StarXTerminator Review And Workflow

I review the star removal software StarXTerminator, compare it to Starnet++, and show my basic StarXTerminator workflow.
StarXTerminator link: www.rc-astro.c...
Starnet++ link: sourceforge.ne...

[@christianmcpheeters8638]

I started watching all your videos about 8 months back, I really do love your channel. I'm a very new astrophotographer (only a year or so,) but I got a Star tracker a month back. Luckily I live in a very low light pollution area in Nevada. I just wanted to let you know how appreciated your videos are, and how well put together everything is for such a small KZbinr! Absolutely astonishing quality of content, and you never have a dull moment. Thank you.

[@stephenolley8277]

Thats a great tutorial. I have just started using StarXterminator in PS, but was struggling to understand the workflow. Thankyou for explaining it so clearly. I will watch again and take notes!

[@JZHGaming]

This video changed my entire processing direction after doing this now for 2+ years

[@deltaastrophotography]

Awesome! Do you use Starnet or StarXTerminator?

[@JZHGaming]

@@deltaastrophotography I used to use starnett but I've been using StarXTerminator for a while now. Never could add the stars back in until now!

[@Ambress]

Hello Walt...great video! Pardon this long reply but it's all relevant: I too enjoy using Russell Croman's plugins, one being StarShrink which I really like for the ease of use and quicker workflow it provides. With regard to StarXTerminator (hereafter StarXT), I like it a lot but at times it is overly aggressive, notably on galaxies where bright stars within them and notably the core may be left looking rather bad. A quick solution is to add a layer mask to the starless layer and brush away the areas where the star reduction was aggressive, thus restoring the original content from the underlying later. However, I'll also often create starless layers with both Starnet++ and StarXT. If I favor StarXT's cleaner result without the artifact spots of Starnet++, but favor the Starnet++ results for how it handled stars in galaxies, then I'll layer the StarXT output over that of Starnet++ and again use a layer mask to brush away the StarXT changes in the areas where it was too aggressive. Satisfied by that result, I'll either merge the two layers together as is, or create a new merged layer of the two, then proceed with the rest of my workflow. If you have an NVIDIA graphics card with CUDA, then you can modify the Starnet++ installation to enable CUDA support and see a great reduction in the time required for Starnet++ to execute. The approach for doing that is addressed at darkskies.space/pixinsight-starnet-cuda/ with PixInsight in mind, but the steps specific to PixInsight can be ignored if using Starnet++ in a standalone manner. For the tensorflow files called out, I found and used more current versions I thought were my NVIDIA GeForce 2070 Super, but Starnet++ failed to run until I used the same versions used by the author of that article. With his 3xxx series card, I know Nico Carver had to use a different version of tensorflow, so you may find yourself having to do a bit of digging if the files referenced in the article don't work for you. But, again if you have an NVIDIA CUDA-enhanced card, this is definitely worth taking advantage of with Starnet++, reducing times below that needed typically by StarXT. Also, if you favor efficiently using a tool as I do, then you might find what I created for Starnet++ use to be helpful: Jumping to 13:00 in my video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKGToZ58Z9N5qdU, I address a zip file that I made up for downloading from the link in the description, with which you can implement some batch files to allow Starnet++ to be used via the "Send To" context menu of Windows. This allows you to skip having to work from the Starnet++ program folder to drag & drop files, and having the results output to there, and instead you can launch Starnet++ upon your image files from their usual working folder. I liked your approach about removing noise around nebulae so I'll take those tips to heart. I've taken a similar approach but more in the way of enabling a mask on a duplicate layer to which I'd applied Camera Raw, then brushing out the changes where they overlaid the nebula, revealing the nebula of the lower layer. I had allowed myself to be thrown a curveball by seeing that Camera Raw was still affecting the entire image, without considering how if one already has a mask, then Camera Raw is just ignoring the mask until the results are applied. So, your approach is more efficient, thanks!

[@deltaastrophotography]

Hi Daryl! That reply was a good read! I love the idea of using the best of both Starnet and StarXT and can't wait to try it out! Especially since it's Andromeda and Triangulum season! I did put an Nvidia graphics card in my computer but had to take it out. My poor computer was just too old to handle it and kept crashing. Got a new souped up PC with an Nvidia card on the way though, so I'll be trying all your Starnet ideas out! Thanks for that! Always happy to try new things!

[@user-lt9py2pu6u]

I've been using Star eXterminator with Affinity Photo for nine months and I love it. I bought it along with Gradient and Noise eXterminator so there was a bit of a discount. (I rarely use the Noise eXterminator plug in as I find the noise reduction function in Aff. Photo is usually sufficient and gives a finer control, probably didn't need to buy it). Since buying Star Ex I've been reprocessing all my old images using this plug-in, they look so much better for it.

