ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY WITH MEADE DEEP SKY IMAGER Last updated: 31 October 2005

This page documents the Meade Deep Sky Imager and DSI Pro comments, tips, and photos. Contributions welcome. In order to showcase the DSI you may occasionally see images taken with other telescopes on this page.

Subject:	DSI Blues
Sent:	Sunday, October 30, 2005 17:38:42
From:	Bob Gaskin (bobg231@cox.net)
Till I ran across this site, I figured I was the only one who had
problems with the DSI.   I finally mailed it back and am waiting to see
what Meade says.  My laptop is a new Gateway and the software loaded OK
but I has not worked well at all.  I see pics in all the astronomy mags
about all these folks who just popped the DSI in and they got great
imatges within 30 sec. Till I saw messages from folks on your site I
though I was the only one who coujld not get the DSI to work properly. 
Am thinking of getting a SBIG MX -8 instead
 
Bob Gaskin
Desitn, DL
 
Telescope:  LX200 12" UHTC/GPS

Subject:	Meade DSI and filters
Sent:	Friday, October 28, 2005 15:44:11
From:	Lee R (divine-assassin-kai@hotmail.co.uk)
re the last email i sent to you about the Meade DSI and can filters be
screwed into the nosepiece. I done a bit of digging on the web and found
out that the DSI does have thread in which you can screw filters into. I
hope this is useful to anyone who read my email posted on your site
recently...Wishing you all the clear skies possible from:   Lee
Ricketts, from Dover Kent UK :-)

Subject:	Is my Meade DSI defective??
Sent:	Friday, October 28, 2005 01:43:25
From:	jbg13@alu.ua.es (jbg13@alu.ua.es)
Jeanine here (French, over 70, retired lecturer of physics, husband
Graham British, officially based in UK but wintering in Spain). Last
August I bought my first telescope from a local retailer in UK (ETX125PE
+ DSI and Autostar Suite) and I have updated from Meade Web site.

I first tried getting images of landmarks following the steps
recommended in the Meade Manual, during daylight hours in August then
now in October  and these trials are not at all conclusive to carry on
with the fascinating views I can get now of Saturn through my ETX.

The problem is that the landmark images I am SOMETIMES able to get on
the screen SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR and I then have a white to greyish mosaic
screen, and if I adjust exposure or the sliders it moves from whitish to
black, but in the process I can't get the image back!! Sometimes from
the beginning to the end of a whole session I can't get any image at
all: AUTO EXPO increase to 1, Gain stay at 100, Offset stay at 50, the
screen is black. Image Process terrestrial with Kernel Filter. When I
set manually the Auto Expo at around 0,0113 and gain around 100 and
offset around 80, the Histogram is active, the Magic Eye Focus, (yellow
triangles), shows a perfect focusing BUT the screen stays as a greyish
active mosaic. Auto Contrast and Shadow Enhance manual setting are
without any effect. Same problem with or without my powered 2.0 USB
Hub,( Autostar control via Comm Port or Telescope Protocol None)
My Laptop is new (Toshiba M300, Windows XP)
Telescope, USB Hub, laptop are mains powered.

I must say that I then discovered that I have no problem to get a 
splendid image of the same landmark with my Webcam TOUCAN Pro II 
PCVC 840 when it is attached to the ETX125PE!

Last August and September my local telescope shop left me with a poor
view of their customer support. Fortunately my favourite new British
astronomy magazine "BBC Sky at Night"  recommended  your site in the
October issue and before writing this message I read all your feedback
pages; your website is a great help, as well as a relief to discover I
am not the only one struggling to enjoy Meade modern technologies!

I am looking forward for your suggestions; thanks Mike for your time.

AND: About pointing true North, I wonder why not suggesting observing
the sun at the time of its transit of the meridian; a transit post
marking the Meridian is useful to get a precise direction of the true
North. Any astronomy software or web site indicates the hour of the Sun
transit given the date, the longitude and latitude of the observation
site.

