Dumb question regarding guiding? Please help?

[oymd]

Have never tried guiding before.

Sorry, might seem very obvious, but not sure how to setup?

I have my mount connected to the laptop with EQMOD/Stellarium, and everything looks fine.

Di I connect the 290MM Mini guide camera to the main camera AND the laptop?

The main camera, 294MC Pro is connected to the laptop, and using APT.

DO I just connect the 290MM Mini to the main camera only, or it needs to connect to the laptop as well?

Thanks

[Clarkey]

Just connect the guide camera to the main camera. The main camera is just a hub and reduces the number of cables.

[rickwayne]

To be clear, there are two different ways to set up guiding, one of which has a direct connection from the guide camera to the mount using an RJ-11 connector (like a phone).

You don't want that. 🙂

Assuming that the 294 has a USB hub built into it, you can plug the guide cam's USB into that. Or you can plug it directly into the computer. Same same, other than the latter means two cables dangling off the scope instead of one, as noted above. Since cables can drag and snag -- it takes astonishingly little force to mess things up -- fewer cables are better.

Can't help you with the software setup -- I use a single integrated package that does mount control, guiding, and sequencing.

[oymd]

Thanks for that.

Yes, I connected the guide camera to the main camera, which is then connected to the laptop.

I am doing a dry run inside, as the weather outside is really bad.

Now, when I open APT, it does not see my main camera any more, just the guide camera?

[oymd]

19 minutes ago, Clarkey said:

Just connect the guide camera to the main camera. The main camera is just a hub and reduces the number of cables.

 

8 minutes ago, rickwayne said:

To be clear, there are two different ways to set up guiding, one of which has a direct connection from the guide camera to the mount using an RJ-11 connector (like a phone).

You don't want that. 🙂

Assuming that the 294 has a USB hub built into it, you can plug the guide cam's USB into that. Or you can plug it directly into the computer. Same same, other than the latter means two cables dangling off the scope instead of one, as noted above. Since cables can drag and snag -- it takes astonishingly little force to mess things up -- fewer cables are better.

Can't help you with the software setup -- I use a single integrated package that does mount control, guiding, and sequencing.

Thanks for that.

Yes, I connected the guide camera to the main camera, which is then connected to the laptop.

I am doing a dry run inside, as the weather outside is really bad.

Now, when I open APT, it does not see my main camera any more, just the guide camera?

[Stargazer33]

Which camera did you connect to APT with last time? APT remembers the last camera used. If you want to connect a new camera you have to hold down shift and then click the connect camera button.

[Clarkey]

APT is a bit of a pain for this. When I used APT I had to disconnect the guide camera and connect the main camera in APT. Then plug in the guide camera and connect this to the guiding software. APT always connected to my guide camera otherwise.

[Clarkey]

Just saw Bryan's post. APT never connected to the right camera whatever I used last. No idea why.

[oymd]

1 minute ago, Stargazer33 said:

Which camera did you connect to APT with last time? APT remembers the last camera used. If you want to connect a new camera you have to hold down shift and then click the connect camera button.

 

1 minute ago, Clarkey said:

APT is a bit of a pain for this. When I used APT I had to disconnect the guide camera and connect the main camera in APT. Then plug in the guide camera and connect this to the guiding software. APT always connected to my guide camera otherwise.

I never connected the 290MM Mini before tonight. It was always the 294MC Pro that I used as main imaging camera, as I had never guided before?

Yes, as you say, no matter what I do, APT only sees the 290MM Mini in live view etc, eventhough in the USB box below it shows that the 294MC Pro is plugged in?

Should I just try NINA?

Never used NINA before, and worried it might just bee too much for me to take in on my first setup?

Also, when choosing cameras in PHD dropdown, should I choose ASCOM camera, or ZWO camera?

The options I see are ASCOM camera 1, ASCOM camera 2, ZWO camera?

[Clarkey]

I have zwo ASI camera in the first box. You then have a choice of which camera in the box with two arrows.

