PHD2 & QHY5 on Linux saturated white camera display

[SteveBz]

Hi Guys,

I'm using PHD2 on Ubuntu 16.04 with the latest QHY drivers (QHY5.HEX etc).  I have PHD2 running, it detects the camera and loops but does not seem to give me an image (I'm trying to focus the guidescope).

I have it mounted at or near prime focus on a 60 mm guidescope.  I was expecting an out of focus image the I could focus, but all I get is a white grid, like this:

I have switched of darks and turned the gain right down, the exposure is set to .02 secs, like this:

and this:

Does anyone have any ideas that might help me to get a focused RA/Dec aligned image on this?

Thanks

Steve

I should also add, it times out from time to time.

 

[SteveA]

Hi Steve,

I'm not sure I can offer any helpful advice here, Linux isn't my forte?, so apologies if these points are a bit obvious...

Not sure if this  is a new configuration for you, but if ever I am having problems like this I tend to do any testing at my desk during daylight. Okay you aren't necessarily going to get any sensible images, but when it's questionable that the camera isn't actually doing anything I would be looking to,see if it can at least sense changing light levels.

Does the gamma slider in PHD2 make any difference?

Do you have any other imaging apps that you could test out to see if the camera is working?

 

Steve

 

[SteveBz]

4 minutes ago, SteveA said:

see if it can at least sense changing light levels.

I'll try that

 

4 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Not sure if this  is a new configuration for you

Yes it is.

5 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Does the gamma slider in PHD2 make any difference?

Not really, I just get clearer patterns, which I'm not sure are coming from the camera or the software.

[SteveBz]

51 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Hi Steve,

I'm not sure I can offer any helpful advice here, Linux isn't my forte?, so apologies if these points are a bit obvious...

Not sure if this  is a new configuration for you, but if ever I am having problems like this I tend to do any testing at my desk during daylight. Okay you aren't necessarily going to get any sensible images, but when it's questionable that the camera isn't actually doing anything I would be looking to,see if it can at least sense changing light levels.

Does the gamma slider in PHD2 make any difference?

Do you have any other imaging apps that you could test out to see if the camera is working?

 

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

Well that set me in the right direction.  When it's a monochrome camera and very over exposed and out of focus, it just looks blank.

I can now see slightly out of focus leaves, so we're going in the right direction.

In the end, I just measuredthe focal length with a tape measure.

Thanks for that.

Steve

[SteveA]

19 minutes ago, SteveBz said:

Hi Steve,

Well that set me in the right direction.  When it's a monochrome camera and very over exposed and out of focus, it just looks blank.

I can now see slightly out of focus leaves, so we're going in the right direction.

In the end, I just measuredthe focal length with a tape measure.

Thanks for that.

Steve

That's good news......I have to say, that being an eternal pessimist I always suspect the worst, but as far as I recollect  I have never seen a grid like that from any of the cameras I've used, I've seen plenty of other weird stuff mind you, but not that. 

Anyway looks like its not such a serious issue...good luck

Steve

 

[SteveBz]

2 minutes ago, SteveA said:

That's good news......I have to say, that being an eternal pessimist I always suspect the worst, but as far as I recollect  I have never seen a grid like that from any of the cameras I've used, I've seen plenty of other weird stuff mind you, but not that. 

As the image comes into focus the grid get smaller, so I don't really know what causes it.

However, with my FWHM magnifying glass I should be able to achieve focus on it without shelling out for a baby Bahtinov mask that I use once.

Thanks again,

Steve.