Nightmare!

[Atreta]

Hmmm, nevermind i forgot that asps downloads the local astrometry server. 

As for the camera, can you access it as a windows wdm camera under phd2? 

[coatesg]

22 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

Second issue: PHD2 refuses to recognise QHY5Lii guide cam

Another setup that works on windoze 7 without any problem.

I have installed the latest ascom driver for this camera (QHY5LIIASCOMSetupV1.2.1.0).

I have tried this both with the guide cam plugged into the zwo hub (from where it will need to run) and also plugged directly into the laptop. I have tried both starting PHD2 first and then plugging in the camera and also starting PHD2 after the camera is plugged in. I have tried reinstalling the driver once the camera is already plugged in (which informs me that it is uninstalling the previous installation).

In all of these events and their various combinations, I get the message during the configuration startup, upon selecting "QHY Camera" from PHD that "No compatible QHY cameras found".

I had previously installed the wrong drivers ["QHYCCDASCOM Capture StarSenseSci V0.1.51.15" and "QHY5IIDriver 160519(Beta)"] which I have uninstalled using the "uninstall program" option. Don't see that this should be causing an issue, but mention it for the sake of complete disclosure.

Having solved issue one (see previous post), I'm confident the SGL community will be able to go "2 for 2". So, any suggestions?

Thanks.

Is the camera recognised in device manager, and have you installed the standard drivers (I suspect you might need both here)? http://www.qhyccd.com/QHY5L-II.html

[coatesg]

I also concur on the Home/Pro thing. TCP port based Comms should not make any difference, and I don't think there should be issues with COM based Comms either. RDP is the biggest missing thing for me (VNC is alternative...)

[Demonperformer]

On phone atm and will check device manager when I get home. Don't have any other qhy drivers installed, but will also do that and see if it solves the problem.

Thanks. 

[Demonperformer]

OK, latest version of main driver downloaded and installed (see explorer pic).

Device manager (see pic) still shows this camera as an unknown device. The first one is on the list is on there permanently and I have no idea to what it refers, the second one comes and goes as I plug/unplug the camera. The "details" in the properties screen (if it means anything to anyone) are "ACPI\LEN0068\5&15D725F4&0".

Another interesting point is the response of Sharpcap (see pic). It appears as an ascom camera, and as a "native wdm" camera (whatever that may be!), but it does not appear as a main camera (like the zwo does) and I get a message telling me I should start it that way for full functionality. Not sure if that sheds light, or merely increases the confusion further.

On the plus side, PHD2 has now added "CMOS QHY5LII Camera (Ascom)" [rather than just the "QHY Camera" which it was offering me previously] to its list of cameras when I start, but when I select it and press "Detect" it still cannot do so.

Does this get us any further forward? Not sure.

Thanks.

[Demonperformer]

Now this is worrying.

On a whim I decided to plug the qhy into the win7 laptop. I have not used the camera for some time as all that I have done recently (quite a long recently) has not required guiding. PHD2 did went through the same routine that the win10 laptop has been doing. So I tried sharpcap and that also failed to start the camera (although it got further than the win10 version).

Does this mean that the camera itself has died since I last used it? ... the nightmare has just got worse!

[Atreta]

It's a longshot but try with a different usb cable, maybe(let's hope)  the cable is the problem. Try the same cable you're using with the asi if they are compatible. 

[david_taurus83]

1 hour ago, Atreta said:

It's a longshot but try with a different usb cable, maybe(let's hope)  the cable is the problem. Try the same cable you're using with the asi if they are compatible. 

Yes, worth a try. I have found using many devices, phones, tablets, etc that charging and data transfer issues can stem from USB cables that inexplicably stop working properly where shortly before they were fine.

[Demonperformer]

That is a good suggestion, but I don't think I have a compatible one. The end that goes into the camera is like the usb3 connector, but without the extra "bump" on the top.

Another thought that struck me in the wee small hours is to try downloading the qhy 'trinity' driver pack. At the end of the day, I have found out how to bin drivers, so I can always uninstall afterwards the ones that don't work/aren't needed.

[Demonperformer]

The other thing that has just struck me, while reading other horror stories about this camera on the forum, is that one of the drivers goes on to ask me if I want to install some other software - can't remember the exact title, but definitely gives the impression it is a 'capture' program, which I have always declined.

I really don't want to clutter my (smallish) ssd with a ton of garbage programs that are never going to be used (which appears to be the main purpose of automatic installers! - GOM moment). But I may try running it and selecting the option to install. (It's the same driver that goes on to install the wdm driver, without giving you any option.)

[coatesg]

Isn't that cable just a type B USB on the camera end? (Rather than anything USB3 related)? Hopefully a cable will sort the issue - but definitely the right approach in trying different cables/PC/ports.

[Demonperformer]

OK. Found another cable (it used to connect an old printer before it died), also installed the trinity package. Exactly the same results. I also tried using different usb ports on the computer and none of them were any more successful.

It seems to me that there are two possibilities. (1) This usb cable is also defunct. So the "cheap" (but possibly useless) option is to pick up another new usb cable. If this works it could mean that the printer has not actually died either! (2) stop throwing good money after bad and go straight to a new dedicated guide cam. The one recommended by FLO for my fw/oag is this one. Can't see what the connector is on this camera, but if it is the same shape socket, then option (1) may not be totally useless, as the new cable would act as a spare.

Delivery time for the new camera would be "4-6 days", so I guess option (1) is the way to go. Staples price £1.93 (online, not sure about instore), so isn't going to break the bank and I can check it today.

PLAN!

[Demonperformer]

13 minutes ago, coatesg said:

Isn't that cable just a type B USB on the camera end? (Rather than anything USB3 related)?

