Anybody use APT - Astro Photography Tool?

[The Thing]

Has anybody used this software? http://www.ideiki.com/astro

I came across it the other day. APT just captures images, no processing. It's got some nice features such as being able to save exposure plans, support Live View if you have it, saves native DSLR images unlike Nebulsosity also preview is faster as it's not doing weird RAW stuff to display the image. If you get the recommended USB temperature and humidity sensor it will even tell you if you need to refocus due to the amount of temperature change. And it only works in a red screen mode so it's good for preserving dark adaptation!

Seems to have a more stable connection to the camera when I tried it out. It's very cheap so I'm going to get a full copy.

[RobertM]

Not tried that Duncan but I am trialing out a very similar product called Backyard EOS.  It's been very stable on the nights I've been able to use it.

I certainly recommend you give that a try to.

Robert

[Rocket Pooch]

Rob,

Why are you using a DSLR?  You have a finger lakes thingy.

Chris

[The Thing]

Backyard EOS looks good. I'll give it a go.

[The Thing]

Hi Robert, Backyard EOS doesn't support the 350D yet. No good to me.

[MarkS]

It doesn't appear to do dithering.  That rules it out for me.  Although Nebulosity is very slow downloading RAW frames, at least it dithers.

[RobertM]

Mark, the latest version is supposed to support dithering via PHD.

Chris, the FLI isn't exactly a good match for the Hyperstar.  Also I'm about to send it back, especially after talking to Greg Terrance at Astrofest.

[MarkS]

Aha, you mean BackyardEOS supports dithering.  I don't think APT does.  Trouble is, BackyardEOS supports neither the 350D nor 400D.

I already noticed some time ago that PHD has a dithering interface that can be hooked into relatively easily by other software.  So I thought I'd get hold of the Canon SDK (Software Development Kit) and write some code to interface to the Canon and to PHD.  I can then get both dithering, fast download and colour previews.  I noticed that there is a definite break after the 400D which makes it very difficult to support the 450D onwards at the same time as the 400D and earlier - different SDKs are required.  This probably explains the lack of support in BackyardEOS.

Another feature I want is to simultaneously view the centre and the 4 corners of the frame in close-up during focusing with the the Bahtinov mask.

Unfortunately, there's no way I'll have time to write any software in the near future, I'm far too busy getting ready for the move.

Mark

[RobertM]

Another feature I want is to simultaneously view the centre and the 4 corners of the frame in close-up during focusing with the the Bahtinov mask.

I've been thinking about that myself as it would ease the final critical Hyperstar collimation, I'll suggest it to the developer and see what he says.

Robert

[The Thing]

The next version of APT will support dithering with PHD according to the website. The button is there but greyed out.

The corner view feature would be good as I have noticed coma gets exponentially worse as collimation goes off with my scope flattener combination. I can get it to almost nothing if collimation is spot on. Being able to see it easily would help.

[The Thing]

Just downloaded the latest version (1.4) of APT. It now supports dithering with PHD and has a lot of options Nebulosity doesn't have. They are described in the user guide APT User Guide. Looks good, just need an opportunity to try this new feature out. 

The next version looks like it will support autofocusing with an ASCOM focuser...  And I have a TemperHum TemperHum on order as well so my EXIF info will have temperatures I can match to library darks.

[MarkS]

Dithering!  Definitely looks worth trying out now 

Can the amount of dither be controlled like in Nebulosity i.e. settings from low to extreme?

Mark

[mickw]

Hmmm now this is an enigma................................

Is the crap weather causing the increased buying/obtaining astronomy stuff ?
Or is the increased buying/obtaining astronomy stuff causing the crap weather ?


And yes, I'm bored 

[The Thing]

Low to extreme, settle time, timeout to continue, abandon exposure if guide start ends up being a pixel distance out of place...

And yes mick, we've nothing better to do!

[MarkS]

Oh yes, I can see it in the user-guide now:
"Auto-Dithering Command – defines what to be the dithering distance (implemented for PHD only)."

I'm dying for a cloudy night or two, to experiment with the software (Subtext: If the weather thinks I really want some cloudy nights, it's bound to be clear  )

I also want to try out DitherMaster (http://www.skymonsters.net/software.php) which just interfaces to PHD and drives DSLRShutter - this looks almost exactly to be the program I would have written myself.  I'll try this one out on another cloudy night (Weather - are you listening?  )  There's a different version which interfaces via Canon Utilities - for the more up to date Canons, I guess.  The 350D and 400D cannot give more than 30sec exposures via Canon Utilities - hence I need DSLRShutter.

