This section describes the main features of the program in the representation of functionality in the areas of image processing and system operations, with the division of functionality into logical blocks that combine operations according to their purpose.

What is PGMania?

PGMania is astrophotography all-in-one software for deep sky image processing.

Operations for image align, calibrate, stack, edit, view, convert, filter, resize, postprocess, color processing and so on.

Supports batch processing.

Detects stars and calculates images statistics, snr, fwhm, magnitudes, analisys, calculations, logging and more.

Creates movies from images in 16bpp, concatenates movies, etc.

Designed for automatic and meticulous manual work on astronomy images for getting extraordinary results.

Complete work with b/w and color images and astronomy cameras.

Supports any of known image file formats with 8/16 bit depth.


Image and video processing

Processing images with 8/16/32 bit depth Supports any of known image file formats.

Supports most of known DSLR image types (extensible list)

Shows EXIF for images and bpp/rate/codec, etc. for movies

Converts image file formats

Supports batch image converting

Creates movies from image series / concatenates videos

Reconstructs broken numeration in image sequences

Creates 16bpp gray/color AVI(etc.)

Batch image processing

Reflects images vertically, horizontally, rotate 180 degrees

Actualize virtual offsets and use the histogram settings

Normalize the histogram and to

Invert to negative


Aligning, calibrating and stacking

Patented calibrating algorithm* based on using lights images only

Traditional calibrating algorithm using darks and flats images

Aligning, fitting and calibrating* images using rotations and direct displacements / manual/auto in a several modes and orders

Customizable variable pitch for moving and rotation images when manually combining images

Aligning, fitting and calibrating* image series via reference points

Substracting darks and flats from images series

Filtering aligned source images by median filter before stacking

Stacking image series in a 3 modes with SNR optimization/ auto in combine with wide list of various evaluation submodes

RGB combining from separate b/w channels

LRGB combining from luminocity channel and RGB images

Mozaic (panorama) stacking


Analisys and calculations

Detecting stars on deep sky images

Choosing 3 available modes of working area size for detecting stars

Calculating and showing histogram, coordinates, fwhm, snr, size, standart deviation and magnitudes for detected stars and average fwhm/snr for images

Generating stars list with direct link between stars on the image and stars in the list of detected stars

Finding and recognizing stars on image series by reference points template defined on a master image

Automatically generating reference points on images for recognized stars

Generating star map with detected stars on separate image layer with star markers and text labels stored in a separate files


Postprocessing

One touch image settings for luminocity, background and contrast stretching, alive image histogram control

Showing histogram for selected stars

Creating adaptive negative mask from image with black level transparency (managed b/w inversion)

Flip/flop images for vertical and horisontal axes and to 180 dgr Displacements/rotation

Histogram adjustments with saving results in WYSIWYG style

Creates screenshots with detected stars markers, stars statistics info and user defined text markers placed on the image

Enchancement, noise reduction and sharpen images


Color processing

Color processing with choosing transparency, color space, color type, compression and alpha settings.

Simple one touch actions like colors inverting and histogram normalizing.

Debyering - converting monochrome raw images to RGB color with various scenarios with saving result

Debayering "on the fly" without files saving for preview purposes

Splitting color RGB images into separate color channels

Combining images with separate color channels into RGB color image


FTP client

Working with images of user FTP servers and (IP) cameras (Web preview, upload to web site and download to local PC).

Automatic transfering images from FTP servers and their folders to the local PC folders.

You can register and connect any amount of cameras to watch, transfer and download images.

Web service for transfer, publicate and watch (IP) cameras images via web site is optional payent service available by separate request.

Whatching camera images is possible on any web site.

See more https://prozarium.ru/TextDetails.aspx?TextID=2632


Logging

Export/import loging to XML file

Separated logs for each processed images folder

Logging each image processing settings, align/calibrate results and statistics for detected stars

Maintenance of operations list for each of processed image and logging operations workflow and results to txt file

Storing information about master images used while align/calibrate for each of processed image pair.

*) All you need is two images with star fields (lights). No need for dark & bias files for calibration and fitting images.

There are available two PGMania patented calibration algorithms.

See more about PGMania original calibration technique here https://www.prozarium.ru/TextDetails.aspx?TextID=2542


Previewing images

PGMania can be used as a image viewer and source images filter tool.

It shows images or first frame of movie in preview, zoom or fit image, allows to navigate thru image list, filter it and delete images.


Building the sequences of images

The program helps to rebuild sequence of image files and restore continuous order of files after they were edited, deleted, renamed or moved.

