I recently acquired a second ST-2000XM s/n 208011750). I’ve been using an ST-2000XM (s/n 20301284XMI) with CCDops and APT on a Windows 7 (74 bit) Dell e6440 with no issues. It’s a wonderful - easy to use basic camera. I picked up the second ST2K to backup my older camera. But I digress. My recently acquired ST2K will only download image files with all-0 pixel values. I can communicate and control the camera: set cooling, enable/disable fan, query camera info, etc. It simply will not download a useable image. I’ve tried different exposure times, darks, lights, cooling on, off, etc… I’ve gone so far as setting up CCDops (and Driver Checker) on an old XP Laptop that I’ve never used for astrophotography cameras. Same results - I can communicate and control the camera but image files are all 0-value pixels. I’ve scanned thru postings on this site as well as the Google. Mostly what I find is guidance to update drivers. I have. Delete and reload software and drivers (I performed a fresh install on the XP machine). I’m wondering if my other ST2K somehow “corrupted” the firmware of the recently acquired camera, when I connected it to and operated it using the same laptop as my other ST2K. Supposedly my recently acquired camera has a different CCD sensor (KAF versus KAI). Perhaps a firmware issue ? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks ! Michael Lang Cedar Key
The camera was manufactured in January 2008 and left the factory with the usual KAI-2020M sensor. Likely onboard components have failed, and are not reparable.
The old ST- series camera firmware would zero the image if it detected that the sensor was not working. (A decision I never agreed with... it just makes it harder to diagnose problems. Our newer models don't do that.) So yes it's a hardware failure of some kind, and as Colin said it is unfortunately impossible to repair. Basically all of the components in it have long since gone obsolete.
OK, thank you gentlemen. It’s disappointing, but understandable. At least my other ST2K is operating, and I keep it carefully stored when not in use, and handle it carefully in use. Michael
