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PHD2, QHY5L-II-C Guide Cam & 2x2 Binning


Spaced Out

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Hi all

I’m just learning the ropes so sorry if this is a dumb question !

Can someone please tell me how to enable 2x2 binning with my QHY5L-II-C guide cam in PHD2 ? There isn’t a binning option visible in the advanced options camera tab, do I have to enable this somehow ?

I’ve tried connecting the camera with both the QHY5L-II-C and CMOS QHY5LII (ASCOM) options from the drop down tab, but I still don’t see a binning option.

Thanks

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1 hour ago, alacant said:

Hi. Yeah, 2x2 bin with an OAG could be the difference between a guidestar or not, particularly when the skies change to the barrenness of march-april;)

To get binning in PHD2, you'll need the qhy ascom driver.

HTH and good luck.

Thanks, this is what I've read elsewhere on the internet too, so my reason for asking the question.

I've got the ASCOM driver and the CMOS QHY5LII (ASCOM) option shows in my drop down menu for the camera connection, but when I connect I still don't see a 2x2 bin option in the brain's camera tab. Any ideas where am I going wrong ? 

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20 hours ago, PeterCPC said:

I would try it unbinned. Should work fine.

Peter

Thanks, I'll certainly give that a go.

The camera works OK with my ST80 guide scope just a little nervous about introducing the OAG, people online suggesting guide stars can sometimes be difficult to find with an OAG so they use the 2x bin option and that helps.

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57 minutes ago, Spaced Out said:

Any ideas where am I going wrong ? 

Hi. IIRC, after you click the Connect to equipment button you click Camera Setup (the spanner button next to Connect) in the resulting popup. There's an option for bin2 there.

**If you've been playing with settings, probably best to create a new profile.

HTH

 

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1 hour ago, alacant said:

Hi. IIRC, after you click the Connect to equipment button you click Camera Setup (the spanner button next to Connect) in the resulting popup. There's an option for bin2 there.

**If you've been playing with settings, probably best to create a new profile.

HTH

 

Thanks got it !

So, I've selected 2x bin in the ascom pop up but nothing has changed on the PHD camera tab, is that normal/ok ?

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2 hours ago, Spaced Out said:

I'm trying to save weight

Your stars will lose weight too:)

2 hours ago, Spaced Out said:

nothing has changed on the PHD camera tab

It's something really simple. Just can't rememember. Sorry! Time to write to the phd2 list. To subscribe, send a message to:

open-phd-guiding+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

HTH

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If you try using the QHY5L-II-C  on an OAG you may have problems.  I have been trying to get my OAG to work on a Celestron C8 + .63 reducer, using the Orion SSAG mono camera. I had guiding working fine through a 50mm mini scope on 90mm frac, but the OAG uses a prism and gives you a tiny fraction of the light coming through the scope.  The result is that with the wrong camera the stars are very few and very feint and not good enough for guiding. Many of those who use OAGs successfully do so with a lodestar, which is mono and very sensitive (and expensive). You camera is also the colour version which reduces its sensitivity further.  As a result of my experiences I am going to mount a 90mm scope on my C8 and see if that works, while I save up for a Lodestar. I would be very interested to hear if you get the OAG with a QHY5L-II-C to work. I might just be me.

 

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Tried the Orion SSAG ( same as QHY5 ) on my OAG originally but results were patchy especially when aimed out of the galaxy, had to move the FOV around and rotate to find a suitable star which made framing the target awkward so as suggested I purchased a Loadstar which is a big improvement.

Dave

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On 14/09/2018 at 16:12, maxchess said:

If you try using the QHY5L-II-C  on an OAG you may have problems.  I have been trying to get my OAG to work on a Celestron C8 + .63 reducer, using the Orion SSAG mono camera. I had guiding working fine through a 50mm mini scope on 90mm frac, but the OAG uses a prism and gives you a tiny fraction of the light coming through the scope.  The result is that with the wrong camera the stars are very few and very feint and not good enough for guiding. Many of those who use OAGs successfully do so with a lodestar, which is mono and very sensitive (and expensive). You camera is also the colour version which reduces its sensitivity further.  As a result of my experiences I am going to mount a 90mm scope on my C8 and see if that works, while I save up for a Lodestar. I would be very interested to hear if you get the OAG with a QHY5L-II-C to work. I might just be me.

 

Thanks for this, yep this confirms what I have been reading online ?. I've read the 2x bin can help, hence my original question.

I'm going to try it anyway as it is the only camera I have at the moment, but everyone points to the Lodestar x2 it seems. I'll report back !

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On 14/09/2018 at 16:25, Davey-T said:

Tried the Orion SSAG ( same as QHY5 ) on my OAG originally but results were patchy especially when aimed out of the galaxy, had to move the FOV around and rotate to find a suitable star which made framing the target awkward so as suggested I purchased a Loadstar which is a big improvement.

Dave

Thanks, yep this is the way I can see it going. Just can't afford one at the moment, need to get saving !

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1 minute ago, Spaced Out said:

Thanks for this, yep this confirms what I have been reading online ?. I've read the 2x bin can help, hence my original question.

I'm going to try it anyway as it is the only camera I have at the moment, but everyone points to the Lodestar x2 it seems. I'll report back !

I think if you are going to bin then you need to check your imaging pixel scale against your guiding.  It can help to get a star but may affect things in other ways. 

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On 13/09/2018 at 14:26, alacant said:

Your stars will lose weight too:)

It's something really simple. Just can't rememember. Sorry! Time to write to the phd2 list. To subscribe, send a message to:

open-phd-guiding+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

HTH

You were right, it was simple........ I posted on the PHD2 list and established I was using an older version of PHD2. I installed the latest version and hey presto 2x bin !

Thanks again for helping.

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