Stupid ASCOM window QHY268

[DaveS]

Thanks Louise

I've been having more problems with the device not recognised, which i "solved" by unplugging and replugging the USB cable. Managed to take some flats using autosave in Maxim.

Going to have a doze for a while then try the forum, if I can remember which bork happened when, there have been so many of them, and seemingly random

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Just a quickie to say my setup all working now (well it seems as if it is - next clear night will tell) thanks to help from @Endolf .
All my fault really but lack of easy to find info and a good manual from QHY doesn't help those not so tech savy 🙂 

I started another thread if anyone need to know the whys and wherefores 🙂 

QHY 268M camera & QHY CFW3 filter wheel with KStars / EKOS / INDI

Steve

[Thalestris24]

4 hours ago, DaveS said:

I managed to do that from Device Manager, but it made no difference.

'Update driver' will likely only install the current official release, not the beta - I think! I would manually click on the beta, install it, switch everything off, and try again!

[DaveS]

Done that, still get the ASCOM window.

[Thalestris24]

7 minutes ago, DaveS said:

Done that, still get the ASCOM window.

Hmm... when does this window come up, exactly? Might it be possible to try another camera control program - like APT or Sharpcap? I think qhy part of China is about 8 hours ahead of us so probably won't hear back from them for a while, at least.

[DaveS]

When I click Connect in the Maxim camera control window the cooler buttons are still grey until the Gain / Offset window pops up, then they become black and can be clicked.

We may have enough clear sky tonight to run tests in Sequence to see if it will capture images or just hang.

On the Platform computer I only have Maxim as that is required by the ASA software. And no, I don't know why they did that instead of writing their own capture routine.

[Thalestris24]

1 minute ago, DaveS said:

When I click Connect in the Maxim camera control window the cooler buttons are still grey until the Gain / Offset window pops up, then they become black and can be clicked.

We may have enough clear sky tonight to run tests in Sequence to see if it will capture images or just hang.

On the Platform computer I only have Maxim as that is required by the ASA software. And no, I don't know why they did that instead of writing their own capture routine.

Erm... When you say 'platform computer' I'm wondering if you mean a dedicated bespoke system rather than a pc or laptop? I'm in the dark...

[DaveS]

Sorry.

It's the mini PC in a cabinet on the platform where the 130 apo is mounted. It only has the bare software needed to run the imaging rig. There is another mini PC in the obsy to run that rig.

[Thalestris24]

Oh ok, I'm getting the picture now. However, do you have a laptop you could use just with the camera as a sanity check?

It all looks very straightforward in their online manual. They used Maxim DL 6 pro and Ascom plug-in version 6.11.0 . If it were me I'd probably try and duplicate that if I was having all the problems you are. I bet it's going to be something small that's the problem!

Louise

ps they do caution to cut the power to the camera and not unplug the usb, should you need to reset it

Edited February 25, 2021 by Thalestris24

[DaveS]

Well I don't know anymore. When I booted up the mount control software it hung at a critical point. First time it's done that since I set it up here.

My laptop is a very old i5 machine that has Maxim on it, though I'm not sure which version. 

[Sp@ce_d]

This isn't something like a window opening up behind another window is it?.. I've had this some time ago with an Ascom device opening up a config window on first connection only to be "covered" by another window very quickly after. If I recall it couldn't be moved out of way and after several attempts of rapidly clicking away where it opens I managed to catch it's "ok" button!

[DaveS]

I don't think so, it looks genuine.

[DaveS]

I managed to run a pointing model in ASA Sequence, which is looking OK.

[DaveS]

OK, got the pointing model done but there are still lots of borks to sort out, the autofocus is playing silly whatsits with me, and I still need to find out why the mount froze during the set up stage.

But enough for tonight, going to relax now and watch some telly.

More headbanging tomorrow

[DaveS]

I got a reply from QHY with a link to the latest ASCOM driver. After twisting Windows's arm I managed to install it

That stupid window is still there but at least I can now set the offset as well as the gain.

Would be nice if I could also set the read mode as well.

[Thalestris24]

32 minutes ago, DaveS said:

I got a reply from QHY with a link to the latest ASCOM driver. After twisting Windows's arm I managed to install it

That stupid window is still there but at least I can now set the offset as well as the gain.

Would be nice if I could also set the read mode as well.

That must have been the beta driver?

[DaveS]

I think it must have been, though the firmware was / is the latest version.

[Thalestris24]

Just now, DaveS said:

I think it must have been, though the firmware was / is the latest version.

That's different from driver. The beta driver was the one I said you had to select manually. Hope all goes well now!

Louise