ST-i used as AutoGuider camera on QSI-583wsg-8, AG'ing using MaximDL v6 successfully for one year. SN=11886, Firmware v2.37. Same drivers since installation a year ago. I was imaging for 3 hours into a 5 hour run when auto guiding terminated due to not finding a guide star. Testing since show that the ST-I is only outputing an ADU of 100 for whole frame. The shutter is in the half way position and will not move either fully open or closed. Same results using CCDOps. Have not tired reinstalling drivers. Connection verified. Green light flickers, message shows that image taking and downloaded. Just a constant 100 ADU for entire field. Suggestions please. Phillip Marshall email: pmarshall7@cox.net
Phillip, please try the following tests/setups of your ST-i using the CCDOps. This may help if there is no hardware problem with your camera, otherwise you will probably have to send your camera to Bill for service. 1) First of all, you should hear four shutter clicks when you establish link to your camera with CCDOps. 2) Enable "Advanced" menu in CCDOPS to use "Camera Configuration" and "Set USB Offset" commands. Both commands can check/setup your camera. How to enable Advanced menu: -------------------------------------------------- - Press CCDOps->Edit->Preferences. You will see "CCDOps Preferences" dialog box. - Click a small rectangular button on the top, just on the right side of the "Select the options you want for CCDOps" string. - Close this dialog and you will see an "Advanced" menu item next to the Help menu item. Camera Configuration: -------------------------------------------------- Now, press "Advanced" and select "Camera Configuration" item. Set "Camera Type" to ST-i if not automatically detected. Sometimes, camera's EEPROM may be badly rewritten during some electrical discharge or so. See my first screenshot. Please note also the "Motor Phase" Combobox. My shows "Phase 0", but you can later experiment with other values if your shutter is not properly open/closed, although I am not so sure right now, if this motor phase has an influence on ST-i stutter too. You can check it anyway, you can't destroy your camera with this command, of course. In any case, if you change some values, you have to write them to the EEPROM inside the camera using the "Write It!" button. After that, you will see "EEPROM written OK" message and you will have to reboot your camera. Set USB Offset: -------------------------------------------------- Press "Advanced" menu again, but now select its 3rd "Set USB Offset" item. See my second screenshot I did after I pressed the "Start" button. My offset is slightly above ADU = 1000, ie. ADU = 1017. I think, you should see something similar. If you see zero ADU value there, than there is probably some hardware problem with your camera. You have mentioned, your camera shows ADU = 100. I do not know which software did you use for this measurements, but CCDOps usually takes one dark frame and then subtract it from the light frames and adds ADU pedestal value = 100 to each resulted pixel value to always get a positive result, ie: resulted_pixel_value[n] = light_pixel[n] - dark_pixel[n] + 100; So, if you see all pixel values equal to ADU pedestal = 100, then the driver probably reads all pixels from the camera with ADUs = 0, so it looks, there is some problem with its electronics. So, if you see some reasonable ADU value above ADU 1000 inside this "USB Offset" test, please write this result to your ST-i EEPROM using the button on the right side. Jan
Hi Jan; Thank you for clear instructions. No surprises. Using CCDOps v5.55 build 35-NT 1. Setting up Advanced menu button went okay. ST-i linked okay. 2. Camera Configuration; ST-i automatically set okay. Motor Phase 0 set. Changed to "1" using Write-It and then back to value "0". Power cycled after each Write-It. EEPROM Written message okay. 3. USB Offset menu item: Pressing Start, get a flat black image, error message, "Bad Parameter". No enters in boxes. Pixel values in image all at 100 ADU using Histogram tool. Light cap is on or off and values the same. 4. Using GRAB, still get 100 ADU throughout image frame. 5. No value to write to the EEPROM. Looks like something has failed in my ST-I. I guess I need to return to somebody for servicing. I have a backup AG camera I can use, but prefer the ST-i for my AGing. Regards; Phillip Marshall in the San Diego area. If it needs returning to Santa Barbara, I have a friend that is going up there this Thursday. Do I need and RMA number etc.?
Phillip, that's bad, looks you really need service. Please call Bill for details : Repairs - Bill Lynch: (805) 308-6979 I am a bit far from Santa Barbara ;-) Jan
