A B/W CCD on a ToUcam-Pro ???

Pour la version Francaise, Cliquez ici :o)

B/W CCD Sony ICX098BL-6 I will not talk here about the good things of replacing a color CCD by a B/W CCD, but if you want to know more about that, you just have to click on those links: A B/W CCD on a Vesta-Pro ??? and: 'Easy' RAW mod for Philips Webcams ;o) What i am talking about here, is just how to replace the color CCD of a ToUcam Pro (or Pro II) by a ICX098BL-6 B/W Sony CCD :o))) Thank's to Eric for taking the Pictures ;o)

Here is an example of B/W CCD Picture in RAW mode : M13

The detailed mod, or "how to lose colors" :o) (They are really crazy those amateur astronomers... ;o) )

DISCLAIMER !!! I'm not responsible for damages you could cause to your webcam because of errors in realizing this project !!!

Preparation of the battlefield... Iron solder, De-soldering wire, Screwdriver, Needle, Folder stand, B/W CCD ICX098BL-6, Webcam, Binocular mgnifier...

Let's attack the first screw... ... with a "star" T6X4 Screwdriver

The second screw after opening the webcam...

And the last one, always with the same T6X4 :o)

WARNING, pay attention to the little notch, for good positionning of the CCD...

We will first extract a maximum of solder with the "de-soldering wire"

Then you have to pull up the pins one by one, with the needle to push under the pin very gently...

...while heating each pin with the soldering iron, so you will just ear a light "tic" when the pin will be unsoldered :o)

Now the first pin is unsoldered !!! You just have to repeat this step until all pins of this side will be unsoldered...

When the firs side will be Ok, You can try to pull up the CCD VERY GENTLY, just to see if all pins are really "free" :o)

Verify carefully whitch pin is still soldered just in case, for a complete de-soldering just after...

...and as soon as the CCD is really free on one side You can repeat all the work on the other side :o)

The CCD must "fall" without any effort :o)

A light de-soldering wire applying...

... the pads must be really clean like on the lower part of the picture, to be ready for the new CCD :o) BTW, we will prepare this new CCD...

After touching a grounded thing to avoid static electricity, we will do a quarter turn to the CCD protect plastic part, to more easily bend the pins later...

We just put the CCD protect plastic part, to have the little "handle part" on a "without pins side" :o)

Then we will use the "Folder stand", to bend all the pins in parallel of the CCD, to have the best possible alignment...

After bending all the pins on one side, while firmly maintain the CCD...

...i use a pair of cissors, to well "mark" the bending of the pins :o)

The CCD is now almost ready to be soldered...

...you just have to verify the right angle of eache pins :o)

Now you can put the CCD on the board, pay attention to the notch side !!!

...and we can solder one pin on one corner :o)

Now you must verify the exact positionning of the CCD, Each pin must be exactly on the pad under... (You must avoid short circuits !!!)

Now you can solder the opposit corner pin, while verifying the CCD is well flattened against the board... If this is not good, just heat a new time, and move lightly the CCD ;o)

All is good ?, So just solder the last pins :o)

Warning to the solder short circuits !!!...

... In this case, you will be saved by the de-soldering wire ;o)

A last verifying with the bino... and you'v got it :o)))

Just use your favourite software to see if all is Ok... And of course WcRmac to do the B/W RAW mod !!!

Now a click on "restore factory settings", to see in real time the new sensitivity of the CCD ;o)

Don't forget to take out the CCD plastic protect part...

... before to screw the board in the webcam ;o)

A last screw to close the webcam...

... and enjoy :o)))

You are now ready for high resolution and 3 time more sensitive planetary pictures, or even excellent DSO pictures if your webcam is also SC modded :o))) Best Regards, Etienne Bonduelle :o)

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