'Star faded' message with STT-8300

I am imaging using an STT-8300 with the self-guiding filter wheel controlled by Maxim DL 6.08. A couple of nights ago everything was working fine when I suddenly starting getting 'star faded' messages from maxim dl. The sky was still clear and there were no clouds or other obstructions that could have been blocking the light from the star. I stopped guiding and took an exposure with the guide camera. The guide star was still in the frame but the whole image was much darker than the original image before I started guiding. I shut the camera down and restarted my imaging sequence but the same thing happened again.

Any ideas on what this could be?

Stuart

 

Hi Stuart,

I know there have been a few reported issues with star fading in some conditions..
It's possible this could be driver related. I know the team is looking into it.

Best regards
Tim

 

Ever since I bought the SBIG-STT8300 I have not been able to use the integrated guiding camera in the filter wheel because of that same issue. I would be interested in testing the fix.

 

It reappeared again last evening after being gone for over a year. Any thought as yet

 

In my case it worked Ok for a while (a few months until before 6.11) but then it went back to the same problem, so I decided not use it until I feel comfortable with its effectiveness. At the present time I'm not using it, what I'm using is an external guider (Orion SSAG). I would really like to use it but there is so much time that I waste (star faded) that I think it twice before going thru the trouble.

Hector R. Santini

 

OK, here is the secret to making this work. Make sure the software drivers and camera firmware are up to date. I did not have mine as I changed obs computers and the install programs used the old stuff.
My guiding rms is .2 X and .4 Y on a AP1200 and the FWG8 stars look sick and not finely focused, doesn't matter.