Jeanine GOODWYN

Subject:	LX200/DSI focusing
Sent:	Thursday, October 27, 2005 20:18:58
From:	R.L. Creedon (creedon@cablespeed.com)
After months of struggle have just got my first image, far too bad to
publish, ten 15 sec. exposures. Tried M13 & could not bring to good
focus with almost infinitesmal adjustments, 1 degree on focus knob.
Magic eye function was inoperable. Ranged around the other controls,
picture went from black to white with hard to find faint fuzzy image in
between not, as far as I could tell, focusable. At late twilight could
terrestial focus DSI to perfection. Am using 4 port powered USB hub on a
Dell/ Windows Professional laptop. A big single improvement is use of
mouse instead of touch pad which is too touchy. I thought use of
twilight brought things together. Found out the hard way that system
reaction time to practically anything is at least 15 seconds... don't
rush. Badly in need of help on the, to me, intractable focus problem. At
15 seconds could not M13 have been overexposed hence blurry, I thought
the way to clarity lay in lots of very brief exposures with the best
ones pulled out & overlaid so that you got lucky with atmospheric
messiness.  Lew Creedon

Subject:	DSI Problems and missing library item
Sent:	Monday, October 24, 2005 01:35:54
From:	Wally Allen (wally_allen@hotmail.com)
I purchased the DSI recently and have been using it with a Windows based
laptop. I am not a fan of that OS, so I bought an iBook G3 and VPC which
runs Win 98. When I start the DSI program and select  the camera I get a
message "MSCOREE.DLL not found". An additional message says "Cant find
the DSI module". I checked my Device Manager running on VPC and it says
that DSI is working properly.

My USB runs at 500 mA.

I know the DSI works on the other laptop, so it is not malfunctioning I
have downloaded the update from Meade and have rebooted the iBook, but
the same message appears.

Wally Allen
LXD 55 SNT 8

Subject:	Meade DSI and filters
Sent:	Sunday, October 23, 2005 16:26:02
From:	Lee R (divine-assassin-kai@hotmail.co.uk)
Hi Mike after asking you about the DSI and the SAC 4 II i've decided to
go for the DSI. I've not examined one up close as yet but my question
is: Does the DSI have a thread like the SAC does to screw in filters
into it's eyepiece tube?? As i wish to use my ATIK focal reducer and
other filters too... Wishing all the clear skies possible from Lee
Ricketts Dover Kent UK...

Subject:	ETX-70 Deep Space Photos
Sent:	Thursday, October 20, 2005 04:58:50
From:	Alex Gonzalez (alex_dj2004@yahoo.com.mx)
Hi weasner nice too see your site floureshing, I send 1 pic taken last
night (October 19), It's the Double Cluster, i know it's not very good
but this is my first DSI-Color photo with the ETX-70, here are the
specifics:
 
Location: Monterrey, Mexico
Scope: ETX-70
Weather:Clear with full moon on sky and very igh light pollution.
Aligment: Alt/Azm
 
Object:The Double Cluster, taken 20 pics at 13 secs each on Fits Format,
align and combine and histogram tweakening on IP software. Furter gama,
saturation and contrast on Irfanview freeware photo software.



I send My second pic taken last night (October 19), It's the Pleiades, i
know it's not very good but this is my second DSI-Color photo with the
ETX-70 and DSI-C, here are the specifics:
 
Location: Monterrey, Mexico
Scope: ETX-70
Weather:Clear with full moon on sky and very high light polluted.
Aligment: Alt/Azm
 
Object: The Pleiades, taken 20 pics at 13 secs each on Fits Format,
align and combine and histogram tweakening on IP software. Furter gama,
saturation and contrast on Irfanview freeware photo software.

