Nightmare!

[Demonperformer 3,455]

Setting up all the software on my win10 laptop and getting things to talk to one another is a nightmare.

I'm starting a new thread, so I can post all the problems I am having, one at a time, so issues don't get confused. This will also hopefully help anyone coming to similar situations later, as the problems and answers will not be interlaced.

First issue: APT does not detect ZWO camera.

I have got the camera (ZWO) drivers installed and sharpcap can see it and will connect to it properly. However, when I try to connect the camera in APT, the only CCD options it gives me are SBIG (which it isn't), QSI (which it isn't) and ASCOM. Now it shouldn't need to use an ascom driver, because the proper driver is installed, but I give it a go anyway, and this just offers me 2 simulators and 3 QHY cameras (I have one qhy driver installed for the guidecam .... I'll get to that later!). I have disconnected both the filterwheel and guide camera from the camera hub, so they cannot be interefering with the process.

I am at a total loss ... any suggestions?

Thanks.

[coatesg 808]

There's no native support for ZWO in APT - you need to use the ASCOM driver. See Supported Devices: https://ideiki.com/astro/Default.aspx

[Rob 454]

Straight off the top of my head. How about Win 10 compatibility mode? 

[coatesg 808]

 

1 minute ago, Rob said:

Straight off the top of my head. How about Win 10 compatibility mode? 

I have a ASI120MM running under Win10 with no issues regarding compatability mode = I'd be checking that you have installed both the native ZWO driver, *and* the ZWO ASCOM driver (they are 2 separate downloads on the ZWO site: https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/software/). It sounds like you either haven't got the separate ASCOM driver, or it's not installed properly. 

[Demonperformer 3,455]

Thanks. I'll have a look for the ascom driver this afternoon. 

[Dr_Ju_ju 1,027]

I have both a 120mm & 1600mm running happily on a Win 10, together with mount\focuser\phd2\ansvr\filter wheel etc. all being run by either APT\SGPro etc.

As a first starting point, go to https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/software/ and download\install the latest versions of all the drivers, also install ASICap (its useful as it will run two instances, so can have both cameras active at once)

 

[Sunshine 1,617]

God do i detest PC's, Apple convert since i literally ran my PC tower over with my car and you tubed it years ago.

[Demonperformer 3,455]

46 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

I have both a 120mm & 1600mm running happily on a Win 10, together with mount\focuser\phd2\ansvr\filter wheel etc. all being run by either APT\SGPro etc.

As a first starting point, go to https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/software/ and download\install the latest versions of all the drivers, also install ASICap (its useful as it will run two instances, so can have both cameras active at once)

 

Thanks.

I already have the latest proper driver and will, as above, download the ascom driver when I get back to my desktop this afternoon. What do I need asicap for?

[John78 243]

The ascom driver for ASI only drives 1 ascom ASI camera.  If you need to use 2 (ASI and ascom cameras) you need it, but if the other camera is not an ASI or a guide cam with PHD2 it's ok as it doesn't require the ascom driver.

Word from the wise, in my experience the ASI ascom driver/APT combo is pathetic, well, probably worse than pathetic, unusable - you can use SharpCap but dithering is non-trivial unless there's been recent updates, SGP very very good.

[Dr_Ju_ju 1,027]

ASICap, needs no additional drivers, as long as you've installed the main driver.

 

One thought that has just struck me... Which version of Windows 10 are you using?, hopefully the Pro version, as there are gotchas with the cut-down versions.

Edited April 6, 2018 by Dr_Ju_ju

[Demonperformer 3,455]

1 hour ago, John78 said:

The ascom driver for ASI only drives 1 ascom ASI camera.  If you need to use 2 (ASI and ascom cameras) you need it, but if the other camera is not an ASI or a guide cam with PHD2 it's ok as it doesn't require the ascom driver.

Word from the wise, in my experience the ASI ascom driver/APT combo is pathetic, well, probably worse than pathetic, unusable - you can use SharpCap but dithering is non-trivial unless there's been recent updates, SGP very very good.

I will only be using 1 zwo camera at a time (either 224 or 1600). My guide cam is a qhy & I have installed the ascom driver for that.

I would prefer to use sharpcap, but will be running the pointing program on apt and am going to try imaging with it as well. If it becomes too much hassle I will revert.

[Demonperformer 3,455]

43 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

ASICap, needs no additional drivers, as long as you've installed the main driver.

 

One thought that has just struck me... Which version of Windows 10 are you using?, hopefully the Pro version, as there are gotchas with the cut-down versions.

I'm obviously being dense. No additional drivers to do what? If I need to install the ascom driver to use the cam on apt, what is the benefit? 

Not sure which win10 it is - will check when I get home.

[John78 243]

Wait, you only want APT for plate solving?  I wouldn't even bother.  Sharpcap has that built in now...

https://www.sharpcap.co.uk/sharpcap/features/plate-solving

APT is a great tool for a Canon DSLR owner but its like using then end of a screwdriver for a hammer for an ASI1600....