We really need lots of threads about spending cloudy nights trying out new software (you know what I mean )

Mark

[Carole]

I've had a look at this too and it seems to have a good number of tools. 
Although I can programme long exposures with my DSLR and Canon Utillity I can't programme various lengths. 
Also now supports dithering and I like the sound of the DSLR temperature facility.

I might have a go at this at some point (clouds permitting!!!)

Carole

[Fay]

Does it support GPUSB, do you know?  I can see it supports DSUSB

[RobertM]

We really need lots of threads about spending cloudy nights trying out new software (you know what I mean  )

Yes, we get enough of them so there's no excuse 

[Carole]

Does it support GPUSB, do you know?  I can see it supports DSUSB

Not sure Fay, might be a good idea to E mail IVO and ask him.

I also noticed a very neat feature in that you can line up your images to those you have done on a previous night.

Carole

[The Thing]

From the M65-M66 thread...

[For those who followed the APT thread,] I used the image mask function to get the stars lined up for the second set of subs, it works. You can load an existing image, create the mask (little circles you put round prominent stars) and then start snapping subs and lining things up. It even has ASCOM scope control buttons but I found the distance moved for each button click a bit odd.

[Mac]

also noticed a very neat feature in that you can line up your images to those you have done on a previous night.

isnt that just called stacking?
or am i missing something.

Images of the same object should be roughly in the same place on the ccd, even over a few nights,
and stacking will just align them anyway,

Mac

[The Thing]

If your camera doesn't get dismounted, the rotation is the same, your  polar alignment is the same etc.etc. Also if the framing isn't very close stacking won't work, it can't work miracles. Its better to have a tool that will get things aligned as close as possible.

Its ok for those with observatories!

[Mac]

Its ok for those with observatories!

But Carole has one as well

[Carole]

Well my camera is usually orientated roughly the same, but the GOTO does not always get the image in the centre and I have to slew a bit and I have to try to remember where abouts the object was in the frame from last time.  So having that APT facility would be useful to me.

Yes I know stacking would line them up, I am already doing that, but would be nice to be able to line them up beforehand.

Carole

[Fay]

A good job Carole

[RobertM]

Carole, another thing to think about...  If you don't line up precisely for your next imaging session then you will loose edges of the image or they (those edges that don't overlap) will at best have a poorer signal to noise ratio.  That may not concern you at this stage but if a field just fits in then it just might.

Robert

[Carole]

Robert, thats exactly what I am meaning and why I think the APT tool would be so useful.  

Mostly I am not currently using the whole field of view (although I think I did with Rosette), but the closer I get to placing the image in the same position the less I have to cut off the edge.

I actually had a look at APT today with some-one who uses it and who thinks it is really good.  
Seems you can only examine the last image captured (although you might be able to open them up in another programme).  Also if you don't set the anti-vibration pause to NIL you get banding at the top of the image.  

Anyway, I think I am going to purchase this and give it a go. 

Carole

[Mac]

I think I am going to purchase this and give it a go.

Is there not a 30 day trial or something?
Just in case you done get on with it.

Although in the case of the uk, i think this should be set at opening and using it for 30 times,
as there is probably never going to be a period of 30 clear days
Mac.

[mickw]

It's only 12.7 euro

[Carole]

It's only 12.7 euro

and the trial version doesn't have many useable options.

Carole

[Carole]

Well I've installed it and just familiarising myself with how it all works.  IVO is very quick to get back with any queries. 

Although APT itself doesn't allow you to look at more than the last sub - I can't even get it to do that yet - but it doesn't matter for me as I have found I can still view the images in Digital Photo Professional which is part of the Canon EOS Utility software, so that means I can look at all of the subs not just the last one, which is a bonus. 

Have managed to work out how to use the Image Mask Function (see previous threads), although not got as far as working out how to mark the bright stars, so I'm not quite sure how that works as yet, but in the meantime I can flick between live view and the Mask Image. 

Not going to start using it until I'm really familiar with everything as imaging time is precious in view of the recent weather.  But for 12 Euros even if I only used the Image Mask function it would be worth having. 

Carole

[The Thing]

Carole, make sure you have APT set to capture raw & jpg as the preview shows the jpg, not  raw format files (which of course you want for processing).

[Carole]

Ah Duncan, I had it set for just RAW.  Maybe that explains why I could not view the last image.

Carole

[mickw]

Are those of you that are using it happy with it ?

Any bad points ?

Nebulosity is about to be kicked into touch 

[Fay]

Rings a bell it can only be used with live view camera's

[The Thing]

Any canon dslr can be used. Out has some great features and its easy to use.

I do have an issue with it crashing in very particular circumstances but from its forum I seem to be the only user with this issue, probably my laptop...