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Suitable computer hardware for astro imaging



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 24th 09, 11:15 PM posted to sci.astro.ccd-imaging
[email protected]
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Default Suitable computer hardware for astro imaging

Hi. I'm pretty much a novice starting out in astro imaging. I'm
waiting on delivery of my QSI 583 wsg and will be using MaxIm DL for
camera control, off-axis guiding and processing. I use Starry Night
Pro for telescope control and expect to use Photoshop for additional
processing. I would appreciate some advise on how to spec a computer
to cope well with running all this. Clearly reasonably fast with lots
of storage and good graphics processing will be helpful. I've read
somewhere about a suggestion of using two screens to run different
tasks but the chap building the computer indicates this may be a bit
of a nightmare. I'm sure all of this is pretty standard and would be
grateful for advise based on good experience!

Many thanks
  #2  
Old February 25th 09, 12:11 AM posted to sci.astro.ccd-imaging
Skywise
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Posts: 318
Default Suitable computer hardware for astro imaging

wrote in news:d5357b4b-703a-4140-8b1a-
:

I've read
somewhere about a suggestion of using two screens to run different
tasks but the chap building the computer indicates this may be a bit
of a nightmare.


I'd be concerned that the chap may not know what he's talking
about. Two screens is no big deal. Just get a video card with
multiple outputs and configure it as an extended desktop.

If you have the budget, get something from NVidia, a 9000 series
or higher, and 512 megs video ram, with dual DVI. Perhaps a bit
overkill just to show two apps on two monitors, but from experience
I have found getting "just what you need" is quickly grown out of.
Get more so you can grow into it.

As a point of reference, my most recent video card purchase was an
EVGA Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX+. I can run twin 1080p tv's with that
card. It's no longer a current item at Newegg.com, but the page is
still the

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130376

Of course, you have to have the motherboard to support it.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Seismic FAQ: http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html
Quake "predictions": http://www.skywise711.com/quakes/EQDB/index.html
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?
  #3  
Old February 25th 09, 02:32 AM posted to sci.astro.ccd-imaging
Chris L Peterson
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Posts: 10,007
Default Suitable computer hardware for astro imaging

On Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:15:28 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

Hi. I'm pretty much a novice starting out in astro imaging. I'm
waiting on delivery of my QSI 583 wsg and will be using MaxIm DL for
camera control, off-axis guiding and processing. I use Starry Night
Pro for telescope control and expect to use Photoshop for additional
processing. I would appreciate some advise on how to spec a computer
to cope well with running all this. Clearly reasonably fast with lots
of storage and good graphics processing will be helpful. I've read
somewhere about a suggestion of using two screens to run different
tasks but the chap building the computer indicates this may be a bit
of a nightmare. I'm sure all of this is pretty standard and would be
grateful for advise based on good experience!


For telescope control and guiding, just about anything will do. You
could use a 10 year old Pentium 2 at 166MHz. Where you want the computer
power is for processing. For that, you can never have enough memory. If
you run a 32-bit OS, get 4GB of ram, and set things up so apps have
access to 3GB (there's a boot switch for this). If you're going to have
this computer for a while, make sure it can support a 64-bit OS. You may
want to get such an OS right away if your camera has 64-bit drivers. If
possible, I'd recommend XP over Vista, but you may not have a choice.

You don't need anything special in the way of graphics. If you're
running a single monitor, typical onboard graphics will be fine.
Photoshop has no special demands, and neither do Maxim or other image
processing programs. Of course, if you're planning on using the computer
for gaming or other 3D apps, you'll want a nicer graphics card. Running
two monitors is trivial- you can either use two video cards, or better,
a video card with two separate outputs. They're very common, and Windows
will operate both displays with no effort at all.
_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com
  #4  
Old February 25th 09, 05:24 PM posted to sci.astro.ccd-imaging
Rob[_3_]
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Posts: 29
Default Suitable computer hardware for astro imaging


wrote in message
...
Hi. I'm pretty much a novice starting out in astro imaging. I'm
waiting on delivery of my QSI 583 wsg and will be using MaxIm DL for
camera control, off-axis guiding and processing. I use Starry Night
Pro for telescope control and expect to use Photoshop for additional
processing. I would appreciate some advise on how to spec a computer
to cope well with running all this. Clearly reasonably fast with lots
of storage and good graphics processing will be helpful. I've read
somewhere about a suggestion of using two screens to run different
tasks but the chap building the computer indicates this may be a bit
of a nightmare. I'm sure all of this is pretty standard and would be
grateful for advise based on good experience!


I agree with Chris's comments. As for Photoshop, this is an extremely
memory-hungry application and will benefit from having as much RAM
available as possible. In reality, that means 4GB max (although only 3.x
will be useable) for 32-bit applications and operating systems (eg CS4
running under XP.)
A multiple core processor will be of huge benefit, especially if you
decide to use Deep Sky Stacker (free), as this is one of the best
stacking applications available and one of the few (possibly the only
one) which directly supports (and uses) multiple processors.
I would look at Intel quad core CPUs, as these are extremely
attractively priced at this time.
Powerful graphics cards may be useful in the future, when special
software will be able to use their massive GPU power for non-graphics
number-crunching, but are only useful if you also want to play the
very latest games at this time. They won't help a jot with the applications
we use as astronomers.

