NINA stops tracking, ZWO driver error and more

[OK Apricot]

I haven't tried that, but will give it a go next time. I'd bought the standalone hub as I read the camera hub wasn't very reliable, but two nights at the same site under similar conditions with two different hubs gave similar results. 

[Anthonyexmouth]

4 minutes ago, OK Apricot said:

I haven't tried that, but will give it a go next time. I'd bought the standalone hub as I read the camera hub wasn't very reliable, but two nights at the same site under similar conditions with two different hubs gave similar results. 

I think most on-camera hub issues stem from people expecting too much from it. 

worth checking the firmware on the cameras. 

 

[OK Apricot]

1 hour ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

I think most on-camera hub issues stem from people expecting too much from it. 

worth checking the firmware on the cameras. 

 

The only device I used through the hub on the 533 was the 120MM, not what I'd imagine was too demanding? Either way, same problems last night using a separate hub. It was soul destroying watching that sky go to waste. I am being pulled (strongly) toward the ASIair now. 

[pipnina]

2 hours ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

I think most on-camera hub issues stem from people expecting too much from it. 

worth checking the firmware on the cameras. 

 

 

9 minutes ago, OK Apricot said:

The only device I used through the hub on the 533 was the 120MM, not what I'd imagine was too demanding? Either way, same problems last night using a separate hub. It was soul destroying watching that sky go to waste. I am being pulled (strongly) toward the ASIair now. 

My RisingCam 571 hub couldn't handle ANYTHING. Even the autofocuser and filter wheel would randomly disconnect from it. I wouldn't trust a camera hub with diddly squat. Maybe a dew heater?

[Anthonyexmouth]

29 minutes ago, pipnina said:

 

My RisingCam 571 hub couldn't handle ANYTHING. Even the autofocuser and filter wheel would randomly disconnect from it. I wouldn't trust a camera hub with diddly squat. Maybe a dew heater?

Surely that's a warranty issue. 

[pipnina]

Just now, Anthonyexmouth said:

Surely that's a warranty issue. 

More likely a problem with the design. USB hubs, dedicated or integrated, are almost never built to meet the actual needs of the USB standard, or are incomplete. Sometimes the software even shuts down devices that don't communicate for a while which can cause a host of issues for astronomy.

Much like the typical USB hub built into a PC monitor, the USB hub in a camera is to be avoided if at all possible...

[Anthonyexmouth]

15 minutes ago, pipnina said:

More likely a problem with the design. USB hubs, dedicated or integrated, are almost never built to meet the actual needs of the USB standard, or are incomplete. Sometimes the software even shuts down devices that don't communicate for a while which can cause a host of issues for astronomy.

Much like the typical USB hub built into a PC monitor, the USB hub in a camera is to be avoided if at all possible...

Couldn't disagree more, paying over 1000 sometimes much more, if a component of a camera isn't working then it should go back to be fixed until it does. 

If the USB 3 ports in my £400 monitor didn't work it would be warranty issue too. 

Only issue over ever had with a camera hub was due to a 120mm camera needing  firmware update. 

 

The most common usb issue I've had has been crappy cables. Although not the most expensive, since using exclusively Lindy cables usb connection issues are nearly non existent

Edited September 25, 2022 by Anthonyexmouth

[scotty38]

The hub on my 294 mc pro never had any issue and I ran a filter wheel and focuser from it no problem at all so they're not all problematical.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

I've also had no issues with the hub on my 1600m also controlling 120m(guider) & filter wheel.... 

[scotty38]

Oh yes I used to run a 120 mini on my 294 too

[OK Apricot]

Ever so strange this... 

Held onto the chance of clear skies tonight following the heavy rain and wind, and I'm very glad to have done so. I have everything connected up in exactly the same configuration. Devices to the same slots in USB ports in the hub, same slot in the laptop for the hub, same laptop, software and settings, battery, atmospheric conditions almost identical except for a few breezy gusts here and there... I'm just coming to the end of 6.5 hours worth of sequences without a single issue. Not even a hiccup. Everything working perfectly.

