Staff Assigned: Adam Robichaud TSX error --SBIG driver:CFW error busy, Error 31001

Trying to set up The Sky X to work with a ST-9 camera with a CFW-8 filter wheel. get "SBIG driver:CFW error busy, Error 31001" when trying to move filter wheel. Works fine using CCDSoft ver5. Have tried both the CFW-8 and the SBIG auto CFW settings and both give the same error. Tried CCDOps and it does NOT move the filter wheel. gives error "CFW reported that it is busy

 

No the filter wheel connector has been tightly screwed into the connector for years, and has not been disconnected in a long time. Seems strange it works just fine with CCDSoft5 and not CCDOps. a real puzzlement.
Daniel Marcus

 

There maybe an issue with Windows 10 64 bit??? we did get a windows update that screwed with CCDSoft and have to move some dlls back to the system folder to get it to work - as usual the plot thickens. The camera was working fine with The Sky 6 and CCDsoft till the update. after the update CCDsoft was looking for missing dlls, we found the ones it asked for and put them where CCDsoft wanted them. CCDsoft quit talking to the Optec focuser ( focuser works just fine with the optec software) after the same update.
Daniel Marcus

 

would appreciate it, am in contact with Bisque, they are puzzled as well. They suggested a hardware issue, but seeing as it works OK with CCDSoft v5, that makes me think it is a driver issue. It is an older ST-9 with an original CFW-8 filter wheel. has the ST237 integrated guider chip. Think it was purchased sometime between 2000 and 2005 if that helps. Will be back out at the Observatory this Wed evening, so I can gather any information you request then. Might ask the software guys if there is a dll that we should be looking for that might be missing?? Or maybe someone has an ascom compatible driver that will work??? We found an simple ascom driver for a CFW-8, but it does not work through the camera, seems to need a separate serial connection to the computer and not work through the camera. you can always try to call me at 716-773-5015 and leave a message (note: leave message as you will come up as a strange area code, and will not pick up unless you leave a message )
Daniel Marcus

 

When using CCDOps - CCDOps requires a Serial Port setting for the CFW-8 filter wheel, the filter wheel is connected through the camera, and works off the USB connection so how do you set up the filter wheel??? seems that CCDOps wants to assign a serial port to the filterwheel??? why. and how do we get it to talk to the camera/filterwheel???

 

this may seem silly, but how does CCDOps know there is a filter wheel attached to ST-9 Camera unless we tell it?? have not tried setting the filter wheel for none and seeing if it will turn the filter wheel, just assumed CCDOps needed to be told that a CWF-8 filterweel is attached. Could I be setting up The SkyX incorrectly as well?? as I have said, CCDSoft v5 operates the camera and filter wheel just fine (so long as I select CFW-8 as the filter wheel ). am I missing something? (Observatory is an hour ride and only go out there about once a week)

 

The filter wheel does not work when you use the CFW-8 setting on filter wheel setup, when using CCDOps get error 31001 when trying to move wheel. But it does work properly with CCDSoft v5, looking for suggestions to cure the problem. Really would like to get The Sky X to work with the ST-9 , and its CFW-8 filter wheel. is a puzzlement to me why CCDSoft v5 works fine and The Sky X and CCDOps do not.

 

have a version InstOps_5R53B28.exe saved on a CD from 2013? kind of looks like the version that is on your web site at http://diffractionlimited.com/support/sbig-archives/ Might have an older version on a disk at the Observatory?? most likely not. Know of a link I can use? I can try out the CCDOps program that I save to a disk in 2013 and see if it makes a difference when I go out there next week. Still seems strange that CCDSoft v5 works ok. have checked CCDSoft v5 and it definitely turns the filter wheel to the specified filter when ever you ask it to.

 

any suggestions where I can down load an older version of CCDSoft?? and does the OLD version of the CFW-8 filter wheel require a different driver than the new one??? just asking. will be out at the Observatory on Monday night will try out the version I have.
Daniel Marcus

 

I do have a copy that worked using Windows XP that I saved from 2013 along with the CCDSoft v5 install when I first set up the computers. Have upgraded to win 10 for about a year. will see if I can dig up an old computer that runs win 7 and see what that does. Have some time tonight unless we get the sever thunderstorms they are predicting - just figures as it is the only night I can make it to the Observatory this week. Will let you know tomorrow how it works.
Daniel Marcus

 

As I noted above I Tried CCDOps Version 5.53 Build 28-NT tonight on a Windows 7 Professional 64bit PC with no luck. I also tried on a Windows 10 Pro 64 bit PC with no success with same errors reported. Used current SBIGDriverChecker64 app to download and install current drivers.

The following series of tests were attempted.

1.) Under Filter->Filter Setup under Filter CFW-8 was chosen, and the default filters are displayed and the COM Port option is greyed out. After choosing Filter -> Red the following error is displayed - "The CFW reported that it is busy"

2.) Under Filter->Calibrate/Initialize... the following error is displayed - "The CFW reported that it is busy"

3.) Under Filter->CFW Exerciser - CFW model is chosen using random moves. The first attempt to move the filter gives the following error - "CFW Error Error occurred in the GOTO state CFW busy"

After attempting all of this troubleshooting steps CCDsoft5 was opened and runs the filter wheel just fine with no errors. The appropriate filters are verified as moving and can be seen visually.

 

here is a dumb thought - CCDSoft v5 I think uses 32 bit drivers? as it is a 32 bit program (program was made before 64bit was available??? The CCDOps seems to use 64bit drivers??? if that is correct and it might not be, then the problem is in the drivers? The SkyX also seems to use 64 bit drivers?? poking around it seems there are drivers in the System 32 and different drivers in the System folders???? any thoughts?