QSI Vertical Banding Issue

[PhotoGav]

I occasionally notice vertical banding on subs gathered with my QSI 683-WSG8. Scouring the net I have found an old thread on Cloudy Nights that goes into detail about this problem. It seems that I am not alone. My instance of the issue fits all the descriptions mentioned - it happens in very cold ambient temperatures and is most obvious down the left side of the image. It appears that there is a fix for the issue in a release of Firmware, but I cannot find the firmware for download anywhere... Has anybody else had this issue, have they fixed it and do they have the firmware available to share with me please?

Here's a stack of red subs - taken in the very cold weather just recently. Hopefully I will be able to process it out, but it would be great to have a camera that doesn't create the issue in the first place!

[Davey-T]

I've got 3 QSI683 and not noticed this problem, I was imaging in thick frost the other day and didn't notice it, don't know what the air temperature was though.

Give Atik an email about the firmware as they're up and running in the QSI support department now.

Dave

 

[PhotoGav]

7 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

I've got 3 QSI683 and not noticed this problem, I was imaging in thick frost the other day and didn't notice it, don't know what the air temperature was though.

Give Atik an email about the firmware as they're up and running in the QSI support department now.

Dave

 

Thanks Dave. I've emailed the support at QSI address, which will hopefully give me some joy! I'm happy for you that you haven't noticed this problem. Do you know what version of firmware you are running on the cameras?

P.S. Three QSI 683s is just plain greedy!!!

[Davey-T]

No idea what firmware, they're all different vintages though.

I had plans for a triple imaging rig but couldn't manage to get more than two lots working mainly due to having 3 Lakeside focusers so have to buy 3 different make focusers sometime.

Only got 2 QSIs ATM anyway as I lent one to Rob.

Dave

[RayD]

14 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Only got 2 QSIs ATM anyway as I lent one to Rob.

Feel fee to reduce that to a much more manageable 1 at any time ?

[Whirlwind]

9 hours ago, PhotoGav said:

I occasionally notice vertical banding on subs gathered with my QSI 683-WSG8. Scouring the net I have found an old thread on Cloudy Nights that goes into detail about this problem. It seems that I am not alone. My instance of the issue fits all the descriptions mentioned - it happens in very cold ambient temperatures and is most obvious down the left side of the image. It appears that there is a fix for the issue in a release of Firmware, but I cannot find the firmware for download anywhere... Has anybody else had this issue, have they fixed it and do they have the firmware available to share with me please?

Have you tried Wayback Machine.  You can get access to version 6.3.1 from here (not sure what version you are using?):-

https://web.archive.org/web/20161224162028/http://qsimaging.com/software.html

It appears that Jan 1st 2017 is the last time it took a snapshot where you could download the files directly.  After that it always said to contact customer support.  I did have a link to the beta testing site, but that seems to have been killed off since they updated the website.

Thanks

Ian

 

[PhotoGav]

Thanks Ian. 6.3.1 is the version I am running. I need firmware version 7.1.1 and FPGA 0.2.1.2...

[Mathieu80]

Hello photogav,

 

i have the same issue with my 683ws8...

didi you find the good firmware version ?

Mathieu 

Edited April 3, 2019 by Mathieu80

[Davey-T]

On ‎06‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 21:40, PhotoGav said:

Thanks Ian. 6.3.1 is the version I am running. I need firmware version 7.1.1 and FPGA 0.2.1.2...

Hi Gav just bumped this in case you missed this young mans post, I'd be interested to know how you got on as well.

Dave

[PhotoGav]

Yes, I did get the update and am successfully running it, when clouds allow. I will also reply to @Mathieu80‘s pm.

[continuum]

I have just purchased through Ian King, a QSI 683 wsg which was built by Atik. eather has prevented proper use but attached is a  copy of IC1848 which shows banding on the left. The banding is moire pronounced in the SHo version than on the subs. There has been little processing but subs were Darks subtracted. I shall email Atik to get their view as I would have thought that m y QSI would have the latest firmware.

Ron

[ollypenrice]

On 04/04/2019 at 12:49, continuum said:

I have just purchased through Ian King, a QSI 683 wsg which was built by Atik. eather has prevented proper use but attached is a  copy of IC1848 which shows banding on the left. The banding is moire pronounced in the SHo version than on the subs. There has been little processing but subs were Darks subtracted. I shall email Atik to get their view as I would have thought that m y QSI would have the latest firmware.

Ron

This looks like a different issue. You have one dark column rather than a regular banding. 

Olly

[Davey-T]

On ‎04‎/‎04‎/‎2019 at 11:49, continuum said:

I have just purchased through Ian King, a QSI 683 wsg which was built by Atik. eather has prevented proper use but attached is a  copy of IC1848 which shows banding on the left. The banding is moire pronounced in the SHo version than on the subs. There has been little processing but subs were Darks subtracted. I shall email Atik to get their view as I would have thought that m y QSI would have the latest firmware.

Proper calibration may fix it, if you look at some of Sara Wagers Astro Pixel Processor tutorial videos her QSI has a similar band on flats.

