QHY5L-II PHD problem

[Elm0]

I seem to be having some issues getting the camera to work with PHD.

It seems to work with EZPlanet. When i turn of PHD, i add the camera and then the mount. When i turn on loop, all i get is a white screen like its overexposed. Ive turned down the loop to 0.05seconds but its still the same. 

I put the lens cap on the scope to see what happens and the screen then goes grey and fuzzy.....any ideas?

[Zakalwe]

When you connect to the camera are you selecting the QHY5L driver or the ASCOM driver? If the former then PHD has a problem with the QHY5L driver. Select ASCOM and then then QHY5L in the pop-up

From the QHY FAQ on this camera:
"When use PHDGuiding, software halt at the capture or calibration
Currently PHDGuiding's directly QHY5-II or QHY5L-II plugin has some bug please do not use this directly driver come with the PHDGuide software. Please use the ASCOM to connect between camera and PHDGuiding"

[Elm0]

It doesn't give me an option to select!

Should it pop up?

[Zakalwe]

When you hit the camera button, select ASCOM. The ASCOM window should then appear and select QHY5L-II in there. make sure that you have the QHY ASCOM driver loaded first:

http://qhyccd.com/en/top/download/

[Elm0]

Ah, I get you!

I selected the QHY5L after clicking the camera button. Will give that a try.

I don't totally get the ASCOM thing. I know it some kind of gateway for different programs to interact. This may need a seperate thread but when you need to select a mount in alignmaster ASCOM asks what mount you have. Its has various simulators, ASCOM dome and ASCOM hub i think, what mount would you normally use?

Thanks for you help so far!

[Elm0]

ok I tried what you said. still didn't work.

I decided to uninstall everything and start again. So I installed ascom platform 6.1, system driver, ascom driver then attach camera.

The instructions says don't let windows connect to internet (not connected anyway) then specify that windows installs the drivers automatically.

Well, when I plug the camera in, I don't get the option. no pop un, nothing. I check device manager and its there. driver says qhy5l something b.

Any ideas?

[Elm0]

should i be able to capture daytime images or is it too sensitive?

[Purplehayze104]

i have a qh5yl on a 9x50 finder for guiding which with cloudy weather at night, ive attached the cam to my scope for a try at imaging the sun with some success , its is a sensative camera, i found the best capture software for it so far is firecapture, it has a lot of settings to play with, i had to mess with the frame rate/gain to get any veiw other than a white screen

regards

john

[Thalestris24]

ok I tried what you said. still didn't work.

I decided to uninstall everything and start again. So I installed ascom platform 6.1, system driver, ascom driver then attach camera.

The instructions says don't let windows connect to internet (not connected anyway) then specify that windows installs the drivers automatically.

Well, when I plug the camera in, I don't get the option. no pop un, nothing. I check device manager and its there. driver says qhy5l something b.

Any ideas?

Hi you can check the camera using the qhy Ezplanetary software - that uses the native (non-ascom) driver. You can set the exposure to be very short (ms) to test it during the day. You will have to minimise the gain also. You won't see much if the camera isn't focussed - that may be your main problem. With PHD exposures only need to be around 2s at night. I'd say PHD2 is better software than PHD. Anyway, if you still have problems check the usb cable and port.

Hth

Louise

[Elm0]

Hi,

Ive installed on my laptop which didnt work, so tried my PC. My PC build is highend, so ports not a problem. I used the cable provided but still no joy.

EZPlanetary i get grey fuzz and white when i hit some light so something is registering, although when i put the cap on the camera, i still get grey fuzz

I tried it on sharpcap, but i just get a black screen on that. Does that sound like a duff camera?

[Purplehayze104]

mite be a silly question but may i ask how you are using the camera ? are you using it in anything ie scope instead of eyepeice or the finder etc because you will never get focus otherwise, took me a while to figure that out then you have to move cam in an out to acheive focus point then lock the silver ring in place for future use

[Thalestris24]

Hi,

Ive installed on my laptop which didnt work, so tried my PC. My PC build is highend, so ports not a problem. I used the cable provided but still no joy.

EZPlanetary i get grey fuzz and white when i hit some light so something is registering, although when i put the cap on the camera, i still get grey fuzz

I tried it on sharpcap, but i just get a black screen on that. Does that sound like a duff camera?

Yep, sounds like mainly a focus problem! PHD auto adjusts the display brightness which is why you're getting the grey noise.

[Elm0]

Yep was a focus problem. Didn't work with the camera straight in the scope but when I added a diagonal I achieved focus.

The same with my dslr. Especially on the Williams the focuser was fully drawn. Luckily that was spot on but imagine that won't always be the case.

Have you encountered this problem as lies with both the refractors I have.

[Purplehayze104]

i have a reflector, but mine was ok little bit of fiddling with focus tube in an out an positioning of the cam inside eyepeice holder, took gain & shutter down till i got picture on screen i recognised.

regards

john

[Elm0]

Might try it out on my reflector see what that does.

Run out of time last night although managed to get a couple subs of m57