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public beta release 1.0b1 ©1999-2001 Southern Stars Systems. All Rights Reserved.
This section contains instructions for installing SkySight on your computer, and taking your first images. Please note: this page only contains links to download the SkySight program itself, not its source code. If you are looking for the source code, you should go to the open source home page.
Here is the procedure you should follow:
Download and install the SkySight software.
Macintosh users who require parallel ports should purchase and install their parallel-port hardware next. PC users can skip this step.
Test communications with your CCD camera.
Macintosh users who need to purchase parallel-port cards should read the section on Obtaining Parallel-Port Hardware.
PC users, who don't need to purchase or install parallel ports, can skip directly ahead to Installing SkySight on a PC.
Click on one of the following links to download the software to your computer's hard drive:
Macintosh version: 2.1 MB; MacBinary-encoded Macintosh executable.
Windows version: 2.1 MB; 32-bit Windows executable.
Both versions contain installers for public beta release 1.0b1 of SkySight. The Macintosh version is MacBinary-encoded; Macintosh users may need to obtain a uility like StuffIt Expander from Aladdin Systems in order to decode it.
Macintosh users who need a parallel-port card (either PCI or PCMCIA) should obtain one of the models listed below. Please note that Southern Stars Systems does not sell any of these cards directly!
Desktop PowerMac users: should obtain a PCI parallel-port card. Currently supported cards are:
Click to enlarge | CyberParallel PCI. Manufacturer: SIIG, 6078 Stewart Avenue, Fremont, CA 94538-3152; e-mail: sales@siig.com. The manufacturer's model number is IO 1839; the part number is JJ-P00112. SIIG does not sell this card directly, but their web site contains a number of links to retailers and on-line distributors where you can purchase it. You can click here to order one on-line from CDW; the on-line price is $44.41. |
Click to enlarge | PCI High-Speed ECP/EPP Parallel Port. Manufacturer: Intek 21, 6080 Stewart Avenue, Fremont, CA 94560; phone: (510) 353-7540; e-mail: support@intek21.com. The manufacturer's model number is TK9902; the part number is TK-P01E12. Intek 21 is apparently now owned by SIIG, and like the other SIIG card, SIIG does not sell this product directly. However, you can click here to order one on-line from CDW; the on-line price is $32.92. |
Laptop PowerBook users: should obtain a PCMCIA parallel-port card. Currently supported cards are:
Click to enlarge | SPP-100. Manufacturer: Quatech, 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway, Akron, OH 44311; phone: (800) 553-1170; e-mail: sales@quatech.com. Manufacturer's part number: 930-1025-01E. Quatech will sell this card directly to customers in the U.S. and Canada; you can click here to order one on-line. Customers outside the U.S./Canada should check Quatech's web site to find an international distributor. Quatech's list price for the SPP-100 is $129.00. |
Even though these cards may only advertise Windows support, they will work in a Macintosh— we've tried them! Please note that SkySight supplies the Mac drivers for these cards; none of them come with their own Macintosh driver software.
Southern Stars Systems recommends that Macintosh users install the SkySight software and hardware in the following order:
Install the SkySight software.
Shut down your Macintosh.
Install the parallel-port hardware.
Restart your Macintosh.
The reason for installing the software first is that the Mac OS needs several extensions placed in its System Folder before it can use the hardware, and after these extensions are installed, your Macintosh needs to be restarted before it can use them. (You could choose to install the hardware before installing the software, but this would require an additional reboot.)
To install the SkySight software, double-click on the SkySight Installer application icon, and follow its instructions as they appear on the screen. After a successful installation, the following files should be installed:
MacParallel: this is the driver for the PCI and PCMCIA parallel-port cards. It is placed in the Extensions folder of your Macintosh's active System Folder.
Please note: MacParallel is copyright © Matthew Nelson. All Rights Reserved. We would like to properly credit Mr. Nelson as the author of MacParallel, and thank him for his permission to distribute MacParallel from this site.
