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adyj1

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Posts posted by adyj1

  1. Just thought I'd add some encouraging findings to this thread, as I managed to get out of the 'Firmware Update Failed' cycle.

    The beta firmware for the EQ mode 'AZGTi_RightArm_AZ_EQ_V0316' would not flash, failing at different percentages during the update (I think I tried about 6 times, each time trying to fight back the tears ?).

    I then tried to flash the normal firmware 'AZGTi_motor_controller_firmware_0316' and it worked at the first attempt. I tried the EQ firmware again and that worked first time too. 

    So don't give up if your GTi does get stuck in a failed firmware update cycle - try different firmware versions.

    Ady

    • Like 1
  2.  

    @noah4x4  I think I get it now - we probably qualify as "mutually exclusive" when it comes to offering advice on what kit to buy. 

    Your speciality is the ratified air of EAA, and mine is low-end budget AP (or attempts thereof). No reason for us to fall out, but we are going to be offering drastically different advice that applies to very different audiences. Everything I use for remote automated AP doesn't add up to the cost of that £1,500 camera ? 

    I think that £150 kodlix box is a cracking astro PC and would be an upgrade for me ? 

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 1
  3. 1 minute ago, noah4x4 said:

     This might be true of earlier versions. But I was recently told by TeamViewer Support that in the latest downloaded version that today this is only possible using the paid for commercial version. It was also flaky and unreliable over the Internet, so to get peer to peer I switched to Remote Desktop, which was also free in Windows 8, but now you need Windows 10 Pro, so cost applies there.  I suggest that if your rig is using an older version of TeamViewer you don't ever upgrade and potentially lose this functionality.

    However, this isn't relevant to my main point. For AP it isn't material. However, the wireless route does degrade the (indoors) on-screen view so for EAA cable is typically better, assuming that your camera is large sensor high resolution. 

    Thanks for the heads-up about TV, noah. I will be uninstalling it if I have to pay for offline screen control, as there are other free options. 

    EAA sounds very, very expensive. It is perhaps worth making it clear that your very high (for AP) remote setup is intended for that use. As I said before, when you first recommended 4K UHD on this thread I couldn't understand why someone would need anything approaching that it for AP. 

    • Like 1
  4. 4 minutes ago, noah4x4 said:

    TeamViewer [...] forces you to connect via the Internet.

    Apologies for not correcting this earlier - TeamViewer allows connection between two local IP addresses without going via the Internet using the free version. I use it when at a dark site with no internet connection.

    Ady

    • Like 1
  5. 52 minutes ago, cjdawson said:

    There's no need to use a cloud based sharing service.    Instead there's nothing stopping you from sharing a folder on the laptop, then connecting to that share from the desktop and copying the files directly across the network.  

    Completely agree (although if you had your cloud storage set up, there's no reason not to use it). If you aren't an IT guru, the same applies as to imaging as a whole - start simple, then grow slowly; solving each problem as it occurs. 

    Even with all the wifi and networking stuff I've got sorted, occasionally I save to a USB3 thumb drive on the astro PC and then walk the files up the garden ?

    • Like 1
  6. Each to his own, but I'm not sure I understand the need for high quality images when remoting to an astro PC.

    I can do a whole imaging session (after first alignment and focusing at the mount) from my mobile screen if need be - although normally I do use a 7" tablet for all that extra screen space ? . I only view images remotely for framing - until the images are stacked and processed there's not much to look at... The resolution is of perfectly good quality. 

    If I'm at a dark site, I use a portable WiFi router (running off 5v) to provide the tablet/phone connection, and it works fine. 

    If you are starting out, just look to get a reliable network connection - wired or WiFi.

    Ady

    • Like 1
  7.  

    21 minutes ago, Jbro1985 said:

    I started to use teamviewer but I found it a little unreliable

    I have had teamviewer issues with it 'detecting' commercial usage then putting a bar on the device until I emailed their support, but luckily this didn't affect all devices at the same time (phone, tablet and laptop), so I always had a means of connecting. 

    • Like 1
  8. I think your windows version (on both pcs) will determine whether you can use RDP or not. I never got on with it and use teamviewer instead, with is not Windows-variant dependent. 

    You will have no problem booting up your 'headless' mini PC - it just works(once you've installed the OS and remote access software, of course ? ). When you log in remotely, you are providing the necessary keyboard/display for you to use, and the software will all carry on running when you disconnect. 

    I started off using wired ethernet for my bottom-of-the-garden setup, but added a WiFi repeater in the garage and now run it wirelessly.

    HTH

    Ady

     

    • Like 1
  9. 4 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

    Me to I have a 150pds and mpcc ditched the std adapter for one of these from https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/flo-compression-ring-adapter-for-skywatcher-newtonians-m54.html yet to try with mpcc but works fine for visual holds ep's firmly I have clicklock on my c5 rock solid stuff..

    That adapter looks the same height as the original skywatcher one, so I don't expect you'll have problems - the Baader clicklock is a giant in comparison ?

