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FPS to Resolution Performance Query [Solar System] Acquisition techniques · Martin (Marty) Wise · ... · 1 · 185 · 0

MalVeauX 0.00
Martin (Marty) Wise
...
Hey all,

I'm starting to do a lot more solar imaging and lunar imaging with a dash of planetary. Either way, especially with solar surface, I'm often needing to crank FPS as high as I can. I'm soon to buy a new camera (mono) so that I can get higher sensitivity, but until then, I'm wondering:

1. Using ASI178MC currently (6.4MP; USB3). I'm not ever getting 30FPS at it's maximum resolution using RAW16. I get 12FPS tops.

  • This is confirmed USB3, latest drivers for all things (controller host, USB3 controller, ZWO drivers, etc)[/*]
  • This is tested on a 5400rpm HDD, 7200rpm HDD and a SSD[/*]
  • Confirmed USB3 cables; etc[/*]
  • Confirmed USB3 port is operating at USB3 spec (Superspeed)[/*]
  • Exposure time is not the limiter (used 0.5 ms to 1 ms times at gain 510 just to be sure; real world imaging at 10 ms)[/*]
2. I can get higher FPS by binning 2x2, taking away 50% of the resolution and doubling the FPS, finally getting close to 25~30FPS.

3. I can get higher FPS by using ROI, incrementally getting higher FPS as scaling resolution ROI down. Maxes out around 116 FPS or so, real world, from testing, around the 640x480 area.

I'm mainly curious why I can't get the ASI178MC at RAW16 and full resolution, no binning, to achieve 30 FPS with 10ms exposure time even on an SSD.

I certainly do not need 6.4MP nor do I need 16 bit, and I can use ROI or binning to speed things up. But I'm curious, why I am barely hovering 50% of the rated ability of the camera.

Real world, I'm imaging in Mono 8 bit, bin 2x2, Gain 300, 5 ms to 10 ms exposure time just to get nominal 30~45 FPS.

Considering:

  • New SSD. Current SSD tested is a cheap 120Gb, and probably has next to no cache and is probably not much faster than a good HDD. Thinking Samsung 850 EVO.[/*]
  • I'm curious how important cache is on a HDD. USB3 can saturate a slow 5400rpm HDD, but how does cache play into that?[/*]
  • Software differences? I'm currently capturing with SharpCap (latest version).[/*]
  • Drivers from ZWO? Using latest from their website. Something else to consider?[/*]
  • 16 bit doesn't seem to be much of a thing at higher gain, so I'm ok to do it in 8 bit and gain the FPS. Right?[/*]
  • Discarding color information doesn't speed it up. But a mono-sensor would...[/*]
Very best,
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kohamher1 0.00
John O'Neal, NC Stargazer
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I had the same problem with my ASUS HDD. I had to purchase and install a high speed SSD into my laptop. Now I can get up to ~ 170fps with my ZWO ASI174mm.

Also, if you are going to be doing monochrome imaging of the sun, you will gain a lot of speed (by having more light available, decreasing exposure time.) when you upgrade to the mono camera and utilize the entire sensor.

John
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