Alcor System EUDA-2M User manual

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EUDA-2M / 3M “All Sky” Camera
Installation and user manual
Oct 05th, 2021 revision

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Table of Contents
1 Camera installation ................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 System installation ............................................................................................................................................ 3
1.2 Camera optical settings ..................................................................................................................................... 7
1.2.1 Temperature sensor and humidity connector (#1) ................................................................................... 7
1.2.2 Power connector and RS232 (#2).............................................................................................................. 8
1.2.3 USB connector (#3) ................................................................................................................................. 11
2 Software .................................................................................................................................................................. 12
2.1 Installing the camera Software ....................................................................................................................... 12
3 Using the camera software control ........................................................................................................................ 15
3.1 Initializing ........................................................................................................................................................ 15
3.1 Cooling the CMOS image sensor ..................................................................................................................... 22
3.2 General Software Setup .................................................................................................................................. 25
3.3 Camera Control panel ..................................................................................................................................... 27
3.4 Storage of files produced by the camera control software ............................................................................ 30
3.5 Image hot pixel removal using dark frame image ........................................................................................... 33
3.5.1 Achieving master dark frame .................................................................................................................. 36
3.5.2 Residual hot pixels repair/fix .................................................................................................................. 39
3.6 Setting the overlay grid ................................................................................................................................... 40
3.7 Cyanogen Boldwood, or Sentinel cloud sensors link with camera control software ..................................... 43
3.8 Magnitude per square second display image mode ....................................................................................... 44
3.9 Telescope control software link ...................................................................................................................... 45
4 Trouble shooting ..................................................................................................................................................... 47
4.1 Focus ............................................................................................................................................................... 47
7.2 Dew inside the dome ...................................................................................................................................... 49
5 Camera maintenance .............................................................................................................................................. 50
5.1 Sphere cleaning ............................................................................................................................................... 50
6 Product terms of use ............................................................................................................................................... 51

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1 Camera installation
1.1 System installation
The camera works outdoor, it is totally weather-tight. The camera has 5 positions filter wheel.
The focusing of the camera can be achieved by software remotely, so there is no need to open the camera to
achieve focusing.
The CMOS sensor has either 62 million pixels for EUDA-3M with 3.8 µm pixels, or 12 million pixels for EUDA-
2M with 4.63µm pixel size.
Both sensors can be cooled down.
EUDA-2M has Iris, that can be set from f2.8 to f22 by means of remote software. Lens focal length is 4.5 mm
EUDA-3M has Iris, that can be set from f4 to f32 by means of remote software. Lens focal length is 8 mm
The heat from the Sun does not cause daytime stops operation of the camera.
Please do not install the camera near a pollution source (like a chimney). Give as much exposure as possible
and avoid obstacles.
This version of camera has heater that can remove external condensation that can occur on sphere surface.
The camera has three anchors on the back, these three ISO M6 not thru threaded holes by 10 mm depth.
Use the supplied screws to attach it, or equivalent stainless steel A4 or A2 screw.
The whole camera weights 9.5 Kg (or 16 kg for EUDA-3M), so ensure that camera attachment is achieved
properly to the mast.
The N, S, E and W direction is defined by rotating the camera accordingly. This is up to the user to define
camera orientation according to its needs. Please perform image capture tests before attaching the camera
to the pole.

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Fig. 1 The position of the three screws securing the USB camera (yellow holes) seen from the bottom of the camera for
EUDA–2M Camera
There are three other "holes" that are filled with waterproof connectors, leave this space free and 100mm
underneath to allow the cables to run.
Connector’s keying and different number of pins are preventing connection errors. However, user must look
at the number of connector pins at the end of the cord before connecting the camera, in order to avoid
forcing the pins and damage the camera connector.
Connector
see fig. 1
EUDA-2M
Role Genre (on camera)
RED Temperature sensor Female
BLUE Power connector and RS232 link Male
PINK USB 2.0 link to camera Male

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Fig. 2 The position of the three panel connector of EUDA–3M Camera
Let the cables to go straight from the camera. If the cables shall be bent, respect a minimum curvature
radius of 100 mm.
The waterproof connectors connect as follows:
 Identify the number of connector pins of the camera, its type (male / female)
 Identify the number of pins of the connector cord and match.
 Identify the key pin inside the camera connector and the key at the connector cord side.
 Apply a rectilinear motion. If insertion force strength persists, please repeat steps for
locating the pin number and key. Excessive force applied to connector can cause the
destruction of the connector or a bad connection can damage the camera.
In case of damage, due to trials to attach cable to the wrong connector kind, this will
cancel warranty. Please PAY ATTENTION.

