QHY5 frame rate

[MishMich]

I was about to turn in, and had a look outside, and couldn't believe my eyes - the sky had cleared. Just long enough to set up the scope, anyway. So, I only really managed to test out the Synscan (which confirmed that I have no idea where anything is when Orion's not around). Because there was cloud coming in from the North West, I decided to try it out on Mars. I managed to get the scope up to a x2 barlow with the QHY5. I figured out (after a few attempts) how to get the AVI's to record, and a couple of unexpected things occured.

Even at 1ms exposure, the frame rate never clocked up more that 7.9 frames per second. It is supposed to support 15 fps. Anybody found this, or know of a way around this?

I tried checking 'colour' so see what happened. Mars became a kind of peach colour. Anybody know what that's about?

Has anybody else found an AVI capture program that works with it, apart from the one you can download for it? I'm used to wxAstroCapture (for imaging), and I'm not keen on QGvideo. I tried wxAstro, and Amcap, and neither of them recognise the QHY5.

M.

[Sam]

I've found the same, never had a frame rate above about 8fps. The only webcam capture app that I've found I can get working is the one that's in beta form (can't remember the name off the top of my head).

Sam

[MishMich]

No takers then.

OK, the frame rate drops as I select lower resolutions (640x480 yeilds 27 fps - the QHY states 24 fps).

The colour I have not worked out, but will try and test during the day, it looks like an artefact.

Next problem (I have followed through on previous threads on the QHY5 with this question).

I can connect to the camera in QGvideo, and see an image (+ red light comes on). Also, I can select the camera using the ASCOM driver, but I just get a black image - whatever the gain, I see no light, even pointing at a light. I tried in nebulosity, which also connects through the ASCOM driver, and I just get a dark grey screen, no change in light if I move the camera from dark to light. This is not connected to telescope (no point, no sky - it should still sense light). The red light only comes on in PhD when I select to take a dark, and remains on, but does not flicker (as it does when imaging), it just stays on, but still no sense of light.

M.

[Merlin66]

Mish,

Sorry I can't help you on this one.

I only use the QHY5 under PHD or AstroArt 4.

Ken

[MishMich]

Must have cross-posted, thanks. See my replies above. You may be interested that the release version of 64 bit drivers have just been posted:

QHYCCD driver for WINDOWS VISTA/7 64BIT here (EZCAP x64 version added)

Now, I don't know if this part of the problem - if PHD is incompatible with the 64 bit drivers? It is placed in x86 Windows, which suggests it is 32 bit?

M.

[MishMich]

I cannot get the ASCOM driver to work - just get a black screen, in PHD or nebulosity (both us the ASCOM friver). The demo AstroArt only has the simulator available, so can't check it out - does that go through ASCOM as well?

M.

[MishMich]

Problem sorted. I searched through the threads, and somebody had answered this (I'd seen the thread, but not the answer) - I hadn't pressed the 'loop' button. DUH!

So, 2 out of 3 sorted. The other one can wait

M.