QHYCCD QHY174-GPS Color Cooled
High Speed Capture – Undistorted Imaging
The QHY174GPS camera uses the 1/1.2-inch SONY IMX174 CMOS sensor with global shutter, 5.86um pixels,138FPS@1920*1200, high QE of 78%, and low read noise of 3-5e-. Unlike a rolling shutter, a global shutter guarantees that the exposure time for the whole image area is uniform, beginning and ending at exactly the same time. This type of shutter is ideal for high precision time-domain applications.
The QHY174 camera is designed to be an excellent planetary, lunar, solar and meteor capture video camera. The Maxium frame rate is 138FPS. It has the 78% high QE and 2e(high gain)to 5e(low gain) low readout noise. With a 50mm F1.4 lens it will record mag 8 to mag 9 stars in live video recording at 30FPS (33ms exposure), several magnitudes fainter than can typically be seen with the naked eye. The QHY174’s high sensitivity with HD resolution will push video astronomy to new heights.
QHY174GPS Time Domain Imager -Built-in GPS 1us High Timestamp
The QHY174M-GPS will record the global shutter exposure starting and ending time with microsecond precision. Two QHY174 cameras, for example, each located anywhere in the world, can have the same time base, accurate to microseconds. In order to guarantee the starting and ending time of the exposure, the QHY174 has a built-in LED pulse calibration circuit precise to 1 microsecond.
The QHY174 camera is designed to be an excellent planetary, lunar, solar and meteor capture video camera. With a 50mm F1.4 lens it will record mag 8 to mag 9 stars in live video recording at 30FPS (33ms exposure), several magnitudes fainter than can typically be seen with the naked eye. The QHY174’s high sensitivity with HD resolution will push video astronomy to new heights.
There main differentiating features of this camera over competing models:
- Optional GPS time and location data embedded in the image
- Anti-dew heater to eliminate condensation and ice from forming on the camera
- Anti-amp glow circuit to reduce the amplifier glow in long duration images
QHY174GPS has two working modes
Master mode: In Master Mode, the camera is free running and the internal 10MHz GPS synced clock will measure and record the shutter’s opening and closing time.
Slave mode: In Slave Mode you can input a target start time and the interval period for two frames. For example: You want three cameras in different locations (maybe thousands of kilometers apart) to start an exposure at 2016.3.9.UTC 14:00:00.000000 and then to continue with exposures at the interval time of 0.100000 sec. After you input these value, all the three cameras will wait until this time and then simultaneously start video recording, e.g.:
2016.3.9 UTC 14:00:00.000033
2016.3.9 UTC 14:00:00.100033
2016.3.9 UTC 14:00:00.200033
2016.3.9 UTC 14:00:00.300033
(The 0.00033 is a global delay of the CMOS shutter).
QHY174-GPS New Horizon Science Project
More than 20 QHY174-GPS cameras were selected by NASA’s New Horizon Team for imaging an occultation by MU69. The data will be using for the New Horizon MU69 flyby in 2019. The imaging mission was a success and the MU69 occultation event was record by five team members.
“This effort, spanning six months, three spacecraft, 24 portable ground-based telescopes, and NASA’s SOFIA airborne observatory was the most challenging stellar occultation in the history of astronomy, but we did it!” said Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator from SwRI.
2-stage TEC: -45C below ambient
The QHY174GPS uses 2-stage TEC cooling to significantly reduce dark current.
http://www.boulder.swri.edu/MU69_occ/july17.html
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-deploys-global-team-for-rare-look-at-next-flyby-target
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-new-horizons-team-strikes-gold-in-argentina
Amplifier Glow Reduction: Unique Technology, High Reduction Ratio
he IMX174 sensor normally has significant amplifier glow which will affect the entire image area in exposures of any significant length. However, QHYCCD has successfully incorporated our unique amplifier glow reduction technology into the design of the QHY174GPS camera to yield excellent results with this sensor.
128MB DDR buffer
The QHY174 has a built-in 128MB DDRII image buffer. The benefit of the image buffer is that the memory will cache the image and transfer it to the computer when the USB interface is not busy or being interrupted, and the frame will not be lost or corrupted. This buffer also allows a slower computer with USB 2.0 socket to capture every frame without loss even if the USB socket is occasionally busy with other peripherals. This buffer also helps multiple camera applications and avoids USB transfer problems.
Anti-Dew Technology
With more than a decade of experience designing cooled cameras, QHYCCD has applied this knowledge to the QHY174 camera. The full anti-dew technology includes a sealed CMOS chamber with silicon gel tube socket and a heated chamber optical window. This technology prevents dew from forming on the sensor itself, or on the chamber window, even in a high humidity environment.
4-pin QHYCFW Socket
The QHY174 camera has a built-in 4-pin QHYCFW socket and it can control and power the QHYCFW2 and QHYCFW3 directly.
Technical Specifications
| Model |
QHY174M/C |
| COMS Sensor |
SONY IMX174 CMOS |
| Pixel Size |
5.86um*5.86um |
| Effective Pixel Area |
1920*1200 |
| Effective Pixels |
2mega |
| Effective Image Area |
11.25mm*7.03mm |
| QE |
78 % |
| Fullwell |
>32ke- |
| AD Sample Depth |
12/10bit (output as 16bit and 8bit) |
| Sensor Size |
Typical 1/1.2 inch |
| Full Frame Rate and ROI Frame Rate |
138FPS@1936×1216
260FPS@960×600
490FPS@480×300
*Note：QHYCCD has optimized the cmos drive freqency and limit the max frame rate. The CMOS sensor may not work under the maxium frequency to ensure the better noise performance. If you need the customized higher frame rate version please contact QHYCCD.
|
| ROI Support |
Yes. Any Area ROI |
| Readout Noise |
5.3e-@Gain0% 2.8e-@Gain60% 1.6e-@Gain100% |
| Dark Current |
|
| Exposure Time Range |
5us-900sec |
| Binning |
1×1
2×2
|
| Anti-Glow Control |
Yes (Reduces amplifier glow significantly) |
| Shutter Type |
Electric Global Shutter |
| Computer Interface |
USB3.0 Super Speed |
| Non-volatile memory / On camera storage |
Build-in total 512Kbytes Flash Memory. 100Kbytes user-accessible space for stellar ROI frames for analysis of exoplanet investigation, occultations, atmospheric seeing messurement, focus , optic analysis etc. Support 100*100 image x 10rames 50*50 image x40frames. 25*25 image x160frames 10*10 image * 1000 frames （total frame numbers is based on 8bit image） |
| Cooling System |
Dual Stage TEC cooler（-40C below ambient),Temperature Regulated |
| Anti-Dew Control |
“Connector for removable silicon gel tube Heater board for CMOS chamber optical window” |
| Telescope Interface |
M42/0.75 / 2inch faster installer. Optional C-mount adapter |
| Optic Window Type |
“Mono Version:AR+AR High Quality Multi-Layer Anti-Reflection Coating Color Version: IR cut coating” |
| Guide Port |
6PIN RJ11 Guide Port |
| Color Wheel Port |
4PIN QHYCFW Socket |
| Back Focal Length |
TBD |
| Weigth |
450g |
| GPS version, Time-Stamp Precision |
1 micro-second of the GPS UTC clock |
In the Box
QHY174GPS camera
USB3.0 cable(1.5m)
Self-locking power cable
6pin guide cable
Car power adapter
Drying tube
Desiccant
M42/1.25inch adaptor
Driver download card
Inspection report
Manual & Warranty
QHYCCD 2-Years Warranty
QHYCCD Adapter System
