Staff Assigned: Adam Robichaud OSX 10.10.1 breaks SBIG Universal Drivers?

/*
I now see this earlier thread already existed: http://www.diffractionlimited.com/forum/index.php?threads/st-8300c-driver-and-os-x-yosemite.68/. I thought I had searched for this problem but apparently not.

Even though the results are the same, I wish I would have found the thread sooner or that there was a pointer to it from the SBIG driver download page. It would have saved a lot of hassle.
/*



After most of my software companies dropped support for OSX 10.6.8, I finally "upgraded" to OSX 10.10.1 (aka "Yosemite"). Contrary to past "upgrades", the process went very smoothly, until I tried to use my ST-2000xm.

The camera did not come to life when I plugged it in to the machine and SkyX threw an error message that the driver could not connect to the camera. I then installed the latest "universal drivers" from the SBIG WWW site and tried the "CCDOps Lite" program with no luck there either. I know the camera works because it still functions fine with my old (abandoned) Windows XP machine running CCDSoft.

I found nothing about this problem when I did my pre-upgrade research. Am I missing something obvious? Am I the only person this has happened to?

 

As a followup: Part of the problem appears to be that the SBIG drivers are not "developer signed" in a way that OSX 10.10.1 likes (I hate over protective software....).

If I disable the kext signing requirement by running:

sudo nvram boot-args="kext-dev-mode=1"

from the shell, then the camera will come to life when I plug it into the Macintosh. Regrettably, neither "CCDOps Lite" nor SkyX will talk to the camera. So, there's still a problem.

 

OK. It appears fixed.

I went back and added the verbose flag to the NVRAM command. Like this:

sudo nvram boot-args="-v kext-dev-mode=1"

This option causes your Macintosh to resemble a 1980s Sun Workstation when it boots.

After I added the -v to the boot option it began to work. I then went back and removed the verbose flag and it still worked.

The machine and camera have gone through numerous shutdown/startup cycles after every change I made but this time it seems to have stuck. I really don't understand it but I'm going to step away from the computer and be happy.

@%$&@%&@)%&#!!!!!!!!!!

 

/* Yes, I know, I'm talking to myself again....*/

As a strange postscript:

After getting my computers back together again, I went out to try to image tonight but it was not to be. I found that several short exposures I took through my ST-2000XM came out with horizontal bands running across them. The problem occurred on both Macintoshes (one running OSX 10.10 and one running OSX 10.9). The banding occurred with both the SkyX as well as the "CCDOps Lite" program from SBIG. I then tried a picture from CCDSoft on the old Windows XP machine and the image was normal (no banding). Clearly, this seemed to be an SBIG driver issue.

When I was trying to fix the Macintoshes earlier today, I used SBIG Universal Driver v4.84, which is the latest (only) version on the WWW site and dates from July 2014. Fortunately, I kept an older driver installer around: v4.82 which dates from November 2013. I installed the older drivers and the banding problem went away.

Once again, despite the driver activating the camera, I had trouble getting the drivers to talk to either SkyX or "CCDOps Lite". After several more failed re-installs, I eventually rooted (pun intended) the files out using the shell and after another shutdown/restart was finally able to run the installer and have the drivers successfully "stick".

This kind of worries me as I was planning to order a new STT-8300 next week but after this whole driver fiasco and the lack of a response to a question I sent to the info account, my confidence is a bit shaken.

Here is a picture (with the lens cap on) showing the banded image vs. the normal image. The newer SBIG driver is on the left and the old one is on the right.

Other than the drivers, all else is the same between images.

When it comes to this stuff, I should heed the advice of my old ordinance disposal instructor: "Don't touch *anything* and back away slowly...."

 

Hi Ken.
Here the same issues .
Imac late 2013 I5 8 gb memory , OS Yosemite ,and my Sbig STL 11000 plus Sbig ST I wont communicate with imac on The SKY X.
The strange is when i connect my STL 11000 to my old laptop running Windows xp the ccd start and work normally then i remove the usb cable from laptop ,without shut down the STL , and plug it on Imac and the camera get connected with The SKY X .
Horizontal banding also noticed on Imac but not on Laptop running windows XP .
Hoping in a fix soon
Giorgio Ospici.
Italy

 

Ken and Giorgio,
as you probably know, the Mac OSX Yosemite needs the signed kernel drivers, which has to be done with SBIG Mac driver.

