Starlight Xpress Trius SX-46 CCD Camera (Mono) with USB Hub

Starlight Xpress Trius SX-46 CCD Camera (Mono) with USB Hub

The Trius SX-46

The SX-46 is a full-frame CCD camera with a 16.7 megapixel sensor. It utilises the popular KAF-16200 sensor, which has an ´APS-H´ format array of 27 x 21.6 mm, 6 µm square pixels. The use of a full frame chip requires a mechanical shutter and so SX have developed a custom ´roller blind´ assembly that uses mini stepper motors to provide an extremely uniform shutter action.

The SX-46 incorporates many special features that improve on some other KAF-16200 based products:

1) A multi-coated synthetic sapphire input window. The extremely high thermal conductivity of sapphire (about 25x better than glass) eliminates the need for a window heater, by conducting waste heat from the camera body to the entire window surface. Dewing of the window is extremely unlikely to occur, even with maximum CCD cooling.

2) A stepper driven roller blind shutter with extremely uniform illumination of the sensor, even at 0.1 second exposure time. The shutter is designed for robust long-term use, but is also very easy to service or replace, if necessary.

3) A compact, dry argon filled CCD chamber, with O ring sealing. No desiccant to regularly replace. The window is easy to clean with an air duster or soft cloth.

4) Built-in LED flood illuminator for RBI elimination (trapped electrons from previous images).

5) Fast image download time - approximately 6.5 seconds for a full 16.7 megapixel image.

6) A three stage Peltier cooler to give better than -50 °C below ambient, with an efficient temperature controller to keep power consumption to less than 2 amps at 12 V DC.

7) Standard ´Trius´ 3 port USB 2 hub built-in.

8) A compact overall size of 136 mm square and 70 mm deep (+ handles). Only 1.7 kg total weight.

Technical Data:

Sensor: ON Semiconductor KAF-16200
Image size: 16.7 MPixel
Image dimensions: 27 mm x 21.6 mm (34.6 mm diagonal)
Pixel size: 6.0 µm
Weight: approx. 1.7 kg
Distance T2 to chip: approx. 17 mm

More informations:

Starlight Xpress has always been renowned for small, compact, innovative designs, along with excellent build quality. The new Trius range of deep-sky, cooled CCD cameras has just taken these values to a whole new level.

In addition to the already super low-noise performance of the previous generations of SXV, SXVF, & SXVR cameras, the NewsTrius range is even better, whilst still offering fast download times.

Remarkably, they have also managed to incorporate a complete powered USB hub into the main camera, which offers 3x USB 2.0 ports at the rear of the camera. Each port is capable of delivering up to 200 mA, thus able to drive a Lodestar, SuperStar or CoStar for guiding leaving another two USB ports for a USB filter wheel and one other peripheral. This integration greatly reduces the number of cable trails back to the computer and gives less potential for cables tangling around the mount during your imaging session.

New Peltier cooler combinations have been designed into the Trius cameras, along with an argon-filled CCD chamber, allowing a greater differential cooling delta to be achieved. The two fans for recooling are throttled and thus causing little noise.

Below are some of the innovative design features of the Starlight Xpress Trius cameras:

Rear Camera Panel:

The Trius camera provides multiple inputs and outputs. The main control connections to the camera are the USB 2.0 socket that controls the camera from the computer and the +12 V DC jack socket which provides power (approximately 1.25 Amps at 12 V DC).

In addition, there is an RJ11 guider port output that is opto-isolated and will drive any standard activelow guider input via the RJ11 ´telephone´ lead provided. The remaining sockets are three mini USB 2.0 sockets that can be used to power up to three different USB devices, such as a Lodestar Autoguider, an SX USB Filter Wheel and a focuser. Each USB port is capable of providing 5 V DC at a maximum of 200 mA.

Fused Silica Window:

Unlike less expensive cameras, Starlight Xpress fit a specially manufactured fused silica window, with a 7 layer anti-reflective coating, to all Trius cameras. This offers exceptional strength and heat transfer characteristics to ensure there is less chance of dewing of the front window during humid weather.

Efficient Cooling System:

The cooling system is designed for the most efficient cooling possible in a small compact package. The Trius cameras are fitted with a new peltier cooler configuration to give approximately -55 K delta T.

A built-in fan at the rear of the camera draws air in through small holes in the front of the barrel (which increases the surface area to aid the convection), through the heatsink where all the heat is generated, and expels it out of the rear of the camera. Set-point cooling as standard.

Argon Filled CCD Chamber:

Argon filled CCD chambers are normally only associated with really highend cameras; the new Trius cameras have dry argon injected into the CCD chamber to ensure there is no moisture to condense on the CCD during the cooling process. The low thermal conductivity of argon also helps with the cooling process, allowing a lower delta T to be achieved.

Unique Tilted Camera Front:

This unique approach to camera design allows the front plate of thecamera to be orthogonally aligned to ensure that the CCD and the optics are parallel to each other. This enables the user to adjust for any collimation issues throughout the whole optical train, to ensure pinpoint stars across the entire field.