[Resolved] ST-i issues with SkyXPro

My ST-i has started to exhibit the following behavior.

SkyXPro, build 9202 (I also tried 9051).

Win10 (I also tried Win7).

SBIG ST-i (latest drivers).

The ST-i connects, and can take an image either full or sub-framed, repeatedly, using the camera add on Main image tab. However, when I attempt to autoguide, after downloading the image (or what appears to be the image-I do not believe it is correct as it does look correct but rather over saturated), the ST-i times out with an error message =30008. From that point on, the camera ceases to function with the same timeout error, even when taking images using the main take image tab, which worked before the failure.

Now, I just discovered that happens if I don't select a guide star. But if I select a guide star, it then says there is no connection to the device after hitting the autoguide tab to start the autoguider. But it IS connected, as I can go back and take an image using the main image tab. Just not using the autoguider image tab.

The ST-i does not exhibit this behavior in MaximDL. It works normally without issue in MaximDL v. 5.

Even stranger, is that I reverted back to an earlier version of the SkyXPro when it did not exhibit this behavior, and get the same results. Could something in the ST-i have failed?

So, something, somewhere, in the autoguiding routine is causing it to not sense it is connected to the ST-i only with SkyX, when taking an image (either full framed or subframe) works normally.

Anyone have a suggestion?

 

UPDATE: On further testing, the shutter stops working after the first image is downloaded. In MaximDL, it failed to report any issue but clearly the shutter is not closing after the first download. In SkyX, it thinks it is not connected in the the autoguider routine while it goes ahead and takes an image in the main tab. But the reality is that the hardware is defective, not the application. Sorry about the post. The most amazing thing about issues like this is that the obvious culprit is always the one that is NOT causing the problem.

 

As a rule, if you can say with 100% conviction that "nothing changed", it's almost certainly hardware. At that point, starting to make configuration changes etc. will only obfuscate the problem, creating additional ones that make life even more complicated. The thing is, people just want to blame software gremlins. Thee are none, though there are bugs which are timing dependent. It's good you found the problem!

 

Unfortunately, I jumped the gun, although the hardware is not yet ruled out. Apparently, the shutter doesn't close after an exposure. I had presumed it should. I was incorrect after talking with Bill at tech support.

So, MaximDL v.5 works as it should. SkyXPro's camera add on does not. I do not yet know why. I intend to load up the SkyXPro on another PC and see if it is PC related.

 

Turns out it was an intermittent com issue with the MEII during a direct guide command, not the ST-i after all. Still working on that.

 

Well, the timeout issue has no re-appeared after a year's absence. My ST-i started throwing timeout errors. Thinking it was the powered hub, I swapped it to the MEII's instrument panel's built in 2.0 USB hub. No luck. I then broke the mount down, and ran a new 2.0 USB cable direct to the PC. Before, when it threw the error, the ST-i at that point refused to function, throwing the error repeatedly, and only a hard boot could restart it. The error only occurs when autoguiding. After I switched to the direct to the PC's USB port, their were fewer errors, but it still throws them during autoguiding, which then stops. However, unlike before, after I click OK on the error msgbox, I can resume autoguiding till the next timeout, which may be the next cycle, or 100 cycles later.

I tend to think, that after about a year where this issue disappeared completely, and now, with nothing else that's changed, it's the board on the camera. I'm at my wit's end at this point. This is the second time I've had a problem with the board on this unit, having replaced it once before.

Any suggestions, or should I just arrange to send it in for repair?

 

Thanks, Doug. What are the specification for gauge for the cables are you referring? The ones I use are 28AWG+24AWG. The cable to the powered hub was less then 36" and the hub is a Startech 2.0 USB 7-port industrial hub. It worked using that for about a year, and then suddenly, the time-outs started up and are now consistently happening (with no changes in hardware or software in the meantime).

I bought a backup ST-i that will arrive in a few days. If that also has the same issue, then we'll know to look elsewhere. It also has the original cable. I honestly don't know which cable I'm using out there that is the original at this point.

However, it seems to me that since it worked for a year and then stopped, something must have changed (this is in a fixed observatory and none of the hardware or software or OS has changed since before it worked without issue for a year or more).

 

Doug,

In testing the camera, it seems to only fail when autoguding, as far as I can tell. I can take a a series of normal images in continuous mode all day long (as in the focus mode) without an issue. For example, while autoguiding, after the first image is downloaded, the timeout occurs. I can then click on OK of the msgbox, put it in focus mode, and do a continuos series of captures and downloads all day long. Switch it back to autoguiding, and the image is taken, downloaded and then the timeout occurs, maybe now not immediately, but after several cycles.

It seems it has something to do with whatever happens after the autoguided image is taken-maybe after it issues the guide command-when it fails. Like it is waiting for confirmation of something from the mount and it doesn't come in time.

Hope that helps. We'll know, one way or the other, after the backup ST-i arrives.

 

Do you think my 28/24AWG cables are sufficient (the one I am currently using if from Monoprice and received the highest rating by at least one reviewer who had it looked at by an engineer)?

 

Well, the mystery continues...

I received my backup ST-i today so I swapped it out for the original ST-i I have been having problems with. The backup ST-i worked perfectly with the 16' 24/28 awg USB cable direct to the PC. Then I switched it with the original short cable I have used for a year to a powered hub. It worked fine with that combo, too. So, the other ST-i has a hardware problem, right?

No so fast. I swapped the original camera back, and guess what? It's working perfectly with both cables so far after about 45 minutes of continuous autoguiding (during the day, but connected to my mount and with it tracking, and the imaging camera taking typical 300 second exposures). I will test both with a longer duration during the day and then under the stars tonight, but this is really a puzzler.

This kind of issue drives one nuts. At least I have the backup ST-i if it starts up again. Eventually, it probably will, although it's sure hard to figure out why one session (and for more than a year), it works perfectly, and then, timeouts start up when nothing changes between sessions, and then starts working again without any problem. It's just plain crazy.

I don't envy your job, Doug!

Gerald

 

Doug,

On further testing on the observatory PC and on another PC, the original ST-i consistently timed out so the final verdict is the camera hardware. A backup ST-i never timed out after several hours. I need to send it to Bill for a checkout. It seemed to occur after it warms up an hour or so more often and never at first start-up.

Gerald

 

Serial # 11586.

 

Sent it back to Bill today to check out.

 

After upgrading to the latest build 10133, images with the ST-i had noise, usually shown as a single or multiple horizontal lines. I wanted to add a note to this thread to advise anyone using SkyXPro that sees noise in the downloaded images that you may need high priority downloads enabled for the autoguider in SkyXPro to work correctly. To do that, open up the imagingsystem.ini located in the documents/The SkyX Professional Edition/imaging system profiles/imagingsystem.ini file and find under Cam1, the line m_bhighprioritydownloads=0 and change 0 to 1, then restart SkyXPro to have it take effect. Took me a while to figure that out and this may help others who had a similar issue.