SV905c guiding camera and PHD2 issue - noise image

[Philobr]

Im new to guiding. got a present of the SV905c

Set it up, PHD2 recognizes it, but when I set it to loop the image that comes back is pure noise.

I tried opening it in SharpCap and everything is ok there.

I tried setting the exposure to different settings and even to Auto. 
Also changed the gain from 1-100 but still getting a noise image.

I would have thought it would show something rather than just noise.

I have to try it out tonight when it gets dark, so might be different.

Just wondering if anyone had issues with it and PHD2.

Thanks

 

[woldsman]

Could you say what guide scope are you using & post a photo of the set up? Most guide scopes achieve focus in two stages. First, a rough stage where you move the camera itself back from a start position where it is fully inserted. Put phd2 on 1-2 second exposure loop and move the camera out in small increments having put on the longest of any attachments it came with. You will see large disks then smaller ones as more stars appear. Second, there is usually a fine focus adjustment. The form this takes depends on the guide scope. For some you turn the nose of the guide scope in the opposite direction to a helical focus lock that looks like a red band. For others, you unscrew three pins and rotate the end of the guide scope. Good news is that once you achieve focus, you can leave the set up locked in place and it is ready to go next time. 

[Philobr]

It's a svbony 905c

I was able to get focus in sharpcap, a mountain 27km away.

Still just getting noise in phd2

I tried changing exposure time and even set to auto

Also changed gain between 1 and 100 in Advanced Settings. 

[woldsman]

The SVBony 905c is a guide camera. Your mountain image indicates it is one shot colour - unusual for guiding but should work ok. The focuser on the guide scope it slots into is the key. You could be quite close to focus but may still not see stars at first. Suggest adjusting the camera then finishing off with fine focus. If it is a dark night you should get it focussed ok fairly quickly. Good luck.

Edited August 5, 2022 by woldsman

[newbie alert]

I'd recommend as above, and also run a dark library.. PhD should prompt you to do it..

Put the camera on loop and adjust the focus, exposure and gain.. put the slider on the bottom to the right, this is for on-screen viewing... Then run it through the calibration process 

[malc-c]

14 hours ago, Philobr said:

It's a svbony 905c

I was able to get focus in sharpcap, a mountain 27km away.

Still just getting noise in phd2

I tried changing exposure time and even set to auto

Also changed gain between 1 and 100 in Advanced Settings. 

Maybe the clue is in the PHD screen shot - it suggests the camera is an SC305c.  I would have thought this would read SC905C if the correct camera (and thus driver) had been selected from the connection window in PHD2 ?

[michael8554]

Your screenshot shows you were trying to expose a landmark with a 1 second exposure in PHD2.

That is a typical setting for exposing stars in the dark.

For daytime start with the exposure set to the fastest in PHD2.

But you have focus with SharpCap, so move onto stars at 2 second exposure.

Michael