Christmas nighmere

[francis8]

Hi, i got a heq5, 150 pds and a beelink mini pc for Chistmas, lucky me, so i thought,  downloaded all the programs,conected thru remote desktop, mount working with eqmod, pegasus power pocket working all connecting to nina, camera time, zwo mini 120 and 585 no connected  message, on nina, sharcap, phd2 even no showing on device manager, zwo windows driver and ascom driver downloaded, i try to conect again to my old set up, eq3 with astroberry, they were running with no problem for the past few months, now no connecting to that neither,  this is my third day of trying with no joy, deleted and install all programs twice, watch youtube videos till my eyes were sore.

i need help

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Cameras not connecting for various reasons are not uncommon problems most people suffer from time to time when trying new setups.
For me what I always try to do when this happens is go back to basics:-

• Try conecting ccd (one at a time) directly to a laptop or desktop PC with a shortish USB cable using the manufacturers software. This will at least make you feel happier if it works as it proves the camera(s) are working fine.
• If any issues first rtry some different USB cables, and keep them under 3M in length and not active cables.
• Using NINA on same laptop or desktop, same cable,  install NINA and again try a profile that just has one CCD enabled and get this to connect. If any issues then normally means you are running the wrong driver for the camera.
• If that works then should work on mini PC again using same cable and driver.
• Then if you have it working so far re-introduce the pegasus PPB, and if it worked with previous tests but not now then try different USB ports on the PPB, I seem to remember there is at least one USB port that cannot be used by some CCD's as there is no USB2 downward compatability (I could be wrong, just something at the back of my mind).

Steve

Edited December 27, 2022 by teoria_del_big_bang

[francis8]

18 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Cameras not connecting for various reasons are not uncommon problems most people suffer from time to time when trying new setups.
For me what I always try to do when this happens is go back to basics:-

• Try conecting ccd (one at a time) directly to a laptop or desktop PC with a shortish USB cable using the manufacturers software. This will at least make you feel happier if it works as it proves the camera(s) are working fine.
• If any issues first rtry some different USB cables, and keep them under 3M in length and not active cables.
• Using NINA on same laptop or desktop, same cable,  install NINA and again try a profile that just has one CCD enabled and get this to connect. If any issues then normally means you are running the wrong driver for the camera.
• If that works then should work on mini PC again using same cable and driver.
• Then if you have it working so far re-introduce the pegasus PPB, and rey different USB ports on the PPB, I seem to remember there is at least one USB port that cannot be used by some CCD#s as there is no USB2 downward compatability (I could be wrong, just something at the back of my mind).

Steve

thanks Steve i will try that

 

[david_taurus83]

Have you definitely got the latest ZWO camera driver installed? Have you tried with one camera first and see if it all connects? It's a known issue where PHD and imaging software conflict with camera selection especially if they are same brand. Are you connected through the Pegasus box or direct to the PC?

[francis8]

3 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

Have you definitely got the latest ZWO camera driver installed? Have you tried with one camera first and see if it all connects? It's a known issue where PHD and imaging software conflict with camera selection especially if they are same brand. Are you connected through the Pegasus box or direct to the PC?

hi David, i have tried everything, usb power hub, direct to laptop and mini pc, with  pegasus box, without, there is not conflict on phd2 because phd2 is not even conecting  to any of the 2 cameras, i just tried what Steve said before, deleted every program on my laptop, downloaded the latest zwo drivers and ascom platform with no luck , still cameras are no connected  message, before i connected to the mini pc the cameras were working fine but since then  they stopped working even if I'm disconnected from the mini pc, just tried my daughters laptop got the zwo drivers on it and no luck again ,if i connect something on the same usb port you can hear the noise as it connects but if i connect any of the camaras nothing at all,  starting to think that is somthing wrong with the camaras, witch it will be weird because both stop working at the  same time  

[david_taurus83]

Have you tried Sharpcap or ASIcap? Anything showing in device manager? Is it just the cameras that don't work?