Subject:	Re: DSI & LPI no images on screen 
Sent:	Tuesday, October 18, 2005 19:47:18
From:	Siginsdon@aol.com (Siginsdon@aol.com)
I removed the camera from the telescope but didn't get an amage. 
Tonight I aimed the telescope at a house about five hundred yards away. 
I set it for land use--called it house.  Checked the Live button and hit
the auto exposure--no image.  I then played with the exposure time, but
no image.  I played with it for about an hour--at one point, it looked
like I had one straight line that may have been the rain gutter going
around the house but nothing else was in focus and I really couldn't
make it out.  The best exposure time seemed to be between .313 nad
.625--1.0 was all greyish.  The magic triangles seem to pulsate back and
forth between small and large, but even when they are close
together--there's no real image.  Is there some way to test whether or
not the camera is actually working?  I also fiddled around with the
offset and gain to no avail, and the histro sliders didn't help either. 
What are the setting that you have used to capture the moon?  I figure
that if I use some proven settings on the moon and can't get any image,
I may just have a bad camera.  What do you think?
 
Thanks,
 
Don Siggins

And:

I did not think of that.  I will buy a USB powered hub.
Thanks,
 
Don

Subject:	Re: DSI & LPI no images on screen 
Sent:	Friday, October 14, 2005 17:02:08
From:	Siginsdon@aol.com (Siginsdon@aol.com)
When I connect it I get a white to grayish screen, and if I adjust
exposure or the sliders it moves from whitish to black, but in the
process I do not get an image.  Any suggestions?
 
Thanks,
 
Don

Subject:	Re: DSI Pro  Suitability for a Celestron
Sent:	Friday, October 14, 2005 12:00:28
From:	Stephen Bird (stephen.bird@btconnect.com)
Manny,
 
The DSI / DSI Pro were designed primarily for use with Autostar
controlled telescopes, in particular the Drizzle features. The Autostar
Suite software that comes with the DSI / DSI Pro contains the Drizzle
software module, and is written specifically for the Autostar controlled
telescopes. In order to achieve the 3 main Drizzle functions, the
software sends Autostar Suite autoguiding instructions to the Autostar
(in the case of an ETX) derived from what I call "guiding frames" each
shot between a series of exposures. These signals move the Meade scope
in such a way as to produce an effective higher resolution picture, or a
larger image scale, or a mosaic image, though I confess I do not know in
exactly what manner it moves the scope for each feature. Since Autostar
suite is written to produce only Meade proprietary control commands,
they do not work as far as I know with other scopes.

The field derotation feature will work with other scopes as it relies
only on each resulting image and two stars within each such image. As
long as these stars do not move out of the image frame over the course
of taking the image set, the feature will continue to work. you can even
apply this feature to a set of previously taken images.

Even without the Drizzle features, the DSI / DSI Pro still represents
good value when compared to other cameras in the price range, as they
will not give you the Drizzle features that Meade offer.
 
Regards
 
Stephen Bird
----- Original Message -----
From:  Manny 
Hi Stephen,
 
I will keep looking, and research more into it, one big + was the use of
this software.  May be is a way around it.
 
Keep sending me updates and your own experiences.
 
Thank you and have a great week! 
 
Manuel

Subject:	focal reducer recommendation
Sent:	Monday, October 10, 2005 12:58:33
From:	Gadi Karmi (gkarmi@gmail.com)
Fantastic site, I really appreciate it. Could you make a recommendation
for a focal reducer for use with an ETX-125 and DSI?

Many thanks,

Gadi.

Subject:	Re: DSI Pro  Suitability for a Celestron 
Sent:	Monday, October 10, 2005 15:18:26
From:	Stephen Bird (stephen.bird@btconnect.com)
Manny,
 
In addition to my review of the DSI Pro on Mike Weasner's ETX site you
will find a number of other reviews, articles and pictures taken with
the DSI / DSI Pro. You can also check out the specification and find
further examples of what is possible with a DSI / DSI Pro on Meade's own
website, www.meade.com. Also at that website you can download the DSI
user manuals which will provide further detail on the camera. I am sure
that all of this will allow you to decide as to whether the DSI Pro is
the right camera for you.

