feature request - suppress jpg files

mgude

Hi,
it would be nice to have the option to suppress the jpg files. Usually I always use the fit files and don't need then jpg-files. Then option could be connected with the "Save each frame".

I noticed, that the performance is not very well, If you have +500 fit's and the additional jpg in a directory.

Thanks and best regards,
Mirko

starnet59

This has been asked here already many times. I stopped asking because ZWO ignores such requests. JPEGs are for beginners, which is fine, but if you want to do anything more advanced, they are useless.

Support@Seestar

Let me explain why we keep images in JPEG format:

If you are just previewing images, JPEG thumbnails allow for faster viewing and enhance your experience. On the other hand, if you are dealing with raw images (-ft), you have to open them to see the content, and the loading process will be significantly slower. When you need to view the raw image, you can choose to open it yourself.

I understand that your habit is to view images from a PC and that you only need the large raw files, making the deletion of JPEG files feel cumbersome. However, you can easily sort files by type on your computer, allowing you to quickly delete unnecessary thumbnails.

Since JPEGs are mainly intended to provide a fast viewing experience within the Seestar app, and as you know, these files are small and do not take up much space while significantly improving user experience, we currently have no plans to change this. Thank you for your understanding.

wvreeven

Support@Seestar Let me explain AGAIN that many people do NOT want the JPG images. Please please please finally listen to your users and add an option to disable the generation of the images. SeeStar is supposed to be as easy as 1, 2, 3 and having to delete those JPGs or sort images before copying is a nuisance that makes it less easy.

Support@Seestar

wvreeven
Don't get me wrong, I've mentioned it a few times, here are the results, and I'll mention it again.
Mention it a few times and maybe the product will consider joining the program.

LA3QMA

wvreeven my understanding is that the app use the jpg. Ie if you go to stack using the s50 you have to select which images to stack. And then you need to see a preview of each image. That's why the jpg are there. Without it the s50 need to read and convert each and every fits and that's slow. So they are there to get a quick/smooth usage of the app. I do not use the jpg when I'm using Siril but it takes less than 5sec to copy only the fits. Same if you want to delete them. Even if there is a option to not generate the jpg I guess this need much rewrite of the app if the jpg are used to quickly give you visual data without processing the fits each and every time.

wvreeven

LA3QMA I never use that option and always process the FITS files on my computer. That is why the JPG files are useless to me and even annoying because they get mixed with the FITS files in the same directory on the SeeStar. As I indicated, I understand that the JPG files are useful in some situations but they are not in other. So having the option to not produce JPG files would be fantastic.

mgude

Hi,
Thanks for your answer. I understand, why jpg files are useful for some users and why you would not change this.

Last week I had only 3GB left on the internal storage volume from my SeestarS50. After deleting a lot of jpg files I had 11GB again. Deleting is not so easy because the the storage volume did not respond very well. The S50 volume is connected via WiFi and I have a fast Mac(Studio, M1). Opening a folder, sorting, selecting and then deleting the jpg is not very amusing :-)

With a Terminal command it is more comfortable, so I did it this way.

Best regards,
Mirko

LA3QMA

mgude doing it via usb I guess is fastest. Anyhow most operating systems allow to select files based on part of the name and then just press delete. But doing it from a terminal is often much quicker in windows/linux/mac as the gui part doesn't have to update. People can also make a simple script that delete every jpg in a folder. So for me deleting the unwanted jpg is not a problem just an extra step. In the s50 app I'm using it if I'll do internal stacking so we need those files anyway. Using Siril or other software I think you can make a script/macro to delete jpg. But again for me this is not a problem and the app need those images as its part of a function.

Seestar_S50

Simple solution - Put the jpeg files in a sub folder.

wvreeven
If you are moving all the files to you computer simply sort them by file type - Other user may like the jpeg files!!!

quarterstaff

I too found it annoying to take the extra time to move only the fit files into a lights folder for siril (or whatever) and make sure there were none of the jpg files - until today, when I actually just found a use for the jpg files - I did a multi-hour mosaic over a couple of nights, and several of the frames has satellite trails which did not get removed in the seestar stack. I just copied all of the smaller of the jpg files to a local folder, set the view to large icons and I could see very quickly the 4 frames that had the trails - I went back to the seestar and deleted those jpg and fit files, and ran the Deep Sky Stack on the folder where I had removed those files. Much faster and easier than scrolling through a couple of thousand images in the seestar app on a phone to find 4 frames. It took forever for the restack on the seestar, but it seems that is the easiest way do do that until hopefully siril 1.4 will add the ability to stack the mosaics. This way I was able to easily cull the bad frames, and allowed me to stack two nights of imaging from the mosaic. That said, it would be nice to have the option...

wvreeven

Seestar_S50 I work on mac and use the command line only. So I always only copy the FITS files and that obviously works. However, ever since the SeeStar was first released people have requested here to either not create the JPG files or to put them in a different directory and now we are still having that discussion. Is it really so hard for ZWO to listen to their customers and make their lives easier? Yes, not having to type ".fit" but only "" is easier. It may not seem much to you but it is to me. And when using a file manager having to first sort the files by file type is a nuisance. Please just listen to your customers and fix this. Thanks!

jv

As I understand it, the jpeg is what is displayed on the phone or tablet that runs the Seestar app. It is useful when using the Seestar at a public outreach event. So, like just about everything else, suppressing it would have to be optional via a setting. Some people are going to want it, others will not.

LA3QMA

wvreeven i would think the best solution is to get the files in a subfolder as the jpg are needed for the app. and i usually use siril but when im at our cottage the internal stacking is ok to have as an option as im not always have my laptop with me.

bartholomule

I don't use the images after I move the files to my computer, but I don't see a reason to skip their generation. The app uses them, and makes it fast to scroll through the images for a target in the app to see (in general) if there's any clouds, trees, etc. that ruin at least the center of the image. When I move all the files to my computer, I'll delete them. The jpg files are less than an additional 25% space, and every OS out there will allow you to find by extension when you want to delete them. They really don't use enough space on the seestar itself to make any real difference, as the seestar easily has enough space to get a full night (and some extra) with everything there.

If you're forgetful and running out of space on the seestar, you can move the files from the device from the SMB share over the network while it's still capturing. Of all the feature requests here, this one makes the least amount of sense.