QHYCCD QHY10 User manual

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UserManual
QHY10/QHY12
Color AstronomyCooledCamera
QHY10/QHY12 UserManualV1.0

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QHY10/12 CCD CameraUserGuide
Congratulationson yournewQHYCCD seriespurchase!
Make sure youreadthisguidecarefullybeforeoperatingyour
newcamera!Timespentreadingthisguide will saveyou frustration
and maximizetheenjoymentof yournewQHY10/12CCD Camera.
Precautions
The largersurfaceareaofthe Large formatCCD chipand cooling
systemaremorefragilethanasmallormediumsized CCD.Take
extracarewhen transportingandstoringthedevice.Anysignificant
impactsmaydamage yourequipment.
ConnectionSequence:
1. ConnectUSBcablefromcameratoPC
2. Connect9-pincablefromcameratoDC201
3. Connect12VpowertoDC201.
DisconnectSequence
1.Disconnect 12Vinput powerfromDC201
2.Disconnect 9-pincable fromCamera
3.Disconnect USBcablefromPC
Power totheDC201 needstobe:
1.4A/5AregulatedDC powersupply.
2.InternaldiameterofconnectiontoDC201is2.1mm.
3.Tip-positive*
*Pleasenotethereversepolaritywillcausedamageforcamera
andaplugwithadifferentinternaldiameterwon twork.
CONTENTS
1)SAFETY PRECAUTIONS--------------------------------------------------------------------------2
2)STANDARDEQUIPMENT-----------------------------------------------------------------------3
3)SEPARATELYSOLDACCESSORIES---------------------------------------------------------5
4)CAMERASTRUCTUREANDINTERFACECONNECTION------------------------------6
5)CAMERADRIVERSINSTALLATIONANDQUICKLYMASTERING-------------------7
6)DC201IINPUTVOLTAGERANGE--------------------------------------------------------------9
7)SERVICETEMPERATUREAND HUMIDITYOFCAMERA--------------------------------9
8)HOWTOAVOIDCCD SENSOR MOISTINHIGH HUMIDITY--------------------------10
9)NOTESABOUTLONGTERMUSINGANDREMOTEOBSERVATORY-----------12
10)QHY10/12CCDCHIPREADOUTMODEANDIMAGECALIBRATION------------13
11)ABOUTCONTROLLINGFORBLOOMING----------------------------------------------15
12)PROTECTIONOFCOOLER-------------------------------------------------------------------15
13)CLEANTHESURFACEOFCCDCHIP-----------------------------------------------------16
14)SETON THEGAINand OFFSET ------------------------------------------------------------17
15)QHY10/12MECHANICALDIMENSIONS--------------------------------------------------18
16)QHY10/12REARCUT-OFF DISTANCE-----------------------------------------------------19
17)THEMETHOD OFTHECENTERANDANGLEADJUSTMENTRING-------------20
18)SOFTWAREABCCOURSE-------------------------------------------------------------------21
19)IMAGECALIBRATIONOFQHY10/12CCD-----------------------------------------------29
20)CAPTUREBIASIMAGE-------------------------------------------------------------------------30
21)CAPTUREDARKIMAGE-----------------------------------------------------------------------31
22)CAPTUREFLATIMAGE------------------------------------------------------------------------32
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STANDARD EQUIPMENT
Make sure that the following itemsare included in
your camera package. If anythingis missing,
contact the retailer fromwhich you purchasedthe
camera.
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QHY10 or QHY12)
Camera
1
Center and Tilt
Adjustment Ring
2
USB Cable
3
DC201 DC Power
Supply
4
9pin Power Cable
5
Desiccator /
SiliconGelTube
(only one)
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Optional12V4AAC
PowerSupplyAdapter
InputVoltageRange100-240V
1
OptionalAirSealedBox
withElectricallyHeated
SilicaGel
2
Accessories Sold Separately
(Contact your dealer for pricing andordering
information)
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机接口及说明
1：Camera Front Part
2：Air Hole for CCD chamber
3：M42/0.75 Inner Thread
Depth=3mm）
4：IR Cut OpticWindow
5 : Heat Sink Exhaust
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6: 9pinPower Socket
7: USB Socket
8: Guiding/ControlPort
9: Heat Sink Air Intake
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CameraSoftware Installation
Please download the latest QHY10/12 drivers
at the http://www.qhyccd.com(win64/32
version). This versionalso supports 64/32 bit
versions ofWindows XP,Windows Vista, and
Windows 7
Install the driver by executing the downloaded
file.
