Messages in this thread | | | Date | Sat, 28 Aug 2004 09:53:07 +0000 (UTC) | From | dulle <> |
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Craig Milo Rogers wrote:
> Hmmm... a poster on Slashdot claims that entropy measurements >imply that the pwcx code is interpolating rather that truly >decompressing.
That is clearly false. Amateur astronomers have extensively used the pwc webcams for years now, and these type of applications is most demanding in term of resolution. And amateur astronomers know what CCD is about, and would not be fooled by such a flaw.
Moreover the CCD chip inside philips cameras (at least those using a CCD and not a CMOS) is a (roughly) 640x480 chip (sony ICX098) http://www.sony.co.jp/~semicon/japan- ese/img/sonyj01/e6803249.pdf that probably costs 5 or 6 times the price of a 160x120 chip.
These cams do have a 640x480 chip and process images in consequence, slashdot or not.
And their hardware is extremely robust and efficient.
Also as a not uninterested user, and a bit off-topic, I just want to underline the impact that those webcams and pwc may have in totally unexpected domains, making them far more than just gadgets.
The quality of those webcams by Philips (and some others), and the versatility of the pwc driver have a leading role in the -real- revolution that planetary astronomical imaging has experienced since they appeared. A simple web search on 'webcam' and either 'jupiter', 'saturn', 'mars' will confirm that for a few years these gadgets have outperformed (for different reasons) specialized astronomical CCD cameras (costing 20, 50 or 100 times more) in that particular domain. (just check http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets.htm for some jaw-dropping shots)
The amateur astronomer community has had valuable exchange with Nemosoft in order to get the best of these devices, and the result is a typical example of what can be achieved when combining new ideas and open source projects.
Regards -- François Meyer
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