Equipment

KIWIOSD – a video time inserter invented by Geoff Hitchcock (KIWI Geoff). 
This is a state-of-the-art video time inserter and supersedes all previous inserters. 
The KIWIOSD automatically checks for any dropped frames or glitches in the video 
stream due to bad cables, changes in the GPS signals due to solar flares, and other 
unknown causes of video time de-synchronization with GPS satellites. The KIWIOSD is 
recommended as standard equipment for anyone planning to video record lunar graze or 
asteroidal occultations.

Supercircuits PC164C – this is the gold standard camera for video detection and timing 
of occultations. This camera has been used successfully by IOTA observers for many years. 
It has automatic gain control (AGC) for ease of detecting the faintest possible stars. 
The AGC can cause changes in photometry of stars near the bright limb during grazing 
occultations. It has a 1/3-inch detector size.

WAT 902H2 Ultimate – this camera is more expensive than the PC164C (more than double 
the cost) but offers manual gain control and manual shutter speed control. It also has 
about 3X more sensitivity than the PC164C and can theoretically detect stars up to 
1-magnitude fainter (more like 0.5 magnitude in actual experience). It has a ½-inch 
detector size for a wider field of view. The manual gain control allows accurate photometry 
of stars near the bright limb during grazing occultations. It also allows setting gain to 
achieve the optimum level of detector sensitivity and minimum detector noise for each 
occultation.