OACApture some images max out the gain

[Fivel]

Hi James.

With the latest version for Mac, most of the captures are fine.

I do get a few (2 or three per Autorun (same if I do it all manually).

Those images come out far to bright. I cannot tell if it is the app or the camera that causes the change.

I do not see any changes to the text file, as there is only one file per Autorun, and the errors occur later in the run.

What do you suggest I check?

Fivel

[JamesF]

Very odd.  Which camera is this with?

James

[Fivel]

Hello James. Thank you for your great app and quick reply.

The camera is a ZWOasi1600mc-c.

This last imaging outing had 3 of those maxed subs out of about 80.

Fivel

[JamesF]

I wonder if there might be some strange behaviour when using such cameras in streaming mode?  Perhaps in some circumstances they work better in single exposure mode.  When I was doing some testing with the ASI174MM recently I found that it just seemed to hang when I increased the exposure time to over eight seconds for no obvious reason.

I can try to reproduce the problem with a different ZWO camera, at least.  What exposure time were you using?  And were you imaging a dark sky?

James

[Fivel]

James, Here is my setup for the camera.

1. Gain was initially at 365, but reduced before the run, to 139

2. The exposures were all 30 seconds.

3. Brightness (Offset?) =10

4. I set the runs for 20 each with Autorun 

5. Limit=20

Here is the text file for the settings

Camera: ZWO ASI1600MC-Cool
Time: 2019-10-18 21:43:36
Timezone: MDT (-0600)
Profile: default
Target: Other
Brightness: 10
Blue Balance: 82
Auto Blue Balance: off
Red Balance: 75
Auto Red Balance: off
Gain: 139
Auto Gain: off
Horizontal Flip: off
Vertical Flip: off
Exposure (sec): 30
Auto Absolute Exposure: off
High Speed: off
Temperature Setpoint: -40
USB Traffic: 100
Auto USB Traffic: on
Binning: 1x1
Temp (C): -29.3
Dropped Frames: 0
Cooler: on
Mono Bin Colour: off
Max Auto Exposure: 0
Frame Format: not recorded
Input Frame Format: GRBG16LE (16bpp raw colour)
Image size: 4656x3520
Filter: None
First frame: 21:43:36.767
Middle: 21:48:26.867
Last frame: 21:53:16.967
Duration (seconds): 580.200
Frames captured: 20
Frames per second (average): 0
Recording type: TIFF
Limit (frames) : 20

Fivel

[JamesF]

Thanks.  I'll see if I can reproduce it here.  Perhaps it might make sense for images of over a few seconds to switch to single exposure mode anyhow where the camera supports it.  I'll think on that.

James

[Fivel]

Hello again James.

Last night I tried the app using just single exposures.

It had the same issue. I am going to check my USB hub today/tonight by bypassing it.

On a separate issue, the app does not save all the settings changes. For example, when I set up the camera cooling there is no 
"Save" button, it is greyed out. Could you ensure that with any settings changes that they can be saved? It does save some, but not all.

Thank you again for your great support.

Fivel

[JamesF]

Thanks for the additional information.  I'll add that save bug to my list

James

[Fivel]

Hi James.

I did the troubleshooting (bypassed) of my powered USB hub.

It is definitely causing most of the issues in colder temps (near freezing and below).

I will be researching to find a better hub.

oaCapture though does tend to freeze up or vacillate between to high of gain or to low.

It doesn't do it as much with the hub bypassed.

When the app freezes (cannot make any changes) I then have to disconnect the camera and close the app.

When I reopen the app I need to redo most of the settings (Gain,Exposure, WB, camera cooler etc.).

Even with the issues, when I can get the camera settings correct, the app gives me excellent results.

So again, thank your for your hard work on the app and your great support.

Fivel