[david_taurus83]

Also, have you installed both ASI Ascom driver and ASI camera driver?

 

[francis8]

13 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

Also, have you installed both ASI Ascom driver and ASI camera driver?

 

yes to both and not even flicker when connecting, im not computer savi but i had everything connected and working in my other setup but now is just dead, if it wasn't because im a 60 year old man, i will cry my eyes out

  

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Not much I can add only to say if both cameras have gone dead then it had to be some spurious voltge that has taken them both out at the same time. The odds of both dying at the same time for no real reason except end of life are huge and I just cant see that happening.
So with that in mind can you recall any incedent where you may have plugged in a wrong power supply, even briefley, or any odd incedent you can think off.
I ask because last year when I was 60 I did this by using a USB hub (and not my Pegasus hub) but accidently powered it with a 12V supply when it needed 5V and that took my ZWO gide camera out, luckily did not seem to affect my QHY imaging ccd.

If you get no joy soon contact FLO they can look at the cameras and at least confirm they work or not and may even repaie minor issues but can also send them off to China for repair (obviously take some time to get them back).

Steve

[francis8]

16 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Not much I can add only to say if both cameras have gone dead then it had to be some spurious voltge that has taken them both out at the same time. The odds of both dying at the same time for no real reason except end of life are huge and I just cant see that happening.
So with that in mind can you recall any incedent where you may have plugged in a wrong power supply, even briefley, or any odd incedent you can think off.
I ask because last year when I was 60 I did this by using a USB hub (and not my Pegasus hub) but accidently powered it with a 12V supply when it needed 5V and that took my ZWO gide camera out, luckily did not seem to affect my QHY imaging ccd.

If you get no joy soon contact FLO they can look at the cameras and at least confirm they work or not and may even repaie minor issues but can also send them off to China for repair (obviously take some time to get them back).

Steve

I did power the usb hub thru the pegasus,  you recon that could be the problem

[teoria_del_big_bang]

4 minutes ago, francis8 said:

I did power the usb hub thru the pegasus,  you recon that could be the problem

if its a 5V hub then yes that is exactly what I did, and just didnt think because the connectors are idemtical 5.5 / 2.1 plugs.

Steve

[francis8]

Just now, teoria_del_big_bang said:

if its a 5V hub then yes that is exactly what I did, and just didnt think because the connectors are idemtical 5.5 / 2.1 plugs.

Steve

now i feel like crying, looks like i wont be able to enjoy my present for a wile, thanks Steve for your help

[teoria_del_big_bang]

I should add unless it was a variable voltage output (spme pegasus hubs have this available) and the voltage was reduced to 5V.

All a bit odd because many reckon it shouldnt have happened as I think I only had two things connected to the hub and the cameras were connected to the Pegasus which is powered by 12v anywaybut it actually took out 1 ZWO ccd, a DSD rotator, a Sesto Senso focusser and the pegasus hub itself (oh and the 5V usb hub I needed for one extra USB port than I had on the Pegasus.

[francis8]

2 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

I should add unless it was a variable voltage output (spme pegasus hubs have this available) and the voltage was reduced to 5V.

All a bit odd because many reckon it shouldnt have happened as I think I only had two things connected to the hub and the cameras were connected to the Pegasus which is powered by 12v anywaybut it actually took out 1 ZWO ccd, a DSD rotator, a Sesto Senso focusser and the pegasus hub itself (oh and the 5V usb hub I needed for one extra USB port than I had on the Pegasus.

the pegasus i got is the first one out, no usb ports, i conected the usb pord with both cameras  directly from the pegasus, the pegasus and usb hup are still working but no life on the cameras, you learn from your mistakes unfortunaly,

[teoria_del_big_bang]

2 minutes ago, francis8 said:

now i feel like crying, looks like i wont be able to enjoy my present for a wile, thanks Steve for your help

I think I did cry, luckily I giot most items repaired for much less than as new cost but I was out of action for several weeks.

