Jump to content

NLCbanner2024.jpg.2478be509670e60c2d6efd04834b8b47.jpg

Skipper Billy

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    3,112

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    5

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Skipper Billy

    Electric focuser for all sky camera??

    in DIY Astronomer

    Posted

    Every year when I bring my all sky camera in for a clean up and check over I have the same issue.

    I focus the lens without the dome in place but the focus changes when the dome is added.

    After much faffing about I can get the focus close with the dome in place but on occasions its not quite sharp when the temperature changes wildly.

    I am toying with the idea of making an electric focuser - I am OK with the mechanical part (small motor and toothed rubber belt) but how  can I control it with a PC ??

    In the ASC box there is a mini PC running AllSkyEye software under Windows 10 and the ASI 178MC with an Arecont lens.  The PC has spare USB ports. The whole system is completely autonomous but I can access it with RDP from indoors.

    In a perfect world it would run an autofocus routine when the camera is activated (ie when the sun dips 6º below the horizon.) Near perfect would be the ability to adjust focus by 'eye' using an electrically driven focuser driven by the mini PC.

    Any suggestions ??? (Other than - its not worth the effort!) 😉 

    https://www.davidbanksastro.com/all-sky-camera

    declination

    in The Astro Lounge

    Posted

    'West is best - East is least'

    So deduct the Easterly variation.

    So when your compass points at 360/000º then true north is 359.56º

    To be honest the variation at the moment is so small I wouldnt worry about it. It is within the +/- accuracy of your compass.

    • Like 1

    Flip top lid!!!

    in DIY Observatories

    Posted

    Hello Mark

    Just built the once but I altered the half height door to full height after a couple of seasons of use - the bending and crawling on my knees on a frozen surface wasn't doing my old back any good and it was structurally strong enough to be OK with a full height door. It made life much easier.

    The roof is covered in EPDM - very easy to use, completely waterproof and still in good nick 8 years on.  ClassicBond® 1.2mm EPDM Rubber Roof Membrane | Rubber4Roofs

    The handles were sealed inside and out with Sikaflex 291 - not a single drop of water has ever passed even with the grandkids using it as a climbing frame !

    Good luck!

    David

     

     

    52315438934_9b3434c119_o.jpg

    • Like 1

    darks,flats,bias with different scopes and cameras ??

    in Getting Started With Imaging

    Posted

    The purpose of darks and bias is to identify issues with the sensor so you might get away with having a set of darks and bias for a specific camera - irrespective of the scope thats attached to it.

    The purpose of flats is to identify issues with the optical train - any time you change or move or even disturb anything you will have to take a fresh set of flats - its takes very little to move a dust speck!

    For the time it takes I would take a fresh set of all 3 every time unless you have a obsy mounted rig than never gets touched.

     

     

     

    • Like 1

    Flip top lid!!!

    in DIY Observatories

    Posted

    It's never straightforward is it!!

    I would suggest putting 3 x small (450 x 450) paving slabs down on the 'grass' each one with a hole drilled in the middle to take the spike of the tripod legs - that would give some damping and make polar alignment much easier as long as you don't move the paving slabs once you have done the initial polar alignment.

    I would also suggest setting up remote operation - partly for the comfort factor but mostly so you don't need to be near the rig when its working. If the roof has got any flex at all it will spoil your imaging/guiding. 

    Have fun.

    David (aka Skipper Billy)

     

    Pixinsight keeps crashing

    in Discussions - Software

    Posted

    Well it might be a bit previous but I think I have cracked it!!!

    The DISM and SFC routines didnt flag anything up.

    Furmark didnt even make the GPC sweat

    12 hours ago, discardedastro said:

    Does PI freeze or crash? If it's freezing, then it's likely gotten stuck waiting for something. Network drives that no longer exist, disk issues, etc.

     

    The above comment set me off thinking - always dangerous!

    Since this machine was built and set up I have noticed that in File Explorer if I drag a folder across some unused mapped network drives then the system freezes - it does it every time and I measured the time is freezes for - 110 seconds. I measured the time that Pixi freezes and it too is 110 seconds.

