ZWO ASI User Manual
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ASI Cameras User Guide

ASI Cameras User Guide
Revision 1.3
Nov, 2013
All material in this publication is subject to change without notice and is
copyright Zhen Wang Optical company.

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Summary of Contents for ZWO ASI

  • Page 1: Asi Cameras User Guide

    ASI Cameras User Guide ASI Cameras User Guide Revision 1.3 Nov, 2013 All material in this publication is subject to change without notice and is copyright Zhen Wang Optical company.
  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    ASI Cameras User Guide Table of Contents ASI Cameras User Guide......................1 Instruction ............................3 What's included in the box? ......................4 Getting started with the camera ......................5 ASI Camera Driver Setup .........................7 Driver Installation ........................7 Driver Update..........................12 Driver Uninstall........................13 Software Usage ..........................14 Basic Usage..........................14 Planetary Imaging software.....................17...
  • Page 3: Instruction

    ASI Cameras User Guide Instruction Congratulations and thank you for buying one of our ASI planetary Cameras! ASI cameras naming ruler: The software usage is the same although different cameras have different sensor. So here take ASI120MC as an example to show how to install the driver and use the software.
  • Page 4: What's Included In The Box

    ASI Cameras User Guide What's included in the box? 1:2-metre USB and ST4 guider cable 2: M42-1.25” nosepieces 3:1.25” cover 4:ASI Camera body 5:Driver CD...
  • Page 5: Getting Started With The Camera

    ASI Cameras User Guide Getting started with the camera ASI120 camera comes with a 150 degree wild-field lens. It can be used an all sky camera. CS lens USB 2.0 Port ST4 Guider PORT You can see the sensor after unscrew the lens.
  • Page 6 ASI Cameras User Guide Attached the 1.25” nosepieces and insert to your telescope’s focuser. You are ready for your first light now! 1.25” nosepieces...
  • Page 7: Asi Camera Driver Setup

    ASI Cameras User Guide ASI Camera Driver Setup Driver Installation With several mouse clicks, the SUPER EASY driver installation can be done in just ONE minute. Supported OS: Windows XP 32bit/64bit, Windows 7 32bit/64bit, Windows 8 32bit/64bit Install steps: 1. download the latest driver from http://www.zwoptical.com/Eng/Software/index.asp...
  • Page 8 ASI Cameras User Guide Click "Continue Anyway" when installing the driver. Finished, and you are welcome to visit our website!
  • Page 9 ASI Cameras User Guide Then Plug in the camera to a USB port, You can try another USB port if the one plug in doesn't work. Intel CPU based computer is recommended. DO NOT use a USB extension cable or USB hub which will affect the speed of fast image transfer.
  • Page 10 ASI Cameras User Guide Choose the first option Wait for a while, OS will find the driver and install Don't forget to click "Continue anyway" when this dialogue shows up again.
  • Page 11 ASI Cameras User Guide Finished Now you should see ASI120MM/MC listed in the device manager...
  • Page 12: Driver Update

    ASI Cameras User Guide Driver Update You don't need to uninstall the old driver when there is a new one. Just run the new downloaded driver, it will auto detect and update Please close all the apps which may be using camera before update.
  • Page 13: Driver Uninstall

    ASI Cameras User Guide Driver Uninstall You can uninstall the driver from the start menu...
  • Page 14: Software Usage

    ASI Cameras User Guide Software Usage Basic Usage Because it is using one of the most popular driver types in the world (Windows Directshow), the camera can be used on a variety of image/video grabbing softwares. The easiest way to test the camera is to use the amcap software which comes with the driver Select the camera from Devices menu.
  • Page 15 ASI Cameras User Guide Please check the driver installation and verify that the camera is listed under Device Manager You should see an image if everything is fine...
  • Page 16 ASI Cameras User Guide Click "Video Capture Filter" to change setting and "Video Capture Pin" to change Resolutions(you can add or remove resolutions you like).
  • Page 17: Planetary Imaging Software

    Planetary Imaging software SharpCap and Firecapture are suggested as the Capture Software for astronomy image capturing. you can find them in the CD-ROM or download from the website. Both are easy to use and very compatible with the ASI Cameras.
  • Page 18 ASI Cameras User Guide FireCapture is the most effective due to the wider variety of options it offers.
  • Page 19: To Get The Best Performance Of The Camera

    ASI Cameras User Guide To get the best performance of the camera. It is best to adjust the FPS manually. 80% is the default value which is 30fps at 1280X960.this is a very stable speed for most computers. You can try to turn it up to 100% step by step which is 35fps。No drop frames and No bad frames then it’s a good value.
  • Page 20: Capture Parameter Setting

    ASI Cameras User Guide Capture parameter setting Gamma: 50 is the default linear output data. This is the recommended setting. But you can use lower value to help focus when previewing. always remember to return it to “50” before starting capture! Otherwise onion ring will be there after stacking and processing.
  • Page 21: Auto Guider

    ASI Cameras User Guide Auto Guider ASI120 cameras have a Guider Control Port that can be used in conjunction with PHD or Maxlm DL to guide your mount for long time exposure imaging. The image below summarizes how the Guider Port defines.
  • Page 22: Ascom Driver

