I have an STL-11000 that I've used with reasonable success for several years. I've had to step away from astronomy for a couple of years, and now I'm trying to revive everything. So, I may have forgotten something obvious.... Here's the issue: I use Maxim DL 6 to control the camera. Taking exposures with the main imaging chip works fine. But when I try to take an image with the guide chip, the shutter stays shut. I've set up Maxim for "SBIG Universal," and have "dual chip" mode checked. I can't find anything else that I could change that might cause the focuser to not open for the guide chip. I do have a remote guide head that I used a bit a few years ago, and that doesn't have a shutter. Is there some reason Maxim still thinks that's the guider I'm using? Any suggestions about how to fix this? Thanks. Brian
Hi Brian, What versions of everything are you using? e.g. does SBIG Driver Checker list sbigudrv.dll 4.99 Build 7 e.g. MaxIm DL Pro current version is 6.27
Hi Colin, I'll have to work on the Maxim. I'll need to renew my purchase to update at this point (6.14). I ran the SBID Driver Checker. It installed 5.0.2. Now Maxim isn't able to connect to the camera at all It says there's a problem with the driver. Suggestions? Brian
MaxIm DL 6.14 through 6.17 have a bug related to SBIG filter wheels. You can either upgrade to 6.27 or you can go back to SBIG Driver Checker with sbigudrv.dll 4.99 In MaxIm, Help... Check for Updates will take you to a page with info on the last version you are entitled to, and we recommend you update, as that version is quite old. If you are not ready to do that - See this message - at the bottom is a link to a self-contained version of the SBIG Driver Checker that has 4.99 build 7 of SBIGudrv.dll and related files: https://forum.diffractionlimited.com/threads/sbig-driver-update-for-new-afw-and-dual-wheels.8321/ Remove the current drivers from within SBIG driver checker - the remove button. Then uninstall the driver checker from the Windows applications and programs. Install the new version. Launch it. Then click Update. When it asks about checking the internet for an update, say NO. This is not what you would normally do. It will then install the version included in the file.
Hi again. I followed the instructions to revert to SBIG driver 4.99 Build 7. That seemed to clear up the problem with the STL 11000's. I've got a newer camera I'm trying to use as well -- STXL 11002 with the self-guiding filter wheel. I had this working earlier, but now it seems that the guide chip stops imaging as soon as the main chip starts. Is it related to the SBIG driver version, or have I got something set up wrong?
Check under Setup tab - Camera 1 - Options - Advanced - threading. Turning it on may help. Note that the STL11000 shares 1 brain between 2 eyes - so the guide CCD can't be digitized while the main CCD is being digitized and downloaded. So you'll have somewhere around 27 seconds with no guiding. So while the main chip is absorbing photons, guiding will run, and then it has to stop to get the image off the 11000 CCD. It's a 16+ year old design, and reflects the best of that era. There's no full frame memory buffer in camera to help with this, and only 1 analog-to-digital convertor subsystem.
I know that the guider will stop while the main camera downloads. I've been working with that setup for several years. What is happening now is that the guider will run fine until the main camera begins to expose, and then the guider just stops. I'll try the setting you suggested. Thanks.
One other thought: Does the STL think you are still using the External remote guide head? Or the Internal guide chip? e.g. It should be set to Internal to use the inside one, otherwise the camera won't open the shutter. Camera Control window - Camera 1 - Setup Camera - Guide Chip = Internal