[@paulbenoit249]

Excellent vidéo, really learnt something there. Cannot wait to see the one video of your full processing workflow.

[@richardmattas4003]

I've been using this video for 2 years. please don't remove it...thank you for posting!

[@ArtLieberman]

Your presentation of StarXterminator is excellent! It also taught me parts of Photoshop that I didn't know about. I would really appreciate it if you were to demonstrate the other RC-Astro plugins for Windows. (Other KZbin offerings are not well done.)

[@lifeinrc9051]

StarXTerminator definitely has the simplicity as a plugin and I really like that, but being new to the astro world, I'll most likely learn on the current tools and then build my suite for post.

[@martinpeffers1953]

Amazing video, very informative for a newbie like me, love your channel, please do more on photoshop/ star exterminator to help is beginners to get results like that , well done 👍

[@itsreinfit3143]

Could you please upload in 4K?? With KZbin’s compression 1080p ends up looking really bad, so it’s hard to see the details in the images. Other than that, I love your channel!!

[@Codlipps]

I absolutely love your tutorials...thanks Walt 😊👌

[@jjaimesmx]

Great tutorial!! you just bright up my day!! especially cause I dont have to pay to Star X Terminator

[@deltaastrophotography]

Thanks!

[@bbriske]

how do you get Star X Terminator for free

[@michaeledmonds3027]

Hey Walt.... I just found your channel. It's great stuff! Question please: What version of PS are you using? I'm running CS6 and just installed the free trials of NoiseX and StarX. I'm newish to working with layers, so I'll need to take notes on all your shortcuts. Thanks, Michael

[@deltaastrophotography]

Hi! So I'm subscribed to Adobe's photography plan. I pay $10 a month so I constantly have the newest version of Photoshop and Lightroom. As much as I hate the subscription crap, it keeps me current.

[@internick1]

I would be so happy if you could do a video on the Orion constellation with a 50mm lens with no star tracker this time, thanks!

[@deltaastrophotography]

Ok! I'll give it a shot when Orion starts rising a little earlier!

[@swimfast1234]

Awesome video. Thanks

[@nahanahaU]

You really make life easier thx!

[@ArtLieberman]

In "apply image" why do you set "offset" to 2?

[@richardmattas4003]

still using it...

[@travissatterfield2628]

Is there a way to mitigate the stars only layer from dulling out with subtraction? Using this method+xterminator on M33, it dulls the Ha regions so significantly that it's difficult to recover.

[@dennishaggerty8155]

Helpfull video. I've been looking for a tool like this. Your link for Starnet++ is not working properly. It takes me to sourceforge but not directly to Starnet++. When I search sourceforge for Starnet++ it is not found. Has the program been pulled?

[@deltaastrophotography]

Yes! Starnet Version 2 is out now. Here is the link. www.starnetastro.com/download/

[@dennishaggerty8155]

@@deltaastrophotography Thank you for the new link. I gave Starnet 2 a try on a couple of photos. I like the effect but it seems like I am getting some artifacts. Maybe my images were too noisy to begin with. I'm still trying to sort it out. Thanks for the tutorials. I've watched a few of them.

[@sandb1867]

12:24 Stars got tighter but several low magnitude stars also disappeared.

[@ZoliroAstro]

Very nice. I'm definitely going to have to give StarXterminator a try. Any reason why you didn't crop your photo first before processing? I just usually crop mine before I start processing.

[@deltaastrophotography]

I usually do too! Especially if there are stacking artifacts. I was doing a very minimalist edit for this video to keep the time down.

[@ZoliroAstro]

@@deltaastrophotography Gotcha, well very nice video. I'm gonna try it out and might do a video myself in a few weeks. Clear Skies

[@deltaastrophotography]

@@ZoliroAstro Do it! I think it's worth every penny! Clear skies!

[@sweeterdo1775]

What is the background song?

[@sonnar5392]

pixinsight와 상관없이 StarXT는 독립적으로 사용 가능 합니까?

[@craiglowery4427]

Great information. Walt do have a link to Star Exterminator?

[@deltaastrophotography]

www.rc-astro.com/resources/StarXTerminator/

[@MyLastRites]

I Need a copy of starnett++ for windows 10 I can't find it anywhere

[@deltaastrophotography]

Very odd! I found it hard to find just now as well. Used to be easy. Try this. www.starnetastro.com/

[@MyLastRites]

Thanks but do you have a copy of version 1.1 like a zip file perhaps?

[@deltaastrophotography]

@@MyLastRites I'm sure I do somewhere

[@nightskyimages2977]

Mine won't work at all