Alcor System OMEA User manual

© ALCOR-SYSTEM 1
OMEA “All Sky” Camera
Installation and user manual
June 16th, 2022 revision

© ALCOR-SYSTEM 2
Table of Contents
1 Camera installation ................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Camera installation ........................................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Camera optical settings ................................................................................................................................... 11
1.3 OMEA camera connections (USB version) ...................................................................................................... 11
1.3.1 Temperature sensor and humidity connector (#1) ................................................................................. 12
1.3.2 Power connector and RS232 (#2)............................................................................................................ 13
1.3.3 USB connector (#3) ................................................................................................................................. 16
1.4 OMEA camera connections (ETHERNET version) ............................................................................................ 17
1.5 OMEA camera connections with External Weather Module .......................................................................... 19
1.6 Camera stand .................................................................................................................................................. 19
2 Software .................................................................................................................................................................. 21
2.1 System requirement and operating system .................................................................................................... 21
2.2 Camera installation software .......................................................................................................................... 21
2.3 Embedded Ethernet camera software installation ......................................................................................... 25
3 Using the camera software control ........................................................................................................................ 29
3.1 Initializing ........................................................................................................................................................ 29
3.1.1 All cameras type ...................................................................................................................................... 29
3.1.2 OMEA 8x/7x/9x specific initialization phases ......................................................................................... 30
3.1.3 Camera setup .......................................................................................................................................... 33
3.1.4 OMEA 8x/7x/9x cooling setup ................................................................................................................ 35
3.1.5 Exposure control ..................................................................................................................................... 37
3.2 Storage of files produced by the camera control software ............................................................................ 38
3.3 Camera exposure time and gain ..................................................................................................................... 40
3.3.1 Manual mode .......................................................................................................................................... 40
3.3.2 Automatic mode ..................................................................................................................................... 40
3.4 Image hot pixel removal using dark frame image ........................................................................................... 41
3.4.1 Achieving master dark frame .................................................................................................................. 45
3.4.2 Residual hot pixels repair/fix .................................................................................................................. 47
3.5 Setting the overlay grid ................................................................................................................................... 49
3.6 Cyanogen Boldwood or Sentinel cloud sensors link with camera control software ...................................... 52
3.7 Magnitude per square second display image mode ....................................................................................... 53
3.8 Telescope control software link ...................................................................................................................... 55
3.9 Star count for cloud coverage estimation ....................................................................................................... 55
3.10 24h overview ................................................................................................................................................... 56
4 Sphere condensation heater management ............................................................................................................ 59

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4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 59
4.2 Adjusting and start-up .................................................................................................................................... 59
5 Weather measurement module ............................................................................................................................. 63
5.1 Sensors software management ...................................................................................................................... 66
5.2 Sensor specifications and operating range ..................................................................................................... 69
6 Camera maintenance .............................................................................................................................................. 69
6.1 Sphere cleaning ............................................................................................................................................... 69
6.2 Camera internal desiccant replacement ......................................................................................................... 69
7 Trouble shooting ..................................................................................................................................................... 69
7.1 Camera does not deliver images ..................................................................................................................... 70
7.2 Camera disconnects when heating is active ................................................................................................... 70
7.3 Dew inside the dome ...................................................................................................................................... 71
8 Product terms of use ............................................................................................................................................... 71

© ALCOR-SYSTEM 4
List of applicable products of this documentation
OMEA 6M
OMEA 6C
OMEA 3M
OMEA 3C
OMEA 5M
OMEA 5C
OMEA 8M
OMEA 8C
OMEA 9M
OMEA 9C
OMEA 7C
OMEA 7M
1 Camera installation
1.1 Camera installation
The camera works outdoor, it is weather-tight. Warning, the system is not submersible: it is not a diving
camera. Moreover, it will prevent all intrusion of insects, even the smallest one.
The camera has no mechanical shutter and Sun’s heat does not cause loss of 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.
It is advised to level the camera with respect to the ground.
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 fix or equivalent stainless steel A4 or A2 screw. The following stand can be used
to install the camera safely (this is an optional item, purchased on request)

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Fig. 1 Optional stand for the camera
Fig. 2 The position of the three screws securing the USB camera (yellow holes)

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There are three other "holes" that are filled with waterproof connectors, leave this space free and 100mm
underneath to allow the cables to run.
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.
The cables go straight from the camera bottom. If the cables shall be bent, respect what is shown on the
picture (Fig. 3)

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Fig. 4 Three cables straight descent.

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Fig. 5 Minimum cable radius curvature.
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.

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 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, warranty could be
canceled.
Fig. 6 Key one of the three connectors (power connector).

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Fig. 7 Push the connector straight
Fig. 8 Then turn the connector’s collar in clockwise fashion

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1.2 Camera optical settings
1.2.1. OMEA 3x, 5x and OMEA 6x
The focus of the lens with respect to the image sensor is factory tuned. It is not possible to perform focus
changes from outside, for tightness reasons.
F-number is fixed set to its lowest value, F1.6 allowing very sensitive operation of the camera. This cannot be
changed from outside.
Sharpness may vary from center to edges, according to the lens design and lens manufacturing quality
variations.
Opening the dome is possible, but this will jeopardize inner camera dryness: some desiccants bags are
installed inside the camera, and if the dome is opened, those bags must be replaced!
Infrared light (>700 nm) is blocked. Pixel size is 2.2µm for OMEA 3x and OMEA 6x.
1.2.2. OMEA 7x, 8x and OMEA 9x
The tilt of the lens with respect to the image sensor is factory tuned. It is possible to perform focus changes
remotely by using the RS232 link. ALCOR-SYSTEM will provide to the user the best focus encoder count
(from 900 to 1100 encoders steps) Some variation may occur around this value during the life of the camera.
By the same link, F-number can be user selected. The lowest F/ is F2.8 and must be used overnight. During
the day F/5.6 or F/8 can be used. This can be set by PC software.
Sharpness may vary from center to edges, according to the lens design and lens manufacturing quality
variations.
Opening the dome is possible, but this will jeopardize inner camera dryness: some desiccants bags are
installed inside the camera, and if the dome is opened, those bags must be replaced!
Infrared light (>680 nm) and UV light is blocked (<420 nm). Pixel size is 3.8µm.
1.3 OMEA camera connections (USB version)
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.

