Latest problem

Got the results back from the first full trial run
yesterday. The banding issues with the S2IS which I had been having previously
are still occurring and are serious enough to affect the image quality. After
some research I have concluded that it is a fault with the CCD, which is one of
the joys of using Ebay. I have tried every conceivable combination of settings,
and it seems to affect all of them. I can either try to get a similar camera
(while avoiding the pitfall of the S5IS mistake) or rethink the whole thing and
try a different camera (which I would still need to buy) or use the S5IS and
have it on continuously, using the CDHK as the intervalometer rather than the
circuit and then editing the images to suit. This would possibly be cheaper (I’d
just need a new circuit, costing about £30.00) but the increased memory card
usage and work in both downloading the images and subsequently editing them is
not acceptable. The alternative is to use the S5IS but modify the script to only
work when light levels are correct. I have absolutely no idea how to do this,
or even if it is possible. For the moment I will keep my eyes open for a simple
replacement S2IS, but in the mean time I will try to investigate the possibility
of modifying the script.
 
On the plus side the hood is now secured (whoop de do) and
the pond cam is up and running again, so ample views of green murky water are available
online again. Hooray!