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Meade's DSI camera control and basic image processing software. CaptureView Software (Click to download) This software provides an efficient way to transfer, browse, modify and distribute digital media. Upon installation, please use serial number 783A3-6416. Requires WindowsXP. Meade Instruments: A world leader in the manufacturing of Telescopes, Solar Telescopes, Microscopes, Optics, Binoculars, for amateur astronomers and hobbyists.

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• Venus image taken on May 1, 2004
• Moon Clavius Craterlets image taken on May 1, 2004
• Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Moon crater images taken on April 26, 2004
• Jupiter image with three moon shadows taken on March 28, 2004
• Jupiter image with two moon shadows taken on March 20, 2004
• Jupiter image taken on March 2, 2004
• 7 days 2 hours 24 minutes old Moon image taken on December 29, 2003
• Saturn image taken on December 21, 2003, 22:36

I acquired the Meade LPI from Sean's Astronomy Shop on December 21, 2003. I used it for the first time that night to image Saturn (see above image). The clouds where moving in that night so after I took some quick Saturn images with the Philips ToUcam I used the LPI without reading the manual. I set up the LPI to take a series of images and save all the images as BMP files. Later I processed these images with RegiStax software.

The Meade LPI (Lunar Planetary Imager) camera is a small 640x480 color camera that is used with a computer with an USB interface. The LPI can be used as an autoguider to control Meade telescopes through the AutoStar Suite software. The Meade LPI Camera is operated with the Meade LPI camera program that is a part of Meade's AutoStar Suite. Meade AutoStar Suite includes the LPI camera, LPI camera software, image processing software, planetarium software and cables to control Meade telescopes. I do not own any Meade telescopes therefore I use the LPI on non-Meade telescopes.

First Impressions

• The good support from Sean's Astronomy Shop on using a second installation CD to get me going
• Longer exposures than the Philips ToUcam PC camera
• Magic Eye Focus
• Kernel filter on acquired images
• Images are saved in various file formats and are not compress like AVI files
• Small and lightweight
• Auto file save with increment number so that it will not overwrite existing files
• Meade’s technical support number is on their web site
• Meade technical support was helpfull sending me a second CD

• The LPI seems less light sensitive than the Philips ToUcam PC camera. More testing is needed to be done on comparing these two cameras.
• Image scale seems smaller than the Philips ToUcam PC camera. This may be the result of different focal planes and the Tele Vue 5X Powermate I was using.
• No AVI mode to take lots of images fast. It looks like you can take and save an image about every 1.5 seconds.
• Meade Autostar Image Processing for Windows version 3.0 August 25, 2003 does not support 24 or 32 bit PC color displays
• Software installation problems from the CD. The software did not install from the CD correctly. My Compaq Presario 1200 laptop with DVD/CD drive had trouble reading the Meade software install CD. The CD would hang the laptop in starting the installation and would hang the laptop when trying to do a directory of the CD. A second CD was tried but had problems running the installation program. The installation would die with an error message on not being able to read a file from the CD. I eventually got the software installed by copying all the files from the second CD to the laptop hard drive and then installing the software without any problem from the hard drive.
• Meade Instruments Autostar Suite Desktop Observing for Windows Version 3.01 PDF manual will not print out
• The long Meade registration form to fill out on Meade’s web site and then getting a CGI error when submitting the filled out form.
• No way to contact technical support by email
• No way to receive a new PDF manual by email from Meade Technical Support
• The short 3-foot USB cable (I replaced it with a 6-foot USB cable)
• It takes a several seconds to start up LPI program
• Can not use an USB mouse at the same time that the LPI is being used

• Long exposures up to 16 seconds
• Image stacking
• Fits and Fits3P file formats

• I use Cor Berrevoets RegiStax for stacking images
• I use Irfan Skilhjan IrfanView for quickly scanning through images
• Meade LPI comes with Meade Autostar Image Processing. This software looks like something that was done ten years ago as it only supports up to 256 color palettes and only works with gray scale images or one color plane of a color image.

Meade LPI images

Meade Cameras Binoculars

• Meade Autostars
• Meade LPI
• Meade Autostar Suite

Yahoo LPI Groups

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