QHY5LII + APT failure

[Demonperformer]

I have got a problem with my QHY5L-ii.

(1) It works with Sharpcap - so it cannot be the hardware or connections per se.

(2) When I try to run PERecorder I get a black screen and the 'configure' button tries to configure my main ZWO camera (which is not connected). Previously it was automatically connecting to the camera in the laptop, which I have now disabled in Device Manager.

(3) When I tried to run it in APT, it was not recognized. I discovered I needed an ASCOM driver so downloaded and installed both (capture and guide) from this page (V0141). Now the camera is recognized and appears to work, except that no image is captured [nothing covering front of camera!]. I have followed through the instructions on this page, and (except for the camera selection not being IC8300 - it is "QHY5LII-C-6117d81029b92212") everything goes fine until I click 'start', when it starts going through the motions (on the log screen), but nothing is produced. The preview screen is on(fit) and I have also checked the saved files (which are blank).

As both APT & PERecorder are ASCOM-related, my guess is that, if I can cure either (2) or (3) above, the other will be cured as well. And I would also guess that more people are using this camera on a regular basis with APT than PERecorder.

Therefore, if there is anyone who uses this camera on APT, who can offer any pointers as to where I may be going wrong, I would be most grateful.

Thanks.

 

[John78]

Not sure if this will be of any help, different software - but - when I was getting metaguide working with my boardcam I did notice there is a set of special instructions to get it working with a L-II with the line in the opening of "The qhy5l-ii is very sensitive but the drivers and usage is somewhat quirky" so maybe it's got some tips enclosed that might help you out?

 

http://www.astrogeeks.com/Bliss/MetaGuide/MetaGuide520.pdf

 

Page 16 and on...

[Thalestris24]

Hi

Firstly, I'm not sure APT is the best software to use with a high frame rate planetary/guide comera - maybe Sharpcap is better? However, is it plugged into a usb 2 port with a usb 2 cable? I've found mine won't work in a usb 3 port on my PC. You might try running APT as administrator. One problem with the camera is that it doesn't have any firmware as such. Instead, it's loaded into the camera when you connect it. If it gets corrupted, you have to disconnect and reconnect to reload it. 

Louise

[Demonperformer]

Thanks for the link, John.

Yes, I am plugging it into USB2 (my laptop does not have a USB3 port). Will give it a go as administrator. Did unplug & replug several times. I would agree about APT in general, but need to use it for what I am doing.

Thanks.

[Thalestris24]

3 minutes ago, Demonperformer said:

Thanks for the link, John.

Yes, I am plugging it into USB2 (my laptop does not have a USB3 port). Will give it a go as administrator. Did unplug & replug several times. I would agree about APT in general, but need to use it for what I am doing.

Thanks.

Hi

What are you trying to do?

Louise

[Demonperformer]

The first part of the exercise is getting the object centred in the scope. Experience has taught me that, with a combination of local streetlights and the small fov of the sct, this can be awkward for my first GOTO of the evening, particularly if it is an object high in the sky which makes using the telrad problematical (my knees are not what they once were ... no, actually they never were that good!) ... it only needs to be 4-5 degrees out and finding it at the eyepiece can be a nightmare. The simplest way, is therefore to use AT's sync-&-slew procedure. But AT does not work on sharpcap, hence APT. I know the QHY is not ideal for AT, but experience has taught me that I can waste ages trying to get something centred, and so a little effort on my part getting it to work, will pay dividends in the long run.

[Thalestris24]

Hi

If you want to centre a target, the best way is to use platesolving. Am I understanding that you're trying to use the qhy5l-ii on an sct for imaging?? 

Louise

[Demonperformer]

Platesolving is only half the battle. AT platesolves (and syncs) and them calculates how the mount needs to move in order to be centred on the selected target and moves the mount to achieve that result. Usually gets within 1' on this first move.

[Thalestris24]

31 minutes ago, Demonperformer said:

Platesolving is only half the battle. AT platesolves (and syncs) and them calculates how the mount needs to move in order to be centred on the selected target and moves the mount to achieve that result. Usually gets within 1' on this first move.

Hi

It should get to less than an arc minute if you ask it to! But that will depend on various factors. Even so, the qhy5l-ii is no good for dso imaging, especially not at long focal lengths. It's too noisy and I think it can only do up to 15s in long exposure mode.

Louise

[Demonperformer]

Don't worry - I don't use it for DSO imaging - at any focal length.

[Thalestris24]

14 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

Don't worry - I don't use it for DSO imaging - at any focal length.

Hi

I don't quite understand why you're using the qhy5l-ii? It's such a small chip with small pixels and it's fov will be tiny on an sct - unless you're using it with the finder? That might be a reasonable thing to do if you're finder/guider is accurately aligned with the centre of fov of the sct.

Louise

ps APT has an option under CCD settings called 'QHY Liveview fix' - dunno if that might be useful at all

[StuartJPP]

Unless you have both very carefully aligned with each other then I can possibly see what you are trying to achieve...does the QHY camera on the faster guide scope produce an image "quicker" than the ASI and the SCT making framing easier?

If not then I'd have thought you would do your plate solving with your imaging camera through the imaging OTA, which in your case is the ASI1600MM and the SCT...

I use a QHY5L-II-M for guiding with PHD2 and use APT for imaging and plate solving with my Canon camera, never have I needed to use the QHY camera plate solving as I am not too bothered where it is pointing as long as it is in the "general direction".

 

 

[Demonperformer]

I don't understand why a QHY5L-ii in an SCT is considered to be such an unreasonable combination for doing a PE recording. It is a nice long focal length, with a small image scale to give maximum resolution of the PE and has quite a large chip so that the star is less likely to fall off the edge during the 48-minure recording. But, as stated in previous posts, I need first to be able to get the star on the chip. And, also as explained in previous posts, there are practical difficulties in doing just that on the first GOTO. Hence AT's sync-&-slew procedure, hence the need for APT.

[Thalestris24]

Well at, say, 1500mm the qhy5l-ii will give you a fov of only 11' x 8.25' at 0.52"/pixel! I didn't know you were just trying to do PEC training... I don't know exactly what equipment you have as it's not in your sig... I don't know anything about PEC training or what's involved but I suspect the qhy5l-ii isn't particularly suitable. If your seeing gives you better than 0.52"/pixel then you're very lucky!

Louise