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Fig. 3 Key one of the three connectors (24V power connector).
Fig. 4 Push the connector straight

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Fig. 5 Then turn the connector’s collar in clockwise fashion
1.2 Camera optical settings
The angle adjustment (tilt) of the camera lens with respect to the CMOS detector plane is factory made.
It is not possible to perform changes from outside for tightness reasons.
The camera iris and focus position is controlled by external software, as well as the 5-positions filter wheel
and camera. So, this is required to run the Skywatch.exe to gain access to these settings.
1.2.1 Temperature sensor and humidity connector (#1)
It is a 5-pin connector. The probe located at the end of the cord will be placed preferably in the shade, as far
as possible from the camera, and always with two set Ø4mm screws with the direction given in the next
frame and horizontally. It put upside down, this can destroy the sensor and warranty will not apply.

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Fig. 6 Up / down and horizontal temperature sensor and humidity directions for installation
1.2.2 Power connector and RS232 (#2)
This is providing power to the camera and RS232 link.
The RS232 connector is a DB9 connector type female and attaches to the serial port of the PC. New PCs are
not equipped with serial port, and must be equipped either:
 By a RS232 – USB converter (very moderate cost, FTDI, ATEN devices, avoid Prolific, there are
not reliable)
 By RS232 PCI card (Low-cost device, not suitable for laptops)
 By Serial to Ethernet (MOXA devices, very reliable and professional device
http://www.moxa.com/product/nport_device_server_1.htm ) Product type is Nport.

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The power supply is provided as 12V or 24V, 110V 60Hz and 220V 50Hz compliant. The current provided by
the PSU is enough to power the camera and the dome heater. Three kinds of plugs are provided on request:
EU, US and UK type.
Fig. 7 24V power supply
The RS232 control link is mandatory, and must be connected to your PC. This gives access to:
 dome heating control, temperature and humidity thresholds that will turn on and off the dome
heating
 setting the heat power to be applied to the dome
 reading temperature of different sensors inside and outside camera
 reading relative humidity sensors from inside and outside the camera
 controlling the lens focus position and iris from f2.8 to f22, and the good focus position is set by
Skywatch software on startup (otherwise blurry images will be obtained).
This is a mandatory way to control the camera. Please connect the RS232 link to your PC.

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At the end of the RS232 cable, a USB to RS232 high quality converter is used Once connected to the PC, the
driver is loaded automatically for Windows 10. For other OS, please go here to pick up the proper driver:
http://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm
Under windows 7, it will appear as UC232R in device manager and driver must appear as follows after driver
installation (can be another COM number port).
Under Windows 8, ask windows device manager to update this device from internet, and driver will be
installed automatically.
In the end the PC, must have TWO USB port free for the system, one for the camera Data stream, and
another for this RS232 to USB link.
Fig. 8 RS232 to USB converter Fig. 9 COM port under Device manager,
warning it can be another number than
COM24
The device manager properties for this COM port should be seen as follows once connected:

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Fig. 10 Serial to USB converter, as it appears in the device manager
1.2.3 USB connector (#3)
This is tied up to a 6-pin connector. Please always connect the camera first and then connect to PC second,
with camera turned off. Power the camera once the USB connection is tied both sides. The cable that goes to
the PC is 20m length and is amplified. Connect USB directly to the PC, not thru hub. The USB camera is very
sensitive and does not allow USB ports that reports issues, or been wear off by years of usage. Please be sure
to have installed the latest USB chipset software for your motherboard. Do not put other devices on the
same USB hub that requires some current.
If the camera is not recognized by the PC, try another USB port.
Despite the camera is USB 2.0, USB 3.0 PCI extra board can be used, and since they are very well powered,
most of the time, they work more nicely and more reliably than embedded motherboard USB controllers.
This is an important step, otherwise, the PC can download images for some hours, and then will not anymore
because of the USB link being not reliable.
Alcor-System has a long experience connecting USB devices using a 20m extender, and when it fails, it is
always due to PC issues, with USB chipset drivers, USB hub badly powered, USB port been jeopardized by
several Electro Static Discharge (ESD).

