This is a problem similar to: http://forum.diffractionlimited.com/threads/problem-attaching-filter-wheel-to-stxl-16200.3039/ I have this exact setup with a similar problem that has just developed after things were working fine. Taking the camera setup off the telescope, connecting it to MaximDL, the shutter can be seen to "stutter" when trying to move for light or dark images. I have taken everything apart and see no signs of anything sticking or rubbing. The shutter moves freely by hand when the filter wheel is attached. The belt does not slip. Running the camera body with nothing attached shows the same problem, so nothing is rubbing. Everything was working fine, but I believe this problem started intermittently yesterday when I was working with taking flats. It caused several "shutter error" messages, sometimes crashing MaximDL, but then would work normally. Today it will not work properly at all. Last night I used CCDOPS to change the offset setting on the off axis guide camera (which was set on 255, but changed to the default of 0), but I can't see how that would be related and this problem was starting intermittently before that. When the shutter "stutters" it creates an error notice with either MaximDL or CCDOPS and sometimes crashes MaximDL. My equipment photos are identical to those above
I am not entirely clear on the issue. Is it the filter wheel that is "stuttering" or the camera shutter? Would it be possible to post a short video clip demonstrating the issue? We would likely have a better idea of what is occurring.
Hi Tim, It's a "shutter stutter" not a "filter stutter." As I indicated, it occurs with the filter wheel, AO-X removed and disconnected from the camera and nothing touching the shutter. It happens with both up-to-date MaximDL and CCDOPS software. Everything else works fine including the filter wheel. I talked with Bill Lynch about this yesterday in some detail and he was pretty sure it was a problem with the shutter stepper motor or control electronics so he told me to ship it off to him for a look see and repair. It went out this morning via Fed.Exp. A little painful to pay $171 for shipping and $6500 insurance for something under warranty! :-( Since it's gone to him, I guess this thread is "on hold" until Bill reports his findings and repairs. Thanks.
To clarify the "stutter," when the shutter tries to move, either to cover or uncover the CCD, it rotates back and forth only a few degrees in both directions for a second or so and then stops, triggering a "shutter error" or other error in the software. The stop position is arbitrary, sometimes the CCD is open, sometimes closed, sometimes partially open. You can manually move the shutter to any position and it will "stutter" from that position. It doesn't seem to know where it is or where to go.
