Re: Astro CCDs still dragging their pixel feet

Chris L Peterson wrote:
> On 15 Apr 2005 18:10:51 -0700, AFM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> >I admit though this all does cost some money and does not lend
itself
> >to inexpensive cameras.
>
> Yes, when I said "expensive" I meant it in a relative way. Some folks
> seem to think that since digital cameras are just a couple of hundred
> dollars, a cooled camera for $500 should be easy. But considering you
> need the thermoelectric cooler, some machined parts to get rid of the
> heat, a sealed chamber with a window, and the control electronics,
> that's probably close to $100 to the manufacturer, which means $500
or
> so retail (that's basic small volume manufacturing rules). And that
is
> before the camera itself, and the development time that goes into it.
> Expecting cooled astrocameras to drop much below a couple of thousand
> dollars is probably not too realistic. Some garage operations could
pull
> it off, but if you want good support, you will pay a little more.
>
> And it's crazy, but the B&W sensors required for good imaging cost
more
> than the same sensors with integral color filters.
>
> _________________________________________________
>
> Chris L Peterson
> Cloudbait Observatory
> http://www.cloudbait.com

Both FLI and SBIG use off the shelf TEC coolers with $5 heatsinks fan
combos. Mead could have added it for $100. It wouldn't be much of a
leap to use the IR filter to seal the chamber. You then end up with a
$500 camera, almost exactly what SAC is selling it for.

Ian Anderson
www.customopticalsystems.com

.

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