I will try to solve this problem with author of this driver who has Mac OSX Yosemite installed and I think the ST-2000 camera too.
We have recently updated the driver from v 4.82 to v 4.84 and tested it on previous versions to Mac OSX Yosemite. There were no
changes in ST's firmwares and/or how to upload them to the cameras, so this has to be really related to Mac OSX Yosemite itself.

Giorgio:
> The strange is when i connect my STL 11000 to my old laptop running Windows xp the ccd start and work normally
> then i remove the usb cable from laptop ,without shut down the STL , and plug it on Imac and the camera get connected
> with The SKY X .

This clearly indicates, the driver or its proper version was not uploaded to your STL 11000 on Yosemite, while it was on your XP.
Could you let me know, if you still see the horizontal banding after you reconnected the USB cable from XP to Mac ?

Ken:
The STF/STT/STXL/STX cameras _don't_ upload their firmwares on the camera's boot, the firmware is in their EEPROMs,
so there shouldn't be such a type of problems.

I will keep you informed.

Regards,
Jan

 

Thanks Jan. Good to know about the newer cameras.

Regarding the ST-2000XM, I can keep the OS the same (either 10.9 or 10.10) and simply switch the driver and the banding goes with the driver. It seems that the driver is the independent variable.

-Ken

 

Ken,
I have already contacted my colleague, just can't to say how long it may take due to Christmas holiday.
My Mac has an older Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and all cams work well...
Jan

 

Understood Jan. I stayed with Snow Leopard 10.6.8 as long as I could... I still think it was the best version of OSX that Apple has released.

 

Hi Jan
I did some test with two Imacs ,one with Maverics OS installed late 2009 model and the new one late 2013 model with Yosemite OS installed .
From my roof observatory i removed the Sbig stl 11000 from the back of my main telescope , TEC 160 Fluorite , and get back to my room connecting the STL 11000 directly to the imac with Maverics OS installed : The STL was immediately recognized and start as usual and the good notice is no banding issues was seen on a picture at -10° C and 10 seconds exposure !
Disconnected the STL 11000 from Imac Maverics ,connected the STL 11000 to the Imac Yosemite OS and no connection occourred , both The SKY X and CCDops lite did not found the camera .
Seems to me that the Yosemite OS don't recognize the STL from a fresh startup ( both THE SKYX and CCDops )
The strange thing is :
I unplugged the STL 11000 usb cable from the Imac Maverics OS without shoutdown the STL and plug the usb on Imac with Yosemite OS and it work , if i switch off the STL and reconnect the usb plug and switch on the power the
STL is not seen at all .
hope this issues can give you some help to figure out the problem .
As for the banding issue seems i have a bad USB HUB in the Observatory ,anyway i buyed a Icron Ranger 2304 usb Hub as substitute of the bad one and i will test as soon i get it delivered at my home .
Thanks for the support
Giorgio

 

Giorgio,
Thanks for detailed description of the problem. As seen, the firmware is not uploaded to your iMac with Yosemite probably due to needs of signed driver. I will need a new Mac mini with Yosemite too
to check / fix this problem with my STL-6k camera.
Jan

 

Thank you Jan for support
looking forward for the fix
Merry Xmass

 

I have the same problem, with my STL 6303E not being recognised under Yosemite - will keenly await some solution. Thanks.

Brian

 

I have an older Mac(2009) and upgraded to Yosemite at the beginning of the winter. I noticed the issue with the OSX and my ST-8300c last week with Comet Lovejoy looking down on me and my telescope. Hope there is a fix soon too...

 

I should get my Mac Mini with Yosemite next week, so will check and try to fix this problem asap.
Sorry, for such a long delay, there were some technical problems to get the newest Mac Mini.
Jan

 

Any update on this ?
Thank you
Rodolphe

 

Believe me or not, I still work on this update daily under Mac OSX Yosemite, but still have some problems with it...
Jan

 

Hello Jan.
I'm sure this is not your #1 priority but could you give us a quick update on this.
Thanks
Rodolphe

 

Rodolphe,
I think, Adam did some progress with signing Mac's driver(s) with their certificates.
Jan

 

So .. Yosemite has been out for exactly a year now.. and we're still waiting on a proper fix for this issue.
There seems to be some progress but no really any communication or a release date for a fixed version of the OS X drivers.
Any update ?

Thanks
Rodolphe