    I have deleted the unused mapped network drives and so far I have had it running WBPP with drizzle and all sorts of intensive stuff without any issues.

    I hope this has fixed the problem.

    I cant thank you all enough for your suggestions and generous knowledge sharing.

    Best wishes to you and yours for a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

    David.

     

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

    Pixinsight keeps crashing

    in Discussions - Software

    Posted

    45 minutes ago, Oddsocks said:

    That was one of the options I remembered, there were another two commands, 

    C:\Program Files\PixInsight\bin\PixInsight.exe --opengl=software

    forces the graphics card to use opengl version supplied with PixInsight itself and 

    C:\Program Files\PixInsight\bin\PixInsight.exe --opengl=ES

    forces the card to use Windows default opengl, ~ES is the default opengl when starting PI normally.

    One thing you could try as a test that might take the graphics side out of the equation would be to install MS Remote Desktop on the new computer and unplug the monitor then remote in from the old computer, or a laptop, and run PI headless, if it still freezes then it can’t be the local graphics acceleration environment because that is not used when remoting in via MS R.D.

    If this is a dedicated image processing machine do you really need to run only Windows on the new computer? If not how about putting a Linux partition on just for PI since that always is their reference OS?

    Other than the above does anything show up in the Windows event logs? You can filter the logs in the event viewer for errors and warnings and there are separate logs for the hardware and software environments, which helps pin down where to look.

    Clear the logs first then run PI until it freezes/crashes, note the time and go back to the logs to see if you can find matching timed events, any logged error codes can then be searched on the Microsoft support website for help.

    Some great suggestions there - the two command lines do succesfully open the programme so I will try those tomorrow and then hammer Pixi to see if either works well.

    I will try the Remote Desktop as well. Linux would be a last resort for me (never used it - too intimidating for a thicko like me!)

    There is nothing in the logs relating to Pixi.

    The people at Pixi seem to have a downer on Nvidia cards and almost always suggest AMD cards - I have an AMD card at work I could borrow to see if that helps.

    Thanks for your help William - much appreciated. If I find the solution I will post it here - it might help someone in the future!

    • Like 1

    Pixinsight keeps crashing

    in Discussions - Software

    Posted

    1 hour ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

    Can it do this "Freeze" at anytime or is it just when running certain processes or scripts ?

    Yes - sometimes in the middle of intensive things like WBPP but sometimes just by clicking on a drop down menu!

    The CPU runs about 31º when doing 'heavy' things and the 4 RAM sticks are all identical and from the same batch.

    Your suggestion about a different installation location is worth a try!!

    Thanks for your help Steve - much appreciated. If I find the solution I will post it here - it might help someone in the future!

     

    • Thanks 1

    Pixinsight keeps crashing

    in Discussions - Software

    Posted

    Thanks for the suggestions @Oddsocks

    I have uninstalled the Nvidia drivers and reinstalled them and tried every permutation of the UI scaling without any success. Even just launching the programme and clicking a drop down menu will crash it.

    One strange thing I have found is that whilst Pixi is crashed all other programs work perfectly well - I can search Google for a solution whilst it is crashed !!

    The other weird this is that once crashed , if I leave it for a few minutes it comes back to life and from thereon seems more stable - I cant explain that!!

    I have run ram tests - no issues.

    The last thing I can try now is disabling any on board graphics.

    I regret upgrading to a powerful computer but really appreciate your help.

    Pixinsight keeps crashing

    in Discussions - Software

    Posted

    Help !! I have used Pixi for many years and have just installed it on a new more powerful machine. Every time I use it it freezes and has to be restarted. Nothing intensive - even clicking on a drop down menu will cause it to freeze. Doesn't do it every time but more often than not. I have uninstalled it and removed all trace in appdata etc and reinstalled it many times but still the same error. Any ideas where to look for a fault log etc ?? At the moment I cannot use it at all. The machine spec is as follows..... (Pixi no help at all - 'must be machine specific issue'.....)

    Capture.JPG

    • Sad 1
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.