Yes, found the appropriate cable on staples website. It's not usb3, but looks like a usb3 without the extra bump on the top. I don't know the right names for these things!!

[spillage]

I think you mean a usb A to B, same as a printer cable. They should only be a couple of pounds even from a local pc shop.

 

With the camera plugged in and device manager open unplug and reconnect the camera to check which unknown device is linked to the camera. Right click on it and then choose update driver and locate and select the driver you have downloaded.

[Demonperformer]

Purchase successfully made even though it was 50% more expensive than the price advertised on their website. Still only half the price that it would have been online when you include delivery (unless I wanted to spend "only" £33 more to get free delivery!). Popped in to the local Maplins on the way as their closing down sale is in full swing - £11.99!

Anyway on the bus back home now eager to see how much more I am going to have to spend.

[Demonperformer]

23 minutes ago, spillage said:

With the camera plugged in and device manager open unplug and reconnect the camera to check which unknown device is linked to the camera. Right click on it and then choose update driver and locate and select the driver you have downloaded.

Yes, I will do that. It is the procedure that has failed every time until now - no valid driver found - but with luck, it will work with the new cable. 

[John78]

So try this... uninstall everything QHY, then disable auto driver updates, on windows 10 you have, have, have to disable get drivers automatically else it wont work - even once its working it'll destroy the driver for you at its earliest opportunity (it puts a windows wdm driver in for the camera)

https://www.itechtics.com/disable-automatic-driver-updates-windows/

Then install :

http://198.11.176.239/file/repository/latestSoftAndDirver/Driver/QHY5IIDriverLatestEdition.zip

It should appear in device manager under astroimaging equipment if it doesn't something is wrong.

Then install this :

http://198.11.176.239/file/repository/latestSoftAndDirver/Soft/QHY5LIIASCOMLatestEdition.zip

Then assume the camera, cable and port are all working and windows didn't "fix" your driver you should be working.

[Demonperformer]

Thanks, John. I will look into those this afternoon. Initial trials with the new cable were not hopeful!

[Demonperformer]

John, that article, if I am reading it correctly, is about windoze downloading and installing things rather than just installing things it already has within itself? If that is correct, it will not be a problem because this laptop is never going to get anywhere near an internet connection.

The two files you list are the ones that I have been using.

Thanks.

[John78]

I think windows 10 ships with a driver for the camera that it thinks is better than qhys, I had a nightmare getting this to work right.

[John78]

1 minute ago, John78 said:

I think windows 10 ships with a driver for the camera that it thinks is better than qhys, I had a nightmare getting this to work right.

I would add, mine worked 100% aok on a Windows 7 image in the same laptop.

[Demonperformer]

22 hours ago, John78 said:

So try this... uninstall everything QHY, then disable auto driver updates, on windows 10 you have, have, have to disable get drivers automatically else it wont work - even once its working it'll destroy the driver for you at its earliest opportunity (it puts a windows wdm driver in for the camera)

https://www.itechtics.com/disable-automatic-driver-updates-windows/

Then install :

http://198.11.176.239/file/repository/latestSoftAndDirver/Driver/QHY5IIDriverLatestEdition.zip

It should appear in device manager under astroimaging equipment if it doesn't something is wrong.

Then install this :

http://198.11.176.239/file/repository/latestSoftAndDirver/Soft/QHY5LIIASCOMLatestEdition.zip

Then assume the camera, cable and port are all working and windows didn't "fix" your driver you should be working.

OK, Tried this and I have arrived at:

22 hours ago, John78 said:

something is wrong

(1) Removed everything 'QHY' from the laptop except the polemaster stuff (which is all working fine)
(2) Went to disable windows update
(a) Option 1 - there was not subsection (see pic)
(b) Option 3 - amended entry in registry
(3) Ran first file
(4) "Uninstall" page shows qhy drivers installed (see pic), but device manager shows no "astroimaging equipment" (see pic)

However, I'm not sure how much closer this gets me to identifying what is wrong.

Thanks.

[John78]

Isn't polemaster and QHY5-II for guiding a known bug, i.e. it doesn't work.

edit: I can't seem to find the thread on QHY forum where someone was complaining of this...  I dont have a polemaster so I can't test it - but i'd try removing that driver too and seeing if you can get it working - they are in effect the same device, they may even have the same device ID which might be the problem.

edit (again): with the polemaster unplugged if you plug in the QHY5-II and open the polemaster softwawre, is it working?

[stash_old]

44 minutes ago, John78 said:

with the polemaster unplugged if you plug in the QHY5-II and open the polemaster softwawre, is it working?

1. John78 is 100% right if Polemaster is working then thats your problem - a "simple" driver clash. So remove Polemaster anyway(working or not) and install the camera from scratch ignoring Polemaster. 

2. Do you have a friend (Astro or not) who owns a Windows 10 PC(same version as yours - so 32bit Home edition for example) - if so ask if you can install the camera (not polemaster) with the cables you have tried on their machine. If this works it proves the camera/cable/software. 

3. If (1) makes the camera work then its a driver clash. Contact QHY manu / forum for help as they make both he Polemaster and the camera and this is clearly their problem. Microsoft provide the software development kit but the Manu's write the drivers.

4. Do you know someone local who has the same camera and is willing to try your camera/cables on their set up - if this fails even using their cables with your camera there is something wrong with the camera (maybe firmware). 

5. If (2) works and (3) fails to work it could be your Windows 10 registry is a mess or files/drivers are not being "tidied" up on removal. Then you maybe looking at a clean Windows install including ALL updates before you start putting on ANY Astro software - yes a bummer but that's your last option. There are other ways but not for Non IT specialists.

 

[Demonperformer]

I will give your last suggestion a go when I get home.

If there proves to be a conflict I will need to get a new guidecam - there is no way I am giving up polemaster