STT8300 - data in 1x vs 2x unusual contrast or ?

Discussion in 'Legacy Models - Community Support' started by Keith Shank, Sep 30, 2016.

  1. Keith Shank

    Keith Shank Standard User

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    Hi guys

    Well solved the shutter issue, now an unusual issue to ask advise on what I am not doing right.
    Setup
    STT8300+FW8300SG

    w10 system
    Using CCDSoft and TSX+Camera Control
    All drivers updated today.
    Firmware checked and confirmed up to date today

    I have an issue with images and capture when going from 1x bin to 2x bin.
    In 2x bin, I get normal data files, that show speckled background and I can play with the histogram
    In 1x bin, I get what seems to be a highly cropped data file ---AFTER THE FIRST IMAGE---. (the initial image is same as 2x, normal speckled grey)

    When I take an image in 2x2 I get a normal histogram and switching between SBIG, Bjorn, and Custom gives me different views

    When I take in image in 1x1 I get a 0 - 64 view, even though there is data farther beyond that. The downloaded results are not manipulable, just an ultra high contrast view. It is acting like it is only an 8 bit imager..... But the 2x2 is nominal in how it acts.

    For example I took a 20' image using AD H2 3nm last night using my 140mm f/7 instrument. I took the image into CCDStack2 and I get the same result. Very strange.

    I have looked to see if there was a clipping I have reset the auto contrast... Not sure what is happening.

    As a note, I have an STL11000, STF8300C that I use on this same system (new profiles for each), and do not get this kind of 'clipping' result between 1x1 and 2x2.

    Is there possibly a setting I need to get to in the camera via the http site to reset?

    Thoughts appreciated!

    Keith
     
  2. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

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    This sounds like a software issue. Make sure you have the latest update to TSX. If that doesn't help you might want to check with Software Bisque technical support.
     
  3. Keith Shank

    Keith Shank Standard User

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    Doug, yes in CCDOps it works fine, and I have latest updates in TSX and CCDSoft. Was hoping someone here had seen this and figured out what I have done. Just did daily build on TSX, same issue just with the new 8300. Works fine with STL11000 and STF8300. So I must have something incorrectly set. OpError no doubt, just hoping someone had some experience.
     
  4. Keith Shank

    Keith Shank Standard User

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    Here are two frame grabs showing the 8bit look I am getting from capturing image data. 1xt one is a 2x2 bin image looks normal distribution. 2nd image is a 1x1 bin, looks like the image is 8bit. I am stumped...

    thanks


    2x2bin 10sec.PNG 1x1bin 20sec.PNG
     
  5. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    Keith, I saw your post on the Bisque site as well. Can you post FITS files (or at least, crop the original FITS file and save cropped version as FITS if it is too big)? Are these dark frames? I'd love to have a look at the FITS header data and see what you actually have here.
     
  6. Keith Shank

    Keith Shank Standard User

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    Colin thanks for your interest in this. Yes there were just snaps of dark frames. As to your question, here are the two quarter frame images from the 1x1 and 2x2. Would like to get your view on what this shows.
    Thanks, Keith
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Keith Shank

    Keith Shank Standard User

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    sorry seems I uploaded the files twice....
     
  8. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    No worries... I downloaded them once ;-)
    Anyway, these darks look absolutely fine, 300seconds each, and they show the same hot/warm pixels. Screenshot from MaxIm DL below (keith binned) and from ImageJ (with red bar at top called keithimagej).
    keithbinned.png keithimagej.png
    What software were you using to view? TheSkyX or what ? (I just updated to 10.5.0 10229 of TSX and I havent tried loading your images into it with image link).
     
  9. Keith Shank

    Keith Shank Standard User

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    Hi all... Well... Ok had a turkey based epiphany.. I finally figured out what the problem with my setup was where 2x2 imaging worked and 1x1 did not. I am using my 'remote' observatory located in the back yard, where I had been using my STL11000 for 5 years. The new STT camera system just seemed not to work in 1x1 but did fine in 2x2. Just as not being able to eat that last slice of turkey, I suddenly realized that it had to do with bandwidth. I was using an Icron Ranger and it did not support USB 2.0!

    Sadly when I tested in the observatory with a local laptop, I still used the Icron ranger even with a 10' ethernet, as I had all of my other devices plugged into it and jumping to the laptop with 1 USB plug was simpler. So I went out side and swapped the Icron Ranger for a StarTech usb2004e that I had for when I go to dark sky sites, and by gosh it worked. I still have some issues with the StarTech 2.0 compliant extension, I still cannot get FocusMax at 1x1 binning where images are quickly delivered, but 2x2 works fine. But key point the camera delivers 1x1 binning with download images as expected. So the lower bandwidth of 2x2 imaging worked but the higher bandwidth of 1x1 the old Icron failed. Also, moving to a 2.0 compliant extender dramatically improved download speeds. My distance to the observatory is about 125' of ethernet, am using Cat 6E cable.

    Sorry to have spun up so many issues, but now at least the camera is doing what I expected and as initially noted, I knew I was doing something wrong, just took a while to figure out what.
     

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