Testing ATIK-1HS II Long Exposure Mode

Despite the bad weather tonight, I just opted to test my ATIK-1HS II webcam's long exposure mode of it is working with a fabricated parallel to serial port LX mode adapter so I can connect it to my webcam's parallel port's long exposure connection. With the removal of parallel ports on all new laptops, I had no choice but to have this adapter made. Since I'm not good in electronic diagram to make the customized parallel to serial adapter, I asked a friend of mine Anthony Urbano to help me make the adapter with the diagram design submitted to him to work on the adapter. BTW, the LX (long exposure) mode design and diagram were based from Steve Chamber's long exposure webcam modification and refined by Peter Katreniak's K3CCD page to make the necessary adapter which can be seen at http://www.pk3.org/Astro/k3ccdtools_serial_port_adapter.htm . I then tested the adapter by connecting my ATIK 1HS II webcam long exposure parallel port to the fabricated adapter and then to a generic serial to usb adapter then to a generic USB hub. Then it is connected to my Orion Mini50 Guider and pointed to a building window to test. I run AMCAP software to run the webcam initially at normal mode and dim down the image a bit to see of it will brighten up after i turn on the LX mode switch. Then presto! It works! The dim window was brighten by the slower exposure of course :) I then tested it to the PHD guiding software to see if it will detect the camera and it did :) Now I need to wait for a clear sky to test the setup in real time but for now, I'm satisfied with the results :)

Orion Mini50mm Guider

Parallel to Serial LX Mode Adapter

My Autoguider setup connections

My autoguider setup connection to my Orion Mini50mm Guider

Amcap Test Image under Normal Mode

Amcap Test Image under LX Mode

PHD Test Image under LX Mode