My AC4040M + filter wheel + guider has just begun throwing the popup message "Error opening filter wheel / Filter Wheel not connected." when I power up the camera and guider, wait 20 seconds, and try to connect into MaxIm DL. It happens every time, starting last night, after a year of connecting properly. The PlaneWave mount starts up fine before I try to connect the camera. I don't use the guider. Upon this failure to connect, the Camera Control > Camera 1 Information box reads: "No camera / SetMinExposure: MinExpos... / Error in camera plugin callba..."; and Camera 2 Information reads "SetMinExposure: MinExpos... / Error in guide camera plugin" The text lines are cut off by the info window as I'm showing. The minimum exposures are not something I can change. So later today the observatory staff will check all physical connections--but the odd Camera Information messages tell me that something may be going on with my software / firmware / drivers. Do you have any guidance? MaxIm DL Pro 6.50 DLAPI 2.8.0.0 AC4040M FPGA Rev 14 SCE1300M FPGA Ref 7 Thank you, Eric
See if there's a firmware update for the camera. Some of our CMOS models have a firmware update to ensure that the camera doesn't lock up if the filter wheel fails to initialize properly. Also check whether the filter wheel is initializing properly, i.e. is doing at least a full rotation and then setting itself to slot 1.
I've just updated firmware, cycled camera power, rebooted PC. DL Config now shows AC4040M FPGA Rev 15. Attempting camera connect yields the same errors and messages with the same timing; no change at all. Verifying rotation of filter wheel must wait for observatory staff shift, later today.
The filter wheel does show too much resistance at places in its rotation. I would like to have the camera sent to SBIG Service (from Mayhill, New Mexico, USA). EDIT: RMA Request is submitted 1715Z today.
Now this same camera is failing to connect on 50% of attempts, giving "Error initializing camera or filter wheel / Error opening filter wheel / Filter wheel not connected." On the other 50% of attempts it does connect, but then it refuses to take any kind of exposure, giving "Waiting for filter wheel" and otherwise doing nothing. This camera and filter wheel was just in your repair shop for 2 months. Its DL API version is 2.8.0.0, FPGA Rev is 15. Could this be a power supply / voltage problem? Does the filter wheel really pull that much power, or is it especially sensitive to voltage? In any case, I need to know what is going on with this camera+filter wheel. Thanks.
