Starlight Xpress Lodestar-C imager/guider - Manual

Lodestar C handbook Issue 1 May 2011
Handbook for the SX ‘Lodestar C’ one-shot colour imager and guide camera
Thank you for purchasing a Starlight Xpress ‘Lodestar C’ CCD camera. We hope that you will be very
pleased with the performance of this product.
The Lodestar C is a very compact imager / guider which is powered and operated via a single USB2.0
computer connection. It also provides an opto-isolated output connection for direct control of most
mounts, via their ‘Autoguider’ sockets. This output is compatible with the ‘ST4’ style of RJ12
connection and supplies 4 ‘pull down’ direction lines and a common return. Alternatively, you may
send the mount control signals via a serial connection from the guider control computer.
The Lodestar utilises a very sensitive Sony ‘ExView’ CCD (the ICX429AK) with an array of 752 x
580 pixels in a ‘half-inch’ format. Although the chip is not cooled, it has a very low dark signal and
very little readout noise, so it can be used to guide on faint stars that are beyond the reach of webcams
and CMOS chip based guide cameras.
The Lodestar specification:
CCD - Sony ICX429AK ExView colour ‘CMYK’ CCD
Pixel count - 752(H) x 580(V)
Pixel size - 8.6 x 8.3uM
Barrel size - 32mm dia. x 72mm long (1.25 inch eyepiece push fit size)
Barrel thread - 25.4mm x 0.75mm ‘CS’ mount lens thread
Input connection - ‘Mini B’ USB socket for USB2.0
Output connection - 5 way JST ‘ZH’ style 1.5mm pitch plug to RJ12 autoguider plug
Output type - Opto-isolated 4 lines (N,S,E & W) pull down with common return line
Download rate - Approx. 5 frames per second in full resolution 1x1 mode
Installing the Lodestar software:
A new installation will require the driver files SXVIO.sys and Generic.sys, plus the
SXVIO_Lodestar.inf file. If you run the ‘Setup.exe’ file on the supplied CD, it will install the drivers
and operating software automatically. If you are installing manually, copy these files into a convenient
folder on drive C and then connect the USB cable to the Lodestar. Point the installer at this folder when