(Resolved) 64bit software and drivers for astro?

[bloodhound31]

G'day folks,

I'm after a bit of guidance because I've been out of the astro-loop for so long.

My old laptop has only 2GB of RAM and is now so overtaxed it will no longer stack images without error messages popping up saying, "Out of memory."

I've just procured a new desktop computer with 8GB of RAM and a windows 7 pro edition 64 bit operating system.

This new computer will be a stand-alone setup in the observatory to run the telescope mount, cameras and perform the astro-imaging and processing tasks asscosicated.

To make use of the 8GB of RAM for speed, I'm told I need 64bit drivers for my Orion Starshoot Pro CCD astrocamera as well as the Orion Starshoot Autoguide Camera.

Also, do I need to find the ASCOM thing that helps everything work together in 64 bit?

Does my Photoshop need to be in 64 bit?

Does my Deep sky stacker need to be in 64 bit?

Does my MaxIM DL essentials software for the Orion Starshoot CCD camera's image-capturing need to be in 64 bit?

Where do I get all this stuff? Will it cost or is it freeware?

Baz.

[dannat]

Yes as standard win 7 32 bit can only make use of 4Gb ram

Drivers are generally freeware but be aware not all companies produce 64bit drivers, I have just had the opposite problem at work with an Alienware laptop- its made for 64bit only & finding 32bit drivers is a pain

The drivers are generally for hardware, eg cameras,graphic car etc, software is different, there are some 64 bit versions but again not all software makers have a 64 bit version

[multiweb]

I think the ASCOM platform is #6 now. Works fine on Win7 64bit.


It can but it doesn't have to be. 32bit will run too. Older version will too (CS).

Don't know about the others. MAXIM DL will run also on Win64. I have it running. I also have drivers for the QHY5. Nebulosity 2 and 3 will run.

[bloodhound31]

Thanks Marc, but I'm still not sure I understand. How does it work? Does the Starshoot Deep Sky imager need ASCOM to function? Does the Starshoot Autoguid camera need ASCOM to talk to the EQ6 mount? What is the ASCOM for?

Oh!!! AND..... do I need to download PHD guiding in 64 bit as well? Does PHD need ASCOM to talk to the mount or the Autoguide camera?

I really need to understand this as last time I connected it all up was years ago and I have forgotten it all!

[bloodhound31]

Still can't get the cameras to work. I've been at this for days.

Where can I get the 64bit Win 7 drivers for an Orion Starshoot DSI camera? Can anyone link me directly to a download?


I've downloaded from the Orion page (http://www.telescope.com/Orion-StarShoot-Pro-V20-Deep-Space-Color-CCD-Imaging-Camera/p/99573.uts) four times now. It says the driver is there, but the four files in that download do not contain the .exe to make it happen. (Picture of the files below) Something is missing there.

My Orion Starshoot Autoguider won't connect to the EQ6 Pro mount either!

This is pissing me off.

[naskies]

Drivers don't contain .exe files (though they may be packaged with an .exe installer to make your life easier). It looks like you Orion drivers you've downloaded just literally have the driver and nothing else.

Basically you just need to plug your camera in, and wait for Windows to pop up the installing driver window (or manually add device from Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager).

When it asks you whether you want to let Windows automatically look for a driver, choose the manual option and specify the folder where you downloaded the driver (the "Have disk" option).

Alternatively, can you right click on the 64-bit driver in Explorer? Sometimes it'll come up with an "Install" option in the menu.

(Sorry I can't be more specific on the directions - I'm currently on a Mac.)

[bloodhound31]

It won't recognise them and asks me what program to open them with as it doesn't know what they are created with.

I'm actually looking at the files thinking about the fact that they are only a few kilobytes.... what could they possibly do? I'll keep trying. No sleep for me.

[naskies]

Have you tried installing them through the Found new hardware wizard (http://images.google.com/search?hl=en&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=960&bih=1102&q=found+new+hardware+wizard) that pops up when you plug in the camera? (I think it may look a bit different in Win7.)

You need to tell it to look in the folder where you have the drivers.



They're probably just wrappers for the built-in drivers... EXE files have a *lot* of overhead for programming language related crud which makes even the simplest application rather big. There's little/none of that for device drivers :)

By the way, have you tried right-clicking on the StarShoot2 (on the Setup Information line) to see if there's an "Install" option?

[guyroch]

I have a similar issue with my SSAG in W8 64 bits.

Everything works on W7 64 bits but not W8.

My lodestar, atik, sx, all works... but the orion ssag... nope :(

My ssag is dead weight now :(

Guylain

[bloodhound31]

Yes, I ran all that. It looks like the driver is missing. I just can't seem to find it. I emailed Orion asking for it directly.

From what Bintel tells me, even though I have the original Starshoot DSI camera, essentially the only difference to V2 is the spacing between the glass to stop condensation. Ergo, the 64bit drivers for the V2 should work on my V1.

I tried loading the disk with the drivers on it that came with the V1 purchase, but the computer is telling me I have to install a 64 bit version on this machine.

[multiweb]

ASCOM is a common interface between hardware and a lot of popular software. It simplifies the work of developers writing drivers, etc...

Each hardware manufacturer make their own drivers. So Orion would make a driver for your camera whether it's an ASCOM driver or a native driver. If it's an ASVOM driver you would be able to connect the camera to any software using the same ASCOM driver. If it's a native driver you would connect to software that suppoprt the native driver(s) but the drivers might be different if you connect with PHD or MAXIM DL or Nebulosity, etc... That's why ASCOM makes everything so much simpler. It's a common ground for the interface.

To install the drivers for your camera, you usually run an installer. Then you plug the camera and the OS will do its thing and find the correct drivers. If not you have to point the OS to the directory containing the drivers (usually *.inf files) then let it do its thing. In extreme situations you have to go to the device manager and click the 'update driver' button and browse to the *.inf file directly.

[bloodhound31]

update: still not working. I'm totally lost.

[bloodhound31]

Does anyone here have the same set-up as me?

EQ6
Orion Starshoot DSI V1 or V2
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
PC running Windows 7 pro 64 bit.

Perhaps a skype meeting or phone call to talk me through it?

[bloodhound31]

Thank you Marc for spending your expert time with me on the phone and solving my EVERY driver problem.

For those who run into the same problems, it turns out I had everything downloaded that I needed, it was just a case of getting it all in order so windows could find it and the devices and software could find each other.

If you asked me how to do it again however.... well that's another story! :P

God bless ya Marc! If I recall correctly, this is not the first time you have come to my rescue!

Baz.