WRT NINA, that is what I use now - mainly due to the auto focus routine and image framing. It is not too hard to set up, but I think APT is probably easier. Personally I think NINA is excellent, but it does have some 'niggles'.

[Budgie1]

To change the camera in APT:

1. Disconnect from the current camera (ASI290)
2. Hold Shift and press the camera "Connect" button in APT
3. A new window will open and about halfway down it will ask which camera to connect too. If it's showing 1 in the box put 2 & vice versa.
4. APT should now show the ASI294 in the bottom right corner window and you should be able to access the cooling function (assuming yours ASI294 has the TEC cooling).

For PHD2 - select to use the ZWO camera.

Another thing you can do to stop APT from using the wrong camera is to open PHD2 first and select the camera in there. Now the ASI290 is being used and APT won't be able to access it as well, so will automatically go to the 294.

[Paul M]

I was just about to give the same reply as Budgie1 but was beaten to it while I opened APT so that I could take a screen shot of the menu in question:

Here it is anyway. If Camera # = 2 and it's the wrong camera try camera 1 and vice versa.

[oymd]

18 minutes ago, Clarkey said:

I have zwo ASI camera in the first box. You then have a choice of which camera in the box with two arrows.

WRT NINA, that is what I use now - mainly due to the auto focus routine and image framing. It is not too hard to set up, but I think APT is probably easier. Personally I think NINA is excellent, but it does have some 'niggles'.

 

11 minutes ago, Budgie1 said:

To change the camera in APT:

1. Disconnect from the current camera (ASI290)
2. Hold Shift and press the camera "Connect" button in APT
3. A new window will open and about halfway down it will ask which camera to connect too. If it's showing 1 in the box put 2 & vice versa.
4. APT should now show the ASI294 in the bottom right corner window and you should be able to access the cooling function (assuming yours ASI294 has the TEC cooling).

For PHD2 - select to use the ZWO camera.

Another thing you can do to stop APT from using the wrong camera is to open PHD2 first and select the camera in there. Now the ASI290 is being used and APT won't be able to access it as well, so will automatically go to the 294.

Excellent. Sorted.

I needed to press SHIFT + CONNECT

Theen chose ASCOM camera in APT

That then opens the ASCOM window.

In the ASCOM window, it seems it does not matter if I choose ASCOM 1 or 2, as if I choose either, that then takes me to the ZWO properties box, and in that box, I choose the ASI 294MC Pro, and voila, it shows up now in APT.

Now, with regards to PHD, after I open it and set it up, obviously it needs to run in the background?

In APT, there is a big button on the right that says: GUIDE. I clicked that, and a few settings showed up. Should I ignore the GUIDE button inside APT?

 

[Clarkey]

You will need to set this to guide options using PHD2 guiding and dithering. Also, you will need to check the 'Enable Server' setting in PHD so it works with APT.

[Budgie1]

17 minutes ago, Paul M said:

I was just about to give the same reply as Budgie1 but was beaten to it while I opened APT so that I could take a screen shot of the menu in question:

A picture always explains it better, Paul.

[Paul M]

As above. APT doesn't have internal guiding ability. Configure PHD2 and it just works! 

PHD2 doesn't need APT to guide it will just guide! But by connecting APT via the server it allows APT to tell PHD2 when an image has finished and dithering can beging. Also it's polite to let PHD2 know when APT is slewing on a GOTO

[oymd]

dear dear....this is SO SO complicated.

but at least my dry run in my dark living room all worked today

I was focused through the window on a very far scaffold with some lights.

PHD was going crazy, understandably, as it could not see stars, and kept warning me it will shut down to avoid hardware damage.

I'm pleased EQMOD and Stellarium played well together. I did a very rough PA in the living room, and the scope was pointing to various targets where it should go.

APT while easy, has a clunky interface.

