Received a new STT-8300 camera today with the self guiding filter wheel. Installed the filter wheel & filters. Plugged it in to set it up and test everything on the bench before taking it out under the stars. Had previously updated the drivers on the computer. - sbigudrv.dll 4.88 Build 11 Connected with latest version of CCDOps using the SBIG supplied USB cable. The shutter would work correctly maybe once after the camera is connected. Then it will get stuck part way open obstructing the detector every time [ 1 sec, 2 sec. 6 sec., etc.] and then not fully close. Shut down the camera, checked all the software settings and restarted. Same thing. I would get a pop up window advising of "Shutter error". Shut down and re-started. The shutter is now stuck and doesn't rotate at all and makes a disturbing sound. The filter wheel seems to be working OK. The indicator light on the side of the camera does not light up. Checked the firmware with the driver checker utility - for sttga.bf2 it tells me the camera version is 2.58 but the release version is 2.61. This is surprising because I would have thought that a new camera would have the latest drivers loaded. Hopefully someone can help me get the camera shutter working. I have had 6 previous SBIG cameras and this is the first one that didn't work correctly out of the box. Did I mention that this is a brand new camera?
Status update. Uploaded sttga.bf2 version 2.61 firmware to the camera. Connected the camera to CCDOps. The green status light on the side of the camera still doesn't light. The shutter does not work. The filter wheel seems to work OK.
OK, I took the FW8G-STT off the camera and the shutter can now spin freely. It seems as if either something in the machining of the mating surface of the filter wheel is off and contacting some part of the shutter mechanism or some part of the shutter mechanism is too high and rubs on the filter wheel. The shutter seems to work OK with the camera front back on so that tends to indicate a problem with the filter wheel. Another problem is that indicator light #1 has never been lit at any point when the camera has been turned on. I have seen light #2 flash amber a couple of times but it has been mostly off as well.
Status update at 6:55 a.m. Pacific time... Measured the output of the power adapter - 12.27 volts. Took a careful look at the camera shutter wheel and the filter wheel surface that faces the camera for indications of rub marks. None found. Carefully re-attached the filter wheel to the camera. Hand tightened the 8 attachment bolts. Didn't install the filters this time. Fired up the camera with CCDOps. Indicator light #1 doesn't light up. Shouldn't this light always be on when the camera is on? Indicator light #2 doesn't light up. Put the camera in focus mode - 1 sec. - with automatic update. The shutter will work for less than a minute and then get stuck. "Shutter error" pop up message. Can't really tell where the problem lies but it seems like the shutter wheel is binding on the filter wheel plate.
Thanks Tim for helping me troubleshoot. I left you a voice mail message regarding additional observations that may have a bearing on the shutter issue.
Great customer support from SBIG. I got a lot of help trying to figure out why the shutter is binding when the filter wheel is attached. The dealer, Woodland Hills Telescope, is getting another camera to me and this one will go to SBIG's repair guru - Bill in Goleta, CA. SBIG and Woodland Hills Telescope are certainly the "gold standard" for customer support. Dean J. http://astrophoto.net