I hope this is not the case for you, certainly worth contacting FLO and possibly sending the cameras off to FLO to confirm, they can then handle the repair (maybe by returning to China).

The think I did wrong was to use a one to one cable to power the hub which connected 12V  from the Pegasus to the USB hub,  but it came with a 5V power supply.
IS this similar to your case, was the usb hub suppossed to be 5V AND was the power you used the 12V from pegasus?

Steve

[francis8]

4 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

I think I did cry, luckily I giot most items repaired for much less than as new cost but I was out of action for several weeks.

I hope this is not the case for you, certainly worth contacting FLO and possibly sending the cameras off to FLO to confirm, they can then handle the repair (maybe by returning to China).

The think I did wrong was to use a one to one cable to power the hub which connected 12V  from the Pegasus to the USB hub,  but it came with a 5V power supply.
IS this similar to your case, was the usb hub suppossed to be 5V AND was the power you used the 12V from pegasus?

Steve

yes i just check and it is 5 and 12 volts

[teoria_del_big_bang]

If this is the reason I am so sorry, I was devastated and in the end laid out a further £500 for the 6 USB Pegasus so make sure it never happened again, money I didnt really have to have to spare but a year on glad I did once it was all up and working again.
 

Steve

[francis8]

10 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

If this is the reason I am so sorry, I was devastated and in the end laid out a further £500 for the 6 USB Pegasus so make sure it never happened again, money I didnt really have to have to spare but a year on glad I did once it was all up and working again.
 

Steve

exactly, im sure i won't do that again 

[Carbon Brush]

So sorry to hear of the expensive problems. Unfortunately much of the astro electronics we buy does not have over voltage or reverse voltage protection.
Add to that, by using the same connectors for 5V & 12V equipment, it is an accident just waiting to happen.

In the (non astro) collection of power supplies, chargers and equipment that I have, the same can all too easily happen.
I boldly label power supplies and chargers with the name of the intended equipment, and put smaller labels on leads near to the connector.
For the limited number of items in an astro setup, coloured markers or single digit numbers are adequate.

Using a non-labelled charger, I recently charged a 5V torch from a 12V supply.
Fortunately it not only surived, but did not wreck the lithium battery. We are not always so lucky.

 

[francis8]

i know, been waiting to set everything together for ages, been a christmas present, i never spected it was going to end up like this, but as they say there are worst things in life, as Steve said before, i fee sick now but hopefully  all be forgotten and back out there soon

[StevieDvd]

I know this may be a long shot but may be worth looking at. Here is a trouble-shooting guide from ZWO for camera issues.

Open Device Manager first then connect the ZWO 120 to see if there is any update in the devices. If it does then may be a firmware update/refresh will re-activate the camera, if your happy to try that.

Have you contacted the seller where the cameras came from, they may suggest something they are told to do by ZWO before sending cameras back.

Good Luck with getting this resolved soon.

Steve

 

 

[tooth_dr]

14 hours ago, francis8 said:

i know, been waiting to set everything together for ages, been a christmas present, i never spected it was going to end up like this, but as they say there are worst things in life, as Steve said before, i fee sick now but hopefully  all be forgotten and back out there soon

Sorry to hear about this, very disappointing this can happen so easily. I’ve a new Pegasus power box advance and the 12v input and 12v output are the same size of connector so it is easy to accidentally feed 12v into the box and destroy it.

[francis8]

25 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

I know this may be a long shot but may be worth looking at. Here is a trouble-shooting guide from ZWO for camera issues.

Open Device Manager first then connect the ZWO 120 to see if there is any update in the devices. If it does then may be a firmware update/refresh will re-activate the camera, if your happy to try that.

Have you contacted the seller where the cameras came from, they may suggest something they are told to do by ZWO before sending cameras back.

Good Luck with getting this resolved soon.

Steve

 

 

i will give that a go, thanks for your reply Steve