Would of it helped if I would of just created everything in RAW 8 or 16 format in colour space instead of RGB in Sharpcap?

I usually use raw when I am doing planets to save space so can the same thing be done using deep sky objects?
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sandconp
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 7:48 pm

Re: Not able to stack frames into PixInsight BPP Script from Sharpcap

#4

Post by sandconp »

Robin,

Below is link to my One Drive with files. I included the camera settings, master flat and dark and 5 of the light frames. Sharpcap does not have a problem stacking with my flat but other products don't like it like PI or APP.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhC_ey62O9wegehkW8H ... w?e=SxRm75
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Re: Not able to stack frames into PixInsight BPP Script from Sharpcap

#5

Post by admin »

Hi,

thanks for sharing files. I've looked at them and I can see that image files and dark frame are in RGB format whereas the flat frame is monochrome. SharpCap's image processing is quite happy with this arrangement – after all the flat frame really only need to be monochrome. It looks like other programs such as pixinsight are less forgiving though.

To work with existing data, it may be enough to convert the monochrome flat frame to an RGB image – in other words to change it from having only one colour plane to having three colour planes but they would all have the same value at the same point. The future captures, I would recommend ensuring that the Camera is in RAW16 mode rather than in RGB mode – this will have lots of benefits including smaller capture files and not running into this problem again in future.

Cheers, Robin
sandconp
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Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 7:48 pm

Re: Not able to stack frames into PixInsight BPP Script from Sharpcap

#6

Post by sandconp »

Robin,

Thanks for confirming for what I thought was the problem all along. It agree with you since the flat is monochrome, why do any of these products like DSS, APP or PI have a problem with this flat?

So in the future if I decide to use the 'RAW' option to save individual frames, I will use RAW 16 in the colour space. The good news is that by using Sharpcap's Folder Monitor camera, I can do everything in Sharpcap for stacking those frames without ever having to use those other products. I am just going through the exercise so I understand how to create calibration frames to see if there is any difference between those products and Sharpcap. The one thing I like about using Sharpcap is the processing to add a dark and flat frame later is extremely fast compared to the other products.

I have a few other questions.

1. So when I create a dark and flat using Sharpcap, are those considered a 'master' flat and dark? Those other products seem to want to create their own master flats and darks when I calibrate and stack the frames. I do not choose to create a flat and dark for every light frame because I think it's overkill.

2. Do I loose anything from going to RGB to RAW 16? I know that it reduces the size of my file immensely.

Thanks Again for all your Support !

Conrad
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Re: Not able to stack frames into PixInsight BPP Script from Sharpcap

#7

Post by admin »

Hi Conrad,

normally I recommend that people create their master dark master flat files in the same processing software that they intend to use to stack the images . That's not to say that you can't use the ones that SharpCap creates inside of pixinsight or some other stacking application and get good results - however it does raise the risk of things being done slightly differently in the two applications and potentially leading to problems.

The only thing you lose by going from RGB to RAW is the ability to view the files in standard photo editing software without having to worry about debayering. I would tend to use RGB for things like all sky cameras but to use RAW for pretty much all serious imaging.

Cheers, Robin
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