[Demonperformer 3,455]

One of my reasons for going to apt is that I am trying to get away from AT that I always found to be temperamental at the best of times. The other 2 options require the computer that they are being installed on to connect to the Internet  (which this one isn't). I wonder if AT in sharpcap is better than AT on its own?

[Demonperformer 3,455]

3 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

One thought that has just struck me... Which version of Windows 10 are you using?, hopefully the Pro version, as there are gotchas with the cut-down versions.

It's windoze 10 home.

[Dr_Ju_ju 1,027]

Then you may have issues getting all the 'bits' talking to each other, as most of the software we use, acts on a client\server basis, which Home version is deliberately ham-stringed to disable such software working (its based on the user not needing to 'worry' about security, Microsoft has it covered ). 

[stash_old 598]

1 hour ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Then you may have issues getting all the 'bits' talking to each other, as most of the software we use, acts on a client\server basis, which Home version is deliberately ham-stringed to disable such software working (its based on the user not needing to 'worry' about security, Microsoft has it covered ). 

Sorry that is not 00% correct - I use Win 10 home on my tablet and it happily runs a number of apps ,which I have written , using TCP client/ server / UDP basis. Plus you can run CDC on another PC and connect to it in "Client/Server" mode with ease. 

Yes I know certain features don't exist on the Home edition - RDP ,Virtualisation ,Bitlocker etc and "buffers"/resources are managed differently but disabled "client/server" working ?????

 

So could you please expand on what you mean by "deliberately ham-stringed to disable such software working" 

P.S. APT does NOT support Native ZWO only via ASCOM ZWO drivers!

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by stash_old

[Grierson 72]

Sorry if this is 'teaching grandmother to ... etc' but do your see the 'ASCOM Camera Chooser' dialogue box appear after you have clicked connect and selected CCD ASCOM Camera when the  'Selected Camera Type' dialogue box appears. (For CCD read CMOS for the 1600!) If you do get the ASCOM Chooser select ASI Camera (1) from the drop down list and that should connect the camera. (Assuming it's plugged in of course)

[Demonperformer 3,455]

It isn't there - only simulators (2) & qhy (3). Once I install the zwo driver, it will hopefully do that.

Thanks.

[Demonperformer 3,455]

I have downloaded the ascom driver for these cameras from zwo site (v1.0.3.15) and will transfer it to the laptop later this morning.

I have also been thinking about the AT/Sharpcap option rather than APT.

For several reasons, I prefer using Sharpcap to APT as my capture program, so if AT works better as part of sharpcap than it did as a standalone program, it would make sense to go with that. Simple solution is to "suck it and see". So I will also install AT and transfer all the index files from my windoze 7 machine onto the new laptop and can try it. If it performs, I can remove APT completely, releasing that space for data. If it doesn't, then I still have Platesolve2 to fall back on.

I guess that, even if I remove APT, having the zwo ascom driver installed will not be a major drain on my ssd space, and may even help connectivity with some other part of the system.

Plan!

Thanks.

[John78 243]

15 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

One of my reasons for going to apt is that I am trying to get away from AT that I always found to be temperamental at the best of times. The other 2 options require the computer that they are being installed on to connect to the Internet  (which this one isn't). I wonder if AT in sharpcap is better than AT on its own?

Nowt wrong with AT, just need the right settings binning being the first and obv the fov (and search radius).  However sharpcap can also use ASPS which is what APT uses behind the scenes iirc and both AT and ASPS run using the index files from astrometry.

The bottom line is, if you can upload your image to astrometry and it can solve it, you can also solve it offline using AT or ASPS if you prefer.

[Demonperformer 3,455]

There was "nowt wrong with AT" - when it worked! Settings are, of course, important, but that does not explain why it will work on one go, but redo the same field immediately afterwards and it fails.

APT has 2 options, ASPS is one, but setting that up requires the computor on which it is being installed to be connected to the Internet. As stated above, my new laptop is not being allowed anywhere near the Internet. 

The other APT option is PS2, which allows you to download everything you need and transfer those files onto the laptop you will be using. This is the option I have provisionally put onto the laptop.

[Demonperformer 3,455]

ZWO ascom driver added and APT  recognies it.

RESULT!

[Demonperformer 3,455]

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.

[Atreta 521]

12 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

There was "nowt wrong with AT" - when it worked! Settings are, of course, important, but that does not explain why it will work on one go, but redo the same field immediately afterwards and it fails.

APT has 2 options, ASPS is one, but setting that up requires the computor on which it is being installed to be connected to the Internet. As stated above, my new laptop is not being allowed anywhere near the Internet. 

The other APT option is PS2, which allows you to download everything you need and transfer those files onto the laptop you will be using. This is the option I have provisionally put onto the laptop.

You can also do that for asps,all you need to do is set it up on your other computer, download all the indexes that match your gear and copy it to the "no internet" notebook. 

the index files are located under  the "users\yourusername\appdata\local\astrometry\usr\share\astrometry\data" 

As for the second problem I'm trying to understand it, sure you'll find a solution in here.

Edited April 7, 2018 by Atreta