Connect Camerafollowing the connection
sequenceoutlined onPage 2.
Thecomputershouldrecognizethe camera at
this point.
The LED on the camera willflashonce the
camera has successfully connected withthe
computer.
Download driver versiondetector from
www.qhyccd.com/download.Unpackit and
run cameraversion.exe, click QHY10 or
QHY12, andensure thatthe driver version
matches what you ve downloaded.
Use the 9-pincable to connect DC201 and
QHY10/12. Please note: the 9-pin cable has
one end with EMC ring. This end should be
connected to the DC201and not theCamera.
DC201 requires a regular 12V input ,the LED of
+15,-15 +5 on the DCwould be ON
Run EZCAP software, select “scancamera”in
camera menu,It should show the QHY10/12
camera. Select the QHY10/12.
Make sure that the DC201 FAN and TED LED
are onand that the fanis blowing.
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What if dew forms onthe surface of CCD chip?
DC201 Input Voltage Range
TheDC201requires aregulated 12Vinput. The
normalinput range is11V-13V. If youexceed
13V-commonwhenyouareusing anexternal
battery, the higher voltage willreduce the life of
the TEC andFan. If youexceed 13V, please limit
the maximum power ofyourCoolingSettings. This
canbecontrolled via “TEC PROTECT ”in
the“Favorite”menuof EZCAP. Please select it. If
youare usingtheASCOMdriver, thishas been
set automatically.
Service TemperatureandHumidityof Camera
Service Temperature of QHY10/12 isfrom -20C/-
4F to +30C/86F.
Relative Humidity amount is from 0% to 90%.
Howto avoid CCD sensor moisture in high
humidity environments
Incertainenvironments, whenthetemperatureof the
camera drop below thedew-point,dewor ice may
form onthe camera.Thisissimplyalawof nature.
However, ice and/or dew whichform onthe surface of
CCD chipor opticwindow will impact yourimages.If
dew or ice formsonthe surface of CCD, thewater can
flow onto the electricboard, whichleads to short
circuitor datacorruption.It iscriticalthat youavoid
dew or ice formationduringoperationon theCCD
chip.
Theinternalspace of CCD camera isrelativelyairtight.
If dew forms onthesurface of CCD chip, thisindicates
that thereishigherrelative humidity in theCCD
chamber.Youmustdrythechamberusingthe
following method:
1. Screw offthe air socketscrew onfront part of CCD
sealed chamber
2. Put fresh silica gelinsilica geltube. Before putting
silica gel, a smallpiece of cottonisneeded to create a
barrier between thehole inthe tube andthe
chamber.*
* Desiccatormust be effective.
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Dew is formed on theIR cut glass
3. Screw silica geltube into the connection of the
sealed chamber. Make sure the rubber O-Ring
is present toensure anairtight connection.
4. Inabout 24hours, theproper relative humidity
should be restored inthe CCD sealed
chamber
If youneed to dry the chamberfaster, youcanuse
the following method:
Using compressedair or a hand pump withdry air,
make dry airgothroughthesilicongeltube.
Meanwhile, slightlyunscrew thefront cover of
CCD. The aircurrentwillflow over theCCD
sealed chamber throughthe airconnection of the
CCD. Thenairwillflow outfromthegap between
the unscrewedfrontcover ofCCD and the body of
CCD. After afewminutes, the relative humidity in
the CCD sealed chamber willget lower. Please
note, too highof a pressurecandamage theCCD
chip and the cooling system.
If thecoolingtemperature istoo low inahigh
humidity environment, theCCD opticwindow may
collect dew. Thisisbecause the temperatureof
the window is too low.
TheQHY10/12uses 3mm thick opticglass.
Althoughthisglass shouldpreventdew, follow this
procedure if youruninto problems:
1. Install M42 to M42 heater producedby QHYCCD,
Theheater willraise thetemperature toavoiddew
forming. Consult your area dealer to purchase.
2. Reducethecoolingpower. Thebest
temperature range for QHY10/12 isfrom-15 to-
20 .Please adjust coolingtemperature according
to the ambient temperature.
3. Don tputtheglass window oftheCCDupside
down.Coldairwillfocusontheopticwindows ifit
isupside down. It willcauselower temperatureof
optic windows.
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Youshouldshutoffall power afteryouare
finished usingyourCCD.If the camerais stillon
(viaUSB), anyice crystalsaroundCCD chipwill
meltwhichcancorrupt or short-circuitthePCB
board.
