APT dithering during exposure

[Pompey Monkey]

Can anybody please help me?

I have APT 2.9 and I am trying to get the auto-dithering to work properly with PHD2. Actually, it is functioning, but it is out of step with the camera control and keeps sending the dither command to PHD2 during the exposure and all my subs are getting ruined!

I am absolutely pulling my hair out on this.

Has anybody experienced this?

[Leveye]

Try playing with the pause / anti vibration setting between exposures. I use at least 20-25 seconds between exposures as well to cool the sensor down some.

[Pompey Monkey]

I have 30 seconds dithering settle time set. The trouble is that the dithering commands are being sent up to 100 seconds after apt says they have been completed as I can see them on the PhD graph as "dither". By this time, of course, the camera shutter is wide open!

[lensman57]

Can anybody please help me?

I have APT 2.9 and I am trying to get the auto-dithering to work properly with PHD2. Actually, it is functioning, but it is out of step with the camera control and keeps sending the dither command to PHD2 during the exposure and all my subs are getting ruined!

I am absolutely pulling my hair out on this.

Has anybody experienced this?

Hi,

I am not quite sure if APT dithers with PHD2  as the guide progs that are listed are Stark labs PHD, Meta guide, lacerta mgen and APT guiding. I use PHD and APT dithers flawlessly.

Try with PHD rather than PHD2. with auto dither Enabled.

A.G

[Pompey Monkey]

Hi,

I am not quite sure if APT dithers with PHD2  as the guide progs that are listed are Stark labs PHD, Meta guide, lacerta mgen and APT guiding. I use PHD and APT dithers flawlessly.

Try with PHD rather than PHD2. with auto dither Enabled.

A.G

Apparently it does: http://aptforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=368&p=2715#p2715

I will play around with the "Dithering Stability" setting and see how it goes. From what I have seen on SGL, Yoddha will be along soon to help out too!

[Yoddha]

Hi  Pompey,

Thank you for your support!

APT sends only one command to PHD to start the Dithering, then inspects the distance and when it become less than "Stability" setting decides that task is complete.

So I would suggest to lower the Stability value and also increase Settle and Timeout times.

[glowingturnip]

APT + PHD2 dither works for me.

Keep a close watch on the status bar in PHD when you're expecting it to start a dither, you should see it momentarily say 'dithering' at the moment the command is sent, before resuming normal operation .  That's before the 'dither' time stamp on the graph appears.  So if that happens when the shutter is open, you do have problems.

A large dither scale (several pixels) can mean it takes PHD a long time to pull the scope back on target, so maybe you want to experiment with lower.