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2 Software
2.1 Installing the camera Software
2.4. Installing the camera control software
The software must be downloaded here:
http://www.alcor-system.com/common/allSky/sw/setup_skywatch.exe
You must have administrator credentials to perform software installation.
This is updated every 2 months and this is the software used to control the camera, click on
"setup_skywatch.exe"
Fig. 11 Select language
Select language. Then select camera, in this case EUDA 2M/3M camera
Fig. 12 Select EUDA (2M or 3M) Camera

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Installation is quick and trivial. Please accept all installation modules, also XVID encoder that will allow you to
create time lapses.
Fig. 13 Xvid setup, this allows to build time-lapse
Then comes the camera driver low level installation. Please install it
Fig. 14 ZWO ASI camera low level driver installation is MANDATORY
Then accept driver to be installed, click “Install”

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Fig. 15 ZWO ASI camera low level driver installation is MANDATORY
Once the installation is completed, and camera connected and powered, the device manager shows the
presence of the camera, either ASI 6200MM (EUDA 3M) or ASI 294MM (EUDA 2M).
Fig. 16 Device manager
The installation software creates an icon to your desktop. To start it, double click it, the camera control
software will start.
Fig. 17

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3 Using the camera software control
This software is fairly intuitive; the documentation will focus on features that are considered difficult to use,
and about the startup procedure.
Access to the menu bar is located in the upper left, and a flying window in the foreground can quickly adjust
the software settings.
3.1 Initializing
This is an important section, please follow it carefully.
By default, the software sets to simulation camera, and this has to be changed to the proper camera. Click
“Camera Setup”:
Fig. 18
Then comes the filter wheel setup, assign/enter filter names (as ordered) and then put focuser encoder
offset steps that can change filter to filter, if filter thickness is not the same.
For EUDA-2M, the focus range is 1200 to 1400 ADU, for EUDA-3M the offset focuser range is from 4000 to
4500 ADU.
A more accurate figure is provided by ALCOR-SYSTEM on camera delivery.

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Fig. 19 Filter’s name and focus offsets
Select "EUDA-2M/3M Camera" Inside the “Select among available camera” group box, the camera name
must be visible, if not the camera is not recognized by the system (check cables and power).
Fig. 20
The USB camera bandwidth can be set from 40 to 100%. Please avoid to use figures higher than 75%

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Finally the COM setup panel comes, set the serial port COM number as it was find in the section 1.2.2 of this
manual.
If not input properly set to the correct figure, focusing and auto iris will not be possible to achieve, not any
access to the weather board control.
Open then “Options/Dome Heating control / CMOS cooling”
Fig. 21

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The Serial RS232 COM port must be set to the right value (depending on your system’s settings) and click
“Connect”. If the RS232 link is not working, camera focus, and iris control will not be possible and camera
will provide blurred images!
Fig. 22
If an error occurs (not cable tied, or wrongly set port COM), this message will be displayed:
Fig. 23
Otherwise, the window expands and information is displayed as follows:

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Fig. 24 Red arrow, with purple curve going high state means that dome heater is running
Top left shows outdoor temperature and humidity. Those figures will trigger the dome heating. Also the
temperature of the CMOS image sensor, hot dissipater plate behind the CMOS image sensor and inner
camera are reported.
When the violet curve goes up (vertical red arrow), it means that the dome heating has been enabled, and
stay down when the dome heating is disabled.
The humidity tab, shows the outdoor relative humidity level and inner camera relative humidity. This is not
the humidity that sees the CMOS image sensor, this later is enclosed inside a very tight chamber.

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Fig. 25
The inner camera relative humidity (brown curve) shall never be above 60% otherwise, dew may form in the
inner side of the dome, and this jeopardizing image quality. On delivery, the camera inner humidity can be
very low, less than 5% because of desiccant presence inside the camera.
The control/setup tab allows to setup threshold temperature and humidity to allow dome heating to be
turned on or off.