    ASI Cameras User Guide ASCOM Driver We provide 2 ways to guide. So there are 2 ASCOM drivers available for download: 1. WDM driver + ASICamera ST4 telescope ASCOM Driver(suggested way) 2. ASICamera ASCOM Driver The first way is recommended because WDM driver to get image is faster than ASCOM driver.
  • Page 23 ASI Cameras User Guide 2. Choose the camera you want to use, please make sure you already plug-in the camera. 3. Select a reasonable resolution. The first 640x480 is bin2 mode if there are 2 640x480 resolutions. make sure you choose ASCOM in the menu “Mount”...
  • Page 24 ASI Cameras User Guide Click the telescope icon to connect telescope though ST4 ASCOM driver. Select “ASI ST4 Telescope Driver” 5. It can show the connected camera by Click Properties button. 6. Click Ok to connect mount, then you can start guiding now. Click “Cam Dialog” to call out the...
  • Page 25 ASI Cameras User Guide ASICamera ASCOM Driver 1. Open PHD and click the Camera button. Select ASCOM Camera.
  • Page 26 ASI Cameras User Guide 2. Select “ASI Cameras ASCOM driver” and click “Properties” 3. ASI ASCOM driver will detect automatically which camera is connected and show it in the combo box. Set a reasonable gain and click OK. 4. Select “On-camera” from the mount menu.
  • Page 27 ASI Cameras User Guide 5. Click the telescope button to connect mount 6. Click the refresh button to get image. 7. Now can see the star in the image.
  • Page 28 ASI Cameras User Guide 8. Choose a star and Click the guider button. 9. PHD is calibrating now.
  • Page 29 ASI Cameras User Guide 10. PHD start guiding after calibrating. 11. Enable Graph to see the guiding result.
  • Page 30: Auto Guider With Maxim_Dl

    ASI Cameras User Guide Auto Guider with MaxIm_DL 1. Select Camera from the toolbar of MaxIM_DL 2. Click “setup camera” from the Camera2 3. Camera Model select “ASCOM” and click “Advanced”. you can choose “video” if connect though the WDM driver.
  • Page 31 ASI Cameras User Guide 4. Select "ASI Camera ASCOM driver" from the popup dialog and click "properties". Click Ok after setting a reasonable gain value. 5. Connect now 6. Shift to the Guide page and Click “start” to expose one image.
  • Page 32 ASI Cameras User Guide 7. choose a bright start and click it to be a “Guide Star” 8. Click “Setting” to make sure that Autoguider output is “Guider Relays". Then MaxIm_DL will use the ST4 port on the camera to guide. Or choose “ASCOM” driver to connect “ASICamera ST4 telescope driver”...
  • Page 33 ASI Cameras User Guide 10.There is a cross red line when calibrate successful. Select “Track” and click Start to start guide. 11. Click “Graph” to show the guiding result.
  • Page 34: Other Third Part Software Support

    ASI Cameras User Guide Other Third part software support These software all can be used with ASI Camera though the WDM interface. PHD Guiding Select ASI camera from WDM menu...
  • Page 35: Gm (Guidemaster)

    ASI Cameras User Guide GM (GuideMaster) Changes the mode of connection: "Option -> Guiding Imager -> DirectX"(GM only works under XP) Connect the camera: "Camera -> ASI120MM Camera" Adjust camera settings: "Camera -> Options"...
  • Page 36 ASI Cameras User Guide...
  • Page 37: Maxim-Dl

    ASI Cameras User Guide MaxIm-DL Connect the camera: "Setup Camera -> Camera Model (Video DS) -> Source" Click "connect" in Camera Control window...
  • Page 38: Metaguide

    ASI Cameras User Guide Adjust camera settings in Camera Control window: "Option -> Camera Settings" MetaGuide...
  • Page 39: Astroart

    ASI Cameras User Guide Astroart CCD plug-in required http://www.msb-astroart.com/ccd_en.htm Web cams, video cameras (DMK, Meade LPI, Celestron NexImage, etc.)
  • Page 40: Cleaning

    ASI Cameras User Guide Cleaning There is a protect window before the sensor in ASI120MM/MC, ASI034MC, ASI130MM camera. It’s an AR-AR coated window before the mono camera. It’s a IR-cut window before the color camera. It’s better to clean a sensor at daytime. You just need to setup your telescope and point it to a bright place.
  • Page 41 ASI Cameras User Guide The big dim spot on the image are the shadows of dusts on the protect window. The very small but very dark spot in the image are the shadows of the dusts on the sensor. The suggested way to clean them is try to blow them away with a manual air pump. To clean the dust on the sensor you need to open the camera body at first.
  • Page 42 ASI Cameras User Guide The sensor is an optical device. All precautions must be taken to prevent dust or scratches on the input window. If there is dirt that doesn’t come off with the air pump, here is the step to clean it.
  • Page 43: Mechanical Drawing

    ASI Cameras User Guide Mechanical Drawing...
  • Page 44: Qe Graph

    ASI Cameras User Guide QE Graph ASI120MM ASI120MC...
  • Page 45 ASI Cameras User Guide ASI130MM ASI034MC...

Table of Contents