Help With Artemis Please

[Johnboy2011]

I tried Artemis again last night but encountered the same problem as the first time I used it. After an hour or two even though I could still see it cycling through the sequence it was no longer registering the pictures is the display window. I checked in the file they were being saved to and the latest FITS files were blank (black) there too. Some images prior to this were banded across the width.

On my first session I thought that this was due to using an unpowered hub which I have now swapped out for powered version. (This seemed to work as I no longer had issues with PHD or CdC dropping out). The other thing I am wondering about is power as I've read that the Atiks need very good USB links and power supplies. I am currently using a 7ah battery pack to power the 314L+ and EFW2, both plugged in to a cigarette style splitter. The battery pack is plugged in and charging as I image.

I am wondering if this is the cause of the problem and I'm thinking of switching to a Hitec Mount Hub Pro to solve all the these issues.

Do you think it is power or am I missing something simple?

Thanks,

John

[andyo]

John this could be a number of things maybe it would be worth running a few tests for example try the camera direct to the pc using a short usb lead with nothing else connected and see if it works like that.I had a problem with My EFW2 filter wheel,the software ran fine for a while and then it just stuck waiting for the filter wheel to change filters.It turned out the wheel didn't like going through a powered hub so I now have it running through its own repeater cable and it works fine.If you bought it from first light optics I would send them an email outlining the problem I find there customer help service excellent.

[Johnboy2011]

Thanks Andy, interesting to see you still had a problem through the powered hub, I was hoping that would solve it!

John

[Gina]

Strange - I have all my stuff running through a powered USB hub except the mount which has it's own USB cable back to the computer. That includes Atik 314L+ and EFW2 and Lodestar.

[Martin-Devon]

Ditto, I run all of mine through a powered hub, but I do use mains power supply - I'd try this as well to see if it makes any difference

[andyo]

Ditto, I run all of mine through a powered hub, but I do use mains power supply - I'd try this as well to see if it makes any difference

Strange - I have all my stuff running through a powered USB hub except the mount which has it's own USB cable back to the computer. That includes Atik 314L+ and EFW2 and Lodestar.

I also run of a bench power supply but this is not the first time I have had problems with powered hubs.I also run my mount through a separate powered hub than the cameras etc as it kept disconnecting, since doing this it has been fine.I was in touch with Steve B from FLO when I had the filter wheel problem and he had also encountered this problem when running one of his cameras through a powered hub with other equipment he thinks it is connected to data transfer etc.

[andyo]

I should add I don't think its the powered hub that caused the problem rather running the filter wheel with the other equipment through the powered hub and then down the one repeater cable was causing data transfer problems,however my knowledge of this subject is very limited but changing the filter wheel to a separate repeater cable did the trick.

[ollypenrice]

Voltage drop or bad USB connections are the usual cause of this kind of thing. Ideally I'd avoid a hub if you have enough USB ports, though we have one hub working well here.

I've only recently started using an EFW2 and have yet to use the sequencer, partly because I'm loth to trust it with a precious night's data! I really must do so.

Try a daytime sequence with mains power to see if that cures it. You could make it a set of darks, for instance. The wheel could still be told to turn with the lens capped off.

Olly

[andyo]

Voltage drop or bad USB connections are the usual cause of this kind of thing. Ideally I'd avoid a hub if you have enough USB ports, though we have one hub working well here.

I've only recently started using an EFW2 and have yet to use the sequencer, partly because I'm loth to trust it with a precious night's data! I really must do so.

Try a daytime sequence with mains power to see if that cures it. You could make it a set of darks, for instance. The wheel could still be told to turn with the lens capped off.

Olly

Thanks Olly the filter wheel is fine now since using a separate cable I have done over 600 filter wheel changes doing trial runs, darks and flats so will be keeping the filter wheel connection separate from the hub.I don't know how John is getting on with his camera as this was the problem posted

[Johnboy2011]

I don't have a separate mains supply yet so tried again after charging the tank for 24 hours. I ran the sequencer to collect flats and after about 15 flats the same happened again. It sounds like my next step is to try the camera routed directly to the laptop on its own and leave everything else that is working through the hub.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to try that tonight and report back,

thanks for the help.

John

[ollypenrice]

I don't have a separate mains supply yet so tried again after charging the tank for 24 hours. I ran the sequencer to collect flats and after about 15 flats the same happened again. It sounds like my next step is to try the camera routed directly to the laptop on its own and leave everything else that is working through the hub.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to try that tonight and report back,

thanks for the help.

John

Sounds like a plan. Hope it works.

Olly

[Sp@ce_d]

Talking of power supplies. This is the one I power all my 12v needs with via the mounthub Pro, as previously discussed John. Bit pricy but I wanted to make sure I had a clean supply & @30amp it should be future proof.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/30a-13.8v-switching-power-supply-509268

[mallorcasaint]

Like Martin I use a bench power supply and also a powered usb hub with my Atik314L and EFW2 filter wheel. I use an active USB extension lead from the hub to my laptop and have never had this problem. My suspicion is that it is either a power or data transfer problem, perhaps due to the quality of hub or leads.

[andyo]

Like Martin I use a bench power supply and also a powered usb hub with my Atik314L and EFW2 filter wheel. I use an active USB extension lead from the hub to my laptop and have never had this problem. My suspicion is that it is either a power or data transfer problem, perhaps due to the quality of hub or leads.

I have a similar set up I use a Philip mass switching power supply a lindy powered hub with attached active repeater cable.I run a gps dongle,qhy5 camera attic 314L+ and focuser they all work fine but attach the efw2 filter wheel and the wheel stops working after a shortwhile.

I believe it to be data transfer problems as it works ok connected to its own repeater cable but these powered hubs are very sensitive any supply voltage fluctuations,for example increase the supply voltage by 0.5v and my laptop switches off.