PGMania constructs movies from sequence of numbered images. It constructs image sequence based on selected type and file name template. Once the image sequence been set,

PGMania builds movie from image sequence and can be used to concatenate several movies into one.


Creating video

PGMania can filter the source images and build movie with them. Also it is possible to build one movie from several parts by concatenating separate parts.

It creates 16-bit AVI gray/color video files from images series, concatenates video files together into one video file.

By default PGMania builds 16bpp gray movies and use ffv1 lossless codec when you make movie.

If you want to change the default codec used, then you need to edit codec name in parameters window to use it with your images when building movie.

You can change the codec name manually in parameters window to another one by typing it. You can make Raw video movie from image sequence too.

With Raw video the codec will be set by ffmpeg automatically, based on type of source images.

By default the PGMania's uses AVI container for movies but you also can change it to desired one (.mov, etc.).

PGMania translates your parameters into internal FFMpeg commands, so changing the parameters and templates may help to achieve the desired results.

Used codecs by default: ffv1, rawvideo


Image conversion

PGMania can convert image files from one format to another. Supports batch converting operations for image sequences. Image formats can be any of well known image formats.

The program reads and displays the most famous image formats.

It converts images and series of im
ages, align and fit them with each other by defining a master image and calibrate a pair of images with the same subject.


Detecting stars

Program detects
stars on the images and store in xml files operations history and detected stars statistics.


Screen modes

Supports 5 display modes, including fit to window mode, fit to width, 100%, and 3x Zoom. Also available "fit to screen" or "crop" mode to speed up align process.

Separately, it should be noted rich functionality for handling captured series of images. Full cycle of manual/auto aligning and calibration deep sky images processing.

The program can convert images, align them with each other on master frame base and calibrate a pair of images with the same subject.


Aligning images

The program uses its own image combining algorithms and for some tasks the functions of the OpenCV library.

Search and calculation of offset, and the subsequent combination of images is performed in several ways:

1. automatic determination of stars, search for matches on them in the pictures and the calculation of offsets

2. Setting reference points, automatically searching for the same points on other images and calculating offsets

Offsets are calculated in 3 ways:

1. calculation of offsets and angle of rotation of images through the OpenCV functions

2. own algorithms for calculating coincident figures and displacements between them

3. proprietary algorithms for calculating offsets by control points


Images calibration

When calibrating here is used an new algorithm for processing the pair of images with coinciding signal and with a difference of a noise.

As a result we have to completely remove hot pixels, garbage and random noises from both calibrating images of a pair.

This drastically increases the signal / noise ratio. Pictures calibrated by this technology does not require additional processing and are immediately ready for stacking.

For more info see Help (now in Russian only).

PGMania uses original algorithms for image calibration. All you need is two images with star fields (lights). No need for dark & bias files for calibration and fit images.

At the same time, the program can use specially prepared dark and flat files for a more complete and comprehensive cleaning of lights from random noise,
satellite tracks, cosmic rays, optics, etc.

All necessary tools for this implemented in full range.


Working with color

At first the primary purpose of PGMania was to operate with 16bpp gray image format (.pgm, etc). But it works well with many of known 8/16 bpp image formats.

Also PGMania can convert image files from one format to another. It supports batch converting operations for image sequence.

Image formats can be any of well known image formats. PGMania does not aims to operate with color as a whole.

But in theory the PGMania can support any image formats thru ImageMagick and FFMpeg which it uses.

PGMania can create RGB and LRGB color images from monochrome images.

The color balance adjustment is made by adjusting the image levels of individual channels in highlights and shadows, and the channel alignment is done simultaneously.

This greatly simplifies the process of mixing and achieving an optimal resultant color image.


Monitoring and downloading camera images

We have announce two different types of work with your FTP server and IP cameras images.

1. Obtaining images from the camera, sending them to the FTP server.

You need to register your FTP server and IP camera (you should already have credentials for this) and your IP camera should already send images to this FTP server.

These images will be downloaded to your local computer in the specified date range. You can configure work with several cameras at the same time.

2. Web based transferring images service. You can register transferring your IP camera images to our Web UI on Prozarium.ru

You will be able to view images from an IP camera over the Internet and download them in full size.

This service works automatically and you will receive all the images for the period (24 hours by default) from your FTP server with the rotation of images in the selected album on a site.

It is an optional service and you should pay for it separately.


Testing

PGMania was tested on Win 7/8/10 (32/64).

Tested image types: .pgm, .fit/.fits, .tif, .png, .bmp, .jpg, .gif, etc.

Supporting video: .avi, .mov, .mpeg, .mjpeg, .mp4, etc.