HTH,
--
Rob




  #5  
Old February 26th 09, 06:15 AM posted to sci.astro.ccd-imaging
Skywise
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Posts: 318
Default Suitable computer hardware for astro imaging

"Rob" wrote in
:

Powerful graphics cards may be useful in the future, when special
software will be able to use their massive GPU power for non-graphics
number-crunching, but are only useful if you also want to play the
very latest games at this time. They won't help a jot with the
applications we use as astronomers.


Seti@home uses CUDA on Nvidia GPU's. My GeForce 9800 GTX+ is
crunching workunits as fast or faster than the Core 2 Quad
3.0 Ghz Q9650 that it's installed with.

That's powerful number crunching and it's astronomy, sort of.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Seismic FAQ: http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html
Quake "predictions": http://www.skywise711.com/quakes/EQDB/index.html
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?
  #6  
Old February 26th 09, 06:17 PM posted to sci.astro.ccd-imaging
Rob[_3_]
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Posts: 29
Default Suitable computer hardware for astro imaging


"Skywise" wrote in message
...
"Rob" wrote in
:

Powerful graphics cards may be useful in the future, when special
software will be able to use their massive GPU power for non-graphics
number-crunching, but are only useful if you also want to play the
very latest games at this time. They won't help a jot with the
applications we use as astronomers.


Seti@home uses CUDA on Nvidia GPU's. My GeForce 9800 GTX+ is
crunching workunits as fast or faster than the Core 2 Quad
3.0 Ghz Q9650 that it's installed with.

That's powerful number crunching and it's astronomy, sort of.


Good point, Brian. I used to run seti@home, but didn't know
they'd added this excellent feature to the new version. I must admit
to still getting emails from them, but have not bothered to re-install
for a year or two now. Time to re-join and put my nVidia GPU
to work, too!

Thanks for the info.,
--
Rob (~52N, ~1W)


  #7  
Old February 26th 09, 11:27 PM posted to sci.astro.ccd-imaging
Skywise
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 318
Default Suitable computer hardware for astro imaging

"Rob" wrote in news:go6iqf$hp1$1
@south.jnrs.ja.net:


"Skywise" wrote in message
...
"Rob" wrote in
:

Powerful graphics cards may be useful in the future, when special
software will be able to use their massive GPU power for non-graphics
number-crunching, but are only useful if you also want to play the
very latest games at this time. They won't help a jot with the
applications we use as astronomers.


Seti@home uses CUDA on Nvidia GPU's. My GeForce 9800 GTX+ is
crunching workunits as fast or faster than the Core 2 Quad
3.0 Ghz Q9650 that it's installed with.

That's powerful number crunching and it's astronomy, sort of.


Good point, Brian. I used to run seti@home, but didn't know
they'd added this excellent feature to the new version. I must admit
to still getting emails from them, but have not bothered to re-install
for a year or two now. Time to re-join and put my nVidia GPU
to work, too!

Thanks for the info.,


You're welcome. But be careful. I'm using a beta version of the
BOINC manager as the current release caused CUDA to crash the GPU
on my system. Seems everyone has some issue unique to their
system. It is still beta in my opinion but is improving.

If you want to try CUDA, be prepared to babysit it until you are
sure you have a working setup. I had to do a LOT of reading in
the support forums.

Oh, and be sure your system is cool. With my quad running full
speed plus the Nvidia card, air flow is VERY VERY important. My
exhaust air temp on my machine has been as high as 95 degrees F.
I've been making mods to my case with ducting designed to bring
fresh air directly to the CPU and GPU fans. Now I'm working on
a DIY air cooling system.

I am not an overclocker, though, otherwise I'd just go liquid
cooling.

I'm proud of my contribution to Seti@home. May 19th will be my
10 year anniversary. There's a lot of folks way ahead of me in
number of credits, but I am in the 99 percentile.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Seismic FAQ: http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html
Quake "predictions": http://www.skywise711.com/quakes/EQDB/index.html
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?
  #8  
Old March 27th 09, 05:01 PM posted to sci.astro.ccd-imaging
[email protected]
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Posts: 1
Default Suitable computer hardware for astro imaging

Skywise" wrote in message
Oh, and be sure your system is cool. With my quad running full
speed plus the Nvidia card, air flow is VERY VERY important. My
exhaust air temp on my machine has been as high as 95 degrees F.
I've been making mods to my case with ducting designed to bring
fresh air directly to the CPU and GPU fans. Now I'm working on
a DIY air cooling system.

I am not an overclocker, though, otherwise I'd just go liquid
cooling.

I switched to water years ago, not because I'm overclocking but
because I wanted a quiet rig. The racket from the fans was driving me
nuts until I switched.

 




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