Subject:	Meade DSI Camera Model?
Sent:	Wednesday, July 31, 2013 19:08:44
From:	Ron (nh6wl@sbcglobal.net)
Since John has found that he has a color model I will give the frame
sizes.  The frame sizes and a bit of useless errata.

DSI cameras came in 6 flavors.

First one was the DSI  (color or One Shot Color, OSC) and the DSI Pro
(Monochrome).  All Pros are monochrome.     Special price for the DSI
Pro when bought with a LX200R was $129.  Later when they were closed out
that was the price too  I have forgotten the original list price but
probably close to $200.  Imaging filters (RGB) were special priced at
$99 as a part of the LX200R with DSI Pro package.  I don't recall the
price of the DSI (OSC) either close out or List and can't find my
receipt.

Later came the DSI II and DSI II Pro.  Frame size for them is 748 X 577.
The close out price for the DSI II (OSC) was $299.  I do not remember
the List price.

The last model is the DSI III and DSI III Pro.  The DSI III series has
the added ability to bin 2X2 (Combined Bin).  in native full size the
frame size is 1360 X 1024 and in 2X2 binned images the frame size is 680
X 512.  The close out price of the DSI Pro with the RGB Imaging filters
was $799 and the list price was over $1000 but I forgot the actual
price.

NOTE:  Meade List prices was THE price all over.  Shipping was free on
almost everything.

For john: You can tell your DSI Model number by checking the frame size
of your images.  You already know you have an OSC model.

If you downloaded the AutoStar Suite from the Meade web site look in the
C: drive Meade directory under Programs(X86) and then open the Doc
folder. It has the last Docs for the Programs in the Suite as well as I
think the Docs for the DSI and DSI II models both OSC and Pro.  I did
get a DSI III Doc which is the same as the others with the few
additional instructions for the DSI III but that was several computers
ago and I don't know where that file is.  It may have been on the
AutoStar disk that came with the DSI III.

In case you haven't found it , if you click on the Color Button at the
top of the Envisage screen a drop down screen will give you several
items for the color manipulation.  You can Name your imager here near
the bottom and what I want to call to your attention is the High Gain
with the box to select it.  This selection may help for dim objects or
mess everything up for something like the moon.  You just have to play
with it.

One other thing the first gen DSI series and DSI II series chips use
interleave while the DSI III series chip uses progressive.  Interleave
paints every other line then come back and paints the skipped lines. 
You may see something like banding in your images on Solar System
objects.

I have used all of the DSI models with my 10 inch LX200R and LXD 75 SN6
with good brighter deep sky objects.  I have also used them with my ETX
125 PE and had good results using short exposures and stacking on
brighter objects due to it being ALT/AZ..  In my opinion the mount just
isn't astrophotography quality.  You should do good on The Great Orion
Nebula and a lot of the star clusters.

I haven't covered a lot but added a few things for those who follow.

You may want to become a member of the DSI Yahoo group.  It isn't real
active since the DSIs are pretty much orphans but as a resource, the
files are there as well as the messages to search on  that may be able
to help when you have a question.  You can always post a question and
probably get a response.

Ron

End of today's update

Subject:	Meade DSI camera model?
Sent:	Sunday, July 21, 2013 08:58:50
From:	John (johnhill38@hotmail.com)
Great site.  Hope you can help on a small question.  I've been given a
Meade DSI camera but I don't know which model it is (1, 2 or 3).  I've
looked at photographs of the various models but can not tell any
difference.  Can you offer any help?  Thanks. John

And:

Yes but so far just on terrestrial object whilst I learn how to use it.
I get colour images and there is no slot to carry any filters.  Thanks
for your help.  John

End of 21 July update

Subject:	Meade DSI, monochrome & color
Sent:	Tuesday, March 5, 2013 01:57:50
From:	B Yen (byen@dslextreme.com)
I'm considering getting a Meade DSI camera, for use as an auto-guider
camera.

I can't find any info..price-wise for monochrome & color.  There is also
a DSI Pro?  Then, there were DSI II & DSI III

How much were the DSI monochrome, & DSI color?  I read some reader
comments on  your page.. Same old Meade: bad QC.  Some of them failed
after 2 yrs..USB went kaput.  Some of the sensors have wildly varying
grades (1 thru 4).  What is your take on this?  If I go for a used one,
if it fails, lots of wasted $$ (paperweight).  I saw a DSI go for
$100..is that about the max one should pay?


B Yen
Pasadena, CA
http://www.astrophoto.us

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