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Old 01-10-2013, 09:08 AM
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Internal guide chips

What is considered the preferred way to guide a system using the internal guide chip of the CCD? My SBIG ST-8XE has the internal guide chip, and I would prefer to use it than using a guidescope or even an OAG.

PHD sees the dual chips system and asks me if I want to use the guider chip, as does MaximDL.

Appreciate the help - I did not use the internal guide chip previously with this camera.
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Old 01-10-2013, 09:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LewisM View Post
What is considered the preferred way to guide a system using the internal guide chip of the CCD? My SBIG ST-8XE has the internal guide chip, and I would prefer to use it than using a guidescope or even an OAG.

PHD sees the dual chips system and asks me if I want to use the guider chip, as does MaximDL.

Appreciate the help - I did not use the internal guide chip previously with this camera.
I've never used PHD for guiding with the internal guide chip. I use CCDSoft that should have come with the camera. It seems to have a better guiding algorithm than PHD and you can fiddle with the parameters easier than relying on the auto calibration of PHD.
Some colour filters make it harder to find a guide star but for clear or green and blue I've never had any problems.
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Old 01-10-2013, 09:57 AM
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Terry,only CCDOps came with the camera (and I am having troubles with it!)

Thanks for the assist.
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Old 01-10-2013, 11:31 AM
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+1 for CCDSoft V5 and the internal guide chip - works a treat.
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Old 01-10-2013, 11:42 AM
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Using on board guide sensors presents a problem for guide stars when imaging in blue and narrow band filters. Use an OAG for guiding and then use either CCDsoft or MaximDL. Fork out the money for either of those programs and do yourself a favour. PHD is free but not as good as either of the aforementioned programs.
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Old 01-10-2013, 12:13 PM
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Already have MaximDL, and will figure out it's guiding routines. Started to already, by setting the split system in the camera config etc.
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Old 01-10-2013, 12:35 PM
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Well, CCDSoft was discontinued in August, and you cannot download it unless you had already paid for it. Of course, you can no longer purchase it, so you cannot download it unless you have registered your purchase blah blah blah.

So, CCDSoft is out
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Old 01-10-2013, 12:41 PM
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Well, CCDSoft was discontinued in August, and you cannot download it unless you had already paid for it. Of course, you can no longer purchase it, so you cannot download it unless you have registered your purchase blah blah blah.

So, CCDSoft is out
Noticed that too. So is it just discarded or is it bundled with the shy or mount purchase or renamed to something else? I can't just have disappeared?
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Old 01-10-2013, 12:56 PM
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You can continue to download it IF you purchased and registered it previously.

I have asked Matthew directly if he will supply a copy of it for a nominal fee. I am NOT buying TheSkyX - I have used it and do not like it much to be honest.
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Old 01-10-2013, 02:55 PM
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Noticed that too. So is it just discarded or is it bundled with the shy or mount purchase or renamed to something else? I can't just have disappeared?
it has been superseded by the camera addon for TheSkyX.
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Old 01-10-2013, 03:01 PM
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it has been superseded by the camera addon for TheSkyX.
Ha... makes sense. Good way to force feed The SkyX.
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Old 01-10-2013, 03:45 PM
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...which costs $444 USD. NO THANKS!!!
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Old 02-10-2013, 07:44 AM
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Your remaining options are MaximDL or AstroArt, or an external guidescope/camera. PHD cannot connect to both internal sensors at the same time (confirmed by C Stark).
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Old 03-10-2013, 09:02 PM
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I use the Sky X on my PMX mount at my dark site observatory. I use either Sky 6 or Sky X at my home observatory.

Sky 6 is much more stable. The Sky X will drop out at times if there is any trouble whatsoever with the camera or mount. Sky 6 does not. I don't know why they let it do that but that is a major weakness.

Apart from that though Sky X is overall quite sophisticated and will do all jobs well.

I find the graphical interface of the Sky 6 much better. For example the NSEW buttons you click to orient the sky with are almost impossible to read on the Sky X. I use them all the time to see what is available to image.

I also find the setup of the graphics and display much harder on the Sky X. Part of that is a learning curve working out how things are different. But it does seem not particularly user friendly.

But integrating T-point and super models more easily is a big plus (once you figure out how to make it work - allow about a month to do that! correction 3 months!!).

No really its a good program but quite complex and a bit unstable. Also there is a question mark over whether PEC works in the southern hemisphere or not. At least for some users. Not sure how that issue with a few people panned out.

CCDsoft is a good acquisition program but the guts of it are now in the Sky X. One improvement over CCDSoft is the ability to program more than a 4 filtered imaging run. Say you want to do Ha LRGB and set it up then go to bed. You can't with CCDsoft (apparently its able to modified if you get the code). In Sky X you can program an unlimited number of filters. So you could do Ha S11 O111 LRGB if you wanted to. That would save me a lot of trouble at times as HaLRGB is a common imaging run for anything with a nebula in it.

Greg.
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Old 05-10-2013, 12:44 AM
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Not sure but have you checked if Sequence Generator Pro supports this? Maybe a cheap alternative.
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Old 05-10-2013, 10:14 PM
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SGP does not support a dual chip SBIG camera (that's the word direct from the developers)
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Old 06-10-2013, 07:30 AM
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I have sorted the CCDSoft issue thanks. Bisque made me a very fine offer.

I also connect the camera and internal guide chip with MaxIM without any issues.

Now to use it in anger to rid me of LP once and for all. NB here I come!
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