SkySight: this folder is located wherever you chose to install it, and contains the following items:
SkySight: the SkySight application program;
Documentation: a folder containing the SkySight documentation, in HTML format;
Sample Images: a folder containing a number of sample CCD images in FITS format.
After installing the SkySight software, you should shut down their Macintosh, and install the hardware. Please note that PowerBook (laptop) Macintosh users are not required to install the hardware with their computer's power turned off, but this certainly does not hurt.
Make sure the computer turned off.
Open the computer case.
Touch the computer's power supply to ground yourself; this prevents you from damaging either your computer or the PCI card by discharging static electricity.
Remove the PCI parallel-port card from its box and anti-static bag.
Locate an empty PCI slot on your computer's motherboard, and insert the card into it. The card should slide firmly into place.
Close your computer's case.
Restart the computer. The computer should start up normally. If it does not, there is probably a hardware problem. Contact Southern Stars Systems for assistance.
Please note that the parallel-port PCMCIA card is "hot-swappable", i.e. it can be inserted and removed without having to restart your computer.
Remove the PCMCIA card from its static bag and plastic case.
Insert the PCMCIA card into either of your PowerBook's PCMCIA slots. The card can only fit one way. Make sure that the card clicks firmly into place.
Insert the small end of the DB25 parallel cable (supplied with the card) into the open end of the PCMCIA card. The cable can only fit one way. Make sure that the cable clicks firmly into place.
The Mac OS should detect the PCMCIA card automatically. When it does so, an icon representing the card should appear on the Mac desktop. If this does not happen within several seconds of inserting the card, there is probably a hardware problem. Contact Southern Stars Systems for assistance.
To remove the card from your PowerBook, drag the icon representing the card to the trash. The card should be ejected automatically.
SkySight installation on a PC is much simpler than on a Macintosh because there is no parallel-port hardware to installed.
To install the SkySight software, double-click on the Install SkySight.exe application icon, and follow its instructions as they appear on the screen.
Before attempting to take any astronomical images at night, we reccomend that you first test SkySight with your CCD camera indoors. This way, you can ensure that all of the camera hardware and software is working, and troubleshoot any problems beforehand.
Here is the test procedure we reccomend:
Set up your CCD camera and connect it to your computer's parallel port according to the camera manufacturer's instructions. Turn the CCD camera's power on after connecting it to the computer.
Start up the SkySight application:
Mac users: double-click the SkySight application icon in the Finder.
Windows users: select SkySight from the Start Menu -> Program Files -> SkySight.
When SkySight starts up, it displays a dialog box titled Camera Setup. Select your camera type, filter type, and the port to which the camera is connected from the menus in this dialog.
Mac users with parallel-port hardware should see the parallel port listed in the Camera Connection menu. If it does not appear, the MacParallel extension is not installed, or the parallel-port hardware is not working correctly. Contact Southern Stars Systems for assistance.
After selecting the items listed above, press the Connect button. If SkySight can establish communications with the CCD camera, this button's title should change to Disconnect, and the menus should be disabled. (Establishing communications may take several seconds.)
If SkySight cannot establish communications with the CCD camera, make sure all cables are connected properly, that the correct menu items are selected, and that the power is turned on. If you still cannot establish communications, contact Southern Stars Systems for further assistance.
Click on the Exposure tab at the top of the dialog box. Click on the Start button in the dialog box. SkySight will then take 1-second exposure, download the image, and display the results in a new image window titled New Image. (Don't worry about what the image looks like; the important thing at this point is to make sure that you can take an image in the first place!)
If you can accomplish all of these steps, you've ensured that the camera hardware is working properly, and that SkySight is communicating correctly with it. You are now ready to begin taking your first real astronomical images.
Copyright ©1993-2002 Southern Stars Systems. All Rights Reserved.
All product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
This page was last updated on 26 April 2003.
