Unexplained Streaking in 8300C Frames

Discussion in 'STF Series CCD Cameras' started by Mike Lewis, Sep 30, 2015.

  1. Mike Lewis

    Mike Lewis Standard User

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    I bought this camera used from a close friend, who had used it sparingly prior to upgrading to a monochrome CCD camera.

    I have had this camera out twice. First time, running under TheSkyX, images were fine. Second time out, I had very noticeable streaking in the fits frames visible after any stretching. deBayering didn't help. I have included a jpeg of M31_Light_120.000secs_-5.64631C_unguided00001075_small.jpg single frame that shows the effect. This is just a single raw frame simply converted to a jpeg with no processing (so you can also see some dust issues, and also some tracking issues...) But the main issue to me are the stripes. Very noticeable. I did not see this in darks I don't think, and have not seen it in any captures the previous time out, nor have I been able to recreate it when the camera is just sitting inside on a bench running. The cooling between the 2 times out was similar too. Is this some sort of a software artifact, or is the camera having some kind of a hardware problem?
     
  2. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

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    That looks like a clocking issue, it may need adjustment. Please contact Bill @ SBIG Service and Repair.

    SBIG Service & Repair Center
    130 Castilian Drive, Suite 102
    Santa Barbara, CA 93117
    Bill Lynch - bill@sbig.com
    Phone: (805) 308-6979
     
  3. Mike Lewis

    Mike Lewis Standard User

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    OK thanks.

    ML
     
  4. Bill

    Bill SBIG Service and Repairs Staff Member

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    I've never seen anything like this before. What kind of 8300C is this, STT, ST, STF... ?
     
  5. Mike Lewis

    Mike Lewis Standard User

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    Bill,

    it's an STF-8300C. I MIGHT have found a suspect USB cable, but it is hard to really be sure until I can try the camera out aqgain. I seem to have misplaced the bad cable at the moment or I would just try it out on the bench inside with that. I am hoping it is a simple thing like the cable, as the results as you can see are very ugly when it happens.

    ML
     
  6. Bill

    Bill SBIG Service and Repairs Staff Member

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    Have you gotten this straightened out Mike?

    -Bill
     
  7. Mike Lewis

    Mike Lewis Standard User

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    Bill,

    Sorry to engage you on this when you are supposed to be out of the office till Monday - I hope I am not interrupting your vacation.

    Not sure yet. I seem to have lost the cable I used last time, which would let me try to recreate the problem just running the camera inside. And of course, thew weather here rioght now doesn't allow outdoor testing. All I can say so far is that I cannot recreate it with any of the other compatible USB cables I have around here.

    There is an additional interesting intermittent issue with the temperature control too, but I have not been able to correlate the 2 things at all so if that is an issue it appears to be an unrelated one.

    ML
     
  8. Bill

    Bill SBIG Service and Repairs Staff Member

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    No worries Mike. I'd be surprised if this is a camera issue, Like I mentioned earlier, I can't recall seeing anything that looks like that before. I would think you could see it in dark frames, or lights, taken indoors just as easily as light frames taken at the scope.

    -Bill
     
  9. Mike Lewis

    Mike Lewis Standard User

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    OK, just to update, I was out again with a different USB cable, and this problem was nowhere to be found. So I am chalking it up to a bad USB cable at this point, unless and until it re-appears anyway.

    Thanks again for the support!

    ML
     
  10. Bill

    Bill SBIG Service and Repairs Staff Member

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    That's good to hear Mike, I'm glad it appears to be sorted out.
     

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