Other than that, guiding has been a little sub par at 0.9", with a number of large spikes 3"+ which I'm putting down to wind? It's usually 0.4-0.6 but my stars are round so I'm not fussed at all. Just an observation. 

The only difference here is my location - the garden. I don't get it. Seriously, where are my problems coming from when I travel to my DS? Otherwise very happy to have collected lots of new data tonight! 

Edited October 1, 2022 by OK Apricot

[jjosefsen]

Are there any differences in how you power things at home and at the other site?

[OK Apricot]

1 hour ago, jjosefsen said:

Are there any differences in how you power things at home and at the other site?

At home I plug the laptop straight into an external socket. At the DS it's mostly on battery power but I do plug it into either my van inverter or outlet on the battery to top it up. 

[jjosefsen]

20 minutes ago, OK Apricot said:

At home I plug the laptop straight into an external socket. At the DS it's mostly on battery power but I do plug it into either my van inverter or outlet on the battery to top it up. 

I was thinking about any hubs as well, maybe there is something there.

[OK Apricot]

1 hour ago, jjosefsen said:

I was thinking about any hubs as well, maybe there is something there.

USB power being limited when running on battery maybe? 

[jjosefsen]

1 hour ago, OK Apricot said:

USB power being limited when running on battery maybe? 

Yeah something like that.. I just swapped my power supply because I had intermittent voltage drops, and random disconnects was one of the symptoms.

[OK Apricot]

So I had a little Google and found this

It's highly probable that my issues are coming from being on battery power, no? It seems too much of a coincidence that my first hour of sequencing is fine then it all goes pear shaped as the USB ports are limited, disconnecting my equipment? I will disable this feature and report back once I've been back to the dark site - you guys might have helped me crack it 👍

[Gunshy]

Hi,

I know this is a dated post, but I have had the exact same problem, In the middle of the night I had my A-P mount stop tracking, and NINA started throwing all kinds of errors related to ASI, etc.  In fact to get going again I have to disconnect and reconnect the camera - but I don't think the issue is really camera related.   I think this is actually related to median flips and tracking limits....   Here is what I surmised happened.

My mount started the target (second target for the night) in a counter-weights up position with the telescope on the East, so all should be good and no flips should be required.  In APPC I had both "East Limits" and "West Limits" selected.   Judging timing from where the mount was when the problem occurred (I am surmising this because I was asleep), the mount stopped tracking, and all the problems/errors were thrown,  just when a meridian flip should have taken place if the session had been started with the telescope on the West side.   I am not sure who actually stopped the tracking, NINA or APCC, whomever did not know that the telescope was actually already on the East side and did not flipping, not tracking stopped with the limit was reached.   

Further to this supposition was the fact that, in this particular sequence/target, I had the the following commands in which I was awake to observe

 Slew to RA/Dec:  - the mount slewed to the target with the telescope on the West, counterweights (CW) down

Perform Autofocus: - did the autofocus on the target - worked fine

Slew, Centre and Rotate - the mount essentially first did a flip, putting the telescope on the East with CW up

I wondered at the time, why the original Slew did not go to the CW up.   Now I think that there is something fundamentally different between the two Slew commands in NINA.

Although I don't think the problem was caused by APCC, I think the solution actually is to change my APCC settings.   I notice that my "newer" version has been NINAfied with a check-box to "Send Limit with offset to NINA".  I had this checked, but I also had both "East Limits" and "West Limits"  checked as well.   Toggling the "East Limits" box indicates that it should only be checked when SGPro V3 is being used and doesn't mention NINA at all.   Tonight I will be repeatiing my sequence, this time with the "East Limits" box unchecked, and will further post if this was the issue after all..... but I have convinced myself that this is the problem.

At any rate, my USB connections and electronic hardware all seem to be fine and this is an alternative solution.

Cheers and Clear Skies,

Dave

 

 

[scotty38]

Do you have/need "use telescope side of pier" set in NINA - Options/Imaging - Meridian Flip settings?

Edited November 18, 2022 by scotty38