Dave

[continuum]

Still awaiting comment from Atik. So doing nothing at present.

Ron

[continuum]

Reply from Atik suggested that "overscan" was selected in Advance configuration and unticking should cure.  I found that "overscan" had not been selected, but I have discovered that after playing around with download settings on Maxims camera control page if I download subs using "fast download" the banding/column is still there but if using "Use advance Dialogue" no banding/column appears.

Until I am able to try it at night I will assume this is the solution.

Ron

[Oddsocks]

On 06/02/2019 at 11:48, PhotoGav said:

I occasionally notice vertical banding on subs gathered with my QSI 683-WSG8.

 

On 07/04/2019 at 20:25, Davey-T said:

Proper calibration may fix it, if you look at some of Sara Wagers Astro Pixel Processor tutorial videos her QSI has a similar band on flats.

 

On 08/04/2019 at 10:29, continuum said:

Still awaiting comment from Atik. So doing nothing at present.

@PhotoGav , @Davey-T , @continuum, @Mathieu80, @Whirlwind, @ollypenrice

Just a quick thanks to all who posted in this thread. I had this banding problem with my QSI683-8-WSG since new, can't believe that was back in 2012, but as it mostly calibrated out I wasn't that bothered until recently begun using scaled darks for asteroid and NEO studies with limited data in PixInsight, where it became more apparent.

Also a big thanks to Andrew Kirby at QSI support who emailed me the new FPGA and version 7.1.1. firmware within an hour of requesting it, installed in a few minutes and problem fixed....?

The banding in the bias master with the old FPGA and firmware is very subtle but can be seen, it is much more apparent in the darks and totally absent with the new FPGA and firmware.

For reference below are four QSI master frames, bias and calibrated darks, showing the problem before and after upgrading the firmware.

Unfortunately I did not make a note of the original FPGA version, only the original firmware which was v6.3.1, the new FPGA version is 0212 and firmware version 7.1.1.

If Gav hadn't started the thread I would have been non-the-wiser so thanks again...

William.

 

 

Old firmware v6.3.1 and original FPGA, master bias, 999 frames bin 1x1, -15c, high image quality download mode:

 

 

New firmware v7.1.1 and FPGA v0212, master bias, 1998 frames bin 1x1, -15c, high image quality download mode:

 

 

Old firmware v6.3.1 and original FPGA, calibrated master dark, 100 frames bin 1x1, -15c, high image quality download mode:

 

 

New firmware v7.1.1 and FPGA v0212, calibrated master dark, 100 frames bin 1x1, -15c, high image quality download mode:

Edited April 30, 2019 by Oddsocks
Formatting

[Jonk]

x

Edited May 20, 2019 by Jonk
Double post

[Jonk]

On 30/04/2019 at 18:22, Oddsocks said:

Also a big thanks to Andrew Kirby at QSI support who emailed me the new FPGA and version 7.1.1. firmware within an hour of requesting it, installed in a few minutes and problem fixed....?

Could you PM me the firmware file or send me a link to a share please?

Thanks.

[PhotoGav]

8 hours ago, Jonk said:

Could you PM me the firmware file or send me a link to a share please?

Thanks.

Jon, I used to have the files on my Dropbox account, but it looks like I must have deleted them. I can put them back there this evening when I get home from work. In the meantime, here’s the QSI (now part of Atik) website support page with their email address: https://qsimaging.com/support/technical-support/. They might well sort you out quicker than I can if you fire a nice email at them! Good luck, well worth the upgrade. I’m looking for an email address for support to upgrade my skies... and now we are about to enter two months of no astronomical darkness... I despair!

[Jonk]

Cheers Gav, that'll be great.

I haven't done anything for months due to moving house, so the new to me qsi is still in its box!

This time of year is good to get things ready for the new season, and I always look forwards to the perseids in August!

[Oddsocks]

2 hours ago, PhotoGav said:

I can put them back there this evening when I get home from work.

 

Don't worry Gav, PM sent to Jonk with link to Dropbox files.

William

 

8 minutes ago, Jonk said:

Cheers Gav, that'll be great.

 

Jon.

Have sent you a Dropbox link via PM

William.

 

[Jonk]

Thanks gents, I'll download tonight.

I don't know which fw is currently installed and I don't know if the banding issue is there, but I'll check on the bench and upgrade if necessary.

[PhotoGav]

Good stuff, thanks William. Good luck with the upgrade, Jon, and I hope the house move went well. How is it in the Atacama desert with your new observatory?!

[Jonk]

I'll try it shortly, hopefully there won't be any issues - always a bit nervey doing FW upgrades on anything, as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

The Atacama is superb, shame I'm not there though!

House move went well, the next issue is deciding where to build the new obsy....more on that later.

[Jonk]

I have an older version of FW on mine:

I've just run 300 bias and will check once stacked for the banding.

I did a single 30 minute dark and I could swear I could see the banding, maybe because I wanted to see it!

If this issue only happens in cold temperatures, I may put the camera in the fridge or even freezer and run lots of 30 minute darks, stack them and see what happens.

If the issue isn't there, should I upgrade to the latest?

Decisions...