Notes about Long termuse camera and
Remote Observatory
If youhave to keep thecamera working for a long time
or the camerais working ina remote observatory,
please follow the following procedures, and we
recommend that youconsult your area dealer for
more details.
1. Before using the camera, always check that the
CCD chamber is sealed and dry. If there is a lot ice
crystals around the chip-this indicates a high relative
humidity inthe CCD chamber. You must dry the CCD
chamber.
2. Check the air tightness of CCD sealed chamber.
Youcancheck this by increasing the internalpressure
of the CCD sealed chamber withahand pump(do not
exceed 1.01MP).Then watchif the pressure drops. If
the pressure drops quickly, this indicates alack of air
tightness. Youneed to check if the front cover is
screwed on well.
3. Put effective desiccant in the dry tube andconnect
continually withCCD for a long term drying.
4. Don t supply power to the CCD for severaldays or
evenweeksif possible. Use a power controller to
control12V inputor AC input.
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QHY10/12 CCDChip Read-outMode and
Image Calibration.
The QHY10/12 has a 2 channel/2 frame readout
CCD chip. There are severalthings youneed to
pay attentionto during the shootingand image
process.
The red andblue pixels are read from the left
channels. Thegreen pixels are read fromthe
right side channels. The slight differences
betweenthe two channels CCD creates slightly
differentsystem gainand offsets betweenthe two
channels. This causes bias frames that are
binned 1x1 to have a background color that is too
greenor red.
Youcangenerallycorrect thisproblem by using
BIAS frames orsimplydoingacustom white
balance.
1x1 binning images usually have some pixels of
color gradient at thebeginning of eachline. The
problem canbecorrected through the BIAS field.
Some of your CCD Imagesmay have a slight red to
greengradient fromtop to bottom. This is because
the pixelreadout accumulated greater thermalnoise
unevenly. (the thermalnoise of pixelreadout later is
bigger thanthe thermalnoise of pixelwhichreadout
earlier)Color gradient is theresult of reverse
sequenceof output pixels of the left and right
channel. This problem canbe corrected through
BIAS fields.
QHY10/12 CCDchip uses a 2 phase readout mode.
The first phase is for the R and Gr pixels. The
second phase is for theGb and B pixels. Whenthe
end of the first exposure begins to readout-the
second field is stillexposing. Normally this causes
the 2 exposure times to differ slightly. Butin
QHY10/12 weuse atechnology to avoid this
happen.
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Whenexposuretime isrelative short(for high-
speed downloads, theexposure time isless than2
seconds, forthelow-speed download, exposure
time isless than9seconds) QHY10/12
automaticallyselect two-frame exposuremode,
that is, exposed twice, and thetwice exposures use
the same time. After thefirst exposurewillreadout
the first data, after the second exposure will
readoutthe second data read. Thisrealizethe
same exposuretime for all pixelsThemode of
doubleframe exposure willneed doubleexposure
time. So whenexposuretime islonger, QHY10/12
willselect automaticallysingleframe exposure
mode, that is, exposedonlyonce.Meanwhile
specialhardware inside thecamera willspendthe
same time forthe first exposure and the second
exposure
Please note: iftheshooting scene changes during
the exposure,theimage of doubleframe exposure
may not same. So QHY10/12 isnot suitablefor
rapidly changingobjects or fastmoving objects.
If youhave todolike that, youcaninstall
mechanicalshutter ofQHYCCD.Please contact
yourarea dealer or QHYCCD toconsultaboutthe
supply of mechanicalshutter
About controlling for BLOOMING
QHY10/12CCD chiphavethe-100dB ainti-
overflow foundation.Anti-overflow capacity is
slightly lower thanQHY8PRO of-110dB.So there is
possible to overflow for shooting very brighttarget
For the overflow problem of SONYCCD chip,
please install mechanicalshutter to solve. If
mechanicalshutterisindeednecessary, please
consult QHYCCD or your area dealer.
Protection ofCooler
Thedoublecooler of QHY10/12 canreachto 40-45
Centi degreesdifferenceinenvironmental
temperature.Soneedtoavoidthermalshock.
Thermalshock meansinternalstress of cooler
happento changedueto expansionor contraction
caused by therapidchangesintemperature of
cooler. Strongthermalshock willshorten use age
of cooler or even irreparable defect of cooler.
Themethod of avoidingthermalshock isthis: To
avoidreachingmaximum power ofcooler when
bootingmachine.Ensuretoincrease gradually
power of cooler. Whenstoppingmachine work ,
after reducegraduallypower of cooler shutdown
and turn off the power of machine.
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