RSpec Videos

We’ve made it easy to learn RSpec.  The is software easy-to-use. And there’s a complete set of short tutorial videos that walk you step-by-step through getting started. Use our contact form (link) to ask us questions.

Not sure where to start? Don’t miss our short Getting Started manual which will point you to the specific videos you need, walking you step-by-step through your first spectra with RSpec:


We recommend our free Hands-on Workshop

Tom conducted this hour-long, hands-on workshop to almost 100 attendees at a joint SAS/AAVSO Symposium.

Now you can experience the workshop yourself. See this YouTube video: link.

We suggest that you follow along on your own computer. Download the sample data files from this link. If you don’t already have a copy of the software, you can install a trial version from this link.

Let us know about your experience. Were you able to follow along? Can you suggest some improvements for our next workshop?

How to watch the RSpec tutorial videos

There are three ways to watch the tutorial videos below:

  1. Watch our videos from our site with the links below.
  2. If you’re outside the US, you may want to watch our videos on YouTubelink.  (Possibly smoother international playback as well as optional captions in other languages.)
  3. Or, in the RSpec program itself, you can watch the videos from the Help, Video Library menu option.

Tutorial videos

1. Getting Started. link

Note: if you’re new to spectroscopy, be sure to download our “Getting Started” manual: link

2. Capturing a Spectrum profile. link

2.1 Cropping Large Images. link

2.2 Raw DSLR Images. link

2.3 Using an astronomical video camera link

3. Calibrating your Spectrum. link

3.1 How to find the Balmer lines. link

4. Customizing the Profile Graph. link

5. Saving, Exporting, and Printing.  link

6. Image Averaging (Stacking) link

7. Using the Focusing Tool. link

8. Translating RSpec into a new Language. link

9. How RSpec uses your chip’s multiple cores. link

10. Adjusting Image Quality with the Histogram stretch. link

11. Previewing images and combining into a Video. link

12. Update 1 – Binning, FWHM. link

13. Update 2 – Enhanced background removal, 2nd Y-axis for Reference, Horizontal Align/Calibrate. link

14. Update 3 – Element Library, Manual dispersion entry, French/German support. link

15. Adjustment for Instrument Response (part of Update 3) link

16. Update 4 – Live Library Preview. link

17. Update 5 – Live Spectrum Synthesis. link

18. Normalizing (or “Rectifying”) for enhanced synthesized spectra. link

19. Update 6 – Slant, FWHM, Frame Rate Enhancements, Element Library. link

20. Non-linear Calibration – using more than one point to calibrate in Angstroms. link

21. Update 7 – Cropping videos (when Rotation = 0°), Saving Appearance data with .dat files. link

22. Update 8 – Enhancements to the Appearance screen, Most Recently Used file selection, full 32-bit FITS processing. link

23. Non-linear, One-Point Calibration – (part of Update 8 ) link

24. One-point, Linear Calibration Revisited – This video doesn’t show any new features, but shows how to calibrate an unknown object in day-to-day operation. link

25. Update 9 – Zooming, negative flux, Dynamic scaling of Reference profile. link

26. Update 10 – Vertical call-out lines, equivalent width, enhancements to delete points. link

27. Update 10b – Pixel map, Color-fill of profile. link

28. Update 11 – Smooth dispersion setting. link

29. Calibrating a spectrum captured on a slit spectrometer. link

30. Update 12 – Real-time flux calibration, discontinuous background removal, etc. link

31. Update 13 – 3D Inspector for spectra,  read 1D FITS files and their headers, drag & drop files to open, poster: link

32. Update 14 – Rotate via dragline, image cropping:  link

Update 15 for RSpec Version 1.9.0.30

33. Images are displayed in a larger format and processing speed improved. link

34. Enhanced video camera processing for more speed, flexibility, and control. link

35. Other features: faster histogram stretch, Raw header display, 1D FITS export, crop to visible profile, splicing profiles, etc. link


Update 16 – RSpec Version 1.9.0.40

36. Element Library font sizes, improved non-linear calibration, Y-axis label: link

37. Viewing the RGB color channels to determine exposure levels:  link

38. RGB color channels in a video stream: link


Update 17 – RSpec Version 2.0.0

39. Introduction to the Presentation Manager:  link

40. Presentation Manager with normalized OBAFGKM:  link

41. Presentation Manager – Stitching two spectra side by side: link

42. Other features in this release: link


Update 18 – RSpec Version 2.1.0

43. Magnetic Mouse: link

44. Drawing a Continuum: link

45. Presentation Manager: 3D View: link

46. Presentation Manager: Anchoring Labels: link

47. Other new features: link

48. SharpCap Bridge: Import live images from SharpCap and other camera control programs: link

49. SharpCap Bridge: Import live video from SharpCap and other camera control programs: link

50. Adjusting your camera for best images: link


Update 19 – RSpec Version 2.3 – In beta testing. Not yet available for general usage.

51. Importing and Exporting Projects: link

52. Enhancements to the Appearance screen: link

53. Auto-open beeps and other miscellaneous enhancements: link.

 

Download the What’s New “Read Me” PDF document for all releases with this link.