First light with Atik 314L+... and a bit lost!

[FLO]

Steve - Thanks for the update - I just hope it wasn't another option somewhere (or indeed the same one )

It won't be a problem either way Andy

[roundycat]

I just remembered, with my Atik16IC if I use short exposures, say under 2s, I get a pronounced white bar across the top as well. That's with MaxIm firing on all cylinders. As I usually don't go below 3-5s for guiding it has not been an issue.

I would still like to know what the banding is with your camera. Could that also be a part of this 'pre' check box?

Dennis

Andy,

you are right about MaxIm and cal files. One of the problems is that if a file is wrongly titled it puts MaxIm into a bit of a spin. It would read your Bias FITS header and think it is a dark and would not therefore do a Bias subtraction.

[AndyUK]

(Cheers Steve... That's very comforting, as I want to keep this one - It's seems to be performing according to what everyone else says it should be doing!)

Dennis

I would still like to know what the banding is with your camera. Could that also be a part of this 'pre' check box?

I can't answer the technical aspects of you query, but I've literally just had this back from Steve @ Atik "Pre is useful when you want higher frames rates. Its used in our Titan camera for planetary more and some of our science users use it with the 314 cameras" I'm not sure if that addresses your query on this in any way(?).

Also thanks for the confirmation about Maxim and Cal files - At the moment I'm probably going to continue using DSS whilst trialling other stacking software (Maxim / Nebulosity / CCDStack). However, at least I'm aware that that I'll need to "manually" allocate the frames in Maxim...

[thenews24]

Ah.... The plot thickens... or maybe I do...

Steve from Atik came back and asked me to re-run the bias/dark, ensuring that the pre checkbox was unticked... I think this may explain the huge variance in the figures above and also what Dennis was seeing as a high bias signal as the resultant dark frame showed no white band at all ( ), and the figures I got out of Fits Liberator (Mark - Not sure where you accessed that info?) was as per attached.

(I think I'm happy now... )

So after reading this entire thread, is having the pre checked the origianl casue to those glowing gradients? I have the same exact problem that you had. My 300 sec dark looks identical to the ones you posted earlier in thios thread. See attached.dark300_005.fit

I will try tonight with pre unticked and see. I hope I don;t need a replacement.

[carastro]

I have never seen this thread before, and reading the beginning I was starting to worry, since I bought Andy's 314L (off the person who bought it off him).  

I was thinking, "I don't have these problems", so was extremely relieved to see that I in fact bought the replacement camera.  

Carole 

[thenews24]

Alright, I know this is considered bad forum etiquette (necro posting), but i think this is important for future atik users. Having the pre box checked does effect the quality of the frame whether dark, bias or light. I redid some darks making sure pre was unchecked. Here is my 300 sec result:

dark300_013.fit

Looks right to me. Hope this helps somebody in the futire

[NickK]

Pre is Preview mode

Not using preview mode for exposures will give you a better image.

[AndyUK]

I have never seen this thread before, and reading the beginning I was starting to worry, since I bought Andy's 314L (off the person who bought it off him).  

I was thinking, "I don't have these problems", so was extremely relieved to see that I in fact bought the replacement camera.  

Carole 

Hi Carole - No, the original 314L+ was swapped over by FLO very promptly... and that was the one I subsequently sold on... and you then bought - I can confirm there was absolutely nothing wrong with the replacement  .   Embarrassingly though, i think I have to say that there was almost certainly nothing wrong with the original either - It was all down to having that pre option checked

[carastro]

I don't remember ever seeing a pre option in Artemis, must have a search for it next time I am using it.  But must remember not to tick it. Lol

Carole