What I would say though, is that some of the features of the DSI / DSI
Pro software (Drizzle) may not be available to you with a Celestron
telescope, as they require the Autostar controller / interface found
only on Meade telescopes.

These features may include (though I have no facility to check this),
Drizzle Resolution, Extended View, Pixel Fraction and Field Derotation.
You will need to check the specification carefully before you purchase
the camera to satisfy yourself that all of the DSI / DSI Pro features
you expect to be available will in fact work when connected to your non
Meade telescope.

Regards
 
Stephen Bird
----- Original Message -----
From:  Manny 
Hi Stephen,
 
I want to thank you for the great review on the DSI Pro.  I am thinking
on purchasing one some time this winter.  If you have any more
information before that, please feel free to send me something.

I have a Celestron Nexstar GPS 11
 
Sincerely,
 
Manuel

Subject:	DSI & LPI no images on screen 
Sent:	Sunday, October 9, 2005 21:10:39
From:	Siginsdon@aol.com (Siginsdon@aol.com)
I jst purchase an LIP and a DSI-Pro.  I installed the autosuite 2.0
version.  The cameras are recognized but I can't get anything like an
image to focus.  Do you have any suggestions?  Thanks,
Don

And:

I tried using both cameroas in the daytime-  No luck.  I did not adjust
exposure time, as the instructions stated it should be automatic, and I
have lttle experience with exposure times.  Where would i adjust it? 
Should I push the number higher or lower.  I'll try it both ways, but
it would be real good if they had a trouble shooting section in the
manuals.

Thanks,
 
Don Siggin

Subject:	Meade Deep Sky Imager (DSI)
Sent:	Thursday, October 6, 2005 18:02:16
From:	johnwalters@neo.rr.com
I've sent you a few e-mails in the past in regards to my Meade ETX-125
telescope. I also own a 2120-LX3 10" scope by Meade.

I recently read the review in Astronomy Magazine on the Meade DSI, and
have just ordered one today from a telescope company. I read several
reports on this new item. Some say it is hard to use, others say they
did great work the first night out.

I don't quite understand what they are talking about by connecting the
DSI to your computer. GHEEZE!!!...my computer is in the house! How can I
run it from the back yard? Maybe I should get a reasonable laptop
computer? Or...are images stored on the chip until you can get into the
house and download them?

Any light you can shed on this would be greatly appreciated.

As Always, kindest Regards, John Walters

Subject:	Will Meade's DSI work on my G5 Mac
Sent:	Wednesday, October 5, 2005 16:26:27
From:	Spoolman Nancy (nanc@spoolman.com)
I called Meade and I have been searching your site to find out if the
Deep Sky Imager from Meade will work on my G5 PowerMac or my G4 Alubook
with some other software than their PC software. I cannot find anywhere
where it actually says the person has a Mac, an ETX-125 and a DSI from
Meade and that they work! I want one so bad I can taste it, but I
certainly don't wish to buy one if the Mac does not recognize it. I find
it difficult to believe you can't just plug the DSI into the Mac, launch
BTV Pro or some other capture program and look to the stars!

Is there anyone out there who has bought a DSI and used it on their Mac?

Thanks for any information you can give me.

Nancy S.

Subject:	ETX125 experiences
Sent:	Wednesday, October 5, 2005 08:43:12
From:	Harri Hytnen (dirty@kolumbus.fi)
I purchased ETX-125EC a month ago and so far have been pleased with this
scope. Despite some backlash in the RA and some focus shift with high
magnifications there have been no major concerns. I take it that this
amount of backlash and focus shift are "normal" with this price-category
scopes.

I did three times have a situation where the scope decided to start
slewing just randomly. That happened twice in a case when I was using AC
power and once while using power from car battery so in my case the
problem was not because of non-stable current, I think. In my opinion
the slewing started when I was moving the autostar around so I thought
the problem might be with loose connection with the cable. I replaced
the cable with a self made 3 meter CAT5 and new connectors and the
problem has not repeated any more.

