Sky & Telescope - March 2019 - 57

SkyRaider DS10cTEC
is Here

Introducing the new MallinCam DS10cTEC - designed from the ground up to accommodate the most demanding astronomical video imaging
applications. Since most CMOS sensors cannot be directly cooled via a cold ﬁnger without causing damage and delamination with time, which will
ultimately shorten their life, a new cooling system had to be developed. MallinCam developed a unique cooling system that provides no direct physical
contact between the Peltier cooler and the sensor. Instead, the Peltier cooler creates a convection system (refrigerator-like) environment that cools the
sensor without actually contacting it. This cooling system is unique to MallinCam and not found on other astronomical imaging cameras.
Since the back illuminated IMX294 class 1 CMOS sensor of the MallinCam DS10cTEC is cooled via convection, thermal shock to it and its associated
circuitry is reduced. CMOS sensors have other components mounted on the same wafer with the imaging section which do not require or can be adversely
affected by cooling. This includes the digital logic circuitry (interface, timing, processing, output ampliﬁers, pad rings and associated oscillators), clocks
and timing controls, analog signal processing, analog-to-digital converter (which when under cooling from direct cold ﬁnger and Peltier results in
instability). These parts of the CMOS sensor do not need to be direct cooled from a cold ﬁnger application.
MallinCam has successfully designed a working alternative - a cooling chamber called refrigeration cooling - which subjects the CMOS sensor to
cooling inside a triple-sealed vacuumed sensor chamber controlled with a heating element mounted around the internal optical window to control and
avoid dew formation on the optical window and surroundings. A vacuumed sealed chamber is used to eliminate the use of desiccant material and keep a
dew-free environment permanently.
The result of this new technology, the SkyRaider DS10cTEC, will not require a dark frame for live application or imaging in most cases. It is built to
laboratory speciﬁcation, where CNC machining is used throughout to provide the rigid tolerances needed to provide precise component matching. The
chamber has six stainless steel screws securing the chamber cover under 100 pounds of pressure to avoid possible air leaks into the chamber.
The internal electronics use Grade 1 components with tolerance of 0.5%, a military and aerospace standard. The camera contains 4Gb DDR3 internal
memory to insure the smooth ﬂow of data to the computer. The DS10cTEC also has a built-in USB2 hub that can support a guider or a USB type focuser.
Each camera is subjected to a 24-hour burn-in prior to being ready for shipment to insure proper operation. It is these details that set MallinCam
apart from everyone else.
KEY FEATURES
f Sony IMX294 Back Illuminated, Class 1 Hand
f Digital Binning Mode: 1x1, 2x2, 3x3, 4x4
f Convection Cooling
Picked CMOS Sensor (Scientiﬁc grade)
All in Color
f Refrigeration Chamber
f 1900 mv Output
f Global Shutter
f Vacuumed-Sealed Chamber
f Spectral Range: 350nm to 1100nm.
f Image Format, FITS, JPEG, BMP, PNG
f Built-in Heater for Optical Window Dew
f Light Pollution Electronic Reduction System
f Full Video Mode: AVI, SER
Removal and Chamber Temperature Control
using the White Balance Feature
f Vacuumed-Sealed Optical Window
f 100 Pound Chamber Plate Pressure Held with
f HCG and LCG Mode (High Conversion Gain,
f T-Mount
6-Stainless Steel Screws
Low Conversion Gain Selectable)
f USB3 Operation
f Built-In USB2 Hub for Guider, Focuser, Filter
f Correlated Double Sampling
f One 12 Volt DC Power Cable for Cooler
Wheel etc.
f High S/N ratio
f Precision All Aluminum Construction and
f Four Blue LED Status Indicators (power,
f No Amp Glow (when used in live mode)
Stainless Steel Hardware
system, cooler, fan)
f 21.63mm Diagonal Sensor Size
f 10.0 cm X 8.00 cm (3.93 inches X 3.14 inches)
f High Velocity Ultra Quiet Fan With Dual
f Resolution Sizes:
f 534 Grams/1.17 Pounds
Air Output
- 4096 X 2160, 38 FPS @0.100ms
f High Speed USB 3.0,
f High Grade Carrying Case
- 3704 X 2778, 35 FPS @ 0.100 ms
f 5 Volts Operation @900 ma
f 4Gb DDR3 Internal Memory for smooth
- 2048 X 1080, 70 FPS @ 0.100ms
f 12 Volts DC Cooling via Supplied A/C
operation
- 1360 X 720, 100 FPS @ 0.100ms
Power Supply
Includes; 5 meter (15 feet) USB 3.0 Cable, 2" to T-Mount Adapter, Guiding Cable, 12 Volt DC, AC Power Supply, Software, High Grade Carrying Case

MallinCam.net

SEE THE UNIVERSE LIVE AND IN COLOUR
LOUR
56-5450 Canotek Rd., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1J
1J 9G4
Tel: 613-749-7592
Available in the U.S.:
Jack's Astro Accessories, Louisiana
http://mallincamUSA.com
In Canada:
Focus Scientific, 911 Carling Ave., Ottawa, Ontario
www.focusscientific.com
http://www.MallinCam.net http://www.mallincamUSA.com https://focusscientific.com/
Sky & Telescope - March 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky & Telescope - March 2019