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Fig. 9 Rear of USB camera
Connector Role Gender (camera side)
#1 Temperature / Humidity sensor Female 5 pins
#1 Weather station module (optional) Male 7 pins
#2 Power connector and RS232 link Male 4 pins
#3 USB link Male 6 pins
For more information about the pins of these connectors, please ask us.
If Weather module is present, never touch with your fingers the 7 pins of the connector (Connector #1).
1.3.1 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 (or in the wrong side), this can destroy the sensor and
warranty will not apply.

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Fig. 10 Up / down and horizontal temperature sensor and humidity directions for installation
This sensor is intended to provide outdoor temperature and relative humidity in order to automatically
trigger dome heating, (only when weather conditions are prone to develop dew on the camera’s dome).
1.3.2 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)
 By RS232 PCI card (Low cost device, not suitable for laptops)
 By Serial to Ethernet (MOXA devices,
http://www.moxa.com/product/nport_device_server_1.htm ) Product type is Nport.

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Fig. 11 RS232 connector and 24V 2.5A power
The power supply is provided as 24V 2.5A, 110V 60Hz and 220V 50Hz compliant. The current provided by the
PSU is enough to power the camera and the dome heater. Three kind of cord plugs are provided on request:
EU, US and UK type.
At the end of the RS232 cable, a USB to RS232 high quality converter is provided to the user, in order to ease
camera installation. 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).
Fig. 12 Driver is installed and COM 3 port created
Under Windows 8, ask windows device manager to update this device from internet, and driver will be
installed automatically.
Finally, it must be kept in mind that the PC, must have TWO USB port free for the system, one for the
camera image data stream, and another for this RS232 to USB link. This RS232 data link is used to get:

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 Weather information from the camera (outdoor temperature, outdoor relative humidity, inner
camera temperature and humidity, dome heater temperature)
 Optional Weather station module information (wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric pressure …)
 For OMEA 8x/9x/7x camera, the lens focus and iris can be set by this link.
Fig. 13 RS232 to USB converter Fig. 14 COM port under Device manager,
warning it can be another number than
COM24 …any number from 1 to 255
The device manager properties for this COM port should be seen as follows once connected:

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Fig. 15 Serial to USB converter, as it appears in the device manager
Always have the RS232 link connected to the camera in one side and to the PC in the other side.
Failure to comply with this requirement will jeopardize camera operation and performance.
Keep somewhere the COM number, this is very important. In case of USB to RS232 converter, keep
the converter in the same USB port, otherwise COM number will change.
1.3.3 USB connector (#3)
This is tied up to a 6 pin connector. Please always connect the camera first and then connect to PC second.
The cable that goes to the PC is 20m length.

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1.4 OMEA camera connections (ETHERNET version)
This is the same as USB camera, except the USB 6 pins connector is replaced by 8 pins male connector. Also,
the cable is different. It is a blue/cyan cable, that has in one side, 8 pin female connector and ethernet
connector in the other side. Cable length is 20m
Fig. 16 : Ethernet camera backside
The camera contains/embeds a module called “Gigabit USB High Throughput Device Server” that converts
the camera USB output into Ethernet link. The internal camera wiring uses USB 2.0 port, not USB 3.0
Fig. 17 Ethernet camera backside and cables connected

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In the end, the host PC sees the camera as a regular USB device, despite data goes throughout ethernet
cable.
The embedded Silex DS-600 is designed to easily connect and share USB 3.0 and 2.0 devices over a network.
Printers, Scanners, Disk Drives, Cameras, Card Readers, or virtually any other USB device can be enabled with
network capability. It allows flexibility to place the USB device anywhere on the network instead of needing
to be attached directly to the computer, and multiple users can access the USB device. It helps extending the
distance from the camera to the PC. Alcor-system did extensive tests that have proven good reliability of this
device.
The Gigabit USB High Throughput Device Server has an IP address to communicate with.
NOTE: For Linux users, as date of June 2020, there is no free SDK to drive the camera throughout Ethernet
to USB with this device server.

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1.5 OMEA camera connections with External Weather Module
It very important to connect all the cables first, at the camera back plate, and then connect the 24V power
supply in a second step. If not achieved in this order, this can damage the internal board of the camera or
the weather board located in the additional external box. Also do not disconnect the external weather cable
while the camera is powered. Failure to do so may void the warranty.
1.6 Camera stand
A camera can be provided as optional item. It is intended to be installed on a flat surface
Fig. 18 Picture of the camera support
Three screws of 8 mm maximum diameter of any type can be used to attach this stand to a fixed surface.

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Fig. 19 Camera installed into a camera support
Fig. 20 Drawing of the base plate, yellow Ø8 mm holes are intended to attach the support to wooden or concrete flat surface. This is an upside-
down view.