Starlightxpress mx7c (usb1.1) and maxim woe's

[SlipperySquid]

Can anyone point me in the right direction of how to get maxim dl 5 to recognise my ccd?I think I may have read that there is a firmware update for the camera for it to work with Maxim, though I have read so much stuff at the moment that my brain is in overload!

I can get the camera to image via star2000 software so I know it's working BUT if I fire up maxim it says there's no camera.

Also is there any way to automatically save files as tiff's with star2000? instead of fits?I don't want to have to manually save each file as a tiff. If I try and automatically save them as colour corrected images it say's that the folder is full and that the image can't be saved (even though the image is saved but maxim can't open the file)

but if I save them as a normal image things are fine????

This is the first time I have used this camera so I've a few more people to email etc and struggle through the learning curve but any help would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know if it is software related though, I think I have the most upto date drivers etc for the camera.

So in a nutshell I would like automated saving of files as tiffs if possible and being able to connect the ccd to maxim.

Thanks in advance

Matt.

[Merlin66]

The guys on the Y! New CCD Astronomy are pretty good at working these things out. Terry Platt (Starlight) also reads the messages.

ccd-newastro : The New CCD Astronomy

I have an MX7c but use it under AstroArt 4

Ken

[SlipperySquid]

I know Ken ...I bought it now send me your blummin AstroArt

I'll give them links a go....I've already joined a couple of groups but will email terry when I get home!

[Merlin66]

Whooooops:o:o

You can try the older version for free???

[syd_malicious]

I think I may have read that there is a firmware update for the camera for it to work with Maxim, though I have read so much stuff at the moment that my brain is in overload!

You are correct - Cyanogen have a help page specifically for this. Look under equipment setup -> camera and autoguider setup -> starlight xpress hex file utility

I have never used this but it is what you were asking.

Paul

[SlipperySquid]

Already tried the HEX file utility and it still doesn't work.

When installing the universal hexfile the camera stops working and shows that ECHO2 is not installed in the device manager.

I'm going to keep fiddling and also give astroart a go.

Realy think this is driver related due to using windows7 and may have to bite the bullet and roll back to XP if all else fails.

Thanks for the input though matey.

Matt.

[syd_malicious]

It shouldn't be a driver issue with Windows 7. I use a Lodestar and SXV M25 under Windows 7. These are initially recognized as Echo2 but then with the proper inf file read as the correct hardware.

I am a bit stuck as to what to suggest other than the obvious of trying different ports, reinstalling drivers etc etc.

Have you tried the SX Yahoo groups or Starlight Xpress directly??

Paul

[roundycat]

why do you want to save the files as TIFF's. Maxim will happily work with FITS and you then save the combined, aligned FITS as a TIFF just the once. Then it's off to Photoshop...

Dennis

[SlipperySquid]

because maxim wont open the fit's that are being saved....but star2000 will. So I have to convert them to tiffs.

Something is amiss some where..so I may do a roll back and start again.

Going from DSLR to CCD is a massive jump in faffing about! cant wait ti ll it comes to stacking and then trying to sort out the colour..that should be a right laugh!