A bit later I decided to buy some acessories like a dew shield,
electronic fucuser, visual back, more eyepieces and Meade DSI. Here is a
sample picture of M57 from my second night with DSI. It was taken in our
backyard with quite much scattering from nearby street lights. The
exposure consists of only 9x15s shots with a 0.66x reducer attached to
the DSI and the DSI itself attached to the rear port of the ETX. I must
say that it is advisable to use the flip mirror since it is there. It is
much easier to first locate the target with a say 26mm eyepiece and when
centered just flip the mirror so that the DSI becomes in charge. That is
much easier than constantly switching between an eyepiece and DSI in the
*same* port. I was absolutely amazed to discover how faint stars can be
reached with this relatively modest configuration! The central star in
M57 is clearly visible and also (in the original BMP at least) one
nearby 16.6mag star just and just visible.  The first impression is that
the max. exposure is around 15s because of RA drive inaccuracies (at
least with relatively rough polar aligning).  I will try  later more
accurate aligning and PEC and then see what can be achieved.







The summary is that ETX125 and DSI seems to cope together quite well.
Better than I actually expected.

Thanks for the great site,

Harri Hytonen
 Espoo, Finland 

Subject:	Attaching DSI pro to ETX90
Sent:	Monday, October 3, 2005 02:18:48
From:	Michael & Sabina (miksab777@netvigator.com)
I just received a ETX90 to use as a guidescope with a Meade ADSI Pro as
the autoguider. I wanted to lock the ETX90 at infinity so I don't need
to refocus and also minimize mirror flop.

I'm having a hard time trying to work out what parts I need to attach to
the photo port of the 90 to mount the Dsi and also reach focus. I have
never used a etx before so would appreciate your help or any
recomendations.

Cheers
Mike

Thanks for the info Mike. Just a quick question, I read somewhere that
using the visual back changes the etx90 to an f7 or something like that.
Is this true? I cant see how the F of a scope can be changed without
using some sort of lens.

Cheers
Mike

Subject:	Using a series of USB Cables for DSI
Sent:	Wednesday, September 28, 2005 14:02:15
From:	Anna316@wmconnect.com (Anna316@wmconnect.com)
I was wondering if anybody has tried using a series of USB cables  with
their LPI/DSIs. I've treid calling Meade about this and get nebulous
answers. My idea is to run about 40' connected cables to my main
computer(don't have a laptop). I have heard everything from connecting
(3)  15'  'active' cables and then heard that I would need 'hubs'. Can
you help?
Thanks, Tom Hannigan

Subject:	DSX125 & Meade DSI
Sent:	Wednesday, September 28, 2005 11:32:58
From:	SpiritHDMC@aol.com (SpiritHDMC@aol.com)
I have a Meade DSX125 Telescope.   It is an ETX-125 scope mounted on a
DS2000 mount and uses the Meade #497 AutoStar.  I'm wanting to purchase
a Meade DSI in order to take pictures through the telescope.  I have an
HP Pavilion Notebook that I wish to connect the entire system together. 
I also have the #505 cable connector.  I have no serial port on my
Notebook, however, I have found several USB to serial connectors.  In
reading the PDF manual for DSI  it states that I will need an "off-axis
guider" in order to use the DSI as an autoguider.  Is this correct?  I
would like to take long exposure pictures with the DSI.  Do I need an
off-axis guider?  I thought that the DSI had this capability on it's
own.

I've spent a ton of money on this so far.  I admit that I am please. 
I've had great slews and views!  I've seen most of the plants, the
Andromeda Galaxy, Great Orion Nebula, and many star clusters.  The
weather has prevented the observations of much more.  To keep the
tracking "dead" center  will I need more than the DSI?  Will I need an
off axis guider?
 
Thanks,
Rick Anderson
Jackson, Tennessee

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