Hi All: One of the features I had to add to my observatory video setup was the ability to control the multitude of camera settings directly from the computer. The alternative is using five tiny pushbuttons on the back of the camera to navigate thru menus of all these settings (and not all of them are intuitive!) A much better way is to use the free MControl software to set everything from the computer. MControl comes with a few "presets" or collections of settings that you simply click on to match what you're obvserving: Deep-space, Planetary, Lunar, Solar, or User-assinged. Since switching from one type of viewing to another (or even from one deep space object to another) may involve changing a half dozen or more camera parameters, the MControl route is THE way to go.
My Mallincam MHCP is a recent vintage "Green LED" version. (If you really want to learn a lot about the Mallincam, go to the Yahoo Mallincam Users Group - http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mallincam/. There you will find just about everything you could possibly want to know about this great little astro video camera.) Accordingly, to get my computer to talk to the camera, in addition to dwnloading the free MControl software from the group, I had to buy or build a special camera interface cable. I also had to convert the computer's RS-232 serial port (supplied by a USB to serial dongle) to RS-485. After doing some research in the group and on the net, I found a web based company - ZEngineering - that sold the cable and an RS-232 to RS485 adapter package at a very reasonable price. (You can find them at http://zengine.ho8.com/Mallincam%20Control%20Cables.htm.)
I ordered one, and tried setting things up. After some communications difficulties, I suspected I may have a bad cable or adapter. Since they were so reasonable, I ordered a second set to try swapping out the first one. While waiting for the second package to arrive, I solved the problem and got it all working. (Turned out, for some unknown reason, that the camera and RS-232 to RS-485 adapter preferred to talk to a USB to Serial Port adapter, rather than my native serial port on the motherboard. Fine, no problem; I'll use the dongle.) So the second package arrived and I just set it asside to use with my portable GEM mount when I go to star parties and such.
Well today I just recieved another package in the mail from ZEngineering. Inside was a new RS-232 to RS-485 adapter with a note saying that in the previous batch of adapters recently shipped, there was a possibility of some of the adapters being defective. So rather than waiting for me to try it out and possible come up with no communications, this fellow sends out a new adapter to everyone who recently ordered the package. Now that is what I call customer service. Two thumbs up to a fine and reputable internet supplier! (And if you have a Mallincam, get the computer controlled setup - so much nicer!)
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