Lacerta FBC User manual

LACERTA FBC
Universal Flatbox Controller
for stand alone or computer use.
The Lacerta Flatbox controller is designed to light up your flatfield box
only when the shutter of your camera is already open. This avoids
flatfield artefacts from slow mechanical shutters as met in DSLRs and
some CCDs. To achieve this, the FBC synchronizes your flatfield box
with your camera shutter. It can operate in standalone mode or via
Ascom/PC.
input connectors:
Power supply:
12V DC (9-15V) Plug size: 5.5/2.1mm, center positive polarity (with
polarity protection) The circuit is protected by a 1.1A
regenerative PTC fuse.

USB:
To use the FBC with a Windows PC, it is needed to install the FTDI
driver. The driver installer can be downloaded here:
https://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/CDM/CDM21228_Setup.zip
There are three different functions using the USB port:
1. Via USB you can connect to an appropriate software (we
recommend APT), and synchronize controlled flashing of your
flatfield device to the shutter of your CCD (or DSLR)
2. Through the associated serial (COM) port, you can send
commands to FBC using the provided Windows App. This
allows synchronizing your flatfield device to the shutter of
your DSLR. An extra remote shutter control is not needed.
3. You can update the device firmware.
Dslr In:
2.5mm stereo jack. For signal from an external exposure control
device (eg. LACERTA MGEN).
Connections of outputs:
Flatbox Out:
RCA connector to commercial flatboxes.

DSLR Out:
3.5mm stereo connector for transferring the exposure signal to
DSLR cameras.
Using Standalone mode:
Connect the DSLR In connector or the USB port to receive the shutter
signal from your DSLR control unit (Lacerta MGEN or a remote shutter
controller), and connect the DSLR out to transmit the same shutter signal
to your DSLR. Power up the FBC (the LEDs light up in a sequence) and
your DSLR in bulb mode. The 3 potentiometers on the unit are used to
set the desired values. Trigger an exposure on your DSLR control unit.
After receiving the incoming exposure signal, the shutter of your DSLR
opens and the Flatbox lights up according to these settings. When the
shutter signal ends, your DSLR shutter will close. The length of your
shutter signal, when programmed on the external device, should be
longer than the values of Delay + Flash.
Delay(ms):
Sets the delay time after the exposure signal has been
received, before the Flatfield device is started.
Flash(ms):
The illumination time of the flatfield device connected.

Brightness(%):
Brightness of illumination, using fast PWM dimming.
Mirror Lockup button and Led:
Press and hold 1s to the Mirror Lockup button. The function LED is
turned on. If the mirror lockup function is activated on the camera, it must
also be activated on the LACERTA FBC. So that it does not turn on
Flatbox lighting due to the first exposure signal. The setting is stored in
the device.
Standalone use with a computer:
With the little FBC Windows App, it is possible to control your DSLR and
the FBC from your computer. Copy Lacerta_App.exe and its support files
to a folder on your PC, and start it by double clicking on the name. The
control window opens where you can set all necessary parameters. To
use the FBC with PC, all three potentiometers must be turned to 0 before
switching on (FBC is set to serial mode). So the FBC "knows" that we
want to use serial communication via the USB port using the FBC App or
an appropriate program (APT). If the Mirror Lockup function was
activated, its control Led will not turn on, as this function is controlled by
the App now. You can set the exposure time (Exposition (ms)), the
illumination delay (Delay (ms)), the illumination time (Flash (ms)), the
break between the shots (Pause (ms)), Number of shots (Flat Number ),
the intensity of the illumination (Brightness (%)), and whether or not a
Mirror-Lockup is used.
After connecting, the program checks the connected device. When
connecting another device, the connection is interrupted. After
connecting Lacerta FBC successfully, it shows the device firmware
version number. If the Lacerta FBC is not connected in Serial mode, you
will receive a warning:

Usage with CCDs:
Lacerta FBC can be used with CCD cameras, in that case an appropriate
software must control your CCD exposures, controlling its shutter and
filterwheel to enable running flatfield sequences, and at the same time
controlling the FBC box. Currently APT (Astrophotography Tool) has
FBC control implemented. Connect FBC via the USB port and use the
controls provided by APT.
Firmware Update mode:
To upload a new firmware into FBC, connect it to a PC and use the
LACERTA FBC V1 Firmware updater. To enter firmware update mode,
press and hold the mirror lockup button for some seconds, while
powering it on. After a few seconds, the PWR LED lights up and flashes.
This signals the device is in Upgrade mode and can start receiving the
new firmware. Open the Firmware updater folder and doubleclick on the
Lacerta_FBC_updater.exe then choose the FBC firmware .hex file and
start the upload. The LEDs will go off as the data are received. After
updating, remove the power cord and restart the FBC normally.