#1  
Old 19-06-2009, 06:09 PM
Hagar (Doug)
Registered User

Hagar is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,646
Thumbs down Problems with PHD and QHY5. HELP!!!!!

I have a problem. Those of you who know me probably sit there saying my word he does but this one is for real. I have been running PHD 1.9 and my qhy5 for quite some time and have just started having problems that I have a real problem quantifying. It all started a couple of weeks back when PHD would run for 10 minutes or so then just lock up and stop responding. Now it seems to be almost any length of time.
It takes a shutdown of PHD and an unplug of the camera to reset it for the next try.

Things I have tried:

1. Shorten the USB lead to the computer.
2. Replaced the USB lead.
3. Replaced the PCI USB card in the computer with a new one.
4. Test run the camera in just capture mode for hours without fault.
5. Replaced PHD with the latest version. ( No change)
6. Installed the pre release of PHD. (no change)
7. Rearranged the USB configuration so both cameras use separate USB buses for connection.

At the moment I am out of cash and ideas and need help desparately. Next step is to rule out the computer by running PHD on the laptop while imaging on the desktop.

Please help. I will try anything.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 19-06-2009, 06:15 PM
peter_4059's Avatar
peter_4059 (Peter)
Big Scopes are Cool

peter_4059 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SE Tasmania
Posts: 4,532
Looks like you've ruled out most issues - I'd try running PHD on another computer to rule that out.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 19-06-2009, 07:36 PM
PeterO's Avatar
PeterO
Registered User

PeterO is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Traralgon Vic
Posts: 129
I had the very same problem, it just started doing it after months of running fine,tried most of what you have done all to no avail. In the end I just used another old computer I had lying around just to run phd, been sweet ever since.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 19-06-2009, 07:52 PM
Tandum's Avatar
Tandum (Robin)
Registered User

Tandum is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Wynnum West, Brisbane.
Posts: 4,161
Sounds like a driver issue to me, some conflict with something.
I'll bet a format and reinstall will fix it.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 19-06-2009, 08:12 PM
Terry B's Avatar
Terry B
Country living & viewing

Terry B is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Armidale
Posts: 2,789
Doug
I have also had this problem many times. If connection to the guider is lost even for a short time then PHD locks up. This then loses all your calibration data. I found that the USB connector at the camera was slightly loose and would rock a little when I slewed or even just with normal tracking. I stopped this by putting an elastic band around the camera and have the cable under the elastic band.
It also doesn't seem to like anything else to be connected to the USB port. If I unplug a flash drive without stopping it from a port then the guider will also stop and restart resulting in a crash of PHD.
I have stopped using PHD because of this and use guidemaster instead. It will still freeze if the guider is unplugged but you don't lose the calibration data and can restart without much grief.
With the simple solution of the elastic band I have very rare lock ups now.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 19-06-2009, 08:37 PM
seeker372011's Avatar
seeker372011 (Narayan)
6EQUJ5

seeker372011 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sydney
Posts: 3,651
try changing the cable. I had all sorts of problems with PHD-I did all the sorts of things you did, cahning laptops, reinstalling drivers and so on , and in the end it came down to changing the cable.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 19-06-2009, 09:11 PM
Gama's Avatar
Gama
Registered User

Gama is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 1,121
Doug, try using maxim DL to guide and see if it locks up.

Very easy to use Maxim to guide, and this will give a little more direction in where you could go next.

Theo
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 19-06-2009, 09:20 PM
Hagar (Doug)
Registered User

Hagar is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,646
Thanks everyone for the input. I think the next step will have to be a rebuild of the computer and see if a new install does the same. I am thinking that maybe something has changed one of the system DLL's during an install or similar. Nothing else seems to point to any one thing in particular. I have changed the cable etc. Terry's sugestion might also hold some merrit.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Gama View Post
Doug, try using maxim DL to guide and see if it locks up.

Very easy to use Maxim to guide, and this will give a little more direction in where you could go next.

Theo
Easy, you have to be kidding. I tried to get Maxim guiding up and running the other night and after lots of tries and lots of "Star failed to move enough in X axis" I gave up in disgust.