I tried NINA, got lots of errors and red small boxes in the lower right part of the screen, but managed to get it going. Its nice that it has a DEDICATED guiding tab. Nice interface. Looks modern.

Overall, satisfied.

Thank you all so much for your help on this thread. 

Now, with the ASI Air Pro still in its box, I WONDER how will it integrate with all of this, but that will be for another night!!

I deserve a small glass of wine after my efforts to night, and some tele...

thanks again

[Paul M]

20 minutes ago, oymd said:

APT while easy, has a clunky interface.

It's maybe not as pretty as some but I keep coming back to it having had terminal problems with Linux based software. Blame me, blame my gear, blame my mother if you like but it didn't deliver for me.

Anyway, my advice all £0.00.5 of it, is stick with one platform for now. Get some results then think about where you are going with imaging.

My best results were with my un-modded Canon EOS1200D and APT. Every step further from there I have taken has taken me further from usable results!

[Rich1980]

1 hour ago, oymd said:

 ASI Air Pro still in its box, I WONDER how will it integrate with all of this, but that will be for another night!!

I don't understand, how will you eventually be controlling your setup, via your laptop and APT or via the ASIair Pro on a tablet etc? 

I found the ASIair app easier to use than when I did use APT. I do still keep the software on my laptop but have never gone back to it as cable free works better for me. 

[oymd]

8 minutes ago, Rich1980 said:

I don't understand, how will you eventually be controlling your setup, via your laptop and APT or via the ASIair Pro on a tablet etc? 

I found the ASIair app easier to use than when I did use APT. I do still keep the software on my laptop but have never gone back to it as cable free works better for me. 

I had been imaging without guiding or any connection to the mount for the past year, using a laptop beside the mount in the garden, and remotely connected to it from inside the house with TeamViewer. I would setup, do star alignment, bhatinov mask, choose the target, start the sequence, then go inside the house.

I had never tried guiding yet.

Last month I bought the ASI Air Pro and the 290MM Mini.

I wanted first to setup and understand how guiding interacts with the imaging session, and also how to control the mount using EQMOD and Stellarium. I did not want to introduce a completely new and different platform like the Air Pro, just to avoid overwhelming myself.

The plan is the ultimately I will use the Air Pro, but wanted first to be familiar with the traditional mount control and guiding.

[Paul M]

ASIAir Pro and Astroberry are nice examples of mini computers at the mount and being wirelessly controlled via a remote tablet/PC.

I too operate wirelessly. Mini W10 PC, APT, PHD2, ASTAP and HNSky on a headless PC on the tripod legs, controlled by my android tablet or W10 Lappy indoors via RealVC.

My RasPi 4 is sulking in a drawer... "can I come out now? I'll be good". NO! No! and thrice No!

Anyway, good luck. It sounds like you are on the brink of success. I look forward to critiquing your images 🤣🤪 

 

[Rich1980]

23 minutes ago, oymd said:

I had been imaging without guiding or any connection to the mount for the past year, using a laptop beside the mount in the garden, and remotely connected to it from inside the house with TeamViewer. I would setup, do star alignment, bhatinov mask, choose the target, start the sequence, then go inside the house.

I had never tried guiding yet.

Last month I bought the ASI Air Pro and the 290MM Mini.

I wanted first to setup and understand how guiding interacts with the imaging session, and also how to control the mount using EQMOD and Stellarium. I did not want to introduce a completely new and different platform like the Air Pro, just to avoid overwhelming myself.

The plan is the ultimately I will use the Air Pro, but wanted first to be familiar with the traditional mount control and guiding.

Ah OK, I see what you mean. Try a dry run on the asiair though, you could be spending time like tonight trying to fine tune errors on a system you might not come back to if your aim is to use the pro going forward. 

I don't think setting the asiair up would overwhelm you as it is very user friendly.

[Rich1980]

21 minutes ago, Paul M said:

 RasPi 4 is sulking in a drawer... "can I come out now? I'll be good". NO! No! and thrice No!

😂