Celestron Nightscape 10100 driver issues

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by Kris0912, Apr 10, 2017.

  1. Kris0912

    Kris0912 Standard User

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    Practically ran at the chance to buy a refurb'd Nightscape, but it seems that the latest ASCOM 6.3 doesn't like the old driver that's still up on the Celestron webpage, and the AstroFX software doesn't like HD screens like what you get on a Microsoft Surface that much either (all running on Windows 10) Any chance you guys are working on updated drivers for the camera and even a marginal update for AstroFX? Already gone the route of uninstalling all my other ASCOM stuff and re-installing.. twice on two machines, and once with windows 7.

    When connecting with PRISM, this is the error I get:

    Failed to load driver: "NightscapeASCOM.Camera"
    System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID {7AD5DC36-3071-4C1E-A08D-F76450B10252} failed due to the following error: 8007007e. at System.Runtime.TypeHandle.C

    For the record, this software works just fine with my Orion All-in-One.
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2017
  2. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

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    We'll dust it off and check it out.
     
  3. Kris0912

    Kris0912 Standard User

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    I appreciate that beyond words. I'm sure there are others who will as well. Thanks!
    -Christopher
     
  4. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

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    Okay Adam and I did a bit of research, and here's the upshot:

    You must have AstroFX installed in order for the ASCOM driver to work.
     
  5. Kris0912

    Kris0912 Standard User

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    Thanks Doug. I can confirm I've got the AstroFX software installed. Additionally, the install CD (version 1.06 is the final version offered up on celestron.com) specifies that ASCOM platform 6 (I've tried 6.1, 6.2, 6.3), AstroFX, and the Nightscape driver must be installed in that order.

    I just also happen to have PRISM and SharpCap installed.

    cheers,
    Christopher
     
  6. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

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    Have a look at C:\Program Files (x86)\Celestron\AstroFX

    The ASCOM driver needs the following three files present in the folder:

    NightscapeASCOM.dll
    CCDPlugCelestron.dll
    DLUtilities.dll​

    I've tried it and it does work with the very latest ASCOM Platform.
     
  7. Kris0912

    Kris0912 Standard User

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    Those are there. Can you tell me what else should be in that folder? I"m wondering if it's not picking up the .inf's.
     
  8. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

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    The other files are for AstroFX. Can you get the camera to work with AstroFX?
     
  9. Kris0912

    Kris0912 Standard User

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    Not at all. Says "Camera not present". PRISM was the only astro program to give me an error, which looks like a filenotfound.. but I can't really decipher what that error points to. Non-existing com port?
     
  10. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

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    It sounds like the Nightscape camera itself isn't installed. Windows Update should go and get the drivers from the Microsoft site when you first plug it in. Check in the Device Manager and manually trigger installation if necessary. Or try plugging it into a different USB port. Also make sure the camera has power!
     
  11. Kris0912

    Kris0912 Standard User

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    aha! That was not happening at any point. It DOES work now (keyword spam: SOLVED FIXED), however. Here's what I did:

    1) searched my HD for all instances of the two .inf files that come with the driver software. They only existed in installation directories. I did two things:
    a) edited the file NightscapePort.inf and replaced "system32" with "System32" as that's what it is in windows 10
    b) copied both NightscapePort.inf and NightscapeBus.inf into the AstroFX directory you mentioned earlier
    2) Got the Creators Update
    3) SWAPPED THE CABLE THAT CAME WITH THE CAMERA
    a) it seems that the included USB cable didn't make a connection, or something. Basically the last thing I thought would be wrong, but hey, I"ll take it. Thanks to your input it concerning the fact that Windows should be reaching out for a driver, it made me look at the connection itself.

    4) Determined that my Surface 3 (not surface 3 Pro) will not detect the camera when it's plugged into the single USB port.. if the power is also plugged in. Has to be one of the most boneheaded things I've ever encountered with hardware. went down this path when I saw that my lenovo x120e *did* see the camera with the new cable. Baffling, but the differentiator here is that the power for the Surface 3 is actually a microUSB port.

    Have now absolutely verified the included cable is defective.


    Thank you thank you thank you for walking through this with me! I'll only have clouds to look at tonight but now I have a camera to get familiar with. :)

    Last question, hardware unrelated:

    What most interests me is not actual astrophotography, but exoplanet detection. I'd go so far as to say I'd purchase software that just did that. It wasn't entirely clear to me from the feature set, but it does not appear that MaximDL has this feature. Any plans to offer it, and perhaps even offer it as something like "MaximDL EXO"?

    --C
     
  12. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

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    Glad you got it sorted. Bad cables do happen occasionally.

    MaxIm DL Pro does have a very capable Photometry function...
     
  13. Kris0912

    Kris0912 Standard User

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    Follow up, for those who might be following or watching this thread.

    After finally getting the camera recognised, AstroFX would be able to take 1-3 exposures before the camera itself would appear to crash: Fan would stop, USB bus would no longer see the camera. Eventually, the camera would come back, but AstroFX would no longer talk to it. Restart AstroFX, everything's fine, then it would once again stop as before. Rinse/Repeat.
    It would appear AstroFX is crashing the camera by the 2nd or 3rd exposure when it's downloading. I'm using 1-second exposures for testing.

    I have a workaround.

    Grab yourself a USB hub, and connect everything up. From my experience troubleshooting this, I am guessing that for whatever reason, the camera has issues talking to newer gen USB hubs or something.

    Powercycled camera, and used Sharpcap. Once you have the camera configured, connect to it. If sharpcap tries to connect from initialization, chances are it might crash taking the first preview exposure. Quit and restart, manually connecting the camera. Sharpcap can now take pictures and you'll see the auto-previews. Quit Sharpcap and you can use AstroFX as originally intended, or any other astro suite.

    Even after all this, you still might see the camera disengage and crash with AstroFX, but at least the above might get you some use out of the device.
     
  14. jdhdiggs

    jdhdiggs Standard User

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    New here and I know this is an old thread but given the equipment I'm running into an issue with is the Celestron Nightscape camera. I've followed the instructions above as well and still have the same issue:
    upload_2023-4-19_17-21-18.png

    Any ideas?
     
  15. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

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    I believe the attached is the production WHQL signed driver package. Unzip to your drive, and in Device Manager use Update Driver and navigate to the folder.

    Other than that... we can't support Nightscape cameras anymore. We designed these cameras for Celestron 12 years ago - all the hardware and software is now obsolete.
     

    Attached Files:

  16. jdhdiggs

    jdhdiggs Standard User

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    Thank you very much, I figured it was a long shot, giving it a try now.

    Edit update: It's now working, thank you!
     
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2023
    Doug likes this.

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