I think I will try the rebuild and see what transpires. All was well until a few weeks ago so I think it must be a software problem.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 19-06-2009, 11:17 PM
Gama's Avatar
Gama
Registered User

Gama is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 1,121
Doug, if you call me, i can give you the required data numbers to put into Maxim so you can guide. Take about 2 minutes.. If you call me i can do it over the phone.

If you think maybe software got zapped somehow, maybe do a restore to a month ago..


Theo.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 19-06-2009, 11:47 PM
Jeff's Avatar
Jeff
Starry Eyed

Jeff is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wonga Park
Posts: 692
Hi Doug,

I have similar PHD lockups with my QHY5 from time to time but normally only about 1 per night, but sometimes every 1/2 hour or so. It's a pain after you setup a series of subs, then you discover much later that guiding stopped after a few frames.

I've noticed that this only seems to happen when an image is downloading from Camera to laptop (not when images are only saved locally to my DSLR).

Although I have some theories as to what might be causing it (timing/connection conditions not being well handled by PHD), I have not really tried to isolate the root cause or a fix at this stage.

Will be interested to hear how you go...

Jeff
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 20-06-2009, 03:23 PM
AlexN's Avatar
AlexN
Tunnel Vision

AlexN is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Caboolture, Australia
Posts: 6,801
Doug, I dont know if you remember me having similar issues with PHD and my QHY8 a few months back... I never did sort it out, although your problems sound much the same as mine...

I could have the computer guide the mount for hours, as soon as I started imaging with the QHY8 at the same time, it would crash within 10 or 15 minutes.. It was a horrible problem.. Running PHD to guide using a DSLR I could take 10~15 minute subs with no worries, using it with the QHY8 I had issues getting good 5 minute subs, that was until PHD would crash requiring the whole PC to need a reboot in order to work again..

Best of luck with it mate..
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 20-06-2009, 05:27 PM
Alchemy (Clive)
Quietly watching

Alchemy is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Yarra Junction
Posts: 3,044
one possible solution, i had this suggested to me by Tamtarn when i had problems with my guider is to use an inline USB booster cable, it worked A TREAT no problems since !!!!! buy for a few dollars from dick smiths.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 20-06-2009, 09:59 PM
Hagar (Doug)
Registered User

Hagar is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,646
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alchemy View Post
one possible solution, i had this suggested to me by Tamtarn when i had problems with my guider is to use an inline USB booster cable, it worked A TREAT no problems since !!!!! buy for a few dollars from dick smiths.
Nice thought Clive but thats what I use anyway. Must be software related. I can think of nothing else which could be so predictable other than a fall off in the USB 5V bus. Maybe a powered USB hub and just run the QHY5 off that. I might try monitoring the 5V bus, I dont know if I can chart it on this motherboard.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 20-06-2009, 10:10 PM
Tandum's Avatar
Tandum (Robin)
Registered User

Tandum is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Wynnum West, Brisbane.
Posts: 4,161
Doug, does your laptop let you boot off a USB device? If it's bios allows you to do that, you could slap a copy of xp on a usb stick and run off that to see if a reinstall will fix it. Beats wiping everything on the HD.

[edit]
If your current bios won't let you do that, maybe a bios update will. You may need to make a dos boot cd with the bios files on it to do this, if you don't have a floppy for the lappy. Bios updates are normally done in dos.

Last edited by Tandum; 20-06-2009 at 11:04 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 26-06-2009, 03:27 PM
Hagar (Doug)
Registered User

Hagar is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,646
Looks like initially I will be doing a complete rebuild of the observatory computer. I have been running PHD and my QHY5 on my Acer one laptop for the last couple of sessions without so much as a glitch in the sessions. Anything is worth a try.

New telescope but a big moon coming will give me time to rebuild.

Thanks for all the assistance it is appreciated.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 27-06-2009, 12:45 AM
Gama's Avatar
Gama
Registered User

Gama is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 1,121
Pheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww !.

But seriously, great to hear youve sorted it out.


Theo
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 07:12 AM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Testar
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement