guide camera dying?

[troypiggo]

Noticed something weird with guide camera (QHY5) images tonight. Last week there was no issue with the image, but tonight there are weird sections of the image - the black zone middle and right checkerboard type pattern. See attached. Any ideas/thoughts?

[multiweb]

Ouch! Doesn't look good. Have you tried cycling the picture with another software to rule that out?

[billdan]

That looks weird Troy, I must admit I've never seen anything like that before.

Have your tried the usual things, like turning everything off and restarting, swap out the USB cable, or testing the QHY5 in a different program like EZCAP or Sharpcap.

[troypiggo]

I'll see how it goes again tonight. That'll take care of the power cycling and reconnecting etc. Will also try other software. The camera isn't new, think about 9 years old?

[troypiggo]

Same issue tonight with that black band. It's weird - seems that every time I disconnect and connect the camera, the black band moves left and right in the image, but stays there once imaging. If I change the exposure time (eg from 2s to 0.2s) the black band shifts left or right, but then stays same location for that new exposure time.

Tried taking image with other software, but the only software I had was SGP and it seemed to just take all black images. I've never really used the QHY5 for anything other than guiding with PHD and Maxim (in the old days, on antoher computer).

[DavidS]

Have you tried changing the cable? I chased a problem for 4 months until I swapped the cable accidently and noticed everything was working all of a sudden. It's now the first thing I check. The fact that the band moves around sounds like connection somewhere - hopefully not inside the camera. Did it get a bump? Try rotating it and see if that "settles" it. :confused2:

[troypiggo]

Thanks mate. No bumps that I’m aware of. I’ll try another cable.

[multiweb]

Have you tried running it with sharp cap? With a straight USB right off the PC. Try a few cables and USB ports.

[gregbradley]

Good advice. I sometimes get interference patterns with my SBIG STi which is very reliable.

Sometimes an image comes out with heavy white lines. I assume its some sort of interference from a tangle of cables.

Make sure your USB cable isn't next to a power cable.

Greg.

[Imme]

Just a thought from my own experience.....are you running this through a USB hub?
I had an issue once when I added a new piece of equipment and found the hub power rating wasn’t large enough to supply all the devices connected....removed one item and everything worked fine again

[troypiggo]

Thanks guys. Will try these suggestions and report back. I didn’t realise it worked in sharpcap. It’s plugged into a mount hub pro, but has been for ages, same slot, no new gear or gear rearrangements.

[LewisM]

Just covering the minutiae - have you installed a ferrite ring or tube around the cable? I used to have really crap results and drop outs with a ZWO until I put a ferrite clamp on around the cable (I know you have QHY but just an idea).

[troypiggo]

Thanks mate. Will look into that too.

[multiweb]

I have one more suggestion. Less asahi, more debugging.

[troypiggo]

More Asahi, less care about the black region :)