    That FLO version is a reasonable (and cheaper!) alternative, but without the self-centering and vice-like grip of the clicklock.

     

  10. 4 hours ago, Stu said:

     

    I'm going to set the bar high for today with my entry, don't be disheartened by it and please do still post your entries ;)

    Stu, I don't want to appear picky, and I certainly don't want to put the kibosh on my smartphone snap of the pillars of creation winning a future StuPOD award, but I suspect you've used a  "tracking or decent imaging mount" (from post 1) on that last masterpiece...

    #justsaying

    ?

    Ady

     

     

    235800355_stupodwinner.png.57846ed61e7432f6fa73b7361a9f73c5.png

     

    • Haha 2
  11. 5 hours ago, Davey-T said:

    That's more like it Helen, I had to clean the laptop screen so I could tell the clouds from the muck on the screen :grin:

    Dave

    That's clouds? Dammit I just ordered a barrel of screen cleaner... ? 

    Helen, I don't want to be picky and certainly wouldn't want to try to influence the esteemed and inscrutable judging panel, but how much of Orion do you need to see for it not just to be a poorly-framed  picture of the moon ? ? ? 

    • Haha 3
  12. Ok, with Mike's assistance I didn't drop my primary mirror... ? 

    Which means to say the bolts on the 150PDS aren't *quite* long enough to achieve focus with my Canon 200d with the Baader click lock fitted.  We stopped when one of the three retaining screws had run out of thread ?.

    When I add the Skywatcher 0.9x flattener/Cc, focus got slightly worse, so I do need to add a reasonable increase in screw length. I am currently sourcing screws that are 10mm longer than the current standard ones, and will post back. 

    A shame, as I really like how securely the click lock centres and holds the dslr. I'm going to make this work! 

  13. Soooooo.....

    It appears you can't truly repent until you've confessed... In other words until I'd publicly told all you lot what I couldn't do, I wasn't going to be able to fix it.

    The good news is that now I have discovered the Altair dshow driver was being used (thank you SharpCap) I've been able to get the camera recognised in PHD using the Altair. It tried to go through the generation of darks (and even told me to put the lens cover on!). The less good news is that the darks didn't complete (more than 16 seconds and not completed a 1s exposure), so I may yet need to get the Toupcam driver working, but at least it is progress!.

    I will attempt to make better sense of this, and perhaps write an Idiot's guide - I'm well qualified ;-)

    Thanks

    Ady

  14. More information:

    I've installed SharpCap and whilst I can see some very odd behaviour, have managed to see that the camera works!

    When I open the 'Cameras' menu, I can see four sections;

          'Altair Cameras' under which the 'GPCAMAR0130C' is listed,

          'DirectShow Cameras via SharpCap Pipeline' under which 'Integrated Webcam' and 'Toupcam' are listed, and

          'ASCOM Cameras' under which 'Camera V2 Simulator' and 'ASCOM Toupcam Driver' are listed

    Selecting either of the Toupcam drivers listed results in errors, however the Altair GPCAMAR0130C works (shows a blurred unfocused screen that reacts to light).

    Which has reminded me I tried installing ALTAIR drivers during my many attempts to get the Toupcam working as I understood it was compatible, but I thought I'd uninstalled all of them...

    Checking the Windows folder I do find the 'altaircam.sys' driver installed, so I'll do a bit more investigation...

    Ady

  15. Grierson,

    Yes, the ASCOM Toupcam driver is second in the list in PHD when I start the New Profile Wizard. When I click 'detect' for it to get the un-binned pixel size, it errors with an error message which includes "could not connect to camera". 

    This seems to be the same thing I see in ASCOM Diagnostics; I select Device Type 'Camera', click on 'Choose' and it gives me a dialog box where I can select 'ASCOM ToupCam driver' from a list of 3 (the other 2 seem to be defaults of 'Camera V2 Simulator' and 'Simulator'), so this makes me think the ASCOM driver software is being picked up, but when I click on the 'properties' button after selecting the Toupcam Driver,  a setup dialog appears with a 'camera' dropdown which has one blank entry (so nothing to choose).

    You're right about the website being poor, but it is still better than the install instructions that came with the camera - none. Just a ToupSky software quick-guide printed on four A4 sheets...  I was hoping to create a beginners guide after I got it working, but that seems to be a way off yet! 

    I will try uninstalling ASCOM and reinstalling.

    Thanks

    Ady

     

  16. 32 minutes ago, Zakalwe said:

    If it's not being recognised in Device Manager then it's possible that the camera is a dud.

    Zakalwe, thanks for the quick reply.

    The camera is visible, by correct name, in Device Manager (once I worked out how to manually update the driver). 

    You've reminded me of one other useful info I should have included - the camera has been tested on a friend's Laptop running Windows 8.1 with all the guiding software installed. Got the normal blurred image from it (indoors and not attached to a scope).

    Thanks

    Ady

     

    PS - your avatar freaks me out ;-)

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