AO-X compatibility update

Hi Doug - a clarification please. Do the new drivers and firmware now allow AO-X to work properly with Version 6 or is this a fix for the camera lock up mentioned above. I cannot determine if they are one and the same problem.

Thanks, Ron

 

I am happy to announce that NMSkies has updated my camera's firmware and software to the latest versions and the AOX is working for us with Maxim 6 and ACP. It isn't perfect but we are seeing some results.

 

Thanks for the confirmation Doug. Great job on getting this issue resolved. Just waiting on weather to use.

Cheers, Ron

 

No apology necessary Doug - Thanks and I'll report back in when the weather gives me an opportunity to try it out.

CS, Ron

 

Hey Doug - proof is in the pudding. Disregard the quality of this image, it was strictly to test the AO-X guiding. One hour luminance exposure. Very happy with the round stars and no glitches during capture.

Cheers, Ron

 

No pics to post yet but mine is working too. Seems to be working real good.
Thanks,
Steve

 

Doug
The update has not worked for me unfortunately. My camera hung in exactly the same way with a receive timeout error (sometimes a transmission timeout error). As usual The SkyX and CCDAutopilot then hung (obviously). After that, I get the usual SBIG Camera Not Found error which requires a power cycle, at -25 degs I might add (how healthy is that for the camera?).

Now that you have updated the driver and firmware let me know what elements of the debug log you require. Although, theses have been submitted before.

Martin Pugh

 

Hi Doug/Adam
Here is some additional information:
The guider seems to be the main issue - I have not seen a hang while the main chip is being exposed, only when the guider is being exposed. It has been some months now but if I recall correctly, traditional guiding is not affected, only when the AOX is involved. Not only did SBIG replace the camera, but I have also changed out USB cables and the HDMI cable connecting the camera to the FW.

The logs I sent to Jan had information in there that may have been relevant but I am not sure where that went. So it is probably best if Adam advises which elements he wants recorded in the driver. The camera is hanging nightly at the moment - and last night I achieved 40 minutes imaging time before the camera hung on a night of 1 arcsecond seeing. Not happy. Unfortunately, CCDAP does not always catch the hang and therefore fails to alert me.

Martin

 

Doug/Adam

here are sample entries in the CCDAutopilot log which occurs each time the camera hangs: (Note, the log can either report a transmission or a receive

Example 1:
I:TI1, CCDSoft2XAdaptor.CCDSoft5Camera.1: SBIG driver: Transmission timeout. Error = 30007.

Example 2:
20:42:09 I:TI1, CCDSoft2XAdaptor.CCDSoft5Camera.1: SBIG driver: Receive timeout. Error = 30008.

Example 3:
01:17:49 Guide star measurement 1
09:01:19 SGC1 CCDSoft2XAdaptor.CCDSoft5Camera.1:, COleException: The remote procedure call failed.
(800706BE) SCODE: 800706be.
09:01:19 I:FAM1:, CCDSoft2XAdaptor.CCDSoft5Image.1: COleException: The RPC server is unavailable.
(800706BA) SCODE: 800706ba.
09:01:19 SG12: CCDSoft2XAdaptor.CCDSoft5Image.1: COleException: The RPC server is unavailable.
(800706BA) SCODE: 800706ba.
09:01:19 Peak guide star ADU: 0, measured at 0.01 sec.
09:01:19 Guider x: 0.0, y: 0.0, Array: 0x0
09:01:19 Guide star measurement 2
09:01:19 I:SG2, CCDSoft2XAdaptor.CCDSoft5Camera.1: COleException: The RPC server is unavailable.
(800706BA) SCODE: 800706ba.

Hope this helps

Martin

 

Doug,
I have a SBIG STL6303E + FW8 + AOX +RGH running under TheSkyX + CAO. I realize the camera is older technology, but I'm not getting the hangs like Martin. Would there be any testing I can do to provide a comparison that might help resolve this issue? I do have a copy of MaximDL, but it is not the most current version.

 

Hi Doug - yes I can absolutely confirm I updated the driver and firmware. I am glad someone else is reporting the error.

Adam - do you have specific elements of the driver you would want us to capture for this particular error?

thanks
Martin

 

Ok Adam, will get that log and it looks like the weather is clearing up at my obs so it should not be too long.

Thanks
Martin

 

I am thinking about replacing the Astrodon MOAG-A/SBig AO-L with a Astrodon MonsterMOAG/SBig AO-X combination. My flats have vignetting around the corners. I think the larger MOAG will resolve this issue. I corresponded with Don at Astrodon and he said the MonsterMOAG had not been tested with the AO-X. I know I can replace the MOAG-A with a MonsterMOAG, however I don't want to lose the active optics guiding I have now using the older MOAG-A/AO-L combination.

I image remotely using TheSkyX with T-Point and Camera add-on's. My optical train consists of the following components mated with a RCOS 20" Carbon Truss Scope.

SBIG STL-11000XM CCD
CFW-STL 8-position 50mm filter wheel
SBIG Remote Guide Head
Astrodon MOAG-A Off-Axis Guider
SBIG AO-L adaptive optics unit
RCOS Precision Instrument Rotator
RCOS 100mm Series - Field Flattener/Corrector (FFC-100mm)

My questions are as follows:

1. Can I mount a MonsterMOAG to the AO-X for active optics guiding, and is it compatible with my existing optical train (STL-11000XM)?
2. Will TheSkyX drive the AO-X?
3. What other considerations should I be aware of?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Beau Worsham