The autoguider built into my filter wheel housing has an issue in which it stops guiding when the main camera is not exposing. The 2-second exposures and guiding are fine as long as the main camera is exposing, The main difference is that the autoguider's mechanical shutter is idle during main-camera exposures. Often, when I am finding a guide star or running an autoguider calibration, the guider locks up. This failure makes it impossible to reliably do a string of dithered exposures, since the autoguider's mechanical shutter will activate between main-camera exposures, and it will fail, locking up. This began several years ago, and has grown worse. It happens with multiple laptops and USB cables. More details: it appears that the autoguider fails to guide because the it had some communication error. Rather than hearing the click of the mechanical shutter as it exposes for 2 seconds, I hear the first click, followed by a delay of 4 or 5 seconds, and then two quick clicks and an error message. At that point, the autoguider is no longer functioning. These two short YouTube videos show the main shutter and autoguider shutter. In the first video, the main shutter is inactive, and the autoguider is taking 2-second exposures (without the issue). In the second video, the main camera shutter opens, and the autoguider doesn't need the mechanical shutter to open and close to do its 2-second exposures. I get the failure in the first scenario, when the main camera shutter is inactive. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DpPUS-dJfgE https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ijqk6Nipk8Y Finally, note that my firmware is Version 2.41 from 2015, when I purchased the camera. I am a bit hesitant to update to v2.54, since it gave me a warning. Should I make that upgrade? I'm using MaxIm DL v6.16 to control the camera, in case that matters. I was hopeful that a firmware update may remove the need for the auguguider's mechanical shutter. Thanks. Tom
Okay, let me reply to my own post. How do I proceed to get this issue resolved, if it's not here? Tom
Sorry, I guess your post got missed. We're a wee bit shorthanded due to people on vacations. Please upgrade all drivers and firmware to the latest. It is best to download the newer SBIGDriverChecker from the web site, rather than using a potentially very old installation.
